IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING, BLACKING, AND POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of Chancery Lane, in 'the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING, BLACKING, AND POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND
OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from abroad by Pierre Paul Audoye,
of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left, by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th August 1878.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent:
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING, BLACKING, AND
POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER ARTICLES." [A communication from abroad
by Pierre Paul Audoye, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for cleaning, blacking, and
polishing boots and shoes, harness; and other articles to be polished.
The brushes of the machine are varied in form and arrangement, and in the
materials of which they are made, according to the purpose for which the machine
is intended. They may be made of horsehair, bristles, piasava, twigs, metal wire
of round or flat section, or they may be composed of pads.
The brushes may have either rotary or reciprocating rectilinear motion.
The three operations necessary for polishing boots and shoes or other articles,
viz., cleaning, blacking, and polishing, may be effected by separate brushes or by a
single brush, of which different portions are devoted to these several operations.
In the latter case the part by which the blacking or polish is applied may be
operated at a much lower speed than the other portions devoted to cleaning and
polishing.
not
i
The machine may be arranged to polish boots and shoes whilst on the foot or

page_text: arrangement which I will describe the different operations are effected by rotary
brushes driven either by a treadle or winch handle, and the blacking or other polish
is fed to a roller and is by it applied to the proper part of the brush by pulling a
cord or a rod, as the case may be, as hereafter described.
In this arrangement intended for polishing boots held in the hand, the blacking
part of the brush is driven much slower than the cleaning and polishing parts.
Figure 1 shows a front elevation; Figure 2, a plan; Figure 3, an end elevation
of this arrangement.
Figure 4, a front elevation partly in section of the brush showing the differential
gear for driving the blacking and the cleaning and polishing portions thereof.
Figure 5 shows a cross section of the working part of the machine showing the
feed apparatus for supplying the blacking to the brush.
The rotary brush is divided into two parts, of which one is marked a, a', and
the other b placed side by side and rotating about the same axis, although they are
not on the same spindle. The part a, a, for cleaning and polishing is keyed on a
spindle e, and is driven through a pulley d keyed on the end thereof, whereas the
other part b for applying the blacking is driven through a pulley e loose on c.
This spindle is mounted in the end frames f, on one of which is mounted the band
wheel driven by a crank , connecting rod i, and treadle j. A second smaller band
rink is attached to wheel g, and upon these two rims and upon pulleys d, e, run
cords l, m, for driving respectively the brushes a, a, and b, the latter thus receiving
a slower motion than the former, so as to avoid the blacking being thrown off by
centrifugal action; n, weight to balance the wheel g."
The brushes are partly enveloped on the lower side by a half round trough o
mounted between the frames f. In this trough is suspended by hooks and eyes p
a box or receptacle divided into two compartments. The compartment g contains
the supply of blacking, and the compartment r contains an ellipsoidal roller s, whose
spindle t is mounted in the sides of the box. The two compartiments q and are
separated by a partition u, between which and the bottom of the box there is a
certain interval. On this partition a door v is hinged at , the said door descending
to the bottom of the box. A spring y holds this door shut, and it is opened to give
passage to a certain quantity of blacking from 7 to r by pulling knob z and cord w,.
which passes over pulley l, and is attached to the bottoin of door v. On releasing
the cord the spring closes the door and cuts off the communication. On raising
knob b' the box is by means of rod c' oscillated on the pivot or axis on which it is
mounted in order to approach the ellipsoidal rollers towards the blacking brush b,
which turns the roller by contact and takes from it the blacking with which it is
charged.
The method of suspending the blacking box enables it to be readily removed to
be cleaned or repaired. The part a² is for cleaning the boot and the part a for
polishing, and part b for blacking, the boot being applied to the one or the other as
the case may be whilst driven by the treadle.
In the second arrangement represented in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the brush, instead
of being rotary, receives a rectilinear to-and-fro movement from a treadle motion.
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively front and end elevations, and Figure 8 is a
plan.
The same letters refer to the same parts in these three Figures.
The brush a has an undulating surface, which divides it so to speak into three
portions, each devoted to one of the three operations before mentioned. The stock b
of the brush is furnished with projecting ribs e, which slide in grooves or guides on
the table d; this table is supported on frames e. The brush a is operated by a
connecting rod fjointed at one end to the front end of the brush stock b, and con-
nected at the other to the crank shaft g. On the latter is keyed a pulley
driven
by a belt i from the fly wheel j, which is operated by the treadle through the
connecting rod and crank m; n is a box fixed on the table d and containing
blacking, in which dips a pad attached to the end of a jointed-lever o. This box is
at a suitable distance from the part of the brush which is to receive the blacking,

page_text: "
so that by moving lever o on its pivot, the blacking may be transferred to the
brush.
I reserve the right to clothe with bristles the under side of the brush stock b, so
that it is only necessary to reverse it when the upper brush is worn out.
A third arrangement is represented in longitudinal section in Figure 9, and in
plan, Figure 10, is intended for blacking boots whilst on the feet; C, brush for
blacking the top and sides of the boot; B, curved brush for blacking the heel; E,
iron frame, in which are fixed the two brushes. The brush C is received in the
lower part of the frame and fixed in the upper part by four steel springs. The
brush D is placed vertically and carried by a crank lever O; F, sliding rod attached
to frame E and coupled to the crank shaft H by a connecting rod G; J is a
pinion keyed on shaft H; and I is a toothed wheel gearing therewith and keyed on
the shaft of a fly wheel K provided with a winch handle L, whereby a to-and-fro
motion is imparted to frame E and brush C, the extent of course being about
2 inches; M are frames in which the shafts are mounted; N, cast-iron block on
which the foot is placed, and which is furnished with guides for the frame E to
slide in. The lever O, which imparts to the semicircular brush D an up-and-down
motion, is operated by the frame E with which it is connected by the bent
arm P.
The Drawing shows one set of brushes only, but any number may be operated
from the same driving shaft, and in this case they would be arranged in pairs so
as to polish both boots at once..
Figures 11, 12, and 13 show another modification; also specially intended for
polishing boots.
Figures 11 and 12 respectively show an elevation and plan of the mechanism
for transmitting motion to the brushes, whilst Figure 13 shows the brushes
themselves.
In this arrangeinent the brushes travel round the boot. F, F', are two frame plates
connected and supported by pillars, and provided each with a slot H of the some-
what elliptical form shown, in which travels a spindle B furnished with flanged
friction rollers G, G³, that fit in said slot. On the upper end of this spindle B is
fixed a brush carrier A, to which three brushes M, M', M³, are attached by wing
nuts and slotted plates, so that they may be readily adjusted, the plates being
moreover winged as shown in Figure 13. These brushes are caused to incline
themselves and follow the contour of the boot by means of a spiral spring pendulum
lever and parallel motion, and the brushes may be in several pieces jointed together
in order to more readily adapt themselves to the form of the boot. The spindle B
does not rotate on its own axis but travels in the elliptical slot H, being carried
round by forked arms C, C¹, to the extremities of which spindle B is attached, the
said arms sliding on square blocks fixed on the main central spindle D. The latter
spindle is tubular and mounted on a fixed pin or bolt, by which the central portions
of plates F, F¹, are held in place. This spindle is driven by a band running on a
pulley E.
.
One brush is intended for cleaning, another for blacking, and the third for
polishing. The second one is supplied with blacking from a perforated receptacle
which it rubs in passing.
The brush carrier A is turned round to bring one or other of the brushes into.
action by loosening the wing nut by which it is attached to spindle B.
If necessary there may be several such brush carriers A.
Beneath the hinge joints by which the brushes are attached to the carrier A, I
may mount an auxiliary brush intended for operating on the heel of the boot.
%

page_text: J
.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
27th February 1879.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
'Patent Agent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING, BLACKING, AND
POLISHING BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from abroad
by Pierre Paul Audoye, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for cleaning, blacking, and
polishing boots and shoes, harness, and other articles to which it is desired to give
a lustrous surface.
The brushes of the machine are varied in form and arrangement, and in the
materials of which they are made, according to the purpose for which the machine
is intended. They may be made of horsehair, bristles, piassava, or other fibres,
round or flat wire, or instead of brushes, pads may be used.
The brushes or pads may have either rotary or reciprocating rectilinear motion..
The three operations necessary for polishing boots and shoes or other articles,
viz., cleaning, blacking, and polishing, may be effected by separate brushes or by a
single brush, of which different portions are devoted to these several operations. In
the latter case the part by which the blacking or polish is applied may move at a
much lower speed' than the other portions devoted to cleaning and polishing.
The machine may be arranged to polish boots and shoes whilst on the foot or not.
The machines are therefore subject to various modifications, and in the first arrange-
ment which I will describe, the different operations are effected by rotary brushes
driven either by a treadle or winch handle, and the blacking or other polish is fed
to a roller, and is by. it applied to the proper part of the brush by pulling a cord or
a rod, as the case may be, as hereafter described..
In this arrangement intended for polishing boots held in the hand, the blacking
part of the brush is driven much slower than the cleaning and polishing parts.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shows a front elevation; Figure-2, a
plan and Figure 3, an end elevation of this arrangement.
;
Figure 4 is a front elevation partly in section of the brush showing the dif-
ferential gear for driving the blacking and the cleaning and polishing portions
thereof.
Figure 5 shows a cross section of the working part of the machine showing the
feed apparatus for supplying the blacking to the brush.
The rotary brush is divided into two parts, of which one is marked a, a', and
the other, b, placed side by side and rotating about the same axis, although they are
not on the same spindle. The part a, a, for cleaning and polishing is keyed on a
spindle c, and is driven through a pulley d keyed on the end thereof, whereas the
other part, b, for applying the blacking is fixed on a tubular spindle running on
spindle c and driven through a pulley. e, fixed on. said tubular spindle. The
spindle c. is mounted in. the end frames f, in one of which is mounted the
band wheel driven by a crank h, connecting rod i and treadle j. A second
smaller band rim is attached to wheel g and upon these two rims and upon
pulleys d, e, run cords l, m, for driving respectively the brushes a, a', and b, the
latter thus receiving a slower motion-than the former, so as to avoid the blacking
being thrown off by centrifugal action; ni is a weight to balance the wheel J.
The brushes are partly enveloped on the lower. side by a half round
trough o mounted between the frames f In this trough is suspended by
hooks and eyes p a box or receptacle divided into two compartments. The
compartiment q contains the supply of blacking, and the compartment r contains
an ellipsoidal roller 8, whose spindle t is mounted in the sides of the box. The two.
compartments and are separated by a partitionu, between which and the
bottom of the box there is a certain interval. On this partition a door is hinged

page_text: at x, the said door descending to the bottom of the box. A spring y holds this door
shut, and it is opened to give passage to a certain quantity of blacking from a to r
by pulling knob and a cord w, which passes over pulley 1, and is attached to the
bottom of door v. On releasing the cord the spring closes the door and cuts off the
communication. On raising knob b' the box is, by means of rod c', oscillated on
the pivot or axis on which it is mounted, in order to approach the ellipsoidal
roller 8 towards the blacking brush b, which turns the roller by contact and takes
from it tho blacking with which it is charged.
The method of suspending the blacking box enables it to be readily removed to
be cleaned or repaired. The part a' is for cleaning, the part a for polishing, and
part b for blacking the boot, the latter being applied to the one or the other, as the
case may be, whilst the brushes are being driven by the treadle.
In the second arrangement, represented in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the brush, instead
of being rotary, receives a rectilinear to-and-fro movement from a treadle motion. .
Figures 6 and 7 are rospectively front and end elevations, and Figure 8 is a
plan.
The same letters refer to the same parts in these three Figures.
:
The brush a has an undulating surface which divides it, so to speak, into three
portions, cach devoted to one of the three operations before mentioned. The stock b
of the brush is furnished with lateral projecting ribs c, which slide in grooves or
guides on the table d; this table is supported on frames c. The brush a is operated
by a connecting rod f jointed at one end to the front end of the brush stock b, and
connected at the other to the crank shaft g. On the latter is keyed a pulley h
driven by a belt i from the fly wheel j, which is operated by the treadle k through
the connecting rod 7 and crank m; n is a box fixed on the table d and containing
blacking, in which is dipped a pad attached to the end of a jointed lever o. This
box is at a suitable distance from the part of the brush which is to receive the
blacking, so that by moving lever o on its pivot the blacking may be transferred to
the brush.
..
I reserve the right to clothe with bristles the under side of the brush stock b, so
that it is only necessary to reverse it when the upper brush is worn out.
A third arrangement represented in longitudinal section in Figure 9, and in plan,
Figure 10, is intended for polishing boots whilst on the feet; C, brush for blacking
the top and sides of the boot; B, curved brush for blacking the hoel; E, iron frame
in which the two brushes are fixed. The brush C is received in the lower part of
the frame and fixed in the upper part by four steel springs. The brush D is placed
vertically and carried by a cranked lever O; F, sliding rod attached to frame E
and coupled to the crank shaft H by a connecting rod G; J is a pinion keyed on
shaft H, and I is a toothed wheel gearing therewith and keyed on the shaft of a
fly wheel K provided with a winch handle L, whereby a to-and-fro motion is
imparted to frame E and brush C, the extent of course being about two inches ;
Mare frames in which the shafts are mounted; N, cast-iron block on which the
foot is placed, and which is furnished with guides for the frame E to slide in. The
lever O which imparts to the semicircular brush D an up-and-down motion is
operated by the frame E, with which it is connected by the bent arm P.
The Drawing shows one set of brushes only, but any number may be operated
from the same driving shaft, and they would then be arranged in pairs so as to
polish both boots at once.
Figures 11, 12, and 13 show another modification, also specially intended for
polishing boots.
Figures 11 and 12 respectively show an elevation and plan of the mechanism
for transmitting motion to the brushes, whilst Figure 13 shows the brushes
themselves.
3
In this arrangement the brushes travel round the boot; F, F¹, are two frame
plates connected and supported by pillars, and provided each with a slot H (of the
somewhat elliptical form shown) in which travels a spindle B furnished with Hanged
friction rollers G, G', that fit in said slot. On the upper end of this spindle B is fixed

page_text: a brush carrier A, to which three brushes M, M¹, M³, are attached by wing nuts and
slotted plates, so that they may be readily adjusted, the plates being moreover
hinged, as shown in Figure 13. These brushes are brought into work separately
and are then caused to incline themselves and follow the contour of the boot by the
pressure of a spiral spring, or by other suitable means. The brushes may be in
several pieces jointed together in order to more readily adapt themselves to the form
of the boot. The spindle B does not rotate on its own axis, but travels in the elliptical
alot H, being carried by round forked arms C, CL, to the extremities of which the
spindle B is attached, the said arms sliding on the square blocks fixed on the main
central spindle D. The latter spindle is tubular and mounted on a fixed pin or bolt,
by which the central portions of plates F, F, are held in place; this spindle is
driven by a band running on a pulley E..
One brush is intended for cleaning, another for blacking, 'and the third for
polishing. The second one is supplied with blacking from a perforated receptacle,
which it rubs in passing.
The brush carrier A is turned round to bring one or other of the brushes into
action by loosening. the wing nut by which it is attached to spindle B.
If necessary there may be several such brush carriers A.
Beneath the hinge joints by which the brushes are attached to the carrier A, I
may mount an auxiliary brush, intended for operating on the heel of the boot.
Figures 14 and 15 show a modified arrangement of the apparatus last described
for: cleaning boots while on the feet, the modifications being in the brush holder, in
the mode of attaching it to the guide roller spindle, in the arrangement of the
brushes, and in the application of a sliding arm and spring stop.
The brushes are operated in the same manner as those last described.
Figure 14 is a vertical section of a portion of the upper frame plate, showing the
guide or friction roller in its slot, and Figure 15 is a plan.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate the saine parts in the two
Figures.
a, arm supporting the brush holder; it is forked and embraces 'the squared top
of spindle b, to which it is secured by a wing nut d so as to admit of the brushes
being adjusted nearer to or farther from said spindle; e is a disc, toothed around
its periphery, upon which the brushes are mounted. This disc may turn freely upon
a pin ffixed on arm a, and having mounted upon its upper end another disc g;
h, h, jointed brushes with india-rubber backs stiffened by strips of iron or steel i,
which are bent at a right angle at the lower end to afford means of screwing the
brushes to the disc; j, lug on the strip i immediately above its joint, in which lug
is a notch to receive the edge of the upper disc g, which thus locks the brush
straight; is a notch in the edge of disc g to allow the lug j'to be unlocked from
said disc g in order 'to turn the brush down; l, spring pressing against the bottom
of the lug to push the brush down when no longer held by disc g; m is a bent arm
toothed at the extremity and-capable of being slid into gear wich the disc e, and of
rotating it sufficiently to bring the lug on one of the brushes opposite the notch k
in plate g, and allow of the upper half of said brush being turned down upon its
hinge by the spring ; n, slot in arm m; through which passes a screw o fixed in
the frame plate and forming, a guide, upon which said arm m is slid-to and fro;
p, wing nut on o by which arm m is fixed in the position desired; ", spring stop
entering a notch in the end of arm a.
The back of one of the brushes is made hollow to contain a supply of blacking,
which is supplied to the bristles through a number of perforated bulbs on that side
of the brush back in which the bristles are fixed, in such a way that the pressure
of the latter causes the requisite quantity of blacking to flow from the reservoir in
the brush back into the bristles.
The blacking may, however, be supplied in any other suitable manner, and
the brushes may be of any form, and the backs.be.made of any material desired.--
Several of these brush holders may be combined in one machine, in which casé a
corresponding number of guide rollers and accessories would be employed.

page_text: Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the several arrangements of apparatus
for cleaning, blacking, and polishing boots, shoes, and other articles, constructed and
operating substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander. Melville Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.