IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Pratt, of Bath Street, City Road, in the
County of Middlesex, and Thomas Radcliffe, of Shaftesbury Street,
Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES."
Sealed the 16th May 1856, and dated the 19th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Pratt and Thomas
Radcliffe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 19th November 1855.
We, JOSIAH PRATT, of Bath Street, City Road, in the County of Middlesex,
and THOMAS RADCLIFFE, of Shaftesbury Street, Hoxton, in the said County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES" to be as follows:-
These improvements apply to various kinds of brushes, such as hair brushes,
cloth brushes, brushes employed for cleaning, blacking, and polishing boots and
shoes, black-leading and polishing iron work, such as stoves, grates, &c.
The improvements in hair and cloth brushes, which are also applicable to
other brushes, are as follows:-The handle, which extends beyond the end of
the brush, instead of being in a line with the same, is cranked or raised up,
either in a curved form or otherwise, so as to give a firm hold and more power,
and at the same time to keep the knuckles clear from the article being brushed.

page_text: Another improvement applicable to brushes generally is to make the bristles
(or other material of which the brush is made) longer in the middle than at
the ends, as we have found that brushes have a tendency to wear hollow at the
centre. In boot and shoe brushes the handle is placed at one end, and raised
or cranked, as above described. The principal surface of the brush is set with
bristles, of the quality employed for glossing or polishing; and at the back
thereof, at the end furthest from the handle, is a small oval or circular brush,
of the quality usually employed for laying on the blacking. By placing a
small triangular block at the back of the brush, a third brush for cleaning off
the dirt may be also added. The black-lead brush is formed similar to the
first-named shoe brush, the principal surface of the brush being for polishing,
and the small brush at the back being for laying on or applying the black lead.
Another improved boot and shoe brush is manufactured by constructing the
body thereof in the form of a prism, each face being furnished with a brush
of different quality, viz., one for brushing off the dirt, one for laying on tho
blacking, and another for polishing. The handle is formed at one end, and
may either be in a line with the body of the brush, or may be cranked or
curved upwards from the polishing surface of the brush, that being the surface
most used. The above-named brushes may be constructed with bristles, whale-
bone, bass, horsehair, cocoa-nut fibre, or any other kind of material ordinarily
employed for such purposes, which may be fastened therein by wire, twine,
cement, or other material, as may be most suitable to the purposes for which
the brush is intended to be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSIAH
PRATT, of Bath Street, City Road, in the County of Middlesex, and THOMAS
RADCLIFFE, of Shaftesbury Street, Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe, Her special licence that we, the

page_text: said Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BRUSHES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
Our improvements apply to various kinds of brushes, such as hair brushes,
cloth brushes, brushes employed for cleaning, blacking, and polishing boots and
shoes, black-leading and polishing iron work, such as stoves, grates, &c.
Our improvements in hair and cloth brushes, which are also applicable to
other brushes, are as follows:-The handle, which extends beyond the end of the
brush, instead of being in a line with the same, is cranked or raised up, either
in a curved form or otherwise, so as to give a firm hold and more power, and
at the same time to keep the knuckles clear from the article being brushed.
Another improvement applicable to brushes generally is to make the bristles
(or other material of which the brush is made) longer in the middle than at
the ends, as we have found that brushes have a tendency to wear hollow at the
centre. In boot and shoe brushes the handle is placed at one end, and raised
or cranked, as above described. The principal surface of the brush is set with
bristles, of the quality employed for glossing or polishing; and at the back
thereof, at the end furthest from the handle, is a small oval or circular brush,
of the quality usually employed for laying on the blacking. By placing a
small triangular block at the back of the brush, a third brush for cleaning off
the dirt may be also added. The black-lead brush is formed similar to the
first-named shoe brush; the principal surface of the brush being for polishing,
and the small brush at the back being for laying on or applying the black lead.

page_text: Another improved boot and shoe brush is manufactured by constructing the
body thereof in the form of a prism, each face being furnished with a brush of
different quality, namely, one for brushing off the dirt, one for laying on the
blacking, and another for polishing. The handle is formed at one end, and
may either be in a line with the body of the brush, or may be cranked or
curved upwards from the polishing surface of the brush, that being the surface
most used. The above-named brushes may be constructed with bristles, whale-
bone, bass, horsehair, cocoa-nut fibre, or any other kind of material ordinarily
employed for such purposes, which may be fastened therein by wire, twine,
cement, or other material, as may be most suitable to the purposes for which
the brush is intended to be employed.
In order to explain our said improvements as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing
annexed to these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively. as follows:-

page_text: the brush D' is for putting on the blacking; and the brush A' is for shining or
polishing with. It will be seen upon referring to Figure 1, that the surface of
the bristles of the brush A¹ is formed convex, whilst the stock or back of the
brush is formed flat.
We would remark, that the feature of novelty of this part of our said ·
improvements consists, firstly, in forming the under side of the stock or back
of the brush flat instead of convex, as heretofore practised; and, secondly, in so
arranging and fixing the bristles therein as that they are longer at the centre
part of the brush than at the ends thereof, whereby a longitudinal convex
surface is obtained in a moro simple manner, and at less cost than heretofore.
The bristles thus arranged are then trimmed, and the surface made even by
subjecting them to the operation of "roaching" by the use of shears, as com-
monly practised by brushmakers. The only point of difference between the
construction of the above brush and that exhibited at Figures 4, 5, 6, consists
in forming the brushes D and D¹ long and convex instead of circular and flat,
as before stated. And as regards the construction of the brush exhibited at
Figure 7, the only respect in which it differs from that before described and
represented at Figures 1, 2, 3, is, in so placing, the handle B, and brushes D
and D', as that they do not project beyond the ends of the back of the brush,
thus rendering it very portable. At Figures 8, 9, 10, A is the handle of the
brush, shown detached (at Figure 10), the end of which is in the form of a
prism, and receives the brushes B, C, D. The brush B is intended to be used
for brushing clothes; C is a hat brushe; and D is a splash or mud brush, cach
of which are securely fixed to the part a of the handle A by screws or glue, or
both. At Figures 11, 12, the brush there exhibited is precisely similar in
construction to that lastly above mentioned, and only differs therefrom in shape
by having all the brushes of the same size, and the bristles or hair of suitable
quality for cleaning boots and shoes. At Figures 13 and 14, the brush A is
intended to be used for putting on wet black lead with; and the brush B, which
is of the ordinary kind, is for polishing or shining; the handle C is similar to
those before described. We would here remark, that according to the purpose
for which each separate brush is required to be used, in like manner we employ
hair or bristles of suitable quality, as at present practised.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention of
5 "Improvements in the Manufacture of Brushes," together with the best means.
we are acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, we would
remark, in conclusion, that what we claim as our Invention is,―
Firstly, the modes above particularly described, set forth, and represented at
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, of combining together three or more

page_text: brushes into one brush or implement, instead of having such said brushes
distinct and separate, as heretofore practised.
Secondly, the producing of a convex surface of the bristles or other brushing
material employed, when the same are combined with, and arranged and fixed
in a flat "stock" or back, as exhibited, in the manner described, instead of
forming such said stock convex for that purpose, as heretofore practised in
the manufacture of brushes.
Thirdly, and lastly, the mode above particularly described, set forth, and
represented at Figures 13 and 14, of manufacturing brushes intended to be
used for polishing iron work, as above stated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Josiah Pratt and Thomas Radcliffe,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Agent for Patents,
JOSIAH FRATT.
(L.S.)
THOMAS RADCLIFFE. (L.S.)
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.