IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
BRUSHES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A com-
munication from abroad by John Joseph Charles Smith and Hermann Gelpcke,
both of College Point, in the County of Queen's and State of New York, in
the United States of America, India-rubber Manufacturers.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st August 1881.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES, AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by John Joseph
Charles Smith and Hermann Gelpcke, both of College Point, in the County of
Queen's and State of New York, in the United States of America, India Rubber
Manufacturers.
This Invention relates in part to brushes in which the tufts of bristles are
secured without wire by means of suitable cement, to which end the brush body,
and if desired the handle also, are made hollow, preferably of india-rubber, after
the manner I have described in another application for Letters Patent dated this
day, and numbered 3793, for improvements in the manufacture of articles of india
rubber or other vulcanizable gum, and in means or apparatus employed therein.
The tufts of bristles after being inserted in the manuer hereinafter described so as
to project within the hollow brush-back or body are there secured by pouring
cement so as to either fill or partially fill the cavity, which cement on cooling or
drying, as the case may be, fixes the tufts or bunches of bristles securely in
position.

page_text: No text detected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th February 1882.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES, AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A. communication from abroad by John Joseph
Charles Smith and Hermann Gelpcke, both of College Point, in the County of
Queen's and State of New York, in the United States of America, India-rubber
Manufacturers.
This Invention relates in part to brushes in which the tufts of bristles are
secured without wire by means of suitable cement, to which end the brush body,
and if desired the handle also, are made hollow, preferably of india rubber, after
the manner I have described in the Specification of other Letters Patent granted
to me, dated August 31, 1881, No. 3793, for improvements in the manufacture of
articles of india rubber or other vulcanizable gum. The tufts of bristles, after
being inserted in the manner hereinafter described so as to project within the
hollow brush back or body, are there secured by pouring cement so as to either fill
or partially fill the cavity, which cement on cooling or drying, as the case may be,
fixes the tufts or bunches of bristles securely in position.
The Invention further relates to machinery for setting the bunches or tufts of
bristles in the brush back or body. The preferred apparatus for this purpose
consists of a box or receptacle adapted to contain a large bundle of bristles, and by
rolling said bundle of bristles on itself and presenting its upper part in the shape
of a narrow edge permit the taking therefrom of small bunches of bristles adapted
to be folded into suitable tufts for setting in the brush-body. A special tool is
employed for taking the bristles from the containing box in bunches of uniform
size, doubling them into tufts, and inserting the doubled end in the perforated
brush back or body, as hereinafter described. The tool for bunching and doubling
the bristles and inserting the tufts thus formed consists essentially of a slotted
shank terminating in a perforated hook-formed nozzle for taking bunches of
uniform size from the holder and a sliding forked bar or needle operated by a thumb
lever, and serving to drive the central part of the bunch through the perforated
nozzle, and there hold it while it is inserted in the brush back.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I. will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings,
more fully to describe the same.
Figure 1 is a bottom view of the tool for drawing the bunches from the holder
and forming them into tufts; Figure 2 is a side view of the same, showing the
parts in their normal position ready for use; Figure 3 is a side view, representing
the lever depressed and the forked needle, hereinafter described, projected forward
as when it has done its work; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus for
containing a quantity of bristles and presenting them for the action of the bunching
tool; Figure 5 is a top view thereof; Figure G is a side elevation of the same;
Figure 7 is a transverse section thereof on the line 7, 7, Figures 5 and 6;
Figure 8 is a transverse section of the setting tool on the line 8, 8, Figures 1, 2,

page_text: and 3; Figure 9 is a face view of the brush body ready for the reception of bristles ;.
Figure 10 is longitudinal section of the completed brush; Figure 11 is a transverso
section of the same.
The tool for drawing bunches of bristles from a suitable holder, doubling them
into tufts, and inserting them in the brush back, is made with a shank C,
preferably consisting of two steel bars connected together by screws c, shown in
dotted lines in Figure 1, and fixed in a handle A, which is provided with a strap W
to pass around the fingers. In the forward end of this duplex shank C is a thin
longitudinal slit or opening D extending from the extremity backward to a
sufficient distance for the purpose hereinafter described. The back or top of the
bar C is formed with a dovetailed gib or guide E, upon which work a corresponding
slide F provided with a rack f, with which gear the teeth of a cogged segment
formed on the end of an L shaped lever B operated by the thumb to move the
slide F outward, said lever being fulcrumed at b₁ to standards 62 fixed to the bars C.
The slide F carries a thin bar or flat needle G, having a forked extremity and
working within the slit D which is provided for it in the forward end of the bar C,
as before described.
Springs I are employed to throw up the lever B, so as to retract the slide F and
needle G when said lever B is released, but this backward movement is limited by
the rear extremity of the slide F coming in contact with the shoulder c' on the
bar C, at which time the forked end g of the needle is masked by a stud or
projection H on the side of the bar C.
On the extremity of the bar C is a nozzle K projecting downwards, so that its
rear face will form a hook J opposed to the stud H, and leaving a notch or
opening L between them. The nozzle K is cone shaped on its exterior and has a
conical aperture extending through it, the smaller or forward end of said aperture
being slightly larger than the hole in the brush back in which the tuft is to be
inserted. The nozzle K is divided by the slit D, thereby permitting the flat
needle G to pass through the centre of the conical opening in said nozzle.
The size of the bunch of bristles to be taken from the large bundle held and
presented by the apparatus shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, and hereinafter
described, is regulated by the space L, between the book J and the stud. H, the
said space L forming a notel on the underside of the shank or bar C..
The apparatus for holding a quantity of bristles and presenting them in proper
shape to permit the tool above described to take uniform or nearly uniform bunches
therefrom is shown in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive. It consists of a box or block M,
preferably hollow, mounted on a platform N, on the outside of which box is a
sleeve O moveable vertically by means of a lever P fulcrumed at p. The top of
the sleeve O is provided on one side with a notch R.
The block M is provided on top with two narrow slots S, S. Wires or
cords T, T, are fastened to the top of the sleeve O on each side of the notch R,
and pass over a bunch of bristles, as shown at U, indefinite in quantity, and
downward through the slots S, S, in the block M and through an opening
prepared for them in the platform N, and are attached to a weight V beneath said
platform.
A suitable spring may be used instead of the weight, or by using elastic
cords they may constitute their own spring. A simple weight is, however, the
best device for the purpose, excepting where special circumstances may render it
undesirable.
Referring to Figures 9, 10, 11, X represents the back or body of the brush
and X¹ its handle, which are preferably made of india rubber vulcanized in one
piece and hollow, as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, after the manner I have
more particularly described in the Specification of other Letters Patent hereinbefore
referred to.
In the face of the brush body are drilled any desirable number of holes at the
proper angles to receive and secure the tufts of bristles y, the central row of

page_text: pertures being perpendicular to the surface, while those next them are inclined
lightly outward, and so on more and more toward the sides of the brush, in order
o give the tufts the required inclination, as is the usual custom. At the extremity
f the handle, or at any other convenient place, is formed an aperture ¹, through
which cement is introduced after the tufts of bristles have been set in the brush
ody by the setting tool hereinbefore described.
OPERATION.
A bundle of bristles U cut to the length used for brushes is placed inside the
sleeve O resting on the top of stationary block M, the wires T having been first
drawn up to form two loops under which the bundle of bristles is laid. The
weight V draws the wires over the bundle with a uniform moderate pressure and
holds them in position against the wall of the sleeve, as shown at U in Figure 7.
The sliding sleeve is for the purpose of moving the horizontal bundle of bristles in
a vertical direction, so as to impart a rolling motion to the bristles against each
other, which rolling motion serves to keep them parallel. This motion is imparted
by raising and dropping the sleeve. The wires or cords being attached to the
sleeve will be drawn up, and the weight in its effort to bring the wires or cords to
vertical lines causes them to press the bristles against the wall of the sleeve.
The bristles are thus drawn up in a sheet like mass and presented at the
notch R in a sharp angle, thereby greatly facilitating the taking of small and
uniform bunches by the hand setting tool shown in Figures 1 to 3, as will be more
particularly described.
Furthermore the motion of the sleeve keeps the bundle of bristles at all times
in a uniform compact mass, which is necessary in order that the small bunches
taken in succession by the setting tool may be of uniform size.
The bristle holding apparatus, having been charged with a bundle of bristles
as described, the filling of a brush handle with tufts is effected in the following
manner-
The setting tool is held with the right hand by passing the last three fingers
through the strap W, leaving the forefinger and thumb free to operate the lever B,
so as to move the slide F. The brush handle is held in the left hand, presenting
the holes to be filled towards the right hand.
This done, the sleeve O is raised by depressing the lever P, which movement will
draw the bundled bristles into a sheet like mass, presenting the same at notch R
in a sharp angular form. The setting tool is then brought at right angles to the
bristles into the notch R, the handle A being depressed so that the bar C is at an
angle of about 45° to the wall of the sleeve.
The extremity of the bar C is inserted in the notch R just far enough to bring
the space L over the edge of the bundle and cause the hook J to take hold of this
thin edge. A slight downward pressure on the setting tool forces the bristles into
the space or notch L, which when filled will contain just bristles enough to make a
regular tuft for a brush. As soon as this is done the lever B is partially depressed
so as to force the thin forked sliding bar or needle G forward half way of its
stroke. The forward movement of the forked bar will at once intercept and hold
the bristles lodged in the space or notch L, so that they may be detached from the
large bundle without disturbing the same; furthermore, the needle bar G will
double or bend the bunch of bristles as it enters the orifice of the nozzle K and
carry the doubled bunch into the said orifice. The semi depression of the lever B
carries the bunch through the nozzle K only so far as to form a short rounded
tuft at the mouth thereof, which tuft will readily enter a hole in the brush body.
As soon as the operator has entered the tuft in the hole of the brush body the lever
B is completely depressed, sending the bunch still further into the hole and to its
regular required depth, the extremity of the nozzle being of course pressed firmly
against the brush handle during this operation.
When the tuft is set in its place the lever B is released and the forked bar or

page_text: needle is withdrawn by the action of the springs I, and the setting tool is removed,
the tuft being held in its socket in the brush handle sufficiently to draw it
completely through the nozzle K.
The described operation is repeated with every tuft or bunch to be set in
the brush.
When all the holes in a brush handle are thus filled, the several tufts are
permanently fastened at one operation by means of a cement filled into the hollow
brush handle..
A suitable cement is made either by dissolving gutta perclia or india rubber in
bi-sulphide of carbon in about the proportions of two ounces of the gum to one
pound of the bi-sulphide, to which is added about one pound of rosin. This cement
when first made and the materials are properly dissolved is sufficiently fluid to
pour freely into the hollow brush body through an aperture al located at any
preferred point, and when perfectly dry becomes very hard so as to form in effect
an inseparable part of the brush body and secure the tufts of bristles immovably
therein. A good cement may also be made of bees wax and rosin with a little
tallow, this cement being of course poured in in a warm state and becoming hard
in cooling.
:
Other suitable materials for the cement or filling may be used if preferred, the
Invention not being limited to any particular material for this purpose.
If it is desired that the body of the brush shall be hollow when finished, a portion
of the cement is poured out before the whole has become hard. The bristles are
thus left firmnly secured by the stratum or body of cement surrounding and covering
the same, which becomes hard either by evaporation or cooling before the central
portion, which will thus be poured out after the proper lapse of time.
If preferred the entire brush body may be filled with cement.
In either case
the tufts of bristles are firmly held and the cement or filling cohering intimately
and immovably to the bristles and hard rubber, and being itself perfectly impervious
to water, adapts the brush to be washed as often as desired without injury and
renders it much more durable as well as more cleanly than brushes in which the
bristles are secured in the ordinary manner, by means of wire which is liable
to corrode, destroying its own strength and permitting the ingress of water and
other fluids which serve to rot and destroy the bristles as well as the body of the
After the hollow brush has been filled with cement and a portion thereof
discharged or not as preferred, the aperature ¹ through which the cement is
introduced is permanently stopped by means of a rubber plug which is worked
off to an even surface and finished on the outside and is polished together with
the other surface.
The advantages which are derived by the use of the above described bunch
setting and bristle holding machines are such that a girl can by eight or ten
days practice acquire the necessary skill to set about 800 bunches per hour in
a fine first quality brush, which is fully twice the amount set by skilled brush
makers doing the work by hand or with the aid of devices now in use for the
purpose, besides doing the work with greater ease and with much less exertion,
and producing a much better brush.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the mode in which
the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First. A tool operating substantially as herein described to seize a bunch of
bristles, fold it into a tuft, and insert the folded end in a suitable aperature in the
brush back or body.
Second. A brush made in hollow form with tufts of bristles set therein in the
manner described, and secured by a filling of cement.
Third. The bar or shank C, formed at its end with a slot D, and provided with a
nozzle K. and book J, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fourth. The combination with the shank C, and hook and nozzle J, K of the
sliding forked bar or needle G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Fifth. The combination of the split bar or shank C, the sliding forked bar G, and
the hook and nozzle J, K, and stud H, forming a notch L for gauging the bunch of
bristles as described.
Sixth. The combination of the shank C, slide F, forked bar or needle G, and the
lever B for operating said slide and needle as described.
Seventh. The combination of the box M, notched sleeve O, and wires or cords T,
held down by weight or spring for presenting the bristles to the notch L, substan-
tially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ITT TA