Improvements in Apparatus for Scrubbing Floors of Rooms, Passages, and Steps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th July, 1889-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Scrubbing Floors of Rooms,
Passages, and Steps.
SAMUEL HORATIO HODGES of 2 Avenue Road Clapton, London Salvation Army
Officer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention has reference to the same subject matters as that of Patents applied
for by me the 16th February and numbered 2754, 27 Feb. and numbered 3479 also
May 7th numbered 7612, of this year.
Heretofore there has been difficulty in the way of scrubbing floors steps and
passages from the fact that no proper and ready means of applying the water necessary
for use has been found. The operator in most cases has found it necessary to kneel on
the floor and apply the water by dipping a cloth or hand scrubber into the vessel or
by pouring from the bucket or can directly to the floor in which case much more is
applied than needed and when soda and hot water is used the waste which follows is
costly as well as inconvenient. The difficulty here referred to has prevented to a very
great extent the use of scrubbing brushes with long handles for the use of the operator
while in a standing position except in cases where profuse supplies of water were
available and no damage would ensue.
My present invention is designed to meet this want. I take a large hand scrubber
and bore a hole in the top of the same in such a manner as that when the handle is
inserted it will be at the proper angle for use when the operator is standing. I then
attatch to the lower part of the handle a vessel made of Tin Zinc or other suitable
material. I do not confine myself to any particular shapo. I have found it convenient
to have a vessel resting its lower end on the brush and extending upwards on the
handle some fifteen inches with a width of four and depth of three inches. In the top
of this vessel I insert a neck piece at right angles or thereabouts to the brush handle
and extending upwards-In the lower end of the vessel I insert a small tap or cock
from which water can flow directly to the floor or if preferred on to the brush itself.
It will be found that a comparatively small quantity of water is necessary to
cleanse a floor when the same is applied only as required and in the manner as
described.
The vessel attatched to the brush as herein described being filled with water can be
easily carried to any room requiring cleansing a small stream of water is allowed to
flow out of the tap and with the brush resting on the floor the whole apparatus is
moved to and fro to effect the cleansing operation. The neck of the vessel may be
allowed to remain open to allow atmospheric pressure on the water thereby ensuring
an even flow at the cock or tap. In the event of a necessity arising for the apparatus
to rest on the floor while not in use this neck being open upwards and at right angles
to the brush'handle no water will flow out of it.
The weight of the vessel when filled with water will be found helpful in the
operation rendering it unnecessary for the operator to bear so heavily on the brush
handle.

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Apparatus for Scrubbing the Floors of Rooms,
Passages, and Steps.
SAML. HORATIO HODGES of 2 Avenue Road Clapton London Salvation Army
Officer, 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:-
Heretofore there has been difficulty in. the way of scrubbing floors steps and
passages arising from the fact that no proper and ready means have been found for
applying the water necessary to be used in the operation. The operator in most cases
has found it necessary to kneel on the floor,and apply the water by dipping a cloth or
hand scrubber into the vessel or by pouring from the bucket or can directly to the
floor in which case much more is applied than needed and when soda and hot water is
used the waste which follows is costly as well as inconvenient.
The difficulty here referred to has prevented to a very great extent the use of
Scrubbing Brushes with long handles for operators while in a standing position
except in cases where profuse supplies of water were available and damage would not
⚫ ensue.
My present Invention is designed to meet this want and in order that it may be
understood I now proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings thereof.
Figure 1. represents the side view of the brush and apparatus complete.
Figure 2. is a front view of the same.
Figure 3. is the back view of the vessel or reservoir with ears D and D1 attatched.
Figure 4. is a top view of the vessel or Reservoir C and the angular Feed
Pipe B.
I make a brush of convenient size and suitable material with a "wing" at each end
as G. G. in Fig. 2. These "wings" will act in two beneficial ways. First they will
protect the skirting and paint by preventing the wood of the brush from rubbing and
scratching it in its motion over the floor near the walls and second they will cleanse
the angle formed by the floor and the skirting. I place at each end of the brush one of
these "wings" in order that the operator can readily cleanse an angle either on his
right hand or on his left without being under any necessity of turning round.
I bore a hole in the top of this brush and insert the handle A in such a manner as
that it will be at a proper angle for use of an operator while standing.
I make the vessel or reservoir C of Tin Zinc or other suitable material and shape
inserting in its lower end piece a small tap or cock E and in the top of this vessel I
place an angular or if preferred a curved Feeding Pipe B. Upon this vessel I fix two
ear pieces D D¹.
The vessel thus described I place on the handle A just above the brush F and firmly
screw it in its place through the ear pieces D D' and in such a position as the water
running out of the cock E shall fall upon the brush thereby keeping it in proper con-
dition of moisture for the required work.
It will be found that a comparatively small quantity of water only is necessary to
cleans a floor when applied as herein described.
The angular Feeding Pipe B being in the upper part of the vessel near the top end
piece and projecting in a direction upwards at right angles to the handle and then
turning in a direction parallel to the handle forms a ready means of filling the vessel,
but will not allow water to escape in the movement of the apparatus while working
neither will the water run out if the handle is allowed to rest on the floor. There is
therefore no necessity for using any stopper or cork. This Feeding Pipe-being
always open allows atmospheric pressure to come upon the water in the vessel and
thereby ensures an even flow through the tap or cock E.
The vessel attatched to the brush as herein described being filled with water prepared
by soda or soap powder is carried to any room requiring scrubbing. A small
stream of water is allowed to flow out of the tap E and with the brush resting

page_text: on the floor the apparatus is moved to and fro to effect the cleansing operation; the
subsequent wiping process being effected by the well known means of "mopping."
It will be found that the weight of the vessel and water will relieve the operator
from bearing so heavily on the brush as is necessary in ordinary cases. The work
also will be accomplished in much less time and the tiresome and hurtful position of
kneeling entirely obviated.
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. In an apparatus of the kind specified a Brush with a wing" G at each end
substantially as and for the purposes stated.
2. In an apparatus for scrubbing Floors a vessel or reservoir C having means for
regulating and directing the outflow of water for the purposes specified.
3. In an apparatus of the kind specified a vessel having an angular or curved feed
pipe B substantially as and for the purposes stated.
4. In an apparatus of the kind specified the combination of a Brush F a Handle A
and a vessel C substantially as and for the purposes stated.
Dated this 5th day of July 1889.
SAML. HORATIO HODGES,
Applicant.