Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1888
Specification Accepted, 5th Oct., 1888
1, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of Somerset Chambers, 151 Strand, Middlesex,
(a communication to me from abroad, by William England, of Galveston, in the
County of Galveston, and State of Texas, United States of America Gentleman)
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 that class of boot blacking brushes known as fountain
brushes, that is to say, to that class of blacking brushes wherein a fountain adapted
to contain liquid blacking is so disposed with relation to the brush proper that a
quantity of liquid may be ejected upon the boot or shoe at will; and it consists in
the novel construction full hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a blacking brush
having an extending handle by which it is grasped and provided with a fountain for
containing liquid blacking, and Fig. 2, is a central sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a brush provided with a fountain and containing the
present improvements, and Figure 4, is a central longitudinal section of the same.
Referring to said drawings it is to be understood that the blacking brush consists of
an ordinary back A provided upon its under surface with rows of bristles B, as usual.
Upon the upper surface of the back A is secured a handle C having an extended
portion that may be grasped by the hand. That portion of the handle immediately
connected to the brush back is cut away or bridged as shown at D, to provide a space
sufficient to contain a fountain E placed on the back A of the brush.
The handle after passing the bridge D has its upper surface somewhat inclined as
seen in Fig. 2, and upon which is secured a blacking dauber F. The fountain E may
be of any desired form, secured to the brush back by lugs I, and adapted to contain a
liquid blacking and eject the same upon the boot or shoe; but as shown it is a closed
cylindrical reservoir provided with a closing cap G screwed upon a nozzle that
extends through an opening H in the bridge of the handle. By said nozzle the
fountain may be filled as occasion requires.
The top of the cap G is flexible so that pressure of the finger upon it will compress
the air slightly within the reservoir and eject a small quantity of the liquid out
through the end of a discharge nine K.

page_text: This discharge pipe K extends from the fountain E towards the forward part of the
brush where, it terminates in an open end; it however passes through a groove a
formed in the under forward portion of the handle as seen. This structure protects
the discharge pipe from accidental injury, and at the same time avoids the necessity
of using staples or other means for securing the pipe in place on the brush back.
The filling nozzle by being passed through an opening in the bridge of the handle
is also more or less protected from injury as is also the fountain protected by the
cover of the bridge.
Referring to Figs. 3, and 4, sheet, 2. A represents an ordinary bristle brush of any
of the known forms. The back B1 of this brush is perferably formed of a greater
thickness than usual in order to capacitate it to properly support the fountain herein-
after described. To this end the back is provided preferably at or near its centre with
a recess adapted to receive the major portion of a fountain C that is provided with
a filling orifice I' closed by a screw-threaded stopper G', the end of which stopper is
flexible so that a pressure of the hand or the finger thereon will compress the air
slightly within the fountain and cause a quantity of liquid to be freed or ejected out
through one or the other of discharge tubes K¹.
In practice it will be found desirable to supplement the usual back A¹ supporting
the bristles with a second piece B¹ added and secured thereto, as shown in Figure 4,
in which case the second piece B₁ will be provided with a central hole forming the
recess C for the fountain, and with longitudinal grooves D, to receive the discharge
tubes K thereof; so that when the parts are all combined the tubes will be enclosed
within the handle of the brush, thereby holding the fountain securely in place without
the necessity of providing other securing means for that purpose.
In practice also the top of the fountain, and it's filling orifice and closing cap should
project above the upper surface of the brush back, so as to enable the user in grasping
the brush back with the hand to bring the palm of the hand into contact with the
cap G¹ so as to readily exert the necessary pressure thereon to feed or eject a
quantity of liquid from the fountain at will.
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 1
claim is :-
1. A fountain blacking brush consisting of a back provided with bristles upon the
under surface, and a fountain secured upon it's upper surface, a handle also secured
to said back and bridging the fountain, a discharge pipe connected with the fountain
and seated in a groove between the handle and the back, substantially as described.
2. A. fountain blacking brush consisting of a back A provided upon it's under
surface with bristles Band upon it's upper surface with a fountain E having a
discharge pipe K and a filling nozzle; a handle C also secured to the said back
having a bridge D extending over the top of the fountain, and having an opening H
for the passage of the nozzle, and a groove a for the discharge pipe, substantially as
described.
3. A fountain blacking brush consisting of a back supporting bristles upon one side
and a fountain upon the other side, the said back being recessed to contain the major
portion of the fountain, and having grooves to receive the discharge tubes, the said
fountain extending above the upper surface of the back in order that when the brush
is grasped by the hand, the palm thereof will be in contact with the fountain and
pressure may be readily applied, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 1st of September 1888
HORN & SON,
Agents on behalf of Applicant.