US2533838A

US2533838A - Paintbrush with scraper blade

Info

Publication number: US2533838A
Application number: US616273A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward J Ranft
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-09-14
Filing date: 1945-09-14
Publication date: 1950-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1967-12-12

Description

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Patented Dec. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAINTBRUSH WITH SCRAPER BLADE Edward J. Ranft, Woodside, N. Y.

Application September 14, 1945, Serial No. 616,273

1 Claim. i

This invention relates to a paint brush and it is one object of the invention to provide a paint brush having associated therewith a blade or strip which may be used as a paddle for mixing paint in a can, as a prop for supporting the brush in an upright position when not in use, or as a screwdriver or scraping blade.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint brush wherein the auxiliary strip or blade is mounted in a pocket extending longitudinally in the handle of the brush and of such length that when it is in a retracted position, it will not interfere with use of the brush for painting.

Another object of the invention is to so mount the strip or blade that it may be slid longitudinally out of the pocket in the brush handle to a position in which it proects beyond ends of the bristles of the brush and may very conveniently be used as a paddle for stirring paint, as a prop for the brush, or as a screw-driver or scraping blade when the brush is grasped by the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide the brush handle with a slot in a side portion thereof through which passes a pin carried by the strip,

the pin being so mounted that it may be shifted into recesses extending from a side of the slot and thus secure the blade or strip in its extended position, or in a retracted position. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View of the improved paint brush 'with the blade or strip in its retracted position,

Figure 2 is a viewr showing the blade or strip fully extended,

Figure 3 is a view showing the blade or strip partially extended,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the paint brush with the blade in its retracted position,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken transversely through the handle of the brush, and

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the upper or inner end portion of the strip.

This improved paint brush has a handle I and bristles which are held in engagement with the handle by the usual metal ferrule 3. The handle I is preferably formed of plastic, although it may be formed of any suitable material, and in the handle is formed a pocket Il which extends longitudinally thereof and is open at its front or lower end, as shown in Figure 4. A slot 5 extends longitudinally of the handle in one side thereof and this slot communicates with the pocket 'i and is formed at its ends with laterally extending reto its front end with a notch or recess 8. Additional notches 8 may be formed if found desirable, The notch 6 has a diagonally extending lower edge e and the notches I and S have their upper edges I0 and I I cut diagonally, for a reason to be hereinafter set forth.

In connection with this brush, there has been provided a blade or strip I2 which is formed of strong metal and is of such width and thickness that it may be slidably received in the lpocket i and readily shifted longitudinally therein. The blade or strip is of such length that when it is in the retracted position shown in Figure 4 its iront or outer end terminates rearwardly of the iront edge of the ferrule 3. Therefore, when the strip or blade is retracted, it will be entirely shielded by the handle and the ierrule and not interfere with use of the brush in the usual manner, A pin I3 carried by a short plate I4 projects through the slot 5 and the plate I4 is connected with the strip or blade I2 by a rivet or other suitable fastener I5. Since the pin I3 projects from one end of the plate It and the fastener I5 passes through the plate adjacent its other end, the plate will be pivotally mounted and may be swung about the fastener I5 as a pivot. Therefore, the pin I3 may be disposed as shown in Figure 6 for guiding movement through the slot 5 and when the blade or strip is in the retracted position, the pin may be engaged in the notch or recess 6. When the blade or strip is in an extended position, the pin may be en gaged in the notch 1 or in the notch 8 and se curely hold the blade or strip fully extended, as shown in Figure 2, or partially extended, as shown in Figure 3. When the pin is in the notch S, it engages the sloping wall 9 of notch so that pressure on the blade or strip will not cause the pin to be accidentally dislodged from notch 't and allow the blade or strip to slide downwardly toward an extended position. When the pin is engaged in the notch 'I, the sloping wall I i) prevents movement of the pin out of the notch and when the pin is engaged in the notch 8, the sloping wall I I will prevent dislodgement of the pin from the notch.

When the paint brush is in use and paint which has been standing for some time in a pan is` to be used, it is necessary to rst stir the paint in order to thoroughly mix the pigment with the oil. Therefore, the blade will be shifted downwardly to the extended position of Figure 2 and the pin moved into notch 'I to secure it in the extended position. Since the lower or cuter end of the blade is bevelled, as shown at I5, this end of the cesses or notches 6 and 'I and in spaced relation blade may be engaged under the edge of the cover of a pan and the pan cover pried loose. The

Vbrush is then grasped by its handle l and the blade used for stirring the paint. After the paint has been thoroughly mixed, the blade will be retracted and the pin moved into notch 6 to hold it in retracted position. Since the outer or front end of the blade terminates short of the lower end of the ferrule when the blade is retracted, the blade will not protrude into portions 0f the `bristles projecting from the ferrule and the paint brush may be used in the usual manner without interference by the blade. If it is found necessary to remove a screw or tack from Woodwork to be painted, the blade will be shifted to the extended position and its bevelled end employed for prying the nail or tack loose or unscrewing the screw. The blade may also be used for'scraping loose putty from window frames. When it is desired to temporarily discontinue use of the brush, such as when dust and other dirt is to be wiped from woodwork, the blade will be shifted to a partially or fully extended position and used as a prop for supporting the brush in a substantially upright position with the upper endo the handle resting against the window frame, or the like. Therefore, the brush need not be set horizontally upon a can of paint and have its handle contact with paint upon the top of the can. This is a common practice and has been found very annoying, since when the brush is again picked up for use, wet paint on the handle will get on the hand or ngers holding the handle of the brush. After painting has been iinished, the paint brush should be cleaned and kept in a can or other receptacle partially lled with kerosene or the like to keep the bristles soft. When a paint brush is set into' a can containing kerosene, the bristles rest upon the bottom of the canand become lled with thick paint in the bottom of the can and very often the bristles are causedto be curled at their free ends or ilexed transversely sothat the paint brush loses its proper shape. This objecttion is overcome by moving the bladelZ to the partially extended position of Figure 3 where it Vis secured by moving the pin into the notch or recess'. The blade will then be held in the partially extended Vposition and the brush may be deposited in a can of kerosene with the lower end of the blade resting upon the bottom of the can and holding the bristles out of contact with the bottom of the can or with thick paint at the bottom of the can. It will thus be seen that the a blade will serve very eiectively to prevent damage to a paint brush which has been left standing in a can or kerosene when not in use.

' tice, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A paint brush comprising, a handle, bristles at one end of the handle, a ferrule embracing a portion of the handle and overlying the ends of the bristles adjacent the handle, said handle having an axial elongated rectangular opening extending thereinto from the end carrying the bristles and also having a, longitudinal slot opening through one side into the axial opening, the handle also having a laterally extending notch at each end of the slot and a similar notch inter-A mediate the ends of the slot, a flat elongated blade mounted in the opening in the handle to slide from a fully retracted position in Which its outer end lies wholly within the ferrule to aIully extending position where it extends well beyond the free ends of the bristles to form a brush Support, an arm pivoted'to the blade adjacent its innermost end and a locking pin onthe arm and projecting through the slot in the handle, said pin cooperating with the notches in the handle in locking the blade in fully Aprojected position, fully retracted position, or in an intermediate position where it may be used as a scraper for a surface being painted and a thumb button on the outer end of said pin.

EDWARD J. RANFI.

REFERENCES CITED rlhe following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS