IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE BRUSHES
Year: 1886

page_text: I FRANK MITCHELL, of 3 Letchfords Buildings, Bethnall Green, in the county of
Middlesex, Cork Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE BRUSHES," to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to make brushes for personal or other use, more
portable than they have hitherto been made, so that they will occupy less space in
packing which renders them specially suitable for use in dressing cases, toilet bags,
pocket books, and similar articles. My invention is therefore particularly applicable
to hair brushes, clothes brushes hat brushes, and tooth brushes though it may be
carried into effect with brushes for any other uses.
Hitherto brushes have only been rendered more portable by reducing their size,
or by dispensing with their handles but according to my invention, I make the
bristles or hairs of the brush collapsible, so that when the brush is not in use, the
bristles or hairs may lie parallel, or as nearly so as possible, with the back of the
brush instead of at right angles with it as they do when the brush is ready for use.
To attain this end I construct my brush as follows:-Instead of fixing the tufts of
bristles or hairs in holes in the foundation of the brush, I mount them on narrow
bars or strips of metal, or other suitable material. These bars are arranged, and
mounted in parallel rows preferably across the width of the brush, and each bar is
either pivotted or hinged to the foundation of the brush, so that it will turn
thereon and thus allow the bristles or hairs, either to stand at right angles to the
foundation of the brush, or to lie flat thereon, or as nearly flat as the thickness and
substance of the bristles or hairs will allow.
In order to turn the bars carrying the bristles or hairs up or down, as it is
required to open or collapse the brush any suitable form of manipulating device
may be used. For instance all the bars may be connected by links so that the
movement of one is communicated to all the others, and thus it would be only
necessary to provide one bar with a small turning knob and catch to manipulate
the brush as desired, or again a light spindle may be mounted under the bars at
right angles to the said spindle carrying short fingers of a width equal to the
distance between the bars, so that when the spindle is in such a position that the
fingers lie flat on the foundation of the brush, the bars would be free to turn so
that the bristles or hairs would be flat on the foundation of the brush but if the

page_text: spindle was turned round so that the fingers on it stood at right angles to the
foundation the bars would be lifted or turned so that the bristles or hairs were
upright, and the fingers fitting accurately between the bars would prevent the
bristles or hairs collapsing.
Instead of mounting the tufts of bristles or hairs on the bars, each tuft may be
hinged or pivotted on to the foundation plate, and they may be all controlled by a
loose plate with a series of holes through which the tufts pass.
In applying my invention to brushes with handles, I prefer to make the handle
in two parts lying one above the other, the bottom part, being part of, or fixed to,
the foundation of the brush, and the top part connected to the bars carrying the
bristles or hairs, when the bristles or hairs are upright and the brush is ready for
use, the two parts of the handle exactly coincide, and if it is desired to collapse the
brush, it is only necessary to slide the top part of the handle over the lower half.
It will be obvious that my invention may be carried out in many other ways than
those hereinbefore described.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., 2
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Portable Brushes.
I Frank Mitchell of 3 Letchford's Buildings Bethnal Green in the County of
Middlesex, Cork Manufacturer, 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 object of my invention is to make brushes for personal or other use more
portable than they have been hitherto been made, so that they will occupy less space
in packing, which renders them specially suitable for use in dressing cases, toilet
bags, pocket books, and similar articles. My invention is particularly applicable
to hair, clothes, hat and tooth brushes, though it may be carried into effect with
brushes for any other uses.
Hitherto brushes have only been rendered more portable by reducing, their size
or by dispensing with their handles but according to my invention I make the
bristles or hairs of the brush collapsible so that when the brush is not in use the
bristles or hairs may lie parallel, or as nearly so, as possible with the back or
foundation of the brush, instead of at right angles to it as they do when the brush
is ready for use. To attain this end I construct my brush as follows:-Instead of
fixing the tufts of bristles or hairs in holes in the back or foundation of the brush,
I mount them on narrow bars or strips of metal or other suitable material. These
bars are arranged and mounted in parallel rows preferably across the width of the
brush, and each bar is pivotted or hinged on to the foundation of the brush, or to
a frame to be fixed thereto, so that it will turn thereon and thus allow the bristles
or hairs carried by it to stand at right angles to the back or foundation of the
brush, or to lie flat thereon, or as nearly flat, as the thickness and substance of the
bristles or hairs will allow.
In order to turn the bars carrying the bristles or hairs up or down as it is
required to open or collapse the brush, any suitable form of manipulating device
may be used. For instance all the bars may be connected by links so that the
movement of one is communicated to the others, and thus it would be only
necessary to provide one bar with a small turning knob and catch to manipulate
the brush as desired, or all the bars may be connected. by links to a sliding bar
running the whole length of the brush, such bar being provided with a locking
device so that it may be locked in either position.
Instead of mounting the tufts of bristles or hairs on bars, each tuft may be
hinged or pivotted on to the foundation plate, and they may be all controlled by a
loose plate with a series of holes through which the tufts pass.
In applying my invention to brushes with handles I prefer to make the handle
in two parts lying one above the other, the bottom part being part of, or fixed to,
the foundation of the brush, and the top part connected to the bars carrying the
bristles or hairs. When the bristles or hairs are upright and the brush is ready
for use, the two parts of the handle exactly coincide, and if it is desired to collapse
the brush it is only necessary to slide the top part of the handle over the lower
half.

page_text: In order that my invention may be fully understood I will particularly described
one method of carrying it into practical effect, making reference to the accom-
panying drawings throughout the several views of which, similar parts are marked
with like letters of referrence.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my brush partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof,
also partly in section. Figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6, are views on a large scale showing
the construction of one, of the bars carrying the tufts of bristles. Referring to
these figures it will be seen that the tufts of bristles or hairs A. A. etc. are mounted
in sockets b. b. etc. mounted on, or forming part of, the bars B, B, etc. which are
pivotted at both ends to a light frame C. which may be enclosed in a suitable
case D. as shown, or may form part of the case itself. The bars B, B. etc are
connected by links e. e. etc. to a sliding bar E. so that any movement of the
sliding bar will be communicated equally to all of the bars B. B, etc. The links e. e.
etc. may either form part of the pivotting pins of the bars B. B. etc. as shown, or
they may be made separate and fixed thereto in any convenient manner. The
sliding bar E. is provided with a manipulating and locking device d. as shown, for
the purpose of controlling and fixing the position of the bristles or hairs of the
brush either in a vertical position as shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 4, when the brush is
ready for use, or in a horizontal position as shown by Fig. 6 when the brush is
collapsed for portability.
It will be understood that my invention may be carried into practical effect in
many other ways than those hereinbefore described and shown.
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:-
First. Mounting the tufts of hairs or bristles of a brush, so that they may be
either fixed in a vertical, or an approximately horizontal position, substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and shown.
Second. Fixing the tufts of hairs or bristles of a brush on swivelling or
rocking bars, or equivalent devices, so that their positions may be varied with
respect to the foundation of the brush, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Third: In a brush the combination of the bristles A, A, etc, the bars B, B, etc,
the sockets or equivalent devices b, b, etc, and the case D, all combined arranged
and operating as set forth.
Fourth. In a brush the combination of the tufts of hairs or bristles A, A, eto, the
bars B, B, etc the sockets b, b, etc, the frame C, the case or foundation D the
sliding bar E, the links e e etc, and the locking device d, all arranged and operating
as and for the purpose set forth.
1886.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C..
Agent for the Applicant.