IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PAINTING VENETIAN BLINDS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Miller Bryden, of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and
Perth, North Britain, Window Blind Maker, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PAINTING VENETIAN BLINDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Miller Bryden
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th December 1863.
I, JOHN MILLER BRYDEN, of. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, North
Britain, Window Blind Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said:
Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PAINTING VENETIAN BLINDS," to be
as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for painting venetian blinds
in a superior and more expeditious inanner than as hitherto effected.
The apparatus is constructed with a revolving first-motion shaft to be
driven by hand or otherwise, and from this shaft motion is communicated by
cords or toothed wheels to a pair of feeding rollers arranged to nip each lathe "
or slat (of which the venetian blind is composed) and pass it through the
apparatus by preference in a vertical position or on edge. On leaving the feed
rollers the lathe first crosses over a box or trough containing the paint, and
the paint is applied to it by two brushes, one on each side, these brushes being
made to reciprocate or vibrate by cranks or eccentrics, so as to dip into the
paint and pass over the surfaces of the lathe alternately.
The lathe passes-
onwards between a pair of stationary brushes made adjustable, so as to bear

page_text: on it with a suitable inclination and pressure to smooth or lay down the
paint, and a similar pair of brushes are arranged to act on the top and bottom
edges. A second pair of stationary brushes are provided to act on the sides
for the finishing operation, or even a third or fourth pair may be introduced if
found necessary. The same apparatus may be used for cleaning or smoothing
the lathes preparatory to painting them, brushes of wire or other suitable
appliance for that purpose being substituted for the brushes herein-before
described as for applying the paint. The trough or box from which the
paint is taken up by the reciprocating brushes may be supplied from a reser-
voir above by a pipe and stop-cock whereby the rate of supply may be properly
regulated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Miller Bryden, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MILLER BRYDEN, of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, North Britain, Window
Blind Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Miller Bryden, Her special licence that I, the said
John Miller Bryden, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Miller Bryden, 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 APPARATUS FOR PAINTING VENETIAN BLINDS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Miller. Bryden, 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 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 John Miller Bryden, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is:
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the:
following statement in writing, reference being had to the. accompanying >
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to improved apparatus for painting venetian
blinds in a superior and more expeditious manner than as hitherto effected.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the:
same may be properly understood I have hereunto appended a Sheet of:
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing a con-
venient modification of my improved apparatus.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a plan, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal
vertical section; whilst Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of a detail.
The framing 1 of the machine is represented as of cast iron, but it may be :
of wood if preferred. It is formed with bearings for a shaft 2, fitted with fast.
and loose pulleys 3, to be driven by a belt from any convenient shaft; or the
machine may be driven by hand, in which case as the speed desirable for the
shaft 2, namely, about ninety turns per minute, is inconveniently great for direct
hand driving, this shaft should be suitably geared with a more slowly moving
shaft to be turned by hand. On the shaft 2 there is a worm 4 which gears
with and actuates a worm wheel 5 on a vertical spindle 6, on the upper end
of which is a feeding roller 7. A second feeding roller 8 is placed opposite to
the driven one 7, and the lathe 9 to be painted passes between them, the
second feed roller 8 being adjustable to suit different thicknesses of lathe.
Immediately over the shaft 2 there is a box or trough 10 to contain the paint,
and the lathe 9 passes through slits in the sides across this trough in a vertical
position or on edge; and the paint is supplied to it by two brushes 11, one on
each side, which are made to reciprocate or vibrate, so as to dip into the paint
and to pass over the surfaces of the lathe alternately. Each brush 11 is fixed
in a holder 12, which is centred on a spindle, as best seen in Figure 3, and
which is jointed at its back end to the rod 13 of an eccentric 14 on the shaft 2
below. The two eccentrics are placed in opposite positions to make their
respective brushes move in opposite directions. The lathe 9, after leaving the
trough 10, passes onwards between three pairs of stationary brushes 15 which
are fitted in holders 16 jointed to frame bars 17, so as to be adjustable, and so
that the brushes can be made to bear with more or less pressure on the lathe
passing between them. These brushes 15 smooth and lay down the paint and
give it a finished surface. A pair of stationary brushes for acting on the top
and bottom edges may be added, but are not much required if the side

page_text: brushes 15 are made broad enough. Astrough 18 is fitted under the three
pairs of brushes 15 to catch the surplus paint which is removed by them from,
the lathe. The number and thickness, of the brushes may obviously be varied;
to suit different kinds of paint. The same apparatus may be used for cleaning:
or smoothing the lathes preparatory to painting them, brushes, of wire or other
suitable appliance for that purpose being substituted for the brushes herein-
before described, as for applying the paint. The trough or box 10 from which,
the paint is taken up by the reciprocating brushes 11 may be supplied from a
reservoir above by a pipe and stop-cock whereby the rate of supply may be
properly regulated; or the reservoir may be arranged as in a bird fountain
or fountain lamp, so as to maintain the level of the paint in the trough -10.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein-described or delineated, but that what I
believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me,
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the arranging or.
combining together of the parts of apparatus for painting venetian blinds,.
substantially in the improved manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Miller Bryden, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this
"
day, of June, in the
,
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.