A New or Improved Rotary Brush for Brushing and Cleaning Hubs, Spokes, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Rotary Brush for Brushing and Cleaning Hubs,
Spokes, and the like.
JAMES THOMSON, Engineer, SARAH ELIZA THOMSON, JAMES ARTHUR THOMSON,
Engineer's Apprentice, all of Buckden, Hunts, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
We employ a number, preferably either seven or eight, brushes preferably
constructed of bristles set in a twisted wire stem which are fixed at right angles
into the same number of arms radiating from a central plate. The method of
attaching the arms to the plate is shown in Fig. I.
B is one of the arms which turns upon a pin or pivot C which is fixed into the
A is the central plate,
plate. Dis the hole in the end of the arm into which the stem of the brush is
fixed at right angles. The end of the arm which is nearest to the centre of
the plate is provided with teeth or cogs as shown, which work into the teeth
of a wheel E. Only one arm is shown in the figure but all the other arms are
fixed in the same manner.
The plate A is fixed rigidly upon a spindle which fits tightly into a hole F
in its centre. The spindle also passes through a similar hole in the centre of
the toothed wheel E, but loosely, so that the wheel E may turn readily upon it.
The spindle is provided with a thread upon which is screwed a nut (H in Fig. II),
by means of which the toothed wheel E may be pressed tightly to the plate A,
and made to turn with it.
The spindle also passes loosely through a wooden handle (M, Fig. II).
It will be seen that if when the nut (H Fig. II) is loosened the toothed wheel E
is made to turn to the left hand, the arm B will turn upon its pivot C towards
the right and will take up the position shown in the dotted figure. By this means
all the brushes can be made by one movement to approch or recede from the
central spindle so as to fit hubs.of different sizes. When the required position
has been attained the nut can be screwed up tightly and the brushes will then
become fixed. A pin can be inserted into the plate if necessary to limit the move-
ment of the arms to any required extent.
In Fig. II is given the side elevation of the appliance. A is the central plate,
B the arm, C the pivot upon which the arm turns. D is the hole into which is
ixed the stem of the brush G. E is the toothed wheel, F the head of the spindle.
I is the nut provided with thumb pieces K.K. M is the wooden handle through
which the spindle passes, and which is fixed on to the spindle by means of a nut
r head at the other end (not shown).
Instead of the toothed wheel being pressed tightly against the central plate*
ya nut upon the main spindle, any other suitable means may be employed,
s for example a pin fixed into the central plate and passing through a slot
n the toothed wheel, and being threaded to receive a thumb-screw.

page_text: The object of the appliance is to provide an expeditious means of cleaning the
hubs and spokes of wheels. Each brush cleans the portion of the hub lying
between each pair of adjacent spokes, together with a portion of the spokes
themselves, and as there are seven, or eight brushes a similar number of such
portions of the hub can be cleaned at once. Since the spindle passes loosely
through the handle it can revolve within it and accordingly, as the wheel of the
vehicle is made to revolve, the brushes are carried round with it, whilst they
can at the same time be thrust backwards and forwards through the wheel by
the operator:
Instead of the central plate being fixed rigidly upon a spindle which revolves
within the handle, the plate may, if preferred be made to revolve upon the
spindle, and the spindle may be fixed rigidly into the handle.
We can
We can modify the foregoing arrangement in the following manner.
remove two of the arms and replace them by a single arm of the form shown in
Fig. III, where the arm terminates in a circular band A which can be tightened
and loosened by means of a thumbscrew B. This band is adapted to receive
the handle of a twin or double brush whose form is shown in Fig. IV. A is the
handle, B is a cross-piece secured: to it by a screw C. or otherwise. D and E
are the stems of the two brushes which are fixed into the cross-piece B.
The advantage of this arrangement is that when the hub has been cleaned the
twin brush can be readily removed from the arm by loosening the thumb-screw B
(Fig. III) and can be used to clean each spoke separately, the arrangement of
the twin brush enabling the operator to clean both sides of a poke at the same
time. This twin brush can also be used apart from the general appliance to
clean the felloes or any other part of the vehicle required.
In cases where it is not required to adjust the, brushes so as to fit hubs of
different sizes the toothed wheel may be dispensed with and the arms fixed rigidly
to the central plate or spindle, or the arms may also be dispensed with and the
stems of the brushes may be prolonged and bent at right angles so as to be fixed
directly into the central plate or spindle.
Dated this 20th day of May 1800
JAMES THOMSON,
SARAH ELIZA THOMSON,
JAMES ARTHUR THOMSON.
A New or Improved Rotary Brush for Brushing and Cleaning Hubs,
Spokes, and the like.
JAMES THOMSON, Engineer, SARAH ELIZA THOMSON, JAMES ARTHUR THOMSON,
Engineer's Apprentice, all of Buckden, Huntingdonshire, 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:-
We employ a number, preferably either seven or eight brushes, which are
fixed at right angles into the same number of arms radiating from a central plate.
The brushes are preferably constructed of bristles set in a twisted wire stem.
The method of attaching the arms to the plate is shown in Fig. I, in the draw-
ings left with the Provisional Specification. A is the. central plate B is one of
the arms which turns upon a pin or pivot C which is fixed into the plate. D is
the hole in the end of the arm into which the brush is fixed at right angles. The
end of the arm which is nearest to the. plate is provided with teeth or cogs, as

page_text: Shown, which work into the teeth of the wheel E which may, if desired, he hooded.
Only one arm is shown in the figure, but all the other arms are fixed in the same
way. A is fixed rigidly upon a spindle which fits tightly into a hole in its
centre. The spindle also passes through a similar hole in the centre of the
5 toothed wheel E, but loosely so that the wheel E may turn readily upon it. The
spindle is provided with a thread upon which is screwed a nut (H Fig. II) by
means of which the toothed wheel E may be pressed tightly to the plate A and
made to turn with it.
(M, Fig. II). If, when the nut is loosened, the toothed wheel E is made to turn
The spindle also passes loosely through a wooden handle
0 towards the left hand the arm 1 will turn upon its pivot C towards the right
and will take up the position shown in the dotted figure. By this means all
the brushes can by one movement be made to approach or recede from the central
spindle, so as to fit hubs of different sizes. When the required position has been
attained the nut can be screwed up tightly, and the brushes will then become
fixed.
A pin can be inserted into the plate if necessary to limit the movement of
the arms to any required extent.
In Fig. II, which gives a side elevation of the appliance A is the central plate,
Bis the arm, C is the pivot upon which it turns.
fixed the stem of the brush G.
D is the hole into which is
E is the toothed wheel, F is the head of the
spindle. His the nut provided with thumb-pieces K K, M is the wooden handle
through which the spindle passes, and which is fixed on to the spindle by a nut
or head at its other end (not shown).
Instead of the toothed wheel being pressed tightly against the central plate
by a nut upon the main spindle, any other suitable arrangement may be employed,
as for example a pin fixed into the central plate and passing through a slot in
the toothed wheel, and being threaded to receive a thumbscrew. The object of
the appliance is to provide an expeditious method of cleaning the hubs and spokes
of wheels. Each brush cleans the portion of the hub lying between each pair
of spokes, together with the adjacent parts of the spokes themselves, and as
there are seven or eight brushes, a similar number of such portions of the hub
can be cleaned at once.
Since the spindle passes loosely through the handle it can revolve within it
and accordingly as the wheel revolves the brushes are carried round with it
whilst they can at the same time be pushed backwards and forwards through
the spokes.
Instead of the central plate being fixed rigidly upon a spindle which revolves
within the handle, the central plate may if preferred be made to revolve upon
the spindle, and the spindle may be fixed rigidly into the handle.
We can modify the foregoing arrangement of the appliance as follows. We
can remove two of the arms and replace them by a single arm of the form shown
in Fig. III where the arm terminates in a circular band A which can be tight-
ened and loosened by means of a thumbscrew B. This band is adapted to receive
he handle of a twin or double brush whose form is shown in Fig. IV.
he handle. B is a crosspiece secured to it by a screw C or otherwise. D and.E
A is
re two brushes fixed into the crosspiece B.
s that when the hub has been cleaned the twin brush can be readily removed
The advantage of this arrangement
rom the arm by loosening the thumbscrew B (Fig. III) and can be used to
lean each spoke separately, the arrangement of the twin brushes enabling the
perator to clean both sides of a spoke at the same time. This brush can also
e used apart from the general appliance to clean the felloes or any other part
f the vehicle required.
In cases where it is not required to adjust the brushes so as to fit hubs of
ifferent sizes the toothed wheel may be dispensed with, and the arms fixed
gidly into the plate or spindle, or the arms may also be dispensed with, the stems
the brushes being prolonged and bent at right angles so as to be fixed directly
to the central plate or spindle.

page_text: 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. The arrangement of a number of brushes around a central handle so that
a number of spokes and portions of the hub can be cleaned at once.
2. The provision of a spindle revolving upon a handle, or of a plate revolving
upon a spindle so that the brushes may revolve with the wheel independently
of the handle.
3. The provision of the toothed wheel working with teeth at the end of the
arms, which are fixed on pivots so that the brushes may be adjusted to hubs
of different size.
4. The arrangement of a twin brush which can be fitted into one of the arms,
but can also be detached and used separately from the general appliance.
T
1000
JAMES THOMSON,
SARAH ELIZA THOMSON,
JAMES ÄRTHUR THOMSON.