A Combined Brush and Scraper for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
A Combined Brush and Scraper for Boots and Shoes.
I, JOHN MELLOR, of Mill Street, Aspen, in the County of Pitkin, and State
of Colorado, United States of America, Moulder, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a combined brush and scraper for removing mud, snow,
dust. etc., from boots and shoes.
The device comprises a suitable base adapted to be fastened in position, which is
recessed to form a chamber for the reception of the brush head which is sub-
stantially of the same height and width as the recess but of somewhat less length
and is secured in position by means of a pin or otherwise. The brushes which form
the wiping and scraping surfaces and extend upwards from the head are made of
flat strips or wires of steel or equivalent elastic metal. At the opposite end of the.
recess to the brush, is located a clip consisting of plates respectively clasping
between them a strip of rubber for removing any dirt remaining after using the
brush. The upper edge of this rubber strip projects above the clip and is sub-
stantially flush with the top surface of the brush tufts. The clips are forced
towards each other to clamp the rubber strip by means of screws and nuts or their
equivalent, by loosening which the rubber may be released and slid upward or
downward between the clips to adjust it to the plane of the brush tops. A distance
piece may be interposed between the clip and the brush. The tufts of the brushes
may be made all of the same length so that their tops are in a plane surface, but
I prefer in some cases to make them of different lengths so as to produce a wiping
surface that will be substantially V-shaped in cross section, the object of this
particular construction being that the brush may clean the sides as well as the sole
of the boot or shoe.
The improved device is used in the same manner as ordinary wipers but is more
effective for the following reasons:-The edges of the flat strips or wires of steel
employed for the brushes form scrapers and will obviously remove the mud, etc.,
more readily than bristles having smooth side surfaces without any edges. The
brushes also being elastic, will brush the mud off better than the usual rigid
scrapers. It will thus be seen that by employing steel brushes of angular cross-
section, produce a wiper which combines the advantage of a scraper, viz. :-the
presence of a narrow edge acting to forcibly remove the mud with that of a brush
made of bristles, viz. the elasticity of the bristles and their capability of adapting
themselves to the form of the article to be cleaned. Another advantage of the
steel brushes results from their great elasticity, which causes them' to scatter the
mud away, thus keeping the wiper clean and preventing clogging of the brushes
and also preventing the latter from deterioration by prolonged contact with
injurious substances. This scattering effect is much stronger when brushes of
angular cross-section are employed than when using brushes having smooth side
surfaces as the elastic vibrations of the brushes will not only be longitudinal but
torsional in addition thereto.
Dated this 17th don of Danamban 1805

page_text: Добо аци потр.
I, JOHN MELLOR of Mill Street, Aspen, in the County of Pitkin, and State of
Colorado, United States of America, Moulder, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a combined brush and scraper for removing mud, snow,
dust, etc. from boots and shoes. To these ends my invention consists in the novel
construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter described and
claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which
Figure is a side elevation of the improved brush and scraper partly in section
cn the line 1-1 Figure 2. Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof with parts broken
away; and
Figure 3 is an end view shewing another form of brush.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the views.
The improved device comprises a suitable base A adapted to be fixed in position
by means of screws or the like at its ends A¹ although other means of fastening
may be employed. The base is recessed as shewn at A³ to form a chamber for the
reception of the brush head and some other parts to be presently described. The
brush consists of a head B which is of substantially the same height and width as
the recess or chamber A2 but of somewhat less length, and is secured in position
on the base by means of a pin C or otherwise. From the head extend upward
the brush tufts D which are made of flat strips or wires of steel or equivalent
elastic metal whose upper ends form the wiping and scraping surface of the foot
brush.
At the opposite end of the recess A³ to the brush head B is located a clip E
consisting of two plates E and E³ respectively clasping between them a strip of
rubber F the upper end of which projects above the clip and is substantially flash
with the top surface of the brush tufts D. The clip members E' E' are forced
toward each other to clamp the rubber strip F, by means of screws G and nuts G¹,
or equivalent devices, and by loosening the nut the rubber may be released and slid
upward or downward between the clip members to adjust it to the plane of the
brush tops.
In this manner wear can be taken up.
Between the clip E and the brush head B may be interposed a separating strip
or block H to leave a sufficient space between the clip and the adjoining brush D,
or the block H may be formed integral with the brush head.
The tuits of the brush D may be made all of the same length so that their tops
are in a plane surface as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but I prefer in some cases to
make them of different lengths, so as to produce a wiping surface that will be}
substantially V-shaped in cross section as illustrated at D' in Figure 3, the
object of this particular construction being to cause the upper ends of the brush
tufts D to clean not only the soles, but also the sides of the boot or shoe."
It will be understood that the rubber F and clip E may be employed in con-
Dection with the brush D', although the rubber and clip have not been shown in
Figure 3.
The improved device is used in the same manner as ordinary foot wipers, but is
more effective for the following reasons: The edges of the flat strips or wires of
steel employed for the brush tufts D form scrapers and will obviously remove the
mud, etc., more readily than bristles having smooth side surfaces, without any
edges. The brush being also elastic, will brush the mud off better than the usual
rigid scrapers.
It will thus be seen that by employing steel brushes of angular

page_text: :
cross-section, I produce a foot wiper which combines the advantage of a scraper,.
viz.: the presence of a narrow edge acting to forcibly remove the mud, with that
of a brush made of bristles viz. the elasticity of the bristles and their capability
of adapting themselves to the form of the article to be cleaned. Another-
advantage of the steel brushes results from their great elasticity, which causes
them to scatter the mud away, thus keeping the wiper clean and preventing
clogging of the brushes and also preventing the latter from deterioration by
prolonged contact with injurious substances. This scattering effect is much
stronger when brushes of angular cross section are employed than when using
brushes having smooth side surfaces, as the elastic vibrations of the brush tufts.
will not only be longitudinal, but torsional in addition thereto.
The rubber F is employed to take off any remaining wet after the use of the
brush proper, and has the same action as the mat commonly used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1.
claim is,
1. In a brush for cleaning boots and shoes having a head, bristles secured to the
head and rising vertically therefrom, a clip rising vertically from one end of the
head, and a flexible scraper secured to the clip and held thereby, the operating
edge of the scraper being commensurate with the upper ends of the bristles,.
substantially as described.
2. A brush for cleaning boots and shoes consisting of a head having its upper
surface formed with a cavity or depression, a series of bristles secured in a portion
of the cavity and projecting upwardly therefrom, a clip secured in the remaining
portion of the cavity and rising vertically from the head, and a flexible rubber
scraper secured to the upper end of the clip and capable of vertical adjustment.
between the parts thereof, the upper end of the scraper being commensurate with
the height of the bristles, substantially as described."
3. An improved brush for cleaning boots and shoes consisting of a base having a
recess in its upper surface, a brush having flat steel bristles, the back of the brush
being of substantially the same height and width as the recess of the base, but of
less length than the said recess and secured therein, a clip comprising two spaced
plates and clamping screws or bolts, the lower ends of the plates being secured in
that portion of the recess of the base not filled by the brush back and spaced from
the bristles of the brush, and a rubber scraper adjustably secured between the
upper ends of the clip plates with its upper edge projecting above the same and.
flush with the tops of the bristles of the brush, substantially as herein shown and.
described.
Dated this 13th day of August 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents..