US2963727A

US2963727A - Artist's brush cleaning device

Info

Publication number: US2963727A
Application number: US837798A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred J Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-09-03
Filing date: 1959-09-03
Publication date: 1960-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1977-12-13

Description

Dec. 13, 1960 A. J. ROBERTS ARTISTS BRUSH CLEANING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1959 United States Patent ARTISTS BRUSH CLEANING DEVICE Alfred J. Roberts, 8351 Broadway, La Mesa,

Filed Sept. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 837,798

1 Claim. (Cl. -1212) This invention relates to brush cleaning devices, and more specifically to a device which is particularly designed for cleaning artists paint brushes.

Brush cleaning devices have heretofore been provided for several different specific purposes. However, all such devices have been directed to cleaning the heavier class of brush, which contains comparatively long and stifi bristles. Examples of such brushes are clothes brushes, hair brushes, and paint brushes of the wood painting class. Such brushes require cleaning periodically, or at most, at the end of a days use. An artist on the other hand may wish to clean and change the color on a brush several times within a few minutes. There is therefore real need for a device which will enable the artist to clean his brush thoroughly without damage thereto in the shortest possible time. Brushes used by artists are generally made of a fine grade of animal hair, and are very soft and delicate, with the result that the fine graded point can easily be damaged. A device suitable for such cleaning purposes must be so designed that the cleaning section will free itself from deposited paints, or it would soon become clogged and ineffective with frequent use.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a device of the above class which is suitable and particularly adapted for the cleaning of artists brushes.

It is a further object of this invention to construct a device of the above nature which is simple to use, and easy to maintain in a clean operative condition.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a device of the above class which is simple in construction, and, therefore, lends itself to economical manufacturing methods.

The invention consists of a container having a circular conical shaped side wall. A cover and a hinged lid situated centrally of the said cover, comprise the top closure of the container. A cleaning brush device is located within the container in a diagonal manner from the hinged door opening to the opposite side of the container base. The brush contains horizontally disposed scrapers at the upper end thereof, and the container is partially filled with turpentine or other suitable solvent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the paint brush cleaner, showing the hinged lid in an open position.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional side elevation of the paint 2,963,??? Patented Dec. 13, 196i] brush cleaner, showing a paint brush being drawn over the cleaning brush.

Figure 3 is a plan view with the cover in raised position.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional front elevation of the paint brush cleaning device of my invention, showing the relationship of the scraper bars with respect to the cleaning brush.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 6 represents a container having a circular side wall 7 which tapers toward a circular base 8. The diameter of the base is preferably greater than that of the bottom of the side wall, leaving an extending stabilizing flange 9. A cover 10 consists of a disc having a circular perpendicular ring 11 projecting centrally from the underside thereof. The lower rim 12 of said ring is adapted to frictionally engage with the innerside of the container side wall 7. A rectangular opening 13 is cut through the top of the cover 10 and is provided with a hinged lid 14 rotatably mounted on

lr'nge bearings

15 and 16 secured symmetrically on one side of the opening.

Cleaning brushes 17 are mounted on a board 18 which is located vertically beneath the opening 13 and lies diagonally between the bottom edge of the side wall and the opposite top edge thereof. Scrapers 19 are located across the top end of the board 18 and project normally to the said board. A paint brush 21 is shown in the opening 13 with a brush tip 22 in contact with the cleaning brushes 17. A suitable solvent 23 is retained within the container.

In operation, the container is filled about two thirds full with the desired paint solvent or cleaner. The cleaning brush is placed in the solvent and the cover is pressed into position. The vertically disposed cover ring 11 locates at the lower edge only and thus provides an easily removable seal. The lid is normally maintained in a closed position so that the fumes are retained and evaporation is avoided. The lid may be flipped open or shut by the end of a paint brush. A paint brush to be cleaned is lowered into the solvent and drawn upwardly against the cleaning brushes, requiring only a few strokes to remove all paint. The paint brush may be drawn over the scrapers once or twice in order to drain off surplus solvent contained in the brush.

Paint will not accumulate and block up the cleaning brushes due to the shape and slope of the brush holder. The cleaning fluid breaks down the viscosity of the paint which will fall to the bottom of the container due to its greater density. This is an important feature of the invention.

In order to simplify the opening and closing of the lid, a flange may be added between the hinge portions thereof. This feature has not been shown on the drawing. The flange may project normally to the lid surface, so that when the lid is closed it will project upwardly, thus providing a levering surface by which to open the lid.

It will be appreciated that certain changes may be made to the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

An artists brush cleaner, comprising a circular container having a side wall tapering inwardly to terminate and seal with a circular base which has a stabilizing flange extending beyond said side wall, a cover having a vertical rim disposed on the underside thereof for sealing engagement with the inner surface of the top of said side wall, a hinged lid covering an opening formed in the top of said cover, a cleaning brush having upwardly projecting bristles disposed within said container vertically below said opening, and lying diagonally between one end of said opening and an opposite point on said cirrcular base, and horizontally disposed scraper .bars projecting parallel with said. bristles at the upper end of 4 said cleaning brush, said container being adapted to receive a solvent partly filling the said container covering a portion of said cleaning brush.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 323,420 Hills Aug. 4, 1885 1,096,957 Saunders May 19, 1914 1,285,948 Cook Nov. 26, 1918 2,654,504 Hyams Oct. 6, 1953 2,744,276 Chambless May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,283 Great Britain of 1907