IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SHAVING THE FACE OR OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SHAVING OR CUTTING PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Monks, of the City and County of
Gloucester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
SHAVING THE FACE OR OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY, ALSO APPLICABLE
TO OTHER SHAVING OR CUTTING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 2nd July 1875, and dated the 26th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Monks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th April 1875.
I, JOHN MONKS, of the City and County of Gloucester, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR SHAVING THE FACE OR OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY, ALSO
APPLICABLE TO OTHER SHAVING OR CUTTING PURPOSES," to be as follows :—
In the Specification of a previous Patent granted to me on the 6th of
November 1874, No. 3884, I have described an apparatus for shaving.
Now according to this present Invention I produce an apparatus for the

page_text: same purpose, but simpler and cheaper in construction and make, and of
at least equal efficiency.
This new apparatus consists mainly of two parts only, viz., the cutting
blade and its frame. The latter is in its simplest form made of and
as a plate bent at right angles at unequal distances from its ends, the
longer leg or end serving as a handle to hold the apparatus by between
the fingers and thumb, and the shorter leg or end serving for the
attachment of the cutting blade, and for this purpose formed or provided
with a clip or spring or projecting lip turned up and over on each edgo
on the outer side of the plate or frame, a small set screw, or a spring, or 1
catch, or equivalent well-known contrivance serving to keep the blade in
its place when inserted, and also by preference so pressing on the back of
the blade as to keep the edge of the blade dead against its bearing,
which bearing is close to the bend or angle of the frame which hereat
and on each side of the bend is formed with perforations or slits, 1
producing narrow bars running at right angles to the cutting edge of
the blade. These bars extend, as regards the short leg of the frame, by
preference so far that the edge of the cutting blade on inserting the
blade in its frame at once comes in contact with the said bars, because if
the edge came in contact with and was pushed along the solid or unper- 2
forated part of the frame its sharpness would suffer damage.
For setting up the edge the blade is inserted in a socket or a three-
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SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Monks in the Great Seal Patent Office on 2
the 26th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MONKS, of the City and County of Gloucester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year 3
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Monks, Her special

page_text: Figure 7 is a side, and Figure 8 is an end view of the cutting diade,
and Figure 9 is a side view of the handle with cutting blade fitted thereto
for stropping or setting the cutting blade.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
The
a, b, is the frame, made preferably out of one piece of metal, forming
a plate bent at right angles at unequal distances from its end, as shown.
The longer end a serves as a handle to hold the apparatus by between
the fingers and thumb, and the shorter leg or end 6 serves for the attach-
ment of the cutting blade c, and for this purpose it is provided with a
clip or spring or projecting lip & turned up and over on each edge, as
best seen in Figure 5. e is a small set screw for keeping the blade in
position when inserted in its frame, or a spring or catch, or other well-
known mechanical means may be employed for this purpose.
screw e is by preference caused to press upon the back of the blade in
such manner as to keep the edge of the blade dead against its bearing,
which bearing is close to the bend or angle of the frame, which in the
Drawing is at this part shown formed with perforations or slits producing
narrow bars running at right angles to the cutting edge of the blade.
These bars extend, as regards the short leg of the frame, by preference
so far that the edge of the cutting blade on inserting the blade in its
frame at once comes in contact with the said bars, because if the edge
came in contact with and was pushed along the solid or unperforated
part of the frame its sharpness would suffer damage. In the Specifi-
cation of the Patent herein-before referred to I call this plate "an
interstitial guard plate."
For setting up the edge the blade is inserted in the socket shown at
Figure 9, or in a three-pronged shaft or handle, and can then be set or
stropped as required, or any other suitable handle or holder may be used
for holding the blade while it is being sharpened.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not
limit myself to the precise manner herein-before described of carrying
my Invention into effect, provided the essential features thereof are
retained, as the same may be varied without departing from my In-
vention, but I claim the construction and employment of an apparatus
for shaving consisting of a frame and cutting blade, made and fitted

page_text: substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Monks, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.