AN IMPROVED SCRUBBING MACHINE
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SCRUBBING MACHINE."-A communication from abroad by Andrew Irion,
of Tamme Oanas Miscous United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th December 1866.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SCRUBBING MACHINE," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to a machine for scrubbing and cleaning floors
of dwelling houses and other like surfaces, and which is also intended to
facilitate generally the operation of scrubbing or cleaning wherever the same
may bave to be performed.
The said machine is composed mainly of a small tank or vessel constructed
to contain the desired quantity of water or other liquid, and supported upon
suitable wheels. The said tank is provided with a discharge spout and a

page_text: faucet or plug by which the flow of the liquid therefrom can be regulated.
One of the said wheels is provided with an internal toothed wheel which gears
into a pinion mounted on the end of a crank shaft. From the crank or cranks
of this shaft suitable connecting rods extend, and are attached to a brush or
other scrubbing implement. By pushing or drawing the machine in either
direction on its wheels a quick reciprocating motion is imparted to the said
brush or implement, and the operation of scrubbing or cleaning is effected
with comparatively little exertion. Excentrics may be used instead of cranks
to impart the required reciprocating motion to the brush or other scrubbing
implement, or any other suitable mechanism may be used for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight bundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence that 1, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter 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 "AN IMPROVED SCRUBBING MACHINE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their bands and seals, should particularly 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings forming a part of this Specification:-
The said Invention relates to a machine for scrubbing and cleaning the
floors of dwelling houses and other like surfaces, which machine is also
intended to facilitate generally the operation of scrubbing or cleaning wherever,
the same may have to be performed.
The said machine is composed mainly of a small tank or vessel constructed
to contain the desired quantity of water or other liquid, and supported upon.
suitable wheels. The said tank is provided with a discharge spout and faucet
or plug whereby the flow of the liquid from the tank can be regulated. One
or both of the said wheels is provided with an internal toothed wheel which
gears into a pinion mounted on the end of a crank shaft, from the crank or
cranks of which suitable connecting rods extend to a brush or other scrubbing,
implement. When the tank is drawn or pushed along on its wheels a quick
reciprocating motion is imparted to the said brush, and the operation of
scrubbing is effected with comparatively little exertion. Excentrics or other;
devices may be employed instead of cranks to impart the required reciprocating
motion to the scrubbing brush or other implement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a longitudinal vertical section of my improved machine ;>
Figure 2 is a plan of the top of the same.. Similar letters of reference indicate:
corresponding parts in each of the Figures:
A is a tank made in the form of a truncated pyramid or cone, so that the
weight of the water contained therein is kept as close to the axle as possible;
this tank is provided with a lid B, which may be connected to the edge of
the tank by hinges, or in any other suitable manner. The said lid is provided-
with a semicircular notch a to admit the handle of the stopper b; this stopper
serves to close or open the channel c leading from the bottom part of the tank
to the discharge spout C, so that by means of the handle and stopper the flow
of the liquid to the spout can be regulated. The tank A is hung. upon an
axle D, on the ends of which are mounted the wheels E. From the ends of
the tank extend legs F which are provided with small wheels or rollers G to
prevent the tank from tipping over in either direction. A draught pole or
handle H projects from the front side of the tank, and the machine is thereby
drawn or pushed over the floor to be scrubbed. The rim or tread of each of

page_text: the wheels E is protected by strips of india-rubber or other soft material, so
that the friction of the wheels on the floor is increased, and injury to the said
floor is prevented. One of the said wheels is provided with the internal toothed
wheel e, which gears into the pinion of mounted on the end of the crank
shaft g; this crank shaft has its bearings in arms h extending from the
boxes which support the tank A, and the said shaft is provided with two
cranks of equal stroke, and pointing in one and the same direction, as
clearly shown in Figure 2; these cranks are connected by rods k to the
scrubbing brush I which rests on the floor, as shown in Figure 1.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The tank A is filled with
soapsuds and water, and after the brush has been adjusted in the proper
position the stopper 6 is raised, allowing the liquid from the tank to be
discharged through the spout. As the machine is drawn along the liquid
flowing from the said spout is spread over the floor, and by the reciprocating
brush the operation of scrubbing is effected with little exertion and in a
comparatively short time.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently and
advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First, the tank A mounted on the wheels E in combination with the shaft g
and brush I, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Second, the stopper 6 passing through a notch in the lid of the tank A in
combination with the discharge spout C and reciprocating brush I, constructed
and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE HASELTINE.