A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PAINTING HOUSES, FUR- NITURE, CHINA, MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harriet Sarah Paget, of Potters Bar, for the
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PAINTING HOUSES, FUR-
NITURE, CHINA, MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 19th April 1876, and dated the 21st October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harriet Sarah Paget
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition,
on the 21st October 1875.
I, HARRIET SARAH PAGET, of Potters Bar, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
PAINTING HOUSES, FURNITURE, CHINA, MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object a new or improved machine for
painting houses, furniture, china, maps, and other articles. For this
purpose I construct a mechanical action similar to that of any ordinary
sewing machine, and in the rear just above the handle of the machine,
I attach a can fixed on a suitable stand and filled with paint of any

page_text: desired color. To one side of such can I attach a hollow tube for the
purpose of conveying the paint to a brush which is affixed to one end
thereof, the other end of such tube having a small opening or slot for
the purpose of allowing it to be fed with the paint from a tap which is
placed in the side of the can just above such slot or opening, and by
means of which tap the supply of paint is regulated. Such hollow tube
is made of any suitable length, and is secured about its centre to what
in a sewing machine is termed the needle bar, but which I shall here-
after call the action pin; such tube is also provided with a hinge joint
which enables the brush to be turned back, when not in use, against a
suitable rest, which is affixed to the machine just above the action pin.
By this means the operator is able to stop painting at pleasure, and
move the machine to any desired position.
When the machine is to be used for painting objects situate at a
lower level than the machine itself, instead of making the hollow tube
in a straight form I make it to any suitable curve or angle, and if
requisite provide it with any suitable number of joints and hinges to
enable it to be lengthened or shortened as may be necessary.
The paint brush is made in a different method to the ordinary brushes,
the hair of the brush being so arranged round a vulcanite wire or other
suitable framework as to preserve a hollow space at the back of the
brush, in order to allow of the introduction of the hollow tube before
mentioned to supply the brush with paint.
To enable the operator to work more readily, the machine may be
placed on a suitable stand similar to that used for a sewing machine,
and worked by an ordinary treadle, thus leaving the hands of the mani-
pulator perfectly free to regulate its operations.
When it is desired to use the machine it is only necessary to work it
by means of the handle or treadle in the ordinary manner as a sewing
machine is worked, when a vertical motion is imparted to the brush,
and the paint is evenly and expeditiously distributed over the surface
of the object required to be painted, thus effecting a great economy in
time and labour.
The accompanying Drawing more particularly illustrates the nature
of my Invention.
a is the action pin; b, the case wherein it works; c, the paint pot;
d, the tap thereto; e, the hollow brush tube; f, the slot therein to

page_text: allow of the paint flowing into it from the tap; g, the handle which turns
the spindle h, which moves the action pin a; i, the brush; k, a hinge to
allow of the brush being turned back on to the rest ; the dotted lines
m, m, show how the hollow brush tube may be lengthened when it
is desired to paint objects situate at a lower level than the machine.
When I desire to paint a map or any other similar object I suspend
it in a suitable position against a wall or other such like surface,
and bring the paint brush to bear upon the parts desired to be colored.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Harriet Sarah Paget in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HARRIET
SARAH PAGET, of Potters Bar, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Harriet Sarah
Paget, Her special license that I, the said Harriet Sarah Paget, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Harriet Sarah Paget, 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PAINTING HOUSES, FURNI-
TURE, CHINA, MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Harriet Sarah Paget, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Harriet Sarah Paget, 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 has for its object a new or improved machine for
painting houses, furniture, china, maps, and other articles.
Hitherto great labour and considerable time and expense have been
necessary to accomplish the process of painting, frequently accom-
panied with considerable injury to the health of the operator.
Now I propose to obviate these various disadvantages by the employ-
ment of a machine which I have invented, by the use of which a house
or any other object may be as easily and expeditiously painted as sewing
is performed by a sewing machine, and whereby not only ordinary
painting may be done but elaborate designs and patterns may also be
painted.
I so construct this machine that when necessary it may be worked by
means of a treadle, and may be lowered or raised to any height or
position that may be desired.
The brush is ingeniously constructed so as to allow of the oil color
or other material contained therein, flowing out therefrom on the
slightest pressure, at the same time that it is thoroughly under control.
Having alluded to some of the chief advantages of my improved
machine, I will now, with the aid of the accompanying Drawings,
proceed to describe more in detail the construction, management, and
application thereof to the purposes herein-before mentioned; first
observing that I do not confine myself to the exact details of construc-
tion hereafter described, as the same may be modified in various ways
without departing from the principle of my Invention.
The machine is constructed of one or more eccentrics, on to the
hooks, rings, or outer casing of which the arm carrying the brush is fixed
for certain work. A portion of the brush arm may be made of vulcanised
or other india-rubber, or springs may be used to give flexibility to the
arm, and when a firm and steady stroke is required a slotted band of
wood, metal, or other suitable material may be used to fasten from the
body of the machine with a spring, or from the hoop of the eccentric to
the brush arm to give it additional support.

page_text: The throw of the eccentric may be altered by any of the methods well
known to machinists.
The eccentric (in any case where I mention one eccentric, I would
add that the machine may be fitted for different kinds of work by being
made with single eccentric or with many, but for the ordinary painting
one or two will be found amply sufficient, cach driven by a wheel on the
shaft, and a band arranged to reverse the action, so that when two
eccentrics are in use one eccentric carries the brush arm for the down-
ward stroke, and one for the upward stroke of the brush, where it is
desirable to apply the paint in this manner, the brushes being usually
fastened to arms on the same side of eccentric. The eccentric com-
municates motion to a lever, to which it is attached by a ball-and-socket
or other suitable joint. The lever is slotted in the centre, and fastened
to the upright standard or bracket of the machine, where a thumbscrew
or other pin fastens the lever as fulcrum, altering the fulcrum when
it is required to alter the length of stoke of the end of the lever
furthest from the eccentric. The thumbscrew or other fastening being
loosened the lever passes by means of the slot freely when it is required
to make the machine pass to the right and left by means of a screw in
the bed of the table when the bed of the machine is fastened on wheels
working in grooves or not. This slot is useful to alter the stroke of the
lever arm, but it is not requisite to pass the machine backwards and
forwards.
The paint brush is made in a different method to the ordinary brushes,
the hair of the brush being so arranged round a vulcanite wire metal
or other suitable framework so as to preserve a hollow space at the back
of the brush in order to allow of the paint flowing into the same.
To enable the operator to work more readily the machine may be
placed on a suitable stand similar to that used for a sewing machine,
and worked by an ordinary treadle, thus leaving the hands of the
manipulator perfectly free to regulate its operations.
When it is desired to use the machine it is only necessary to work it
by means of the handle or treadle in the ordinary manner as a sewing
machine is worked, when motion is imparted to the brush, and the paint
is evenly and expeditiously distributed over the surface of the object
required to be painted, thus effecting a great economy in time and
labour.

page_text: The brushes or painting tools fastened on to the machine, and
worked by the machine, will naturally do the work and apply the
same substances as brushes worked by hand, as oil paints, varnish, dis-
temper, japan, lacquer, oil paint, water color, whitewash, tar, or other
similar painting medium.
At the end of the lever furthest from the eccentrics brushes may be
fastened, fixed in brush holders to be hereafter described, or pads may
be attached covered with emery cloth or paper, or glass paper, or
scouring paper, or other suitable substance to prepare the surface to be
painted on, and rub down the coats of paint when dry. If the class of
painting or varnishing requires that the layers or coats of paint when
dry should be smoothed down with suitable surfaces or substances these
pads I construct in various ways to suit different kinds of work, some-
times with several layers of cork or india-rubber beneath, with or without
small spiral springs between the layers to allow for the curve made by
the stroke of the lever in rubbing a flat surface.
To the end of the lever a rod can be fastened at right angles down-
wards by a ball-and-socket or other suitable joint. This rod is to carry
a die, block, brush, or other painting surface, and is more especially
useful in china painting or any other art work or decorative painting,
where the pattern is formed by the constant repetition of one small or
other design. The rod passes in guides fastened to the upright or
standard of the machine or from the bed of the machine.
Holders for holding ordinary brushes made of a metal clasp or clasps,
or openings in a disc or other shapes, pieces of metal or wood, &c., or
piece of wood or metal; these clasps being fixed on springs surrounded
by india-rubber tubing or other substance can be fixed on any of the
arms of the machine or on any part of the machine where the motion
imparted suits the work to be done. These holders will hold ordinary
brushes or graining tools. These holders may be used as well as the
special brush arms and self-filling brush holders hereafter to be
described.
The shaft to which the eccentric is fastened or attached is constructed
to carry cams of various sorts to suit various kinds of painting, the
travellers or levers working on the cams to carry brushes for delicate
work working in guides to suit various requirements of painting or
decorating. The shaft also carries cylinders covered with suitable

page_text: painting surface, india-rubber, brush, &c.; the surface, as in paper
painting, can be passed under the roller. Where specially required a
feed bar like the feed teeth of a sewing machine could be placed in the
bed of the machine, and worked by an eccentric or other usual means.
As this would only be required for any special work, it might be an
extra to the machine, like the adjustments and extra, which are fitted
for special work to a sewing machine.
A block of wood or metal like a cylinder is fastened also for special
work at the end of the shaft furthest from the eccentric, this cylinder to
have one or more arms carrying brushes for painting in a circular
manner, and painting a line or band of color on a circular object like a
plate, &c.
As the brushes and paint reservoir form a special feature of the
machine I will now more particularly describe them. The special
brushes are constructed by placing the hairs, or bristles, or other sub-
stance used in the construction round a metal, or vulcanised, or other
suitable foundation, made hollow, so that the brush is supplied with
paint through the opening at the back. The brush, made with ferrule
in shape of oval, or round, or elliptical tube, is now placed in the opening
of the paint reservoir, which slips on to the paint arm, to which it is
fastened by a screw or other method. The paint reservoir has a tunnel-
shaped or other opening through which the paint is poured to supply the
brush; a suitable cover is placed over this opening when the machine is
at work; a slip of metal is made to pass under the opening to cut off the
supply of the paint to the brush when it is requisite to do so.
Sometimes the brush screws into the paint reservoir, or is fastened
by a rim of metal put on and screwed or otherwise fastened on to keep
the brush firm.
When a large and continuous supply of paint is requisite it may be
necessary to fix a flexible or other tube to the funnel-shaped or other
opening to supply the reservoir from a larger can or reservoir placed on
any convenient stand not necessarily on the machine.
Where very thick paint is required by the work to be done it may be
necessary to fix in the paint reservoir or brush arm for very heavy work
a screw with blades somewhat similar to the principle of an ordinary
screw propeller on a ship, only in miniature, or other suitable screw, to
force the paint forwards, this screw to be turned by a crank or a small

page_text: wheel, or the crank to be turned by lever or band, movement to which is
imparted by the wheel on the eccentric.
The paint reservoir is made to take into pieces, or a hinge allows it to
open to be properly cleaned.
The reservoir can be made of metal, vulcanised india-rubber, china,
glass, or other suitable material.
The machine can be worked by hand or treadle, and can be moved to
the right and left either by a screw in the bed of the machine moved by
a crank turned by hand, or by a wheel to which motion is imparted by
a band passing from one of the wheels used to turn the eccentrics, or
from a wheel connected with the treadle; or in hand work it may be
arranged by having wheels on the machine which run in grooves on the
stand, or without grooves on any ordinary table or stand, or it may be
moved by rack and pinion or any forms of teethed wheels, or in any of
the methods well known and in use among machinists for this purpose.
Where wheels moved by bands are used, I may also use teethed wheels,
or wheels with teeth working in cogs, or each or all combined, or either
separately.
When it is required to raise or lower the machine it can be placed on
a lower or higher stand, or the stand can be raised or lowered like a
camera stand by means of screws, rack and pinion, or other arrange-
ment; or the treadle bar, or rod and standard, or upright of treadle table
lowered or raised by means of screw or rack and pinion.
In some kinds of work, especially in painting some kinds of furniture,
tinware, &c., the machine may be stationary, and firmly clasped,
clamped, or otherwise fastened, and worked by treadle or hand; and the
object or surface to be painted, rubbed, or covered with paint, lacquer,
japan, varnish, or other similar material may be held, or fixed, or placed
in front of the brush or rubbing surface; or the object or surface to be
painted, or rubbed, or covered by means of the brush or brushes may be
made to pass backwards and forwards or revolve at suitable speed, slow
or fast, by means of wheel, rack and pinion, screw, or other methods.
The machine may be driven by steam when required for paintingin
manufactories where large quantities of articles are required to be
painted, or in dockyards, or ship-building yards.

page_text: The machine will effect a great economy of time in painting carriages,
houses, furniture, tinware, ships; and a special advantage in its use is
that the operator, not having to hold the paint brush constantly in the
hand, will avoid some of the injurious effects of certain paints, the con-
stant handling of which affects the health of the operator or painter.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shews a side elevation of the
machine, and Figure 2 is an independent view of the adjustable painting
arm with the paint reservoir and brush attached thereto. This adjustable
painting arm may be adjusted in any different position on the machine
as occasion may require.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner of performing the same, I would have it
understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction, use, and application
of a new or improved painting machine suitable for painting houses,
furniture, china, maps, and other articles, substantially as herein-before
set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harriet Sarah Paget, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
DOTTA
TT
ובד-מ
HARRIET SARAH PAGET. (L.S.)