Improvements in Apparatus for Gauging Knots of Bristles for the Manufacture of Brooms and Brushes
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Gauging Knots of Bristles for the
Manufacture of Brooms and Brushes.
HYPPOLITE BESSON of 63 Alexandra Road, Hornsey County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, and GEORGE HAROLD KENT, ARTHUR BARTON KENT,
and ERNEST NEILD KENT (trading as G. B. Kent & Sons) of 11 Great Marl-
borough Street, W. in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
The apparatus is of the class in which bristle contained in a suitable holder or
box, rests horizontally at right angles on the top of a dise which by means of a
treadle is caused to rotate partially first in one direction, and then in the other,
the disc has a notch or slot formed in its periphery, and as the notch or slot passes
under the bristle, some of the bristle enters into the notch or slot; before the
lisc returns, a plate joined to the disc is firstly moved, and closes the mouth of the
notch or slot, the disc then comes back and carries away the tuft of bristle
retained in the notch to a position from which it can readily be taken by the
fingers.
The first part of our invention consists of arrangements and combinations of ..
mechanism to produce knots having the thicker end of bristles even and called
solid, which are used in the manufacture of hat, cloth, stable and similar brushes.
The second part of our invention consists of a new device and combination of
mechanism to produce knots of bristle having all their points so arranged as to
represent a bevel at each end. In the ordinary way the bevel edge is produced
by holding the bristle between the thumb and finger, and gently sliding the thumb
and finger at the same time over the bristle in the reverse direction, the bristle
then following the same motion produces a knot or tuft with a bevel edge at each
end. These knots or tufts are generally called penetrating and are used in the
manufacture of hair brushes.
The first part of the invention consists:
Firstly Of an arrangement of 2 beating plates, each placed so as to face the
end of the bristle in combination with the holder containing the bristle. The
beating plates are fitted in suitable bearings mounted on the frame of the holder,
and are operated either by hand or through any suitable mechanism through belt
by power.
Secondly Of a compound spring to intercept all loose bristle from being carried
away from the holder. This spring is mounted upon a small bracket fixed upon
the edge of the holder above the disc. It is made of two springs, the main spring
which presses upon the edge of the disc intercepting the loose bristle, and a feather
spring mounted upon the head or end of the main spring, which collects and
returns the bristle to the holder.
Thirdly Of an arrangement of a weighty slide pressing upon the bristle in the
holder sliding between two vertical grooves formed by vertical projections of
different depth and downward incline: the bottom edge which presses upon the
bristle is made concave, upon the concavity teeth are formed at opposite angles or
the teeth can be formed by fixing thin plates to the bottom of the said slide, each
plate having a bevel edge. In conjunction with this slide a feeder is provided upon
the disc. and it is constructed of two plates, clamped to the disc, the plates project
slightly over the disc, and upon the part projecting of the two plates, a thin blade
curved parallel to the curve of the disc is fixed. When the tuft is carried away
by the notch from the holder, the thin blade begins to enter in the bristle of the

page_text: holder, divides and advances forward a layer of bristle lying upon the disc, to the
part of the disc upon which the pressure of the weighty slide is most direct.
Also of the construction of the cut-off plate,-in order to keep the said plate
constantly in contact with the face or side of the disc, we cut a small groove upon
the head of the cut-off plate, which is in proximity to the notch of the disc; a set
screw is passed through the said groove screwing in the disc, and the head or nut
of the screw acts upon a spring washer, which keeps the plate in contact with the
disc. Sometimes instead of putting the cut-off plate upon one side of the disc, we
place it in the thickness of the disc: for that we fit a small plate or slide in an
opening made in the disc in front of the notch or slot, this said plate or slide is
made to shut the notch or slot by means of a small lever fitted upon the disc, and
worked by the bar of the treadle. By this last arrangement the tuft or knot is
gripped at the middle of the notch.
When gauging knots with long bristle, the flag generally becomes entangled and
the knots formed of this kind of bristle when coming out of the holder, will drag
with them some of the flag of the bristle contained in the holder and derange the
solidity of the said bristle. To avoid this defect, we fit a separator composed of
a small slide and pivoting finger placed upon the front of the holder, which acts
in such a manner that the reciprocating action of the disc will cause the separator
to descend between a knot or tuft just coming out of the mouth of the holder, then
the finger will move along the bristle, cutting or separating the flag of the knot
formed from the bristle in the container or holder, and the said slide with the finger
rises at the return action of the disc.
Also we provide in the notch of the disc, a sliding gauge or, moveable bottom, so
as to be quickly altered. The small gauge is formed of a small slide or block
carrying an outside nut, in which fits a screw mounted upon a small bracket,
which is fitted near the edge of the disc. This said screw is worked by a thumb
'wheel.
"
According to the second part of our said invention, to form the knot or tuft
called penetrating used in the manufacture of hair brushes, the bristle is placed in
the bristle holder as before described and the moveable plate beats or flaps against
the end of the said bristle. The beating or flapping is to make each end of the
bristle as even or solid as possible. The knots are taken from the holder by
means of a notch formed in the edge of a disc as already described, but we prefer
to use a horizontal bar upon which are fitted two other plates, bars or levers, one
having a notch formed in its edge to receive the bristle and the other to cut off the
knot and shut the mouth of the notch. The bar with the notched and cut-off
plate receives a reciprocating action through the means of a bell lever and a treadle
or any other equivalent means, by which the cut-off will separate the knot from
the bristle on the holder, and the lever comes back and carries away the tuft, but
while the lever is returning, the notched and cut-off plate, bars or levers, received
a pivoting action which oscillates the two said plates, bars or levers apart from one
another, making the fingers of the cut-off plate bar or lever, and the bottom of
the bristle gauge which is fitted in the notch of the plate, bar or lever, slide in an
opposite direction all along the length of the knot of bristle, and each half of the
knot of bristle will receive the same sliding, one half in one way, the other half in
the other way, producing a tuft having a bevel edge at each end.
The opening or pivoting of the notched and cut-off plate bars or levers is
operated either by a small cam plate, incline, pins or any equivalent means.
Dated 30th day of November 1891.
H. BESSON.
ARTHUR B. KENT.
G. HAROLD KENT.
ERNEST N. KENT.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Gauging Knots of Bristles for the
Manufacture of Brooms and Brushes.
We, HYPPOLITE BESSON of 63 Alexandra Road, Hornsey, County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer; and GEORGE HAROLD KENT, ARTHUR BARTON KENT, and
ERNEST NEILD KENT, (trading as G. B. Kent & Sons) of 11 Great Marlborough
Street, W., in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The apparatus is of the class in which bristle contained in a suitable holder or
box rests horizontally at right angles on the top of a disc which by means of a
treadle is caused to rotate partially first in one direction and then in the other, the
disc has a notch or slot formed in its periphery, and as the notch or slot passes
under the bristle some of the bristle enters the notch or slot before the disc returns,
a plate joined to the disc is firstly moved, and closes the mouth of the notch or slot,
the disc then comes back and carries away the tuft of bristle retained in the notch
to a position from which it can be readily taken by the fingers. Apparatus of this
class is described in the Specification No. 5837 of the year 1885.
The first part of our invention consists of arrangement and combination of
mechanism to produce knots, having the thicker end of bristle even and called
solid which are used in the manufacture of hat, cloth, stable, and similar brushes.
The second part of our invention consists of a new device and combination of
mechanism to produce knots of bristle having all their points so arranged as to
represent a bevel edge at each end. In the ordinary way the bevel edge is produced
by holding the bristle between the thumb and finger, and gently sliding the thumb
and finger at the same time over the bristle in the reverse direction the bristle
then following the same motion produces a knot or tuft with a bevel edge at each
end. These knots or tufts are generally called penetrating and are used in the
manufacture of hair and other brushes.
The first part of the invention consists firstly, of an arrangement of 2 beating
plates each placed so as to face the end of the bristle in combination with the
holder containing the bristle. The beating plates are fitted in suitable bearings
mounted on the frame of the holder and are operated either by hand or through
any suitable mechanism through belt by power. Secondly, of a compound spring
to intercept all loose bristle from being carried away from the holder. This spring
is mounted upon a small bracket fixed upon the edge of the holder above the disc.
It is made of two springs, the main spring which presses upon the edge of the
disc intercepting the loose bristle and a feather spring mounted upon the head or
end of the main spring which collects and returns the bristle to the holder.
Thirdly, of an arrangement of a weighty slide pressing upon the bristle in the
holder sliding between two vertical grooves formed by vertical projections of
different depth and downward incline the bottom edge which presses upon the
bristle is made concave upon the concavity teeth are formed at opposite angles or
the teeth can be formed by fixing thin plates to the bottom of the said slide each
plate having a bevel edge. In conjunction with this slide a feeder is provided upon
the disc, and it is constructed of two plates clamped to the disc; the plates project
slightly over the disc and upon the projecting part of the two plates a thin blade
curved parallel to the curve of the disc is fixed. When the tuft is carried away
by the notch from the holder the thin blade begins to enter the bristle of the
holder, divides and advances forward a layer of bristle upon the disc to the part
of the disc upon which the pressure of the weighty slides is most direct.
Also of the construction of the cut-off plate in order to keep the said plate
constantly in contact with the face or side of the disc, we cut a small groove upon
the head of the cut-off plate, which is in proximity to the notch of the disc a set

page_text: screw is passed through the said groove screwing in the disc and the head or nut
of the screw acts upon a spring washer which keeps the plate in contact with the
disc. Sometimes instead of putting the cut off plate upon one side of the disc we
place it in the thickness of the disc, for that we fit a small plate or slide in an
opening made in the disc in front of the notch or slot, this said slide or cut-off' is
made to shut the notcb or slot by the means of a small lever worked by the bar of
the treadle by this last arrangement the tuft or knot is gripped at the middle of
the notch.
When gauging knots with long bristle the flag or thin end of the said bristle
becomes entangled and the knots formed of this kind of bristle when coming out
of the holder will drag with them some of the flag or thin end of the bristle
contained in the holder, and deranges the solidity of the said bristle. To avoid
this defect we fit a separator composed of small slide and pivoting fingers placed
upon the front of the holder which acts in such a manner that the reciprocating
action of the disc will cause the separator to descend between the knot or tuft to
be withdrawn from the mouth of the holder and the bristle in the mouth of the
holder then the fingers will move along the bristle cutting or separating the flag
of the knot so formed from the bristle in the container or bristle holder and the
said slide with the finger rises at the return action of the disc.
Also we provide in the notch of the disc a sliding gauge or moveable bottom,
so as to be quickly altered. The small gauge is formed of a small slide or block
carrying an outside put in which fits a screw mounted upon a small bracket which
is fitted near the end of the disc this said screw is worked by a thumb wheel.
According to the second part of our said invention, to form the knot or tuft
called penetrating used in the manufacture of hair and other brushes the bristle
is placed in the bristle holder as before described and the moveable plate beats or
Haps against the end of the said bristle. The beating or flapping is to make each
end of the bristle as even or solid as possible in the bolder. The knots are taken
from the holder by the means of a notch formed in the edge of a disc as already
described, but we prefer to use a horizontal bar upon which are fitted two other
plates, bars or levers, one having a notch formed in its edge to receive the bristle
and the other to cut off the knot and shut the mouth of the notch. The bar with
the nctch and cut off plate receives a reciprocating action through the means of a
bell lever and a treadle or any other equivalent means by which the cut off will
separate the knot from the bristle in the holder and the lever comes back and
carries away the tuft, but while the lever is returning the notched cut off plate bar
or lever receives a pivoting action which oscillates the two said plates bars or
levers apart from one another, making the fingers of the cut-off plate bar or lever
and the bottom of the bristle gauge which is fitted in the notch or plate, bar or
lever, slide in an opposite direction all along the while pressing the said bristle
and each half of the knot of bristle will receive the same sliding one half in one
way and the other half in the other way producing a tuft having a bevel edge at
each end.
The opening or pivoting of the notched and cut-off plate bar or lever is operated
by a small cam-plate, incline, pins, or any other equivalent means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a left hand side elevation of a machine constructed according to this
invention and arranged for long or uncut bristles.
Figure 2 is a front elevation and Figure 3 a plan of the same.
In these views some of the parts are omitted to show the others more clearly.
Figures 4 and 5 are a side elevation and vertical section of the weight C.
Figures 6 and 7 are a right hand side elevation and plan of part of the cut-off
plate and disc to a larger scale.
Figures 8 and 9 are a left hand side clevation and plan of the plate G and part
of the disc to a larger scale.

page_text: Figures 10 and 11 are a side elevation and plan of the spring arm H to a larger
scale.
Figures 12, 13 and 14 shew an arrangement for operating the beating plates Bl
and B simultaneously.
Figures 15 to 25 show a modified machine in which the disc is replaced by a.
slide. Figure 15 is a side elevation and Figure 16 is a plan and Figure 17 a
section on the line X X Figures 15 and 16. Figures 18 and 19 are a side
elevation and plan of the blade Q. Figures 20 and 21 are a side elevation and
plan of the blade Q. Figures 22 to 25 are diagram views showing how the tuft is.
held and operated upon.
Figure 26 shows another modification in which the cut off plate is mounted on
the hopper in place of on the disc or slide.
In Figures 1 to 3 A is the base of the machine to which are fixed brackets a
supporting the upper part of the machine. B B are plates fixed to the brackets a
and forming two sides of the hopper or receptacle for the bristles. The other two
sides of the hopper consists of plates B' B. The plate B¹ is mounted on a stem b
free to move in a tube fixed to one of the brackets a but the stem is normally
retained in position by the thumb nut b².
The bristles are placed in the hopper with their thicker ends against the plate B₁
which can be shifted to suit different lengths of bristles. The plate B' is mounted
on the rod working in bearings . The rod 6 forms a handle by which the
plate B² can be moved backwards and forwards, so acting as a beater against the
thin ends or "flag" of the bristles to cause all their thicker ends to come against
the plate B¹. The plates B B have projections B' B' on them which serve as
guides to receive a plate forming the lower part of a weight C shown in side.
clevation and vertical transverse section at Figures 4 and 5. The plate C has a
slot c in it to receive a slide c' to which a comb e provided with a handle e³ is-
fixed.
When it is found that the bristles are not lying at right angles to the plates B'B
as they should do the comb c² is pushed down through the bundle of bristles into.
the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 4 the thumb nut 62 is loosed and the
plates B B are pushed backwards and forwards carrying the bristles lengthways
backwards and forwards between the teeth of the comb thus making them take up
their proper position. The bottom of the weight C is serrated or toothed as shown
to prevent the bristles from slipping.
The bottom of the hopper is formed of a curved plate D which is slotted to
allow the edge of the disc E to pass through into the hopper. The disc E is
mounted on the spindle e working in bearings a¹ on the base A.
It has in it a
notch E whose depth is regulated by the gauge e actuated by the screw and
thumb nut e. The disc E carries a cut-off plate E² pivotted to it at . The
disc E is caused to rotate backwards and forwards through a small angle by the
rod Factuated by a treadle, not shown in the drawings. The rod F is connected
to the disc E by a pin working in a slot e in it. One end of the pin falso
works in a bearing in the cut-off plate E' so that the plate always moves with the
rod F whilst by reason of the slot the disc E remains stationary for a short
time whenever the direction of motion of the rod F is changed. The result of this
arrangement is that the point or jaw of the cut-off plate E' alternately covers
and uncovers the mouth of the notch E. Thus in Figure 1 the rod F is moving
downwards and the disc is rotating in the direction of the arrow the mouth of the
notch E¹ being open so that when it enters the hopper it will fill with bristles.
When the motion of the rod F is reversed and it commences to move upwards the
disc will for a short time remain stationary but the cut-off plate E' will at once
commence to move backwards and so its point es will come over the mouth of the
notch E and thus hold the bristles in it. As shown to a larger scale in Figures 6
and 7 the cut off plate E is kept in contact with the disc E by a spring washer e
and bolt e the latter working in a circular slot in the cut off plate and having
its centre at e³. As shown in Figure 6 one jaw of the notch E' is slotted so that

page_text: it terminates in two points ee which receive the point of the cut-off plate E³
between them. In order to push the bristles towards the right hand side (Figure 1)
of the hopper where the notch E' enters it there is fixed on each side of the disc E
a bent plate G (shown to a larger scale at Figures 8 and 9) projecting beyond the
edge of the disc and having a point G. When the disc E is moving back in the
reverse direction to the arrow in Figure 1 the space between the point G' and
the edge of the disc E becomes filled with bristles which are carried by the rotation
of the disc to the right hand side of the mouth of the hopper the projecting portion
of the plate G lifting the weight C. When the disc E revolves back again the
bristles remain behind escaping from the space beneath the point G₁ and the
weight C descends onto and holds them.
In order to prevent the bristles from being drawn out through the small spaces
between the sides of the disc and the edges of the slot in the curved plate Da
spring arm H shown to a larger scale in Figures 10 and 11 is pivotted at Ht
with its end H2 bearing on the edge of the disc.
Near this end of the spring arm is fixed a spring projection H³ which causes
any bristles pushed to the right in advance of the point G¹ to travel upwards in
the hopper.
In order to separate the "flag" or thin ends of the bristles which are in the notch in
the disc and are being drawn out of the hopper from the "flag" of the bristles in the
hopper a separator J is provided. This consists of a blade pivotted at J' to a
vertical slide K slotted to receive screws K K and pivotted to a vertical rod K' to
which an intermittent up and down motion is given by the lever K³ and connecting
rod K the lower end of which is slotted to receive the pin K³ fixed to the disc E.
In this way the separator J does not begin to move downwards until some time
after the disc has commenced to move backwards. L is an arm pivotted at L' to
the plate B and carrying at its other end a pin L2 working in a slot J in the
separator. The result of this arrangement is that the separator J at first moves
vertically downwards its point entering the tuft of bristles but when the pin L
comes to the end of the slot J it pivots about L' and moves sideways as well as
downwards until its edge comes close up against the disc E.
When the machine is to be used for bristles which have been cut to length the
arrangements for operating the plates B and B are modified as shown in
Figures 12, 13 and 14. The plates are mounted on stems adjustably connected
by screws to arms N fixed to rods N'. These rods carry pius N entering
grooves in the double lever O which has fixed to it a pin O¹ received into the
cam O on the shaft (3 rotated either by hand or mechanically by the pulley 04.
In this way the plates B1 and B2 are moved backwards and forwards simultaneously,
operating on both ends of the bristles. One or both of the arms N are connected
to the rod N by a pivot and set screw N³ so that the plate can be turned back
into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 14 to allow the hopper to be
filled.
Instead of mounting the mechanism for seizing the tuft upon a revolving disc it
may be mounted on a slide moving to and fro. This form of machine is more
convenient when it is desired to make what are known as "penetrating" brushes
that is to say brushes in which the outer ends of the bristles lie in a plane inclined
instead of parallel to the back.
Figures 15 to 25 show a machine thus modified. The upper portion is of similar
construction to that described above and the parts bear the same letters but the
disc E is replaced by a slide P working in guides on the base A. A to and fro
motion is given to the slide P by a treadle (not shown in the drawings) a connecting
rod P bell crank lever P and link P³ the latter having a stud P at its end
working in the slot Ps in the slide P so that the slide remains stationary for a
short time whenever its direction of motion is about to be reversed.
to 21.
Pivotted to the slide P are two blades Q and Q2 shown separately at Figures 18
The blade Q has in it a notch Q fitted with a slide or gauge 7' actuated
by a screw and thumb nut y². These parts correspond with and have the same

page_text: functions as the notch E' gauge and screw e of the other machine. The
blade is free to oscillate up and down upon the pin Q3 and it can also move
slightly in a horizontal plane about the pin Q so that it may be accurately fitted
to the side of the slide to which it is connected by the spring washer q.
This blade corresponds with the cut off plate E2 of the other machine and is
provided with a nose or point which periodically comes over and covers the
mouth of the notch Q. Motion is given to the plate Q by the stud P whose end
works in an inclined slot in it. The working of the machine so far as it has at
present been described is identical with that of the former machine and needs no
further explanation.
In order however to arrange the ends of the bristles of the selected tuft in a
plane inclined at an acute angle to the tuft the following arrangements are adopted :-
The blade Q is free to turn in a horizontal plane about the pin Q and it is caused
to do so when the notch Q is clear of the hopper by the roller q upon it coming
against the incline K upon the frame. The gauge has fixed to it a circular wing
or extension whose centre is the pin Q. The tuft is held lengthwise between
the circular wing and an arm S' upon the finger S so that when the wing q° is
moved sideways by the blade Q' the bristles in contact with the wing are carried
with it as shown in Figure 25 whilst those in contact with the arm remain stationary
or nearly so and the intermediate bristles are moved more or less according to their
distances from and S'. In this manner the tuft is given bevelled ends.
The finger S is pivotted at s to the slide P and it has upon it a crank pin S³
working in the slot in the rod T, the latter passing loosely through a hole in the
bracket T fixed to the frame the machine aud by which it is supported. The
rod T has upon it two springs T' T' one on each side of the bracket T' and as the
slide P moves to the left and the crank pin S2 comes to the end of the slot t as
shown in Figure 15 the spring T3 is compressed causing the arm S' to bear against
the wing Similarly when the slide moves in the opposite direction and the
crank pin comes to the other end of the slot the spring T causes the finger and
arm S to turn back away from the wing q
In Figure 26 the disc E has several notches E' formed in it each provided with
a gauge e as above described. In place of being oscillated backwards and
forwards it has a step by step motion of rotation given to it always in the same
direction by the pawl U taking into the ring of teeth V upon it. The cut off
plate is weighted and works in guides in the side B of the hopper. This plate
fits the disc as shown and carries inside the hopper a projection corresponding to
the edge H and incline H3 of the former machine. A similar arrangement may
be applied to a slide or slides but in the former case it would reciprocate and not
nove always in the same direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In machines of the class referred to :-
1. The moveable plates in the hopper for pressing or beating the bristles into
position substantially as described.
2. The spring arm at the mouth of the hopper pressing on the edge of the disc
substantially as described.
3. The weighted siide C substantially as described.
4. The plate G projecting from the disc and its point
described.
substantially as
5. The means of securing the cut off plate to the disc substantially as described.
6. The separator J substantially as described.
7. Producing penetrating tufts by holding the tuft between two surfaces
moving relatively to each other longitudinally of the tuft substantially as described.
8. Providing the gauge in the notch in the disc or slide with a transverse wing

page_text: or surface and mechanism for moving the wing or surface along the tuft in the
notch substantially as described.
9. Apparatus for gauging knots of bristles for the manufacture of brooms and
brushes substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1892.
H. BESSON.
G. HAROLD KENT.
ARTHUR B. KENT.
ERNEST N. KENT.