Abstract: A razor blade assembly which is flexible in at least one bending mode. A seat member of substantially planar shape has an integrally formed guard located transversely along its forward margin. The guard and seat members are formed of a flexible material. A flexible blade having a sharpened edge along a transverse margin is disposed on a surface of the seat member having its edge parallel to and rearwardly located of the guard bar. A cap member of flexible material has a planar surface in contact with the blade and a front margin located rearwardly of the cutting edge. The seat, blade and cap are yieldingly bonded together and freely flexible about an axis parallel to the plane of the blade and perpendicular to the cutting edge.

Abstract: Blade sharpening apparatus including two final honing wheels of substantially cylindrical geometrical configuration. The wheels are nominally five inches in length and six inches in diameter, the diameter of the exit end of the wheel being approximately 0.0015 inches greater than the entrance end. The wheel mounted on either side of a continuous blade strip rotate about parallel axes which are also parallel to the edge of the blade strip. A spiral helix is formed on the surface of each wheel such that when the wheels are intermeshed a nip running along and parallel to the blade edge is formed. The material from which the wheels are fabricated is selected to have sufficient resiliency so as to form a final facet on the blade of substantially convex geometry.

Abstract: A shaving assembly is provided with skin-flow control means positioned in advance of the blade edge to control the effective exposure and blade-to-skin angle of the blade edge so as to greatly minimize or eliminate nicking. The skin-flow control means serves to minimize or eliminate the skin bulges which may otherwise be created in the unsupported space between a razor guard element and the blade edge. The skin-flow control means is provided by extending the skin-supporting surface of the guard element into such close proximity with the blade edge that the formation of a skin bulge therebetween is substantially prevented. A plurality of small holes may be provided in the guard element near the blade edge for allowing water flow therethrough to rinse shaving debris from the region of the blade.

Abstract: A razor blade assembly which is flexible in at least one bending mode. A seat member of substantially planar shape has an integrally formed guard located transversely along its forward margin. The guard and seat members are formed of a flexible material. A flexible blade having a sharpened edge along a transverse margin is disposed on a surface of the seat member having its edge parallel to and rearwardly located of the guard bar. A cap member of flexible material has a planar surface in contact with the blade and a front margin located rearwardly of the cutting edge. The seat, blade and cap are yieldingly bonded together and freely flexible about an axis parallel to the plane of the blade and perpendicular to the cutting edge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sequentially cleaning and coating articles. The apparatus is in the form of a multi-chamber device, with each chamber being partially defined by valve units which permit passage of articles to be coated therethrough. Each chamber has associated therewith means for drawing a vacuum therein, several chambers include means for leaking a minute quantity of an inert but ionizable gas therein, and at least one chamber further includes at least one electrode, which may be placed in electrical communication with the articles so as to establish, in one of several ways, a direct current bias on the article with respect to another point within the chamber. Coating material to be transferred to the article is placed on one electrode, preferably in the form of a flat plate, in those chambers in which coating is to take place, whereas target material is not present in the cleaning or other non-coating chambers.

Abstract: A razor blade assembly which is flexible in at least one bending mode. A seat member of substantially planar shape has an integrally formed guard located transversely along its forward margin. The guard and seat members are formed of a flexible material. A flexible blade having a sharpened edge along a transverse margin is disposed on a surface of the seat member having its edge parallel to and rearwardly located of the guard bar. A cap member of flexible material has a planar surface in contact with the blade and a front margin located rearwardly of the cutting edge. The seat, blade and cap are yieldingly bonded together and freely flexible about an axis parallel to the plane of the blade and perpendicular to the cutting edge.