US2751618A

US2751618A - Continuous supply paint roller

Info

Publication number: US2751618A
Application number: US369576A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pruitt Selma
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-07-22
Filing date: 1953-07-22
Publication date: 1956-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 1973-06-26

Description

S. PRUlTT CONTINUOUS SUPPLY PAINT ROLLER Filed July 22. 1953 June 26, 1956 United States Patent CONTINUOUS SUPPLY PAINT ROLLER Selma Pruitt, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application July 22, 1953, Serial No. 369,576

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-128) This invention relates to paint rollers of the type provided with a cylinder and a handle, whereby paint from the cylinder is applied to a wall surface by manually rolling the cylinder over the wall, and the invention has for its general object new and useful improvements in rollers of this type.

Paint rollers are desirable devices for applying paint to wall surfaces because of the many advantages associated with them. Alparticular advantage is the time saving factor and the ease with which paint may be applied over a wall surface. Paint rollers with which l have been acquainted include a perforated cylinder about which is wrapped coverings of fabric material. The cylinder is provided with an axle on which it is adapted to rotate, and it is also provided with a handle connected to the axle whereby the cylinder may be manually rolled over a wall surface. Means is incorporated to allow filling of the cylinder with paint. In the painting operation the paint soaks through the perforated cylinder and the fabric coverings and coats the wall area as the cylinder is rolled over it. However, rollers of this type have their disadvantages in that the cylinder can hold only a small quantity of paint and must be continually relled during most painting operations. The latter refilling burden requires considerable manipulation of the roller parts to allow access to the perforated cylinder for refilling. This means a temporary stoppage of the paint job until the roller is refilled and again ready for use; it means added labor and loss of valuable time; it also means soiling of the hands and further loss of time in cleaning them. Another and a big disadvantage concerns the cylinder, the perforations of which may close upon drying of the paint during relling operations, particularly where quick drying paints are used or a large job is involved, unless added precautions are taken. Further, unless the roller is kept continually moving, there is a tendency of the paint to settle at the bottom of the cylinder and over saturate the fabric coverings. This results in drippings from the roller as well as repeated heavier coatings of small areas of the wall.

Now, l have invented a paint roller that represents a decided improvement in the type of paint roller described above, in that my roller eliminates all the disadvantages mentioned and in addition provides many favorable and added advantages.

In the paint roller of my invention there is no need for stopping work to rell the paint cylinder, for this is done automatically from a large external paint supply under air pressure and connected by piping through the handle to the roller.

By means of these features unnecessary cleaning and refilling of the roller cylinder is eliminated together with the loss of time attendant upon such operations. By means of the air pressure and valve system the paint cylinder is kept supplied with paint at all times throughout the paint job, and because of the air pressure under which the paint is supplied to the cylinder, the perforations of the cylinder are kept fully open at all times, thereby 2,751,618 Patented .lune 26, 1956 ICC allowing a uniform soaking of paint through the fabric cloth coverings and a uniform application of paint to the wall surface. It can be readily appreciated that my invention is not only an economical device because of the time and labor it saves, but that it is also a very improved type of paint roller.

A further object of the invention is, therefore, a pressure fountain paint supply roller which may be manually handled.

Another object of the invention is a paint roller which may be kept continuously supplied with paint without taking any of its elements apart and without stoppage of the painting operations.

The invention further lies in certain constructions, arrangements and coaction of parts, hereinafter more fully described and which will become increasingly apparent as this specification unfolds in greater detail and as it is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like parts are identied by like reference numbers,

Fig. l is a plan view of a paint roller embodying my invention and having the roller portion sectioned and cut away to give a clearer understanding Vof the inner parts;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the combined roller axle and supply tube; and

Fig. 3 is a detail of the axial support element of the roller.

In describing the invention in further detail reference is directed to the drawings, wherein there is disclosed a roller element indicated generally as 1 which is adapted to rotate about an axial element 2. The latter comprises a tube having a plurality of perforations 3 and is threaded at its free end 4. The other end of the axial element is threaded into an elbow member 5. Connected to the other opening of the elbow is a section of supply tubing 6 the other end of which is connected at 7 to the output end cf a valve member 8. Connected to the input end of the valve at 9 is a further length of supply tubing 10 on which is carried a handle portion 11. The handle, though shown cut away for convenience, is of a length suicient to be manually held and preferably about eight to ten inches long. The free end of the supply tubing 10 is provided with an adapter 13 the end of which is threaded and adapted for connection to a source of paint supply held under air pressure and not shown here. The section of piping 6 is formed so as to bring the Valve and handle elements in a line substantially perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the roller.

The handle 11 has an axial bore lengthwise thereof through which the supply tubing 19 passes. The handle is securely held on the tubing and is restrained from rotating thereon by means of

stops

12 and 14, one at each end thereof. The inner stop 12 abuts against the outer end of the valve housing, the outer stop 14 abuts against the outer end of the handle. It can be seen that by securely tightening the adapter 13 on the threaded end of the handle tubing 10, the outer stop 14 will be drawn up against the handle end and the handle will be securely restrained against free movement between both stops. It can also be appreciated that the handle may also be force fitted or moulded upon the supply tubing 10, or fitted securely thereon in some other suitable manner.

The valve 8 is of a conventional type the passage through which is constantly tensioned closed by means of a spring tensioned valve pin 15. A lever 16, overhanging the up-tensioned valve pin 15 and pivoted at an end thereof to the valve housing at 17, includes an extended portion 18. The latter, when pressed downward by the thumb of the hand forces the pin 15 down to cause the passageway through the valve to become opened. Openv ing of the valve permits paint to ow from the supply IJ source through the handle to the tubing. The latter carries the paint iiow to the tubular axial element 2 from which it is forced by the air pressure at the supply container through the perforations Aof the axial element to the roller member 1.

The roller member 1 comprises an axial kperforated tubular support element 19 at each end of which is connected an adapter 2) having an extended threaded portion 21. At each end of the element 19 carried on the extended .portions 2l .is a cup-like member 22. The rim of the latter folds over, but not vquite upon itself, so as to provide a slight space between the body of the element 22 and the folded portion. The cup-like :mem-hers are arranged upon the ends of the member 19 in such -manner that the convexed portions thereof face each other and the dished or cupped portions .face away from each other. By this arrangement the annular lspace 23 beneath each folded portion of the cup-like elements are opposed to one another, and in which spaces the `opposite ends of a perforated cylinder 24 are adapted to be received. A

' fabric cloth sleeve 25 iits snugly over the cylinder 24,

and over this sleeve is Vanother or `outer sleeve 26 also of cloth material.

Paint, carried to the axle element 2, flows through the perforations thereof as well as through the perforations 27 of the roller Aaxial element 19`and into the .cylinder 24. The paint then escapes through the perforations of theY cylinder and soaks into Jthe sleeves 25 and26.

The sleeve 25'is of a heavy pervious cloth, preferably of Wovenrwool or the like, and is doubled upon 4itself lto provide a double thickness and thereby act as a cushion for the roller during the paint rolling operation. kIt also acts to soak up and to hold paint that escapes through the perforations of the cylinder. The outer sleeve 26 is of a finer woven material to which paint seeps from Nthe under sleeve.V The paint is transferred from the outer sleeve lto the wall surface as the roller is rolled 'over vthe wall. Slight pressure during the rolling operation tends to squeeze paint Vfrom the under sleeve through the liner sleeve. Y

To hold the

sleeves

25 and 26 stretched taut and smooth upon the peripheral surface of the cylinder 24, another collar 28 is carried on the outer end of eachadapter 20. The Vfree ends 29 of the sleeves are tucked in between theouter 4collar and the inner collar at each end. The

' outer collars arerthen Vdrawn inward to press `their convexed portions 341 tightly against ythe sleeve ends so as to wed-ge the latter tight against the inner concaved -or dished faces 31 of the inner collars. The sleeve ends are locked secure in such positions by threading nuts 32 on the adapters V20 tightly up against the the outer collars. Y Y

The Vroller is assembled uponKV the axle element 2 by Y passing the latter through the tubular .axial support member 19 ofthe roller. A bearing bushing 33 carried on the -axle 2 is provided between the outer right end of the roller and lthe inner face of the elbow 5. A cap 34 is threaded onto the outer left end of the axle V2 to prevent the roller from slipping oif the latter. The inner face -of the -cap serves as 'a bearing limiting against the outer left end of the roller securing nut 32. The roller rotates coucavedcentral faces of Y on the :axle between the two bearings -as the `roller 'is t moved over a Wall surface.

such as isused in insect spraying and provided with an Y Y airfpump maybe used for this purpose. rIt 'can be readily seen 'that when the thumb lever "11S lspresse'd down upon the valve pin 15, the valve will open an'd YaV supply I'of paint Vwill ow to the paint cylinder 24.

The `roller 'can be maintained full'at all 4times during a particular paint job by simply Vpressing the thumb lever' Y downy from time 'Lto time.

'Y o'fsubstantiallylesser diameter'than thecylinder member, 'Y an 7adapter 'ofredu'ced diameter fitted over each end of the tubular lmember kand having anV 'extended threaded It can also be seen that by maintaining a continuous supply of paint in the roller cylinder, the seepage of paint to the sleeve coverings will always be uniform throughout as the roller is moved over a wall surface. VIt will also follow as a result that the paint coating on the wall surface will be uniform throughout and evenly distributed. Y Another feature of the invention that should now be apparent is that when paint is forced under air Vpressure through the various perforations of the different elements,

these perforations `will be preventedV from closing over Y and will remain continually open during a `paint job.

While I have described and illustrated my invention, it is my intent, however, to claim the invention not only as shown and described, but also in all such forms and modifications thereof as may be reasonably construed to be within the spirit of the Letters Patent and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: Y

l. In a paint applicator of the character described, a paint applying roller uni-t comprising a foraminate4 tubular member having reduced threaded `end portions; a foraminate open ended cylinder member coaxial about the tubular member and of relatively larger diameter and length than the latter; a Apair of dished closure members carried axially, one on each reduced end portion of the tubular member, 'the dished members having opposed v convexed faces and the marginal rim portion of Veach.v

dished member forming an annular channel facing Ythat of the other, in which channels the ends of the cylinder` member are-removably received; a double layered sleeve Y member-of heavy woven paint pervious cloth covering the cylinder and a single layered sleeve member of liner wovenV paint ipervious cloth material covering lthe latter sleeve member, the several cloth sleeve members drawntaut and having end portions overlapping the dishedface of the respective dished members; a dished collar axiallyV carried on each reduced 'end portion of the tubular member andfnesting in the dished face of the respective dished members Vover Vthe related ends of the sleeve members;A anda nut threaded onto each reduced end of the tubular'memb'er 'in tight abutmentV with the dished collar whereby `the several elements of the roller are held to-V getherfas a unit, theV tubularV member Vadapted, yto Vbe mounted for rotationon va pressurized paintV supply connected shaft having perforations in communication -witfh those of the tubular member. Y.

2. Ina .pressure paint supply and paint yapplying apparatustincluding a substantially goose-necked hollow handle construction connectable at Vone end to a source of pressurized paint vsupply 4and having connected at Vthe opposite end ahorizontally disposed foraminate hollow shaft' externally Vthreaded at its free end, a paint applying roller unitdetachably mounted on said shaft for rotation thereon,fthe-roller unit comprising anopen 'ended foraminat'e cylinder member, a dishedY member covering over each open end of the cylinder, the rims of the dished members defining opposed annular 'channels into which the ends of the cylinder 4are removably received, 'the crowned faces ofthe dished members projecting slightly into Athe-opposite open ends `of the cylinder, Va Vdouble layered member of heavy woven paint pervious 'cloth Y sleeving theV cylinder, a single layered member of finer Woven paint p'ervious cloth sleeving the double layered member, 'the several sleeve members being 'drawn taut in ,a longitudinal direction and having their free ends overlapping the outer -concaved faces 'of the dished mem- Y bers, acomplementary dished member` nesting Vover the overlapping -sleevefendsV in eachgof the iirst mentioned dishedm'einbers', a 4foraminate vtubular member axially disposed 'in 'the cylinder in fixed spaced relation to the, surrounding yWall 'ofthe latter, `the tubular member being free -end Iportion projecting axially fthrough axial v'holes in the related nested dished members, and nuts threaded on the said projecting ends into abutment with the outer faces of the nesting dished members whereby the several elements of the roller unit are held fast to one another; the hollow shaft being received through the projecting ends of the adapters in bearing relation thereto, the hollow shaft including a bearing bushing limited between a stop of the hollow shaft and a face end of one of the nuts on the adapter elements, and the hollow shaft having a removable cap threaded onto its opposite endY bearing against a face end of the other nut, whereby the roller unit is detachably carried on the hollow shaft and rotatable thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kolhnan May 5, Pratt Sept. 5, Raub Aug. 9, Barnes et al. May 30, Schaefer Aug. 28, Findley et al. Apr. 1, Vaden et al. Aug. 12,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 3,