Improvements in Boot and Shoe Cleaning Machinery.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May. 1-03
Complete Specification Left. 12 h Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
FRANCIS
Improvements in Boot and Shoe Cleaning Machinery.
We, ARTIDORO FARINETTI, Civil Engineer, and FERDINAND
ERNEST HEYSE, Merchant, both of 15 Seething Lane, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus for cleaning boots and shoes
preferably so arranged and adapted that it can be set in motion automatically or
by hand on the insertion of a coin into a slit but it may also be employed without
coin freed mechanism. The invention consists in arrangements of the following
character:-
A box or case of circular or other suitable form is provided having an aperture
in its cover through which the boot or shoe to be cleaned, whether on the foot of
the wearer or mounted on a last or stretcher, or otherwise held, is inserted and
retained on a suitable platform or support. Inside this box or case is a second
case or frame which is free to revolve round a centre, and in this second case
or frame are mounted vertical spindles on the upper ends of which are secured
circular brushes of shapes or contours adapted to fit more or less accurately to the
various parts of the boots or shoes. Rotary motion is imparted to the aforesaid
inner case or frame and to the spindles and brushes thereon by gearing, belts and
pulleys or otherwise as may be convenient. These rotary brushes are so placed in
several pairs in the inner case or frame that as the latter is rotated, the said
brushes are carried, as they rotate on their spindles, successively past and in
contact with the boot or shoe inserted through the aperture in the cover of the
outer box or case; the first pair of brushes being generally adapted to remove the
dirt from the boot or shoe, the next pair to apply the blacking thereto and a third
pair to polish, but it is obvious that a greater or lesser number of pairs of brushes
may be employed as may be found necessary or desirable. Rotary motion, may be
imparted to the inner case or frame and to the brushes mounted thereon or therein
by any suitable motive power such as that derived from an electric motor, or a
compressed air or hydraulic motor for example, or in some cases by hand power.
When it is desired to make the machinery automatic, the motive power is brought
into operation by the introduction of a coin into a slit. This coin may be caused
to liberate certain mechanism, which will allow the motive power to act auto-
matically or will allow of its being brought into action by any suitable arrangement
of well known coin-freed mechanism. When an electric motor is employed, the
coin may be caused to close the circuit directly or indirectly.
The apparatus may be arranged so as to apply the brushes once only to the boot
or shoe for each coin introduced, and then to stop, or it may be arranged to apply
the brushes twice or more times for each coin introduced and in some cases the
apparatus may be so constructed that it will clean two boots or shoes at the
same time.
Suitable arrangements are provided for supplying blacking to the blacking
brushes, and in some cases water or other fluid may be provided periodically and
automatically to the brushes or to the cake of blacking in order to soften the
latter before it is applied to the boot or shoe.
Dated this 12th day of May 1893.

page_text: FRANCIS
Improvements in Boot and Shoe Cleaning Machinery.
We, ARTIDORO FARINETTI, Civil Engineer, and FERDINAND
ERNEST HEYSE, Merchant, both of 15 Seething Lane, in the City of London,
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, that is to say :-
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus for cleaning boots and shoes,
preferably so arranged and adapted that it can be set in motion automatically, or
by hand, on the insertion of a coin into a slot, but it may also be employed without
coin-freed mechanism.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an elevation, with its containing case
in section, of a machine or apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention,
and Figure 2 is a plan of same with the top of the containing case removed.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in each of the figures of the
drawings.
A is a box or case of suitable form, in the upper part or cover of which are
provided two apertures A' A2, through which the boots shoes to be cleaned,
whether on the feet of the wearer, or mounted on lasts or stretchers, or otherwise
held, are inserted and retained on foot plates or supports B. These foot plates or
supports B are firmly attached to or suspended from a cross bar C and are pro-
vided with suitable stops B* for steadying the boots or shoes while being cleaned.
The cross bar C also carries bearings' D for the upper horizontal shaft E, and also
the bearing F for the central axis G as shown. This central axis G carries at its
upper end the worm pinion H into which gears the worm E' on the upper horizontal
shaft E. It also has keyed thereon the large spur wheel I and passes loosely
through holes in the plates J J*, its lower end turning in the footstep C' in the
lower cross bar C. The upper and lower cross bars (*, being connected
together by the pillars or distance pieces (³, form a rigid frame which may be
held down to any convenient foundation by means of holding-down bolts passing
through the holes C³.
To the underside of the lower plate J* is attached, by means of the flanged
boss K', the worm wheel K, such boss encircling the central axis G, but being free
of same.
The worm wheel K gears with the worm L' attached to the counter-
shaft which runs in bearings C" carried by the lower cross bar C*. The
plates JJ are connected together by the distance studs J', the whole forming a
case or frame free to revolve round the central axis G, and carrying the vertically
mounted brush spindles M, which are preferably arranged in pairs as shown, and
have secured on their upper ends circular brushes of shapes or contours adapted to
fit more or less accurately the various parts of the boots or shoes to be cleaned.
Rotary motion is imparted to the case or frame J J* J', and to the spindles M,
and brushes thereon, by gearing, belts and pullies, or otherwise, as
may be
convenient, and this motion may be derived from any suitable motive power, such
as an electric motor, or a compressed air or hydraulic motor, for example, or in
some cases hand power. In the drawing, N represents an electric motor, to which
the necessary current is supplied from a dynamo, primary or secondary batteries,
or other suitable source of electric energy. When batteries are employed, they
ay be contained within the box or case A as shown at N¹ for example. When
it is desired to make the machinery automatic, the motive power is brought into
operation by the introduction of a coin into a slit-such as at A³, for example.

page_text: This coin may be caused to liberate certain mechanism which will allow the motive
power to act automatically, or will allow of its being brought into action by any
suitable arrangement of well known coin-freed mechanisin. When an electric
motor is employed, as in the case illustrated, the coin may be caused to close the
circuit directly or indirectly. We have not thought it necessary to illustrate this
part of the apparatus in detail nor the electrical connections to the various parts of
the apparatus, as these in themselves form no part of our invention, and can be
readily supplied by persons conversant with this class of machinery.
The brushes are arranged in pairs as before explained, M' representing brushes
for removing the mud or dirt, M2 blacking brushes, and M. M*, M³, first, second
and third pairs of polishing brushes. The innermost spindle of each pair of brush-
spindles M, is provided with a spur pinion O, which pinions gear with the before-
Each of the said
mentioned large spur wheel I on the vertical axis G as shown.
innermost spindles transfers rotatory motion in the reverse direction to its adjacent
spindle by means of further gearing, or by pullies P, and cross belts, cords or
chains P. Suitable arrangements are provided for supplying blacking to the
blacking brushes M2, and in some cases water or other fluid may be provided
periodically and automatically to the brushes or to the cake of blacking in order to
soften the latter before it is applied to the boot or shoe. For example, Q is a case
containing blacking, against the surface of which one of the blacking brushes
revolves as shewn. Qis a small tank containing water for example, and
provided with a self-closing valve Q2 the downwardly projecting stem Q³ of which
is adapted to be momentarily pressed upward once during each revolution of the
case or frame J J* J', when the post J2 passes across the stationary spring plate C
fixed to the upper cross bar (), whereby a few drops of water are allowed to pass
the valve at each such revolution at the time the blacking brushes M2 are passing
under the said valve.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The person who requires his boots to be
cleaned seats himself on the seat R (which may be adjustable if preferred, according
to the height of the person using the machine) and steadies himself, if necessary,
by taking bold of the handle R'; he then places his feet through the apertures A¹
in the top of the box or cover A on to the footplates or supports B. He then
places a coin of predetermined value and size into the slit, as at A³ for example,
which coin-by any suitable or well known arrangement of mechanism-starts the
motor N. By means of the belt E motion is communicated from the said motor
to the upper horizontal shaft E, thence by the worm E' and worm pinion H to the
central axis G and large spur wheel I thereon, and finally by the pinions O, cords P*,
and pullies P, to the spindles M which carry the brushes M² M2 M3 M4 M' which
latter are thus set in rapid rotation.
The upper horizontal shaft E also imparts motion by means of the pulley E³
and belt L to the countershaft L, which by the worm L' canses the worm
wheel K and with it the case or frame J J* J to revolve at a comparatively slow
speed.
It will now be understood that not only is ench brush caused to rapidly rotate with
its spindle in the bearings in the plates J J* in an opposite direction to that of
its adjacent brush, but that the case or frame J J J which carries the
brushes M M2 M3 M4 M5 is caused to revolve slowly on and independently of
the central axis G. By this arrangement each successive pair of rapidly revolving
brushes is caused to pass, one on each side of, and in contact with, the boots to be
cleaned whereby that on the left foot is first subjected, from toe to heel, to the
action of the mud or dirt removing brushes M', which then act upon the boot or
shoe on the right foot from heel to toe. Meanwhile the blacking brushes M³
baving received the necessary quantity of blacking from the blacking case Q, and
been moistened by the action of the post J, and spring plate C4, upon the self-
closing valve Q of the water tank Q₁ as hereinbefore explained, are caused to act
upon the boot on the left foot from toe to heel, and then upon the boot on the right

page_text: foot from heel to toe, and the three pairs of polishing brushes in like manner..
The case or frame J J J' will, during this operation complete one revolution while
each brush will have made say 300 revolutions, the boots or shoes being thereby
cleaned and polished. On the completion of one revolution of the case or
frame JJ J the electric circuit is automatically broken, (by a commutator upon
the said case or frame for example), the machine stops, and the person withdraws
his feet from the apertures A' A2. Or the case or frame J J* J' may be arranged
to make two or more revolutions and thus apply the whole or some of the brushes
more than once to the boots or shoes to be cleaned, and may, in some cases, also
be adapted to clean more than one pair, or a single boot or shoe, at one operation
of the machine.
•
We sometimes employ a guard R* in order to protect the upper part of the
front of the boot from the mud which might otherwise be deposited there by the
mud or dirt brushes M³, more especially in the case of the left foot. Other guards
may also be employed to protect other parts of the boot during the process of
cleaning.
In order to ensure the entire surface of the front of the boot or shoe being
cleaned, especially when the said boot or shoe is creased or furrowed at that part,
we sometimes provide a swell or projection S which causes the bristles of the
brushes, as they pass under same, to come into close contact with the said parts of
the boots or shoes. Or we sometimes provide for the same purpose one or more
supplementary brushes T rotated by a separate electric motor U in a case V in
which an opening V' is formed for the introduction of the front part of the boot
between the brush T and the top of the case A.
The motor U, and consequently the brush T, preferably remain stationary while
the frame JJJ' is making its rotation, and the boots or shoes are being operated
upon by the brushes M' to M, but just before the said frame completes its rotation,
it closes an electric circuit with the said motor, which then rotates the brush T
a certain number of revolutions, when the said electric circuit is opened by
suitable mechanism, such as a worm and worm wheel or other gearing connected
with the axis of the motor or brush, and the motor and brush then stop.
It is obvious that instead of the boot cleaning machinery being driven by an
electric or other motor, it may be driven by hand, by any suitable arrangement of
mechanism, and that such mechanism may be governed by coin-freed apparatus so
that it cannot be used until a coin is introduced into the slit of such coin-freed
apparatus. It is also obvious that when the means, whatever they may be, employed
to communicate motion to the boot cleaning machinery are governed by coin-freed
apparatus any suitable well known device may be employed to stop such motion
when the boot cleaning machinery has completed its operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. The improved machinery for cleaning boots and shoes which consists of a
revolving frame having mounted therein or thereon rotating brushes arranged in
pairs and adapted to act on both sides of one or more boots or shoes placed and
held in the path of such brushes as the latter are carried round by the said frame,
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second. In boot and shoe cleaning machinery the revolving frame, the rotating
brushes mounted thereon or therein, and gearing for imparting rotatory motion to
the said frame and to the said brushes, combined and operating substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Third. Automatic apparatus for cleaning boots and shoes which consists of
machinery of the kind forming the subject of the first and second claiming clauses
hereof in combination with an electric or other suitable notor brought into action
by coin-freed mechanism, substantially as described.

page_text: Fourth. The improved machinery for cleaning boots and shoes constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of March 1894.
A. FARINETTI,
F. F. E. HEYSE,
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, Agent.