IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES FOR HAIR DRESSING AND OTHER USES, ALSO IN BROOMS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, PREPARING. PAINTING, COATING, AND SMOOTHING SURFACES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Smith and Charles Ritchie, both of No. 134,
Upper Thames Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES FOR HAIR DRESSING AND OTHER USES, ALSO IN
BROOMS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, PREPARING. PAINTING, COATING,
AND SMOOTHING SURFACES."
Sealed the 15th May 1866, and dated the 20th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Smith and Charles
Ritchie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 20th November 1865.
We, GEORGE SMITH and CHARLES RITCHIE, both of No. 134, Upper
Thames Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES FOR HAIR DRESSING AND
OTHER USES. ALSO IN BROOMS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, PREPARING. PAINTING,
COATING, AND SMOOTHING SURFACES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in brushes, brooms, and
apparatus for cleaning, preparing, painting, coating, and smoothing surfaces.
Rotatory hair brushes are now commonly employed for brushing the hair,
but they are not suitable for the long hair of ladies as it is liable to lap round
the brush, to prevent this we introduce at intervals lengthways of the brush
blades or guards of flexible material, such as vulcanized india-rubber or
leather; theseblades orguards as theypassround lift the hair out of thebristles
so that at any time it is only the bristles at the part of the brush immediately
Price d

page_text: against the head which penetrate the hair. The guards may conveniently be
elastic bands stretched at intervals lengthways of the brush. Also in order to
adapt rotatory hair brushes to brush the long hair of ladies we enclose a con-
siderable portion of the periphery of the brush in a case in such manner that
the hair comes in contact with that portion only of the brush which the case
exposes, thus excessive drag on the hair and liability of the hair to lap
around the brush is avoided. It is preferred to employ blades or guards as
above described in combination with the protecting casing. In some cases
we arrange the case to revolve as well as the brush and at a higher speed, so
that at each revolution it may lift the hair entirely off the brush, and similarly
the blades or guards may be mounted independently of the brush and be
revolved at a higher speed. In order to support and give elasticity to the
hairs, bristles, or fibres of a brush we pass them through a sheet of vulcanized
india-rubber or elastic material and then fix them in a back beyond, or we
support them on each side with flanges of elastic material, such as vulcanized
india-rubber fixed in the back of the brush so as to press and hold the hair
bristles or fibres between them, and where the material of which the brush is
made is rigid, like wire, it may be fixed into these india-rubber or elastic flanges
in place of into the back of the brush. Thus a hard stiff surface is obtained in
conjunction with the elasticity due to the india-rubber or elastic flanges. In
constructing the ordinary hand hair and other brushes we combine there-
with a smoothing surface of vulcanized india-rubber to follow the bristles; it
consists of a flat band of india rubber fixed by one edge into the back of the
brush along one side thereof; or in place of a flat band a tube of vulcanized
india-rubber may be similarly employed. Hat and clothes brushes, and
brushes for other similar purposes we make in this manner with a polishing
surface of india-rubber to follow the bristles or hairs. The backs of such
brushes also we cover with vulcanized india-rubber to be employed as a
polishing or smoothing surface. In making a brush to serve as a mat on
which to wipeshoes we combine with the bristles or hairs scrapers or scraping
surfaces consisting of flanges of india-rubber or elastic material set in the
back at intervals so as to divide up the bristles or hairs into bands an inch or
two wide; the scrapers may also in this case be strained bands passing across
the brush from side to side. The brush thus constructed will perform at the
same time the operations of brushing and scraping. In some cases we form
a rubber suitable for use in washing pavements, floors, and for other similar
purposes, by attaching a tube of vulcanized india-rubber along one side to a
block fitted with a suitable handle, or a strip of india-rubber bent to a trough-
like form may be similarly employed, by which a smoothness of action upon any

page_text: surface is obtained. In order to smooth surfaces we employ a rubber consisting
of a roller mounted on axes at the end of a pole or handle, around the roller
sand paper or similar rough material is lapped and secured, and set a screw
or other locking apparatus is set to lock the roller when at work. When the
sand paper or rough material becomes worn at one part the roller is turned
partly round and the roller relocked.
Rotatory brooms or brushes have heretofore been employed, but they have
not been constructed in a manner to admit of the pressure of the brush on the
surface operated upon to be varied, there being commonly a roller on the frame
behind and another in front of the brush. Now we employ only one roller,
or it may be a single wheel or a pair of wheels between the rotatory brush
and the operator, and we drive the brush therefrom. The apparatus balances
about this roller wheel or pair of wheels, so that by slightly raising or
depressing the handle the brush is caused to press more or less on the surface
to be swept as may be desired. A receiver for the dust removed by the brush
may be applied as is usual. The rotatory brush of sweeping apparatus we
sometimes make with blades or smoothing surfaces of vulcanized india-rubber
in addition to the bristles, such blades or smoothing surfaces being bands or
tubes attached to the back of the brush. These blades or smoothing surfaces
may be used alone or without bristles. As a brush for sweeping gardens and
for similar uses we employ a roller with vulcanized india-rubber Hanges
passing spirally around; it is mounted on a frame like the frame of a
mowing machine or of a rotating carpet broom, so that as the frame is drawn
or pushed over the ground the roller is rotated and the elastic flanges then
take up any loose dust and throw it into a suitable receiver on the frame,
similar to that which in a mowing machine takes the cut grass. A roller
with strained bands may be similarly employed.
For sweeping and dusting we employ a cylindrical brush mounted at the
end of a stick or handle, either on axes or otherwise, in such manner that it
can revolve freely transversely of the length of the stick or handle. On the
same axis with the brush, or it may be upon the brush itself, there is a pulley,
around which an endless band passes, and this band also encircles another
pulley mounted on an axis placed at a convenient distance from the other end
of the stick or handle, and this axis is so carried and arranged that it can be
turned freely by the person using the brush or broom, and for this purpose it
is convenient that it should have a cranked handle upon it. In connection
with the cylindrical brush a receiver to collect and retain the dust or dirt may
be mounted at the end of the stick or handle. In place of actuating the
cylindrical brush by an endless band as above stated, it may have a spring in

page_text: In some
connection with its axis, and this spring, when the broom or brush is required
for use is wound up, and when the cylindrical brush has been applied to the
surface it is desired to clean by moving a trigger or catch the spring is set
free, and the cylindrical brush commences to revolve. Apparatus may be
applied in such manner that the cperator may wind up the spring continuously
from the lower end of the stick or handle. In some cases, especially when
the cylindrical brush is of large size, we employ in connection with it two sticks
or handles with two driving bands; in this case there may be a pulley at each
end of the cylindrical brush, and for driving them a handle and pulley is
mounted at the lower end of each of the sticks or handles. As in this case
both of the operator's hands are required for driving the apparatus the sticks
or handles are supported in a pouch or pouches strapped to the body of the
person using the instrument. When a single stick or handle is used it may
support the cylindrical brush either at one end or in the middle.
cases in place of passing the driving band or driving bands directly from the
pulley or pulleys on the cylindrical brush to the pulley or pulleys at the lower
end of the handle or handles, a combination of pulleys may be introduced for
the purpose of obtaining an increase of power; or in place of pulleys spur gear
may be employed. In order to cleanse and apply paint or similar composition
to walls and surfaces we employ a rotating brush mounted at the end of a
pole or handle and caused to rotate as above described; and we apply to such
brushes reservoirs for containing liquid. When the object is to cleanse and
wash the surface with water we use a reservoir enclosing half of the brush,
and a hose leads a stream of water to the upper part of the reservoir, and it
falls in a shower on to the brush, the bristles of which it thoroughly wets each
time they come round; the current of water also clears off from the bristles
the dirt they have removed from the surface. A waste pipe discharges the
dirty water from the reservoir into a convenient receptacle. For applying
paint or similar coatings to a surface the reservoir is so placed that the ends
of the bristles of the brush dip into the liquid each time they come round, and
immediately after the bristles come against a scraper which removes any
excess of the liquid they may have taken up. The surface of the liquid where
the brush dips into it is, if desired, kept at at an uniform level by a birdfountain
arrangement; or the reservoir may be conveniently provided with a surface
rotating therein, which brings up the liquid from the reservoir and delivers it
to the bristles or flanges of the rotating brush. An adjustable guard is used
to regulate the pressure of the brush on the surface to be cleaned, painted, or
coated.
In order to cleanse fabrics we employ a tank in which two circular or disc

page_text: brushes, of which the diameter is greater than the width of the fabric to be
cleansed, are mounted to rotate horizontally in opposite directions, one over
the other. The tank is filled with soap and water, and the fabric is drawn
through the liquid and between the brushes, which press it between them
whilst they revolve rapidly. This apparatus may also be employed to saturate
fabrics with oil, varnish, paint, or other liquid, the said liquid being put
into the tank in place of water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Smith and Charles Ritchie in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 19th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
SMITH and CHARLES RITCHIE, both of No. 134, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Smith and Charles Ritchie, Her special licence that we, the
said George Smith and Charles Ritchie, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said George Smith and Charles Ritchie,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time 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, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES
FOR HAIR DRESSING AND OTHER USES, ALSO IN BROOMS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING.
PREPARING, PAINTING, COATING, AND SMOOTHING SURFACES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said George Smith and Charles Ritchie, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Smith and Charles Ritchie, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Rotatory hair brushes are now commonly employed for brushing the hair,
but they are not suitable for the long hair of ladies as it is liable to lap round
the brush, to prevent this we enclose a considerable portion of the periphery
of the brush in a case in such manner that the hair comes in contact with
that portion only of the brush which the case exposes, thus excessive drag
on the hair and liability of the hair to lap around the brush is avoided.
We arrange the case to revolve as well as the brush.
the case.
Figure 1 is a side view,partly in section,and Figure 2 is a transverse section
of a brush thus constructed. a, a, are two handles (shown broken), they are
attached to stems or short spindles on which the cross heads b,b, are fixed, and
these are rigidly connected together bythelongitudinal barc. The cross heads b,b,
also carry an axis d, en which is mounted the cylindrical brush e; ff, are the
two ends of a cylindrical case enclosing one side of the brush, but allowing
the other to project through it, and g, g, are longitudinal rods which complete
One of the end discs fis fixed to a pulley h, around which an
elastic band is passed, as is now usual in working rotating hair brushes, and
in this way the cylindrical case is caused to rotate; i is a ring of internal teeth
formed on one of the discs f, and with it the pinion k gears, this pinion is
mounted on a hollow spindle carried by one of the cross heads b, as is shown,
and in this spindle is a square socket into which the axis is inserted, and in
this way when the outer cylindrical case is rotated the rotating brush e is
driven. The bars g, g, pass through the ring of teeth i, as the Drawing indi-
cates, and they may each form one of the teeth of the ring. When it is
desired to remove the brush e for cleaning or otherwise, the small screw k
is partly withdrawn, and then the axis d can be drawn out of the cross
heads b, b, there being a hole made in the outer disc f for the purpose. The
brush is thus set free, and when one of the rods g has been removed it can
be taken out of the cylindrical case.
In order to support and give elasticity to the hairs, bristles, or fibres of a
brush, we pass them through a sheet of vulcanized india-rubber or elastic
material, and then fix them in a back beyond. This arrangement is shown at
Figure 3, which is an end view, partly in section, of a rotating brush thus
constructed. A, A, are the bristles; B, the vulcanized india-rubber or elastic
material through which they are passed; C, the back of the brush of wood or
other material. Flat brushes may be constructed in a similar manner, and if
desired the elastic material B in place of resting in contact with the back C of
the brush may by means of blocks be kept a short distance from the back, so

page_text: as to act with more power on the bristles; or we support the bristles on each
side with flanges of elastic material, such as vulcanized india-rubber, fixed in
the back of the brush, so as to press and hold the hair, bristles, or fibres
between them. This arrangement is shown at Figure 4, which is an end view,
partly in section, of a rotating brush thus constructed. A, A, are the bristles of
the brush; B, B, the supporting flanges of vulcanized india-rubber or elastic
material by which they are supported; and C is the back of the brush. Flat
brushes may be constructed in a similar manner.
Where the material of
which the brush is made is rigid, likewire, it maybefixed intothese india-rubber
or elastic flanges in place of into the back of the brush. Thus a hard stiff
surface is obtained in conjunction with the elasticity due to the india-rubber or
elastic flanges. This arrangement is shown at Figure 5, which is an end view,
partly in section, of a rotating brush thus constructed. A, A, are the wire
teeth made in the same way as the teeth of the cards used for carding fibres,
although they will usually be larger. B, B, are vulcanized india-rubber or
other elastic flanges, into one edge of which the teeth are inserted; C, C,
is a back of wood or other material which holds the other edges of the
flanges B, B.
In constructing brushes we combine therewith a smoothing surface of
vulcanized india-rubber to follow the bristles, it consists of a flat band of
india-rubber fixed by one edge into the back of the brush. A transverse
section of such a brush is shown at Figure 6; A, A, are the bristles fixed in
the back B in the usual way; C, C, is a flat band of india-rubber combined
there with as above stated. In place of a flat band a tube of vulcanized india-
rubber may be similarly employed. Hat and clothes brushes, and brushes
for other similar purposes, we make in this manner with a polishing surface
of india-rubber to follow the bristles or hairs. This modification is shown at
Figure 7, which is a transverse section of a brush made according to this part
of our Invention. The backs of such brushes also we cover with vulcanized
india-rubber to be employed as a polishing or smoothing surface. Din
Figure 7, is a vulcanized india-rubber back thus applied.
In some cases we form a rubber suitable for use in washing pavements,
floors, and for other similar purposes, by attaching a tube of vulcanized india-
rubber along one side to a block fitted with a suitable handle, or a strip of
india-rubber bent to a trough-like form may be similarly employed, by which
a smoothness of action upon any surface is obtained.
Figure 8, is a transverse section of a rubber made according to the latter
of these methods; A is a handle with a block B of wood or other material

page_text: at its end, and C is a tough-like strip of india-rubber nailed or fixed to its
edge.
Rotatory brooms or brushes have heretofore been employed, but theyhave
not been constructed in a manner to admit of the pressure of the brush on
the surface operated upon to be varied, there being commonly a roller on the
frame behind and another in front of the brush. Now we employ only one
roller, or it may be a single wheel or a pair of wheels, between the rotatory
brush and the operator, and we drive the brush therefrom. The apparatus
balances about this roller wheel or pair of wheels so that by slightly raising
or depressing the handle the brush is caused to press more or less on the
surface to be swept as may be desired. A receiver for the dust removed by the
brush may be applied as is usual.
Figure 9 is part of a side view, and Figure 10 is a plan of a sweeping
apparatus thus constructed; a, a, is a metal frame having a socket upon it to
receive the handle b; c is an axis carried in bearings on the frame a, and on
it are mounted the carrying wheels d,d, to which are fixed the toothed wheels
e, e, these drive pinions f,f, on the axis g, on which is also mounted the brush
h, so that, as will be seen, as the apparatus is pushed along over the surface to
be swept, the brush his rotated; i, i, is a dust receiver which rests on the axes
c and g, and has an opening in its bottom through which the brush h
passes.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of another arrangement involving the
same principle; this sweeping apparatus is intended for use in a garden and
other similar places, it consists of a large receiver a running on wheels b, and
with handles c, c, like a barrow. In front thereof is mounted the rotatory
brush d, which by the train of gear e, e, receives its motion from the carrying
wheels. The rotatory brush of sweeping apparatus, we sometimes make with
blades or smoothing surfaces of vulcanized india-rubber in addition to the
bristles, such blades or smoothing surfaces being bands or tubes attached to
the back of the brush.
Figure 12 is an end view of such a brush; A, A, are the bristles; B, the
back of the brush in which they are fixed, and C, C, bands or blades of india-
rubber or other flexible material introduced between the rows of bristles.
Blades or smoothing surfaces may also be left alone or without bristles, thus
for example, as a brush for sweeping gardens and for similar uses, we employ
a roller with vulcanized india-rubber flanges passing spirally around, as is
shown at Figure 13, where A, A, are bands or blades of vulcanized india-
rubber, or it may be of leather or similar material fixed spirally in a back B;

page_text: this instrument is mounted on a frame, like the frame of a mowing machine
or of a rotating carpet broom, so that as the frame is drawn or pushed over
the ground the roller is rotated, and the elastic flanges then take up any loose
dust and throw it into a suitable receiver on the frame. similar to that which
in a mowing machine takes the cut grass.
For sweeping and dusting we employ a cylindrical brush mounted at the
end of a stick or handle, either on axes or otherwise, in such manner that it
can revolve freely transversely of the length of the stick or handle. On the
same axis with the brush, or it may be upon the brush itself, there is a pulley
around which an endless band passes, and this band also encircles another
pulley mounted on an axis placed at a convenient distance from the other end
of the stick or handle, and this axis is so carried and arranged that it can be
turned freely by the person using the brush or broom, and for this purpose it
is convenient that it should have a cranked handle upon it. A side view of a
dusting brush thus constructed is shown at Figure 11; A is a handle of any
convenient length, on one end of which is fixed the forked metal frame B in
which the spindle of the cylindrical brush C is carried; D) is a pulley on the
spindle of the brush, and E a driving band passing down to another pulley F
on the axis G, this axis is carried in a suitable bearing fixed to the handle or
stick A, and can be turned by the crank H. The operator holds in one hand
the handle or stick A, and with the other he gives motion to the brush. The
stick or handle may support the cylindrical brush either at the ends, as the
Drawing shows, or in the middle. In some cases in place of passing the driving
band or driving bands directly from the pulley or pulleys on the cylindrical
brush to the pulley or pulleys at the lower end of the handle or handles, a
combination of pulleys may be introduced for the purpose of obtaining an
increase of power, or in place of pulleys spur gear may be employed. In order
to cleanse and apply paint or similar composition to walls and surfaces, we
employ a rotating brush mounted at the end of a pole or handle, and caused
to rotate as above described; and we apply to such brushes reservoirs for
containing liquid; the reservoir is so placed that the ends of the bristles of
the brush dip into the liquid each time they come round. Or, as is preferred,
the reservoir may be provided with a surface rotating therein which brings
up the liquid from the reservoir and delivers it to the bristles or flanges of
the rotating brush.
Figures 15 show a vertical section and a front view of suchanarrangement;
A is a pole or handle, on the upper end of which the cast-iron vessel B is
mounted, a spindle C passes through it and carries the wooden drum D, which
by a band and pulley is driven in the same way as the brush in Figure 14;

page_text: E is another axis, it is carried by standards formed on the sides of the vessel
B, and on it a rotating brush is fixed, and it is driven by a short band passing
around two pulleys C¹, E', on the axes C and E respectively. Or spur gear
may be employed in place of a driving band, and the parts may be actuated
by a wheel running on the surface to be cleansed, painted, or coated, in place
of by hand as described; or the apparatus may be mounted on a carriage
with suitable means of adjusting the height of the brush, which then may be
driven by a band or gear from the carrying wheels; this observation applies
also to the apparatus shewn at Fig. 14.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Smith and Charles Ritchie,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
GEORGE SMITH.
(L.S.)
CHARLES RITCHIE.
(L.S.)
GEORGE SMITH.
(L.S.)
CHARLES RITCHIE. (L.S.)