Improvements in Billiard Table Brushes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1899-Accepted, 20th May, 1899
Improvements in Billiard Table Brushes.
ERNEST NEILD KENT, of 75, Farringdon Road, in the County of London, Brush
Manufacturer, and HYPPOLITE BESSON, Mechanical Engineer, of 261, Evering
Road, Clapton, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows: :―
This invention is intended to enable an operator to brush the cloth of a billiard
table over a much greater surface in one stroke than by the usual method, and
will also enable him to brush the cloth in one direction, while in the other direction
or return stroke the brush is lifted from the cloth and carried by soft rollers to its
starting point ready for its next stroke; also to enable the operator by reversing
the handle on the other side of the brush to brush the lower end of the billiard
table from the centre to the lower end cushion, so that the cloth of a full sized table
can be brushed its whole length by strokes equal or more than the half length
of the table, and this improved brush would brush the cloth more evenly and
straighter than is usually done by the ordinary hand method.
The invention consists of a brush of oblong form, having fitted on each of the
narrowest sides an arm or lever pivoted nearly at their middle upon screw-studs ;
upon the end of each arm or lever on the lower side is fitted a small roller, covered
with soft material: the other ends which project above the back of the brush are
made rigid by screws and nuts to a bar common to both; this bar projects over the
back of the brush so as to allow of its being oscillated by means of a long
handle (four to five feet long)-which is connected to the frame by a bow-frame
loosely mounted upon the bar of the oscillating frame, and a hinged stem which
connects the bow-frame to the handle.
The oscillation of the frame which carries the rollers, and which when oscillated,
takes either a vertical or a nearly horizontal position is limited by two stops
mounted on the back of the brush, and is controlled or impelled to take the vertical
position by a bow-spring fixed upon the bow-frame of the handle having its two
ends butting against guide-plates mounted upon one of the long sides of the
brush.
Dated this 20th day of May 1808

page_text: 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:-
This invention is intended to enable an operator to brush the cloth of a
billiard table over a much greater surface than by the usual method, and will also
enable him to brush the cloth in one direction, while in the other direction or
return stroke the brush is lifted from the cloth and carried by soft rollers to its
starting point ready for its next stroke, also to enable the operator by reversing the
handle on the other side of the brush to brush' the lower end of the billiard table
from the centre to the lower end cushion, so that the cloth of a full sized table can
be brushed its whole length by strokes equal or more than half the length of the
table, and this improved brush would brush the cloth more evenly and straighter
than is usually done by the ordinary hand method.
The invention consists of a brusli of oblong or other convenient form having
fitted on each of the narrowest sides an arm or lever A pivotted nearly at their middle
upon screw-studs; upon the end of each arm or. lever on the lower side is fitted a
small roller B, covered with soft material such as rubber or felt; the other ends
which project above the back of the brush are made rigid by screws and nuts to
a bar common to both; this bar projects over the back of the brush so as to
allow of its being oscillated by means of a long handle I) of convenient length,
say four to five feet long, which is connected to the frame by a bow-frame E loosely
mounted upon the bar C of the oscillating frame, and a stem F which connects the
bow-frame to the handle.
The oscillation of the frame which carries the rollers, and which when oscillated
takes either a vertical or nearly horizontal position is limited by two stops H
mounted on the back of the brush, and is controlled or impelled to take the
vertical position by a bow spring J fixed upon the bow frame of the handle having
its two ends butting against guide plates K mounted upon one of the long sides
of the brush.
Another form of the brush as at Fig. 4 may have but one arm or lever A placed in
the centre pivotted nearly at the middle within a plate having a stop H on one side,
the lower end of the arm or lever having a pair of rollers B fitted on, one on either
side, the bristles of the brush being indicated at Z.
When the brush is propelled in one direction by means of the handle, the lever
or arm carrying the rollers is first operated, the rollers being thereby raised to a
point above the level of the face of the brush as at Fig. 2, which consequently
touches the surface to be brushed, and when the brush is propelled in the opposite
direction the rollers assume a position extending beyond the surface of the
brush as at Fig. 1, which consequently travels along by means of the rollers without
coming in contact with the surface upon which it is operated.
Fig. 1, is a view of the brush with rollers down.
Fig. 2, is a view of the brush with rollers up.
Fig. 3, is a plan of the top of the brush.
Fig. 4, is a plan of the top of the brush having the rollers in the centre.
Fig. 5, is a plan of the bottom of the brush having the rollers in the centre, 4
the bristles being indicated at Z.
Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, are drawings on an enlarged scale for showing the
mechanism adopted when reversing the handle.
Fig. 6, is a longitudinal section;
Fi
7 is a longitudinal section showing the handle reversed
A

page_text: head of the bolt; T, a slot beneath the portion attached to handle, and which
engages with the stud 0, on the spring: Y are the holes through which the bolt
passes.
To reverse the handle, the nut R is loosened, which allows the stud O, to leave
the slot M, and the slot T, when the portion attached to and with the handle is
turned around on the centre formed by the bolt P, until the stud 0 engages with
the slots L&M, when the nut is again tightened, with the handle in the opposite
direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A billiard table brush so constructed as described as to enable an operator to
brush the cloth in one direction, while the brush is lifted clear of the cloth during
the return stroke.
2. A billiard table brush made substantially as described and set forth in the
foregoing specification and drawings, and having a reversing handle as described
and illustrated.
·ה ו-
01 J 1
A. G. PRITCHARD,
Agent for Applicants, 21, Jeffreys Road, Clapham, London, S.W.