Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1888
I, ROBERT BROWN HAWKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martindale,
Caldwell County, Texas, U.S.A., Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention is especially designed for scrubbing or scouring. It consists in
certain improvements on that class of brushing machines in which a circular brush is
rotated horizontally by gearing from the carrying wheels. My object is to simplify
the construction of this class of machines and make them more compact, strong and
durable, more efficient, and less expensive.
In the accompanying drawings-
Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved machine, and
Fig. 2 a side view, partly in section.
The brush A is formed of a stout circular block a and stiff tough bristles a', suitable
for scouring. A stud axle or pivot B projects upward centrally from the brush block,
and has its bearing in a casting C which also forms the bearing of the axle D of the
carrying wheels E. The wheels are preferably of metal with rubber tires, as this
construction enables the wheels to take a firm hold without danger of slipping and
lessens materially the noise usually caused by rolling the machine along a floor.
The journal boxes, c c', of the casting C are arranged at right-angles to each other,
the main axle D extending horizontally through the box c, and the stud axle B
extending vertically through the box c. A gear-wheel F is rigidly secured to the
axle just above the box c and gears with a cog G rigidly secured to the main axle D.
The axle D is prevented from moving horizontally relatively to the casting by a pin d
or other suitable device. The tongue or handle H is secured to the casting at h below
the carrying axle and the hounds I are secured to the tongue at and are connected
with the axle D by means of straps i which permit the axle to revolve freely.
When the machine is moved either backward or forward a rotary motion is imparted
to the brush A from the carrying wheels by means of the axle D, cogs G and F, and
stud axle B.
The result is that the dust or dirt is stirred up and separated from the object being
cleaned, and at the same time is carried away in advance of the machine.

page_text: While the machine is especially designed for scouring or scrubbing, it may be used
simply as a brushing or sweeping machine, and work very effectively.
I am aware that horizontally-rotating brushes driven by gearing from carrying
wheels are not broadly new, but―
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the horizontally-rotating brush,
the carrying wheels, their axle, the vertical pivot of the brush, the axle-box or casting
in which the axle and the pivot are carried, and gearing between the axle
and pivot.
2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the circular horizontally-rotating
brush, the carrying wheels having rubber tires, the casting in which the carrying axle
and the pivot of the brush are journalled, the handle or tongue rigidly connected to
the casting below the axle, and the hounds I connected with the main axle on each
side of the casting.
Dated this 13th day of December 1887