To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Joseph A. Reams, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Razors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in razors, and particularly to safety-razors.

The object of the invention is the improvement of the construction of the blade-guard and means for securing said blade and guard in their normal position.

With this and other objects in view the invention comprises certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a razor constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, showing the razor or device partly in transverse section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder or casing. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the blade. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, of the handle. Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the guards, which are provided with toothed combs of different widths.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a holder the body of which is substantially V-shaped in cross-section both internally and externally. The ends 2 are provided with sockets 3, which sockets constitute detents.

A blade 4, of thin material, bent substantially V-shaped in cross-section, is normally positioned within the angle of the holder 1 and is retained within said holder by means of an upper reduced extension 5 of the handle 6 pressing against a guard 7, which is interposed between the upper end of the extension 5 and the blade 4.

The guard 7 is also of thin material and substantially V-shaped in cross-section, and said guard is provided upon its lower longitudinal edges with teeth 8 and provides a lather-receiving receptacle within its inner angle.

The portion of the extension 5 contiguous to the handle 6 is threaded, as at 9, and upon said threaded portion of the extension 5 a bar 10 is threaded. The bar 10 is provided with a hub portion 11, which hub portion is provided with a threaded aperture. Contiguous to the ends of the bar 10 annular grooves 12 12 are formed, which grooved portion are adapted to be seated in the sockets or notches 3 of the sides 2, Fig. 1.

The blade 4 is provided with cutting edges formed upon the lower longitudinal edges of the sides. This blade is formed of rigid material. The guard 7 is also formed of rigid material. The sides of the guard 7 are of greater width than the sides of the blade 4, and therefore when the blade and guard are in their normal position, Figs. 1 and 2, the teeth 8 of the guard project beyond the cutting edge of the blade 4. The sides of the blade 4 are of greater width than the sides of the holder 1, and therefore said blade extends or projects beyond the lower longitudinal edges of said holder 1. The blade 4 and guard 7 are of the same length as the width of the holder between the sides 2, and therefore it will be impossible for the blade to move from its normal position, Figs. 1 and 2, while the extension 5 is pressing against the guard, Fig. 2.

To assemble the parts, it is preferably desirable to invert the holder 1 and to drop the substantially V-shaped blade 4 into said holder and subsequently place the guard 7 upon the blade 4. The bar 10 being threaded upon the upper end of the threaded portion 9 of the extension 5, said bar is seated within the recesses 3 and then by imparting rotary movement to the handle 6 the upper end of the extension 5 will be pressed against the guard and securely lock the blade 4 and guard 7 in their assembled position. Owing to the peculiar, structure of the holder, blade, and guard, the only adjustment necessary will be the seating or positioning of the bar 10 upon the recessed ends, which recessed portions of the ends constitute hooks whereby the handle may be suspended upon the casing through the medium of the horizontal bar 10, although normally the casing, blade, and guard are supported upon the handle. The threading of the extension 5 through the hub portion 11 of the bar 10 into engagement with the lower face of the angular guard 7 causes the angular blade 4 to be jammed into the top of the holder, while the bar 10 will be forced into a locked position within the recesses or notches 3 of the sides.

When the parts are assembled, Figs. 1 and 2, the same may be quickly detached by revolving the handle 6 for drawing the extension 5 downward through the hub 11, which will permit the bar 10 to be lifted out of the notches 3 of the sides and allowing of the angular guard and blade to be quickly removed from within the holder or casing 1. No adjustment of the blade and guard is necessary after the upper end of the extension 5 of the handle 6 is pressing against the same.

If it is desired, more than one size guard may be used with my razor. In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a guard which is provided with a toothed comb, constituted by the short teeth 8^a. A comb provided with long teeth 8 (as depicted in Fig. 6) is employed when it is not desired to cut the beard close to the skin, but when a close shave is desired a guard which is provided with short teeth 8a is employed. Owing to the peculiar construction of the casing, if it is desired guards of different sizes may be readily clamped within said casing against the blade by the same clamping means.

Owing to the V-shaped structure of the holder, blade, and guard, a receptacle is formed for holding the lather. The lather is forced into this receptacle formed by the casing 1 as the razor passes over the face; but the lather can be easily removed from the receptacle when desired. This is a very desirable convenience over the structure of the ordinary razor.

The parts of a complete razor can be easily disassembled, as hereinbefore stated, and packed in a smaller case than is usually used for safety-razors.

For facilitating the cleaning of the holder the same may be cut away, as indicated by dotted lines 2^a, Fig. 3.

What I claim is—

1. In a razor, the combination with a holder, of a blade substantially V-shaped in cross-section, a handle for said holder, and means for clamping said blade to said holder.

2. In a razor, the combination with a holder, of a blade substantially V-shaped in cross-section, a handle, and locking means actuated by said handle and engaging said blade and arranged to secure the same within said holder.

3. In a razor, the combination of a holder, substantially V-shaped in cross-section, a blade, a guard, and means for locking said blade and guard within said holder.

4. In a razor, the combination with a substantially V-shaped guard engaging said holder, of a substantially V-shaped blade, a blade, and means for clamping said blade and guard to said holder.

5. In a razor, the combination with a holder, a blade engaging said holder, a guard engaging said blade, of a bar pivoted upon said holder, a handle revolubly mounted upon said bar and arranged to press against said blade and guard for securing them in a clamped condition against said holder.

6. In a razor, the combination with a holder, a blade and a guard positioned within said holder, of a bar pivoted upon said holder, and revoluble locking means positioned upon said bar and pressing against said guard for clamping said blade against said holder.

7. In a razor, the combination with a holder, provided with ends of removable supporting means connecting said ends, a revoluble member carried by said supporting means, a blade interposed between said revoluble member and said holder, and guard means interposed between said blade and said revoluble member.

8. In a razor, the combination with a holder having reversely-inclined sides, of a blade and a guard carried by and conforming in shape to said holder, and revoluble locking means for securing said blade and guard upon said holder.

9. In a razor, the combination with a, holder having reversely-inclined sides, of a blade and a guard positioned within and conforming in shape to said holder, and clamping means engaging only the lower surface of said guard for clamping said guard and blade within said holder.

10. In a razor, the combination of a holder comprising an inverted, substantially V-shaped body, said body provided with sides, said sides provided with notches or sockets, a substantially V-shaped blade positioned within said holder, a substantially V-shaped guard provided with teeth upon its lower longitudinal edges, positioned within said holder and engaging said blade, a bar provided with grooves near its ends, the grooved portion of said bar engaging the notches of said sides, said bar provided with an internally-threaded hub, a handle provided with an extension, and said extension threaded near its lower end, the extension positioned within the threaded portion of said hub and having its upper end normally pressing against said guard for clamping the blade and guard against said casing.

11. In a razor, the combination of a holder, provided with notched sides, horizontally-connecting means positioned within the notched portions of said sides, a handle supported upon said connecting means, and a blade positioned between said handle and holder, and being clamped against said holder by said handle.

12. In a razor, the combination with a holder, of a bar journaled in and connecting the ends of said holder, a handle revolubly mounted upon said bar, and a blade interposed between the upper end of said handle and engaging said holder.

13. In a razor, the combination with a holder, a bar removably journaled upon said holder, a blade, and a guard positioned between said holder and bar, and revoluble locking means carried by said bar and engaging said guard for clamping said blade against said holder.

14. In a razor, the combination with a holder, of a blade, and a guard positioned within said holder, a bar journaled in and connecting the ends of said holder, and fastening means carried by said bar intermediate its ends for securing said guard and blade within said holder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Joseph A. Reams.

Witnesses:

Lucius A. Daugherty,

Howell Flood.