An Improved Brace for Razors.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
An Improved Brace for Razors.
We FREDERICK KAMPFE, RICHARD KAMPFE and OTTO KAMPFE, Manufacturers of
Brooklyn in the County of Kings and State of New York United States of America
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:-
Razor blades are usually hinged quite loosely to the handle and it is very difficult to
hold the razor blade while stropping the razor in such a position that at all times the
axis of the blade will be at right angles to the axis of the strop which position of the
blade is necessary to produce a perfect true and keen edge.
The object of our invention is to provide a new or improved brace or spring
which can be applied on all kinds or styles of ordinary razors and serves for holding
the blade rigidly when swung out to project from the end of the handle.
The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts and details as
will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a si le view of an ordinary razor open
and provided with our improved razor brace. Figure 2 is a detail side view of our
improved razor brace and
Figure 3 is an end view of the same.
Figure 4 is an end view showing a modified construction.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Our improved razor brace consists of a piece of spring wire which is bent at A' as
shown to give it greater spring tension and a short distance from its lower end is
bent outward about at right angles and curved to form the handle lug and at the
inner end of said handle lug it is bent down to form the lug Cat the upper end of
which the shoulder D is formed. The wire is then carried upward to form the
prong E on the top end of which the laterally projecting hook or lug F is formed.
As shown in Figure 4 this hook or lug can be shaped as a cross piece extending in
opposite direction.
The inner edge of the wire A is flattened near the upper end as shown at a so as to
adapt it to rest snugly against the tang G of the razor blade H which is pivoted
between the two handle sections J in the usual manner. That part of the brace a
short distance below the hook F is flattened as shown in Figures 2 and 3 whereby
the spring tension of the entire device is increased and passing the lower end of the
device through between the handle sections is facilitated these handle sections being
quite close to each other at their lower ends.
The device is used in the following manner-
The blade is swung out to be in line with the handle as shown in Figure 1 and
then the upper end of the brace is passed through between the handle sections in
such a manner that the hook F rests on the inner edge of one handle section and the
inner edge of the upper part of the wire A rests against the back of the tang G.
In the construction shown in Figure 4 said part F rests against the inner edges of
both handle sections.
The lower part of the prong E projects from the inner edge of the handle and by
pressing on the shoulder part D the handle lug E is projected sufficiently from the
outer edge of the handle to permit of seizing said handle lug. By pulling on said handle
lug E the lower part of the device is drawn toward the outer edge of the handle until
the inner edge of the lug projects clearly beyond said outer edge of the handle and
then the entire device is moved downward until the inner edge of the lug C is
adjacent to the outer edge of the filling piece inserted between the lower ends of the
razor blade handle sections as shown in Figure 1. By the spring tension in the device
C

page_text: the upper end in the wire A is pressed against the back of the tang and also against
the curved prong M at the lower end of the tang as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 1. The hook F rests against the inner edge of the razor handle and the
lug Crests against the bottom filling piece of the razor handle. Thereby the
blade H is held rigidly in line with the razor handle and when stropping can (at all times)
be held at right angles to the axis of the strop. As the spring wire A bears against two
points of the blade it prevents the same swinging either toward the right or left.
The device can easily be removed by pressing upward on the lower end of the lug C
or handle lug E until the lower end of said lug clears the upper edge of the
filling piece at the bottom of the razor handle when the device snaps outward and
can be removed at once.
Our improved brace can be used for wide or narrow razors with thick or thin
blades and with handles of any shape and construction. It is entirely out of the
way and does not interfere while stropping or honing the blade. Our device also
serves for holding the blade and handle in line when stropping the blade by means
of our improved stropping device for which United States Letters Patent were issued
to us on the 25th day of June 1889 No. 405961.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. The combination with a razor handle and a blade pivoted to the same of a
detachable spring held in the handle and bearing on the blade substantially as set
forth.
2. The combination with a razor handle and a blade pivoted to the same of a
detachable spring bearing on the front and rear edges of the handle and against
the rear edge of the blade substantially as set forth.
3. A detachable brace for razor handles consisting of a spring metal piece having
a lug at the bottom to bear against the bottom filling piece of the razor handle and
a projection to bear against the front or inner edge of the handle and an extension
to hear against the back of the razor blade substantially as set forth.
4. A detachable brace for razors consisting of a piece of spring metal hent to
form at its lower end a handle lug a lug below said handle lug an upwardly
projecting shank having a projection at its upper end and an upward extension to
bear against the back of the razor blade substantially as set forth.
5. A brace for razors composed of a piece of spring metal bent to form the top
part A a handle lug B lug C prong E and hook F that part of the brace a short
distance below the hook F being flattened substantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of November 1889
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.