GB2096888A

GB2096888A - Improvements in or relating to brushes for applying liquids to surfaces

Info

Publication number: GB2096888A
Application number: GB8209522A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Berger Jenson and Nicholson Ltd; Black and Decker Corp
Current assignee: Berger Jenson and Nicholson Ltd; Black and Decker Corp
Priority date: 1981-04-21
Filing date: 1982-03-31
Publication date: 1982-10-27
Also published as: GB2096888B

Abstract

A brush for applying liquid to a surface has a head (1) having a holder (2) of plastics material from which extends a bundle (10) of bristles positioned in the holder by means of an insert (7) which carries flexible tubes (9). The bundle (10) and insert (7) are adhesively bonded to the holder. A second portion (12) of plastics material is secured to the holder (2) by a snap-fit, adhesive or ultrasonic welding. The second portion (12) has a liquid supply passage in communication with the flexible tubes for feeding liquid to the bristles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to brushes for applying liquids to surfaces This invention relates to brushes for applying liquids to surfaces and has particular reference to brushes fed with liquid from a remote source.

Paint brushes are usually manufactured by locating a bundle of bristles in a metal ferrule together with a wedge, usually of wood or cardboard, placed centrally in one end of the bundle. The assembly is then secured together by means of an epoxy resin. One end of the bundle is spaced from the adjacent end of the ferrule to accommodate the end of a handle which, after insertion into a ferrule, is secured thereto by nails or other fixing means driven through the ferrule into the end of the handle.

In the case of brushes fed from a pressurised liquid container, one or more flexible distributors is or are located within the bundle of bristles and is or are mounted, at one end, in the edge referred to above. The distributor is connected to a supply pipe within the handle, the pipe being joined, either directly or via a manifold, to the flexible connector referred to above.

In use, it is found that the metal ferrule is liable to corrode and/or rust, and, in general this form of construction is not suitable for use with pressure fed systems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved construction that does not suffer from the disadvantages mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

According to the present invention, a brush for applying liquid to a surface includes a first portion comprising a brush head having a holder of plastics material from which extends a bundle of bristles positioned in the holder by means of an insert which carries one or more flexible tubes, the bundle and the insert being adhesively bonded to the holder, and a second portion of plastics material secured to the holder, the second portion having a liquid supply passage in communication with the one or more flexible tubes for feeding liquid to the bristles.

The second portion may be in "snap-fitting" connection with the holder. One of the portions may be formed with a peripheral bead and the other with a co-operating peripheral groove, the bead and groove being engaged to provide the "snap-fitting" connection.

The portions may be separable or the "snapfitting" connection maybe such as to prevent separation without damage to the portions.

The second portion may be secured to the holder by adhesive. Such a connection prevents the possibility of paint leaking between the holder and the second portion.

The second portion may be secured to the holder by ultrasonic welding. Such a connection avoids the use of adhesive but still prevents the possibility of paint leaking between the holder and the second portion.

The insert may also be made of plastics material.

Preferably the one or more flexible tubes are bonded to the insert by adhesives because a leakpreventing seal can thus be provided between the tube or tubes and the insert.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of making a brush for applying liquid to a surface, the method including the following steps: providing a holder of plastics material from which extends a bundle of bristles positioned in the holder by means of an insert which carries one or more flexible tubes, adhesively bonding the bundle and the insert to the holder to provide a brush head defining a first portion, and securing the first portion to a second portion of plastics material, the second portion having a liquid supply passage which, when the first portion is secured, is in communication with the one or more flexible tubes for feeding liquid to the bristles.

Preferably the upstream ends of the one or more flexible tubes are cut to length after the bundle and insert are adhesively bonded to the holder. In this way it can be ensured that no adhesive enters the tube or tubes.

By way of example only, certain embodiments of the invention suitable for use with a pressurised paint container will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a brush embodying the invention, and Figure 2 is a vertical section through a brush which is a modified form of the brush of Figure 1.

The embodiment shown in Figure1 has two principal parts, a brush head 1 comprising a ferrule 2 of a plastics material and a second portion referred to below. The ferrule 2 is of generally tubular form and of oval transverse cross-section with semi-circular ends. The ferrule 2 has an external peripheral bead 3 whose upper surface 4 slopes gently outwardly as shown, the lower surface 5 being substantially horizontal.

The bore of the ferrule 2 has a lower portion 6 of reduced internal diameter, opposite side walls of this portion having locking surfaces (not shown). An insert 7, also of a plastics material, has four spaced longitudinal passageways 8 extending through it and in each of these is located one end of a flexible tube 9.

Postioned between the insert 7 and the inner surface of the portion 6 is a bundle 10 of bristles whose length just exceeds that of the tubes 9.

The insert 7, the tubes 9 and the bundle 10 are all secured together and to the ferrule 2 by an adhesive, for example an epoxy resin, poured into the upper open end of the ferrule 2. When it has set, the adhesive forms a layer 11 through which the tubes 9 extend as shown. The adhesive percolates down for a short distance down the passageways 8 and between the individual bristles of the bundle 10 and this ensures an adequate bond between the insert 7 and the tubes 9, between the individual bristles and also between the latter and the insert 7 and the portion 6 of the collar 2.

The second portion 12 of the brush comprises a socket 1 3 contoured as will be described below to receive the brush head 1, and an extension 14 inclined with respect to the axis of the socket 1 3.

A dividing partition 1 5 apertured at 1 6 lies between the socket 13 and the extension 14.

The socket 1 3 has an internal groove 17 whose contour corresponds with that of the bead 3 and the lower edge of the socket is bevelled as at 1 8.

The extension 14 is hollow and has a portion 1 9 at its outer end over which the bore is larger than that over the remainder of the extension.

The second portion 12 of the embodiment of Figure 1 is of one-piece construction being moulded from a plastics material.

To assemble the parts into the positions shown in the drawing, the ferrule 2 is inserted into the socket until the upper edge of the ferrule abuts the wall 1 5 and the bead 3 "snaps" into the groove 1 7 to retain the head in the socket.

Before use, the brush is connected to the paint container by means of an adaptor (not shown), an inner member of which fits into the portion 19 of the extension 14. An outer portion of the adaptor fits over the extension 14 which is tapered externally and can be pressed securely into the outer portion. The connection to the adaptor allows the brush to be rotated in the adaptor by a user who is thus able to select a convenient orientation. The adaptor forms the brush handle, which is therefore inclined to the brush head, and incorporates a flow control valve that controls the flow of paint from the container, when the latter has been pressurised, to the tubes 9 which distribute the paint to the bristles 10 adjacent the free ends thereof thereby avoiding "loading" the bristles with an excessive amount of paint.In addition, the length of the tubes is so selected that the free ends thereof do not deleteriously affect the application of paint nor do they mark the paint coating once applied to the surface.

The brush is then used in the conventional manner to apply paint to a surface, the flow of paint to the brush being controlled by the user by means of the flow control valve referred to above.

As the bristles wear, the user trims the length of the tubes 9 to ensure that the free ends are always located within the bundle of bristles and do not deleteriously affect the application of paint to the surface or the paint coating.

It will be appreciated that the use of plastics materials avoids the rusting and corrosion referred to above whilst the use of such materials in conjunction with an appropriate adhesive effectively holds together the assembly comprising the ferrule, the insert, the tubes and the bristles.

The two-part construction gives ready access to the bristles, tubes and the insert for the purpose of applying the adhesive.

The brush is manufactured by a method in which the bundle 10 of bristles is first assembled and placed into the ferrule 2 with the bristles projecting from both ends thereof. The insert is then positioned in the centre of the upper projecting end of the bundle of bristles after which the bundle is pulled downwardly through the ferrule until the insert and the upper end of the bundle is correctly positioned within the ferrule.

The tubes are then entered through the passageways and are held therein by the narrow lower parts of the passageways. The adhesive is then poured in to lock the assembly together, there being a sufficient portion of each tube 9 extending beyond the insert to ensure that no adhesive enters the tube. Alternatively, a length of tube can be looped through adjacent holes. The adhesive percolates for a short distance between the upper ends of the bristles, the inside surface of portion 6 and the insert. The adhesive also flows down the passageways 8 between the wider upper ends thereof and the tubes 9. After the adhesive has set, the extending portions of the tubes are trimmed to the level of the set adhesive.

If the looping technique is used, the loop is cut out after the adhesive has set.

The adhesive bonds the upper ends of the bristles together and to the inner surface of portion 6 and to the insert. The upper ends of the tubes 9 are also effectively bonded to the insert.

In this manner a paint-tight seal is formed which ensures that paint can flow from the space 20 above the layer of adhesive only through the tubes 9.

It will be appreciated that a sufficient number of tubes 9 is used to given even distribution of paint across the width of the brush. The total area of the bores of the tubes 9 and the number of tubes regulates the flow of paint from the space 20 to the bristles. Small brushes may need only one or two tubes whilst larger brushes may need more than four.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 described above the "snap-fitting" is sufficiently tight to prevent leakage of paint between the ferrule 2 and the wall of the socket 13 although, if necessary, a sealing gasket may be used between the partition 1 5 and the upper edge of the ferrule. Furthermore, in that embodiment the head 3 and groove 17 are so designed as to prevent subsequent separation of the parts 1 and 12.

However, it may be desirable to be able to separate the brush head 2 from the portion 12, in which case the bead and groove connection is so designed as to permit separation by a user thereby permitting replacement, as necessary, either of the second portion 12 which may itself be formed as a handle or of the brush head.

One second portion might be common to a number of brush heads of different sizes.

If it is not desired to separate the brush head 2 and the portion 12 then these parts may be bonded together with adhesive. This prevents leakage of paint between the ferrule 2 and the wall of the socket 13; such adhesive may be provided instead of or in addition to the "snapfitting". Another alternative is to secure the head 2 to the holder by ultrasonic welding; in this case the configuration of the socket 1 3 and the ferrule 2 may be altered to that shown in Figure 2 in order to facilitate the welding. In Figure 2 the ferrule and socket are designated by numerals 2A and 1 3A respectively. The other parts which are unchanged are designated by the same reference numerals as in Figure 1.

Claims

1. A brush for applying liquid to a surface, the brush including a first portion comprising a brush head having a holder of plastics material from which extends a bundle of bristles positioned in the holder by means of an insert which carries one or more flexible tubes, the bundle and the insert being adhesively bonded to the holder, and a second portion of plastics material secured to the holder, the second portion having a liquid supply passage in communication with the one or more flexible tubes for feeding liquid to the bristles.

2. A brush according to claim 1 in which the second portion is in "snap-fitting" connection with the holder.

3. A brush according to claim 2 in which one of the portions is formed with a peripheral bead and the other with a co-operating peripheral groove, the bead and groove being engaged to provide the "snap-fitting" connection.

4. A brush according to claim 2 or 3 in which the portions are separable.

5. A brush according to claim 2 or 3 in which the "snap-fitting" connection is such as to prevent separation without damage to the portions.

6. A brush according to claim 1 in which the second portion is secured to the holder by adhesive.

7. A brush according to claim 1 in which the second portion is secured to the holder by ultrasonic welding.

8. A brush according to any preceding claim in which the insert is made of a plastics material.

9. A brush according to any preceding claim in which the one or more flexible tubes are bonded to the insert by adhesive.

10. A brush according to any preceding claim in which a liquid containing space is defined at the junction of the second portion and the holder.

11. A brush according to any preceding claim, the brush further including a handle which is inclined relative to the brush head.

12. A brush for applying liquid to a surface, the brush being substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 1 or by Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A method of making a brush for applying liquid to a surface, the method including the following steps: providing a holder of plastics material from which extends a bundle of bristles positioned in the holder by means of an insert which carries one or more flexible tubes, adhesively bonding the bundle and the insert to the holder to provide a brush head defining a first portion, and securing the first portion to a second portion of plastics material, the second portion having a liquid supply passage which, when the first portion is secured, is in communication with the one or more flexible tubes for feeding liquid to the bristles.

14. A method according to claim 13 in which the upstream ends of the one or more flexible tubes are cut to length after the bundle and insert are adhesively bonded to the holder.

1 5. A method of making a brush for applying liquid to a surface, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 1 or by Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.