Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire Brushes and in the Apparatus Used therein.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 9th Sept., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 11th Oct., 1887.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire Brushes and in the
Apparatus Used therein.
I, GEORGE FREDDERICK RIGBY of 66, Eyre Street, Sheffield, in the County of York
Manufacturer of Wire brushes do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE BRUSHES AND IN THE APPARATUS USED
THEREIN to be as follows :-
This invention refers more particularly to the manufacture of such wire brushes as
are used in the Electro plating trades, the object being to facilitate the manufacture of
such brushes, and to reduce the cost of same.
These brushes (which consist of a bundle of fine metallic wires covered by a coil of
strong wire from end to end, with the exception of a portion at one end which act as
the brush) have hitherto been made singly, but by my improved process and apparatus
I am enabled to make them double, thus I save time, and I avoid having to cut off
two loop ends and consequent loss of material.
My invention consists in the first place in reeling the coils of wire of a sufficient
length to form two brushes when cut transversely, and in carrying it into practice I
construct a standard, having suitable gearing for revolving a spindle upon which the
reeler is placed, but in such a manner that it can be readily taken off.
The wire to form the brush is wound upon pegs projecting from the reeler, placed
for example twenty inches apart if making ten inch brushes; this being done by
turning the wheels and causing the reeler to revolve and draw the wire off a
"swift."
An indicator in connection with the wheels gives the number of revolutions of the
reeler, and is placed so as to be conveniently seen by the workman.
When the desired quantity of wire has been coiled on the reeler, it is taken off and
being held by suitable means at each end, it is coiled round with strong wire so as to
form a round shank or body; this being completed it is cut in two transversely, the
cut ends being secured by dipping in molten metal.
The opposite or loop ends are then cut open and finished in the usual manner to
form the brush.
Dated the 8th day of December 1886.
ROBT. F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire Brushes and in the
Apparatus Used therein.
I GEORGE FREDDERICK RIGBY of 66, Eyre Street, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer of wire brushes do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement:―
This invention refers more particularly to the manufacture of the wire brushes that
are used in the Electro plating trades, the object being to facilitate the manufacture of
such brushes, and to reduce the cost of same."
The annexed sheet of drawings illustrates the method of manufacture, and also the
improved apparatus used therein, the same letters of reference if repeated in any of
the figures indicate the same or similar parts.
Fig. 1, is a completed brush.
Fig. 2, shows two brushes before separation.
Fig. 3, method of dipping the brush in solder.
Fig. 4, Front Elevation of Apparatus for winding the brushing wire, and indicator
to measure the quantity.
The brushes of which one is shown in Fig. 1, consist of a bundle of metallic wires A
which are covered by a coil of strong wire B, from one end to the other, with the
exception of a portion at one end, which are to act as the brush. These brushes have
hitherto been made singly as represented in Fig. 1, which process entails a considerable
amount of waste of material, but by my improved process I am enabled to make them
double or combined, and by so doing save both time and material.
In carrying out my invention I construct a machine of which Fig. 4, is a front
elevation, it consists of a standard C, of any suitable construction, and preferably fixed
upon a base D. The Standard is arranged to carry a large wheel that can be turned
by a handle E, or by other equivalent means, and which gears into a pinion, or train
of pinions, so as to obtain speed.
The spindle of the pinion is made to project from the standard, and of suitable shape
to receive the reel F, or other reels of different lengths which may be readily taken off
and replaced whenever required. The reel is provided with two pins G upon which
the wire is wound from a swift until the required quantity is obtained; this is shown
by the finger of the indicator H, which is a simple counting machine, which consists
of a fixed dial I, with a movable or revolving finger connected with a train of wheels
driven by a worm fixed upon a shaft J, having a pinion gearing into the large wheel
which drives the reel.
When the desired quantity of wire has been wound upon the reel, (the pegs of
which are placed apart at a distance equal to twice the length of the required brush),

page_text: it is taken off and being held by any suitable means applied to each end, it is coiled
round with strong copper wire (by preference) so as to form a round shank or body
as shown in Fig. 2.
The centre portion, midway between the ends, is then soldered to prevent it
uncoiling, and it is sawn or by other means cut transversely in two.
The temporary soldering must now be perfected so as to prevent any loosening of
the wires, and this I accomplish by dipping the cut end into molten solder, see Fig. 3.
I unwind a coil or two of the coiling wire K, so as to allow the exposed wires to
expand slightly, and holding the end of the coiled wire K in one hand, the brush in
the other, I dip it into the molten solder indicated by the dotted lines L. If the
wire K, was not so held, the first solder on being dissolved would allow the coiled
wire to spring open or uncoil slightly and this would not be satisfactory.
The loop ends of the brush are then divided and finished in the usual manner to
form the brush.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1-In the manufacture of wire brushes, the method of winding or reeling the wire,
in a loop of sufficient length to make two of the required brushes, substantially as
herein before described.
2-In the manufacture of wire brushes, the improved Apparatus for reeling the
wire, in combination with the indicator (or without same) substantially as hereinbefore
described and as shown in Fig. 4.
3-In the manufacture of wire brushes the method of soldering the butt ends of
the brushes, by uncoiling the wire for a short distance so as to allow the wires to
expand and the solder to enter the spaces, when dipped in the molten metal or solder
substantially as hereinbefore described.