Hair clipper attachment device and method of use

{
  "publication_number": "US6243955B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Hair clipper attachment device and method of use",
  "abstract": "A hair clipper attachment device for making fading haircuts comprising a driving disc connected to a cylindrical drives element which has a half-cylinders shaped cam for moving a cam follower element which moves the carriage of an electric hair clipper to increase the depth of a cut in hair as the hair clipper progresses by contact from the neck to the head. The driving disc can be removed and the cylindrical drive element moved manually by a digit to obtain a fading haircut.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A hair clipper attachment device in combination with a hair clipper for performing a fading haircut, wherein: said hair clipper comprises: a handle with a base portion including a carriage and a side slot, said carriage having a comb element with long teeth, and a cutter element with short teeth adapted to oscillate from side to side for cutting hair; an inverted bell shaped cutout in the carriage adjacent the slot, said cutout including a center bore; said hair clipper attachment device comprises: a cylindrical driver element having a central aperture, a front surface, a rear surface, a lobed projection on the front surface and a half-cylinder shaped cam projecting from the rear surface; a cam follower element having a planar front surface, a left side, a right side, a top side and a bottom side, the front surface including a horizontal slot containing lobes communicating with a vertical slot extending from the bottom side; the cam follower element further having a long leg portion extending perpendicularly rearward from the right side, and a short leg portion extending perpendicularly rearward from the left side; a rotatable disc having a lobed aperture for receiving the lobed projection of said driver element; and an extended length fastener penetrating the aperture of the disc, the aperture of the driver element, the horizontal slot of the cam follower element, and the bore of the inverted bell shaped cutout to secure the hair clipper attachment device to the hair clipper; whereby a fading haircut is obtained by rotating the cylindrical driver element in a counter-clockwise direction.",
    "2. The hair clipper attachment device in combination with a hair clipper according to claim 1, wherein the comb element of the hair clipper is arranged and configured so as to be returned to its original position by rotating the cylindrical driver element in a clockwise direction.",
    "3. The hair clipper attachment device in combination with a hair clipper according to claim 1, wherein the half-cylinder shaped cam projecting from the rear surface of the cylindrical driver element is arranged and configured so as to cooperate with and abut the vertical slot of the cam follower element to urge the comb element forward as the cylindrical driver element is rotated.",
    "4. The hair clipper attachment device in combination with a hair clipper according to claim 1, wherein the long leg portion of the cam follower element is dimensioned to fit into the side slot in the base portion of the handle of the hair clipper, whereby the cam follower element is stabilized with rotation of the cylindrical driver element.",
    "5. The hair clipper attachment device in combination with a hair clipper according to claim 1, wherein the short leg portion of the cam follower element is configured so as to be positioned in an aperture of the bell shaped cutout to move the carriage as the disc is rotated.",
    "6. The hair clipper attachment device in combination with a hair clipper according to claim 1, wherein the half-cylinder shaped cam projecting from the rear surface of the cylindrical driver element is arranged and configured so as to cooperate with and abut the vertical slot of the cam follower element to urge the comb element forward as the disc is rotated.",
    "7. A hair clipper attachment device for a hair clipper to obtain a fading haircut, said device comprising: a cylindrical driver element having a central aperture, a front surface, a rear surface, a lobed projection on the front surface and a half-cylinder shaped cam projecting from the rear surface; a cam follower element having a planar front surface, a left side, a right side, a top side and a bottom side, the front surface including a horizontal slot containing lobes communicating with a vertical slot extending from the bottom side; the cam follower element further having a long leg portion extending perpendicularly rearward from the right side, and a short leg portion extending perpendicularly rearward from the left side; a rotatable disc having a lobed aperture for receiving the lobed projection of said driver element; and an extended length fastener penetrating the aperture of the disc, the aperture of the driver element, and the horizontal slot of the cam follower element for securing the hair clipper attachment device to the hair clipper."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates to a hair clipper attachment device for a fading haircut, i.e, forming a gradual increase in the length of hair cut from the neck to the head.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nThe relevant art does not recognize the need for performing a fading function in hair cutting, because barbers rely on their skill in elevating the cutting blade as the hair is cut longer from the neck. However, the present invention can be readily removably attached to a modern electric hair cutter to enable one with less skill to perform the fading cut.\n\nThe related art of interest describes various hair clipper attachment devices. The related art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.\n\nU.S. Pat. No. 2,716,809 issued on Sep. 6, 1955, to Carl F. Malone describes a manually operated hair cutter having a blade assembly slidably mounted on an oscillatory comb member. The blade assembly is urged forward by moving the hair cutter on a pair of sponge rubber treaded wheels to cut hair progressively shorter as the hair cutter travels over the hair. The hair cutter is distinguishable for the opposite effect of cutting hair shorter as the device is urged forward on the hair, a manual cutter with only one cutting effect, and the reliance on a pair of wheels to activate the cutter.\n\nU.S. Pat. No. 2,275,110 issued on Mar. 3, 1942, to Philip Monti describes an attachment to a manually operated hair clipper to obtain a frictionless surface of the clipper for contact with the skin during the cutting operation.",
  "cpc": [
    "B26B 19/20"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B26B 19/20"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Anthony Glen Forbers",
    "Christopher Perry Forbers"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1999-04-16",
  "publication_date": "2001-06-12",
  "grant_date": "2001-06-12",
  "priority_date": "1999-04-16",
  "application_number": "US-29275299-A",
  "family_id": "23126030",
  "cited_by_count": 16,
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}