IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES AND SUBSTITUTES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Goodyear, of Avenue Road, St.
John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, for the Juvention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES AND SUBSTITUTES
Sealed the 23rd November 1853, and dated the 15th July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Goodycar
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th July 1853.
I, CHARLES GOODYEAR, of Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES AND
SUBSTITUTES FOR BRISTLES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of forming the handles and backs of brushes.
by combining india-rubber with sulphur, with or without other matters,
and subjecting the compound to heat till the same is changed into a
hard substance; and the making of substitutes for bristles consists
of forcing such compound through perforations in metal plates, so as
to obtain the same, when subjected to heat, in a state to be used
as bristles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Goodyear in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES GOODYEAR, of Avenue Road, Saint John's Wood, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Goodyear, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Goodyear, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Goodyear,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any -time agree
with, and .no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES AND SUBSTITUTES FOR
BRISTLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Goodyear, by an instrument in writing under my hand and, seal, should
particularly 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 Charles Goodyear, 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 consists of forming the handles and backs of brushes
by combining india-rubber with sulphur, with or without other matters,
and subjecting the compound to heat till the same is changed. into a
hard substance; and the making of substitutes for bristles consists of
forcing such compound through perforations in metal plates, so as to

page_text: obtain, the same, when subjected to heat, in a state to be used as
bristles..
is
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same. In order to make handles
of brushes according to my Invention I employ the hard substances
produced by combining india-rubber and sulphur, with or without other
materials, and subjecting the same to heat; for this purpose I prefer to
employ a compound of india-rubber and sulphur without other matters,
unless it be simply coloring matters, but I do not confine myself
thereto. What I believe to be the best compound for the purpose
two parts india-rubber and one part sulphur, or, in place of sulphur,
matters, containing or which will give sulphur by heat may be
employed; I prefer, however, to se sulphur. When these matters
have been well kneaded or combined together, the handles of brushes
may be made therefrom by moulding them in suitable metal or other
moulds, and the process of conversion by heat may be carried on whilst
the compound is in the moulds, or the process of heat may first be
applied when the compound has been made into suitable sheets or
forms to admit (when converted) of the handles being cut therefrom as
when making handles for brushes from ivory or bone. The stocks or
handles of tooth, clothes, and other brushes may be made in two parts
or halves; the lower half, or that which holds the bristles, is perforated
for the brush when this part of the brush handle is moulded, and this
part is then cemented to the upper half of the handle after it has been
moulded; wires, threads, or twines are placed between them length-
wise of the handle. These wires, threads, or twines being first so pre-
pared that they may be readily drawn out after the brush is finished.
This may be done with paper or a coating of liquid plaster or any other
suitable material. The process of heat may be carried on by any
convenient means. The compound is subjected, together with the
moulds, to the heat, or when in sheets the same is best kept in forin
by sheets of iron or other material such as glass which will not be
injured by heat. The temperature of the bath is to be raised gradually
to about 230° of Fahrenheit in about half an hour, at which heat it is
desirable to retain the compound for about one and a half hours, when

page_text: the heat is again to be raised gradually to 295° to 305° of Fahrenheit,
say in about four hours. The compound is to be removed from the
heat and allowed to become cold, when it is to be taken from the moulds
or from between the plates used for keeping it in form during the
process of heat. The handles for brushes are then to be completed as
when using ivory or bone, and the bristles or substitutes for bristles are
to be introduced and fixed in such handles as when making brushes
with handles of other materials.
Another part of my Invention consists of manufacturing artificial
bristles or substitutes for bristles from a compound of india-rubber and
sulphur, with or without the materials, preferring, however, to employ
the simple compound of india-rubber and sulphur, as I believe all other
matters which have heretofore in some cases been used tend to weaken
the strength and elasticity of the compound; and I believe that two
parts by weight of india-rubber and one part by weight of pure sulphur
makes the best compound. These matters having been well kneaded or
combined, I cause them to be forced through fine holes in a suitable
steel or other lie, by which fine threads will be obtained, which are
next subjected to heat as above explained, which may be conveniently
done by placing the fine threads parallel, and by covering them with
liquid pluister or imbedding them in plaister. The fibres thus made,
when cold, will be found strong, tough, and elastic, suitable to be used
as substitutes for bristles, and they are to be introduced and fixed in
proper handles when making brushes in like manner to bristles. In
some cases I can make substitutes for bristles by using a pair of dics, in
one of which are numerous small holes as close as may be together,
and of a depth equal to the length desired to be given to the bristles,
so that by pressing the plastic compound into such mould the same will
fill the numerous fine holes, and will also at the same time be attached
to any form of bed or surface of the same material according to the
form of the-dics, and in this state may the compound be vulcanized
or converted into hard material by heat applied as above explained.
Having thus described the nature of my Juvention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no
claim to the combining india-rubber and sulphur, or to the subjecting

page_text: such compounds to heat. But what I claim is, the manufacture of
handles for brushes from such compounds. And I also claim the manu-
facture of substitutes for bristles from such compounds.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Goodyear, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
CHARLES GOODYEAR. (L.S.)
Witness,
JNO. Cook,
12, Cursitor Street,
Chancery Lane.