IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURE OF BACKS AND HANDLES FOR BRUSHES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Joseph Hicks, of Hatton Garden, in the,
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MANUFACTURE OF BACKS AND HANDLES FOR BRUSHES."
Sealed the 28th April 1868, and dated the 2nd November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Joseph Hicks at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd November 1867.
I, JAMES JOSEPH HICKS, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE.
MANUFACTURE OF BACKS AND HANDLES FOR BRUSHES," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of backs
and handles for brushes, and relates to the employment of a material as a
cheap and efficient substitute for ivory and other materials hitherto employed
in the manufacture and ornamentation of the backs and handles of brushes.
For this purpose I employ earthenware of a colour closely to imitate that of
ivory, the colour being applied to the entire substance of the "body" or only
to the surface thereof, as will be well understood.
The mode in which I prefer to make and apply the backs and handles for
hair and other similar brushes is as follows:-I mould or shape the back and

page_text: handle to any desired pattern and in one piece of the "clay" or "body," such
back being provided with an undercut recess in the face thereof. The bristles
are inserted in a suitable foundation, and such foundation is placed in the
undercut recess, where it is held by cement or by other suitable means.
If desired suitable graining or other ornament may be applied to the
ivory "body." Instead however of forming the entire substance of the back
and handle of ivory colored earthenware as above described, a thin coating of
such material may be applied thereto and held in position by cement or
otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Joseph Hicks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JOSEPH HICKS, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Joseph Hicks, Her special licence that I, the said James
Joseph Hicks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Joseph Hicks, my 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 MANUFACTURE OF BACKS AND HANDLES FOR BRUSHES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Joseph Hicks, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and 'seals, 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 I, the said James Joseph Hicks, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of backs:
and handles for brushes, and relates to the employment of a material as a
cheap and efficient substitute for ivory, and other materials hitherto employed:
in the manufacture and ornamentation of the backs and handles of brushes..
For this purpose I employ earthenware of a colour closely to imitate that of:
ivory, the color being applied to the entire substance of the "body," or only
to the surface thereof, as will be well understood.
The mode in which I prefer to make and apply the backs and handles for:
hair and other similar brushes is as follows:--I mould or shape the back and
handle to any desired pattern and in one piece of the "clay." or "body," such.
back being provided with an undercut recess in the face thereof. The bristles
are inserted in a suitable foundation, and such foundation is placed in the
undercut recess, where it is held by cement or by other suitable means.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and readily.
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more.
11
Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2 is a section on the line 1, 1; and Figure 3
is a section on the line 2, 2, of Figure 1, of a back and handle for a hair
brush; and Figure 4 is a section on the line 2, 2, of Figure 1, showing the
brush complete.
a, a, is the back, and 6 is the handle, which I form in one piece of ivory
colored earthenware or china; and I form a recess a¹ in the back a, the sides.
of which I prefer to form undercut as shewn in order the better to hold the
part c having the bristles secured therein in the ordinary manner. I roughen
the bottom of the recess in order to afford a better holding surface to the
cement employed for fixing the part c therein.- -If desired a rib or thickening
may be formed on the inside of the handle, more particularly at the narrow
part b¹ and at the connection thereof with the back a, as will be well understood,
in order to give additional strength thereto.
Figure 5 is a plan and Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a back suitable
for a clothes or other similar brush, similar parts being marked with similars
of reference to those previously employed.
Figure 7 is a section and Figure 8 is an outside view of a shaving brush
having an ivory colored earthenware or china handle applied thereto according
to my Invention. The handle it will be seen is formed in two parts d, e,

page_text: which may be connected together by cement or by a screw, as will be well
understood. The bristles f are bound together in the ordinary manner and
are passed into position through the upper opening in the part d of the handle
and are then cemented in position, after which the parts d, e, of the handle
are connected together by cement or otherwise. If desired the handle may
be made in one piece but having a recess formed therein as shewn in Figure 7,
and the foundation of the bristles may be passed up from the lower end thereof
and cemented in position as will be well understood. Other descriptions of
brushes may have backs and handles of ivory colored earthenware or china
applied thereto in a somewhat similar manner.
The material which I employ
is an earthenware or china of a color closely resembling that of ivory, and
such earthenware or china may be of the same color throughout, or the body of
the backs and handles of brushes may be formed of another colored earthen-
ware or china, and have a surface of ivory colored earthenware or china
applied thereto previous to the firing thereof as will be well understood. If
desired suitable graining or other ornament may be applied to the ivory body.
Instead however of forming the entire substance of the back and handle of
ivory colored earthenware as above described, a thin coating of such material
may be applied thereto and held in position by cement or otherwise. I have
not thought it necessary to state the proportions of the various ingredients
employed in the production of ivory colored earthenware or china, as such is
well understood and in commmon use by earthenware and china manufacturers
when applied to other articles.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in
which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein shewn and described; but what I
do claim is the employment of ivory colored earthenware or china in the
manufacture of backs and handles for brushes, substantially as herein shewn
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Joseph Hicks, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JAMES J. HICKS. (L.S.)