IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BLACKENING AND POLISHING BOOTS AND SHOES APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Octavius Jones of 1 Welford Terrace Brooke
Road Upper Clapton in the County of Middlesex Manufacturer for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING
BLACKENING AND POLISHING BOOTS AND SHOES APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES
"
ย
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Octavius Jones at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1883.
THOMAS OCTAVIUS JONES, of 1, Welford Terrace Brook Road Upper Clapton,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, BLACKENING AND POLISHING BOOTS AND SHOES,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
AND
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the means employed
and in the apparatus utilised in cleaning, blackening and polishing boots and shoes,
whether on or off the feet at the time of performing the operation; and my
invention is also applicable to other useful purposes.
Upon a suitable frame I mount, in horizontal bearings, a mandril or head stock
with a square hole therein; into which square hole I insert one end of a movable
spindle. The mandril is made to revolve by any ordinary means and gearing and
the mandril drives the spindle either by the hand, the foot, or steam or other
power.
Circular brushes and polishing cylinders, or brushes forming portions of cylinders
are constructed so as to be readily mounted upon the movable spindles or axles,
and as readily removed therefrom. The upper brasses of the outer bearings of the
spindle being conveniently hinged and held in place by a staple and pin.
The brushes or other polishers are caused to revolve with the spindles, either
by making the spindles square, or by means of feathers, keys, or set screws; or
the mechanism may be so arranged that the spindles may be fixed and the brushes
revolve thereupon.
For cleaning boots and shoes I provide and fix one hard or scratch brush for
removing the mud; one softer brush for blackening, and a medium brush for

page_text: polishing. These brushes are sometimes mounted on separate spindles or axles, or
two on one axle and one on another axle, or all three on one axle, as preferred.
One form of brush consists of two flat discs of wood, metal, or other suitable
material, with a central square or round hole to fit the spindle. These discs have
fitted to their flat surfaces, or on their edges, a number of brushes of various shapes
arranged in a circle; or such brushes may be placed close together, or in sections
or otherwise, and fitted to the discs with screws or other suitable means so as to
be readily removable when worn out, for the substitution of others
Other forms of brushes are adapted to be used in conjunction with my said
invention with or without side brushes, and of a horse shoe concave, convex
globular or other form.
The spindles upon which the brushes are formed may also be solid, hollow, or of
open trellis work. Some of such brushes are specially formed to operate upon
various parts of boots and shoes such as the sides and insteps; and of various sizes
to suit the sizes and forms of the articles operated upon
Another form of circular or cylindrical brush, has the bristles inside the cylinder
to suit various operations of brushing and polishing
The berein before described apparatus admits of various arrangements in
mounting, fitting and covering-The brushes are sometimes partially enclosed in
a drum or shield to gather the dust and prevent it from flying about. It is also
sometimes fitted up and enclosed in a cabinet, press, or cupboard, or so arranged
as to assume the appearance of a piece of furniture when not being used for
polishing &º.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Thomas Octavius Jones in
the Patent Office on the 23rd May 1884.
THOMAS OCTAVIUS JONES late of 1 Welford Square but now of Brook Road
Upper Clapton both in the County of Middlesex Manufacturer IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BLACKENING AND POLISHING BOOTS
AND SHOES APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES.
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the means employed and
in the apparatus utilised in cleaning blackening and polishing boots and shoes,
whether on or off the feet at the time of performing the operation and my invention
is also applicable to other useful purposes.
- Upon a suitable frame I mount, in horizontal bearings, a mandril or headstock
with a square hole therein; into which square hole I insert one end of a movable
spindle. The mandril is made to revolve by any ordinary means and gearing and
the mandril drives the spindle, either by the hand; the foot, or steam or other
power.
Circular brushes and polishing cylinders, or brushes forming portions of cylinders
are constructed so as to be readily mounted upon the movable or stationary spindles
or axles, and as readily removed therefrom-The upper brasses of the outer
bearings of the spindle being conveniently hinged and held in place by a staple
and pin. The brushes or other polishers are caused to revolve with the spindles
either by making the spindles square, or by means of feathers, keys, or set screws;
or the mechanism may be so arranged that the spindles may be fixed and the
brushes revolve thereupon
For cleaning boots and shoes I provide and fix one hard or scratch brush for
removing the mud; one softer brush for blackening, and a medium brush for
polishing These brushes are sometimes mounted on separate spindles or axles, or.
two on one axle and one on another axle, or all three on one axle, as preferred.
One form of brush consists of two flat discs of wood, metal, or other suitable
material, with a central square or round hole to fit the spindle-These discs have
fitted to their flat surfaces, or on their edges, a number of brushes of various shapes
arranged in a circle; or such brushes may be placed close together, or in sections,
or otherwise and fitted to the discs with screws or other suitable means so as to be
readily removable when worn out, for the substitution of others.
Other forms of brushes are adapted to be used in conjunction with my said
invention, with or without side brushes, and of a horseshoe, concave, convex,
globular or other form-The spindles upon which the brushes are formed may also
be solid, hollow, or of open trellis work. Some of such brushes are specially
formed to operate upon various parts of boots and shoes such as the sides and
insteps; and of various sizes to suit the sizes and forms of the articles operated.
upon.
Another form of circular or cylindrical brush, has the bristles inside the cylinder
to suit various operations of brushing and polishing.
The herein before described apparatus admits of various arrangements in mounting,
fitting and covering. The brushes are sometimes partially enclosed in a drum or
shield to gather the dust and prevent it from flying about.-It is also sometimes
fitted up and enclosed in a cabinet, press, or cupboard; or so arranged as to assume
the appearance of a piece of furniture when not being used for polishing &
And in order that my said invention may be clearly understood, reference is
hereby made. to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: Fig 1 is a perspective view of my invention and Fig: 2 is a section of the same
as made for ordinary purposes in large houses-a is the stand, b is the handle for
actuating the wheel, c which drives the pinion d-This pinion is fitted to the
shafte which carries the three rotary sets of brushes f. g. h-f is the brush, or set
of brushes for cleaning the mud off the boot and usually consists of one wire and
one bristle brush, then another wire and another bristle brush alternately-The
centre set of brushes g is the blackening brush. The blacking is fed to g by the
rotary brush gl which revolves slowly by its frictional contact with g-The
brush gl also revolves in a receptacle for blacking k with is supplied with measured
quantities of blacking in a liquid state. The set of brushes h is used for polishing,
and is composed entirely of bristles-The foregoing is the usual arrangement of the
three sets of brushes, but it is obvious that the relative positions may be changed.
In very large establishments the axle or shaft e is made much longer and several
sets of brushes are fitted thereto in order that several pairs of boots may be cleaned
and polished at the same time, and the shaft may be driven by hand or any other
motive power.
The brushes are made moveable for repair or renewal. Each brush in the
apparatus Figs 1 and 2 is made on a horeshoe or U frame, as shewn; held in
grooves or slots formed in the discs-The brushes are held in their places by
tires or hoops fitted to the periphery of each disc and secured by any ordinary
means.
Fig 3 is a perspective view of a smaller and cheaper arrangement in which the
brushes are successively placed upon a spindle which is supported upon one end
only, and held in their position by a moveable pin or nut, so as to be readily
changed and taken off and on, as desired. Fig: 4 shews another form in which
the upper bearings m of the spindle are hinged at one end, and secured at the
other by any simple device; whereby I am enabled to remove the brush and
spindle quickly and place another in its stead.
Fig. 5 shews another arrangement which is a modification of that shewn in
Figs 1 and 2, and the brushes may be fixed and removed in a similar manner to
that shewn in Fig: 3, but an outer bearing is necessary which is fitted like that
shewn in Fig 4-This arrangement is fitted for driving with a pedal and crank as
in the case of an ordinary lathe.
Figs 6 and 7 are an elevation and plan view of a modification of my invention
adapted for the shoeblack Brigade and analogous purposes-b is the handle for
actuating the rotary brushes. A wheel c gears into pinions d' d² on the shafts e¹ e²,
upon which the six brushes f f g ghh are fitted. These brushes are so arranged
that when a person places his foot with the boot to be cleaned, upon one of the
foot rests ppp, the brushes operate upon all parts of the boot at the same time
and the three operations of cleaning blackening and polishing, are quickly performed,
the foot being shifted from one rest p to the other. qq are pipes leading to the
blacking reservoirs k k for replenishing the liquid blacking as it is used g₁ g¹ are
the distributing brushes which are slowly rotated in the blacking by frictional
contact with g in a similar manner to that shewn in Figs 1. 2 and 5.
Figs. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13 and 14, represent various constructions of rotary brushes.
In Fig: 8 a portion of a disc and boss or nave is shewn and Fig 9 is a section of
the same. 888 are plain brushes, fitted into grooves as shewn, and retained in
their places by the L tire t. The central brushes 81 are fitted to the nave by
screws so as to be moveable when required, for renewal or repair. Figs 10 and 11
shew another arrangement of the brushes which will be clearly understood from
the diagrams
Figs 12. 13 and 14 shew an arrangement for attaching the radial brushes by
means of screws to plain discs as in Fig 12, or to open spoke wheels as shewn in
Figs 13 and 14.-Fig 13 being an elevation with some of the brushes attached.
and Fig: 14 a section of the same.
.
Although I have described my invention with respect to its application to the
operations of cleaning, blackening and polishing boots and shoes, it is obvious that

page_text: the forms of the brushes and their disposition upon the spindles may be greatly
varied and adapted to various other useful purposes; and such applications are
included herein although not specifically named and described.
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 The manufacture of rotary brushes or sets of brushes, and the methods of
mounting the same in the manner and for the purposes substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn on the drawings.
2. The methods and means of cleaning, blackening and polishing boots and shoes,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings.
3. The combinations and arrangements of the several and respective parts together
forming my improvements in means and apparatus for cleaning, blackening and
polishing boots and shoes, applicable also to other useful purposes, herein before
described and shewn on the drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Octavius Jones have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty second day of May in the year of Our Lord 1884.
MHA
TANZA