US2668546A - Hair curler - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1954 Filed Sept. 25, 1952 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 so STATES. PATENT 0 PF! ca 7 2,668,546 I A R CURLER Ame re tilian, Brooklyn,v N. Y. Application September 25, 1952., Serial No. 311,369

, 1- This invention pertains generally to the art of hair curlers, and more particularlyto an improved form thereof offering a large number of advantages over types now known in the art.

Hair curlers have heretofor been relatively complicated, xpensive to manufacture, and many have incorporated metallic resilient elementswhich are subjectto rust, loss of resiliency, and other accompanyingdisadvantages. The high cost of manufacture or conventional" hair curling devices has been partdue to the fact that theyare made by assembling several components, which must fit. each other with reasonable accuracy, and also partially due to the fact that metallic stampings are relatively expensive.

: It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an efficient hair curling device in which the use of metallic parts has been totally eliminated.

n ther obje f; the inventicnlies in the provision of a hair curler of the type described in which all of the component parts may be molded from suitable synthetic resinous stock in an integral form, thereby eliminating the necessity of fitting and assembling separate components.

A further object of the invention lies in the pro,- vision of a deviceof the class described in which th cost of fabrication may be of an extremely low order, thereby permitting wide sale, distribution and use.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of hair curler structure which may be easily manipulated by the user in curling the hair, and which may be readily removed after the curling operation.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device being formed entirely from synthetic resinous stock, no separate resilient components are necessary in the formation of the device, thereby eliminating a potential source of trouble in operation.

Another feature of the device lies in the fact that owing to the lack of metallic parts, the devices may easily be sterilized when required.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claim.

On the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a view in perspective showing an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment.

Figure 3- is a side elevational view, corresponding to that shown on Figure 2, but showing an altered position of the component parts thereof.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view as; seen from the plane 4-4 on Figure 3. v

Figure 5 is a view in perspective showing a firstv or starting position employed in curling th hair.

when using the device.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective showing the second or final position in which the device is shown as completely attached.

Figure 7' i a fragmentary view in perspective. corresponding; to the upper right hand portion of Figure 3;, but showing an embodiment.

In accordance with: the invention, the device,

alternate form of the.

generally indicated by reference character 110',

comprises broadly a main body element i2, and a curl retaining element l4, The entire device is preferablyformed from a single molding or casting of aflexible, resilient, synthetic resinous stock. If desired, the device may also be formed in two pieces, with separate main body element i2 and for example polystyrene. Various vinyl compositions are also suitable.

The main body element !2 includes a base member l6, which connects a pair of leg members I8 and 20. The members I8 and '20 are in mutual abutted arrangement, to form a hair retaining channel 22 therebetween. The base member I6 is provided with a rounded outer surface 24, to permit easy grasping by the user, the outermost portion 26 forming a line of interconnection with the curl retaining element I4.

The leg members l8 and 2|] are substantially similar, each including a tapered resilient portion 28 and a relatively thicker outer portion 35. The outer end 32 is tapered and includes an angularly disposed surface 34 to facilitate the insertion of the end of a lock of hair between the leg members. Disposed on the outer surface of the portion 30 and extending inwardly at an angle with respect to the principal aXis thereof is an elongated slot 36, of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the curl retaining element M.

The curl retaining element [4 is of general y planar configuration, as may be best seen on Figures 1 and 2, and is bonded by an inner edge 38, an outer edge 40 and side edges 42 and 44. As has been mentioned, the inner edge 38 is secured to the main body element 12, and the element i4 is free to flex in either direction about this edge. The length of the curl retaining element I4, as measured between the inner and outer edges 38 and 40, respectively, is sufiicient to permit the same to be bowed as shown on Figure 3, wherein the outer edge 46 may be inserted into the slot 30 of either the leg member 18 or the leg member 20.

The device is employed as shown on Figures 5 and 6, wherein the end of a lock of hair to be curled is placed in the hair retaining channel 22 (Figure 5), during which time the curl retaining element 14 extends outwardly. The main body element is then rotated betwen the fingers, to result in the formation of a curl, care being taken to avoid the covering of the slots 36. When the curl is formed, the curl retaining element is bent about the inner edge 38 to engage one of the slots 36. Upon release of the device, the engagement of the curled hair with the curl retaining element 14 prevents the same from becoming unwound. When it is desired to remove the device, the reverse procedure is followed, the curl retaining element It being first disengaged, after which the main body element I2 is unwound, wherein the end of the now curled lock of hair may be released.

Turning now to the alternate form of the invention shown on Figure '7, this form differs from the principal form in that the curl retaining element I4 is tapered near the edge 40', where the same enters the slot The slot 38' is in turn tapered, so that when the edge is inserted into the slot, a wedge-like action tending to retain the interconnection is 'obtained between the surface of the element M and the surface defining the slot 36'.

It may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in hair curlers, in which there is provided a simple and inexpensive one piece curler which may be manufactured at a very low cost, and which possesses substantially no moving parts. The device may be molded in one piece, thus materially lowering the cost of manufacture, and as there are no metallic parts comprising the same, the device may be completely impervious to water, waving solutions, or the deleterious effects of moisture. The device is resistant to breakage as well, and has no sharp edges which might cause damage when the wearer is sleeping. Once engaged, the same will not become accidentally disengaged from the hair of the wearer, although the same may be easily removed when desired.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the exact details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

I claim:

A hair curler comprising: an integral main body element and curl retaining element formed entirely from polyethylene; said main body element including a base member and a pair of leg mem bers forming a hair-retaining channel; said leg members being of substantially solid cross section, and each having an elongated slot extending at an acute angle to the principal axis thereof into the body of the same said slot hav-' ing a substantial area; said curl retaining'element being of flexible elongated configuration and having a substantially rectangular cross section corresponding to the area of said slot; said curl retaining element being bendable to be inserted into either of said slots, the end of said curl retaining element being thereby disposed parallel to the principal axis of said slot at the point of entry into said slot.

ARAM TEOPILIAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,074,405 Lasity Mar. 23, 1937 2,100,851 Hermsdorf Nov. 30, 1937 2,136,783 Coggans Nov, 15, 1938 2,331,578 Sterling Oct. 12, 1943

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