AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND OTHERWISE CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Martin, of Westminster Bridge Road, in
the County of Surrey, Dealer in India-rubber Goods, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND OTHERWISE CLEANING
BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 9th March 1869, and dated the 15th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Martin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th September 1868.
I, ROBERT MARTIN, of Westminster Bridge Road, in the County of
Surrey, Dealer in India-rubber Goods, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND OTHERWISE
CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists principally of a combined scraper, door mat,
and brush to be used in halls, passages, and other places for scraping
and cleaning the boots or shoes of persons entering such places.

page_text: The apparatus is composed chiefly of a shallow box or frame (pre-
ferably of wood) in which are set on edge any convenient number of
strips of vulcanized india-rubber secured between the narrower strips
of metal, which are firmly fixed in the wooden or other box or frame.
It will be perceived that as these strips of india-rubber are wider than
(and their upper edges project above) the strips of metal, they may be
used as a scraper and door mat to scrape and rub the boots or shoes,
the dirt falling down between the strips into the box. At each side of
the box or frame is a raised brush with the bristles inwards which
serve to brush the sides and edges of the boots or shoes, and in some
instances where a larger apparatus is required I propose also to place a
double brush in the centro so that both sides of the boot or shoe may be
cleaned at a time.
In some cases also where required I propose to make the apparatus
with the india-rubber and metal strips alone, without the brushes. As
the india-rubber strips become worn or ragged at the upper edge they
may readily be turned with the other edge upwards, and when both
edges are worn they can easily be replaced by other strips. .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MARTIN, of Westminster Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey, Dealer
in India-rubber Goods, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Martin, Her special licence that I,
the said Robert Martin," my executors, administrators, and assigns, or a
such others as I, the said Robert Martin, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others; from time

page_text: to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN, IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING
AND OTHERWISE CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that .I, the said Robert Martin, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Martin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, and on reference being had to the--
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention consists principally of a combined scraper, door mat,
and brush to be used in halls, passages, and other places for scraping
and cleaning the boots or shoes of persons entering such places.
The apparatus is composed chiefly of a shallow box or frame (pre-
ferably of wood) in which are set on edge any convenient number of
strips of vulcanized india-rubber secured between narrower strips of.
metal or wood which are firmly fixed in the wooden or other box or
frame. It will be perceived that as these strips of india-rubber are
wider than and their upper edges project above the strips of metal or
wood they may be used as a scraper and door mat to scrape and rub
the boots or shoes, the dirt falling down between. the strips into the
box. At each side of the box or frame is a raised brush with. the
bristles inwards which serve to brush. the sides and edges. of the hoots
or shoes; and in some instances where a larger apparatus is required
propose also to place a double brush in the centre so that both sides
of the boot or shoe may be cleaned at a time.
I
In some cases, also where required I propose to make the apparatus.
with the india-rubber and metal or wood strips alone, without the
brushes. As the india-rubber strips become worn or ragged at the upper

page_text: edge they may readily be turned with the other edge upwards, and when
both edges are worn they can easily be replaced by other strips.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "An
Improved Apparatus for Scraping and otherwise Cleaning Boots and
Shoes," I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in
which the same is to be or may be [performed or carried into practical
effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly understood I have
annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a plan view of
my improved combined door mat and scraper; Figure 2 is a sectional
front clevation through A, B, Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a sectional side
elevation through C, D, Figure 1.
a is the box or frame of the machine, which I prefer to make of wood,
but it may be made of metal when required, or of other suitable material.
In this box or frame are set on edge any convenient number of strips of
vulcanized india-rubber b. These strips are secured between narrower
metal or wood strips c (by rivets or other convenient fasteners) which
are firmly fixed in the box or frame. The edges of the strips 6
project above the strips of metal or wood c, so that they may be used
as a scraper and door mat (to scrape or rub the boots or shoes, the
dirt from which falls into the box), they may also be turned with the
other edges upwards when the upper edges are worn, and when both
edges are worn they may be replaced by other strips. At either side!
of the box a raised brush d is placed with the bristles turned inwards,
which brush the sides and edges of the boots or shoes. In some
instances a double brush is placed in the centre to clean both sides of
the boot at the same time; or the apparatus may be constructed without
the brushes, that is simply with the metal and india-rubber strips.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention
for "An Improved Apparatus for Scraping or otherwise Cleaning
Boots and Shoes," together with the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark
in conclusion that I claim as my Invention the general construction,
arrangement, and application of the improved apparatus for scraping

page_text: and otherwise cleaning boots or shoes, substantially as herein-before
described, and as shown on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Martin, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Thirteenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
ROBERT MARTIN. (L.S.)
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn.