A New or Improved Device for Cleaning or Washing the Leaves of Plants, also applicable for other purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left. 26th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Cleaning or Washing the Leaves of
Plants, also applicable for other purposes.
I, JAMES HENRY STONE of the Firm of Benton and Stone Bracebridge Street,
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
This invention consists of a device for cleaning or washing the leaves of plants
and the like and consists of a pair of spring tongs with a piece of absorbent
material, such as sponge or flannel secured to each tong and caused to meet on
pressure being applied to the handle end of the tongs, but recede or separate under
the action of the tong spring as the pressure is removed.
The absorbent material on the tongs being dipped into water or other liquid, the
leaf to be treated is introduced between said tongs which are then closed and
rubbed up and down the leaf so cleaning the leaf on both sides simultaneously.
The absorbent material may be secured to the tongs in any convenient manner. The
improved device may be used for other purposes.
Dated this 25th day of January 1893.
JOHN G. WILSON & CO.,
A cents
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Cleaning or Washing the Leaves of
Plants, also applicable for other purposes.
I, JAMES HENRY STONE of the Firm of Benton & Stone, Bracebridge Street,
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of a device for cleaning or washing the leaves or other
parts of plants and the like, a perspective view of which is seen in Fig. 1 on the
accompanying drawing.
This device, as illustrated consists of a pair of spring metal tongs A with a piece of
absorbent material B, such as sponge or flannel, secured to each tong. On pressure
being applied to the handle end of these tongs the pieces of sponge are caused to
come together, but on such pressure being removed they recede or separate from
each other under the action of the tong spring.
In using my improved device the pieces of sponge or flannel are dipped into water
or other liquid and the leaf of the plant to be cleaned is placed between the tongs,
which are then closed into touching contact with the leaf and rubbed up and down
the leaf, both sides of the leaf being cleaned simultaneously and the pressure of
the hand determining the amount of the rubbing action on the leaf.
The pieces of sponge or flannel are, by preference fixed to the tongs by forming
the tong ends as shewn in Fig. 2, the divided ends serving to clip the sponge and
hold it sufficiently firm.
This improved cleaning device may be used for other than plant or leaf cleaning
purposes.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.-
For cleaning the leaves of plants and other like purposes the use and employment

page_text: of a pair of spring tongs provided with pieces of suitable absorbent material, such
as sponge or flannel, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
JOHN G. WILSON & Co.,
Agents.