US1909562A

US1909562A - Plaster decorating tool

Info

Publication number: US1909562A
Application number: US606139A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ambrosio Frank
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-04-19
Filing date: 1932-04-19
Publication date: 1933-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1950-05-16

Description

{are ATTORNEYS May 16, 1933. F. AMBROSIO PLASTER DECORATING TOOL Filed April 19, 1932 aflli of wall.

l atented May 16, 1933 TATES FRANK AMBROSIO, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK PLASTEB DECORATING 'roon Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to plastering tools and has particular reference to a tool for embossing the surface of plaster to provide various decorative effects.

The decoration of plaster as performed heretofore involved the use of stippling brushes or stippling tools and produced a uniform effect devoid of decoration and one which is monotonous over a large expanse The decoration of plaster by im pressing designs therein formerly involved a considerable amount of labor and expense and accounts for the fact that it has not been done to a greater extent.

. According to the present invention a tool is provided whereby various decorative effects in plaster may be obtained by means of a group of decorating elements carried thereby, which have any one or more of a 0 number of different shapes and difierent sizes and which are impressed in the plaster when it is wet to form group designs therein.

The new tool includes a back plate or holder provided with a handle and having a series of spaced apertures or holes adapted to receive the separate decorating elements in various combinations depending on the sizes of the elements used or upon the design, spacing or arrangement of the decorations which it is desired to produce on the plaster wall. These decorating elements comprise a concave disc of resilient material having the outline of the desired design and fitted with a plug which is of such dimension as to fit closely within one of the apertures of the back plate or holder. The concave di c spreads and forces the plasterin radial directions with its edges as it flattens out under pressure, so that a ridge forming the desired design is formed in the soft plaster. l/Vhen the pressure on the disc is released the natural resiliency of the disc causes it to return to its normal concave shape so that its edges withdraw from the ridge of plas' ter, which accordingly is left undisturbed and remains sharply defined on the wall. In order to prevent distortion of the soft plaster by the air trapped between the concave disc and the wall and by the suction thereof, a passage leads from within the 1932. Serial No. 606,139.

concavity in the disc to relieve the air pressure and break the suction. Also, in order to maintain the flexible disc in proper shape during operation of the tool, studs are provided on the rear surface of the disc which engage the surface of the holder or back plate as the elements flatten out, whereby they are maintained rigid and firm during the decorating operation despite their inherent flexibility.

Simply by removing decorating elements of one design from the holder or back plate and inserting elements of another design therein, various decorative combinations can be obtained to produce pleasing surface effects on the plaster. This arrangement also enables rapid and easy replacement of worn decorating elements with new ones. Also, inasmuch as the back plate has con siderable area, consistent with ready handling, it carries a considerable number of the decorating elements, so that a workman may treat a large portion of the wall surface within a comparatively short time.

For a more complete understanding of the 70 invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a cross-section through the new device as seen along the line of l1 of Fig. 2, and illustrates the manner in which the tool is applied to the surface of a wall;

Fig. 2 is a face view of the back plate or holder, showing the arrangement of the holes and two arrangements of the elements in these holes;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section through one of the decorating elements as seen along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner in which the design is impressed in the plaster by the design disc of the element; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the design disc of the element withdraws itself from the edges of the impression in the plaster when the pressure on the tool is released.

In the drawing numeral designates a holder or back plate having the opposite brackets 11 connected by a handle 12. This back plate is preferably made of metal, such as aluminum, and pierced with a series of spaced holes 13. These holes 13 are arranged in such a way that they will accommodate decorating elements of various sizes and in various combinations and arrangements. For example, the holes are arranged in rectangular groups of four, with one hole, 13, between the four holes of each group, and the holes are spaced apart in linear directions to accommodate small decorating elements in close relation but without overlapping. The center holes 13 within each group of four holes are arranged for the reception of large decorating elements without overlapping, as is illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be seen that with this arrangement practically any desirable combination or arrangement of decorating elements of various shapes and sizes may be obtained without interference with the adjacent elements.

The individual decorating elements have a peculiar structure which has important advantages in the operation of the tool and the decoration of the plaster. These elements are preferably formed of flexible material, such as rubber, and the material is of such thickness and flexibility as to provide sufficient inherent rigidity to displace the plaster and yet be sufficiently flexible to yield to the pressure which is applied thereto.

These elements comprise a conical plug 14 which is adapted to fit closely within one o' the

openings

13 or 13 in the holder 10, and a concave disc 15 on the outer end of the plug 14;. This disc 15 has the outline of the decoration which it is desired to impress in the plaster. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the discs 15 of larger decorating elements may have a leaf outline, while the smaller decorating elements may have a blossom or flower outline, or vice versa. The discs 15 may have various other outlines which may be desirable, such as stars, crescents, leaves of difi'erent shapes, flowers of different shapes, figures, designs, and the like, each element having the characteristic structure illustrated in Fig. 3.

The concavity of the disc 15 communicates with the atmosphere through a passage 16, preferably formed in the plug 14, and on the rear surface of the disc 15 of the larger sized element is provided a plurality of spaced integral studs or pins 17 which engage the surface of the back plate 10 when the disc 15 is flattened out in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. These studs or pins 17 support and render rigid the edges of the disc 15 when the latter is pressed into contact with the surface of the wall. Because the smaller decorating elements have no large unsupported disc, they need not be provided with these supporting pins or studs 17, in asmuch as the inherent stiffness of the material is sufficient to provide a firm contact between the disc of the small decorating element and the surface of the wall. Otherwise the structure of the small decorating element is the same as that of the larger element illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

In preparing the new plaster decorating tool of this invention for use, the workman selects the decorating elements of appropriate design and size, and arranges them on the holder or back plate 10 in any desirable manner to procure predetermined arrangement and design of decoration in the plaster. This is done by inserting the plug 1 1 of the decorating element in the appropriate hole or

socket

13 or 13 of the back plate. Because the plugs 14 are of standard size and the holes 13 are also of standard size, they cooperate in such a way that the discs 15 of all of the elements mounted on the holder or back plate 10 lie in the between them and the surface of the wall is forced out through the passage 16, so that it cannot flow out around the edges of the discs 15 and distort the plaster. The flattening action of each disc 15 spreads the plaster in radial directions and forms a ridge in the plaster in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5, this ridge forming the outline of the design in the plaster. As each disc 15 flattens out, the studs 17 on the edge thereof ice engage the surface of the holder or back plate 10 and form a support therefor, so

that all portions thereof engage the plaster with substantially the same degree of pressure. This is important, since the plaster offers a varying degree of resistance to displacement, especially when it is hardening or contains hard particles, as in the case of stucco, for example. Thus a shape and clear design is formed in the plaster under practically any circumstances.

When the tool is released from the wall the inherent flexibility of the material from which the disc 15 is made causes it to restore itself to its normal concave shape, which results in the withdrawal of the edges thereof from the ridge of plaster previously formed thereby. This action is illustrated in Fig. 5 and is of importance for the reason that when the tool is thereafter withdrawn from the surface of the wall the edges of the discs 15 will not drag on and accordingly break the ridges of plaster previously formed thereby. Also the gradual release of the surface of the disc 15 from the plaster causes it to roughen the plaster slightly, so that a uniform and pleasmg surface is provided. The air passage 16 also relieves the suction created by the release of the concave disc 15, so that the plaster is not disturbed for that reason.

It will be seen that by means of the new tool of this invention, many pleasing designs of various shapes and arrangement may be made on a plaster Wall With ease and rapidity, and that the design and arrange ment of the decoration may be altered at Will simply by substituting other decorating elements, Which are provided With the holder.

I claim:

1. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having a plurality of spaced apertures, and a plurality of individual plaster decorating elements of different design, each having a plug removably insertable in any one of the holder apertures.

.2. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and a plurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mounted on the holder, said discs each having a concave surface and fanciful outline.

3. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and a plurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mounted on the holder, said discs each having a concave surface and air relief passage leading from the concave surface.

In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and a plurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mcunted on the holder, said discs each having supporting means adjacent their edges for engaging the holder.

5. In a plaster decorating tool, the com bination of a holder and a plurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient mate rial mounted on the holder, said discs each having a concave surface and supporting means adjacent their edges for engaging the holder when the disc is flattened.

6. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and a plurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mounted on the holder, said discs each having a concave surface, supporting means adjacent their edges for engaging the hold or and air relief passage leading from the concave surface.

7. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having a plurality of spaced apertures, a plug removably inserted in at least one of the apertures, and a resilient disc on the plug having a fanciful outline.

8. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having a plurality of spaced apertures, a plug removably inserted in at least one of the apertures, and a concave disc of resilient material on the plug having a fanciful design and adapted to displace plaster With its edges When flattened against the same.

9. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having a plurality of spaced apertures, a plug removably inserted in at least one of the apertures, and a concave disc of resilient material on the plug, said plug having an air relief passage leading from the concave surface disc.

10. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a concave disc of flexible material having a fanciful outline, and a holder attached to the disc for applying the latter to a soft surface, said disc being adapted to be flattened by pressure to displace the material of the surface With its edges and Witl draw its edges from the displaced material upon release of the pressure thereon.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK AMBROSIO.