US2874525A - Paint tube squeezer - Google Patents

Description

1959 w; D. KIRKPATRICK ETAL 2,874,525 PAINT TUBE SQUEEZER Filed May 3, 1956 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM D. KIRKPATRICK BY ARTHUR L. NEWMAN %41,%//W V ATTORNEYS PAINT TUBE SQUEEZER Application May 3, 1956, Serial No. 582,548

6 Claims. c1. 53-268) This invention relates to a paint tube squeezer' for squeezing paint from collapsible tubes.

In the marketing of paint at the present time certain basic paints are provided in cans with which paint pigments (in oil or other medium) of different colors are mixed in predetermined amounts to produce the exact color and shade or tint thereof desired by the purchaser. These pigments are provided in conventional collapsible walled tubes, except that the end of the tube to be opened is adapted to be cut from the tube so there is no restricted opening through which the pigment or paint must be squeezed in order to employ the tube. These tubes are not intended to be merely partially emptied and then closed. Once opened the entire contents thereof is ejected into the basic paint.

After the pigment in one or more tubes is ejected into the basic paint that is in the can, the lid is replaced onthe can and the latter is placed in a shaking device to thoroughly distribute the pigment in the basic-paint.

The above operations are performed by the retail paint distributor when the customer has decided upon the color of. the paint wanted.

Heretofore the above operations have been performed manually by the retailer, with the result that his hands, clothing and other objects touched by him many times become smeared with paint, and in any event, time must be taken out to clean the paint from his hands.

Efforts to overcome the above objections have usually taken the form of positively driven rollers in complicated and expensive equipment, or in the form of stationary rollers and means'for moving the tube relative to the rollers, or in means for winding the tube on itself. These United States Patent Other objects and advantages will appear in the de' scription and in the drawings.

with a part thereof broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing the means for releasably holding the tube squeezing rollers together with said means in position releasing the rollers for movement away from the tube and from each other.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the portion-shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a slightly different arrangement of the operating handle than is'shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary part sectional view illustrating the can closing means adapted to be used on the device of Fig. 1 or Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a modified form of tube clamp.

In detail, referring to Fig. 1 the device illustrated comprises a fiat base 1 adapted to support acan 2 of a paint mixture thereon. Secured to said base at one side of the portion adapted to be occupied by the can 2 is a vertical various forms have not been acceptable to the trade be- 6 cause they are either too complicated and slow in opera tion or are too expensive or too uncertain in operation or the devices themselves become paint smeared in the operation and cannot readily be cleaned, or a combination of different of these objections.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of simple, rugged, dependable, economically made means for efliciently and quickly squeezing paint from collapsible walled tubes into the paint can to receive such paint, and which device frees the operator from the hazard of getting paint on his hands, clothing etc.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple means adapted to squeeze paint from a collapsible walled tube directly into the paint cancontaining the basic paint mixture and which device is also adapted tore-seal the top of the paint can without removal of the can from its position, and-which means includes a provision for protecting the operator against the possibility of paint that may be in the groove of the lid from spurting out to soilhis hands or clothing.

:A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and eliicient device for squeezing paint pigment from collapsible walled tubes intov a paint can, and which device is arranged to occupy small space in a shop.

therewith, and said arm 18 is above the extension 5- post 3, which post extends upwardly from said base.

Carried on said post for vertical reciprocation is a relatively long bearing member 4, which bearing member has a lateral extension 5 rigid therewith and projecting over the portion of the base 1 on which the can 2 is positioned, and over a can that is on said portion.

On the other end of the extension 5 is a pair of horizontal rollers 6, 7 (Fig. 4).

The extension 5, as illustrated in Fig. 4, comprises a pair of arms 8, 9 having their outer ends'in spaced opposed relation, and the roller 6, which is nearest to the post 3, may be journallcd at one end thereof for rotation in the outer end of arm 8, while a hinged extension 10 at said outer end may rotatably support the' corresponding end of roller 7. Thus, assuming the other ends of the rollers were free, the roller 7 could swing away from the roller 8 about the axis of the hinge pin 11' that connects the extension 10 with the end of arm 8. 'The other end of roller 6 (remote from arm 8) is rotatably held in the outer end of the arm 9, and the end of roller 7 that is remote from the extension 10 'is rotatable in a horizontal slot 12 (Fig. 3) that opens outwardly of the outer end of arm 9.

Rotatably supported on the outer end of the roller 7 that projects outwardly of the arm 9 is one end of an elongated handle 13. This handle is elongated and when the roller 7 is alongside roller 6 and substantially in enroller 7 against swinging away from roller 6. However,

in order to swing roller 7 away from roller 6, it is merely necessary to lift the handle 13 until the recess 14 'in the handle 13 is free from the end 15 of roller 6.

Above the member 4 is a sleeve 17, also reciprocable, and rotatable on post 3, said post preferably being cylindrical, and member 4 and sleeve 17 also being cylindrical.

This sleeve 17 has a laterally projecting arm 18 rigid (directly and centrally over the space between arms 6, 7 of extension 5). The outer end of arm 18 carries a clamping means that may be' in the form of a rigid downwardly projecting jaw 19 integral with the outer end of arm 18 (Fig. 2). rected clamping surface 20 directed toward the post 3, and spaced above said surface may be a pair of spaced opposed cars 21 projecting toward said post, and between which an upward extension 22 on a clamping jaw 23 is Patented Feb. 24,1359 I Said jaw has a laterally dinausea P vot qat s t. ..P i 1. tetnp. ti. .tessni n n. t e...

upper'end of said extension, A screw 25 threadedly extends through the jaw 19 above the clamping surface ztl the reof and into engagement with-the upper endof the extension 22 of jaw 19, Thisscrew-may have a knurled head 26 at its end outwardly of jaw 19 'for man al aetuatinat escr wl Y e amping sse ni wfilt a s t e mp ng u t 20 of jaw 19. The jaw 23 will swing by gravity away-from H the ens ri vr nr vcrsero ion. tt screw 25.

This amp ns me 332 1 i r s s e r p-v ping the flatyzzlosed end 27-of-;a conventionaljubeiti of;

Paint P i v ent.. l be. dependin om said jaws.

' s ofi ar smemb r 4 opppsit zmension;

a s 3 a tmsslv w sve .17:-a ov .:t g P iw e rs 29+ 7 its elongated handleprel m-31 extends anone of itsends; between ears Bu -for pivotal connection with ,said

eafs by means of :pivot 32 and'aalink 33 similarly ex.

tends between ears 29 and is pivotally connected, at one 1 end thereto by pivot 34. The opposite end of link 33 is I pivotally connected at 35 to the arm 31 ata point intermediate the ends of said arm,

The sleeve 17 is connected with post 3 against rota-.

tion by any suitablemeans. One such means may be. a pin 36 thatextends through; the post 3 and intoa laterally offset upper end 37 of a vertically extending slot,38 that maybe formed in one or opposite sides of. said sleeve.

Upon elevating sleeve 17 slightly and giving it a fractional turn the ends of pins 36will be at the upper end ofslot 38 and the sleeve can then be moved upwardly until the ends of the pin meat the lower end of slot 38 The lower-endof slot,;38 is offset laterally at 40, with a slight downwardly opening recess in the upper side of the ofiset -so thatslight rotation of the sleeve will cause the ends of -pin 36 to enter the offset 40, and

thesleeve will then drop slightly by gravity sothe ends of thepin will be in the downwardly opening recess in the .upper side of the offset,40 This adjustment isto enable elevating theclarnping means onarm 18- to either. accommodate longer tubes or to enable a larger can 2 to be-placed below the clamping means, or both.. The bearing ,rnernber-4 will follow-the sleeve -17 since a spring 41 connects-arm.31 withthe upper end of the sleeve-17 for -yieldably holding the member-4 against said sleeve 4 and to return thegmember r4 afterna downward move-r.

mentof arm 31.

Adjustably secured on-post 3 below the member .4

may; be .a collar .42.- A Ithumb screw 43 may extend through the collar for securing thecollar to said post in adjustedtposition ,vertically on said post. This collar limits the downward movement of the member 4, and consequently the downward movement of the rollers 6,

7. Post 3 may be graduated at 44 to provide visual means for setting the collar for different conditions, if so desired.

In operation, the operator may first remove the'cover from the can 2 of thepaint mixture, which can is positioned on base 1.

Thedesired tube of pigment is then selected and its s dtis eemed-Ar sa ei of t amp n mber. .5" il s-3 s; .7 ng. f t s u a y f m. roller- 6 so the tube will depend past roller 6. I

The roller 7 is then swung back and locked to roller 6 bythe latchhllp When inthis position the rollersifi,

7 are closeto the clarnping jaws 19, 23 so no objectionable pressure will be placedon the paint merely by lock:

ing the'rollers together; and the rollers. are relatively.

in diameter so 'they will. engage the tube .very o the clamping jaws of the tube gripping means,

The closure at the lower end of thc tube that depends? from the clamping means and from the rollers is then cut.

or? so the lower end of the tube will be fully open.

Collar 42 has previously been locked in position to limit the downward travel of the rollers to the lower end of the tube, but not past said lower end, so that no paint pigment will be deposited on the rollers.

The handle or arm 31 is then swung downwardly and the sides of the tube will be progressively. forced flat together as the pigment is ejected from the tube directly into the can 2. When the lower end'of the stroke of the arm 31 is reached, all of the paint in the tube will have been squeezed from said tube and deposited in the can,

and a release of armfil will'result in the bearing member and rollers moving back to the upper end of their stroke. The latch-"13 is swung open and roller 7 swung away from roller 6 and upon loosening screw 25 the clamping means on the tube is released and the empty tube removed-t.

The lower end of:,the, bearing memberv 4 may, if'de.

sired;;-:,be provided;with1.collars:-45; 46 (Fig.6). between which-thebearing'member 47at. one end of a laterally projecting arm 48is rotatablylheld: The outer end of said arm 48 hasa presser plate 49 thereona Plate149 is greaterin diameterv than the canlid andthasvantannular'i flange 50 depending from its circular edge.

paint that might have entered the. annularchannel in the upper -end,;.Of ;the;...can willzbe .preventedfrom. spurting onto the,operator, -.bygthe flange 50; Thus :the .can lid can be removed,.,the:paintpigment squeezedinto the can-1:-

and the lid re-seated .by the present device without touching the can.

In cramped quarters it has been found desirableinm some instances .to provide ;a tub. squeezer intwhichv the handle 31 projects to the. side of thedeviceat which the. ppcratorstandsxand. Fig. .5 shows suchmaniarrange-z g ment, thehandle beingdesignated 52. l Thisthandletextends at anangle; to :the plane inwhich the rpost andnrollers-and tube grippingmeans .are positioned. Thus the; device ,can; .be; placed near. or .evennsubstantially. I

againsta .wallzthatwould otherwise :interfere with the operation ofh'andle 52.. t

It is-.to.,be understood: that the detailed description-is not :to be considered: as restrictive: of the scope of the invention,-,-but merely illustrative :of one-form thereof, 7: forexample,asseen-inFig. 7, a modified formof :tube clamp maybe :used,.in whichvthe jaw similar-.10 .jawv ,.1 s, rigidwith theupper. arm .18 that is carried: by. v

a post. A movable jaw 56 :is pivoted at.its upperzend to the outer, end; oftarm 18 as :at 57, andya projectionzr58 secured at one ,end, .to jaw, 56.ext ends through the jaw. 55;: to project fromqtheside of jaw 55 that is opposite. to jaw- 56.; This;projecting end 62 is pivotally. secured at 63 to a cam clamp ;59, which clamp :has a handle 'projecting. upwardly therefromwhen, the. 'low side of the cam .en-.,

gages; jaw 55 and when the tube gripping lower ends of the jaw are; open as seen in Fig, 7. A spring filinter-r. posed between jaws55,1 56 and around theprojection-r:

58 jyieldab1y.holds thcuiaw 56'-ope1 1.and the. handle 60in its upwardly extending position,

Uponrmoving handle, -60 downwardly, the high, side 1;:

of; cam 59 willdraw jaw 56 to closed position and compressgspring 61; so ;that the; closed end. of a tube disposed between the lower endsy'ofjhe; jawswillbetightly {grippedbetween ,said ends .until the handle is swungnpwardly; and, when the, handle. is so swung the jaw; 56; will. automatically open.

W laims"; 1. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that is closedat one end and -open at-its opposite end comprising: a horizontal base having a portion thereof adapted to support a can of paint thereon, a vertical post secured at its lower end to said base at one side of said portion, an arm secured at one end to said post at a point spaced substantially above said base and extending over said portion, tube gripping means carried by said arm at its outer end and over said portion, said tube gripping means including a pair of elements one movable relative to and toward the other for releasably gripping said closed end of such tube with the remainder of such tube depending freely therefrom,

a member below said arm supported on said post for vertical reciprocable movement, said member including an extension.projectinglaterally from-said post and positioned below'said armi'a pair of horizontal opposed rollers carried-by-the outer-end of said extension directly below said gripping means, roller mounting means supporting said rollers on said extension for movement of one relative to the other and toward each other into tight -said rollers on said extension for movement of one rela engaging relation to opposite sides of a tube adapted to be held at its closed end by said gripping means and at a point adjoining said closed end, means connected with said member for moving the latter, including said rollers, downwardly when said rollers are in said tight gripping relation to said tube whereby paint in such tube will be squeezed therefrom and into a container adapted to be positioned on said base.

2. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that is closed at one end and open at its opposite end comprising: a horizontal base having a portion thereof adapted to support a can of paint thereon, a vertical post secured at its lower end to said base at one side of said portion, an arm secured at one end to said post at a point spaced substantially above said base and extending over said portion, tube gripping means carried by said arm at its outer end and over said portion, said tube gripping means including a pair of elements one movable relative to and toward the other for releasably gripping said closed end of such tube with the remainder of such tube depending therefrom, a member below said arm supported on said post for vertical reciprocable movement, said member including an extension projecting laterally from said post and positioned below said arm, a pair of horizontal opposed rollers carried by the outer end of said extension directly below said gripping means, roller mounting means supporting said rollers on said extension for movement of one relative to the other and toward each other into tight engaging relation to opposite sides of a tube adapted to be held at its closed end by said gripping means and at a point adjoining said closed end, means connected with said member for moving the latter, including said rollers, downwardly when said rollers are in said tight gripping relation to said tube whereby paint in such tube will be squeezed therefrom and into a container adapted to be positioned on said base, and lid closing means carried by said member and movable to and from a position over said portion and over a can supported on the latter for downward movement therewith for urging a can lid on said can to closed position after paint from such tube has been discharged into the latter, said lid closing means being below said extension.

3. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that is closed at one end and open at its opposite end comprising: a horizontal base having a portion thereof adapted to support a can of paint thereon, a vertical post secured at its lower end to said base at one side of said portion, an arm secured at one end to said post at a point spaced substantially above said base and extending over said portion, tube gripping means carried by said arm at its outer end and over said portion, said tube gripping means including a pair of elements one movable relative to and toward the other for releasably gripping said closed end of such tube with the remainder of such tube depending therefrom, a member tive to the other and toward each other into tight engaging relation to opposite sides of a tube adapted to be held at its closed end by said gripping means and at a point adjoining said closed end, means connected with said member for moving the latter, including said rollers, downwardly when said rollers are in said tight gripping relation to said tube whereby paint in such tube will be squeezed therefrom and into a container adapted to be positioned on said base, means connected with said tube gripping elements for positively but releasably holding them in gripping relation with said closed 'end of said tube, and means connected with said rollers for positively. but releasably holding them 'in position urging said op} posite sides .of said tube in engaging relation, said means for moving said member downwardly comprising an elon gated handle pivotally connected at one end thereof to said one end of said arm and a link pivotally connected at one end thereof to said handle and pivotally connected at its opposite end to said member.

4. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube crimped together at one end to form a fiat sided closure and open at its opposite end comprising, a pair of tube gripping jaws connected for positive movement toward each other into engagement with opposite sides of said closure and means connected with said jaws supporting. them spaced above a supporting surface for positioning a can below said tube with the latter depending from said jaws, a pair of rollers, roller mounting means supporting said rollers below said jaws and closely adjacent thereto for movement into tight engagement with said closure, means supporting said roller mounting means for downward movement away from said jaws when said rollers are in said engagement with said tube for squeezing the sides of said tube together to eject the contents thereof from its lower end, and stop means engageable with said roller mounting means during its downward movement for limiting the latter, said stop means being movable to different levels for varying the degree of downward movement of said roller mounting means and means for locking said stop means stationary in its different adjusted positions, and means connected with said roller mounting means for causing said downward movement thereof.

5. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube crimped together at one end to form a flat sided closure and open at its opposite end comprising, a pair of tube gripping jaws connected for positive move ment toward each other into engagement with opposite sides of said closure and means connected with said jaws supporting them spaced above a supporting surface for positioning a can below said tube with the latter depending from said jaws, a pair of rollers, roller mounting means supporting said rollers below said jaws and closely adjacent thereto for movement into tight engagement with said closure, means supporting said roller mounting means for downward movement away from said jaws when said rollers are in said engagement with said tube for squeezing the sides of said tube together to eject the contents thereof from its lower end, and stop means engageable with said roller mounting means during its downward movement for limiting the latter, said stop means being movable to different levels for varying the degree of downward movement of said roller mounting means and means for locking said stop means stationary in its different adjusted positions, and means connected with said roller mounting means for causing said downward movement thereof, said means for causing said downward movement thereof including a manually actuatable handle swingable downwardly for causing said movement,

ajetaaea e" and the means supporting'said roller mounting means being a -vert'ica'1 post on which said last mentioned means is reciprocable; said means for supporting" said gripping jaws aboye said surface being said posts.

' 6. A d evice for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that is closed at one end and that terminates in nine lower edge at, its opposite end comprising; a post and a base carrying said post upright thereon, a pair of horizontally opposed clamping jaws carried by said post in a position spaced from one side thereof for clamping the closed end of such tube with the remainder of said tube depending from said jaws, a pair of horizontally spaced, opposed rollers carried by said post in positions respectively adjacent to each of said jaws, means supporting said jaws on said post for movement toward each other into such clamping engagement with the opposite'sides of said closed end and means supporting said rollers for movement toward each other into tube squeezing relation'with such tube adjacent to its closed end when said closed end is clamped between said jaws, a lever one end of which is swingable about a stationary horizontal axis adjacent to said post and a horizontal pivot carried by said post for so swinging said lever, means connecting said pair of rollers 'with'fsaid "lever for downward movement of said pair of rollers along such tube from said closed end to said open end in one downward stroke ofsaid lever when such tube is held by said jaws at its closed end and when said rollers are in squeezing engagement with said tube at a point immediately be low said jaws, yieldable means connected with said lever for yieldably supporting said lever in a position adjacent to said jaws, and the space below said jaws' and rollers being wholly unobstructed for downward movement of said rollers to the said terminating lower end edges of such tube.

References Cited in the of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,587 Cadalzo Apr. '10, 1951 2,550,537 Derrick Apr. 24, 1951 2,687,827 McGilchrist et a1. Aug. 31, 1954 2,734,662 Shippen Feb. 14, 1956

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