Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SH~VING APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIEL~ OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to razors for the shaving of human hair
and more particularly relates to improvements in the handle means
employed to hol-l a shaving blade element or cartridge. The invention
includes novel means for picking ul~ and releasing and reversing a blade
cartridge member.
PRIOR ART
It is known in wet shaving apparatus, to retain the disposable blade
member between a pair of guard plates that are threadably affixed to a
handle. Shaving devices of the above simple type are being continually
changed with a view to preventing a sh~ver from cutting himself. A recent
development is the simple enclosing of the blade in a disposable cartridge
to elimina-te the necessity of the shaver having to touch the blade.
A further improvement is the provision of loading and ejector means in
the handle to prevent the user from even the chance or need to touch the -~
cartridge itself.
The most recent development in safety razors includes a cam means in the
handle assembly to create a biasing force against the blade cartridge or
vice-versa in the expectation that the blade cartridge will follow the
contour of the surface being shaved. The disadvantage of the latter
development is the large number of o~dly shaped parts which require
manufacture and assembly together to make the moveable part. ~ -
Simultaneous with the latter moveable shaving cartridge is the development
and marketing of completely disposable shaving assemblies i.e. handle
and cartridge and all. The disadvantage of the disposable shavers is that
they use a pair of single edged blades only rather than double edged blades.
SUI~MARY OF T~E INVENTION
The object of the present inven-tion is -to provide a ra~or for wet shaving
facial hair and the like, comprising a blade holding car~ridge having pairs
of cutting edges on either side of parallel sides of the cartridge thereby
to give double working life to the cartridge, and wherein the cartridge
holding handle means has a spring yoke member disposed to hold the cartridge
in moveable relation therewi-th whereby the cartridge can be picked up, reversed
and released by ac-tua-tion of a push rod member connected with the yoke
and actuated by pressure of an opera-tors finger on a knob provided on the end
of the push rod where it protrudes from an aperature in the handle.
THE DRAWINGS
The above objects are shown in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embod-
iment of the invention where like reference numerals refer to like parts
throughout the several viewsdiscussed below.
Figure 1, is a bottom view of the assembly as held in a shavers hand showing
the yoke sprung into a cavity in the end of the handle showing the itegrally
formed push rod slidable in an aperature in the handle.
Figure 2, is a side elevation ~iew of the handle showing a double-edged pair
of blades enclosed in a cart~idge which is held by the yoke to the handle.
Figure 3, is an enlarged view of the centre part of the handle proximate the
yoke showing the slot or aperature in the handle for receiving the push rod
and the tooth and slot or ratcet means of holding the rod in either one of two
fixed positions to the handle.
Figure 4, is a perspective view of the yoke and the push rod with a pair
of double edged blades enclosed in a cartridge and shown exploded from the
ends of the yokes.
z~
The Preferred Embodiment Of The Invention And Mode Of Operation
_
The novel razor assembly discussed herein is clesignated numeral 10
in the drawing and comprises a handle member 12 with a generally
upturned end portion 14. The end portion 14 of the handle shown in
plan view of figure 1 is enlarged or splayed out as indicated to
provide a cavity or spoon portion 15 to receive a yoke member 16.
The yoke 16 is integrally preformed together with a push rod 17 and
the assembly 16 and 17 is fitted into the handle caviky 15 with the
push rod 17 interfitted to an aperture 18 in the handle 12.
The push rod 17 is held to the handle within aperture 18 adjacent a
bend in the handle by means of a tooth 13 on the push rod 17. Tooth
13 co-operates with one of slots 19, 50, 51, 52, 29, formed on the
inside of the wall of aperture 18 to create a ratchet for tooth 13.
A finger engaging knob 20 protrudes from the upper side of the handle
17 as shown in figure 2, and allows a shaver to push the tooth 13
into engagement with ratchet slot 19 thereby forcing the yoke up
against the handle end 44.
The yoke 16 consists of a pair of springable arms 22,24 each having
upward disposed end members 25,26. Each of ends 25,26, forms a hook-
shaped pivot end 27,28 as shown in figure 4. When the yoke is pushed
by rod 17, against thw end plate 21 of handle cavity 15, the arms 22,
24, will spring outwardly to spread apart the hooks 27,28, to thereby
release the blade cartridge.
The blade cartridge 30 encloses a pair of double edged blades 31,32,
in spaced apart parallel relationship. .:
A depression or dimple 35 is formed at the mid point of each end 37,
38, of the cartridge 30. The cartridge 30, is moveably attached to
the yoke 16 by the pivot action provided by the hooks 27,28 in the
dimple bearings 35.
In order to assemble the cartridge onto the yoke the handle face end
plate 44 is placed over the cartridge allowing hooks 27,28 to come
into engagement with the bearings 35, when the tooth 13 of push rod
--3--
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17 is in the 19 slot. With -the hooks 27,28 spaced apart adjacent the
bearings`35 of cartridge 30, a gentle push of the handle in the direc-
tion of the end face plate 44 against the cartridge while the assembly
is held against a firm surface will release the arms 22,24, and cause
the push rod 17 to travel into the aperture 18 and release tooth 13
from slot 19. When the hooks 27,28 seat into the bearings 35 of cart-
ridge 30 the tooth 13 will be seated and held in slot in slot 29 with
the cartridge firmly contacting the handle end 44, to provide a firm
rigid assembly as in the usual known shaving apparatus.
To prevent the yoke arms 22,24, from popping upwards out of the cavity
15 in the handle 14, when they are sprung outwards by the force of the
end plate 44 against the end of push rod 17, a lip 40, divided as
shown to admit the rod 17, i5 formed to partially overlie the yoke
arms when engaged by the end 44.
An upwardly standing wall 21 is also formed on the outer edges of the
handle cavity 15 to assist in retaining the yokes in engaging relation
with the cartridge when it is desired to convert the razor from a
rigid assembly to one having a floating cartridge shaving means. ~n
figure 1, the cartridge 30 is shown in close contact with the handle
end to prevent the cartridge from moving on the pivots 27,28. In fig-
ure 2 a space will be seen between cartridge 30 and the handle end 14
and is in the free floating mode.
To achieve the free floating mode for the razor, the operator will
merely push knob 20 to cause the tooth 13 to re-seat from slot 29, to
slot 51, 50, or 52. Only when the rod 17 is pushed to allow tooth 13
to seat in slot 19, will the yokes spread sufficiently to release the
cartridge 30, as rod 17 does not strike end 44 until tooth 13 arrives
at 19 and beyond towards the forepart of the assembly. The wall 21
acts in the floating position to prevent the ends from disengaging
prematurely and causes the forward distortion of the yokes to be
contained by their own ability to flex and distort throughout their
l)2~1~
length. The square cross-section oE the yokes can also assist in
maintaining a good contact to the end 44 as he]d by lip 40.
Sharp shoulders 47,48 are provided to the end 38 of the cartridge
30 adjacent the dimple 35 where the pins 27,28 of the yoke ends pivot
in the cartridge to insure that the rectangular shaped arm ends of
the yoke 25,26, will bind and cause the cartridge to seek a free
position of free float as shown in figure 2.
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