AN IMPROVED SAFETY RAZOR
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1886
Complete Left, 30th Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Oct., 1887
ISRAEL DRAKEFORD Senr. Leather Merchant, Kingsthorpe Northampton, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for AN IMPROVED SAFETY RAZOR to
be as follows :-
This invention consists of a new Form of Razor having its cutting edge so gaurded
that it cannot possibly cut a person when shaving. The Razor is made circular or
other suitable shape & has its cutting edge protected by a single or double gaurd
projecting a short distance below the said edge.
The Blade is made to cut both back & front so that it can be used either hand
with the same advantage.
The gaurd to be made of suitable metal, perforated & to be fixed to the Razor
Blade by small adjustable screws so that it can be adjusted as required & to allow
for cleaning.
The advantages claimed for this form of Razor are that being gaurded it is impossible
to cut any one besides which the gaurds help to set the Razor.

page_text: I, ISRAEL DRAKEFORD, Senior now residing at High Street, Kingsthorpe in the
County of Northampton, Leather Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to a new or improved construction of safety razors and
consists in arranging and mounting either a single or double guard with the razor
blade which may be either an ordinary edged razor or formed double edged though
this latter method has disadvantages which render it unsuitable for some purposes
and I will therefore only proceed to describe my present improvements with reference
to the accompanying sheet of drawings as applied to an ordinary or single edged
razor. Figure 1 shows the razor blade with the handle and guard removed. Figure 2
the guard and Figure 3 the blade and guard combined.
The guard consists of a flat metal plate a mounted on the same pin or axis 6 as the
razor blade c and handle (each side of which handle is for my purposes advantageously
formed independently of the other) the whole of the five parts (viz. the blade the
upper guard the lower guard and handle in two parts) being adjusted and tightened
down in the required position by a set screw on the said pin or axis b or by an
independent set screw d as shown.
The guard a itself is formed approximately of the shape of the blade c than which
it is a little smaller and is formed with an undulating upper edge the highest parts or
points a¹ of the undulations being adjusted (when ready for use) just a little lower
than the edge of the blade c and so forms the lower guard i.e. the guard between the
razor blade and the skin of the person shaving or being shaved.
A similar guard a is mounted on the opposite side of the blade c and is adjusted and
brought into use when shaving in the opposite direction.
If desired this guard a is mounted on one side only and a single flat piece of metal
being arranged on the other side, its front edge (which corresponds with the curve
of the blade) projecting a little beyond the blade edge while its back edge is turned
over and embraces the back of the blade and also the back of the guard-thus forming
a ready stop or abutment for bringing the three named parts into proper position for
shaving or the abutment may be dispensed with.
The guard a (which in order to lighten the razor as much as possible may advan-
tageously have holes or perforations formed therein which also serve to allow the
lather to escape through) is capable of a variety of modifications, as for instance it
may be made to serve as a guard for shaving and handle or cover to protect the
blade edge when out of use and thus considerably simplify and cheapen the
construction, and a stop or abutment may be provided on it if desired which
engages the back or end of the blade and keeps the guard from overlapping the
blade edge.

page_text: By this means the razor is made practically a safety razor-when in use--the shield
or guard a serving to tighten the skin and thereby shaves closer while reducing the
probability of the edge catching in and cutting the skin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
The improved safety razor having the herein before described guard a arranged
and combined therewith substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
DOL 1
1007
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.