Improvements in Circular and Revolving Brushes for Cleaning Tubes, Pipes, and Metals.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Circular and Revolving Brushes for Cleaning
Tubes, Pipes, and Metals.
We WILLIAM MOTHERWELL, Nail, & Brush Manufacturer, residing at 62 Albert
Road, Crosshill, Glasgow, in the County of Renfrewshire, Scotland, & NATHANIEL
MOTHERWELL, Engineer, residing at 61 Caledonia Road, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanarkshire, Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR, AND REVOLVING BRUSHES, FOR CLEANING TUBES,
PIPES, & METALS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention has for its object the giving of a satisfactory, and economical
method, whereby the wires, hair, or such other meterial, as required, constituting,
or formed into Circular, or revolving Brushes, will be fixed in a secure, and suitable
manner, without getting loose while in use. Yet allowing of an easy, and simple
means for renewing, or repairing the wires, hair, or other meterial used, when
required.
The discription of the Drawings, with details of the Construction, and Com-
bination of Parts, being as follows.
Fig 1 represents an elevated, and end, sectional view, of our improved Circular
Brush mounted, for Cleaning Tubes, Pipes, &cot, upon a rod of Iron, or other suitable
metal, formed, creased, or turned, to a requisite size, as at Fig. 1, a. a. having a
ruff, or Collar b. upon it, and screwed at one end c. to fit a tapped nut d.
We purpose taking off the nut, and placing any number of rings, or washers, as
required, see sectional drawings Fig 2. composed of Iron, Steel, Lead, or other
suitable meterial, having parallel grooves, or channels e. running across the face, or
upon each side of them, deverging from the centre hole, to the outer side, and
having grooves, or channels, upon the inner-side, or hole of the rings, or washers, to
correspond with those, upon the sides, or face. These grooves, or channels, being
made sufficient in number, breadth, and depth, for purposes required.
Through the centre hole, of each grooved ring, or washer, is passed a sufficient
number of strains, or lengths of wire, hair, or other meterial, cut to sizes, or
lengths required, as will fill each groove, or channel upon them. The wire, hair, or
other meterial, is then bent, or doubled over the rings, or washers, so that the
ends project equally, and beyond the outer-side of them, and is there fixed in a
temporary manner.

page_text: The bend of the strains, or lengths, being thus upon the inside of the rings, or
washers as at f, Fig. 1. We now pass over the screwed end of the rod a. a. any
number as may be required of these rings, or washers mounted with wire, hair, or
other meterial f. also a common metal, or Iron washer g. Then by putting on the
nut d. upon the screwed end of the rod at c. we are thereby enabled to fix the
mounted rings, or washers, tightly in their place, and against the ruff, or collar b.
The temporary fastening may now be removed from the wire, hair, or other
meterial, if not removed already, and the unscrewed end of the rod a. a. can be
used as a handle, or lengthened, or a handle may be put upon it, as required, and
it is ready for use, either as a brush, or scraper, for boiler tubes, pipes, or other
appropriate purposes, according to the strength of the meterial used, in mounting
it, as shown by Figa 1.
Or where prefered, a rod of Iron, or other suitable metal, screwed and fitted
with two nuts, and washers, as shown by Figs 3. & 4, may be used, instead of the
rod a. a. as shown in Fig. 1. The grooved rings, or washers when mounted, being
placed upon the rod at c. where it is screwed, and between the washers g. g. and
the nuts d. d. see Fig. 3.
When the boiler tubes, or pipes, requiring to be cleaned, or scraped, is of a large
size, or diametre, for various advantages, we purpose to use grooved, or channeled
rings, or washers, as shown by sectional drawings Fige 6. Where instead of having
the grooves, or channels carried from the outer side, to the inner-side of the rings,
or washers, as shown in Fig 2. we intend to form each groove, or channel, as
shown at e. Fig. 6. and which may be made upon one, or both sides of the rings, or
washers, in such number, and to such distance to-wards the centre of them, as may
be required, we then place into each groove, or channel, a sufficient number of
strains, or lengths of wire, hair, or other meterial, bent or doubled, as will fill them,
and fix these grooved rings, or washers thus mounted, upon the rod of Iron, or
other metal a. a. in the manner as already discribed.
Fig 5. represents an elevated, and end sectional view, of our improved revolving
brush, for burnishing, cleaning, or scraping.
Upon a peice of Iron, or other metal tube, of any length, and size required, we
form a screw on each end, to fit two tapped nuts d. d. see Fig. 5. one of which is
then taken off, and any number of grooved rings, or washers, as may be required
see Figs 6. mounted as already discribed with wire, hair, or other meterial, suitable
for the purpose desired, is placed upon the tube, afterwards a common Iron, or
metal washer, then the nut is screwed on, thus fixing the mounted rings, or washers,
tightly to-gather. A spindle or mandiil, h. may be then driven firmly into the
.tube, now mounted, and the brush, thus formed, and shown by Figs 5. made to
revolve by a turning Laithe, or other suitable means.
Where the mounted rings, or washers are objected to, or from other causes not
desirable, for this purpose, we propose to use a grooved, or fluted barrel, or cylinder,
see Fig 9. made of Iron, or other suitable metal, with a sufficient number of grooved
ribs, or bars, see Figs 11. & 12. as required, which may be made of Steel, Iron, or
other suitable metal. Surrounding three sides of each rib, or bar, see Figs. 11. and
within each groove, is bent, or doubled, a sufficient number of strains or lengths of
wire, hair, or other meterial as required, and as shown at f. Fig. 12. and fastened in
a temporary manner. The ribs, or bars thus mounted, are now placed within the
fluted grooves of the barrel, or cylinder, and held securely in their place, by means
of a ring, or collar, see Figs 10. made of Iron, Steel, or other suitable metal, one of
which is titted on each end, of the grooved, or fluted barrel, or cylinder, at k. k. see
Fig. 9. or which may be wedged, shrunk, or otherwise fixed on, in any other suitable
manner. The temporary fastening, may now be removed from the wire, hair, or
other meterial, and a spindle or mandril, driven into the barrel, or cylinder, at l.
and it is ready for use.
Fig. 7. represents an elevated drawing, of a circular plate of Iron, or other
suitable metal, formed to any size, circle, or curve as required, and perforated with
holes, which may be punched, drilled, or otherwise formed, and passing through it,

page_text: also having grooves, or channels, connecting each two holes, alternately, upon the
concave side of it, all in a similar manner as there-on shown, for the purpose of
mounting, and fixing our brush, upon a barrel or cylinder of wood, or other
meterial as follows.
With two, or any number of metal plates as required, curved, perforated and
grooved, as already discribed see Figs 7. & 8. we propose to take a sufficient
number of lengths, or strains of wire, hair, or other meterial, bent or doubled at the
middle, or centre, in the form of loops, and with these we fill each two alternate
holes, by passing through them, one end of each loop respectively, so that the
bended part of the wire, hair, or other meterial, will rest or lie within the grooves,
or channels, upon the concave side of the plate, and so continue, till all the holes
as required is filled, in a similar manner as shown at Fig. 8.
These plates thus mounted, may now be placed upon a barrel, or cylinder of
wood, or other suitable meterial, and then fixed to it, by means of bolts, or screws,
passed through the holes m. m. see Fig. 7. or by metal rings, or flanges, or any
other suitable manner, thus forming a revolving brush, of any strength of meterial,
and size, or diametre as desired.
The advantages of our improved circular, and revolving brushes, will now be
fully comprehended, they can be made of any strength of meterial for brushing,
cleaning, or scraping, and through the nature of their construction, this meterial,
can be renewed easily, from time, to time, when worn done, while it is impossible
for it to get loose, they are very durable, therefore cheap, & their action so satis-
factory, that one trial, will make them appreciated, by everyone, and everywhere.
Having now particularly discribed 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
1st The introduction and appropriation, of grooved, or channeled rings, or
washers, see Figs 2. & 6. formed in the manner, and for the ends, uses, and
purposes here-in discribed, and substantially, as set forth.
2nd The introduction and appropriation, of grooved, or fluted barrels, or
cylinders, see Figs 9. with the grooved ribs, or bars, see Figs 11. & 12. formed in
the manner, and for the ends, uses, and purposes, here-in discribed and sub-
stantially as set forth.
3rd The introduction and appropriation of curved, perforated, and grooved
plates, see Figs 7. & 8. formed in the manner, and for the ends, uses, and purposes,
here-in discribed and substantially as set forth.