IMPROVEMENT
Year: 1883

page_text: JOHN THOMPSON of Aldersgate Street in the City of London
IN BRUSHES
"
"IMPROVEMENTS
This invention has, more especially for its object to improve the construction
of tooth brushes but the improvements are also applicable to other forms of
brushes.
In tooth brushes as ordinarily formed the outer bristles along the sides of the
brush being unsupported on their outer sides frequently get bent outwards which
render the brushes unpleasant to use and the bristles are also more likely to be
then broken off or dragged out from the back. To remedy this I form the central
part of the brush of bristles as heretofore and around the outside of the brush I fix
a flexible support of vulcanized india rubber to support the outer bristles and
prevent their being bent outwards. The support may be made up of separate
tongues of vulcanized india rubber inserted into an outer row of holes in the back
of the brush instead of these holes being filled in with tufts of bristles as they
would be in ordinary brushes. The tongues may be made to project out from the
handle or back to the same extent as the bristles or nearly so
The rear end of the several tongues might be made with an enlarged or tapered
head so as to ensure the tongues from being drawn out from the holes. A shallow
recess may also be formed in the back of the handle so that when the bristles and
tongues have been secured a cover plate may be fixed over this recess to conceal
the ends of the tongues and the wire employed for tying in the bristles.
In place of the flexible support for the outer bristles being formed of separate
tongues of india rubber it might be formed of a strip of vulcanized india rubber
carried along the sides or the sides and ends of the outer rows of bristles. In this
case to secure the strip to the back the strip may be made with tongues projecting
.
Prine 6d1

page_text: from it at intervals along that edge of it which is to be secured to the back. These
tongues may be drawn through holes in the back and be so secured.
Such an outer elastic support may be made to pass all around the outer sides of
the brush so as to support the bristles at the ends as well as at the sides or separate
pieces may be made for the sides or ends. These elastic supports are preferably
made considerably shorter than the bristles.
The bristles at the sides and ends of other, brushes might in a similar way be
supported by an elastic support of vulcanized india rubber.
For some purposes also as for example for nail brushes plate brushes and brushes
for other such like purpose the brushes may be formed entirely of separate tongues
of vulcanized india rubber secured into holes in a back or handle or brushes might
be formed partly of bristles and partly of flexible tongues intermixed in various
ways with the bristles and secured to the back in the manner explained above.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Thompson in the Patent Office on the 23rd February
1884..
JOHN THOMPSON of Aldersgate Street in the City of London "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BRUSHES
"
This invention has more especially for its object to improve the construction
of tooth brushes but the improvements are also applicable to other forms of
brushes..
C
In tooth brushes as ordinarily formed the outer bristles along the sides of the
brush being unsupported on their outer sides frequently get bent outwards which
renders the brushes unpleasant to use and the bristles are also more likely to be
then broken off or dragged out from the back. To remedy this I form the central
part of the brush of bristles as heretofore and around the outside of the brush I, fix
tongues of vulcanized india rubber-these tongues I insert into the outer row of
holes in the back of the brush instead of filling these holes with tufts of bristles as
in ordinary brushes-The tongues may be made to project out from the handle or
back to the same extent as the bristles or nearly so.
The bristles at the sides and ends of other brushes might in a similar way be
supported by an outer row of tongues of vulcanized india rubber.
'
For some purposes also as for example for nail brushes plate brushes and
brushes. for other such like purposes the brushes may be formed entirely of
tongues of vulcanized india rubber secured into holes in a back or handle or
brushes might be formed partly of bristles and partly of flexible tongues inter-
mixed in various ways with the bristles and secured to the back in the manner
explained above.
Having thus described the nature of my invention I will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same.
⚫ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a face view of an assemblage of india rubber tongues suitable for
being used in the manufacture of brushes as above described.
Figures 2 shew a face view, a side view and an end view of a narrow strip cut
from the fabric shewn at Figure 1 and having upon it a single row of tongues.
Figures 3 shew a back view and cross section of a brush handle having holes
bored through it ready for receiving rows of bristles and an outer row of india
rubber tongues.
•
Figures 4 show a side view and cross section of a finished tooth brush with the.
bristles and india rubber tongues secured to the back.
Figures 5 shew a back view and cross section of a brush handle somewhat
modified in form from the one shewn at Figures 3.
Figure 6 shews a back view of a brush handle having boles bored through it for
receiving only tongues of india rubber.
Figure 7 shews a side view of a brush having a handle such as shewn at }
Figure 6 and having its rubbing surface composed entirely of tongues of vulcanized-
india rubber.
2
i
Figures 8 shew å face view and cross section of a brush made with alternate'
rows of bristles and india rubber tongues.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 shew side views of brushes so made with alternate rows of '
bristles and india rubber tongues.
"

page_text: Wherever tufts of bristles are to be secured into the handle, the handle has holes
bored in it and the tufts of bristles are secured into the holes by means of wires in
the ordinary way.
Where the tongues of india rubber are to be secured to the handle holes are
bored through the handle one for each tongue and in the back of the handle a
groove is also formed along these rows of holes.
In the several figures. a is a rigid handle of bone ivory or other suitable rigid
material-b. b. are rows of holes for receiving the tufts of bristles.
of holes for receiving the tongues d of vulcanised india rubber.
formed at the back of the rows of holes c.
c. c. are rows
e. is a groove
The vulcanized india rubber tongues to be used in the construction of the
'brushes are formed in moulds. The moulds have rows of holes formed in them
of the shape to which the tongues are required to be moulded and also at a
distance apart equal to the distance that the tongues are required to be one from
the other.
The holes of the mould are first filled with india.rubber composition then a thin
layer of the composition is spread over the whole face of the mould and over this
is placed a strong fabric.
When the mould has been closed and submitted to heat to effect the vulcanization
of the indin rubber compound the tongues and canvas or other woven back become
Becurely united together. Such an assemblage of vulcanised india rubber tongues
may be made of any desired width and length.
When it has been removed from the mould it is cut into strips such as shewn.at
Figures 2 each containing a single row of tongues. The strips may be made of any
desired length either to go entirely or partly around the outside edge of a brush or
of the same or less length than the rows of holes which are to receive them.
One of the strips of fabric such as shewn at Figures 2 is then taken and its
separate tongues are drawn through the holes which are to receive them.
The narrow strip of fabric by which the several tongues are held together is
made to lie in the groove e in the back of the handle; afterwards the groove is
filled in with cement to form a smooth surface to the back of the brush.
If the groove e is a narrow groove such as shown at Figures 5 then the strip of
fabric which carries the tongues, will have to be cut narrower than when a broader
groove is used such as shewn at Figures 3.
When the brush is to be made up entirely of tongues of india rubber the handle
may as shewn at Figure 6 have any desired number of rows of holes bored in it
and a separate strip of the vulcanized india rubber fabric be drawn into the holes
of each row and the brush be afterwards finished by filling up the grooves e with
cement to form a smooth surface at the back..
In the brushes shewn at Figures 8. 9. 10 and 11 the rows of bristles and the
rows of india rubber tongues are set alternately and cross-wise of the back. I do
not however limit myself to this way of making up a brush partly of bristles and
partly of tongues of vulcanized india rubber as the rows of tufts of bristles and of
tongues of india rubber may be arranged in other ways. The tufts of bristles and
the tongues of india rubber may also as shewn be made either of the same length
or either of them may be made shorter than the other.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and the manner of performing
the same I would have it understood that although in the Drawings I have only
shewn various forms of brushes suitable for being used as tooth brushes, yet I do
not limit myself to the construction of this class of brush as a great variety of
brushes suitable for being used for many other purposes may be constructed in a
similar manner and the shape of their backs or handles be varied accordingly.
What I claim is :-
First. The construction of a brush with a rigid back or handle pierced with
holes some of which are inade to hold tufts of bristles whilst others are made to
hold tongues of vulcanized india rubber substantially as described.

page_text: Second-The construction of a brush with a rigid handle a having holes c bored
through it and a groove e formed at the back of these holes and having tongues d
of vulcanized india rubber secured in these holes and grooves substantially as
described.
Third-The construction of a brush with a rigid handle carrying rows of bristles
and with a row of tongues of vulcanized india rubber around the outsides of these
rows of bristles substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said John Thompson have hereunto set my hand and
seal this seventh day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
J. THOMPSON. (LS.)