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Publication numberUS789539 A
Publication typeGrant
Publication dateMay 9, 1905
Filing dateDec 10, 1904
Priority dateDec 10, 1904
Publication numberUS 789539 A, US 789539A, US-A-789539, US789539 A, US789539A
InventorsCarl Chester Harris
Original AssigneeCarl Chester Harris
Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
Toilet instrument.
US 789539 A
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Description  (OCR text may contain errors)

Non 789,539. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.



llTF l Patented May 9, 1905.



SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,539, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed December 10, 1904. Serial No. 236,408.

To all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL Cuns'rnn HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Toilet Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to toilet instruments.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of neat and compact form which is adapted to be carried in ones pocket and which is useful for the purpose of extracting substances from ones flesh. l/Vith the device a manicuring instrument is incorporated, the point of which is protected by surrounding parts, and the instrument includes members which are especially adapted for removing deposits from the pores of the skin.


Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, showing the members in separated condition. Fig. 2 is substantially a central vertical section taken through the device, certain parts being indicated in dotted outline. ln this view certain of the parts are represented in a position separated from the others. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the device on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, showing the parts in their normal folded condition. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device, representing the parts as folded together as in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section supposed to be taken through a persons flesh and illustrating the practical operation of a part of the device; and Fig. 6 is a front elevation showing a form my invention may take, certain parts being broken away.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a tweezer, comprising oppositelydisposed blades 2, the bodies of which diverge in the general direction of their extremities and terminate in inwardly-turning tips 3, presenting opposing edges 4. This tweezer is especially useful in extracting splinters and in removing the deposits in pores of the skin which have become hardened. The inner extremities of the blades 2 are oflset inwardly, as shown, so as to present opposing heads 5,

which abut each other, as shown, and are securely connected by means of a suitable rivet 6. From this arrangei'nent a narrow opening or threat? is formed adjacent to the heads 5, and across this opening a pivot-pin or rivet 8 extends, the extremities whereof project beyond the blades 2, indicated. Upon this rivet, between the blades 9., a manicuring instrument or nail-file 9 is attached, and this instrument is normally adapted to occupy the space between the blades 2. However, when it is desired to use this instrument it may be drawn to one side, as indicated in Fig. 1. In order to facilitate the opening out of the nail-file in this manner, its edge at a suitable point is preferably provided with a latorally-projecting nib 10, which is provided with a cut of common form adapted to receive ones thumb-nail, as will be readily understood.

Upon the projecting extremities of the rivet or pivot-pin 8 a pair of oppositely-disposed. extractors 11 are movably mounted. These instruments are for the purpose of extracting the oily substances which accumulate in the pores of ones skin and which are popularly known as blackheads. These blackheadextractors consist of eyes or heads 12 and 13, formed at the extremities of the bodies or arms 14. As shown, the eyes 12 and 13 are preferably of different sizes, and these eyes should be formed of wire or similar material, which will present a substantially circular cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 5. The arms 14 connect with the eyes through integral shanks l5, and these shanks attach, as at 16, to the sides of the eyes and extend substantially parallel with and removed from the planes of the eyes. The manner of using the blackhead-extractors is very clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, where the eye 12 is represented as be ing applied to the surface of the llesh 17. When applied in this manner, if a force is exerted tending to move the eye 12 against the flesh that portion of the llesh lying within or surrounded by the eye will be squeezed upwardly, so as to form a mound or protuberance 18, and by reason of the rounded or circular cross-section at the eye the flesh at this point will be subjected to a squeezing action,

bringing about a compression upon the sack containing the deposit, and this quickly results in the ejection of its contents. By reason of the fact that the shanks lie above and offset, as shown, from the planes of the eyes they will not come into contact with the surface of the flesh during the extracting operation, and hence they do not have any tendency to relieve the desirable pressure upon the flesh at the eye.

The direction in which the shanks 15 extend is such that when the parts are folded, as in Fig. 3, these shanks project in the direction of the tweezer edges 4:. hen folded, as illustrated in this manner, the eyes dispose themselves adjacent to the edges 4: and constitute effective means for protecting the lining of ones pocket from injury from the points of the tweezer. The arms 1% of the extractors are also preferably formed of wire and are somewhat resilient, so that when folded, as shown, they operate to maintain the tweezer in a closed or contracted condition, so that the edges 4 are held substantially against each other.

In Fig. 6 a modified form is illustrated. In this form the blades 19 of the tweezer are formed in one piece bent to form a resilient bow 20 between them, as indicated. Near the how 20 a transverse pin 21 is provided, under the heads of which the extractors 22 are attached, as before. The resiliency of the tweezer tends to hold its blades apart, as shown in Fig. 1; but the extractors 22 operate, as before, to hold its points 23 normally in contact. A nail-file 24 is rotatably mounted on the pin 21 and normally reposes in the space between the blades of the tweezer. Preferably near the bow 20 the inner faces of the blades 19 are formed with inward projections or offsets 25. These are normally pressed resiliently against the sides of the nail-tile and operate to hold the file in its normal position, as will be readily understood. In Fig. 6 the parts are distorted, so as to exaggerate the relation existing between them. In practice the offsets 25 would be hardly perceptible.

Special attention is called to the manner in which the outside members of this instrument operate to protect the points of the inner instruments, while at the same time the arrangement is such as to enable any one of the parts to be quickly brought into its operative condition or relation. The instrument evidently constitutes a neat and convenient article admirably adapted for its purposes and readily carried in the pocket.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device of the class described, comprising a tweezer, and movable arms adapted to shield the point thereof, said arms each having an eye and constituting an extractor, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a tweezer having oppositely-disposed blades normally disposed apart, and arms pivoted to said tweezer and folding upon the same to maintain said blades together, said arms having eyes formed at the extremities thereof, said eyes lying adjacent to the extremities of said blades and protecting the same.

3. A device of the class described, a tweezer having a pair of oppositely-disposed blades with converging extremities, a pointed toilet instrument pivotally mounted and adapted to fold into the space between said blades, whereby said blades protect the point thereof, and arms pivotally mounted upon said tweezer, the extremities whereof lie adjacent to the extremities of said blades and guard the same,

said arms having eyes constituting extractors. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.




Referenced by
Citing PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitle
US2777195 *Nov 5, 1954Jan 15, 1957George DalianisFolding paring knife
US3138211 *Jan 23, 1962Jun 23, 1964Blom Otto FMulti-purpose garden implement
US4389912 *Feb 23, 1981Jun 28, 1983Edsyn, Inc.Tweezers for removal of dual in-line pin (DIP) components
US5634275 *Mar 28, 1996Jun 3, 1997Pine; Eli S.Combination of two tools
US6863679Feb 11, 2002Mar 8, 2005William Stephen AaronPaired forceps
Cooperative ClassificationB25F1/04, Y10S7/90