IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAZOR-BLADES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
"
& Co., Patent Agents Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention, of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAZOR-BLADES": Communicated
to him from abroad by James Darius Frary, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, United
States of Amonnai
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1882,
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE Of
RAZOR-BLADES [A communication to him from abroad by James Darius Frary,
of Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States of America.]
"
This invention relates to the manufacture of razor blades.
In the usual construction of blades which present a concave surface upon both
sides, the blade and shank are forged complete from steel into nearly the required
shape, then ground and finished This forging operation is usually effected by
hand for the best class of razors, and requires the most skilled labor.
To avoid the expense of forging, razors have been made with the blade cut from
sheet steel introduced and secured into a back of different metal, the back forming
simply a bead-like ridge on the back of the blade. This construction, while it
avoids the forging, permits the making of the blade from sheet steel, and the
tempering of that blade before the back is attached, is equally expensive because
of the labor in forming the back and inserting the blade, but when done the
shape of the blade does not possess the advantages of the double concave razor.
The object of the present invention is to construct the double concave razor with
a sheet metal blade, and it consists principally in a blank for the blade cut from.
sheet steel, tempered, and having a back or upper part and shank cast thereon, the
back extending down on to the blank so that the sides may be ground and attain
the usual double concave shape, as more fully hereinafter described.
In carrying the said invention into practice the blank for the blade is cut from

page_text: sheet steel with a tang at the heel to extend into the shank, and with a longi-
tudinal rib or corrugation near its upper edge, and also with a notch at the heel.
The blank for the blade is tempered or hardened, and thus prepared is placed in a.
mould, and on to it the back and shank are cast, with an extension therefrom
down on to the head part, the shank of this cast part being substantially of the
usual form. The corrugations serve to engage the casting with the steel part of
the blade, and the tang extending into the shank serves to strengthen that part
and prevent its bending.
I prefer to use for the casting what is usually termed "white metal," or an alloy
which will present nearly the steel color when highly polished, but it must be a
metal such as is known as "soft metal," that is, a metal which fuses at so low a
degree of heat that when it is poured upon the blank-in its fused state it would
not materially affect the tempered steel.
.
In making the casting sufficient thickness is left at the lower edge to ensure an
even flow of the metal. The blade thus prepared is then ground in the usual manner
for grinding razors, so that the regular concave is given to the sides extending
from the upper edge or back down to the edge of the blade, the concavity
depending upon the diameter of the stone; thus I produce a razor, the blade of
which has all the advantages of the best forged steel, but without the expense of
forging, the casting of the back and shank being much cheaper than the process of
forging.
Instead of the corrugations, perforations may be made through, the blank, so that
the metal cast thereon will flow through the perforations, and thus unite the two
sides of the back, or the blank may be tinned so that the metal cast thereon will
unite with the tinned surface of the blank, or any irregularity may be made in the
surface of the blank in casting.
The tang may be omitted, but I prefer to employ it because of the liability of
the shank to bend in strapping or using the razor, which bending is prevented by
the steel tang.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th April 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT, LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
RAZOR-BLADES A communication to me from abroad by James Darius Frary, of
Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States of America
"
This invention relates to the manufacture of razor blades.
In the usual construction of blades which present a concave surface upon both
sides, that is to say which in transverse section are substantially the shape shown'
in figure 4, the blade and shank are forged complete from steel into nearly the
required shape, then ground and finished. This forging operation is usually,
effected by hand for the best class of razors, and requires the most skilled labor.
To avoid the expense of forging, razors have been made with the blade cut from
sheet steel introduced and secured into a back of different metal, the back forming
simply a bead-like ridge on the blade. This construction, while it avoids the
forging, permits the making of the blade from sheet steel, and the tempering of
that blade before the back is attached is equally expensive, because of the labor in
forming the back and inserting the blade, but when done the shape of the blade
does not possess the advantages of the double concave razor'
The object of the present invention is to construct the double concave razor with
a sheet metal blade, and it consists essentially in providing a blank for the blade
cut from sheet steel, tempering it, and casting a back or upper part and shank
thereon, the said back extending down on to the blank so that the sides may be
ground and attain the usual double concave shape, as more fully hereinafter
described
In the accompanying drawing
Figure. 1, is a side view of the blank for the blade.
Figure 2 a side view of the blank with the back and shank cast thereon.
Figure 3 is a transverse section through the blade, and
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the blade complete.
A indicates the blank for the blade cut from sheet steel with a tang a, at the
heel to extend into the shank, and with a longitudinal rib or corrugation b, near its
upper edge, and also with a notch d at the heel. The blank for the blade is
tempered or hardened, and, thus prepared, is placed in a mould, and on to it the
back B and shank C are cast, with the part D extending therefrom down on to the
head part, the shank of this cast part being substantially of the usual form. The
corrugations b, serve to engage the casting with the steel part of the blade, and
tang a extending into the shank serves to strengthen that part and prevent its
bending.
I prefer to use for the casting what is usually termed "White metal," or an alloy
which will present nearly the steel color when highly polished, but it must be a
metal such as is known as "soft metal," that is a metal which fuses at so low a
degree of beat that when it is poured upon the blank in its fused state it would
not materially affect the tempered steel.
In making the casting, sufficient thickness is left at the lower edge as shown in
figure 3 to ensure an even flow of the metal. The blade thus prepared is then
ground in the usual manner of grinding razors, so that the regular concave is given
to the sides, as shown in figure 4 extending from the upper edge or back down to
the edge of the blade, the concavity depending upon the diameter of the stone;
!

page_text: thus I produce a razor, the blade of which has all the advantages of the best
forged steel, but without the expense of forging, the casting of the back and shank
being much cheaper than the process of forging.
Instead of the corrugations, perforations may be made through the blank A, so
that the metal cast thereon will flow through the perforations and thus unite the
two sides of the back, or the blank may be tinned so that the metal cast thereon
will unite with the tinned surface of the blank, or any irregularity may be made
in the surface of the blank in casting.
The tang a may be omitted, but I prefer to employ it because of the liability of
the aliank to bend in strapping or using the razor; which bending is prevented by
the steel tang.
"
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim
First A razor blade consisting of the steel blank A with the soft metal back and
shank cast thereon, the sides of the casting and blade being ground to present a
concave surface substantially as described.
Second A razor blade, consisting of the steel blank A with the soft metal back
and shank cast tliereon, the blank being provided with an irregularity of surface
within the casting substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Third. A razor blade consisting of the steel blank A constructed with a tang a
extending from its heel, combined with the soft metal back and shank cast thereon
substantially as described
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this eighteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three
117M DORT A