IMPROVEMENTS IN BROOMS AND BRUSHES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonse Denjoy, of Auch, in the Department of Gers,
in the Republic of France, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BROOMS
AND BRUSHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphonse Denjoy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1881.
ALPHONSE DENJOY, of Auch, in the Department of Gers, in the Republic of
France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BROOMS AND BRUSHES."
This Invention relates to brooms or brushes made of hair, bristles, feathers, or
of any material which is used in brush manufacture. Brushes when made in the
usual forms can be adapted with but little alteration to accord with my Invention,
by the use of which an economy of time and labour is effected, as places are made
accessible for the purposes of brushing, cleaning, painting, and the like, that would
with ordinary brooms or brushes necessitate the removal of furniture or the use
of steps, ladders, or even scaffolding, the latter being often the cause of severe
accidents.
The Invention can be adapted to an ordinary broom in which the bristles are
set in a backing of wood or suitable material.
In the handle of the broom and at the lower end is formed a U shaped fork
of a length slightly over half that of the broom head, which is placed lengthwise
between the fork at the end, and is secured to the handle by a bolt or axis passing
through the two sides of the fork and the backing of the broom.
The bolt is preferably provided with a projection near its head which
fits into a corresponding slot in a rundle or plate, and thus prevents the
bolt from turning round with the broom head. In applying the Invention
to feather brushes, paint brushes, and the like, a preferably square block is
fixed in the fork of the handle in place of the broom head before described,
the brush being secured to it by screwing or otherwise. It will thus be seen that
the brushes or broom heads can be adjusted to any desired angle, according the
character of the work to be done. A modification of the Invention consists in
affixing to the backing of a broom or brush two suitable standards carring an
axis or bolt which passes through a solid handle fitting between said standards.
Or a single standard may be driven into the back of the brush and through a
mortised plate, which is run through the brush at the side to prevent any lateral
motion of the standard, which would then be secured in the forked handle by a
bolt, as before described.

page_text: }
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alphonse Denjoy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
January 1882.
ALPHONSE DENJOY, of Auch, in the Department of Gers, in the Republic of
France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BROOMS AND BRUSHES."
:
My Invention has for its object to avoid the use of ladders or scaffolding, and
to economise time in the application of brooms and brushes. The material used
in the construction of my improved broom may be hair, straw, or any other
- substance suitable for this purpose. In the accompanying Drawing which illustrates
the improvements, number 1 represents a broom for sweeping ceilings; 2, the handle
of the same; 3, a bolt with oval or square head and screw threaded end; 4, a nose
to prevent the bolt from turning in its washer; 5, a washer; 8, bolt holes in the
handle of the broom; 9, washers for the same; 10, the broom turned aside;
11, long handle for white washing; 12, round broom to be fitted into the hollow
end of a broom stick; 13, broom bolted upright on the stick, No. 2; 14, head of
the stick made to project into the opening between the plates; 15; the part of
the broom which is lined with indiarubber to provide a guard in case of contact
with. walls or tapestry; 16, a simple change plate or sleeve made of wood or metal ;
17, change plate or sleeve provided with a collar.; 18, broom, with the stick at a
right angle for whitewashing projecting parts; 19, short stick for whitewashing
with two heads, which may or may not be threaded; 20, head of the short stick,
without screw thread; 21, end of the lengthening bar, into which enters the part
No. 14; 22, holes through which pass the bolts of the lengthening bar; 23, weight
for floor brooms; 24, floor broom loaded with a weight; 26, broom of hair, silk,
or other material suitable for sweeping parlour floors; 29, broom for rough work;
30, recess for receiving the piece No. 31; 31, back of the broom glued on and
pinned to the latter, and adapted to fit the parts 30 and 32; 32, blade which
unites the small brooms into one, 33, back of straw broom with pointed end
entering into the latter from the back. This back may be made of wood or metal;
34, nut for the bolt 3; 35, lining of indiarubber, wool, or other compressible
material, and applied to the projecting parts of brooms for avoiding the direct
contact of the latter with walls or tapestries; 36, head of broom with slightly
altered shape or construction; 37, forked handle provided with a bolt hole; 38, hole
for the bolt No. 39; 39, bolt provided with screw thread prismatic shank, and
one or two noses to prevent the turning of the bolt; 40, nut for the bolt 39;
41, straight broom stick with oblique end; 42, hole for the bolt No. 39 or 43;
43, a bolt adapted to turn right or left without slackening the nut, the pressure
being kept approximately constant by means of the sleeve and disc (44) which
slides under the pressure exerted by the nut 40. Thus the broom is adapted to
turn in various directions, although it is mounted on a straight or curved stick
having no slot; 44, square opening of the sleeve through which the prismatic
portion of the shank 45 passes; 45, prismatic portion of the shank fitting into
the square opening 44; 46, safety hook, which may be used for fixing the broom
when used for rubbing, washing, &c., and which passes through the part No. 74.
This hook forms no obstacle to the use of the broom, but may be omitted; 47, broom
mounted on a stick No. 41 which may be fixed by bolts; 48 shows the place of
the nut which may be sunk into the wood; 49, wooden back of a broom variable
in shape and made of several picces if suitable; 50, back of a broom provided
with a bolt hole for uniting the pieces 52 and 51; 51, two bolts to be united by

page_text: the nut 52, which also connects the broom with the two blades of the stick, the
screw 52 being placed inside of the broom 50; 52, four-winged nut for screwing
No. 51 right and left; 53, broom placed between two blades and fixed thereto by
the nut and screw No. 39 and 40; 55 indicates the place for the bolt hole; 57, flat
metal blades provided with sleeve capable of sliding on straight sticks, for instance,
on No. 41; 58 shows a mode of lengthening broom sticks similar to that shewn
by Figs. S4 and 85; 59 represents a caliber for the reception of brooms, scraping
irons, &c.; 60, iron fitting for receiving a broomstick to be used for rough work;
61, bolt hole, round, square, or oval, for the reception of the broomstick
03, broomhead; 64, featherbroom or hair broom; 65, location of the bolt hole;
66, screwed shank fitting into the sleeve 44; 68, broomstick provided with a
receptacle of linen or indiarubber to catch any liquid that may drop down along the
stick when washing ceilings or other high parts; 69, conduit of linen or india-
rubber receiving the liquid from the said receptacle and carrying it to a suitable
distance; 70, lengthening bars which may be strengthened by metal wires, sleeves,
or collars; 71, slotted broomstick for washing clevated parts; 73, pin on the
bolthead No. 43; 74, hole at the end of the broomstick, which may however be
omitted; 75, bolt with square or nose to prevent it from turning, the centre of the
shank being slotted to receive the key No. 76; 76, key for No. 75; 77, bolt having
a slotted shank to receive the part No. 78. The end of this bolt is screw-threaded
and receives the nut No. 40; 78, key for No. 77 and 79; 79, screwed end of a
bolt receiving the key No. 78 and any suitable nut; 80, specially shaped broom
mounted on a stick No. 41. In the centre of the broom is a small spade of wood
or metal for clearing the inside of rails on railways; 81, bolt hole for a slotted
broomstick; 82, broom turned between two blades for brushing the upper side of
shelves, doors, dials, &c.; 83, featherbroom and its apparatus No. 59 mounted on a
straight shaft No. 41; 84, lengthening bar with two bolts and nut No. 40;
85, collar for the lengthening bar; 86, shaft with one bolt hole for attaching the
broom; 87, slotted shaft with pins for fixing the apparatus of No. 59 to No. 87;
88, broom mounted on a simple and straight stick; 89, key for nut No. 40 and
varying according to requirements or taste; 90 corresponds to No. 49. Instead of
hair or silk it is stuffed with thread, rags, sponges, &c., covered by chamois leather
or similar material for wiping and drying the parts which have been washed.
It may also be used in a dry state for rubbing or polishing floors; 91 shows a
cutting tool mounted on a broomstick for dressing hedges, shrubbery, &c.;
92 represents a wooden attachment for feather or hair-brushes; 93, bolt without
screw thread or nut to be rivetted to the washer No. 94; 94, washer of any
suitable metal; 95, head of a round broom; 96, washer for receiving the square or
nose portion of the bolt; 97, stick fitted into the back of my broom, the head of
my broom although of special construction may be rigidly fixed or made movable
on the stick, according to requirements; keys and noses may be omitted by splitting
the end of the bolt over the nut No. 40.
By the various modifications described my broom may be used for sweeping or
cleaning corners, grooves, or other points which are not easily accessible for ordinary
brooms; 98, reversed broom mounted on a slotted stick; 99, slotted or hinged
stick of any suitable metal; 100, broom for washing elevated parts, its shaft being
provided with a liquid receptacle and a second or outer collar having at its base
one or more holes for the escape of water. This construction is especially useful
for washing the sides of railway carriages or other vehicles. Every time the shaft
is lowered for taking up water the water receptacle is emptied and subsequently
again filled with the water which runs down along the stick. By some persons
this stick will be preferred to No. 68; 101, groove for the reception of oil, grease,
or other lubricants, which may be introduced through the point No. 102. The
groove may be straight or curved in any suitable manner; 102, oil inlet; 103, square
bolt to which belongs the sleeve No. 44; 104, water outlet in the base of the outer
collar; 105, water receptacle.

page_text: I claim as my Invention the improvements in brooms and brushes, substantially
as illustrated by the Drawings and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphonse Denjoy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of January A.D. 1882.
ALPHONSE DENJOY. (L.s.)