Improvements in Brushes.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brushes.
A communication by JOHANN GEORGE ROTH, of 12, Karlstrasse, Ravensburg,
Würtemberg, in the Empire of Germany, Brush Maker.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil 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 has for its object the production of painting, white-wash and
other brushes in a very cheap manner by not making the brush part solely of
bristles, but only using the latter for the outside covering, whilst for the core or
centre part another cheaper material is used, which, as regards spreading power
and resistance, as well as wear, comes as near as possible to bristles.
After numerous experiments with many kinds of materials, cocoanut fibres have
been found to be the most suitable, which fibres, by a peculiar treatment, which
will be hereinafter described, become as soft and flexible as bristles themselves,
possess the same resisting power as the latter, and are considerably cheaper.
In consequence of the properties attained by the cocoanut fibres by preparation,
brushes could be made entirely of this material, it is however preferable to provide
them with an outer coating of bristles, in order to make the brush part with a
better rounded body, and because both materials, when in use in oil and water
colours, as numerous experiments have shown, wear away equally.
The preparation of the fibres takes place in the following manner :-
The cocoanut fibres are placed in water, washed with soda, tied straight, boiled,
dyed, combed and bunched or put up into lengths. The parts, which are too
thick, stiff and crooked, are removed by means of suitable combs and then the
cocoanut fibres are again mixed and combed, after which they possess the necessary
properties for use as painting brushes. Brushes so formed are better suited even
than bristles for spreading paint on rough surfaces such, for instance, as iron or
the like.
On the accompanying drawing, a few of the large number of different shaped
brushes which are usually employed, are shown constructed according to this
invention:
Figure 1 being an elevation of a painting brush fastened in the usual way;
Figure 2, a plan view of the brush part of the same;
Figure 3, a painting brush held in a sheet metal holder;
Figure 4, a perspective view of a ceiling brush; and
Figure 5, a plan view of the same.
C
From these drawings, in which A is the brush handle, b the bristles, and c the
cocoanut fibre, the arrangement of the cocoanut fibres and the outer covering or
ring of bristles may be clearly seen. The thickness of the latter may be chosen
according to requirements. Generally speaking, for use on rough surfaces,
brushes are employed with a thin ring or covering of bristles, and on smooth
surfaces, brushes with a thicker outer ring of bristles.
The advantages of this improved kind of brush made with cocoanut fibres are
that the cost of the same is considerably less than if the whole of the brush part
were made of bristles, the wearing away is also even, and is not greater than when
the brushes are made of bristles only, but, on the contrary, when used on rough
surfaces, somewhat less.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
The improvements in brushes consisting in the outer ring or covering of the
brush part being formed of bristles, whilst the inner part, or core, consists of
prepared cocoanut fibres, substantially as described and shown on the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 18th day of May 1804
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.