Improvements in Apparatus for Smoothing or Scraping Ceilings Preparatory to Whitening.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., '895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Smoothing or Scraping Ceilings
Preparatory to Whitening.
We, CHARLES DARRAH of Miller Street, Manchester, Manufacturer, and
RICHARD BRIERLEY of 27 Fylde Street, Preston, Plumber, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention has for its object to smooth or scrape ceilings of rooms in a more
efficient manner than heretofore and to enable the plaster debris which is scraped
away to be caught in a box or receiver forming part of the scraping appliance
instead of falling to the floor or flying about to the inconvenience of the
operator.
Now our invention consists of a planing tool comprising a broad faced scraping
knife somewhat similar to the plane iron of a wood plane which is fitted to a
"sole" plate fixed at one extremity to a handle bar. The knife is capable of
projecting through an opening in the sole plate and is adjustable up and down the
handle bar to project through the opening in the sole plate more or less as required.
To the aforesaid arrangement we apply a metal or other suitable box or receptacle
fitting preferably on to the knife and slid thereon loosely so as to be capable of
removal at will.
In using this our improved scraping appliance the cutting edge of the knife is
first advanced beyond the "sole" plate to an extent equal to the depth of scraping
required. The appliance is then applied to the ceiling and worked to and fro, the
sole plate being fixed to the handle bar at such an inclination that the knife is
caused to assume an oblique angle with the ceiling and so effectually scrape the
same.
The plaster debris which is scraped away falls through the opening in the sole
plate into the box aforesaid and is thus prevented failing onto the floor.
When such box becomes filled it may be readily removed, emptied and
replaced.
The adjustment of the knife determines the amount of plaster to be removed
and such adjustment may be best effected by a slot and wing nut arrangement. The
sole plate forms a guide for the knife and ensures even scraping of the ceiling.
Dated this 30th day of May 1894.
Improvements in Apparatus for Smoothing or Scraping Ceilings
Preparatory to Whitening.
We, CHARLES DARRAH of Miller Street, Manchester, Manufacturer, and
RICHARD BRIERLEY of 27 Fylde Street, Preston, Plumber, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention has for its object to smooth or scrape ceilings of rooms in a more
efficient manner than heretofore and to enable the plaster debris which is scraped
.

page_text: away to be caught in a box or receiver forming part of the scraping tool instead
of falling to the floor or flying about to the inconvenience of the operator.
Now our invention consists essentially of a planing tool, comprising a broad faced
knife, a "sole" or planing plate, and a box and handle (or combined box and
handle) as hereinafter described.
The said "sole" plate is fixed at an angle of about 30° to the handle (or box)
and is formed with a slot, through which the knife aforesaid can be made to
protrude to a degree equal to the layer or thickness of plaster to be removed.
In using our improved scraping appliance, the "sole" plate is held flat against
the ceiling and worked to and fro, thus causing the knife in the forward movement
to plane the ceiling and remove an even layer of plaster which falling away before
the advancing cutting edge of the knife falls into the box aforesaid.
And in order that our said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and we will
now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan of our improved planing tool.
Fig. 1 is shewn partly in section to illustrate the action of our improved tool
more clearly. Fig. 3 is a side view shewing how the debris is removed from
the box.
In accordance with our invention, and the manner in which we have carried it
into practical effect, we employ a box or receiver (A) provided with a handle (B).
At one end of this we mount a plate (C) (hereinafter called the "sole" plate)
which is hinged to one side of the box. at (C) and is secured to the other side by a,
by preference, "snap" connection.
Upon the front of the box we mount the knife (D) having a slot (E) formed in it,
to engage with a screw (F) fixed to the box (A). The cutting edge (D¹) of this
knife protrudes through a slot (G) in the sole plate (C) and is adjustable through
such slot by reason of the slot (E).
According as the cutting edge protrudes through the slot (G) it will be obvious
that the layer of plaster removed will be of corresponding depth, and to lock the
knife in position when adjusted we provide a wing nut (H).
The action of the appliance is as illustrated in Fig. 1. When the box (A) is
full, the plate (C), which forms a lid, is opened and the box inverted, so dislodging
the contents as illustrated in Fig. 3.
In lieu of the box (A) a bag may be employed with the handle (B) or its
equivalent, secured to the plate (C) direct.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it to be understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the exact form, proportions, or relative
dimensions of our improved scraping appliance, and what we claim and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is :-
1st. The planing tool hereinbefore described, consisting of a box (A), handle (B)
"sole" plate (C), knife (D), screw (F) and nut (H), all combined and arranged
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
2nd. In appliances for planing or smoothing ceilings and the like, the use of a
knife in combination with a "sole" plate and mounted and arranged for planing
off an even thickness of plaster substantially as set forth.
3rd. In appliances for planing or smoothing ceilings and the like the use of a
planing knife in combination with a box or receiver to catch and collect the debris
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 27th day of February 1895.
JOHN G. WILSON & Co.,