Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Sept., 1888
I GEORGE TIDCOMBE of Aldenham Road Watford in the County of Herts, Consulting
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
These improvements relate to improvements in the construction of the class of
scrapers for boots and shoes on the feet of the wearer, often known as scraper-mats,
and generally placed at the entrances to buildings and so as to be stepped upon by the
user, in his course without necessary deviation and with a minimum of exertion, and
a further object is to enable more convenient and more ornamental forms to be given
to the articles.
The scraping surface of the "scraper-mat" I form of a series of intersecting ribs or
blades sharper at their upper edges which come in contact with the under surfaces
of the boot and of the character of those described in the specification of Letters
Patent granted to me bearing date the twenty fourth day of August 1868 No. 2625,
but I now form the webs of the intersecting laths or ribs of metal as light, tough
and strong as possible the ribs being kept as thin or light as is consistent with
sufficient strength and for this purpose I employ what is known as toughened
metal.
Also I form the improved metal scraper or scraper mat with an ornamental border
or surrounding flush frame or more or less extended surface which may be more or less
ornamented on its margin or face, to taste, and within this frame I apply a scraper
of the ordinary upright or knife edge kind, supplemented by side brushes in special
cases. The scraper mat or flat scraper portion, onto which the pedestrian steps is,
when desired to be placed on pavements or hard floors, hinged or socketted to the
enclosing frame in a manner adapted to admit of it being turned up or otherwise
removed for access to the underside to remove accumulations of abraded matters.
The form of the under frame may be varied to suit circumstances of situation or
destined use such as a circular scraper mat with an extension of semi-circular, square

page_text: or other form to support the knife edge side scraper, or side scraper and brushes, if
added.
Or the scraper-mat and its under frame may be a combination of part circles, or
curves, and rectangular lines with side supports for the side scrapers or scrapers and
brushes.
In the form of scraper mat as shewn in the aforementioned Specification and in
scraper mats according thereto as generally male up to this present time the forms
or configurations of the flat metal scrapers or mats and their under frames at their
margins or borders approximated to rectangles, the margins or borders-sides and
ends-being at right angles to each other producing short angles or corners which
were not only awkward or hurtful to strike against but inelegant, but these short
corners gave very limited scraping and resting base to the foot, in a given width,
besides which the articles are not so convenient to handle as when shaped
according to my invention with wider enlarged corners and marginal frames by the
curving thereof as set forth, without diminishing the area of scraping surface of any
given size, rather increasing it whilst affording better appearance, foot hold and
facilities of handling and cleansing.

page_text: I GEORGE TIDCOMBE of Aldenham Road, Watford, in the County of Herts, Consulting
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
These improvements relate to improvements in the construction of the class of
scrapers for boots and shoes on the feet of the wearer, often known as scraper-inats,
and generally placed at the entrances to buildings and so as to be stepped upon by the
user, in his course without necessary deviation and with a minimum of exertion, and
a further object is to enable more convenient and more ornamental forms to be given
to the articles.
The scraping surface of the "scraper-mat" I form of a series of intersecting ribs
or blades sharper at their upper edges which come in contact with the under surfaces
of the boot and of the character of those described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to me bearing date the 24th day of August 1868 No. 2625, but I now
form the webs of the intersecting laths or ribs of metal as light, tough and strong as
possible the ribs being kept as thin or light as is consistent with sufficient strength
and for this purpose I employ what is known as toughened metal.
Also I form the improved metal scraper or scraper-mat with an ornamental border
or surrounding flush frame or more or less extended surface which may be more or
less ornamented on its margin or face, to taste, and within this frame I apply a scraper
of the ordinary upright or knife edge kind, supplemented by side brushes in special
cases. The scraper-mat or flat scraper portion, on to which the pedestrian steps is
when desired to be placed on pavements or hard floors hinged or socketted to the
enclosing frame in a manner adapted to admit of it being turned up or otherwise
removed for access to the underside to remove accumulations of abraded matters.
The form of the under frame may be varied to suit circumstances of situation or
destined use such as a circular scraper-mat with an extension of semi-circular, square
or other form to support the knife edge side scraper, or side scraper and brushes, if
added. But the, scraper-mat and its under frame should be a combination of part
circles, or curves and rectangular lines with side supports for the side scrapers or
scrapers and brushes.
The general shapes or outlines of the "Scraper-Mats" heretofore made have had
their strengthening edges and corners too acute for handling, objectionable to domestic
servants and those who have to raise and cleanse them. I remedy such defects by
making a half-round strengthening bead, or nearly half-round, on the edge of the
under side.
In the form of scraper-mat as shown in the aforementioned specification and in
scraper-mats according thereto as generally made up to this present time the forms or
configurations of the flat metal scrapers or mats and their under frames, at their

page_text: were not only awkward or hurtful to strike against but inelegant, but these short
corners gave very limited scraping and resting base to the foot, in a given width,
besides which the articles are not so convenient to handle as when shaped according
to my invention with wider enlarged corners and marginal frames by the curving
thereof as set forth, without diminishing the area of scraping surface of any given
size, rather increasing it whilst affording better appearance, foot hold and facilities of
handling and cleansing.
These corners being too acute and liable to be kicked against with injury to the
foot as well as liability of catching ladies' clothing. I remedy these defects by giving
a bold curve to all the corners with parallel continuity of margin, so that in whatever
direction the scraper-mat be laid its general outline cannot present an abrupt angle
or corner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of substantially oblong scraper-mat according to my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof and
Fig. 3 is another longitudinal section taken through the frame a of the mat but
shewing the mat b itself in side elevation.
Fig. 4 is a plan of a modified form of Scraper-mat of substantially circular form
combined with a T shaped knife scraper c and apertures for removed matter dd.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same and
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the mat Fig. 4 but with the frame a in section.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 respectively are a plan view, a sectional elevation and a side view
partly in section of another modification of a scraper-mat of circular form throughout,
the shaped scraper of the previous arrangement Fig. 4 being substituted by an
annular knife scraper e located centrally of the scraper mat b and having affixed
around the circumference of the annulus, so far as it projects above the line of the
scraping edges of the mat, a surface of brush character f.
Fig. 10 is a detail view showing form of diamond scraper surface.
Fig. 11 shews to a larger scale the form of the scraper mat frame a, mat b, beading b²,
and supporting pins bl.
Fig. 12 shews the like but with a flat bar a' instead of an angle frame a shewn in
the previous figure.
Fig. 13 shews in side elevation a scraper mat, on a plane surface such as a garden
path without special support plate or frame a.
The arrangement or modification of scraper mat shewn in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is
designed particularly for and is intended to be placed at the sides of entrances. It is
a combination of scraper-mat and heel-scraper. The heel-scraper is in the centre, is
circular and has a circular brush thereon which can be removed or attached as desired.
It may also in some cases have attached an upright handle or other support for the
user whilst one foot is exercising the scraper-mat.
A brush or brushes may be fixed around the margin of the scraper mat itself b
instead of on the central portion, or both methods may be employed.
Scraper-mats according to this invention preferably rest upon short pins or legs 6¹
so as to be self-adjusting upon irregular surfaces.
The lattice or trellis-work lines or bars in the inner scraping portion b are struck
from corner to corner or thereabout by preference, because I find this gives the most
useful and agreeable lines of intersection and contact, and the long angles of their
diamond shapes are slightly curved to prevent the lodgment of dirt therein see detail
view Fig. 10.
When the surface of the scraper-mat is required to be flush with the surface of the
ground or pavement I apply a metal frame a Fig. 11 into and upon which the scraper-
mat is fitted for structural convenience of architects and builders and when more

page_text: economical means are desired I use a plain bar in a recess a¹ Fig. 12. A chain may
be used for security and as a hinge attachment to the frame or ground long enough to
allow for raising the scraper-mat during the clearing away of dirt accumulations.
Hinges as at a Fig. 1 may be applied to attach parts a and b by preference of brass
or made non-corrosive.
For Church interiors and special purposes I prefer these scraper-mats to be of
tough bronze, and for ordinary purposes of tough or toughened iron which may be
tinned, galvanized, electro-plated, enamelled or covered with any suitable material to
facilitate cleanliness and secure durability. These illustrations are types of modified
forms and will enable persons to vary the forms of outline of my improved scraper
mats to the requirements of locality or design.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The herein described scraper-mats formed with bold curves with continuity of
parallel margin securing elegance in design without abrupt corners to the scraper-
mats or their frames, for the purposes stated all substantially as set forth.
2. Circular scraper-mats as either in combination with or without the heel scraper,
or brushes as set forth.
3. The arrangement or combination of parts of scrapers for use in removing dirt
from boots or shoes as set forth.