A New or Improved Doormat or Scraper.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Doormat or Scraper.
1 HUGO BECKER, Secretary, of 84 Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square, in the
County of London 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 :-
My invention relates to doormats or scrapers and has for its object to produce a
sanitary doormat or scraper adapted to efficiently cleanse boots and shoes, and to
be itself thoroughly washed and cleansed in the same manner as a floor, so that it
may always be clean, look new, and last a long time, and which will therefore be
sanitary and inexpensive.
I will describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan and Figures 2 and 3 sections on lines W. X.-Y. Z.
respectively.
According to my invention the doormat or scraper is made of any kind of wood
or other suitable material or materials either in one piece or in several pieces.
It may be of any size and shape and the width and depth are proportionate to the
size, the depth being for example from one and a half inches upwards.
F is a solid frame in which is fitted a group of bars b. b. running lengthwise
and parallel with the side frame. These bars bb may be from half an inch in
thickness, they are rounded on their tops and tapered downwards and inwards to
their bases, and correspond in depth with the frame F; they are supported by
two wooden sashes or bars D. D. about half the height of the bars and running
across the frame F and fitted between the bars at the bottom and at any suitable
distance from the ends say about four inches or more. Between each bar bare
open spaces c. c. of any desired width for example from a quarter to five eights of
an inch. Between the supports D. D. and the end frames, each pair of the central
bars or it may be three or more of the bars is or are continued solid to the main
frame F and let into same as shown dotted at f, or otherwise fixed. Such solid
parts a are made about half the height of the frame F and bars b. b. their bases
being flush with the bases of the frame and bars b. They are each provided with
brushes B on their upper faces which may be of any quality and thickness but
correspond in height with the top of the frame F and the bars b. b. so that the
whole surface of the mat is level. Between each such solid brush carrying
extension a is an open space c', and these spaces c¹ will always be lineable with
certain of the central spaces e as shown in Figure 1. Additional cross supports,
such as is shown dotted at ', may be fixed across the frame to give proper
support to the group of bars b. b. according to the size of the mat.
I may in some cases construct the doormat or scraper without the end brushes B
in which case the group of round topped and tapered bars b. b. would run the
whole length of the mat which might in such case be made out of one piece of
wood or material.
I have described all the spaces c. cl as open at the bottom and I may either
place such a mat in a recess in the floor, or on the floor, or upon a separate tray of
any material such as rubber, tin, wood, or the like, but I reserve to myself the
right to construct a mat or scraper with all the spaces c. c¹ closed at the bottom of
the mat or scraper so as to form a tray for holding the dirt in one with the
mat.
I may cover my mats or scrapers with any suitable material or coating such as
rubber, zinc, etc., or I may paint varnish or polish them or leave them plain.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. In a doormat or scraper the use of a group of bars such as b arranged
lengthwise and having spaces intervening between them and parallel with one
another, each bar being rounded off at its top and tapered inwards to its base
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a doormat or scraper the combination with a group of parallel bars
constructed and arranged as specified of end brushes such as B arranged parallel
with the said bars and with the frame, both bars and brushes having spaces c. c
intervening between them, and the whole surface of the frame, bars and brushes
being level substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The construction and arrangement of door mats or scrapers with or without
brushes and substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated.
Dated this 11th day of March 1893.
HUGO BECKER.