US3536080A - Hair grooming device - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 2,288,299 6/1942 Pileggi Inventors James E. Player 2644 Jonesboro Road, Forest Park, Georgia 30050; Terry L. Legan, 3389 Wickham Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30032 Appl. No. 767,647

Filed Oct. 15, 1968 Patented Oct. 27, 1970 HAIR GROOMING DEVICE 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 132/45, 30/30 Int. Cl A45d 24/36 Field of Search 1 32/45, 45.1, 11, 11.2, 17, 123; 30/30, 31

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,900,718 8/1959 Baileyetal ABSTRACT: A hair grooming device comprising a comb including a back with a teeth support section and a cutter support section. A plurality of teeth extend in parallel alignment from the teeth support section, and a handle is connected at one of its ends to one end of the teeth support section. The cutter support section of the back defines a slot along the surface of the cutter support section which is disposed away from the teeth. A razor blade having a cutting edge and an edge of enlarged thickness is inserted into the slot from one of its ends, by inserting the enlarged edge of the blade into the slot. A blade guard having a serrated edge is held in juxtaposition with the blade, with the serrations overlapping the sharpened edge of the blade.

mama Oct. 27; 1970' 7 3,536,080

Sheet 1 of 2 James E. Player BY Terry Megan dmnm AT TOR/VEYS INVENTORB.

Patented Oct. 27,1970 I 3,536,080

Sheet g or2 INVENTORB. James E. Player By Terry L. Legan ATmR/vm's HAIR GROOMINGDEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When styling a womans hair, the hair stylist usually uses a procedure where he lifts and straightens the hair with the use of a comb, grasps a lock of hair with his free hand, places the comb in the hand holding the hair or on a table, and grasps a cutting instrument, such as a razor, with his first hand and engages the hair with the razor in a cutting stroke. After the desired amount of cutting has been performed, the hair stylist must discard the razor and retrieve the comb to repeat the process. The styling process is generally cumbersome, primarily due to the fact that the hair sytlist must use both the comb and the cutting instrument with one hand while grasping and holding the hair with the other hand. While various hand techniques can be developed to streamline the styling process, even the most skillful hair stylist finds manipulation of both the cutting instrument and the comb a tedious process. Also, the manipulation of the comb and cutting instrument is one of the most difficult things for a person to learn when he is first learning the profession.

While various hair grooming devices have been developed which combine a comb and a cutting instrument, none of the devices have been accepted or have been successful in the hair styling profession since they are cumbersome to manipulate and do not adequately perform their desired functions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described the present invention comprises a hair grooming device which enables the hair stylist to comb and cut hair with one tool held in one hand while manipulating the hair of the person being styled with the other hand. The hair grooming device includes a comb which is used to straighten and lift the hair, and a razor blade extending from the back of the comb in a direction opposite from the direction of the teeth of a comb. A guard plate having a serrated edge is placed in juxtaposition with the blade of the razor with the serrations overlapping the cutting edge of the blade, which exposes the cutting edge of the blade an amount sufficient to allow the blade to cut hair, but prevents larger objects, such as a persons fingers, from being cut.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a hair grooming device which streamlines the procedures of the hair stylist.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hair grooming device which enables the hair stylist to comb and cut hair with a single tool held in one hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive hair grooming device which is easy and convenient to manipulate, which speeds up the styling function, and which has replaceable parts.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the hair grooming device.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hair grooming device, with a portion of the comb being broken away.

FIG. 3 is an end cross-sectional view of the hair grooming device, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an end cross-sectional view of a modified form of the hair grooming device, similar to FIG. 3, but showing the cutting blade and blade guard removed.

FIG. 5 is an end cross-sectional view of another modification of the hair grooming device, similar to FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing of the manner in which the hair grooming device can be utilized.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in more detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows hair grooming device 10 which includes comb ll, handle 12, and cutting assembly 14. Comb 11 comprises back 15 which includes teeth supporting section 16 and cutter support section 18. A plurality of teeth 19 extend from teeth support section 16 of back 15 in parallel alignment along the length of back 15, with the end ones of teeth 19 being of enlarged thickness to prevent breakage. Cutter support section 18 extends away from teeth support section 16 and teeth 19. As is shown in FIG. 2, cutter support section 18 is shorter in length than teeth support section 16 and defines slot 20 which extends throughout its length and opens through both of its ends and through its top surface. The walls 21 and 22 of cutter support section 18 are turned inwardly toward eachother at their top edges to form ribs 23 and 24. Ribs 23 and 24 extend along the entire length of cutter support section 18, so that the opening 25 in the top surface of cutter support section 18 is narrower than the opening of slot 20 defined between the main portions of walls 21 and 22.

Cutting blade 26 includes a sharpened cutting edge 28 and a thickened edge or base 29 which is positioned opposite from cutting edge 28. Base 29 is of a width and thickness virtually identical to the width and thickness of slot 20, and the thickness of blade 26 is virtually identical to the opening of slot 20 between'ribs 23 and 24. Thus, cutting blade 26 is insertable into slot 20 by sliding it in from either end of the slot, with the thickened base 29 fitting into the slot and with the blade protruding between ribs 23 and 24.

Cutting assembly 14 includes blade guard 30, which comprises plate 31 which defines serrations or teeth along one of its edges. Recess 34 is positioned along the length of plate 31, below teeth 32. Support bar or strap 35 is connected at its ends to the ends of plate 31. and is spaced away from the inner surface of recess 34 a distance approximately equal to the thickness of cutter support section 18. Recess 34 is of a depth approximately equal to the spacing of blade 26 from the side surface of comb 11 (FIG. 3). Thus, blade guard 30 is insertable over cutter support section 18 so that support bar 35 is positioned on one side of cutter support section 18 and plate 31 is positioned on the opposite side. Recess 34 fits over a wall 23 or 24, so that the teeth or serrations 32 are in juxtaposition with blade 26. The ridge of recess 34 is arranged to rest on the top surface of the cutter support section 18 and gauges the height of blade guard 30 so that teeth 32 overlap the sharpened edge 28 of blade 26 and the cutting edge of the blade is exposed between the protruding teeth 32. As is shown in FIG. 3, the upper portion 36 of blade guard 30 is tapered inwardly to a point, so that teeth 32 are substantially pointed.

As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the configuration of slot 20 can be varied. For instance, FIG. 4 shows a slot 200 which is defined by tapered walls 21a and 22a. The tapered walls function to grip the thickened base '29 of blade 26, thus obviating the necessity of ribs 23 and 24. As is shown in FIG. 5, only one rib 24 is necessary to position and retain a blade 26 within slot 20b.

As is shown in FIG. 6, hair grooming device 10 will normally be utilized with blade guard 30 oriented toward the direction of the cutting stroke. This positions blade guard 30 generally above the hair and toward the hand of the hair stylist that is grasping the hair of the person being styled. Also, the entire opposite surface of blade 26 which protrudes from cutter support section 18 is available to perform the cutting function. Thus, the presence of blade guard 30 only on one side of blade 26 is such that the entire cutting edge 28 is virtually unencumbered by blade guard 30, yet it is virtually impossible to cut the hand of the operator that is grasping the hair.

When manipulating the hair grooming instrument, the hair stylist is able to rotate the instrument in his hand by merely manipulating his fingers, to change the instrument from a combing tool to a cutting tool, and vice versa. The operator can use the comb to lift and straighten the hair, and then rotate the instrument in his hand to bring the cutting blade into a position where it can be used to cut the hair. Blade guard 30 is constructed so that it can be positioned adjacent either side of blade 26, so that when the operator wants to use his right hand to manipulate the hair grooming device, blade guard 30 can be inserted over the upper surface of the cutting blade, and when changing hands, blade guard 30 can be reversed, so that it is repositioned on the upper surface, as shown in FIG. 6. Furthermore, in the event that the hair stylist wishes to utilize the hair grooming device without blade guard 30, the blade guard can be easily removed without impairing or destroying the function of the device When a sharper blade is needed, the blade can be removed by sliding it out through the end of slot 20, and a new blade can be inserted.

Recess 34 of blade guard 30 is located and dimensioned so that the ends of teeth 32 will protrude a predetermined distance above the cutting edge 28 of a standard blade 26. Thus, the hair stylist can rapidly insert blade guard 30 over blade 26 with little attention and with assurance that teeth 32 will be properly located.

While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be efi'ected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinbefore and as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A hair grooming device comprising a comb including a back with a teeth supporting section and a cutter supporting section, a plurality of teeth extending in parallel alignment from said teeth supporting section and a handle connected to one end of said teeth supporting section, said cutter support ing section defining a slot extending from its ends along its length and opening along the surface of the cutter support section positioned away from the teeth, the opening of said slot being smaller at the surface of said cutter support section than internally of said cutter support section, a cutter member including a blade having a cutting edge and an edge of enlarged thickness, the thicker edge being received in the slot of the cutter supporting section of said back through one of the ends of said slot and a blade guard plate defining a serrated edge and including retaining means positioning the blade guard plate in juxtaposition with the blade and with the serrations of the serrated edge overlapping the cutting edge of the blade.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a bar spaced from said. blade guard plate and fastened at its ends to said blade guard plate in such a manner that a space is defined between said bar and said blade guard plate which conforms to the size and shape of the cutter supporting section of said back.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said blade guard plate includes a ridge arranged to rest on the top surface of the cutter support section of said back.

4. A hair grooming device comprising a comb including a back, a plurality of teeth extending in parallel alignment from said back and a handle connected to one end of said back, said back including a pair of spaced apart walls extending away from said teeth and defining an open ended slot extending along the length of said back and opening at the outer edges of said spaced apart walls away from said teeth, the width of said slot being narrower at the outer edges of said spaced apart walls than inwardly from the edges of said spaced apart walls, a cutting blade between said spaced apart walls and including a cutting edge and an edge of enlarged thickness, said edge of enlarged thickness being in the wider portion of said slot from an end of said slot with said cutting blade extending through and beyond the narrower portion of said slot, a blade guard over said cutting blade and said spaced apart walls and comprising a plate for placement in juxtaposition with one side of said blade and including a plurality of teeth projecting beyond the cutting edge of said blade, a recess formed in said plate for receiving one of said spaced apart walls, and an elongated suprt bar spaced from and connected at its ends to said late or placement along the other of said spaced apart wa s to secure said blade from lateral or vertical displacement.

5. The hair grooming device of claim 4 and wherein the ends of said elongated support bar are turned toward said plate and fit about the ends of said spaced apart walls and confine said cutting blade in said slot.

6. The hair grooming device of claim 4 and wherein the recess of said plate defines a ridge arranged torest on the top surface of one of said spaced apart walls.

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