Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Cleaning Windows and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th Apr., 1887:
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Cleaning Windows
and for similar Purposes.
I, BERNHARD VON SCHENK, of Heidelberg in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus or a device for cleaning and polishing windows
looking glasses and the like without the use of water, and has for its objects to
prevent the accidents which frequently occur in cleaning and polishing plates of glass,
and to enable these operations to be performed in the easiest and simplest manner.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a wooden block to which is
attached one end of a rod by means of which the said device is operated.
To one side of the said block is secured a plate provided with two prongs or arnis.
To the upper end of the said arms is connected a rectangular board upon which a
rubber is formed. This rubber preferably consists of fine tow and artificial wool
which are mixed in equal quantities and covered with linen and then with a fabric
which is manufactured of waste silk, the rougher side being placed outside.
The rubber is secured to the board on the rear side by a band and tacks, or by any
other suitable means.
On a disc between the arms carrying the rubber is arranged a pad. This pad
comprises a strong bag having dressed satin sides, at the upper part of which is
formed a scam through which is drawn a string. The bag is closed at one end with
fine twilled fabric, from which, in contra-distinction to the satin sides, all dressing is
removed by washing in hot water. Thus prepared the bag permits only very
fine dust to pass through its fabric. This bag is filled with a preparation which
is obtained in the following manner: 1 part by weight of cryolite 3 Na² Fl² + Al² Fe°,
and 2 parts by weight of white quartz Si O, are finely pulverized and passed through
a sieve having 5000 meshes per square centimetre.
50 litres of the powder thus obtained are put into 60 litres of cold water, to which
are poured 10 litres of sulphuric acid of 78%. This solution is allowed to remain
standing for 6 hours. The deposit formed during this time is elutriated three times

page_text: with clean water and then is dried at a temperature not exceeding 85 degrees Celsius.
The result is a very fine powder of the following composition viz:-
Silicic acid, 85-10 parts, Magnesia 0-22 parts Aluminium 1.68 parts. Sulphuret
of Calcium 0.06 parts.
The bag of the pad after being filled with this silicate preparation is closed by
a sheet metal disc. This disc has in the centre a hole, through which a screw
is inserted. A cardboard or paste-board disc which has in the centre a hole through
which the screw passes is placed between the disc between the arms and the disc
closing the opening of the bag. Over this intermediate disc is tied the pad.
By the use of the paste-board disc the penetration of the fine powder is prevented
and the bag cannot be rubbed or worn through against the sheet-metal disc.
For the protection of the string securing the pad a wooden disc is arranged
to cover the same. The pad is secured to the disc between the arms by the
said screw.
The contents of the pad are continually pressed towards the discharging point by an
india-rubber band or the like.
At the rear side of the block is fixed a staple. From this staple is suspended
a second pad by means of a hook. This second pad forms a detachable cleaner.
The said hook is so arranged that it serves as a handle for holding the cleaner.
This cleaner has preferably the form of a lyre and serves to clean small panes at the
corners. It is constructed in the same manner as the rubber.
Dated this 21st day of April 1886.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: and for similar Purposes.
I, BERNHARD VON SCHENK, of Heidelberg in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer
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:-
My invention relates to apparatus, or a device, for cleaning and polishing windows,
looking glasses, and the like, without the use of water, and has for its object to
prevent the accidents which frequently occur in cleaning and polishing plates of glass,
and to enable these operations to be performed in the easiest and simplest manner.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a front view of the improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a rear view of the same, and
Figure 3 is a side view.
Figures 4 to 8 shew the different parts of the apparatus in detail.
The said apparatus comprises a wooden rod a of say 2 metres in length and 25 "
in diameter, by means of which the apparatus is operated; a wooden block >> secured
to the rod a and carrying the other parts of the apparatus; and a steel fork c attached
to one side of the said block by means of screws 6 or the like, provided with two
prongs or arms c. At a short distance from the junction of the prongs c¹ is a band d
which carries at its middle a disc d having a central hole.
To the upper ends of the said arms c¹ is connected a rectangular board
e, which is
of sufficient length to project say 55" from the outer edges of the arms c¹. The
said board is thickest at its upper edge and gradually reduces in thickness towards its
lower edge, and it carries a rubbing pad h.
This rubbing pad / preferably consists of fine tow and shoddy which are mixed in
equal quantities and covered with linen and then with a fabric commercially known as
silk leather, which is manufactured from waste-silk the rougher side being placed
outwards.
The pad is secured to the board e on the rear side by a band e¹ and tacks, or by
any other suitable means.
On the disc d' is arranged a pad f. This pad comprises a strong circular bag
having dressed, sewn, satin sides, at the upper part of which is formed a seam through
which is drawn a string.
The bag is closed at the bottom 1 with fine twilled fabric, from which in
contradistinction to the satin sides all dressing is removed by washing in hot water.
Thus prepared the bag permits only very fine dust to pass through its fabric.
This bag is filled with a preparation which is obtained in the following manner.
1 part by weight of cryolite 3 Na² FF + Al² Fe, and 2 parts by weight of white.
quartz Si 02 are finely pulverized and passed through a sieve having 5,000 meshes
per square centimetre.

page_text: Silicic acid 85 10 parts..
Magnesia 0.22 part.
Aluminium 1-68 part.
Sulphate of calcium 0.06 part.
The bag of the pad after being more or less filled with this silicate preparation is
closed by a sheet-metal disc 2 inserted in the same.. This disc has a hole in the
centre through which a screw 2 is inserted and in which it is secured by its head.
A card-board or paste-board disc 3 which has in the centre a hole through which the
screw 2 passes is now placed upon the disc 2. Over this disc 3 the edges of the
sides of the bag are firmly tied by means of the string. By using the paste-board
dise the penetration of the fine powder is prevented and the bag cannot be rubbed or
worn through against the sheet-metal disc.
For the protection of the string securing the pad a wooden disc 4 is arranged to
cover the same.
In order to secure the pad to the fork c, the screw 2, is passed through the hole in the
disc d', and secured to the latter by means of a knob 5.
The contents of the pad fare continually pressed towards the bottom 1ª by means
of an india-rubber band 1 or the like.
At the rear side of the block b, is fixed a staple . From this staple can be
suspended a removable pad y, by means of a hook 7. This pad forms a detachable
cleaner.
The said hook is so arranged that it serves as a handle for facilitating the holding
of the cleaner in use. This hand cleaner which has preferably the form shown in
Figure 8 and consists of a board carrying a pad serves to clean small panes at the
corners. The said pad is constructed in the same manner as the pad h.
The described apparatus is employed as follows for cleaning and keeping in order
window panes, looking glasses and the like.
The pane or plate to be cleaned is dabbed with the pad f arranged on the fork e the
slightest motion being sufficient to cause the powder preparation to penetrate through
the bag and stick to the glass. The powder is then rubbed over the glass with the
pad and the pane or plate is cleaned thereby.
The fine parts of the powder settle in the microscopically small pores of the glass
and thereby isolate, so to speak, the pane or plate, protecting. it against the firm
adhesion of dirt. After the rubbing of the preparation on the pane or plate the latter
has a high lustre, and a crystal brightness.
If a pane or plate has once been cleaned in this manner, it can always be kept
absolutely clean with the described cleaning apparatus without the application of
moisture.
All high windows are cleaned with the cleaning pad 7. For cleaning low panes or
smaller windows the dabber pad, is removed from the fork and dabbed over the pane
or plate by seizing the knob 5. The hand-cleaning-pad is also used in this case so
that all the corners and surfaces of the panes are thoroughly cleaned.
If the silk-leather pad becomes dirty, it is not to be washed but only brushed with
a sharp bristle-brush, which removes the adhering dirt from the pad.
It may be advisable in some cases to dust the cushion with the dabber pad fand
then brush it.
The advantages which are attained by use of the improved glass cleaning apparatus
are as follows:
The protection of the glass from any scratching in the cleaning the protection of
the framing of the glass and any articles exhibited in the vicinity from injury; the
entire removal of any false colour shining on the glass; the removal of the defects
produced by wrong treatment; the obviation of any smearing: the preservation of

page_text: the writing on the panes, whatever be the method, according to which it has been
produced the production of a continuous lustre of the glass; the obviation of any
adhesion in cut panes; the sharp outlines of the chemically treated enamelled panes
are retained in the cleaning; the cleaning is effected easily and rapidly; and the
economy, the apparatus even when frequently used lasting for years.
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 :-
First. An apparatus for cleaning and polishing glass panes or plates without the
employment of moisture, the said apparatus consisting of the wooden block connected
with the rod a, the fork claving two prongs, the dabber pad f and the pads and h,
which latter three parts can be used, either singly or combined with the other parts of
the apparatus.
I
Second. In apparatus of the class hereinbefore described the powder for filling the
dabber pad the said powtler consisting of a preparation of 85.10 parts of silicic acid,
1.68 parts of aluminium, 0·06 parts of sulphuret of calcium and 0.22 parts of magnesia.
Dated this 17th day of January 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.