Improvements in Horse Brushes.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Horse Brushes.
I, SOPHIA GIESECKE, Lady, resident of 404 Market Street, St. Louis, in State
of Missouri, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention consists in an improved "horse-brush," having tufts of bristles
arranged in three distinct rows, two of which have tufts of the same length, arranged
to form double rows, and rows of bracing or stiffening tufts having a length much
shorter than that of the double rows; said stiffening tufts having such a width as
to permit each of them to act as a brace for two of the long tufts of the double
rows during use, and one of said stiffening tufts being located between two of said
long tufts of each double row thereof; the long tufts on the right of the double
rows being directed obliquely to the left, and those on the left of the double rows
being directed obliquely to the right, so that the tufts of one of these rows wholly
cross those of the other row, and extend over the shorter stiffening tufts.
The invention consists further in certain improved fastenings for the tufts, as will
be hereinafter more fully described.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a brush embodying my invention, looking toward
one end thereof.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section taken on line x-x of Fig. 5, showing three
rows of tufts.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of an improved metallic fastening-ferrule, in perspective,
used in carrying out the invention.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section thereof.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail plan of the upper side of the brush-back, with parts
broken away, showing the relative position of the long and short tufts.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section, taken on line y-y of Fig. 5.
I desire to state that my invention is an improvement upon the horse brush
shown and described in reissued Letters Patent of the United States granted to
Herman Giesecke June 4th, 1878, No. 8,272.
As is well known, the ordinary horse-brush consists of a back and a similarity of
rows of tufts of bristles or other suitable material, arranged so as to be in a straight
or vertical position in the center of the brush-back, and gradually making each
additional row assume a slight inclination outwardly.
In using the ordinary make of brushes all the rows of bristles will act in rubbing
or brushing the back of a horse in the same direction. More specifically stated,
the action of the brush, say in using it in the direction to the right, will cause the
bristles to assume an inclination to the left; and vice versa, in directing the brush
to the left all the bristles will assume an inclination to the right.
Much strength, or efficacy, of the brush is thus lost. Further, the bristles
cannot be made to pass or brush completely through the air of the animal and reach
the skin, as they should.
In the brush Patented to Herman Giesecke, on which my invention is, as before
stated, an improvement, certain defects have been discovered by me, as the said
Herman Giesecke (since deceased) was my husband, and I was for many years
associated with him in the business of making and selling his said brush.
In this brush, the bristles or tufts, if made sufficiently long to accomplish the
work and wear required of them, were not as stiff and inflexible as they should be.
In order to overcome the defects in the construction and use of the ordinary

page_text: brushes, therefore, and especially to achieve a better brushing-action, so that the
operator can in less time and with less labor accomplish the desired result, I
construct my improved brush as will now be fully described.
1 represents the brush-back, which is provided with the usual strap-handle.
The back is preferably constructed of three or more separate layers of leather,
although said layers may of course be made of wood or other suitable material,
there being two main layers 2 and 3, and a finishing layer 4.
As stated at the beginning of this Specification, my brush has long cleaning and
brushing tufts, and shorter stiffening tufts.
In securing the several classes of tufts to the back I drill holes or form circular
seats 5 in said back and use the usual wires 6 for securing the outside single row of
vertical tufts 7, which are positioned and secured in place as in the ordinary brush,
or, I may use the peculiar form of metallic ferrules for this purpose, which I will
presently describe.
8 and 9 represent a double row, as shown: the tufts of bristles 8 of one side of
the double row being inclined to the left, and the tufts 9 of the other side of said
double row being inclined to the right-that is, diagonally to each other, so that
they wholly cross each other at about the center of their length.
The tufts 8 and 9 are shown as wholly crossing at about the middle of their
length, and this locates their ends or points in opposite directions to each other, and
this arrangement continues throughout the brush, except that the tufts in double
rows, or alternate double rows, may be made to run in any desired direction.
In Fig. 2, (the brush being represented with the points of the bristles downward)
the row 8 inclines to the left, while 9 inclines to the right, the two rows crossing in
the center, and presenting oppositely directed points.
In this way I prefer to arrange every succeeding row, viz. :—so that the diagonal
crossing in the middle is brought about, and the points of the tufts in the double
rows (no matter which way they run) point reversely.
I will now proceed to describe the location of the short stiffening tufts 10, in
their relation to the long tufts, also their construction, and manner of fastening in
the back of the brush.
One of said stiffening tufts 10 is located between two crossing tufts 8 and 9 of the
double row.
The said tufts 10 have a width much in excess of their thickness, and are placed
in the back in oblong seats 11, so that two of the long tufts, which cross each other,
extend over the shorter stiffening-tufts, and this arrangement continues throughout
the brush.
Of course, the oblong seats 11 for the stiffening tufts are so relatively located in
the back 1 as to permit of this arrangement.
The stiffening-tufts may be secured in their oblong-seats by the usual wire-
fastening, although I have found that such is not as secure a manner of fastening as
that which I shall now describe.
12 indicates an improved fastening ferrule for oblong seats. It is preferably
stamped out of sheet-metal, in a single piece, but may be cast with the necessary
patterns.
It is oblong in cross-section, so as to loosely fit the seats in the back. One of
its ends is square, and devoid of openings or projections, while its opposite end is
provided with inwardly extending slots 13 and locking-projections 14.
One of the slots 13 is formed in each edge of the ferrule 12, so that there is a
slot in its opposite narrow edges, and so that there are opposite slots.
These opposite slots extend from the end of the ferrule inward to a point near to
the center of the length thereof.
There is a locking-projection 14 formed upon or integral with each wide edge of
the ferrule, on same end that the slots 13 are formed in, so that there will be
oppositely locking projections on said end.
The normal position of these projections 14, before they are placed in a brush, is
that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein they are illustrated projecting in alignment

page_text: with the sides of the ferrite.
hey have a t
pointed, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.
In fastening the short tufts 10 in the brush-back, I first double a suitable number
of bristles intermediate of their length (as is usual) then insert the butt end of the
tuft thus formed in the squared end of the ferrule 12 until said butt nears the
opposite end of said ferrule, or passes beyond it.
Then
insert a cross-pin 15 in the slot 13 on one side of the ferrule, between
the doubled portions of said tuft, and locate it in the opposite slot of said ferrule,
so that said tuft will be locked.in the ferrule against pulling out in one direction.
(See Figs. 2 and 4.)
This operation should be performed while the locking projections 14 are in the
position shown in Fig. 4.
Then I insert the ferrule containing the tuft in one of the oblong seats 11 of the
brush-back, from the inner side, and push it to the proper position, which is with
the end of the ferrule about flush with the faces of the two layers 2 and 3 of said
back, before the finishing-layer is put on.
Then the projections 14 are to be turned down onto and forced into the outer
surface of the layer 3, as indicated in Fig. 2, in which position they lock the ferrule
and its tuft securely in position.
After this operation, the brush is finished by putting on the handle and the
finishing layer 4 in the usual manner.
I have found that the short tufts are held very securely in the manner above
described, also that the operations of securing the tufts in the ferrules, and the
ferrules in the back, may be performed very rapidly, as a large number of these
parts may be fitted up and kept in stock, and be secured in the backs whenever
required.
The operation is as follows: When thus constructed every double row of long
bristles becomes, when used, a brusher and a polisher-that is, while one side or
part of the double row is acting to brush off dirt, etc., the next or other side of the
double row smooths over, in whatever direction the brush may be moving. This
manner of arranging the tufts of brushing-material causes one side of the double row
to penetrate the hair, as the points are in advance of the butts, while the row in
reverse position serves to polish what has been raised by the penetrating tufts.
The inclined forward standing position of the tufts in action, adds greater
resistance to the flexure thereof, and facilitates greatly the brushing action.
The stiffening tufts have a length much less than that of the brushing and
cleaning-tutts, and hence do not act to brush under normal conditions of operation.
But, should the operator desire to cause them to act in cleaning or brushing, he
can do so by exerting sufficient pressure and physical strength.
Further than this, the short tufts will act to clean and brush should the longer
tufts become worn during long use, without the exertion of extra strength or
pressure. The stiffening tufts, by reason of their peculiar width and location, each
act as a brace for two adjacent longer tufts, during action.
Having now 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,
1. The improved horse-brush, having tufts of brush-material arranged in three
separate rows, two of which have tufts of the same length arranged to form double
rows, rows of bracing tufts having a less length than that of said double rows, each
of said bracing tufts being constructed to act as a brace for two of the tufts of said
double rows, and the long tufts on the right of the double rows being directed
obliquely to the left, and those on the left of the double rows being directed
obliquely to the right, so that the tufts of one of these rows wholly cross those of
the other row, substantially as shown and described.
2. The improved horse-brush having a back 1 provided with adjacent rows of
bristles 8 and 9, the tufts of one row wholly crossing those of the other row, said

page_text: back having oblong seats 11 formed therein at points adjacent said tufts, one seat
between two of said tufts, and additional tufts 10 having a width in excess of the
diameter of the first-mentioned tufts, and located one in each of said seats, so that
one of said longer tufts stands over each of said shorter tufts, substantially as
shown and described.
3. The improved brush having its tufts of brush material secured in fastening
ferrules 12 and said ferrules secured in the back of the brush, each of said ferrules
having a body oblong in cross-section, a squared end, opposite slots 13 formed in its
end that is opposite said squared end, opposite pointed projections 14 formed
integral with the body of the ferrule and located one on each side of said slots, and
having their points turned down upon said back to secure said ferrule in its seat,
and means located in said slots of said ferrule to secure a tuft of brush material
therein, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 24th day of July 1893.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.