US2982021A - Cutting head for a dry shaver - Google Patents

Description

y 2, 1961 A. P. MILLER 2,982,021

CUTTING HEAD FOR A DRY SHAVER Filed Aug. 5. 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

IO r 46 INVENTOR. ANTHONY P. MILLER BY FIG. 4. MMQRA ATTORNEYS May 2, 1961 A. P. MILLER cu'rwmc HEAD FOR A DRY SHAVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.. 5. 1957 FIG.

FIG. 6.

INVENTOR.

ANTHONY P. MILLER FIG. 8.

FIG. 5.

M 3% ATTO R N EYS y 1961 A. P. MILLER 2,982,021

CUTTING HEAD FOR A DRY SHAVER Filed Aug. 5. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' FIG. l2.

F l (5. IO.

INVENTOR ANTHONY P. MlLLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent CUTTING HEADFOR A DRY SHAVER Anthony nwnuer, 3333 Arctic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ.

FiledAug. 1957,Ser.No. 676,082

' 3 Claims; or. 30-43 This invention relates to an electric shaver and more particularly to a shaver having a cutting edge movable with respect to a stationary slotted plate. This application is a continuation in-part of my copending patent application Serial No. 594,904, filed June 29', 1956, now abandoned. M 7

Numerous electric shavers are well known in the art. Theseishavers all have theicommon disadvantage of either not cuttingthe hair closely or else of actually shaving the surface. of the skin at the same time that the hair is being cut. These difiiculties" arise due to the fact that known shaving heads do not properly align .or present the hair stubhlespto the slots in" the shaver head; Thus, the hair stubbl'esfdo'not pass into the slots for. cutting unless the shaveris pressed firmly against the skin or unless the skin is manipulated during shaving. Pressure, and/or certain manipulation; will cause the skin tojactually bulge through the jcutting'slots and the cutter will actually shave oii the surface of the skingthereby producing redness and soreness. ofgthefskin. With many shavers, the condition of suitable close shaving without encounteringa shaving of the skinis very dilficultjtoachieve;

' It is the-prirna'ry object of the. present'mvention to pro- 'vide a shaving head which will properly contour the skin so asto causehair'stubbles thereon to enter into slots in the" shaving" head for cutting by a cutter moving relative thereto without there being simultaneously a pressing of the skin intothe slots, with the resulting shaving of the suiface ofthe skin. .7

It is jafurther object of the invention to provide a shaving head which is more effective than shaving heads heretofore known and which is relatively inexpensive to produce. i V 1 It is a-further object of the invention to provide an improved blade mounting in order to insure uniform engagement across the surface of the bladewith the slotted cuttinghead. 1 It is a further object of r the invention to provide, in conjunction with the rotating blade assembly; air blowing or moving meansserving to provide a substantial current of air through the slots in the stationary. cutting head in, order, to insure continued cleaning of theseslots and otstheiblades passing over the cutting head, as wellras providing for a motion of air which would assistin bring- 'ing lightor fine hairs into the cutting slots. v I

These and other objects of the invention relating partic'ularly to the construction and operation of the" invention and of various modifications thereof will become evident in thefollowing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in Which:

Figure 1 is a partially cut away side view of an electricshaver embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a' plan view of. the outside surfaceof the stationary shaving head;'

Figure 3 is a plan view of the rotating cutters positioned below the stationary head shown in Figure 3;

Figure 4 is a partially cut away axial section through the cuttingh d. Y; V.

vlcfi Figure 5 is a partially cut away axial section through a cutting head assembly embodying a modification in the cutting blade construction; V Figure 6 is a side view of the head as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the outside surface of the head shown in Figures 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the rotating cutter assembly positioned below the stationary head shown in Figure]; Figure 9 is a transverse section through one of the blades and blade mounting arms shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a partially cut away axial section through still another modification of the cutting head assembly;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the rotating cutters in volved in the head shown in Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is an end view of the cutter blades shown in Figure 11.

.In Figures 1 and 4 there is shown at 10 a body portion of the shaver which is adapted to be held in the hand 'of' the user and which contains a driving motor of conventional construction that need not be described in detailherein. Affixed to the right hand end of the body 10 as viewed in Figures 1 and 4 is a sleeve 12 across the outermost end of which there is positioned a'thin plate 14 located and held in position thereon by a flange ring 16 threaded over the exterior surface of the sleeve 12. The bead 18 of the ring 16 provides a circular head or projection extending above the peripheral portion of the plate 14. The plate 14 is provided with a pair of spaced annular beads 20, and 22. The outermost bead, bead 20, is spaced from thebead 18 of the ring 16. The plate 14 is also provided with a central portion 24 of increased thickness having a longitudinally axial dimension substantially equal to the longitudinal axial dimension of the beads 20 and 22.. Annular arrays of slots 26 and 28 are provided between the annular beads 18 and 20, and 20 and 22, respectively.. An annular array or slots 30 is provided between the bead 22 and the cen tral portion 24 of the plate 14.

tion with the interior of thesleeve 12 adjacent to the plate 14 and is mounted for rotation with a shaft 34 driven by a motor positioned within the body 10. As shown in Figured a knurled wheel 36 extending through the body 10 is aifixed to the shaft 34 providing conventional starting means for the driving motor in the event that the motor fails to start of its own accord when electric power issupplied thereto. I The face of the disc 32 adjacent to the plate 14 is provided with an annular groove 38. The portion 40 of the disc 32 positioned radially outwardly of the groove 38 is provided with radially extending slots 42 having inclined radially outer faces 44 increasing in diameter 'as they extend toward the plate 14. The central portion'46 of the disc 32 is provided with radial slots 48 in alignment with the radial slots 42. Cutter blades 50 comprising fiat plates of suitably hardened steel j are po sitioned in radially aligned slots 42 and 48. The radially outer ends of the cutter blades 50 are inclined to fit against theinclined radial faces 44 of the slots 42. The cutter blades are provided with bores 52 providing clearance around a snap ring 54 engaged in a. recess 56 in the radially outer face of the central portion 46 of the disc 32. The recess 56 serves to position the snap ring 54 and the snap ring 54 serves to retain the cutter blades within their receiving slots when the plate 14 is removed from its' position adjacent thereto. The rubber O ring 58' is positioned between the cutter blades 50 and the base of the groove 38 and serves to urge the radially inner portion 62 of the cutter blades outwardly against the plate ;14. The radially outermost portions 60 of the cutter j hladesextend beyond the radially outer ends .of the=slots A blade carrying disc 32 is positioned in spaced rela- 26 in the plate 14, and the radially inner ends 62 of the enter" blades 50" extend inwardly of the inner ends of the slots 30.

The central portion 46 of the disc 32 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 64 partially filled with a plug 66 of graphite material, which plug is urgedinto'engagement with the-inner surface of the plate .14 by means of a spring 68 positioned between the lower end of the plug. and the base of the bore 64. v Upon operation of the shaver driving motor the shaft 34.and the disc 32 are rotated. The outermost ends of the cutter blades 50 are urged longitudinally and against the plate 14 as a result of the camming action of the radially outer portion of the cutter blades and the engaging surfaces 44 of the slots 42. a As previously noted, the ring 58 urges the radially inner portions of the cutter blades into engagement with the plate 14. Rotation of the disc 32 causes the cutter blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the disc and to pass beneath the slots in the disc. When the shaver is inuse there will, of course, be provided a pressure upon the thin plate 14, and the central portion 24 of the plate will be supported by the central portion 46 of the disc 32. The carbon plug 66 is provided in order to lubricate these contracting surfaces and to minimize friction therebetween.

When the razor is in use the adjacent annular flanges 18 and 20, 20 and 22, and 22 and 24 provide annular grooves or recesses into which the skin being shaved can bulge, causing the hair stubbles thereon to stand up and more readily pass the slots between the respective pairs of beads and thus insuring entry of the hairs into the slots for cutting by the rotating blades 50.

'As previously noted, the cutter blades 50 are preferably formed of a hardened steel. The slotted disc 14 is formed of a thin plate of suitably hard and wear resisting steel in order that the edges of the slots therein, in combination with the cutter blades, will provide cooperating shearing edges for cutting hair. The disc 32 is preferably formed of brass for ease in machining and to provide wear resistant surfaces for cooperation with the cutter blades and the central portion 24 of the disc 14.

The radial dimensions between the adjacent annular beads and the heights of the beads are selected with respect to each other in order to minimize the possibility of the skin being pressed into the slots in the thin plate 14 sufficiently to bring it in contact with the rotating cutte'r blade. Thus, shaving of the skin is avoided while entry of the hair stubbles extending from the skin into the slots for cutting is insured. By way of example, the height of the beads above the outer surfaces of the-plate 14 may be approximately between $4 and $5 of an inch and the annular dimension between adjacent beads would 1 be of the order of A; of an inch. The plate 14 may be, for example, of the order of 4 of an inch thick in the region of the slots therein.

1 It will be noted upon viewing Figure 2 that the slots 26 and 28 in the plate 14 are displaced slightly from radially extending directions. The slots are substantially radially arranged, however, in order to provide for a successive cutting of a plurality of hairs extending into the slots, but it is preferable that the slots be displaced slightly from a radial line in order that the radially extending cutter blades across each of theslots progressively from one end thereof to the other end thereof. The radially innermost slots 30 are shown as being radially arranged and due-to the relatively short perpendicular distance of these slots from the center of rotation it is relatively-unnecessary, from a standpoint of motor torque, that they be displaced from radial positions. It should be noted that the beads 20 and 22 while preferably circular may be of elliptical form. Furthermore, the pair of projections need not be concentric. The absence of concentricity'would provide variable spacing which in some instances might beuseful in connection with skinsurfaces of varying 4 softness or deformability. As a general rule, however, circular concentric projections and a circular head will provide the most generally satisfactory form of shaver.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figures 59 a neck 102 extends from the body portion of a shaver, not shown in the drawings, within which is mounted a conventional electric motor suitable for use in a shaver. A flange 106 is supported from the neck 102 andsupports a shaving head assembly indicated generally at 104. A sleeve 108 is positioned over the flange and'locked thereto by means of a bayonet lock assembly 110. A cap 111, having a rim 112, is threaded over the outer or right-hand end of the sleeve 108 as viewed in Figures 5 and 6. A disc 113 having annular arrays of slots 116 and 118 is retained against theouter end of the sleeve 108 by means of the cap 111, the cap being provided with an outer raised annular portion 120, an intermediate raised annular portion 122 and a raised center portion 124. The center portion 124 and the annular portion 122 are supported by means of the outer annular portion through radially extending members 126. The dimensions of these raised portions are desirably approximately the same as those described in connection with Figures 2 and 4.

The neck 102 extends upwardly into the head assembly 104 andis surrounded by an insulating sleeve 128 over which is mounted the flange 106. The flange 106 is formed with abutment members 107 which serve to position the sleeve 108 and to support bayonet lock pins 110 as best shown in Figures 5 and 8. A rotating shaft 130 extends upwardly inside of the neck 102 and is driven by the motor within the body of the shaver, which is not shown in these figures.

The outer or right-hand end of the shaft 130 mounts four outwardly extending arms 192 which are inclined toward the cutting disc 114. The arms 132, one of which is shown in section in Figure 9, each mounts a cutter blade 134 which is slidably mounted in an inclined slot 136 in the arm, effecting movement of the outer end of the blade toward the cutter disc when the arms are rotated. The blades are formed with elongated openings 138 through which there extends a ring 140 passing around a central hub portion 142 of the shaft 130 and lying in an annular groove therein. Thus, the ring serves to secure the blades in their slots, while the ring and the elongated openings 138 serve to permit movement of the blades. radially outwardly and to provide blade movement longitudinally into engagement with the cutting disc 114 as the arms '132are rotated.

The arms 132 have their radially extending sides inclined as indicated at 144 and 146 in Figure 9. It will be evident that with rotation of the arms 132 in the direction of the arrow 148 in Figure 9, the inclined leading and trailing edges 146 and 144, respectively, will induce a downward current of air as viewed in Figure 9.

As best shown in Figure 8, the flange 106 is provided with longitudinally extending openings 150 of elongated form positioned adjacent to the radially outer portions of the flange 106 and between abutments 107. Upon rotation of the arms 132 a current of air is induced through the slots 116 and 118 in the disc 114 and past the arms through the openings 150 and out of the cutting head assembly. Thus, cuttings and other materials do not accumulate within the head and are driven out of the head during use of the shaver, preventing any possibility of either the slots in the cutting head or the cutting blades becoming fouled or clogged by cuttings.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12 involves a head assembly, indicated generally at 160, which is substantially identical to the head assembly described in connection with Figures 5, 6 and 7. Thus, parts identified by primed reference numerals in Figures 10', 11 and 12 are identical with parts bearing the same numerals in Figures 5,- 6 and 7, and for descrip v aeeaoai tion of these parts reference may be had to the preceding description. In the arrangement shown in Figure 10, however, the shaft 130, which is rotated by the shaver motor, has a reduced diameter end portion 162 which is provided with transverse radially extending slots 163 at 90 with respect to each other and providing abutrnents 166. Rods 164, in recessed overlapping arrangement, are positioned in the two slots as is best shown in Figure 11, and are secured in position on the end of the shaft by means of a screw 165 extending into the shaft 130'.

The rods 164 are provided with slots 168 extending inwardly from the ends thereof, theplane of the slots being inclined from the axis of the shaft 130'. Blades 170 are mounted within the slots and are provided with beveled upper edges, as indicated at 172 in Figure 12, providing an extended surface for engagement with the under surface of the cutter disc 114 positioned under the cap 112' of the head assembly.

The blades 1'70 are provided with slots 174 which are adapted to receive pins 176 extending through bores in the arms 164. Slots 174 and 176 serve not only to retain the blades 170 in the slots within the arms but also to provide in conjunction with the inclined surfaces of the slots for outward and upward movement, i.e., to the right as viewed in Figure 10, of the blades to insure uniform engagement thereof with the disc 114.

As is best shown in the end view of a cutting arm in Figure 12, the blade 172 is inclined from the line of the axis of rotation of the shaft 130' so that if the rotation of the arms 164 is in the direction of the arrow 178 in Figure 12 a current of air will be induced to flow downwardly past the blades and arms as viewed in Figure 11 or to the left as viewed in Figure 10. The disc 106' in Figure is provided with slots 150' similar to those described in conjunction with Figure 8 and providing passages for the flow'of air entering through the slots in the cutting disc 114 and passing the blades 170.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the Figures 10, 11 and 12 has the advantage of being somewhat less expensive to manufacture than the arrangement shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9. On the other hand, the arrangement shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9, by proper formation of the arms 132, can be employed to produce a somewhat greater flow of air than is induced by the arrangement shown in Figures 10-12.

In all forms of the invention, however, there is provided thearrangement of projections on the shaving head which provides for manipulation of the skin by the shaving head during shaving in order to cause the hair stubbles to properly enter the slots in the cutting'head, while at the same time minimizing the possibility of the skin'being pressed into the slots sufiiciently far that shaving of the surface of the skin will result.

Furthermore, the various constructions provide floating blades which are moved outwardly against the sta-'.

tionary cutting head as a result of centrifugal force'existing upon rotation, of the blades. These arrangements provide free positioning of the blades and proper alignment of the surfaces of the blades with'the surface of the cutting disc with which they must cooperate.

Additionally, the embodiments of the inventionshown in Figures 5-10 provide for. the flow of air-through the a of the contact of a heated head with the skin surfaces being shaved. It will be evident that the various details of structures disclosed herein may be variously combined and that various modifications may be made to details of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting head for a dry shaver including a thin plate having a plurality of spaced endless projections, one surrounding the other, extending from one face of said plate and an array of openings extending through said plate in the area thereof between said projections, said projections extending above the plane of the plate within said area, a cutter blade in engagement with the other face of said plate, and means mounting said cutter blade for movement across said openings.

2. A cutting head according to claim 1, wherein said plate has openings therein outside of the outermost projection of said plurality, and including a further projection at the periphery of said plate and extending around the last-mentioned openings, said further projection extending above the plane of said plate in the area thereof having said last-mentioned openings.

are concentrically arranged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,099,334 Gormely Nov. 16, 1937 2,234,891 Bruecker Mar. 11, 1941 2,247,661 Moskovics July 1, 1941 2,247,798 Bean July 1, 1941 2,273,739 Te Pas Feb. 17, 1942 2,291,852 Weatherford Aug. 4, 1942 2,292,931 Dicke Aug. 11, 1942 2,341,833 Volz Feb. 15, 1944 2,536,015 Konrad Dec. 26, 1950 2,577,383 Thirring Dec. 4, 1951 2,616,168 Dankers Nov. 4, 1952 2,632,948 Konrad Mar. 31, 1953 2,677,884 Richard May 11, 1954 2,785,461 De Lalla Mar. 16, 1957 2,824,367 McWilliams Feb. 25, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 56,734 Netherlands 2 Aug. 15, 1944 895,433 France Apr. 3, 1944 913,779; France June 3, 1946 1,120,025 France Apr. 9, 1956- a 511,672 Great Britain Aug. '22, 1939 Great Britain May. 21,1948

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