Improve- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES to be as follows
Year: 1885

page_text: I THOMAS BRADFORD of the Crescent Iron Works Salford in the county of
Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "Improve-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES to be as follows :-
"
The improved apparatus consists in the first place of a suitable metal frame cast
in two halves and separated at the required distance apart by sleeve sockets and
secured together to a suitable and specially designed base by connecting screws
or bolts.
Between the two vertical sides of the frame I secure, on a shaft, a cast iron
flywheel or disc of such a thickness as to correspond with the space left between
the sides of the frame: and upon the flat edge or periphery of the said fly wheel
or disc I turn one or more grooves of suitable shape for driving bands.
In the centre of this fly wheel or disc I secure a steel or iron spindle carried in
suitable bearings on each side of the framework.
Upon one or both ends of the spindle I fix a crank or metal disc to the face of
which I secure a suitable pin connected to an adjustable treadle motion mounted on
the base. I also attach to the base a seat for the worker or operator which is so
centred that he can move to the right or left without effort as the work requires.
The brushes are improved modifications of those employed by me in a machine
for the like purpose patented by me May 20th 1879 No 2002 the difference being
in their shape and construction. I now make the brush in a conical form with
bristles of the required length radiating from its periphery and also with bristles
upon the end which presents a vertical face of a flat or other suitable form and by
these means I obtain the requisite flat concave and convex forms that are absolutely
necessary for the proper blacking of boots and shoes with satisfactory results.
I propose to work the brushes for each part of the cleaning operation (that is
for cleaning off the mud, applying the blacking and polishing the same) either
singly or in pairs and by preference the latter whereby I obtain the essential
reciprocating motion of the surface of the brush upon every part of the boot or shoe
(which may be cleaned singly or in pairs simultaneously) in several ways the boot
or shoe being passed either over or under or between the brushes, or held stationary
against the ends of the same.
Another essential feature of my invention is that I cause each pair of brushes
(and more especially the hard or dirt brushes) to revolve inwardly or towards each
other so as to precipitate the dirt and dust or blacking into a protecting trough or

page_text: troughs similar to grindstone troughs, which troughs are fitted with trays containing
water, thereby avoiding the flying about of dust, dirt, or blacking and so collecting
the same that it can be conveniently removed as mud.
I also propose to place a suitable vessel of earthenware metal or other material
under and between the polishing brushes in which when desirable I place boiling
water or water kept hot by a lamp or gas jet so as to give off steam which may be
utilized instead of the human breath when the blacking is sluggish and does not
polish quickly.
I also arrange upon the frame of my machine one or more bottles of blacking
and one or more shallow trays each containing a fixed brush of suitable shape upon
which the blacking can be dabbed and the boot or shoe can be rubbed or dabbed
upon it, or the brushes may be movable and applied to the boot or shoe if preferred,
so as to distribute the blacking over the surface of the boot or shoe before applying
it to the surface of the revolving brushes. This arrangement economizes the use of
blacking, and is also very convenient for the operator and ensures the perfect
blacking of the crease between the upper leather and sole of a boot or shoe.
This machine may be worked by the treadle motion as above described or by
steam, gas, water or other power.

page_text: I THOMAS BRADFORD of the Crescent Iron Works Salford in the county of
Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
In the annexed drawing Fig. 1. is a front elevation (the seat being removed) and
Fig. 2. a side view partly in section of my improved apparatus.
The invention consists in the first place of a suitable metal frame a, a cast in two
halves and separated at the required distance apart, by sleeve sockets and secured
together to a suitable and specially designed base b, b by connecting screws or bolts.
Between the two vertical sides of the frame a, a I secure on a shaft c, c a cast iron
fly wheel or disc d, d of such a thickness as to correspond with the space left between
the sides of the frame: and upon the flat edge or periphery of the said fly wheel or
disc d, d I turn one or more grooves of suitable shape for driving bands.
In the centre of this fly wheel or disc d, d I secure the steel or iron spindle c, c
carried in suitable bearings e, e on each side of the framework.
Upon one or both ends of the spindle c, c I fix a crank or metal face plate f, f to
the face of which I secure a suitable pin g connected by a link h h to an adjustable
treadle motion ii mounted on the base. I also attach to the base a seat k, k for
the worker or operator which is so centred that he can move to the right or left
without effort as the work requires.
The rotary brushes 1, 1 are an improved modification of those employed by me
in a machine for the like purpose patented by me May 20th 1879, N° 2002 the
difference being in their shape and construction.
I now make the brush in a conical form with bristles of the required length
radiating from its periphery and also with bristles m, m upon the end which
presents a vertical face of a flat concave or other suitable form and by these means
I obtain the requisite flat concave and convex forms that are absolutely necessary
for the proper blacking of boots and shoes with satisfactory results.
I propose to work the brushes 1, 1 for each part of the cleaning operation (that is
for cleaning off the mud, applying the blacking, and polishing the same) either
singly or in pairs and by preference the latter as shown on the drawings, whereby
I obtain the essential reciprocating motion of the surface of the brush 1, upon
every part of the boot or shoe (which may be cleaned singly or in pairs simul-
taneously) in several ways, the boot or shoe being passed either over or under or
between the brushes or held stationary against the ends m m of the same.
Another essential feature of my invention is that I cause each pair of brushes
(and more especially the hard or dirt brushes) to revolve inwardly or towards each
other as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. so as to precipitate the dirt and dust or
blacking into a protecting trough or troughs n, n similar to grindstone troughs,
which troughs are fitted with trays containing water thereby avoiding the
flying about of dust, dirt, or blacking and so collecting the same that it can be
conveniently removed as mud; I also propose to place a suitable vessel o, o of

page_text: earthenware, metal, or other material under and between the polishing brushes in
which when desirable I place boiling water, or water kept hot by a lamp or by a
gas jet so as to give off steam which may be utilized instead of the human breath
when the blacking is sluggish and does not polish quickly.
I also arrange upon the frame of my machine one or more bottles q, q of blacking
and one or more shallow trays each containing a fixed brush r, r of suitable shape
upon which the blacking can be dabbed and the boot or shoe can be rubbed or
dabbed upon it; or the brushes may be movable and applied to the boot or shoe if
preferred, so as to distribute the blacking over the surface of the boot or shoe
before applying it to the surface of the revolving brushes l, l.
This arrangement economizes the use of blacking and is also very convenient for
the operator and ensures the perfect blacking of the crease between the upper
leather and sole of a boot or shoe. This machine may be worked by the treadle
motion i, i as above described or by steam, gas, water or other power.
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
The improved apparatus for cleaning boots and shoes by means of rotary
brushes constructed arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawing annexed.