US2653704A - Single-edge blade dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 29, 1953 E. A. NELSON SINGLE-EDGE BLADE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 6, 1948 5 F 2 M u W H NL W l 7 N fl .r I A A 2 R m D W E Patented Sept. 29, 1953 SINGLE-EDGE BLADE DISPENSER Edgar A. Nelson, New York, N. Y., asslgnor to American Safety Razor Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia Application August 6, 1948, Serial No. 42,849

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to receptacles, and has particular reference to an improved receptacle or container for a stack of razor blades.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a razor blade package in which a plurality of blades, in stacked relation, are neatly accommodated within a substantially rectangular box of simple, inexpensive, and attractive character, the box being provided with a means whereby the blades may be ejected, one by one, as they are needed.

One of the more particular objects of the invention is to provide a package which is specially desiged for, and uniquely adapted to accommodate, razor blades of the type in which there is a relatively thick reinforcement extending lengthwise of the blade and having opposed faces which are flat and parallel. Such a blade is exemplified by the well-known single-edge blade in which the reinforcement referred to extends along the rear edge.

The type of blade for which the present receptacle is designed is also provided with opposed notches in its side edges. In the single-edge type of blade hereinbefore alluded to, these notches lie forwardly of the thickened rear edge reinforcement, and serve in the razor itself as means to accommodate blade-advancing lugs or the like.

Other objects of the present invention lie in the provision of a construction which permits the box to be easily and more expeditiously loaded by the manufacturer, which accommodates the stacked blades in a relationship which guards their cutting edges against injury and which makes it easy for the ultimate user to eject the blades, singly, and in succession, without impairment of the cutting edge of any blade during the process of its ejection.

The structural features and innovations which make it possible to achieve these objectives in a receptacle which is so inexpensive that it may be completely discarded after the accommodated blades have been all ejected, will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

I achieve these objectives, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a box of the present improved character, one end wall in its original separated state, and prior to the insertion of any blades into the box;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the spring; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slidable ejector;

wall I8 (Fig. 4).

terminates short of this aperture.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the loaded box, showing the relationship of the parts during the ejection of a blade;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlargement of the upper part of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 'I'l of Fig. 5; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views taken substantially in the direction 8-8 of Fig. 4, illustrating how the ejection of the uppermost blade is effected.

The type of blade toward the accommodation of which the present invention is particularly directed is shown most clearly in Fig. 7. The blade has a forward cutting edge Ill, a rear-edge relatively thick reinforcement I l (whose opposite faces are flat and parallel), and notches I2 in the opposite side edges. The blade illustrated has an elliptical opening I3 in its midportion, but this opening serves no function in connection with the present receptacle or package.

In the present package, a plurality of these blades are arranged in a stack, with the reinforcements II in superposed relation, and with the cutting edges I 6 extending in the same direction. This brings the notches I2 of the blades into substantial alignment. This stack is accommodated within a box of the character shown most clearly in Fig. l.

The box may be composed of any suitable material, and is preferably formed of two parts, each of which is a molded body of plastic or the like. The main part consists of a bottom wall I4, a top wall I5, side walls I5 and I1, and an end This part of the box is thus open at the end opposite the end wall I8, and it is through this open end that the stack of blades, and other elements necessary for the construction, are inserted during the loading procedure.

In the top wall I5 there is provided a longitudinal slot I8. This slot is arranged perpendicular to theend wall I8 and terminates short of that wall. However, the slot extends all the way to the opposite end of the box structure, as shown in Fig. l. The slot is arranged relatively close to the side wall I1.

On its interior, the end wall I8 is provided with a rib 20 which extends almost for the full height of the wall I8. In its upper region, the wall is provided with an aperture 2| which is substantially parallel to the top wall I5. The rib 20 The aperture is enlarged at one end, as shown at 22, and is 3 similarly enlarged at the opposite end as at 23, the purpose of these enlargements being hereinafter described.

The other part of the box structure is the end wall 24 (Fig. 1) which is adapted to be applied to the box only after all accommodated blades and other elements have been loaded into position. The end wall 24 is of such character that when it is applied to the loaded box, it looks itself into permanent association with the structure so that the ultimate user will not by inadvertence disassemble the box structure.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and '7, the end wall 24 is provided with a rib 25. extending for substantially the full height of. the wall 24. The rib 25 corresponds to the rib 20, in opposed relation to the latter, as shown most clearly in '7. The ribs 20 and 25 are adapted to engage within the opposed notches l2 in the blade stack.v The rib 25 is, however, a little longer than the rib 20, so that the entire stack is constantly maintained in the position most clearly shown in Fig. '7, i. e., nearer the end wall l8 than the wall 24.

To hold the wall 24 in position, after the. box has been loaded, ears 26 are formed on opposed side edges, and these ears deflect slightly and snap into, permanent engagement with corresponding depressions 2'! formed in the box body. Any other convenient construction or relationship of parts, to permit the end wall 24 to be separately constructed and. assembled with the box only after the loading procedure, and to permit the association to be a self-locking or otherwise permanent one, may be employed.

Before describing the loading procedure, at tention is directed to Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the present improved type of spring. It, is essentially a leaf spring, but is composed of two opposed arcuate or bowed portions 28 and 29, joined at 30. This spring has the advantage of being simple to make and use, of being readily compressible into the condition shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and maintaining a great amount of resilience during all stages of its relaxation into the relatively open position shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the ejector. This consists essentially of a shank 3| which fits slidably into the slot [9, a manually engageable outer part 32 (which may be formed in any convenient manner and of any desired shape), and an inner part which engages the uppermost blade of the stack. It is a particular feature of the present invention to provide this inner part of the ejector in a manner which provides a flat' bottom face 33 adapted to overlie the engaged blade, and a depending lug 34 at the rear end of the face 33.

After the several parts of the boxhave. been manufactured, it is loaded as follows: The ejector shown in Fig. 3 is first inserted into the slot l9 through the open rear end of the slot. The spring of Fig. 2 is then inserted into the box directly adjacent to the side wall IT. The stack of blades is then inserted, with the superposed reinforcement ll lying adjacent to the wall I'I. During the insertion, the spring is compressed until it ultimately assumes the position shown in Fig. 8. When the stack has been completely inserted, the inner notch 12 will be engaged with the rib 20 as shown in Fig. '7. As a final step, the end wall 24 is applied and snapped into position. This serves not only to seal the rear end of the slot I9, but also to force the rib 25 into the corresponding notches l2 of the blade stack. The ejector is then drawn to the rear end of the slot [9, and the package is ready for use. In this condition, the parts are in the relationship shown in Fig. 8. It will be observed that the depending lug 34 of the ejector has positioned itself between the blade stack and the end wall 24. This space or gap is provided by virtue of the increased depth of the rib 25 compared with that of the rib 20, and also by virtue of the fact that the box has a length slightly greater than the length of the blade stack.

The lug 34 has a. depth no greater than that of a single. reinforcement II, and since the bottom flat face 33 of the ejector rests upon the reinforcement ll, there is never any possibility of engagement (by the ejector) of more than the single uppermost blade of the stack.

The aperture 2| in the end wall I8 is so positioned that it is in alignment with the uppermost blade of the stack. The enlargement 22 is for the. purpose of affording ample clearance for the cutting edge of the blade as it is ejected. The enlargement 23 is for the obvious purpose of permitting passage through it of the thickened reinforcement H.

By virtue of the fact that the spring lies beneath the superposed reinforcements ll, these reinforcements are constantly pressed together so as to lie fiatwise with respect to one another, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. As a result, the cutting edges of the blades are constantly maintained in spaced relationship, thus safeguarding them against inadvertent contact with other edges. Preferably, the top wall I5 is provided on its interior face with one or more depressed parts 35 against which the uppermost blade may abut. This affords, extra support for the uppermost blade, and assuresv a maintenance. of alignment of the blade during the ejection procedure.

The parts being normally in the position shown in Fig. 8, the ejection of the uppermost blade is obviously effected by advancing the ejector forwardly along the slot I9. This ejects the blade as indicated most clearly in Figs. 4 and 9. During this procedure, the entire blade stack tips slightly under the unique action of the present spring, as indicated in Fig. 9, thus helping to prevent any but the uppermost blade from emerging from the aperture 2|. During the return movement of the ejector, the stack assumes its normal position as shown in Fig. 8, and the ejector lug 34 snaps into position behind the blade which has now assumedthe uppermost position.

This ejection procedure is repeated whenever another blade is to be discharged, and the operation is the same in each case, regardless of the number of blades in the stack. After all blades have been discharged, the empty receptacle may be discarded.

In general, it will be understood that many of the details herein described and illustrated may obviously be modified by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing magazine for unwrapped single-edge safety razor blades of the type having a reinforcing back and end notches, comprising a casing having top, side and end walls, and bottom, a discharge slot at the intersection of one end wall and the top, widened at one end to permit passage of the reinforcing back, an

opening in the top behind the widened end of the slot providing access to the blades, vertical guide bars in the end walls, the forward bar terminating at the lower edge of the discharge slot, a stack of blades in the casing with their reinforcing backs in contact and their end notches in alignment and embracing the vertical guide bars, a spring interposed between the bottom of the casing and the bottom of the blade stack, engaging the reinforcing back of the lowermost blade and urging the stack upward with the topmost blade against the underface of the top and in alignment with the discharge slot, and a longitudinal rib on the underface of the top spaced from the side wall of the casing, which is adjacent the reinforcing backs of the blades, a distance slightly greater than the width of the reinforcing backs and thereby cooperating with said adjacent side wall to hold the topmost blade in alignment with the other blades of the stack.

2. A dispensing magazine for unwrapped singleedge safety razor blades of the type having a reinforcing back and end notches, comprising a casing having a top, side and end walls, and bottom, a discharge slot at the intersection of one end wall and the top of such shape and size as to permit passage of a blade having a reinforcing back, vertical guide bars in the end walls, the forward bar terminating at the lower edge of the discharge slot, a stack of blades in the easing with reinforcing backs in contact and end notches in alignment and embracing the vertical 6 guide bars, a spring interposed between the bottom of the casing and the bottom of the blade stack, engaging the reinforcing back of the lowermost blade and urging the stack upward with the topmost blade against the under face of the top and in alignment with the discharge slot, the top having an opening providing access to the reinforcing backs of the blades, and a longitudinal rib on the under-face of the top spaced from the side wall of the casing, which is adjacent the reinforcing backs of the blades, a distance slightly greater than the width of the reinforcing backs and thereby cooperating with said adjacent side wall to hold the topmost blade in alignment with the other blades of the stack.

EDGAR A. NELSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,126,139 Walker Jan. 26, 1915 1,183,054 Week May 16, 1916 1,244,338 Johnson Oct. 23, 1917 1,697,366 Opfergelt Jan. 1, 1929 1,734,644 Ostrander et al. Nov. 5, 1929 1,859,083 Gaisman May 17, 1932 2,344,961 Benjamin Mar. 28, 1944 2,436,025 Steinbach Feb. 17, 1948 2,502,248 Colton et al. Mar. 28, 1950 2,529,819 Simon et a1. Nov. 14, 1950 2,564,712 Muros et a1 Aug. 21, 1951

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