IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES AND IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE SAME
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES AND
IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE SAME."-A communication from abroad
by Charles D. Rogers, of Utica, State of New York, Monroe P.
Wilkins, of Jersey City, State of New Jersey, and Hayward A.
Harvey, of Orange, State of New Jersey, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd September 1871.

page_text: declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRUSHES
AND IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates firstly to an improvement in the mode of
securing tufts of bristles in the backs of brushes, and secondly to
mechanical means for carrying out the operation.
The improvements in the devices for manufacturing are embodied in a
machine by the operation of which a certain quantity of bristles or
fibres are separated and detached from a mass and fastened in a ferrule
or eyelet, forming what may be called a "tuft," and the tufts as they are
successively formed are firmly set into a brush stock.
The general character of the machine is as follows, viz. :-A bed of
suitable size is mounted upon a substantial frame, which also supports
underneath the bed a shaft carrying the several cams from which the
various motions of the machine are derived. At each complete revo-
lution of this shaft a new tuft is formed, and a tuft previously formed is
inserted in a brush stock. Above the table is a hopper for containing
eyelets, which are conveyed from thence by means of a pair of ways
down to a horizontal turntable or revolving disc provided with a series
of slotted holes, into which the eyelets are successively inserted one by
one by a reciprocating sliding movement of the hopper and ways. The
hopper is provided with rotating brushes to stir up the eyelets and
prevent them from jamming at the entrance to the ways, and the sliding
movement of the hopper has a similar effect, which is enhanced by the
jar caused by the sudden arrest of the hopper in its back motion by
means of a set screw when the ways are in proper position to deliver an
eyelet. The turntable rotates intermittently, and while standing still to
be supplied with an eyelet holds another eyelet, which it has previously
taken in position to receive a bunch of bristles. The bristles are sup-
plied from a mass laid crosswise in a horizontal trough between two
parallel guides, which are susceptible of adjustment to conform to the
length of the bristles used, and also to regulate the position of the bristles
with respect to the jaws which pick out the bunches for the tufts. The
mass of bristles, is pushed against the jaws by the constant pressure
of a weighted or spring plunger or follower.
The follower is a thin plate standing' vertically across the trough, and
having on its lower edge short prongs or teeth which enter corresponding
grooves running longitudinally in the bottom of the trough, so as to

page_text: catch under the lowermost bristles, and thus prevent the follower from
riding over them. A slot in the follower admits the top guide which
holds the bristles down. The picking up jaws slide in the same vertical
plane, so as to come together end to end immediately opposite the mass
of bristles. At the point of junction they are notched out so as to pre-
sent a recess capable of holding the quantity of bristles required to
make a tuft. The follower pushes the bristles into the recess, and then a
vertical wedge sliding in the upper jaw moves down and enters the
lower jaw, separating the bunch of bristles from the mass and crowding
the mass back. The vertical jaws then rise together, carrying up and
presenting the bunch to a pair of forked jaws which slide horizontally,
and close upon the bunch upon each side of the vertical jaws, which
latter then retire in opposite directions, and the forked jaws again move
forward until they hold the bunch of bristles immediately over one of
the eyelets in the turntable. Through this eyelet a pair of spring
fingers then rise and close upon the bunch of bristles between the
prongs of the forked jaws, which then open and retire. The fingers
then descend, drawing the bristles into the eyelet so that the eye or bight
of the tuft projects below the eyelet. While in this position a pair of
pincers rises and grasps the barrel of the eyelet just under the flange,
and compresses it so as to indent it into the eye or bight of the bunch or
tuft of bristles. The holes in the turntable are slotted to admit the
pincers for the performance of this operation. Pincers and fingers then
release the eyelet and bristles and retire, and the tuft thus formed is
carried onward the next time the turntable moves.
. When the tuft has arrived at a point opposite the eyelet hopper, and
while the turntable is stationary for a repetition of the operations just
described, an arm swings over it, and a pair of tongs depending down-
ward therefrom takes hold of the tuft just above the eyelet and lifts it
out of the turntable. The arm then swings back, and the tongs descend
and forcibly insert the tuft in a hole in a brush stock. The brush stock
is previously prepared by the necessary boring or by other analogous :
means, and is held upon an adjustable platform in position to receive the
tufts as they are successively presented by the tongs. The downward
pressure of the tongs upon the dishing flange of the eyelet flattens it out
and expands it into the wood of the stock, the holes therein being
counter-bored just large enough to admit the flanges of the eyelets
before expansion.

page_text: From the foregoing, description it will be understood that the bristles
or fibres constituting a tuft are secured by inserting the same in a
metallic ferrule, and compressing, punching, or indenting portions of the
periphery of the ferrule into the middle or eye of the loop of bristles.
The ferrule or eyelet used is provided with a flange, which by its expan-
sion under pressure when inserting the tuft into the brush stock fills the
cylindrical recess prepared to receive it. The periphery of the ferrule is
also corrugated, in order that when the ferrule is forced into the wooden
brush stock it will present recesses into which the wire used to secure
the tufts will spring, and thus increase the frictional hold upon the
ferrule. Or inequalities in the exterior surface of the ferrule may be
produced by cutting entirely through the periphery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Alfred-
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, admi- .
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "
IMPROVEMENTS. IN BRUSHES AND IN MACHINERY, FOR MAKING THE SAME,"
being a communication to me from abroad by Charles D. Rogers, of:
Utica, State of New York, Monroe P. Wilkins, of Jersey City, State of
New Jersey, and Hayward A. Harvey, of Orange, State of New Jersey,

page_text: United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or administrators, 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
:-
This Invention relates firstly to an improvement in the mode of
securing tufts of bristle in the backs of brushes, and secondly to
mechanical means for carrying out the operation.
The improvements in the devices for manufacturing are embodied in a
machine by the operation of which a certain quantity of bristles or
fibres is separated and detached from a mass and fastened in a ferrule or
eyclet, forming what may be called a "tuft," and the tufts as they
are successively formed are firmly set into a brush stock.
The general character of the machine is as follows, viz. :-A bed of
suitable size is mounted upon a substantial frame, which also supports
underneath the bed a shaft carrying the several cams from which the
various motions of the machine are derived. At each complete revo-
lution of this shaft a new tuft is formed, and a tuft previously formed is
inserted in a brush stock. Above the table is a hopper for containing
cyclets, which are conveyed from thence by means of a pair of ways
down to a horizontal turntable or revolving disc provided with a series
of slotted holes, into which the eyelets are successively inserted one by
one by a reciprocating sliding movement of the hopper and ways.
The hopper is provided with rotating brushes to stir up the eyelets and
prevent them from jamming at the entrance to the ways, and the sliding
movement of the hopper has a similar effect, which is enhanced by the
jar caused by the sudden arrest of the hopper in its back motion by
means of a set screw when the ways are in proper position to deliver an

page_text: eyelet. The turntable rotates intermittently, and while standing still
to be supplied with an eyelet holds another eyelet, which it has pre-
viously taken in position to receive a bunch of bristles. The bristles are
supplied from a mass laid crosswise in a horizontal trough between two
parallel guides, which are susceptible of adjustment to conform to the
length of the bristles used, and also to regulate the position of the bristles
with respect to the jaws which pick out the bunches for the tufts. The
mass of bristles is pushed against the jaws by the constant pressure of
a weighted or spring plunger or follower.
The follower is a thin plate standing vertically across the trough, and
having on its lower edge short prongs or teeth, which enter corresponding
grooves running longitudinally in the bottom of the trough so as to
catch under the lowermost bristles, and thus prevent the follower from
riding over them. A slot in the follower admits the top guide, which
holds the bristles down. The picking up jaws slide in the same vertical
plane, so as to come together end to end immediately opposite the mass
of bristles. At the point of junction they are notched out so as to
present a recess capable of holding the quantity of bristles required to
make a tuft. The follower pushes the bristles into the recess, and then
a vertical wedge sliding in the upper jaw moves down and enters the
lower jaw, separating the bunch of bristles from the mass and crowding
the mass back. The vertical jaws then rise together, carrying up and
presenting the bunch to a pair of forked jaws which slide horizontally
and close upon the bunch upon each side of the vertical jaws, which
latter then retire in opposite directions, and the forked jaws again
move forward until they hold the bunch of bristles immediately over one
of the eyelets in the turntable. Through this eyelet a pair of spring
fingers rises and closes upon the bunch of bristles between the prongs of
the forked jaws, which then open and retire. The fingers next descend
drawing the bristles into the eyelet, so that the eye or bight of the tuft
projects below the eyelet. While in this position a pair of pincers rises
and grasps the barrel of the eyelet just under the flange, and compresses
it so as to indent it into the eye or bight of the bunch or tuft of bristles.
The holes in the turntable are slotted to admit the pincers for the
performance of this operation. Pincers and fingers then release the
eyelet and bristles and retire, and the tuft thus formed is carried onward
the next time the turntable moves.
When the tuft has arrived at a point opposite the evelet hopper, and

page_text: 29.shew enlarged views of the tuft and of the metallic eyelet by which
the tuft is held in the brush stock.
The description of the mechanism may conveniently commence with
the eyelet hopper a. (See Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet I.)
The ways a lead from the hopper to the turntable, and hopper and
ways are supported upon the reciprocating slide a². The shell of the
hopper is mounted on the shaft a³, on the lower end of which is a ratchet
wheel, which is impelled by means of a pawl upon the swinging plate
a. This plate being connected with a stationary point on the table or
bed of the machine by the rod a³, swings back and forth when the hopper
makes its reciprocal motion. The hopper (with the parts in connection
therewith) derives reciprocal motion through the lever as, link a', and lever
as, from the face cam a. The inner circumference of the hopper shell is
provided with several brushes b, 6, (Fig. 3,) which rotate with the shell
and push the eyelets into the ways, or away from the entrance to the
ways if any should be there which are not in proper position. The
eyelets must lie flange downwards in order to enter the ways. Having
entered they are carried down by gravity, and pass around the curve in
the ways at 6', so that they then stand flange upward. The motion of
the hopper and ways outward from the centre of the machine is stopped
by the set screw 6², which regulates the position of the ways so that an
eyelet will stand immediately over one of the holes in the turntable m.
The column or row of cyelets is arrested at the foot of the ways by a
light spring 6 (Fig. 2), so that when the ways stop the eyelet at the end
of the row being held back by the spring is in the desired position. A
pin 6 then rises through the hole in the turntable m, and entering the
eyelet holds it while the ways slide back, and then drops down so as to
deposit the eyelet in the hole in the turntable. This pin is secured to a
slide piece 65, and is operated through the link 66 and lever 6' by the
periphery 68 of the cam a³. The rotation of the turntable by means of
which the eyelet is conveyed to the place where the bristles are inserted
will be explained hereafter, and I will now describe the mechanism for
dealing with the bristles forming the tufts.
The bristle trough c has moveable sides c¹, c', which are parallel guides
placed a distance apart equal to the length of the bristles, and held in
position by the frictional bearing upon them of the jaw cam c².
By altering the position of the guides c¹, c', the bristles may be held
so that the picking up jaws will seize them either in the middle or on

page_text: one side of the middle if, as is sometimes the case, it is desired so to do.
In the trough is a plunger c³, which follows up the mass of bristles,
being impelled by a weight c' applied to the stem of the plunger. The
follower has prongs or teeth on its lower edge travelling in longitudinal
grooves c³, (Fig. 1,) in the bed of the trough, so as to catch under the
lowermost bristles in the trough. A slot in the follower admits the top
guide c, which holds the mass of bristles down in front of the follower
and is attached to it. The picking up jaws are vertical slide pieces
meeting end to end, and are notched and bevelled at the ends as shewn
in Fig. 6, Sheet II. The upper jaw d is carried in the yoke d¹, which is
moved up and down through the link d² and forked lever d³ by the cam d'.
The lower jaw e slides in a guide e³, secured to the bed of the machine,
and derives its movement through the link e³ and lever e³ from the cam
e. A vertical groove in the jaws admits the thin plate f, which is
bevelled at its lower end, and which has the double purpose of pushing
back the mass of bristles in its downward movement, and also of holding
in the bristles which have entered the jaws. This, which may be called
the separator, is attached to the arm f¹, which is carried in the yoke ƒ³,
deriving its motion through the link f³ and forked lever f* from the
cam fs. These cams are timed so that when the jaws have received a
supply of bristles the cam f' allows the lever f* to drop, which brings
the separator down to the position indicated at 9, (Fig. 6, Sheet II.) A
bunch of bristles is shewn in the jaws at g¹ (Fig. 9, Sheet II.) Then
the cams d and e* raise the levers d³ and e³ simultaneously, thus moving
up the jaws and contained bristles to the level of the forked jaws, which
slide horizontally forward and grasp the bunch of bristles on each side
of the vertical jaws. The cam e then allows the lever e³ to drop,
lowering the jaw e, and at the same time the cam d' raises the lever d³
a little higher, and thus takes the upper jaw out of the way of the
forked jaws. Coincidently with the latter movement the cam f³ raises
the lever f, carrying the separator up out of the way, keeping the path
clear for the horizontal jaws to perform their office, after which the vertical
jaws again assume the position indicated on Sheet II., ready to repeat
their operations. The horizontal jaws consist of two forked pieces; the
lower one (see Fig. 11, Sheet II.,) is secured to the slide carriage h³,
which has an interrupted reciprocal movement in a groove in the cross
frame c², derived through the crooked links h², h², and levers h³, h³, from
the cam (see Figure 11). The upper jaw i rocks upon the journal i¹,
which is secured to the lower jaw. The upper jaw remains down upon

page_text: the lower jaw by the effect of the spring, (Fig. 11,) except when it is
held up by the pressure upon the opposite end of the roller in the end of
the bent lever ³, to which motion is imparted through the link and
lever by the cam 26. These cams are timed so that the jaws stand
open when sliding forward to take hold of the bristles g', then close upon
the bristles, the sliding movement being arrested to enable them so to
do, and resumed immediately afterwards so that the bristles may be
carried forward and held over the eyelet in the turntable in the position
indicated in Fig. 2, Sheet I., and Fig. 10, Sheet II. at 9². While in this
position the bristles hereafter called the "tuft" are seized by a pair of
spring fingers (see Figures 19 to 23, Sheet II.), which rise up through
the eyelet for that purpose, and then the horizontal jaws open and slide
back out of the way. The spring fingers k are attached to a diamond-
shaped toe k³ secured to the piece k², which slides vertically in the box
, and is actuated through the link (see Fig. 13, Sheet III.) and
forked lever k³ by the cam k³. The fingers are made with a tendency to
spring open, but are each enlarged on the shank by the lips k', k', which
close the fingers by striking against the stops k³, k³, when the fingers
are drawn down in the act of looping the tuft through the eyelet. After
this has been effected, and just prior to the conclusion of the downward
motion of the slide carrying the fingers k, the toe ¹ (see Fig. 23)
strikes against and opens the lower ends of the pincers 1, 1, thus closing
the jaws of the pincers upon that part of the barrel of the eyelet
immediately beneath the flange, and causing them to compress or indent
two points on opposite sides of the periphery of the eyelet into the
middle of the tuft between the legs of the loop of bristles. The fingers
then unclose from the loop and the pincers let go of the eyelet, and both
pincers and fingers drop down to allow the tuft to pass on by the rotation
of the turntable. The pincers are pivoted on the slide piece 1, and
are held open by the springs 1, 1. The stops k³, k³, are attached to the
frame of the machine. The slide piece / acquires its motion through
the link (see Fig. 13, Sheet III.) and forked lever from the cam 15.
The combined action of the turntable as a holder of the eyelet and
the pincers as compressors of the eyelet, and the combined action of
either one or both of these parts with the fingers for drawing into the
eyelet the loop of bristles, constitute important features of the Invention.
The turntable m is the conveyor first of eyelets to the bristle jaws, and
then of the tufts to the place where they are delivered to the inserting

page_text: tongs. Its rotation is effected by the pins m', m¹ (see Figures 12 and 13,
Sheet III.), being successively caught on the switches m³, m³, the latter
being carried in the reciprocating sliding bed m³, which is moved
through link m² and elbow m³ by the cam m³. The eyelet holes in the
turntable are slotted across to admit of the entrance of the pincers when
they rise to indent the eyelet. The inserting tongs n, n (see Figures 16
and 17, Sheet III.,) are pivotted in the shell n¹ at the extremity of the
swinging arm o, and are opened and closed by the vertical movement of
the double-ended wedge n³. This wedge is moved up and down through
the lever n³, sliding key n', sleeve n³, links nº, and forked lever n', by the
cam n. The arm o is secured to the vertical sliding and rocking shaft
o¹, which is pushed up by the spiral spring o³, and depressed through the
links o' and lever o* by the cam 08. The rocking motion is imparted by
means of the crank p, actuated through the link p' and slide bar p³ by
the cam p³ (see Figures 1 and 15, Sheets I. and III.)
The open tongs close upon the tuft presented to them by the turn-
table, and maintain a firm hold of it just above the flange of the eyelet
until the arm o rises and swings them round. The tongs then drop and
insert the tuft in the hole in the brush stock immediately over the
centre bearing of the adjustable platform 8. This platform (see Fig. 5,
Sheet I.) is in the nature of a rolling bed, and rocks upon the rounded
end of the standard &', but may be stayed in position by the set screw s³.
It is susceptible of adjustment in height by means of the wedge s³, which
is operated by the draw screw 84. A small roller t is supported in the
end of the arm t, which is secured to the bed of the machine. This
roller travels upon the surface of the brush stock, and is placed so as to
drop into one of the holes therein, and thus act as a guide to the placing.
of the next preceding hole immediately under the tongs.
Another mode of indicating the position for the brush stock to occupy
for the reception of a tuft is by the use of the pointer or guide t³ (see
Fig. 2, Sheet I.), which is fastened to the bed of the machine so as to
project over the brush block and point to the place where the tuft will
be presented by the tongs.
The improvements in the construction of brushes relate to a method
of holding a loop of bristles or fibres in the form of a tuft, and also to a
mode of holding tufts of bristles or fibres in brush stocks, and are
illustrated on an enlarged scale on Sheet I., in which Fig. 24 is an

page_text: elevation of the tuft, Fig. 25 a section of the same through x, x, Fig. 24,
and Fig. 26 is a perspective view of the ferrule employed for securing
the tuft in brush stock. Figures 27, 28, and 29, views of corrugated
ferrules inserted in brush stocks.
The improvement in holding a loop of bristles or fibres in the form of
a tuft consists in compressing, punching, or indenting portions of the
periphery of the ferrule into the middle or eye of the loop, thus making
the end of the ferrule resemble in appearance the figure 8. An effect
similar to this has been attempted to be produced heretofore by the
introduction of a wire staple into the loop below the ferrule or eyelet,
the object of the wire staple being mainly to act as a key in preventing
the withdrawal of the loop of bristles from the ferrule, and incidentally
to compress or crush in the periphery of the ferrule by the impact of
the legs of the staple thereupon when the tuft is pressed into its seat in
the brush stock. This latter action of the staple is partial and uncer-
tain, because the wood of the brush stock yields more or less, and the
legs of the staple partially imbed themselves into that. By the present
Invention, however, a positive and exact result is produced by forcibly
compressing or indenting the periphery of the ferrule into the loop prior
to its insertion into the stock, thereby enabling the wire staple to be
dispensed with altogether. Not only is the wire. staple not required for
the purpose of compressing or crushing in the periphery of the ferrule,
but the positively indented periphery of the ferrule exercises substan-
tially the function of the wire staple in acting as a key to prevent the
withdrawal of the loop of bristles..
Figures 24 and 25, Sheet I.; exhibit the improved method of holding
the loop of bristles in combination with a flanged ferrule or eyelet. The
purpose of the flange is to secure the tuft in the brush stock in the
manner heretofore practised, to wit, by its expansion under pressure so
as to fill a cylindrical recess in the stock.
As a further improvement in the manufacture of brushes the outer
surface or periphery of the ferrule or eyelet used for holding the bristles
is corrugated or rendered uneven, more or less, so that when the
ferrule is forced into a wooden brush stock it will present recesses which
the metal in obedience to its natural elasticity will spring into and fill
up, thus increasing the frictional hold of the brush stock upon the
ferrule. These corrugations are equally applicable to ferrules with or
without flanges, and whether indented or not. They may be cut spirally

page_text: around the periphery of the ferrule like a screw thread, or may be made
in a die by compression, or inequalities in the exterior surface of the
ferrule may be produced by cutting entirely through the periphery as
shewn in Fig. 28 at i. a* is the ferrule, 6* its flange, c* the indentation,
d* the corrugations or uneven surfaces, e* the bristles of the brush stock,
and g* the hole in the brush stock for the reception of the tuft.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of improvements
in brushes and in machinery for making the same, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
First. The combination of machinery above described for manufac-
turing brushes automatically.
Secondly. The improvements above described for securing the tufts of
bristles and retaining them in the brush stock.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, the Nineteenth day of March, in the
vear of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)