Improvements in Tooth Brushes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 6th Oct.,
1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tooth Brushes.
I, LUDWIG EHRLICH of Mittelstr., Berlin, in the German Empire, Merchant,
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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a tooth brush which as distinguished
from those hitherto used may be more conveniently operated in a vertical direction
from a stem or handle placed at right angles to the brush part and which brush
part is formed to correspond to the curvature of the gums, so as to more thoroughly
clean in between the teeth.
In the drawing
Figs. 1, 2, 3, are respectively a front, a side, and a top view of a tooth brush of
this invention with the tufts of bristles set in a concave line for brushing the outer
side of the teeth.
Fig. 4 is a top view of a brush with the tufts of bristles set in a convex line for
brushing the inner side of the teeth.
Figs. 5, 6, are respectively a side and a top view of a brush with a straight
instead of a curved back but with bristles of different lengths to form a convex
brush.
°
Figs. 7, 8, 9, are respectively a top view and sectional views of a combined
concave and convex brush with a hinged handle for turning over from one side to
the other.
Figs. 10, 11, 12, refer to details.
a are the bristles fixed in a curved back to the middle of which is attached a
stem or handle e at right angles to the brush body. When it is desired to use only
one brush for both the inner and outer side of the teeth the construction shewn in
Figs. 5 and 6 may be employed, that is to say, with the bristles set slightly convex
in a straight back. When it is desired to use only one brush but at the same time
to obtain all the effect of the two brushes shewn in top view in Figs. 3 and 4 the
construction shewn in Figs. 7 to 12 may be employed. In this case h is the brush
body with a concave side and a convex side y. i is the stem or handle jointed
to the outer edge of a hinge & having m as its turning point. The handle i may
be turned with the hinge plate k round from one side of the brush to the other
according as the concave or convex side is to be used. This is indicated in dotted
lines in Fig. 9. The plate k is held fixed by pins n on the same, springing into
recesses o in the brush body, and the handle i as shewn in Figs. 10 to 12 is held
fixed in the recess by the pins p on the handle springing into recesses q in lugs q'
on plate k.
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. A tooth brush of a concave or convex form to correspond to the outer or
inner outline of the teeth or gums in combination with a stem or handle fixed to
the brush back so as to depend at right angles thereto for the purpose of brushing
the teeth vertically, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the
drawing.
2. A tooth brush constructed with a straight or flat back and bristles fixed
therein so as to assume at their points an outwardly curved or convex shape, in
combination with a stem or handle fixed to the brush back so as to stand at

page_text: right angles thereto, for the purpose specified, substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing.
3. In a tooth brush of the kind referred to, the concavo-convex construction
of a double brush in combination with a stem or handle in binged connection with
the brush body so that said handle may turned round and fixed on either side of
the brush body at right angles thereto, for the purpose specified, substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 7 to 12 of the drawing.
Dated this 6th day of September 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
80, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.