June 1, 1937. F. V. SCHEMER POWER OFERATED TWEE7, ERS Filed March 13, 193 2. Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Ag/c/ p/6ca7/e/77e/ ATTORNEY.
June 1, 1937. F. V. SCHEMER POWER OPERATED TWEEZERS Filed March l3, 193 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N TIET I.. --AC NNNN? 977 SS N Ø Ñ(*Saes 2,222222222222; INVENTOR. S. /764/6/ / sc//e/77e ATTORNEY
Patented June 1, 1937 10 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates generally to tweezers such as are employed for plucking hair, and par ticularly to tweezers which are driven from an available source of power so as to be substan tially automatic in operation. It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the above character which can be read ily handled by an operator and which will make possible rapid plucking action with a minimum of discomfort to the subject. Further objects of the invention can be briefly outlined as follows:-to minimize noise and vibration, such as are common with power driven appliances; to afford a simple construc tion which can be readily manufactured and assembled; and to afford a device which will give long useful Service with a minimum of maintenance and repair expense. - Additional objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which the pre ferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the ac Companying drawings. Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 illustrates my complete device, including an electrically driven pneumatic pulsator. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional detail illustrating connections between the electric motor and other moving parts of the pulsator. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section, illustrat ing the applicator which is utilized in conjunction with the pulsator of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a different operating position for the parts. Fig. is an end view of the applicator, looking towards the forward end of the casing or mount ing from which the tweezer elements project. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Referring first to Fig. 1, my device consists generally of a pulsator f0, connected by a flex ible tube to an applicator 2. In most instances it is desirable to have the pulsator mounted upon a suitable portable stand, so that it can be read ily shifted to a convenient operating position. The pulsator may vary in details of construc tion, but in the instance illustrated it consists of an electrical motor 3 carried Within a suitable housing f4. By means of an electrical switch the motor can be stopped and started as de sired. The parts driven by the motor include a flexible diaphragm 6, the marginal edge of which is clamped to an annular shoulder by means of a removable dome or closure cap 8. POWER-OPERATED TWEEZERS Floyd W. Schleimer, San Francisco, Calif., as signor to United States Appliance Corpora tion, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California, Application March 13, 193, Serial No. 10,861 4. Claims. (C. 128-3) Thus, on one side of the diaphragm 6 there is a closed air chamber 19, which is in communi cation with the flexible tube fl. Attached to the center of diaphragm 6 there is a rod 2, which in turn connects to an ec centric mechanism driven by the motor. Thus the motor shaft 22 is shown provided With a worn 23, which engages the worn gear 24. Gear 24 is shown carried by a shaft 26, which also carries the eccentrics 27. A fork 28 is shown journaled upon the eccentrics 27, and is connected to the rod 2. Thus When the motor f3 is operated, diaphragm G is vibrated at a suitable rate, as for example about ) coin plete cyclic movements per minute. Rod 2 may carry a cup washer 29, engaging the Outer face of diaphragm 6 to avoid detrimental abrupt flexing of the same. The applicator -2 has been illustrated in de tail in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. It consists of a hollow, elongated casing 3, which can be read ily grasped by the hand of an operator and which forms a mounting for the moving parts. This casing can be formed of suitable light material, such as "bakelite.' The rear end por tion 32 of the casing 3 is in the form of a removable closure cap and Serves to grip the marginal edge of a flexible diaphragm 33. The flexible tube can be attached to the coupling tube 34, which in turn communicates with the closed air chamber 36 behind the diaphragm 33. As will be presently explained, it is desirable, but not essential, to afford a pressure spring 3 behind the diaphragm 33, tending to flex this diaphragm forwardly in the position shown in Fig. 3. In the forward end portion of the casing 3., a longitudinal opening 38 is provided, which pref erably has parallel side walls and which can be conveniently square in transverse cross-section. Fitted within the opening 38 there is a slide block 39. This block forms a mounting for a pair of projecting tweezer elements 4 and 42, which serve as the operating elements for grip ping and plucking hair. Thus, tweezer element 4 is shown attached to the Outer end portion of block 39 by rivets or screws 43, while tweezer element 42 is received in a longitudinal slot Af and is pivotally connected to the block by means of pin 46. The outer co-operating ends 4 and 48 of the elements 4 and 42 may therefore move laterally relative to each other, to grip and release the hair. The inner co-operating faces 49 of the end portions 47 and 48 are preferably provided with interfitting grooves or corrugations, 0. 3
2 2,082,268 as shown in Figs, 3 and 4, so as to afford a bet ter grip upon individual hairs, and to facilitate the release of a gripped hair when the end por tions 47 and 48 are moved apart. The tweezer element 42, instead of terminat ing adjacent the pivot pin 46, is extended in Wardly to form in effect an arm f. By means of a linkage mechanism designated generally at 2, arm is operatively connected to an actu 10 ating member or rod 3, which has its rear end attached to the center of diaphragm 33. While Various forms of linkage mechanism may be available, the type illustrated utilizes a lever 4, having its one end provided with a pivotal con l nection 6 to the forward end of rod 3. The other end of lever 4 is pivotally connected to a pin 7, Which in turn is carried by the slide block 39. The line of centers of pins 6 and 7 is generally at right angles to the direction of sliding movement afforded between block 39 and the Casing 3f. Lever 4 also carries a forward ly projecting arm 8, which, by means of a piv otal connection 9, is attached to one end of a link 6. The other end of link 6 has a pivotal connection to the rear end of arm. With this type of linkage mechanism, it is evident that When rod 3 moves rearwardly with respect to Casing 3, lever 4 and also arm 8 are rotated in a clockwise direction, to Swing arm about its pivot 46 in a counter-clockwise direction and thus bring the end portions 47 and 48 of the tweezer elements into hair-gripping position. It is likewise evident that continued rearward movement of rod 3, since it can effect no fur 3 ther movement of arm 1, serves to slide the block 39, together with the tweezer elements and other parts carried by the same, rearwardly into the casing. Conversely, when rod 3 is moved forwardly, its initial movement causes the tweezer elements to move to released position, and then further forward movement of rod 3 Causes the block 39 and the tweezer elements to be slid forwardly relative to the casing. Thus, re ciprocation of rod 3, through proper limits, Serves to move the tweezer elements between hair gripping and released positions, and in synchro nism. With Such movements the tweezer elements are caused to be continuously projected and re tracted with respect to the casing 3f. In Order to insure proper gripping pressure be tween the tweezer elements, it is desirable to af ford frictioning means acting between the block 39 and the adjacent walls of the casing 3. Such frictioning means has been shown in Fig. 6, in which one side of the block 39 is provided with a recess 66 Serving to accommodate a spring 6. This Spring is normally under tension so as to frictionally press against the adjacent inner side Wall 68 of the casing. Smoother and more re 60 liable operation is also afforded by providing a Spring or like bias tending to urge the rod 3 rear Wardly relative to the block 39. For this purpose a light compression spring 69 has been shown Surrounding rod 3, with the forward 6 end of the Spring seated upon the rear end of the slide block 39, and with the rear end of the Spring seated upon a fitting 7 which serves to connect the rod 3 to the diaphragm 33. It has been found desirable to afford some 70 means for ejecting plucked hair from between the tweezers immediately following movement of the tweezers to open position. For this pur pose a Small tube i2 is shown, having its forward Open end terminating between the tweezer ele 7 ments 4 and 42 and immediately behind the end portions 47 and 48. As shown in Fig. 6, this tube 2 extends through the forward end portion of block 39 and has its inner end Com municating With a slot 3, which in turn ex tends rearwardly and communicates with the space 74 surrounding the inner end of the slide block. Pressure variations set up in space 74 during operation of the device, by virtue of con tinued flexing movements of diaphragm 33, ac companied by the more or less out-of-phase re ciprocation of block 39, causes recurrent puffs of air to be discharged from the outer end of tube 72, which are so timed as to blow between the end portions 47 and 48 of the tweezer ele ments at the time these elements move toward release position. Operation of my device can now be reviewed as follows:- The applicator described with refer ence to FigS. 3 to 6, inclusive, is connected to the flexible tube and the motor 3 started in op eration. Repeated flexing of diaphragm 6, by Operation of the motor, causes air trapped in spaces 9 and 36 and within the tube f, to be recurrently compressed and rarefied. Thus, dia phragm 33 of the applicator is likewise recur rently flexed, in Synchronism with the flexing movement of diaphragm 6. Recurrent flexing of diaphragm 33 causes reciprocation of rod 3, to effect the desired operation of the tweezer ele ments 4 and 42. To briefly review a cycle of operation, commencing with the rod 3 in the position shown in Fig. 3, during the initial part of rear Ward novernent of rod 3 block 39 re mains Stationary with respect to the casing 3, but rotation of lever 4 forces arm 3 upwardly, as viewed in this figure, to close the tweezer ele ments. Following such closing of the tweezer ele ments, continued rearward movement of rod 3 serves to slide the block 39 inwardly with respect to the casing, to effect retraction of the tweezer elements and consequent plucking of the hair gripped. Full rearward movement of rod 3 is illustrated in Fig. 4. Now, as the rod 3 starts forwardly, the first part of its movement rotates lever 4, to swing arm downwardly and thus move the tweezer elements to open or release position. Further continued forward movement of rod 3 causes the block 39 to be slid forwardly, with a projection of the open tweezer elements for a new gripping operation. As has been previously explained, this operation takes place at a relatively high speed, and when the elements are so operated discomfort to the sub ject is minimized. With a device constructed as disclosed herein, it has been noted that the suction or rarefaction stroke of the diaphragm 6 appears to exert more force upon diaphragm 33 than the compression. stroke. It is for this reason that compression Spring 37 has been inserted, to tend to equalize reciprocating forces upon rod 3 for both Suc tion and compression strokes. A desirable characteristic of my device is that it operates with a relatively Small amount of noise and Vibration, which I attribute to the fact that power is Supplied to the applicator pneu matically rather than by direct mechanical con nection. Pneumatic operation is also deemed more desirable than a flexible mechanical drive, because it enables a material simplification in construction, With a long useful life, and with out necessity of frequent Servicing and repair. The Subject matter disclosed but not claimed herein, is claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 48,3, filed Nov. 4, 193. 10 60 6 70 7
O : 2,082,268 claim: 3. In a device of the character described, a 1. In a device of the character described, a pair hollow elongated casing adapted to be grasped of tweezer elements having co-operating hair by an operator, a pair of tweezer elements, gripping end portions, a hollow elongated casing means serving to slidably mount said tweezer adapted to be grasped by an operator, a block elements in the forward end portion of said slidably carried within one end portion of Said mounting, said last means also enabling rela casing, for reciprocating movement in a longi tive pivotal movement of said elements between tudinal direction, means serving to attach one hair-gripping and release positions, actuating of said tweezer elements to said block, means means carried within the rear portion of said forming a pivotal connection between said block mounting and Serving to effect longitudinal re 0. and the other one of said tweezer elements, Said ciprocation of said tweezer elements in Synchro last-named tweezer element having an arm, Se nism with relative lateral movement Of the cured to the same extending rearwardly within tweezer elements between hair-gripping and re the casing, an actuating member mounted in the lease positions, and means for directing a stream rear portion of the casing, means serving to of air between the hair-gripping portions of said rapidly reciprocate Said actuating member in a 1 tweezer elements. direction longitudinally with respect to the cas 4. In a device of the character described, a ing, a lever serving to pivotally connect the for pair of tweezer elements having cooperating hair ward end of said actuating member to Said gripping end portions, a hollow elongated casing block, an arm carried by said lever, and a link adapted to be grasped by an operator, a block serving to pivotally connect said last-mentioned slidably carried within one end portion of said arm with the inner end of Said first-mentioned casing, for reciprocating movement in a longi arm, said first-mentioned arm having limited tudinal direction, means Serving to attach one pivotal movement whereby reciprocation of said of said tweezer elements to said block, means actuating member effects sliding movement of forming a pivotal connection between Said block said block and also causes relative lateral move and the other one of said tweezer elements, said ment between said tweezer elements. last named tweezer element having an arm. Se 2. In a device of the character described, a cured to the same extending rearwardly within hollow elongated casing adapted to be grasped the casing, a flexible diaphragm mounted. With by the hand of an operator, a pair of tweezer in the rear end portion of the casing, there being elements slidably carried within the forward end a closed chamber behind Said diaphragm adapted of Said casing and projecting therefrom, a dia to receive periodically varying pneumatic pres phragm mounted within the rear end portion of Sures, an actuating member mounted in the said casing, there being a closed chamber behind casing and having its rear end connected to said said diaphragm adapted to receive periodically diaphragm, a lever serving to pivotally connect 3 varying pneumatic pressures, an actuating mem the forward end of said actuating member to ber within the mounting, one end of said mem said block, an arm carried by said lever, and a ber being secured to said diaphragm and the link serving to pivotally connect said last men other end of Said member extending forwardly tioned arm with the inner end of Said first within the mounting towards said tweezer ele mentioned arm, Said first mentioned arm having ments, and mechanism serving to co-operatively limited pivotal movement whereby reciprocation connect said member with said tweezer ele of Said actuating member effects sliding move ments and serving to reciprocate the Sane rela ment of Said block and also causes relative lat tive to the mounting and to effect relative lat eral movement between Said tweezer elements. eral movement between the hair-engaging ends of the same. FLOYD W. SCHEMER. 3