GB2263420A - Air brush - Google Patents

Abstract

An air brush comprises a tubular body 1 having an inlet 5 for connection to a source of compressed air, an outlet in the form of a nozzle 4 for discharging a jet of compressed air and a bleed opening 7 for controlling the discharge through said nozzle, and a holder 12 mounted on the outside of said body to receive and detachably secure a colour dispenser with its outlet in the path of the air jet discharged through said nozzle, said holder being adjustable relative to said body to vary the position of said dispenser in relation to said nozzle. <IMAGE>

Description

AIR BRUSE This invention relates to air brushes Air brushes are well known painting instruments used by artists, graphic designers, photographers, draughtsmen and students, when special effects and high degrees of accuracy and precision are required. There are several types currently available all of which work by means of compressed air supplied to a colour chamber within the brush and operative, under the control of one or more valves to force the colour, which may be ink or paint, through an outlet nozzle in the form of a fine spray which can be accurately directed onta the workpiece.

However, the air brushes currently available are precision instruments and as a consequence are costly and require a high degree of skill in both use and maintenance.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an air brush which is rugged in construction and simple to use, and is thus particularly suitable for students and others desirous of gaining experience of such instruments.

To this end, the present invention provides an air brush comprising a tubular body having an outlet in the form of a nozzle for discharging a jet of compressed air and a bleed opening for controlling the discharge of the said jet through the said nozzle, and a holder mounted on the outside of the said body to receive and detachably secure a colour dispenser with its outlet in the path of the air jet discharged through the nozzle, said holder being adjustable relative to said body to vary the position of said dispenser in relation to said nozzle.

The instrument according to the present invention, which has no moving parts, preferably uses felt tip pens or markers as the exchangable colour source and relies on a simple air bleed system to control the flow of air to the nozzle. The spray of colour is achieved by the fine controlled jet of air impinging on the tip of the marker pen. The holder is fully adjustable so that different types and sizes of dispenser may be used and the texture of the spray pattern varied.

The compressed air is fed to the nozzle via a plenum chamber in the body of the air brush and the flow of air to the nozzle is controlled by placing a finger over the bleed opening thus limiting the air leakage.

The specific embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a section on line X - X of Fig. 2; Figure 2 is a plan view of the instrument; and Figure 3 is an end view looking in direction of arrows Y - Y in Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawing, the air brush comprises a tubular body 1 provided with a plenum chamber 2 which communicates through a passage 3 which may be of stepped or other suitable form, with a nozzle 4, which may be integral with or screwed into passage 3. The plemun chamber is traversed by a tube 5 provided at one end with a coupling 6 for the end of an air hose (not shown) and at it's other end with a bleed opening 7. The coupling may incorporate an air waste limiting device. The tube 5 communicates with the interior of the plenum chamber 2 through perforations 8 in its outer wall. A clamp 9 is adjustably mounted on the body 1 and secured in position by a bolt 10 or other suitable means.A 8 holder 12 for a felt tip pen or marker (not shown) is adjustably mounted on clamp 9, preferable by means of a ball or other joint 11 which allows freedom of movement of the holder in at least two planes.

In use, a felt tip pen or marker is clamped in the holder 12 by means of a set-screw 13 and the position of the holder is adjusted about the axis of joint 11 to bring the tip of the pen or marker in close proximity of the orifice in the nozzle 4. The air brush is then connected through coupling 6 to a supply compressed air set at low pressure. As soon as the air supply is turned on the air will escape through the bleed opening 7 in tube 5 and the pressure in within the plenum chamber 2 will remain at or slightly below atmospheric. In order to commence spraying a finger is placed partially over the bleed opening 7, thus increasing the pressure in'the plenum chamber 2 and forcing the air through passage 3 and the nozzle 4 from which it emerges in the form of a jet impinging on the tip fo the pen or marker and directing a a fine spray of of colour onto the work piece. The bleed opening 7, in combination with the operator's finger, thus acts as a bleed valve to control the intensity of the jet issuing from the nozzle 4.

In place of the set screw 13 the holder 12 may be provided with spring clips or any other suitable means of detachably securing the pen or marker in position.

Claims (9)

CLAIRS

1. An air brush comprising a tubular body having an inlet for connection to a source of compressed air, an outlet in the form of a nozzle for discharging a jet of compressed air and a bleed opening for controlling the discharge of said jet through said nozzle, and a holder mounted on the outside of the said body to receive and detachably secure a colour dispenser with its outlet in the path of the air jet discharged through said nozzle, said holder being adjustable relative to said body to vary the position of the said dispenser in relation to said nozzle.

2. An air brush according to claim 1, wherein said body incorporates a plenum chamber which communicates with said nozzle through an outlet passage and is traversed by an inlet tube, one end of which is formed for connection to a compressed air line, the other end of which forms said bleed opening and the interior of which communicates with the interior of said plenum chamber through perforations in the tube wall.

3. An air brush according to claim 2, in which said outlet passage is stepped.

4. An air brush according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said nozzle is detachably secured to said body.

5. An air brush according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the nozzle is formed integral with said body.

6. An air brush according to any preceding claim wherein said holder is adjustably mounted on a clamp which is adapted to be adjustably secured to said body.

7. An air brush according to claim 6, wherein said mounting incorporates a ball joint or other coupling which allows freedom of movement of said holder in at least two planes and is restrained against movement in any of its positions of adjustment.

8. An air brush according to any preceding claim wherein said holder is provided with a set screw for securing a dispenser therein.

9. An air brush according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said holder is provided with spring clips for securing dispenser theron.