A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING UP AND COMBINING SOAP OR OTHER CLEANSING MATTERS WITH OTHER MATERIALS TO BE USED FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS, MACHINERY, AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Richard George at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August 1877.
st
RICHARD GEORGE, of 22, Alma Street, Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex.
A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING UP AND COMBINING SOAP OR OTHER
CLEANSING MATTERS WITH OTHER MATERIALS TO BE USED FOR WASHING AND
CLEANSING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS, MACHINERY, AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED
FOR THIS PURPOSE."
This Invention relates, first, to improved methods of making up horse or other
hair or wool or mixtures thereof into felted or woven pads or rubbers, either combined
with or containing soap, or in the application of soap or other cleansing matter
thereto for the purpose of washing and cleansing linen for toilet or other use, such
felted pads or rubbers being also applicable for cleansing purposes in place of
brushes. For this purpose, in making felted or woven pads or rubbers in accordance
with the first part of my improvements, I first soften the horse hair or mixture of
wool and hair in hot water. I then spread out the quantity required for making a
pad or rubber, say, from two ounces to a quarter of a pound, more or less, according
to the size of pad or rubber required. A piece of soap or other cleansing matter,
from two ounces to a quarter of a pound, more or less, is then rolled up and enclosed
within the horse hair or wool, a kneading or rubbing action being used by the
fingers or by other means in the operation of rolling, folding, and embedding the soap
in the covering of hair, so as to cause it to felt together and combine well with the
soap or other cleansing matter. Strands of hemp or other fibrous materials may, if
desired, be rolled up and embedded in the pad to strengthen and give tenacity
thereto.
In order to solidify the mass it may be tightly rolled up in a cloth and boiled,
then dried, after which it may be stitched through and through with thread or twine
to secure the outer surface and prevent it from wearing away before the felting.
operation which results.from use converts the pad into a compact mass.
I find it advantageous to immerse the pads or rubbers made as previously described
in hot fluid soap or other cleansing materials, in order to treat and finish the outer
surface ready for use.
In place of combining the soap or cleansing materials with the pads or rubbers

page_text: in the course of manufacture, as previously described, they may be first made up
and afterwards have the soap or other cleansing materials applied to the interior
thereof, or to the exterior surface as required when in use, and when the soap or
other cleansing materials are exhausted in use they may be replenished from time to
time as required.
The pads or rubbers may be made in accordance with my Invention from tubes
made by weaving in a loom, or by means of braiding or other machinery, the soap
or other cleansing materials being inserted within or applied to short lengths of
such tubes, the ends being sewn or otherwise closed up to form pads or rubbers in
accordance with my Invention:
Pads or rubbers made in accordance with my Invention may have elastic holders
of india-rubber or other materials applied thereto for convenience in use, if desired:
Or they may be inserted in or be applied to holders made.of wood or other materials,
and such holders may be formed with receptacles containing soap or other cleansing
materials for supplying the pads or rubbers when in use.
Pads or rubbers of this character may be used for cleansing floors, walls, or other
surfaces in place of brushes.
Solid or hollow balls of wood or other material may be covered with hair, or
mixtures of hair and wool (woven, or felted, or otherwise), and charged with soap
or other cleansing materials, such balls being introduced into washing machines of
various constructions, and the interior surfaces of washing machines may be lined
with rubbing or cleansing surfaces of the character previously described in accordance
with my Invention.
د
The surfaces of washing rollers may also be covered with hair or mixtures of hair
and wool charged with soap or other cleansing materials in accordance with my
Invention.
By the application of soap or other cleansing materials for cleansing purposes in
the manner previously described great economy of soap and time is effected, and
the use of the pads or rubbers will not injure the most delicate fabrics.