IMPROVEMENTS IN DUST PANS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I GEORGE EDWARD SMART of Belvedero House, Tunbridge Wells in the County
of Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DUST PANS" to be as follows:-
With dust pans as usually constructed the dust is very apt to drop back nearly
or quito out of the pan while the brush is removed to sweep in a fresh lot; now
my invention is designed to get over this drawback which I propose to do in the
following manner.
Across the inside of the bottom of the pan, I place one or more cross pieces, bars,
ridges or equivalent, in such manner that when the dust has been swept past one
or more of them, it may be retained instead of falling back.
These ridges etc may be made in a variety of ways as by separate pieces of wood
or metal fastened on to the pan, or by turning back the bottom to form a lip
which may be carried back as far as desired by making folds in the bottom or
corrugating it.
The bottom may be curved or flat and the shape of the ridges can be varied so
long as sufficient surface is presented to retain the dust.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, GEORGE EDWARD SMART of Belvedere House Tunbridge Wells in the County
of Kent Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DUST PANS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
With dust pans as usually constructed the dust is very apt to drop back nearly
or quite out of the pan while the brush is removed to sweep in a fresh lot; now
my invention is designed to get over this drawback which I propose to do in the
following manner.
Across the inside of the bottom of the pan; I place one or more cross pieces, bars,
ridges or equivalent, in such manner that when the dust has been swept past one
or more of them, it may be retained instead of falling back.
$
These ridges & may be made in a variety of ways, as by separate pieces of wood
or metal fastened on to the pan, or by turning back the bottom to form a lip
which may be carried back as far as desired, by making folds in the bottom, or
corrugating it.
The bottom may be curved or flat and the shape of the ridges can be varied so
long as sufficient surface is presented to retain the dust.
The accompanying drawings are all cross sections of different designs, with the
exception of Figure 6 which is a plan.
Figure 1 shows an ordinary flat bottomed dust, pan A with the addition of the
lip or bar B extending entirely or nearly so, across the pan from end to end as
shown in the plan Figure 6. If it be stopped short of the full width of the pan a
space is left which is sometimes useful for clearing out the dust; generally
however I prefer to carry the bar lip or ridge entirely across the pan. It will be
readily seen that when the dust is brushed or placed in the pan the lip B materially
assists in keeping it there.
Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 but the lip B is shorter and one or more bars or
wires C extend across the pan from end to end near the top and are useful in
clearing the brush and removing from the bristles anything that may be sticking to
them.
In Figure 3 the number of bars B is increased three being shown forming an
additional number of spaces or pockets in which the dust can lio.
Figure 4 is the same as Figure 1' but has a curved bottom.
In Figure 5 the lip B is hinged or jointed to the bottom or ends of the pan to
facilitate the removal of the dust from the pan.
Figures 6 and 7 are similar to Figure 1 with the addition of the grid or set of
bars D which serve the double purpose of removing particles from the bristles of
the brush in a manner similar to C in Figure 2 and retaining the dust when in the
pan; it is most useful in windy weather or a strong draft which without this
grid D would be apt to blow the dust out.
In Figure 8 the grid D is not removable as in Figure 7 but consists of a few extra
bars B carried across the pan near the top leaving a sufficiently wide opening for
cleaning out the dust; if this form of grid were applied to the folding lip B
Firmen it would one with the lin

page_text: Figure 9 shows an extension B¹ of the lip B, this is jointed to B (which may be
fixed as in Figure 10 or jointed as in Figure 5), and forms an extension thereof
and a partial or complete lid or cover to the pan when in the position shown in
Figure 9 where it may be supported by the stops E. or in other suitable manner.
When in this position it is useful in keeping in the dust & while the pan is carried
about and the brush may be laid upon it instead of in the dust inside the pan as is
at present usually done.
•
In Figure 10 the extension B' is folded back upon the lip B thus leaving the
pan open and presenting a thin edge at B' which rests closely upon the carpet &
when the sweeping is done B¹ may be opened out and the pan covered up while it
is being carried, about. The same object may be accomplished by extending the
movable lip B Figure 5 so as to cover when closed as much of the pan as may be
desired; the form shown in Figures 9 and 10 is however preferable as when not
jointed the lid extends so far in advance of the pan.
This invention may be applied to the dust shovels used for shovelling. the
"dust" of roads ash pits and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination with a dust pan or shovel of one or more lips bars or
ridges B fixed or movable extending entirely or approximately across the pan
substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with a pan or shovel of one or more bars C extending
across the pan and at or near the upper edges of the ends thereof for the purpose
specified.
3. The combination with a dust pan or shovel of a lip B jointed or hinged
thereto substantially as specified and shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. The combination with a dust pan or shovel of a grid D substantially, as
specified and shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with a dust pan or shovel of a lip B having an extension B₁
constructed and operating substantially in the manner specified and shown in
Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination with a dust pan or shovel of a lip or lid B jointed to the
front of said pan or shovel and adapted to be folded over so as to form a lid or
opened out substantially as specified.