IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Granville Sharpe M'Carthy, of Knightsbridge,
<<
and Alfred Shakespear, of Nassau Street, both in the County of Middlesex,
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND
POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Granville Sharpe
M'Carthy and Alfred Shakespear at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 20th August 1880.;
THOMAS GRANVILLE SHARPE M'CARTHY, of Knightsbridge, and ALFRED
SHAKESPEAR, of Nassau Street, both in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER
ARTICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning and polishing
boots, shoes, and other articles.
The first part of our improvements has for its object the arrangement and con-
struction of a machine or apparatus for cleaning and polishing boots and shoes
whilst on the feet of the wearer.
For this purpose a bell shaped brush, having the brush or polishing surface in
the hollow interior part thereof, is mounted so as to revolve on a pin or axis sup-
ported in bearings at the base or lower part of a frame and standard. Upon the
brush axis a pulley is mounted and receives motion by means of a strap, a band
passing over a driving pulley mounted upon an axis at the upper part of the
standard or frame of the machine. Motion is given to the driving pulley and brush
by a crank handle, treadle, or otherwise.
The foot with the boot or shoe thereon is introduced into the bell shaped brush
whilst the machine is in motion, whereby the same is readily cleaned. Two of
such bell shaped brushes may be mounted if desired upon the same axis, one being
used for removing the dirt and the other for polishing.
Or the bell shaped brush and its driving pulley may be mounted on the top of
a standard frame or table, and actuated by a treadle or by a crank handle on the
end of the axis, so that boots, shoes, or other articles may be cleaned and polished
by hand in accordance with our Invention.

page_text: A very simple and portable form of machine for cleaning and polishing boots,
shoes, and other articles, such as knives, forks, spoons, plate, tin ware, and harness,
which require cleaning and polishing from time to time, may be constructed in
accordance with our Invention so as to be readily fixed to a table dresser or other
fixture by means of a clamp and set screw or otherwise. The brush cleaning or
polishing surface may be of bell shaped form, as previously described, having its
interior or exterior surfaces, or both, set with hair or covered with other cleaning
or polishing materials, and mounted upon a pin or axis with a crank handle to
give motion thereto.
Another part of our improvements relates to the construction and arrangement
of a machine to be placed in the ball or entrance to a building for cleaning and
polishing boots and shoes whilst on the foot of the wearer.
The machine consists of a standard or frame which carries a driving pulley at
the upper part actuated by a treadle or crank handle. The pulley gives motion to
another pulley near the base, a crank pin on the pulley giving a reciprocating
motion by means of a connecting rod to a series of brushes forming an oblong box,
in which the foot is placed and supported whilst the brushes are in action to clean
and polish a boot or shoe upon the foot of the wearer. The series of brushes may
consist of two straight ones moving to and fro so as to clean and polish the sides
of the boot or shoe, and two curved or semicircular ones (each of the latter being
mounted on a pin or axis, upon which they partially rotate) for operating upon
the heel and toe of the boot or shoe. These brushes are connected together, so that
as the crank and connecting rod give motion to one it imparts motion to the
others connected with it.
The number, form, and arrangement of these brushes may be varied.
Another very simple form of instrument or apparatus for cleaning a boot or
shoe on the foot of the wearer, for the use of the shoe black brigade or others,
consists of two straight double faced brushes connected together by a strap or
elastic band to be passed round the heel of the boot or shoe, the other ends of the
brushes having handles by which the user pulls them backwards and forwards
see-saw fashion over the surface of the boot or shoe. When the dirt is removed
the surfaces of the brush are reversed so as to effect the polishing.
The boot or shoe may be mounted upon a last and fixed to a table or otherwise
whilst the above described brush is applied thereto.
According to another part of our improvements ordinary shoe or other brushes
may be fixed in a frame by a set screw or otherwise. A to and fro reciprocating
motion is given to the frame by a connecting rod and crank pin upon a pulley
actuated by a strap or band lathe fashion, or it may be actuated by a crank handle
by hand. The boots, shoes, knives, forks, spoons, or other articles to be cleaned
and polished are placed on a table or fixed in a suitable holder whilst the brush or
polishing surface is operating thereon.
The brushes or polishing surfaces can be readily changed from time to time as
required.

page_text: Figure 1, Sheet 1, shows an end view of a machine for cleaning boots or shoes
arranged in accordance with the first part of our improvements, and Figure 2 is a
plan in section (on a larger scale) of a bell shaped brush mounted on an axis at the
lower part of the frame or standard.
« is a bell shaped brush having the brush or polishing surface in the hollow
interior part thereof.
The brush a is mounted so as to revolve on a pin or axis a¹, supported in
bearings at the base or lower part 1 of the frame or standard b. Upon the brush
axis a¹ a pulley a² is mounted, and receives motion by means of a strap or band a³
passing over a driving pulley a mounted upon an axis a³ at the upper part of the
standard or frame b of the machine. Motion is given to the the driving pulley and
brush by a crank handle a*, treadle, or otherwise.
The foot with the boot or shoe thereon is introduced into the bell shaped brush a
whilst the machine is in motion, whereby the same is readily cleaned. Two of such
bell shaped brushes a may be mounted if desired upon the same or upon another
axis, one being used for removing the dirt, and the other for polishing.
Or the bell shaped brush a and its driving pulley a² may be mounted on the top
of a standard frame or table b, and be actuated by a treadle or by a crank handle
on the end of the axis a¹, as shown by Figure 3, so that boots, shoes, or other
articles may be cleaned and polished by hand, in accordance with this part of our
Invention.
In place of the bell shaped brush a (or in combination therewith), other forms of
brushes may be mounted at the base of the standard b (or at the top part thereof),
for example, either one or a pair of brushes of the form shown at Figures 4a and 4b
may be employed, and driven by means of pulleys and endless bands in like manner
to the bell shaped brushes previously described.
A very simple and portable formn of machine for cleaning and polishing boots,
shoes, and other articles, such as knives, forks, spoons, plate, tin ware, and harness,
which require cleaning and polishing from time to time may be constructed in
accordance with this part of our Invention, as shown by Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 2 of
the Drawings, so as to be readily fixed to a table, dresser, or other fixture 6 by means
of a clamp cand set screw c¹ or otherwise. The brush cleaning or polishing
surface a may be of bell shaped form as previously described, having its interior or
exterior surfaces or both set with hair, or covered with other cleaning or polishing

page_text: materials, and mounted upon a pin or axis a' with a crank handle a* to give
motion thereto.
The forms of the brushes a may be varied, as shown by Figures 5* and 6×, and
changed from time to time as required. The blacking may in all cases be advan-
tageously applied by means of a sponge, which, if desired, may be mounted on a
circular stock combined with the rotary brush or otherwise. The above described
machine will be found very useful and economical for domestic use.
This improved form and arrangement of cleaning and polishing apparatus may
readily be taken to pieces and packed up in a small compass if required.
Another part of our improvements relates to the construction and arrangement
of a machine to be placed in the hall or entrance to a building for cleaning and
polishing boots and shoes whilst on the foot of the wearer.
Figure 7, Sheet 1, shows an elevation, and Figure 8 a part plan of this improved
machine, which consists of a standard or frame b, which carries a driving pulley a
at the upper part, either actuated by a treadle or by crank handle a*. The pulley a
gives motion by the band a³ to another pulley a² near the base of the machine, a
crank pin on the pulley a² giving a reciprocating motion by means of a connecting
rod a to a series of combined brushes a linked or jointed together, forming an
oblong box in which the foot is placed and supported on the fixed plate a', whilst
the combined brushes a are in action to clean and polish a boot or shoe upon the
foot of the wearer. The series of brushes a may consist of two straight ones
moving to and fro so as to clean and polish the sides of the boot or shoe, and two
curved or semicircular ones (each of the latter being mounted on a pin or axis, upon
which they partially rotate) for operating upon the heel and toe of the boot or shoe.
The series of brushes a are connected together by joints or links, so that as the
crank and connecting rod at give motion to one, it imparts motion to the others.
connected with it.
The number, form, and arrangement of these brushes may be varied, as for
example, an endless band of leather or other elastic material set with bristles may
be employed.
Another very simple form of instrument or apparatus for cleaning a boot or shoc
on the foot of the wearer, for the use of the shoe black brigade or others, consists of
two straight single or double faced brushes connected together by a strap or elastic
band (as shown by Figure 9, Sheet 2), to be passed round the heel of the boot or
shoe, the other ends of the brushes having handles by which the user pulls them
backwards and forwards, see-saw fashion, over the surface of the boot or shoe.
When the dirt is removed, the surfaces of the brush are reversed, so as to effect the
polishing.
The boot or shoe may be mounted upon a last and fixed to a table or otherwise,
whilst the above described brush is applied thereto.
According to another part of our improvements, a machine is arranged as shown
in plan, Figure 10, and part elevation, Figure 11, Sheet 1, in which ordinary shoe
or other brushes or polishing surfaces may be fixed in a frame or holder d by a set
screw or otherwise. A to and fro reciprocating motion is given to the brush or
polishing surface by a connecting rod e and crank pin upon a disc e', actuated by a
strap or band e², lathe fashion, or it may be actuated by a crank handle by hand.
The boots, shoes, knives, forks, spoons, or other articles to be cleaned and polished
are placed on a table, or fixed in a suitable holder whilst the brush or polishing
surface is operating thereon.
Upon the same frame circular hollow dish shaped brushes a may be mounted on
an axis actuated by a pulley and band for cleaning boots and shoes or other articles,
thus making a very useful machine for hotels or other large establishments.
The brushes and polishing surfaces can be readily changed from time to time as
required.
Having thus described the nature of our improvements, and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into practice, we would remark that we do not
fimit ourselves to the exact details herein before described, so long as the novel

page_text: features of our Invention are retained, at the same time it should be clearly
understood that we do not claim any of the parts separately, which are well known
and in common use. But what we claim is,-
First. The improved arrangement and construction of apparatus for cleaning
boots and shoes whilst on the feet of the wearer, by means of revolving hollow or
bell shaped brushes, such as o, substantially as represented and described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2, 4ª and 4b, Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
We also claim the improved arrangement and construction of apparatus for
cleaning boots and shoes whilst on the feet of the wearer, by means of a combined
series of brushes (or their equivalents), such as a, as represented and described with
reference to Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1 of the Drawings annexed.
Secondly. We claim the improved arrangement and construction of portable
apparatus arranged with brushes, such as a, for cleaning and polishing boots, shoes,
and other articles, substantially as represented and described with reference to
Figure 3, Sheet 1, and Figures 5* and 6*, Sheet 2 of the Drawings annexed.
Thirdly. We claim the improved arrangement and construction of apparatus for
cleaning and polishing boots and shoes by means of brushes, substantially such as
represented and described with reference to Figure 9, Sheet 2 of the Drawings
annexed.
Fourthly. We claim the improved arrangement and construction of apparatus for
cleaning and polishing boots, shoes, and other articles, substantially as represented
and described with reference to Figure 10 and 11 of the Drawing hereto annexed.
Lastly. We claim the improved general arrangement of apparatus for cleaning
and polishing boots, shoes, and other articles, having brushes a of various forms,
substantially such as hereinbefore described and represented in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Granville Sharpe M'Carthy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
T. G. S. M'CARTHY. (L.S.)