IMPROVEMENTS IN TOOTH AND FLESH BRUSHES OR RUBBERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Donald Napier, M.R.C.S., of George
Street, Hanover Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOOTH AND FLESH BRUSHES OR RUBBERS."
Sealed the 20th July 1875, and dated the 20th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Donald Napier
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th February 1875.
I, WILLIAM DONALD NAPIER, M.R.C.S., George Street, Hanover
Square, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOOTH AND FLESH BRUSHES OR
RUBBERS," to be as follows:-—
This Invention has for its object improvements in tooth and flesh
brushes or rubbers.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me and dated
March 30th 1861, No. 788, I have described a tooth brush formed of
vulcanized india-rubber, and it has projections or nipples which are

page_text: analogous to and take the place of the bristles of an ordinary tooth
brush. Such tooth brushes have since come into extensive public use.
Now, I render such tooth brushes much more suitable for this purpose
by combining with the india-rubber a sharp polishing powder, such, for
example, as powdered pumice.
5
The powder is worked into the india-rubber compound by means of
kneading rollers, and when the mixture is complete the brush moulds
are filled with it and the india-rubber is then cured by the application
of heat. In this way I obtain a far better frictional surface than is
possessed by the tooth brushes heretofore constructed, and in the use of 1
such tooth brushes they will be found to cleanse and polish the teeth
very rapidly and effectually.
In place of forming the brushes with a series of separate projecting
nipples, analogous to the bristles of an ordinary brush, they may,
although less advantageously, be formed with continuous ridges upon 1
their surfaces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Donald Napier in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DONALD NAPIER, M.R.C.S., of George Street, Hanover Square, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Donald Napier, Her special
license that I, the said William Donald Napier, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Donald
Napier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOOTH AND FLESH BRUSHES OR RUBBERS,”.
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Donald
Napier, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,"
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Donald Napier, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in tooth and flesh
brushes or rubbers.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me and dated
March 30th 1861, No. 788, I have described a tooth brush formed of
vulcanised india-rubber; it has projections or nipples which are
analogous to and take the place of the bristles of an ordinary tooth
brush. Such tooth brushes have since come into extensive public use.
Now, I render such tooth brushes much more suitable for their purpose.
by combining with the india-rubber a sharp polishing powder, such, for
example, as powdered pumice.
The powder is worked into the india-rubber compound by means of
kneading rollers, and when the mixture is complete the brush moulds
are filled with it and the india-rubber is then cured by the application
of heat. In this way I obtain a far better frictional surface together
with greater briskness of the projections or nipples than is possessed by
the tooth brushes heretofore constructed, and in the use of such tooth
brushes they will be found to cleanse and polish the teeth very rapidly
and effectually.
In place of forming the brushes with a series of separate projecting
nipples, analogous to the bristles of an ordinary brush, they may,
although less advantageously, be formed with continuous ridges upon
their surfaces.
Toch hmiches mana
1

page_text: The processes of moulding and curing the brushes or rubbers are well
understood that it is unnecessary here to describe them.
What I claim is, the manufacture, substantially as described, of tooth
and flesh brushes and rubbers from an india-rubber compound containing
a sharp polishing powder.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Donald Napier, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this 16th day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
WILLIAM DONALD NAPIER. (L.S.)