AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE EXTERIOR OF HOUSES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OBJECTS OF ART, ORNAMENTAL SURFACES, WALLS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OR THINGS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office of Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING
THE EXTERIOR OF HOUSES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OBJECTS OF ART, ORNAMENTAL
SURFACES, WALLS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OR THINGS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Charles Nivert and Blaise Dussap, both of
Rue St. Sebastien. Paris in the Empire of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 7th November 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEAN-
ING THE EXTERIOR OF HOUSES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OBJECTS OF ART, ORNAMENTAL
SURFACES, WALLS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF THINGS," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to clean the exteriors of public buildings,
private houses, objects of art in stone, marble, or metal, mural pictures,
carriages, waggons, or any similar things which require a thorough cleansing
by means of water.

page_text: The principle of this system rests on a novel employment of the pressure of
steam and the use of different cleansing liquids and silicates.
The apparatus generally comprises, 1st, an injector or other similar
apparatus; 2nd, a steam pipe connected with a moveable generator.
The injector is used to force the cleansing liquids to the top of the highest
buildings at a temperature and a pressure proportionate to the pressure of the
steam in the generator. In order to do this a tube is attached by one of its
extremities to a Giffard's injector or other similar apparatus, and having at
its other extremity à variable nozzle. and cock, so as to distribute the liquid
or liquids employed to clean the parts of the building which is being operated
upon. The steam pipe should be of an equal length with the tube of the
injector, and is used to force the steam on the parts already saturated with
the cleansing fluid, and to force off the scoria which is loosened by the action
of the injector, and would leave the parts acted upon clean and restored to
their primitive colour.
In order to arrive at the above-mentioned result there are evidently
numberless ways according to the size and importance of the building, and
the object which is to be cleaned. But in order to fully illustrate the principle
I will proceed to explain the following method:-
I construct a scaffolding of a pyramidal form in sections in such a way that
it may be carried up to any required height; this scaffolding is mounted on a
base or platform provided with wheels which run on a moveable tramway.
On the above-mentioned base or platform is placed the generator, the injector,
and the reservoir for containing the cleansing fluid. To the injector is con-
nected a pipe or hose, either of metal or india-rubber, which can be lengthened
or shortened at will; this pipe or hose is carried up to the required height,
when it is terminated bya moveable nozzle and cock for directing the cleansing
fluid, which is forced up by the injector to the parts which require cleansing.
The steam pipe should be attached to the generator in such a way that the
steam should be as humid as possible, it should therefore be placed as near
the water line as is convenient. It is evident that this steam pipe should be
capable of being lengthened or shortened the same as the before mentioned
one. Instead of the scaffolding just described for houses of an ordinary size
other and less expensive apparatus may be employed; a simple ladder or a
hanging cradle, such as those used by workmen to point or paint the front of
a house may be used. In this last-mentioned plan the generator, injector,
and reservoir should still be moveable, so that it can be transported from
place to place according to the position of the work. The steam pipe and
injector tube could be attached to a scaffold pole, or any other similar means

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said. William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, "WILLIAMI
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 "IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE EXTERIOR
OF HOUSES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OBJECTS OF ART, ORNAMENTAL SURFACES, WALLS,
CARRIAGES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OR THINGS," being a communication to me
from abroad by Charles Nivert and Blaise Dussap, both of Rue St. Sebas-
tien, Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
--
This Invention relates to an improved mode of and apparatus for cleaning
the walls of public buildings or private bouses, objects of art in stone,marble,

page_text: or metal, walls, pictures, carriages, waggons, and all objects generally that
require a complete cleaning, and consists in the application of steam pressure
and the employment of different liquids suitable for cleansing, or for coating
or washing with a solution for silicating the surface when desired.
The
apparatus employed for this purpose consists of an injector or suitable
apparatus for raising and delivering the cleaning liquids, and also a steam
pipe connected with a moveable generator.
The injector is used to force the cleaning liquids to the tops of the highest
buildings, and at a temperature and pressure proportionate to the pressure of
the steam. For this purpose a tube is attached at one of its extremities to a
Giffard's injector or other similar apparatus, and having at its other extremity
a variable nozzle and cock for distributing the liquid or liquids employed over
all parts of the building which is being operated upon. The steam pipe,
which should be of an equal length with the injector pipe,is used to force the
stcam on the parts already saturated with the cleansing fluid, and to force off
by pressure the scoria which has been previously loosened, and the matters in
solution, and thus completely clean the parts acted upon and restore them to
their primitive color.
The above-mentioned result may be obtained by means of various arrange-
ments of apparatus according to the size and importance of the building or
object to be cleaned; but in order that the nature and object of the present
Invention may be clearly understood, I have represented in the accompanying
Drawing an apparatus which may be used for the cleaning of very large
buildings, but which admits of being much reduced in height for buildings of
less altitude.
Fig. 1 represents an apparatus placed in front of a building to be cleaned,
and Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.
It consists of a scaffold or frame A, which runs upon wheels on a moveable
railway R, and can thus be easily transported to any part of the building.
At the lower part of the apparatus is the steam generator G, the reservoir A¹
which contains the cleansing liquid, and an injector B which exhausts the
liquid through the pipe g and forces it up through the pipe g', which is
terminated in a nozzle of any suitable construction. The pipe g¹ may be made
either of metal or india-rubber,and is capable of being lengthened or shortened
as required. The steam pipe v should be so adapted that the steam employed
should be damp and not dry, it should, therefore, be placed as low and as near
the water line as possible. It is evident that this pipe v and also the other
pipe should be capable of being shortened or lengthened according to the
altitudes at which the man charged with the cleaning might successively place

page_text: himself. Instead of the scaffolding above described any similar or convenient
apparatus may be employed from a simple ladder to the scaffolding of masons
or plasterers, or the apparatus usually employed by painters or others in
painting or pointing a wall, and represented in Fig. 3, and which consists of a
simple stand h, which is raised and lowered as required by means of cords and
pulleys or blocks m, as shown. In these different arrangements the steam
generator is always moveable in order that it may be removed from one place
to another like a simple carriage. The steam pipe and liquid pipe may be
attached to a long vertical pole n; and then bent horizontally at the height
and in the direction required. By this arrangement the special scaffolding
would be unnecessary, and the general apparatus is always moveable.
The advantages of the system just described are, first, rapidity of execution;
second, being able to work in all seasons; thirdly, facility of cleaning
ornaments of architecture, objects of art, and others in their smallest details,
and whatever their carving, their form, or their projections without damaging
them in the least, and preserving to the ornamentation its style and character;
fourthly, dispensing with the system of scraping, the execution of which is
very costly, and generally disfigures the forms and beauties of any antique
work
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent as aforesaid, and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the mode of & apparatus herein set forth for
cleaning the exterior of houses, public buildings, objects of art, ornamental
surfaces, walls, carriages, and other articles or things.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of May, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.s.)