US2911747A

US2911747A - Artist's canvas

Info

Publication number: US2911747A
Application number: US653191A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward V Sundt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-04-16
Filing date: 1957-04-16
Publication date: 1959-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1976-11-10

Description

Nov. 10, 1959 E. v. SUNDT ARTIs'r's CANVAS Filed April 16, 1957 J4 iii/jaw Jim;-

Unite This invention relates to an improved artists canvas, more particularly to an improvement over the canvas disclosed in my U.S. Patent No. 2,681,527, granted June 22, 1954.

The artists canvas with which the above-mentioned patent deals comprises a woven glass cloth base made of smooth-surfaced strands such as continuous glass filaments. The base is stretchable and pliable so that it may be applied readily to a frame. The woven glass base has a stretchable and pliable light-transmitting polyethylene backing and a front layer of paint primer compatible to the paint to be used. The primer is applied by a roller to the base in a tacky condition and with suflicient thickness that toothed indentations are formed as the tacky paint primer material separates from the roller. The toothed indentations serve as a means for removing paint from a brush applied tothe canvas.

The present invention represents a substantial improvement over this canvas for reasons including the fact that it provides a canvas having greatly improved paintremoving qualities, has a texture or grain which more closely resembles that of conventional linen and cotton based canvases and is better suited to outdoor use because it avoids the color distortion heretofore found on canvases used with the sunlight located behind the canvas.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the strands of the woven glass cloth base in at least one direction of weave are made of short staple glass fibers Whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to provide laterally projecting ends distributed throughout the length of the strands. The strands extending in the other direction of weave are preferably of the continuous filament type, but such strands may also be of the ragged type above described. The paint primer on the front face of the woven glass cloth base is of such thinness that substantially all of the staple fiber ends project through the paint primer coating to provide a ragged surface created by the synthetic strands themselves rather than by external indentations applied to the primer coating as heretofore utilized in canvases having synthetic cloth bases. Also, the thinness of the paint primer coating is such that the outer surface of the canvas has the grain or texture of the woven glass base.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the polyethylene or other similar synthetic plastic backing material of the canvas disclosed in my above-mentioned patent is colored to render it light opaque. The canvas can thus be used outdoors with the sun behind the canvas without color distortion appearing on the painting surface of the canvas. If the canvas were translucent or lightpervious, as in all artists canvases heretofore made, the sunlight shining through the canvas would change the apparent hue or color of the paint on the canvas relative to the hue or color of the paint under pure reflected light.

The aspect of the invention wherein an opaque backing I is applied to the canvas is also applicable to cotton and linen based canvases which have heretofore been translucent.

States Patent 6 2,911,?47 Patented Nov. 10, 1959 Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow, the claims and the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of glass cloth base used, in the canvas of the invention, a portion thereof being shown greatly magnified; I

Fig. 2 is a transverse, enlarged sectional view through an artists canvas including the glass cloth base of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged sectional view through the canvas shown in Fig. 2, taken along section line 33 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view through a modified and preferred form of glass cloth base for the canvas constructed in accordance with the present invention, a portion thereof being shown greatly magnified; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through an artists canvas utilizing the glass cloth base of Fig. 4 and constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 through 3 which show one form of artists canvas constructed in accordance with the present invention, this canvas, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, includes a woven glass fiber cloth base 12 which is stretchable and pliable so that it may be applied to a frame, a backing 14 for the glass cloth base formed by a coating of a pliable and stretchable organicsynthetic plastic material impregnating the back of the glass cloth base 12, and a front coating 16 of a paint primer compatible to the particular paint or paints to be used to provide an anchor base for the paint when later applied, which may be oil or water base paints. The artists canvas disclosed in my U.S. Patent 2,681,527 has a three layer canvas with some of the characteristics just briefly outlined, but the various aspects of the present invention relate to modifications of the physical characteristics of these layers which result in a substantially improved artists canvas.

Referring now to the construction of the glass cloth base 12, the glass strands 18 extending in both directions of weave are each comprised of a very large number of staple glass fibers of the same or varying length whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to provide laterally projecting fiber ends 20 distributed throughout the length of each such strand. The various fibers are twisted together to form a continuous integral strand in accordance with the well known methods of fabrication of glass thread. The glass fiber cloth base may have a thickness in the order of from .008 to .010

. inch and may have a rectangular mesh of about 24 strands per inch. The glass fiber cloth is, therefore, relatively close-woven so that the strands present as much of a grain effect as possible, for a smooth surface is not as good to paint upon with oils as a grained surface. Other characteristics of the woven glass fiber cloth base which make it exceedingly desirable in an artists canvas is its chemical inertness and resistance to moisture, fungus and mildew. Moreover, it is stretchable and pliable for convenient application to a supporting frame.

The paint primer coating 16, which may be applied by spraying, brushing or other means to the front surface of the glass fiber cloth base 12, fills the spaces between the glass fiber strands and follows the general contour thereof to provide the grain afforded by the close-woven cloth base 12. In accordance with the present invention, the paint primer layer 16 is made sufiiciently thin that substantially all of the above-mentioned laterally projecting fiber ends 20 project through the paint primer layer. Thus, instead of providing a ragged or toothed surface by providing toothed indentations in the paintprimer, as

utilized in my above-mentioned patent, the present invention provides a raggedness by means of the relatively stiff glass fiber ends projecting through and beyond the surface of the paint primer layer or coating 16. A

' 3 similar result is obtained when the cloth base 12 is made of similar fibers of other synthetic threads, but is most effective with glass fibers.

The paint primer layer 16 is preferably one which is 7 compatible both to oil base paints and water base paints, such as water colors and tempera. Thus, the artist can combine all of thesepaint types on the same canvas if he so desires. In addition to being compatible to the paint or paints to be used, it should also have good ad hesion to the glass fibers of the cloth base 12 and to the organic synthetic plastic backing layer 14. The paint primer coating or layer 16 may be a suitable synthetic resin paint primer, most desirably an alkyd resin base in suitable fillers, including, for example, a white pigment such as titanium dioxide. A paint primer which is particularly desirable with paints having a linseed oil base may, for example, comprise a glue and water mixture in the ratio of about 70 parts of glue to one thousand parts of water, to which are added zinc white and chalk in equal parts by weight, the zinc white and chalk together present in amounts approximately equal to the amount of the glue, plus about two parts of boiled linseed oil. In some paint primers, for example, powdered silica is used in place of the chalk. The paint primer also preferably includes a fungicide to minimize fungus action thereon, and it is found that the fungicide copper-S-quinoliholate provides exceptionally good results. Other suitable commercial paint primers may also be used, if desired.

The backing layer 14, which is made of an organic synthetic plastic material which is pliable and stretchable, most preferably polyethylene, impregnates the rear surface of the glass fiber cloth face 12 and operates to fill the relatively smooth glass fiber strands to prevent warping and sliding of the same. Preferably, this backing layer is approximately in the neighborhood of .005 inch thick.

In accordance with another aspect of the present vention, instead of using a polyethylene or other organic synthetic plastic material which is normally transparent or translucent, suitable coloring matter is admixed with the plastic material in any well known manner to render the same opaque to light. This prevention of light transmission through the canvas prevents distortion of color heretofore encountered when the artists canvas is used out-of-doors with the sunlight behind the canvas. Within the broader aspects of the invention, it is contemplated that the pliable and stretchable opaque organic synthetic plastic backing layer'14 be applied to canvas bases made of linen, cotton or other synthetic fabrics other than the glass fiber base above described to render the same opaque to the passage of light without disturbing the requisite pliability and stretchability of the artists canvas.

The modified canvas 1% shown in Figs. 4 and differs from the canvas shown in Figs. 1-3 in that the glass strands 18 of the glass fiber base 12' extending in one direction of weave are made of continuous extruded filaments so that the strands running in one direction of the fabric do not have the projecting ends 20 above described. The strands 18 running in the other direction, however, do have the straddled fiber glass fibers as described in conneetion with the embodiments of Figs. 1 through 3. The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is the preferred embodiment primarily for reasons of cost. Due to the close spacing of the strands (for example, 24 strands per inch) making up the fabric base 12', the ragged strands for all practical purposes substantially cover the entire surface area of the canvas.

, While for' purposes of illustration, several preferred forms of this invention have been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure which come the spirit of the broader aspects of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An artists canvas comprising a stretchable and piable woven synthetic fiber cloth base which is resistant to moisture and has strands in at least one direction of weave which are made of staple synthetic fibers whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to pro vide laterally projecting fiber ends distributed throughout the length of each of such strands, and a thin coating of paint primer impregnating the front side of said cloth base and forming a coating following the contour of the strands, said paint primer coating being of sufficient thinness that said laterally projecting staple fiber ends project therethrough to provide a ragged surface to the canvas which aids in removal of paint from the brush as it is applied to the canvas.

2. An artists canvas comprising a stretchable and pliable woven glass fiber cloth base having strands in at least one direction of weave which are made of staple fibers whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to provide laterally projecting fiber ends distributed throughout the length of each of such strands, and a thin coating of paint primer impregnating the front side of said cloth base and forming a coating following the contour of the strands, said paint primer coating being of sufiicient thinness that said laterally projecting staple fiber ends project therethrough to provide a ragged surface to the canvas and the front outer surface of the canvas has the texture of the woven glass cloth base, which aid in removal of paint from the brush as it is applied to the canvas.

3. An artists canvas comprising a stretchable and pliable woven synthetic fiber cloth base which is resistant to moisture and has strands in one direction of Weave which are made of staple fibers whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to provide laterally projecting fiber ends distributed throughout the length of each of such strands, the strands in the other direction of weave being of the continuous filament type, and a thin coating of paint primer impregnating the front side of said cloth base and forming a coating following the contour of the strands, said paint primer coating being of sufficient thinness that said laterally projecting staple fiber ends project therethrough to provide a ragged surface to the canvas which aids in removal of paint from the brush as it is applied to the canvas.

4. An artists canvas comprising a stretchable and pliable woven synthetic fiber cloth base having strands in at least one direction of weave which are made of staple fibers whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to provide laterally projecting fiber ends distributed throughout the length of each of such strands, a pliable and stretchable synthetic material impregnating the back side of the cloth base, and a thin coating of paint primer impregnating the front side of said cloth base and forming a coating following the contour of the strands, said paint primer coating being of sufiicient thinness that said laterally projecting staple fiber ends project therethrough'to provide a ragged surface to the canvas and the front outer surface of the canvas has the texture of the cloth base, which aid in removal of paint from the brush ash is applied to the canvas.

, 5. An artists canvas comprising a stretchable and pliable woven synthetic cloth base having strands in at least one direction of weave which are made of staple fibers whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the strands to provide laterally projecting fiber ends distributed throughout the length of each of such strands, the strands in the other direction of weave being of the continuous filament type; a pliable and stretchable synthetic material which is opaque to light and impregnates the back side of the cloth base so as to prevent the passage of light therethroughwhich would modify the apparent color of the paint to be applied thereto relative to that resulting from pure reflected light, and a thin coating of paint primer impregnating the front side of said cloth base and forming a coating following the contour of the strands, said paint primer coating being of sufiicient thinness that said laterally projecting staple fiber ends project therethrough to provide a ragged surface to the canvas and the front outer surface of the canvas has the texture of the cloth base, which aid in removal of paint from the brush as it is applied tothe canvas.

6. An artists canvas comprising a stretchable and pliable Woven glass'fiber cloth base having strands in one direction of Weave Which are made of staple fibers whose ends are straddled along the lengths of the'strands to provide laterally projecting fiber ends distributed throughout the length of each of such strands, the strands in the other direction of weave being of the continuous filament type, a pliable and stretchable synthetic plastic material which is opaque to light impregnating the back side of the cloth base so as to prevent the passage of light therethrough which would modify the apparent color of the paint to be applied thereto relative to that 15 2,681,527

resulting from pure reflected light, and a thin coating of paint primer impregnating the front side of said cloth base, and forming a coating following the contour of the strands, said paint primer coating being of suflicient thinness that said laterally projecting staple fiber ends project therethrough to provide a ragged surface to the canvas which aids in removal of paint from the brush as it is applied to the canvas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 206,886 Levin Aug. 13, 1878 2,298,295 Hyatt et a1; Oct. 13, 1942 2,541,497 Buxbaum et al Feb. 13, 1951 Sundt June 22, 1954