US2707294A

US2707294A - Paint applicator and wall cleaning tool

Info

Publication number: US2707294A
Application number: US164346A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nosin David
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-26
Filing date: 1950-05-26
Publication date: 1955-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 1972-05-03

Description

May 3, 1955 D. NoslN PAINT APPLICATOR AND WALL CLEANING TOOL Filed May 26, 1950 lll INVENTOR. DAvm Nosw ATTORNEY United States Patent O PAHNT APPLQATOR GANE) WALL CLEANING T OL David Nosin, Cleveland Heights, (Ehio Application May 26, 195i?, Serial No. 164,346

5 Claims. (Cl. 15u13@ The present invention relates to tools for the treatment of flat surfaces, and particularly to a tool for painting and cleansing wall surfaces.

The present practice in stippling wall surfaces is to apply the paint by means of a brush or sponge which is dipped in paint and touched to the wall in a manner to give the desired effect. tomary to dob the paint on with the ends of the brush bristles rather than to stroke it on as is customary in conventional painting. When using a` sponge, the sponge is immersed in the paint and the paint is dabbed onto the wall.

Either method of application is not entirely satisfactory in that the appearance of the stippled surface will vary in accordance with the individual technique employed by each person applying the paint. This lack of uniformity is particularly apparent when Sponges are used because, as the sponge is turned in the hand from time to timeit forms a changing stipple pattern.

However, even when two people use the same brush or sponge, there will bea noticeable diiference in the stipple pattern produced by each person. that if two people are working` at the same time on different walls of the same room, a lack of uniformity of appearance is imrnediatelyapparent. l believe that this non uniformity is primarily the result of the greater or lesser' pressure applied by one personto the brush or sponge as contrasted to that applied vby the other. This, in turn, affects the density and spacing of the stippled coating of paint.

I. might also add thatan` additional disadvantage of the present method of stippling is the fact that thetusers hand or hands become coated with paint, particularly when a sponge is being used.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a` stippling tool having a yieldable stippling surface so that uniformity of pressure and thereby uniformity of appearance is obtainable.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tool` of the character describedhaving a replaceable or renewable wiping or stippling element.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a tool of the character described, which can also serve as a cleaning tool for painted wall surfaces and the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tool of the character described, in `which the resiliency of the stippling face can beiselectivelyl adjusted to` suit the characteristics of the user.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the folowing description.

`in the accompanying drawings, .forming a part ofwthis specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a tool embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sponge support unit.

in the case of a brush, it is cus e Thus, I have observed rice Fig. 4 is a crosssectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l to 3 of the drawings, I have illustrated a preferred form of my tool com prising a casing l having a top 2 and flanged sides 3 depending perpendicularly therefrom so as to define a chamber 4.

The open face or side of the casing 1 is substantially covered or closed by a perforated backing plate Y5 which is of such dimension as-to lit loosely or slidably within the sides 3 and which is provided with suitably spaced openings for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter. There is a slight clearance space S between the periphery of the plate 5 and the sides 3 of the casing 1,. A threaded stud 6 is secured to the plate S centrally thereof as by welding or the like and projects from the plane of the plate at right angles thereto.

A handle 7 of suitable form is secured, as by screws S to the top 2 of the casing 1, said handle being provided with a base portion 9 andy a grip portion 10 which extends substantially parailel to the top 2 of the casing, but spaced therefrom.

The base portion 9 of the handle 7 is bored as at llland counterbored as at l2, the juncture of

theibores

11 and 12 forming an annular ledge or shoulder 13.

The stud 6 is so located as to be aligned withthe bore l1, and when the plate 5 is assembled to the casing 1', the study projects through the top 2 of the casing into the bore 1l of the handle to a point above the level of the shoulder 113. A nut la having an annular shoulder 15 is adapted to threadedly engage the stud 6, the shoulder 15 of the nut abutting or bearing against the shoulder 11i-of theb'ore l2. The nutserves to draw the plate 5 upwardly within the casing l, this movement being yieldably resisted by a coil spring 16 which is mounted on the stud intermediate the plate 5 andthe top 2 of the casing.

in order to provide additional resiliency to the plate 5 and also to prevent it from tilting and binding inthe casing l, it is also provided with a pair of bowed leaf springs 17 which are secured as by rivets. idro the plate 5. The ends 19 of each of the springs 17 bear against the undersurface of the top 2 and serve to urge the plate outwardly ofV the casing 1.

Secured to the plate 5 as by screws Zland nuts 21 is a sponge support plate 22 which corresponds: in` size tothe plate 5 and is provided with pairs of rectangular slots 23, each slot overlying an opening 24 in the plate.

To the plate 22 is clamped a wiping element which, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a plurality of sponge clippings 2S. The clippings comprise relatively small clumps of sponge which are far less expensive than whole Sponges, although equally eticient, and are thereforefpre'- ferred. The sponges are secured to the plate 22 by means of clamps or staples 26 4which penetrate the sponge and extend through the slots 23 and are bent around the divider strip 27 which lies between each pair of slots 23'.

A suitable hose connector fitting 28 is secured to the top 2 of the casing 1 so asttocommunicate with the chamber 4, and-to the fitting may be threade'dly secured a Water hose or steam line, not shown.

As heretofore indicated, the tool may be used both for cleaning wall surfaces or similar painted surfaces and, also, for stippling painted surfaces. When using the to'ol for cleaning, a source of steam supply, such as a portable boiler, is connected by means of'a hose to the tting 28 so as to supply steam to the chamber d. The sponge surface of the tool is then held against the wall surface to be cleaned and the nut 14 is rotated in one direction or the other so as to adjust the spring tension on the plate 5 to such a value as is most convenient to the user. This will depend to some extent on the amount of pressure which the user normally applies to the tool, as well as the character of the surface to be cleaned.

The steam will escape from the chamber 4 through the openings 24 in the plate 5 and through the slots 23 and the sponge clippings 25. The tool is then moved slowly across the wall surface thereby simultaneously wetting and loosening the coating of grime and wiping it clean. Due to the resiliency of the mounting of the

plates

5 and 22, the tool maintains a fairly uniform pressure upon the ,wall surface irrespective of pressure exerted by the user thereof. Thus no binding of the tool occurs and the movement thereof is smooth and uninterrupted.

It will be noted that the clearance space S permits the steam to bleed out at all times, so that no dangerous pressure will build up in the chamber 4 in the event that the openings in the plate 5 become clogged or blocked.

When the tool is used for stippling a wall surface, the steam is not used and the tool is merely placed against the surface in a random manner to obtain the stippled ef feet. In this application of the tool, the resilient mounting l of the sponge surface serves to maintain a uniformity of appearance in the stippled surface by leveling off the variations in pressure which are applied by the user.

Whenever the sponges have to be replaced, the entire unit consisting of the

plates

5 and 22 can be removed from the casing 1 by merely removing the nut 14. The plate 22 can then be released from the plate 5 and a replacement plate 22 having sponges clamped thereto can be assembled to the tool. In lieu of utilizing a replacement plate, the user can remove the Sponges from the plate 22 and secure a new clump of sponge clippings 25 thereon.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modied form of my invention which is primarily distinguished from the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3, in that no chamber 4 is provided. The tool comprises a suitable handle 29 which is secured as by screws 30 to a top plate or holding plate 31 which corresponds to the top 2 of the casing 1 in the previously described embodiment of the invention. A pair of spaced bowed leaf springs 32 are secured to the top plate 31 by fastening means 34.

A backing plate 35 which is of the same form as plate 5 except that it is not necessarily perforated is secured to the ends 33 of the leaf springs 32 by suitable fastening means 36 so as to be disposed in parallel spaced relationship to the top plate 31. The sponge support plate 22 on which are stapled sponge clippings 25 is secured to the plate 35 by means of screws and nuts 37 so as to be removable therefrom.

The modified form of tool is primarily adapted for stippling wall surfaces in the manner heretofore described,

however, it can likewise be used for cleaning purposes by saturating the sponge with water or a suitable cleansing preparation;

The plate 5 can, if desired, be interchanged with the plate 35 in which case the openings 24 serve to encourage rapid saturation of the sponges when the tool is dipped in water for cleaning purposes.

It will be noted that the same features of resiliency which are inherent in the rst described embodiment are likewise contained in the modified form of tool. The sponge surface is thus yieldably maintained against the wall surface by the user of the tool, and, further, the manner of mounting the plate 35 permits the support plate 22 to have a limited amount of pivotal movement relatively to the plane of the top plate 31 thereby serving to maintain the sponge surface at against the wall even though the user is inadvertently tilting the handle or top plate slightly.

It will thus be apparent that a tool embodying my invention is adaptable to a variety of uses, and due to its unique structural features it can be employed effectively even by persons not skilled in the art to which it relates.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred 4 examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tool of the character described the combination of a holding plate, a backing plate movably secured to said holding plate in parallel spaced relationship thereto, said backing plate having a series of regularly spaced perforations therein, spring means disposed between said plates and yieldably maintaining said plates in said spaced relationship, a support plate removably secured to said backing plate in parallel spaced relationship thereto, said support plate having regularly spaced perforations in registry with the perforations in said backing plate, and a wiping element secured to said support plate adjacent the perforations thereof.

2. In a tool of the character described the combination of a holding plate,` a backing plate movably secured to said holding plate in parallel spaced relationship thereto, said backing plate having a series of regularly spaced perforations therein, spring means disposed between said plates and yieldably maintaining said plates in said spaced relationship, a support plate removably secured to said backing plate in parallelism thereto, said support plate having regularly spaced perforations' in registry with the perforations in said backing plate, a wiping element, and clamping means extending through said wiping element and into the perforations of said support plate to secure said wiping element to said support plate.

3. In a tool of the character described, the combination of a holding plate, a backing plate movably secured to said holding plate in parallel spaced relationship thereto, said backing plate having a series' of regularly spaced perforations therein, spring means disposed between said plates and yieldably maintaining said plates in said spaced relationship, a support plate removably secured to said backing plate in parallelism thereto, said support plate having regularly spaced perforations in registry with the perforations in said backing plate, a wiping element secured to said support plate adjacent the perforations thereof and screw means extending freely through said backing plate and said holding plate for selectively adjusting the spacing between said backing plate and said holding plate.

4. In a tool of the character described, the combination of a holding plate, a perforated support plate, a leaf spring disposed intermediate said plates and having end portions thereof connecting with one of said plates'and an intermediate portion thereof connecting with the other of said plates to yieldably secure said plates in parallel spaced relationship, and a wiping element secured to the support plate adjacent the perforations thereof.

5 In a tool of the character described, the combination of a holding plate, a backing plate, spring means yieldably maintaining said holding plate in parallel spaced relationship to said backing plate, a perforated support plate removably secured to said backing plate in parallel spaced relationship thereto, a wiping element, and means engaging said wiping element and extending through the perforations into the space between said support plate and said backing plate to secure said element to said plate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 13, 1925