US3833146A

US3833146A - Magazine holding razor blade cartridges in floating manner

Info

Publication number: US3833146A
Application number: US00334746A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Braginetz
Original assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc
Current assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc
Priority date: 1973-02-22
Filing date: 1973-02-22
Publication date: 1974-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-03
Also published as: US3880321A; DE2414241B2; AU483994B2; DE2414241A1; AU6730874A; GB1461945A

Abstract

A magazine for razor blade cartridges in which the cartridges embody a plurality of blades permanently secured in a plastic body, the magazine including a main housing into which is insertable a spring clip preloaded with a stack of the cartridges with the stack mounted in an elastic support in a floating manner between opposed spring biasing means, the housing having an edge wall with a pair of openings one being adapted for the endwise insertion of a used cartridge at one end of the stack and the other opening being adapted for the endwise extraction of a new cartridge, the stack being shiftable in its elastic support to appropriately expose the ends thereof at the respective openings for the insertion and extraction of cartridges.

Description

United States Patent 91 Braginetz Sept. 3, 1974 MAGAZINE HOLDING RAZOR BLADE CARTRIDGES IN FLOATING MANNER [75] Inventor: Paul A. Braginetz, Staunton, Va.

[73] Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated, New

York, N.Y.

22 Filed: Feb. 22, 1973 21 Appl. N0.: 334,746

[52] US. Cl 221/66, 30/40, 206/252 [51] Int. Cl B26b 21/24- [58] Field of Search 206/16 BL; 30/40, 40.2; 221/66, 102, 279, 220

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,915,218 12/1959 Rosenman et a1. 221/102 3,169,660 2/1965 Holzwarth et al. 221/102 3,674,176 7/1972 Sagi 221/279 X Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Assistant ExaminerDavid A. Scherbel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson Leavenworth Kelton & Taggart [57] ABSTRACT A magazine forrazor blade cartridges in which the cartridges embody a plurality of blades permanently secured in a plastic body, the magazine including a main housing into which is insertable a' spring clip preloaded with a stack of the cartridges with the stack mounted in an elastic support in a floating manner between opposed spring biasing means, the housing having an edge wall with a pair of openings one being adapted for the endwise insertion of a used cartridge at one end of the stack and the other opening being adapted for the endwise extraction of a new cartridge, the stack being shiftable in its elastic support to appropriately expose the ends thereof at the respective openings for the insertion and extraction of cartridges.

21 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3'974 3.833.146

SHEEF 1 If 5 PATENTED $5? 31974 SHEET 30F 5 as V YEMEERW 1 m mw i H. I fa Y I :s H

E 3 2 mm MAGAZINE HOLDING RAZOR BLADE CARTRIDGES IN FLOATING MANNER The invention concerns a magazine for razor blade cartridges which serves as a dispenser or source of supply of new cartridges and a receptacle for used blades as the user of a razor finds it desirable to replace blades which have become dulled. Devices of such character are well known in general including magazines in which the cartridges are arranged in a row inthe magazine and a used cartridge is inserted and new one removed by appropriate application of a compatibly designed razor head to the magazine housing. The cartridges in such systems have been of the type where one or more blades are permanently secured in a generally oblong shaped plastic body.

The present invention concerns a magazine of improved structure and principle adapted to function in a particularly convenient and effective manner with a razor head compatibly designed to cooperate therewith in automatically changing cartridges. It embodies a housing in which is inserted a spring clip preloaded with a stack of cartridges, the stack having an elastic support therein with the stack engaged in a balanced floating manner between spring biasing elements. An edge of the housing has a first opening adjacent one end of the stack for the endwise insertion of a used cartridge, and a second opening adjacent with the other end of the stack permitting endwise extraction of a new cartridge. The relation is such that normally the cartridges within the housing are blocked by the end wall of the housing but upon insertion of a used cartridge at the appropriate opening the stack is shifted in its elastic support such as to expose the new cartridge at the other end of the stack into registry with its exit opening.

The housing has guide slots suitably shaped and located to receive the razor head and the system has related structure to insure that the inserted used cartridge is retained and the new cartridge when engaged by the razor head may be withdrawn therewith. The interior of the housing has guide rails and ramp means to facilitate the insertion of a used cartridge and the resulting shifting of the stack.

Various other features and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of a representative embodiment of the invention as hereinafter described and as depicted in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a composite view in perspective of the magazine and a razor;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective with a used blade being inserted into the magazine;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the assembled razor with parts of the cartridge broken away to show the connection to the handle;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of an empty magazine taken on the plane IVIV of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the plane VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical view looking from the rear with a portion of its back plate broken away; I

FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the plane VII-VII of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view of a loaded magazine; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 with a used cartridge partially inserted.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the general features of a magazine 10 and a razor 11 embodying the features of the invention. The magazine 10 contains a stack of cartridges l2 vertically arranged therein and the magazine and razor are compatibly shaped and designed to enable ready exchange of a used cartridge for a new cartridge. The particular cartridge shown is of the type disclosed in an application of the present inventor filed Dec. I1, 1972, Ser. No. 313,742, the cartridge having generally an oblong or rectangular shape and being of a generally double edge type employing two pairs of small blades with the blades at each edge arranged in superposed but spaced relation. The same application discloses the razor handle similar to that designated 11 herein compatible with the cartridge in which the handlehas 'a head or key 13 arranged to have a slidable dovetail fit in the cartridge. As shown in general herein the dovetail slot 14 in the cartridge has positioned therein a flexible detent bar 15 having a plurality of pressure pads 16 adapted to releasably engage in notches 17 of the key 13 of the razor. As will be described more fully hereinafter to change cartridges the razor head is inserted through the front edge wall of the magazine as indicated by the arrow 18 in FIG. 2 and in its continued advance through the opening 19 the cartridge engages the rear wall of the magazine and is restrained therein, but the neck 20 with the key 13 of the razor handle may continue on through leaving the used cartridge in the magazine housing. Then to pick up a new cartridge the razor head is inserted into the bottom opening 22 of the front edge wall the neck 20 being free to advance in the bottom slot 23 to approximately the mid position at the inner end 24 of the slot in which position the new cartridge occupies the position substantially as shown in FIG. 3 and upon the reverse outward movement of the handle the new cartridge remains with the handle by reason of the detent pressure pad 16 being engaged in the respective notches 17 of the key 13.

FIGS. 4 to 7 show the magazine empty of any car tridges. It includes a main housing or casing 25 of preferably plastic material. Because of the necessity of orienting the various figures differently in the drawings for clarity of disclosure the six sides of the magazine will be individually identified in the figures by reference characters. Such characters are based on the position or orientation of FIG. 2. As there shown the top side is designated U in accordance with the fact used cartridges are inserted at that end, and the bottom side is designated N since new cartridges are withdrawn at that end. Consistently, the front and back sides are designated F and B respectively and the right and left sides as R and L respectively. It should be understood that the reference characters selected are purely for convenience in connection with the drawings and in actual use the casing may be oriented differently such that for example the right side becomes left side, etc.

The housing 25 is open at the back or rear side B and has the slot 21 in the top end wall U and the shortened slot 23 in the bottom end wall N and the

cartridge openings

19 and 22 in the front edge wall F. Mounted within the casing 25 is a spring clip member 40 of elastic material such as sheet spring metal. The spring member is generally U-shaped in cross section with the legs arranged at a sharp right angle with respect to the connecting base portion 41. The base portion conforms in general shape to the rear opening of the casing and forms the back wall B of the magazine. with the maga zine oriented to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and also FIGS. 8 and 9, what is then the upper leg of the spring member 40 is bifurcated to form two laterally spaced leaf members or fingers 42 with an intervening slot 42a (FIGS. 6 and 7). The fingers 42 have their ends formed with a rearward return bend to provide the free pressure blade stack engaging elements 43. Similarly the bottom leg of the spring is bifurcated to form two leaf members or fingers 44 laterally spaced by a slot 44a (FIG. and which have their ends formed with rearward return bends comprising the blade stack pressure engaging portions 45. The slot 42a registers with the casing slot 21 and the slot 44a with the casing slot 23 and the slots permit the free passage of the neck or stem of the razor in changing cartridges as will be described more fully hereinafter. The bifurcated legs result in a balanced condition. Referring particularly to FIG. 6 and the leaf spring fingers 42, there is shown in broken lines a cartridge 12 oriented with its relatively flat mid-portion upward which is the relation in the case initially of a new magazine. The cartridge engages the fingers 42 at their inner edges near the intervening slot 42a at approximately the areas 46a and 46b. When, however, the top cartridge becomes an inserted used one, the position is reversed and because the bottom of the cartridge slopes inwardly and upwardly the points of contact with the spring finger 42 are toward the outer edges of the fingers, that is at areas indicated approximately at 46c and 46d.

In assembling the magazine the spring member will be preloaded with five cartridges arranged flatwise as between adjacent ones as indicated in FIG. 8 and the loaded member then slides forwardly into the casing through the back wall opening and secured in position through interlocking elements to be described hereinafter. The back plate section 41 of the spring member forms the rear wall B of the assembled magazine.

The stack of cartridges assumes a floating position between the opposed pairs of

spring pressure elements

43 and 45 as indicated in FIG. 8. The character of the spring parts and their relative biasing effort on the cartridge stack is such as to prevent normally outward movement through either of the

openings

19 or 22 by reason of the fact that the top and bottom cartridge are each in a position whereby the front ends of those cartridges engage against the portion of the front wall between the

openings

19 and 22. When, however, a used cartridge 12a (FIGS. 2 and 9) is inserted through the opening 19 the cartridge stack is forced downwardly so that the end of the bottom cartridge 12b is fully exposed at the opening 22 and the then empty razor head or key 13 may be inserted into the bottom cartridge 12b and the cartridge withdrawn appropriately located on the razor handle. It will be noted that all new cartridges .are arranged with their respective slots 14 facing downwardly when the magazine is in the upright position of FIGS. 1, 2, 8 and 9. As may be further noted particularly in FIG. 9, upon insertion of the used cartridge 12a the pressure portions 43 of the upper spring leaves are so shaped as to present pressure points 43a engaging the upper surface of the cartridge being inserted and the lower leaf spring pressure portions 45 are so shaped as to present two spaced

pressure points

45a and 45b. Therefore, the cartridge stack in its normal static condition'as shown in FIG. 8, and as it moves downwardly, by the insertion of a used cartridge, is

held in a three point suspension system. The end lugs 450 on the spring leaves engageable against the bottom wall provide positive downward limiting stops for the stack.

It may be noted that the rear wall 41 of the spring member has two spaced trough-like depressions 47 forming guide ribs of reduced friction for the blade stack in its floating downward movement, and the forward wall of the magazine has interiorly a low friction pressure pad area 48 against which the forward ends of the cartridges ride. The ribs 47 also perform the additional function of strengthening and stiffening the back portion 41 of the spring member. The fingers 42 of the upper leg of the spring member have similar trough depressions forming ribs 50 to add rigidity; and likewise the fingers 44 of the lower leg have ribs 51.

The details of the manner in which the spring memher is automatically locked in place in assembly will now be described. The bottom wall N of the housing has a lug facing upwardly at its midpoint between the housing side walls (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) with a ramp 61 facing the rear. The spring member in its bottom leg has a rectangular opening 62 and as the spring member is advanced into the housing the bottom leg rides up the ramp 61 and is deflected until the opening 62 snaps over the shoulder 63 of the lug 60 and the leg is held there by the pressure of spring leaf 45 against the bottom cartridge.

At the top of spring fingers 42 each has a shoulder on its outer edge toward the corresponding side wall and an inner shoulder 71 on the opposite edge toward the center of the magazine (FIG. 7). Toward the center of the top wall U there are two downwardly projecting lugs 72 each with a ramp 73 facing toward the rear wall and as the spring member is advanced into the housing the fingers 42 are elevated until the shoulders 71 snap over behind the square shoulders 74 of the lugs 72 thereby locking the spring member from retraction. The top wall U also has a pair of spaced rails 78 facing downwardly (FIGS. 4 and 7) which have a function in guiding a used cartridge into the housing as will be described hereinafter but for the present it is noted that they also have a function of assuring that the captured fingers 42 stay ahead of the lugs 72. The rails 78 at their rear ends have an inclined edge 79 forming a wedge shapped notch 80 open to the rear and as the spring advances into the housing the shoulders 70 engage the corresponding inclined edge 79 deflecting the outer offset portions 81 upwardly (downwardly from the plane of the drawing as viewed in FIG. 7) compelling the inner offset portions of the spring fingers inwardly of the shoulders 71 to fall off behind the inner lugs 72 and the spring member becomes positively locked against any dislodgement.

The two side walls R and L of the housing are recessed interiorly along their vertical edges and the back main wall 41'of the spring is wider than the general interior cross dimension of the housing whereby the spring back wall engages against vertical recessed shoulders 85 (FIG. 5)*Iimiting the inward position of the spring member. Also the wider back wall dimension is carried forward a short distance at the top and bottom forming flanges 86 engaged in complemental recesses in the interior surface of the corresponding side walls (FIGS. 5 and 7).

A further feature of the spring member and its support in the housing concerns the pair of ribs 90 (FIGS.

4, 8 and 9) located on the inner surface of the top wall U as the magazine is oriented in FIGS. 8 and 9. These ribs are positioned adjacent the casing slot 21 parallel to the slot and rails 78 and may be integral with the respective lugs 72. The spring fingers 42 are of reduced width at the corresponding area so as to fit in each case between the corresponding rail 78 and rib 90 thereby assuring that spring fingers do not become displaced or distorted into the tracking slot 21 for the razor stem and interfere with the operation.

A typical cartridge exchange operation will now be described. The number of cartridges in a new magazine may be varied by suitable selection of dimensions FIG. 8 showing five as representative. The razor head with the used cartridge is directed into the front wall opening 19 of the housing 10 as indicated in FIG. 2, and the stem of the handle passes through the casing tracking slot 21 and the open slot 42a of the top leg of the spring member. The inner face of the cartridge (upper in FIG. 2) rides on the rails 78 engaging initially the inclined ramps 78a at an angle and shortly in its progress assuming a position such as shown in FIG. 9. The opposite pairs of spring fmgers-42 and 45 are compressed and the stack floats downwardly a distance approximately one-half the effective thickness of the cartridge. The razor handle part comprising the key 13 continues on through the handle stem part 20 moving along the guide slot 21. The back plate 41 of the spring member forming the wall of the housing has an opening 95 an opening for the endwise passage of a cartridge there-- through when the said stack is shifted to a predetermined position as permitted by said elastic support 9 means.

2. A magazine in accordance with claim 1 in which said opening is located in said end wall adjacent one (FIGS. 4, 6 and 9) suitably shaped to permit the exit of the handle .key 13 but barring the progress of the cartridge. The magazine then holds six cartridges and the bottom new cartridge 12b has moved down to a position where the outer end is fully exposed at the opening 22. The razor key 13 is then slidably inserted into the dovetail slot 14 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 9) of the bottom cartridge until the stem part 20, in advancing in the casing slot 23 and the registering spring slot 44a, engages the end 24 of the end of the slot 23 in housing wall N at which time the detent pressure pads 16 are engaged in the complemental notches 17 of the key 13 and the cartridge is withdrawn by reverse movement of the handle as indicated by arrow 96 in FIG. 1. The cartridge exchange operation may be repeated until the housing contains only used cartridges at which time the bottom cartridge is reversed in position from that shown for the bottom new cartridge in FIGS. 1 and 2 and it is structurally impossible for the used blade to be picked up.

To assure asmooth operation of inserting successive used cartridges the bottom surface of the cartridge, facing upwardly as inserted in FIG. 2, is provided with a pair of parallel ribs or runners 97 extending lengthwise of the cartridge acting as guides for the next cartridge and preventing the leading end of the used cartridge being inserted from becoming engaged in the under grill work of the top used cartridge in the housing.

Since various changes may be made in the structural details and relations of the parts shown and described herein and accordingly different embodiments of the invention be made within the principles thereof, it is intended that all matter contained herein shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A magazine combination for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing, a stack of cartridges arranged flatwise one against an adend of the stack.

3. A magazine in accordance with claim 1 in which said end wall has one opening adjacent one end of the stack and another opening adjacent the other end of the stack each permitting the endwise passage of a cartridge therethrough when the stack is shifted in its elastic support means to an appropriate predetermined position respectively.

4. A magazine in accordance with claim 3 in which one of said openings is arranged to permit the insertion of a cartridge and the other opening is arranged to permit the extraction of a cartridge.

5. A magazine in accordance with claim 1 in which said elastic support means comprises a compression spring at each of the stack ends opposed to each other.

6. A magazine in accordance with claim 1 in which the said elastic support means comprises a generally U- shaped elastic member engaged around the stack having opposed legs biased against the respective ends of the stack.

7. A magazine in accordance with claim 6 in which said elastic member is a single integral piece of spring sheet metal.

8. A magazine in accordance with claim 7 in which each said leg of said elastic member includes a portion bent back in the form of a leaf elastically engaged against the corresponding end of the stack.

9. A magazine combination for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing, a stack of cartridges arranged flatwise one against an adjacent one therein, said stack being suspended in a floating manner between an elastic support means engaging against the opposite ends of the stack, said housing having a wall at an edge thereof, said wall having a first opening for the endwise insertion of cartridges, and a second opening for the endwise extraction of cartridges, said elastic support means comprising at each of the opposite stack ends, a pair of laterally spaced spring elements with a slot between the elements arranged to permit the passage therethrough of a razor handle stem.

10. A magazine in accordance with claim 9 in which said spring elements comprise leaf springs.

14. A magazine combination for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing, a stack of cartridges arranged flatwise one against an adjacent one therein, said'stack being suspended in a floating manner between an elastic support means engaging against the opposite ends of the stack, said housing having top and bottom end walls and a wall at an edge thereof toward which ends of the cartridges extend normally preventing movement of a cartridge therethrough, and said edge wall having an opening adjacent one of said end walls for the endwise insertion of a used cartridge therethrough when the said stack is shifted to a predetermined position as permitted by said elastic support means, said housing having interiorly thereof adjacent said opening cartridge ramps whereby insertion of a used cartridge elevates the stack within its elastic support means permitting full entrance of the used cartridge.

15. A magazine in accordance with claim 14 in which said edge wall has another opening adjacent the other end wall arranged to expose the corresponding cartridge at that end of the stack permitting the cartridge removal.

16. A magazine for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing with an open rear edge, a generally U-shaped spring clip arranged to be pre-loaded with a stack of cartridges, said clip being insertable through said open rear edge'of the housing and said clip having an intermediate section forming a closure for said housing open rear edge and preventing movement of cartridges therethrough, and an interengaging means effective to lock the clip automatically in the housing upon insertion of the clip.

17. A magazine in accordance with claim 16 in which said spring clip includes opposed elastic legs engaging the stack at opposite ends of the stack with the stack maintained in a floating condition between the opposed elastic legs.

18. A magazine for razor blade cartridges comprising a housing, a stack of cartridges of generally oblong shape arranged flatwise each against an adjacent one therein, each said cartridge having a slot at one side for slidably receiving endwise a supporting handle part, said housing having opposed end walls and a front wall, said front wall having a first opening adjacent one end for the insertion of used cartridges, and a second opening adjacent the other end for the extraction of new cartridges, said housing having a slot on the corresponding first end wall communicating with said first opening whereby a cartridge attached to a handle part may be inserted through said first opening and the handle part continued on through said housing, said housing having an obstruction to cause the used cartridge to remain in the housing, and said corresponding second end wall having a slot permitting the advance therein of the handle to engage in the cartridge slot of a new cartridge for removal thereof.

19. A magazine combination for razor blade cartridges in accordance with claim 18 in which the cartridges have detent means releasably engageable with the razor handle part.

20. A magazine combination in accordance with claim 18 in which the slot in said second end wall is restricted in length to limit the advance of the razor part into the cartridge slot to an appropriate position for shaving use.

21. A magazine combination in accordance with claim 20 in which said second opening in the front wall is shaped to permit the endwise withdrawal of a cartridge therethrough.

Claims

1. A magazine combination for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing, a stack of cartridges arranged flatwise one against an adjacent one therein, said stack being suspended in a floating manner between an elastic support means engaging against the opposite ends of the stack, said housing having a wall at an edge thereof toward which ends of the cartridges extend normally preventing movement of a cartridge therethrough, and said wall having an opening for the endwise passage of a cartridge therethrough when the said stack is shifted to a predetermined position as permitted by said elastic support means.

2. A magazine in accordance with claim 1 in which said opening is located in said end wall adjacent one end of the stack.

6. A magazine in accordance with claim 1 in which the said elastic support means comprises a generally U-shaped elastic member engaged around the stack having opposed legs biased against the respective ends of the stack.

11. A magazine in accordance with claim 10 in which said spring elements comprise fingers integral with a generally U-shaped member engaged around the stack of cartridges.

12. A magazine in accordance with claim 11 in which each of said spring fingers has a bent return end engaging flatwise against the adjacent cartridge.

13. A magazine in accordance with claim 9 in which said housing has a slot registering with the corresponding slot between said spring elements.

14. A magazine combination for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing, a stack of cartridges arranged flatwise one against an adjacent one therein, said stack being suspended in a floating manner between an elastic support means engaging against the opposite ends of the stack, said housing having top and bottom end walls and a wall at an edge thereof toward which ends of the cartridges extend normally preventing movement of a cartridge therethrough, and said edge wall having an opening adjacent one of said end walls for the endwise insertion of a used cartridge therethrough when the said stack is shifted to a predetermined position as permitted by said elastic support means, said housing having interiorly thereof adjacent said opening cartridge ramps whereby insertion of a used cartridge elevates the stack within its elastic support means permitting full entrance of the used cartridge.

16. A magazine for razor blade cartridges of a generally oblong shape comprising a housing with an open rear edge, a generally U-shaped spring clip arranged to be pre-loaded with a stack of cartridges, said clip being insertable through said open rear edge of the housing and said clip having an intermediate section forming a closure for said housing open rear edge and preventing movement of cartridges therethrough, and an interengaging means effective to lock the clip automatically in the housing upon insertion of the clip.