IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BRUSHES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME, AND IN THE PREPARATION OR TEMPERING OF WIRE TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, APPLICABLE ALSO IN THE TREATMENT OF WIRE OR STEEL FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Ashworth, Robert Ashworth, and Elijah Ashworth,
all of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BRUSHES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME, AND IN THE PREPARATION
OR TEMPERING OF WIRE TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, APPLICABLE
ALSO IN THE TREATMENT OF WIRE OR STEEL FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Ashworth, Robert
Ashworth, and Elijah Ashworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 30th March 1878.
GEORGE ASHWORTH, ROBERT ASHWORTH, and ELIJAH ASHWORTH, all of Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC
BRUSHES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE
SAME, AND IN THE PREPARATION OR TEMPERING OF WIRE TO BE USED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE, APPLICABLE ALSO IN THE TREATMENT OF WIRE OR STEEL FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
Our Invention relates principally and in the first place to wire brushes having
headed pins fixed in an elastic material. In a former Invention for which Letters
Patent bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six, and numbered 3909, have been granted to us, we sewed
the elastic material to leather, and fixed the leather in a recess formed in a wooden
handle or back.
According to our present Invention we in the first place attach the said clastic
material to a piece of tinned metal or of sheet brass, zinc, copper, or of soft metal or
alloy, and dish or bend the metal, so that its margin can be inserted in the under-
cut margin of the recess formed in the handle, the metal being secured in position
by means of a screw or of screws, or we attach the said material to steel or to hard

page_text: rolled brass or metal, having a degree of resilience, and we spring the metal into its
place. The attachment of the said elastic material to the metal may be effected by
sewing or riveting to the previously nicked or perforated metal or by clamping over
the edges of the metal, or by slitting the edges and turning up parts which are
passed through the material and clamped down, or by other suitable means.
In the second place we mount the elastic material containing the metallic pins
upon a piece of wood, and fix thereon by means of pins driven through the folded-
down margin of the said material and into the edge of the piece of wood. We may
bevel the under edge of the piece of wood, and drive in the pins in diagonal direc-
tions, or we may stitch the material to the piece of wood, or secure it by means of
stitches passing across the back of the piece of wood; or we may groove the edge of
the piece of wood and secure the material by means of binding wire, or we may
secure the material by other suitable means. The piece of wood is then screwed or
secured to the handle, or is cemented into a suitably formed recess by means of
shellac or other cement. The back or handle or the piece to which the elastic
material is secured may be made of papier maché, vulcanite, or moulded compo-
sition, and if found to be suitable the said elastic material may be cemented directly
to the back.
In some cases we may cover the handles with moulded, embossed, or ornamented
leather. For some purposes, as, for example, in the formation of hat brushes, we
employ a material set with staples in a card-setting machino. We may cover the
backs of such hat brushes with plush, and secure the edges of the plush within the
recess in the back by means of the aforesaid piece of wood or material.
In the third place for some uses we form brushes, not having wooden backs, by
stitching the elastic material provided with pins to a back of leather, a strap crossing
the back being attached by the operation of sewing, or being otherwise riveted or
secured to the brush. Such brushes are very suitable for use in the grooming of
horses.
In the fourth place we secure the said elastic material to a metal back, which may
or may not be provided with a handle, either formed in one piece with the back by
folding or turning over the edges or otherwise, or to be attached thereto. The said
material is secured by riveting, stitching, clamping, or other suitable means, as, for
example, the margin of the metal back may be nicked, and the said material be
secured by means of pins, staples, or wire passing through the nicks, or the
edges or parts of the edges may be turned up and clamped down on to the
material.
In the fifth place we set a margin of bristles around the cluster of wire pins. In
the cases of the recessed wooden backs, the wire for drawing in and retaining the
bristles would be within the undercut margin of the recess, and would therefore be
concealed.
In the cases of the brushes having leather backs the bristles would be wired in,
either from the edge or the back of the leather.
In the cases of the brushes having metal backs the bristles would be set in a
margin of leather riveted or secured to the metal back.
In the sixth place we form cylindrical brushes for brushing hair or for other uses
by securing the material set with pins to the circumferences of cylinders of wood or
other suitable material. We prefer to sew the pin-set material to a strip or sheet
of leather backing, and to cement or secure this to the roller.
Another portion of our Invention relates to the recessing of wooden backs for
some of the aforesaid brushes. We fix the back upon a table, to which a revolving
motion is imparted. The said table is also fitted to slide to and fro upon the carrier,
which receives a revolving motion, the sliding movement being governed by means
of a circular guide which can be adjusted excentrically with reference to the axis
of revolution. A cutter is carried by a revolving spindle, and is formed to undercut
the back, as described in our said former Invention. The axes of motion of the
carrier spindle and of the cutter spindle are inclined with respect to each other,

page_text: that is to say, one spindle is inclined from a straight line drawn through the axis
of the other spindle, whereby the action of the cutter is facilitated, and the recess is
cut deeper at the margin than at the centre. The cutter spindle is traversed as the
cutting proceeds, either by hand or by self-acting means.
In one arrangement a cam on a revolving shaft actuates a slide which carries the
cutter spindle. When the cutting is completed the slide is returned by means of a
weight, and the movements of the parts are arrested by means of a second cam
which acts upon a lever connected with the strap guide. For some purposes the
machine may be set to form recesses not having undercut margins.
A remaining part of our Invention relates to the hardening or temporing of steel
wire for use in the manufacture of brushes. We draw the wire by preference in a
straight line from a reel through a gas flame or through gas flames, or through
a coke or charcoal fire, or through a fire or a heated tube or chamber, so as to heat
the wire to the required degree. The heated wire passes through a bath or stream
of oil or other suitable liquid or matter, whereby it becomes hardened. If necessary
or desirable the wire may then pass through a second flame, or be again heated
to the extent required to "burn off" the oil or matters, so as to obtain the required
temper.
The temper may be regulated by controlling the speed of travel of the wire or the
temperature or nature of the bath in which it is quenched, and we prefer to give
motion to the wire by means of friction discs and pinions, or of cone strap pulleys,
so that the speed of travel may be regulated by the attendant. Wire or ribbons of
steel so hardened or tempered may also be employed in the manufacture of wire
cards or for other purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Ashworth, Robert Ashworth, and Elijah Ashworth in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th September 1878.
GEORGE ASHWORTH, ROBERT ASHWORTH, and ELIJAH ASHWORTH, all of Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC
BRUSHES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE
SAME, AND IN THE PREPARATION OR TEMPERING OF WIRE TO BE USED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE, APPLICABLE ALSO IN THE TREATMENT OF WIRE OR STEEL FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
Our Invention relates principally and in the first place to wire brushes, having
headed pins fixed in an elastic material. In a former Invention for which Letters
Patent bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six, and numbered 3909, have been granted to us, we sewed
the elastic material to leather, and fixed the leather in a recess formed in a wooden
handle or back.
Our present Invention consists of now or improved methods of securing the pin-
set material to the backs or handles, and of methods of forming brushes for various
useful purposes, and also of apparatus for recessing the wooden handles and backs
for the said wire brushes.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood we have appended
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings
we will refer when describing the separate parts of our Invention.
In the first place we attach the elastic material in which headed pins have been
fixed to a piece of tinned or plated metal, or of sheet brass, zinc, copper, or of soft
metal or alloy, and we dish or bend the metal so that its margin can be inserted in
the undercut margin of the recess formed in the handle or back, in the manner
indicated in cross section in Fig. 1. When the metal is bedded down upon the
back a the edges of the metal plate enter the marginal recesses, as indicated in
Fig. 2. The metal plate with the attached elastic material may then be secured by
means of a screw or of screws, as indicated. The metal plate may be of steel or
hard rolled brass, or of a metal or alloy having a degree of resilience, in which case
it may be bent and sprung into its place, screws or fastenings being used or not as
considered to be necessary. The attachment of the said elastic material to the
metal may be effected by sewing or riveting to the previously nicked or perforated
metal plate, or by clamping over the edges or margin of the plate, or by slitting the
edges or margin, and by turning up parts which are passed through the elastic
material, and clamped down, or by other suitable means.
Fig. 3 represents a portion of the margin of a metal plate which has been slitted.
The elastic material may be secured to the plate by sewing, the needle being passed
through the slits or pins, or rivets may be passed through or driven into the
slits.
Fig. 4 is a section illustrating the method of attachment by turning over and
clamping down the margin of the metal plate, so as to tightly nip the margin
of the elastic material.
In the example illustrated by Fig. 5 slits are cut or punched in the margin of the
plate, so as to leave teeth, which are turned up and clamped down on to the elastic
material.
In Fig. 6 the teeth are of a pointed form, and are forced through the substance of
the material, or through perforations formed therein, and are hammered or pressed
down.
In the second place we mount the said elastic material upon a piece of wood, and
fix thereon by means of pins driven through the folded margin of the said material
and into the substance of the wood, or we secure the material by means of stitches
passing across the back of the piece of wood, or we groove the edge of the piece of

page_text: wood and secure the material by means of binding wire, cord, or thread, or we
secure the material to the piece of wood by other suitable means. The piece of
wood is then screwed or secured to the handle, or is cemented into a suitably
formed recess by means of shellac or other cement.
Figs. 7 and 8, drawn in section, illustrate the method of attaching the material
to a piece of wood b by means of pins. In Fig. 7 the margin of the material is so
wide as that it can be folded over the edge of the wood so as to extend to the
back thereof. Pins c are then driven through the material into the wood, or the
opposite margins at c, c, may be sewn together by stitches passing across the back
of the wood. In Fig. 8 the edge of the wood is levelled and the pins are driven in
diagonal directions into the substance of the wood.
Fig. 9 represents an edge view of a piece of wood, which may be of an oval or
other suitable form. In the edge of the wood a groove d is formed. The material
is placed on the wood, and the margin of the material is folded down, and is
embraced in a coil of wire, which is tightened up so as to press the material into
the groove, and is then tied, twisted, or secured.
Fig. 10 illustrates the manner of securing the piece of wood with the material
secured thereto by any of the indicated means into a recess formed into the handle
or back represented in section. The back f may be made of papier maché,
vulcanite, or moulded composition or other suitable material.
In some cases we may cement the elastic material directly to backs of such
moulded composition or material. For some purposes, as, for example, in the
formation of hat brushes, we employ a material set with fine wire staples in a card-
setting machine.
Fig. 11 represents a cross section of a hat brush, wherein i is a piece of wood, to
which is secured the material set with fine wire straight-limbed staples of a
suitable length, the material being secured by any of the indicated means. The
piece of wood so covered is fixed in a recess formed in a wooden back k, which is
covered with plush, the edges of the plush being folded down into the recess.
When the part i is screwed or secured to the back it also secures and conceals
the edges of the said plush.
In the third place we for some uses form brushes not having wooden backs by
stitching or securing the elastic pin-set material to a back of leather, a strap
crossing the back being attached by the operation of sewing or being riveted or
otherwise secured to the leather backing and material. Such a brush is represented
in Fig. 12, wherein g is the leather backing, and h is the leather strap. When in
use the hand is passed between the backing g and the strap h. Such brushes are
very suitable for use in the grooming of horses.
In the fourth place we secure the elastic pin-set material to a metal back, which
may or may not be provided with a handle, either formed in one piece with the
back by folding or turning over the edges of a part of the metal blank, or by other-
wise shaping the handle out of the blank, or the said handle may be rivetted or
attached to the metal back. The said back is stronger than the metal plates
referred to in the first part of our Invention, so that any other backing is dispensed
with, but the method of attaching the elastic material to the metal back may be
similar to the methods indicated by Figs. 3 to 6. Brushes so formed are suitable
to be used in the same manner as curry combs in the grooming of horses.
In the fifth place we set a margin of bristles around the cluster of wire pins. In
the cases of brushes having recessed backs, as indicated in Fig. 10, the wire for
drawing in or retaining the bristles would be concealed.
In the cases of the brushes provided with leather backs, as indicated by Fig. 12,
we wire in the bristles either from the edge, as indicated by Fig. 13, or from the
back, as in ordinary brushes.
In the cases of the brushes having metal backs, such for example as cattle or
horse brushes, we fix the bristles in a strip of leather, which is riveted or secured
to the metal back, as indicated by Fig. 14, and surrounds the cluster of wire pins
forming the principal part of the brush.

page_text: In the sixth place we form cylindrical brushes for brushing hair, or for other
uses, by securing the material set with pins to the circumferences of cylinders of
wood or other suitable material. We prefer to sew the pin-set material to a strip
or riband of leather backing, and to coil this spirally around the cylinders so as to
form a roller brush, the leather backing being cemented, tacked, pinned, or secured
to the roller, or the backing may be in the form of a sheet or piece cut to a suitable
form to wrap around and enclose the cylinder. The said cylinder may be perforated
and prepared to revolve upon the usual spindles, or be otherwise formed and adapted
according to the purpose for which it is required.
A remaining part of our Invention relates to the recessing of wooden backs for
some of the aforesaid brushes. Figs. 15 and 16, both partly in section, are illustrative
of one of the machines which we employ for the purpose, Fig. 15 being a side view,
and Fig. 16 a front view. In the said Figures A is a framing of any suitable form upon
which is fixed a standard B. One side of the projecting head of this standard is
planed and formed with "vee slides" to receive a sliding carriage C. In bearings
formed in bosses upon the said carriage a cutter spindle is fitted to revolve,
receiving motion from a strap m, which acts upon a pulley upon the said spindle.
The said carriage can be slid to and fro by means of a screw, which is operated by
a handle n, and works in a nut fixed to the said carriage, as in the case of a lathe
slide rest. A shaft o is fitted to revolve upon an inclined axis in a bearing p, which
is fixed to the framing of the machine. Upon the upper end of this shaft is fixed
or formed a head q, which is planed and forined with vec slides, and upon this head
a table D is fitted to slide. Corresponding parts are seen in Fig. 17, which illus-
trates a modification in the machine. To the under side of the said table are secured
two curved guide blocks r, r, which are fitted to revolve around and in contact
with an annular guide ring 8, which is bolted to the table, but can be adjusted
thereupon so as to be more or less excentric with respect to the axis of the shaft o.
Supposing the said ring were so fixed as to be concentric with the shaft o, the table
D would revolve with the said shaft without sliding upon the head q; but when the
said ring is excentric with respect to the said shaft the said table is caused to slide
to and fro upon the head q during each revolution. The table D is prepared or
fitted to receive and hold in position the wooden back which is to be recessed. In
the example the back indicated by E fits into a recess formed in the face of the
table. A cutter F is fixed to the lower end of the spindle L.
A revolving motion is imparted to the shaft o by means of the worm and wheel
G, the worm being fixed on a shaft t, which is driven by means of a
strap. The
back to be recessed is placed in position upon the table, the carriage C having been
slid in a direction away from the standard, so that the cutter would clear the work
on the completion of the back last operated upon. When the work is in position
the shaft t is started, and the work is thereby caused to revolve and also to move
to and fro in a direction across the axis of revolution. The carriage C is now
moved in the direction indicated by the arrow by turning the handle n, whereby
the cutter is brought into contact with the work. The movement of the carriage
being continued the cutter recesses the handle in all directions away from the
centre, and by reason of the combined rotatory and rectilinear motions of the work
makes the recess of an elliptical or oval form. The cutter is so formed as that when
the recessing is completed, which completion is determined by the further move-
ment of the carriage being arrested by a stop the margin of the oval recess is under-
cut as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1.
For some purposes we do not require the recess to be undercut, nor the bottom of
the recess to be raised in the centre, as, for example, when the back indicated in
Fig. 10 is required. In such cases the action of the shaft o would be vertical and
not inclined.
Fig. 17 is a side elevation partly in section, Fig. 18 is a front elevation, and
Fig. 19 a plan of a modification of the foregoing machine, wherein the machine is
made self-acting to a greater extent. In this machine the table D revolves upon a
vertical axis, but in other respects is arranged to act in the same manner as the

page_text: table in Figs. 15 and 16. The cutter spindle "1" revolves upon an axis which is
inclined with respect to the axis of the shaft "o," whereby an effect corresponding to
that of the first machine is obtained. The said cutter spindle revolves in bearings
in a carriage C which is fitted to slide in a direction at right angles to the axis of
revolution of the cutter spindle or thereabouts. A worm "u" fixed on the shaft "o" and
gearing with a worm wheel which is fixed on a cross shaft "v" imparts a comparatively
slow revolving motion to the said shaft, which revolves once during the recessing of
a back or handle. Upon the said shaft is fixed a cam I, upon which rests one end
of a lever "w" which is fixed upon a shaft J which is mounted in bearings. Upon
the same shaft is fixed a second lever "," the free end of which is connected by a
link with the carriage C. The connection of the said link with the carriage is
made capable of adjustinent. In the example the link is jointed to a nut in which
works a screw "y," which is mounted in the carriage in such a manner as that when
the screw is turned the carriage is moved in one direction or the other whilst the
nut remains stationary. The cam acts upon the lever "w" to effect the sliding of the
carriage C in the direction indicated by the arrow. A weight L attached to a chain
which passes over two carrier pullies,, tends to move the carriage forwards in
the contrary direction to that indicated, and thereby keeps the end of the lever w
pressed upon the cam. A second cam M acts upon a lever a¹ which is mounted on
the shaft J, and is connected by a rod b' with the strap guide bar of a countershaft
motion, from which the cutter spindle and the shaft are driven. When a back to
be recessed is fixed upon the table and the machine is set in motion the cam I
slowly raises the end of the lever w, whereby the carriage C and the cutter spindle
are moved in the direction indicated and the recessing is effected. When the
recessing is completed the cam permits the weight to move back the carriage C, and
during this backward movement the cam Al begins to depress the end of the
lever a', and thereby to shift the strap which drives the countershaft on to the loose
pulley, so that by the time the backward movement of the said carriage is completed
the movements of the machine are arrested.
It has not been considered to be necessary to illustrate the arrangement of the
countershaft and strap guide as such parts may be of ordinary construction.
The details of the two machines may be varied so long as the table to carry the
work and having the combined revolving and traversing movements is used in
combination with a revolving cutting tool.
The arm formed with the slides for the carriage Cinight be hinged or connected
with the standard or framing in such a manner as that the amount of inclination
night be varied, or that it might be so fixed as that the carriage would slido
horizontally, which would render the inachine better adapted for recessing the backs
in accordance with Fig. 10.
In our Provisional Specification and in the title of the Letters Patent granted to
us for our present Invention we included a method of preparing and tempering wire
to be used in the manufacture of brushes and for other purposes; but, in consequence
of two of us, the inventors of the said method, having petitioned Her Majesty on
the Fifth day of September instant to grant unto us Her Royal Letters Patent for
an Invention which embraces the said methods of preparing and tempering wire in
a more fully developed form, we have not described the said method herein, and
have purposely excluded the description thereof herefrom, and we therefore make
no claim whatever herein in respect of the said method of preparing and tempering
wire.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said Invention, and
means whereby the same may be carried into effect, with the exception of the part
thereof which we have purposely omitted herefrom, we would have it to be under-
stood that we claim,-
First. Attaching the pin-set material to suitably shaped pieces of sheet brass, tin,
pewter, steel, or other suitable sheet metal, and inserting and fixing or springing
the backed material into recessed backs or handles, substantially as set forth and
indicated herein-before, and in and by the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Secondly. The methods of attaching the pin-set material to the sheet met a
backings, substantially as set forth and indicated.
Thirdly. Securing the pin-set material to a suitably shaped piece of wood, and
fixing the said wood in a recess in the back or handle formed of vulcanite, papier
maché, or moulded material, or of a suitable material, substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Fourthly. The methods of securing the pin-set material to the pieces of wood,
substantially as set forth and indicated.
Fifthly. The method of forming brushes, substantially as set forth and indicated
with reference to Fig. 17 of the accompanying Drawings.
Sixthly. The brushes formed substantially as set forth and indicated with reference
to Fig. 17 of the accompanying Drawings.
Seventhly. Securing the pin-set material to a metal back, substantially as set
forth, and indicated herein-before and in the fourth place.
Eighthly. Providing the brushes with margins of bristles surrounded the clusters
of metal pins, substantially as set forth and indicated.
Ninthly. The apparatus for recessing the wooden backs, arranged and acting
substantially as set forth and indicated.
And, lastly. The apparatus having a table to receive the work arranged to revolve
and also to slide in a straight line in combination with a revolving cutter, substan-
tially as and for the purpose indicated.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Ashworth, Robert Ashworth, and
Elijah Ashworth, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and
seventy-cight.
GEORGE ASHWORTH. (L.S.)
ROBERT ASHWORTH. (L.S.)
ELIJAH ASHWORTH.
(L.S.)