Year: 1886

page_text: I WILLIAM THOMAS WHITEMAN of No 7 Staple Inn in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent 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:-
This invention relates to brushes particularly the hair or flesh brushes commonly
used for toilet purposes and consists in combining with the brush an electrical
apparatus or generator adapted to be operated automatically in using the brush to
give a succession of discharges. The apparatus or generator is so connected with the
bristles or rubbing portion of the brush that an electrical current will be discharged
onto or from the hair or skin of the user. It also consists in combining with a
brush an electrical apparatus for the production and exhibition of electric sparks
either as a matter of amusement or diversion or as giving a visible indication of
the generation of electricity.
It is preferred to employ an electrophorus as the electrical apparatus or generator
and the combination of it with the brush (as well as certain other particular
combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter set forth) is considered a
special feature of novelty but it is not intended to limit the invention wholly
thereto since the broad combinations can evidently be carried out with other
known or suitable appliances.
In applying the electrophorus to the brush the back or stock of the latter is
made in two parts hinged to each other and the inducing plate of insulating
material and the moveable induced plate of metal are attached to the respective
parts. The rubbing portion of the brush is placed in electrical connection with the
metallic sole or form made by the inducing plate so that the bristles or their
substitute are included in the circuit between the electrophorus and the ground
and act to transmit the electricity or part of the electricity which passes between
them. The electrodes for the exhibition of sparks are placed preferably on the

page_text: In using the brush the induced metal plate is alternately brought in contact
with the inducing plate and sole and removed therefrom.
The following is a description of what is considered the best mode of applying
the principle of the said invention reference being had to the accompanying
drawings which form part of this specification.
Figure 1 is a top view of a hair or toilet brush constructed in accordance with
the said invention.
Figure 2 a side view.
Figure 3 a longitudinal section..
Figure 4 a partial view in horizontal section.
Figure 5 a cross section through the handle and Figure 6 a partial view in plan.
The rubbing portion of the brush consists as shown of bristles set or drawn in
the usual way by wire into the block F although it may be made of any other
suitable materials and in other ways. For example fine wire could be used in place
of bristles.
On the back of the block F. covering more or less of its surface is a metal plate
or coating H which forms the sole or ground conductor of the electrophorus. As
shown in Figures 2 and 6 the said plate is of less width and less length than the
brush and the said plate is surrounded at the edges and does not mar the appearance
of the brush. The said plate may however be larger or smaller if desired. It is
in electrical connection with the bristles or their substitute through the wire which
holds the tufts in place or otherwise.
Above the sole or conductor H is the plate C of insulating material (preferably
hard rubber) which forms the inducing plate of the electrophorus Pins or rivets c
of metal extend from the sole H to the surface of the inducing plate C. While the
block F may be made of any common or suitable material it is preferred to make
it of insulating material (say hard rubber) the same as the plate C. The reason
for this lies both in the neater appearance which the brush has and also in the fact
that it increases the capacity of the electrophorus probably by mutual induction
between it the sole and the induced plate. The induced plate K of metal is fastened
on the face of the back plate A which forms the outer part of the brush back or
stock and has at one end a hollow handle made in one piece with the back plate
or otherwise attached thereto. The rubbing portion of the brush together with
the inducing plate and sole is hinged to the induced plate and back plate by means
of an extension of the said inducing plate and sole which enters the hollow handle
and is connected therewith by the metal pin fon which it is free to turn. The
extent of this movement is regulated by an adjustable stop consisting of the headed
ping and the soft rubber sleeve i surrounding its middle. The ends of the pin
project through the inclined slots h in the sides of the handle and rest in notches
in the lower edges of the said slots. The rubber sleeve makes contact with the
extension of the sole and serves as a cushion to reduce noise and also as a spring
to prevent the pin from escaping from the notch in which it may be placed.
The higher the position of the pin g in the slots h the smaller will be the relative
separation of the two parts of the brush. From the induced plate K pins or
rivets a, a¹ of metal extend to the outer surface of the brush back. Adjacent to
the pin a¹ are a series of small plates e of metal which with the pin a¹ and the
conductor D constitute the electrodes for the exhibition of sparks. The number of
these electrodes in excess of two is not important but it is preferred to have
several arranged in series in order to provide a succession of sparks.
The conductor D (shown as a metal case or sheath cut away to give access to
the stop pin i) which surrounds or is otherwise fastened to the brush handle. It
is in electrical connection through the pivot pin f with the sole H of the electro-
phorus The object of making the conductor in the form shown is that it may
serve to strengthen the handle and also to act as a contact plate for establishing an

page_text: electrical connection with the hand of the user. This connection is not essential
since there is also when the brush is in use a ground connection through the
bristles or rubbing parts of the brush.
The two parts of the brush can be readily separated by removing the pivot
pin f. The inducing plate C is then electrified by rubbing in the usual way or by
any suitable means. The parts are then put together again and the brush is ready
for use.
When the rubbing portion of the brush is against the hair or skin of the user
the pressure applied to the handle brings down the induced plate K. It therefore
approaches and finally rests upon the plate C which is electrified negatively. In
this movement the negative electricity in the plate K being repelled by the similar
charge of the inducing plate is discharged through one or both the pins c and the
sole H into the body of the user part of the charge passing by way of the bristles
or rubbing portion of the brush and part by way of the pin fand conductor D.
On lifting the brush after having rubbed it over the hair the first movement lifts
the plate K away from the electrified inducing plate C whereupon the positive
charge condensed upon the surface of the plate K by the action of the said plate C
is released from the attraction of the latter and discharged through the pin a'
electrodes e and conductor D being manifested by a spark as it passes across the
intervening spaces. From the conductor D the charge passes to ground partly
through the hand of the user and partly through the pin fsole H and bristles.
The operations are of course repeated so long as the brush is in use.
Modifications may be made in the details without departing from the spirit of
the Invention and parts of the invention may be used separately.
The two parts of the brush are shown in the drawing as being hinged together
by means of a pivot pin but they may be connected or hinged in other ways. For
example a flexible strap may form the hinge This strap could form a continuation
of the sole and be detachably fastened to the extension of the back plate within
the brush handle the extension of the inducing plate being omitted. The hollow
part of the handle may be made wholly of metal.
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
First. The combination of an electrical apparatus or generator with a brush
having in the brush back or stock a reciprocatory part for giving automatically a
succession of discharges substantially as described.
Secondly. In combination with a brush an electrical apparatus or generator in
the back or stock of said brush for giving a succession of discharges and separated
parts or electrodes included in the discharging circuit for causing a spark or a series
of sparks when a discharge occurs substantially as described.
Thirdly. In combination with the brush an electrophorus forming part of the
brush back for giving a succession of discharges substantially as described.
Fourthly. In combination with the brush the electrophorus arranged in the
brush back and having the inducing and induced plate connected with each other
by a hinge or pivot substantially as described.
Fifthly. The combination with the bristles or rubbing portion of the brush of
the sole or ground conductor of an electrophorus in electrical connection with said
bristles or rubbing portion the inducing plate in said sole and the moveable induced
plate substantially as described.
Sixthly. The brush having the back in two parts hinged together in com
bination with an electrical generator or electrophorus having the inducing means
carried by one of said parts and the induced device on the other substantially as
described.
Seventhly. The brush having the back in two parts detachably connected and
moveable with reference to each other when connected in combination with the
electrophorus or electrical generator in said back substantially as described.

page_text: Eighthly. The combination of the brush the electrophorus in the back of said
brusli and the separated points or electrodes included in the discharging circuit of
the electrophorus substantially as described.
Ninthly The combination with the back or stock of the electrophorus or
electrical generator carried thereby and an exposed conductor on the brush handle
the same being in electrical connection with the said generator and serving to
establish a ground connection for the same through the hand of the user sub-
stantially as described.