GB2117303A - Paint and paper stripper - Google Patents

Abstract

A wall or ceiling stripper particularly for stripping paper which has a waterproof outer layer or is covered by paint, the stripper comprising an elongate handle (102), a recess in the underside of the handle (102), a generally rectangular blade (111) projecting from the underside of the handle (102) adjacent one end, the blade (111) being pivotally mounted about a pivot axis, extending transverse to the handle (102) and defined by a bracket (106), and a rubber block (113) engaged in the recess between the blade (111) and an end wall of the recess. In use the tool is dragged down a wall causing the blade (111) to compress the rubber block (113) until the restoring force stored in the rubber block, in addition to the force drawing the tool down the wall, overcomes the resistance of the paper and tears out a piece of the paper. Water can then be applied to soften the remaining paper and adhesive. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Paint and paper stripper The invention relates to a paint and paper stripper.

In the field of home decorating, a problem frequently encountered is that of having to strip, from plaster walls, wallpaper which has been coated with emulsion paint or so-called washable wallpaper. The problem arises from the fact that the emulsion paint covering the wallpaper or the outer waterproof coating of the washable wallpaper resists ingress of water applied to the paper in an attempt to soften the paste by which the wallpaper is adhered to the wall. The waterproof coating can be sanded with coarse sandpaper or acted on by a power tool having a central member with flails thereon which fly outwardly under centrifugal force and abrade the wallpaper when they are brought into contact therewith. Either of these two methods is likely to produce considerable quantities of dust such that the user must wear a breathing mask and makes a mess which must be cleared up.It has also been proposed to attack such wallpaper with wire brushes or metal pot scourers but these are not very effective and again produce clouds of small dust particles unless the operation is conducted "wet" in which case the water used tends to act as a lubricant reducing the effect of the wire brushes or pot scourers. The wallpaper can be acted upon by a steamer to soften the paste by a combination of heat and dampness but, in addition to being expensive to buy or hire, such steamers can cause damage due to the steam produced condensing on other surfaces.

According to the invention, a paint and paper stripper comprises an elongate handle, means defining a recess adjacent one end of the handle, a blade located in the recess so that in a rest position thereof the blade extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate handle, a pivot mounting for the blade with a pivot axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, about which pivot axis the blade can move when drawn over a surface to be stripped so that the blade momentarily moves into a trailing position and resilient means biassing the blade for pivotal movement about the pivot axis to said rest position.

The recess may be formed in a moulded plastics tool or by means of a metal bracket secured to the handle, which handle is then preferably of wood. The blade is preferably rectangular with a sharp edge at one of its longer sides and the pivot mounting is preferably formed by an angular piece of sheet metal having a first flange secured to an underside of the handle adjacent the recess and a second flange projecting into the recess and having its free edge turned over to from a U-shaped portion, in which Ushaped portion the longer side of the blade opposite to the sharp edge can be engaged. The resilient means is preferably a rubber block engaged in the recess between the blade and a wall of the recess and preferably has locating means whereby it can be located in said wall of the recess.

In use the handle can be gripped in two hands or in one hand with the other hand overlying the back of the tool at a position at which the recess is provided and the tool is drawn down the wall in a manner such that the blade is generally perpendicular to the direction of movement.

Preferably the tool is angled outwardly from the wall at an angle of approximately 1 59. If desired, an additional handle may be provided on the tool projecting outwardly from the back of the tool at a position in the region of the recess. As the tool is drawn down the wall the blade will tend to catch in the wallpaper and move about the pivot axis so that it trails from its rest position thereby compressing the rubber block until the force stored in the rubber block in addition to the force with which the tool is being instantaneously drawn down the wall overcomes the resistance of the paper and tears out from the paper a piece of paper corresponding in width to the width of the blade and probably of approximately 3 mm in length.The blade will again catch on the paper, probably at a position 3 to 5 mm from the previously removed piece of paper and will remove a further piece of paper of similar shape to the first piece of paper. The action continues as the blade is drawn down the wall and further passes of the blade over the wall can be effected parallel to the first pass and adjacent thereto until the entire wall has had the blade drawn over it. Water can then be applied to the paper and will permeate the paper where the paint or waterproof layer has been stripped therefrom by the tool so that the paper can subsequently easily be removed from the wall by sliding a conventional wide bladed paper stripper between the paper and the wall.

The stripper tool is obviously useable for ceilings in addition to walls and can be used on surfaces which are merely painted rather than papered. Thus, ceilings or walls which have been white washed or distempered and subsequently coated with emulsion paint are very difficult to strip but, if they are to be redecorated by applying wallpaper or a sculptured plastics ceiling coating, must be stripped down to basic plaster since otherwise the water used in the wallpaper paste or in the plastics ceiling coating is likely to soak through the emulsion paint layer and split the water soluble white wash or distemper so that the paper or plastics ceiling coating is not adhered any longer to the plaster.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a paint and paper stripper according to the invention: Figure 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of the stripper of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a front end view of the stripper of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the components of the stripper of Figures 1 to 4; Figure 6 is a front end view of a second embodiment of a paint and paper stripper according to the invention; Figure 7 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 6; and Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a plan view and an underneath plan view of the stripper of Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to the drawings, a paint and paper stripper 1 has an elongate handle 2 preferably of wood. At a front end of the handle 2, a metal bracket 3 is secured by screws 4 to define with the adjacent end of the handle 2, a recess 5. A second bracket 6 has a first flange 7 with an aperture therein whereby it can be secured by a screw 8 to the underside of the handle 2 adjacent the recess 5. A second flange 9 of the bracket 6 extends into the recess 5 and has its free edge rolled over at 10 to form a U-shaped receiving bearing. A blade 11 is rectangular and has its lower edge sharpened to form a chisel edge 12.

The edge of the blade 1 1, opposite the chisel edge 12, is received in the U-shaped bearing formed by the rolled over top 10 of the flange 9 of the bracket 6, the chisel edge 12 of the blade 1 1 projecting from the recess 5 as best seen in Figures 2 and 4. Also received in the recess 5, is a resilient cylindrical rubber block 13 having generally flat opposite end faces, one of which is applied to the forward face of the blade 1 1 and the other of which has a projection 14 thereon which projects through an aperture 15 in the first bracket 3. Thus in the rest position, the blade 1 1 lies with its rear face against the flange 9 of the bracket 6 in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle 2.If the tool is drawn over a surface with the blade 12 at the trailing end of the handle 2, having regard to the direction of movement, the blade 11, as it snags on the surface, can pivot about the Ushaped bearing formed by the rolled over top 10 of the flange 9 of the bracket 6 to compress the rubber block 13. The continued force as the tool is drawn over the surface, with the addition of the force stored in the rubber block 13, will overcome the snagging to tear out a portion of the surface which caused the snagging, thereby allowing the blade to move back into the position in which it is parallel with the flange 9. The action will then be repeated with further snagging and freeing to remove pieces of the surface over which the tool is drawn in a desired manner.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 9, a handle 102 is moulded of a plastics material and has an integral head portion 103 with a recess 105 in its underside, which recess 105 is closed at the upper side whereas the corresponding recess 5 in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5 is open at its upper side. A bracket 106 has a relatively short flange 107 secured to the handle 102 by a screw 108 but has a flange and rolled over portion corresponding to the flange 9 and rolled over portion 10 of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5. A blade 1 1 1 and rubber block 1 13 are identical with the blade 11 and the rubber block 11 3 of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5. Cross bracing 1 16 is provided in the underside of the handle 102 and a central rib 11 7 provides additional stiffening.

The toll of Figures 6 to 9 is used in identical fashion to the tool of Figures 1 to 5.

If desired, the tool may be formed much wider than illustrated whereby a wider blade 11, 111 can be used or two blades each acting against a respective rubber block 13, 1 13 could be provided side by side. The chisel edge 12 of the blade 1 1, 111 may, if desired, be slightly curved, that is to say have its middle portion extending further from the handle than its side portions so that there is a less likelihood of the corners of the blade digging into the plaster and causing damage.

Claims (12)

1. A paint and paper stripper comprising an elongate handle, means defining a recess adjacent one end of the handle, a blade located in the recess so that in a rest position thereof the blade extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate handle, a pivot mounting for the blade with a pivot axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, about which pivot axis the blade can move when drawn over a surface to be stripped so that the blade momentarily moves into a trailing position, and resilient means biassing the blade for pivotal movement about the pivot axis to said rest position.

2. A paint and paper stripper according to claim 1, in which the elongate handle is formed of a moulded plastics material with the recess formed therein.

3. A paint and paper stripper according to claim 1, in which the handle is formed of wood and the recess is formed by a metal bracket secured to the handle.

4. A paint and paper stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the blade is rectangular with a sharp edge at one of its longer sides and the pivot mounting is formed by an angular piece of sheet metal having a first flange secured to an underside of the handle adjacent the recess and a second flange projecting into the recess and having its free edge turned over to form a U-shaped portion, in which U-shaped portion the longer side of the blade opposite to the sharp edge can be engaged.

5. A paint and paper stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the resilient means is a rubber block engaged in the recess between the blade and a wall of the recess.

6. A paint and paper stripper according to claim 5, in which the rubber block has locating means whereby it can be located in said wall of the recess.

7. A paint and paper stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 6, including an additional handle on the tool projecting outwardly from the back of the tool at a position in the region of the recess.

8. A method of stripping paint or paper from a wall or ceiling using a paint and paper stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising gripping the handle in two hands or in one hand with the other hand overlying the back of the tool at a position at which the recess is provided and drawing the tool down the wall or over the ceiling in a manner such that the blade is generally perpendicular to the direction of movement.

9. A method according to claim 7, in which the tool is angled outwardly from the wall or ceiling at an angle of approximately 150.

10. A method according to claim 8 or claim 9, in which the tool is used in a manner such that as the tool is drawn down the wall or over the ceiling the blade will catch in the paint or paper and move about the pivot axis so that it trails from its rest position thereby compressing the resilient means until the force stored in the resilient means, in addition to the force with which the tool is being instantaneously drawn down the wall, overcomes the resistance of the paint or paper and tears out from the paint or paper a piece corresponding in width to the width of the blade and a few millimetres in length.

1 A method according to claim 10, including the steps of applying water to the paint or paper, allowing the water to permeate the remaining paint or paper where the paint or paper has been stripped by the tool and removing the remaining paint or paper by sliding a conventional wide bladed paper stripper between the paint or paper and the wall or ceiling.

12. A paint or paper stripper substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.