MENTS IN TOOTH-BRUSHES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Gillies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1881.
GEORGE GILLIES, of Cloudesley Street, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN TOOTH-BRUSHES."
" IMPROVE-
This Invention relates to tooth-brushes, and is designed to provide means
whereby the bristles of the same may be secured to the stock or handle in a very
efficient inanner, and whereby the brush will have an elegant appearance imparted
to it, and will have provision for enabling the user thereof to see his mouth, teeth,
and gums.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I take the handle or stock, which
may be made in any suitable material, such as ivory, bone, horn, wood, xylonite,
celluloid, or the like, and I attach to the back of the same a template of the
exact size required, around which I pass a circular cutter, removing therewith a
piece of the ivory or other material above the part containing or to contain the
bristles. I then insert within the opening thus made a small mirror carefully cut
to the required size, and the back of this mirror is covered with a solution of
marine glue and naphtha which protects the mirror from any injurious effect of
moisture.
For fixing the mirror and securing the bristles thereto and to the stock, I employ
a composition or cement made of zinc-white, shellac, spirits of wine, gum, varnish,
and oil, which securely holds all the parts together and makes the connection
very perfect.
The mirror in the back of the brush imparts an appearance of elegance thereto,
and is of great utility to the user, as the teeth and other parts of the mouth may
be inspected by means of the same. The aperture and mirror may be of any
suitable size and shape, and a mirror or mirrors may be inserted in a similar
manner at any portion or portions of the handle or stock.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Gillies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th January
1882.
GEORGE GILLIES, of Cloudesley Street, in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TOOTH-BRUSHES."
This Invention relates to improvements in tooth-brushes, and consists in
improved means whereby the bristles of such brushes may be secured to the stock
or handle in a very efficient manner, so that they will not easily come out. It also
consists in providing tooth-brushes with a mirror or mirrors to permit the users of
such brushes to see their mouth, teeth, and gums, and thus enable them to give
additional attention to those teeth which may require especial care to prevent.
their premature decay.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a top view of the handle or stock of a tooth-brush with a mirror
inserted therein according to this Invention, and
Figure 2 is a side view partly in longitudinal section of the said brush on the
line x, x, Figure 1.
Like letters indicate the same parts in both of these Figures.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I form in the handle or stock a
(which may consist of any suitable material, such as ivory, bone, horn, wood,
xylonite, celluloid, or the like), and above the part wherein the bristles bare
secured a recess c of the desired shape.
In this recess I insert a small mirror & which is of the same shape as the said
recess, and is preferably provided with a bevelled edge d¹ to enable a large
area or surface to be reflected by the same. In order to protect the back or inner
surface of the said mirror from the injurious effects of moisture which might
percolate through the bristles and the holes containing the same, I coat the said
surface with a waterproof cement, preferably consisting of a solution of marine
glue and naphtha.
In order to fix the mirror in the recess c and prevent the coming out of the
bristles from the stock a after they have been secured in the same by wires or by
other means ordinarily employed, I prefer to employ a composition of cement
consisting of zinc-white, shellac, spirits of wine, gum, varnish, and oil, or a
composition of substantially equivalent materials, which will securely hold the
said mirror and the bristles in place, and make a neat joint. The mirror when
thus inserted in the back of the brush will impart to the same an elegant
appearance, and as above stated will be of great utility to the user of the brush
for the reason that it permits the teeth and other parts of the mouth to be readily
inspected. The recess c and mirror d may be of any suitable size and shape, and
in some cases a mirror or mirrors may be inserted in a similar manner to that
above described in any portion or portions of the handle or stock a in addition to
or instead of the mirror c shown in the Drawing.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The employment of the composition consisting of the ingredients set forth,
or substantially similar ingredients for securing the bristles and a mirror or
mirrors in a tooth-brush, as above specified.

page_text: Second. A tooth-brush whose handle or stock is provided with a mirror or
mirrors, substantially as above set forth and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Gillies, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
GEORGE GILLIES. (E.S.)