IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OB APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING THE PLATFORMS OF RAILWAY STATIONS AND FOOTPATHS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Eastwood, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Brush Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OB APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING THE PLATFORMS OF RAILWAY STATIONS AND
FOOTPATHS."
Sealed the 17th January 1865, and dated the 1st August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Eastwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
August 1864.
I, CHARLES EASTWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Brush Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING THE PLATFORMS OF RAILWAY
STATIONS AND FOOTPATHS," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the sweeping or brushing of
platforms and footpaths by dispensing with the tedious and consequently costly.
mode now in use, viz., the ordinary long-handled brush applied manually.
I effect this by means of a framework (rectangular by preference) of cast
iron or other suitable material supported on wheels in the back part, and
carrying in the front part a cylindrical brush free to revolve on its bearings,
such brush being adjusted by means of set screws applied to the bearings, or in
any convenient manner. I place a box for the reception of dust or dirt in the
bottom of the back part of the frame open to and in juxtaposition with the
brush. A grooved pulley on one of the wheel axles communicates motion to
a similar grooved pulley on the axle carrying the brush by means of a band.

page_text: or belt, and when the attendant pulls the machine or apparatus by means of
a handle affixed to the back of the frame rotary motion is given to the brush
(which is in contact with the ground) by the method above described, and dust
or dirt is carried into the receptacle in the bottom of the framework. The
brush may obviously be constructed of any desired or convenient length, and
thus a larger area of platform or footpath is cleansed at one time than is
possible by the hand brush.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Eastwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
EASTWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Brush Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Eastwood, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Eastwood, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Eastwood, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING THE PLATFORMS OF RAILWAY
STATIONS AND FOOTPATHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Charles Eastwood, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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 Charles Eastwood,. do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say: -

page_text: The object of my Invention is to facilitate the sweeping or brushing of
platforms and footpaths by dispensing with the tedious and consequently costly
mode now in use, viz., the ordinary long-handled brush applied manually.
I effect this by means of a framework (rectangular by preference) of cast
iron or other suitable material supported on wheels in the front part, and
carrying in the back part a cylindrical brush free to revolve on its bearings,
such brush being adjusted by means of set screws applied to the bearings or in
any convenient manner. I place a box for the reception of dust or dirt in the
bottom of the front part of the frame open to and in juxtaposition with the
brush. A grooved pulley on one of the wheel axles communicates motion to
a similar grooved pulley on the axle carrying the brush by means of a band
or belt, and when the attendant pulls the machine or apparatus by means of
a handle affixed to the front part of the frame rotary motion is given to the
brush (which is in contact with the ground) by the method above described,
and dust or dirt is carried into the receptacle in the bottom of the frame-
work. The brush may obviously be constructed of any desired or convenient
length, and thus a larger area of platform or footpath is cleansed at one time
than is possible by the hand brush.
But in order that my Invention may be better understood, reference is
made to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, similar letters in the various views representing corresponding

page_text: bolt also passes through the carrying bracket b¹. The attendant pulling the
apparatus by means of the handle the brush C is put into motion, as before
explained, and the dirt is swept up the side of the receiver g over into the
moveable receiver h, which can when full be readily emptied. The cover x,
Figure 1, keeps the dust within the box. The various parts may be made of
cast or wrought iron, as is usual in such structures, the nave of the brush
being of wood with an iron axis.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise mechanical details shown, nor do I claim the principle
in the abstract of sweeping by means of a revolving brush; but what I do.
claim is, the application of that principle to the purposes mentioned in my
title, substantially in the manner shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Eastwood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
PHILIP H. SHARP,
Paten ent,
Leeds.
CHARLES EASTWOOD. (LS.)