US3036327A

US3036327A - Paint applicator

Info

Publication number: US3036327A
Application number: US742178A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles A Crawford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-06-16
Filing date: 1958-06-16
Publication date: 1962-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-29

Description

y 1962 c. A. CRAWFORD 3,036,327

PAINT APPLICATOR Filed Jufie 16, 1958 CZ/nez. Es ZkHM F-DR J ENTOR,

3,036,327 PAINT APPLICATOR Charles A. Crawford, 1028 N. Pasadena, Azusa, Calif. Filed June 16, 1958, Ser. No. 742,178 2 Claims. (Cl. -522) This invention relate generally to an improved paint applicator; more particularly, it relates to an efiicient hand operated applicator for applying a uniform accurate coating of paint to walls and ceilings.

Briefly described, the paint applicator of the present invention comprises an applicator roller in tangential engagement with a transfer roller. Manually operated pump means are provided for delivering paint, from a container forming a part of the applicator, substantially at the line of tangency between the rollers, thus facilitating even spreading of paint. Such delivery of the paint is under the visual and manual control of the operator while holding the paint applicator in operative position for painting. The applicator roller is so positioned that either vertical or horizontal surfaces may be painted without changing the attitude of the device. Trough and passage means are provided for draining any excess paint without substantial accumulation and returning the paint to the container.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved roller type paint applicator wherein improved feed or delivery of paint to a roller provides more eflicient, uniform and accurate painting results.

An object of this invention is the pro-vision of an improved paint applicator adapted for manual and visual control by an operator to provide convenient and efficient delivery of paint to rollers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a paint applicator which accords improved efliciency and uniformity of delivery of paint by distributing paint at the line of tangency between an applicator roller and a transfer roller.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a paint applicator having the foregoing objectives and having means for draining paint from beneath rollers and conducting it to a container from which paint is pumped to the rollers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a compact unitary paint applicator wherein the applicator mechanism has an attached container from which paint is pumped to a roller.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a paint applicator adapted for painting either vertical or horizontal surfaces without changing the attitude of the device.

Other objects and features of the present invention, as well as many advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an applicator of the present invention being held in operative position for applying paint;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional View taken at line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view, partially in section, of the applicator of FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective view of a modified form of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to FIG- URES l, 2 and 3, the present invention is shown as including a cylindrical paint applicator roller 10, which has a covering of material adapted to transfer paint to a surface to be painted. This covering may be made of a material such as sheeps Wool which is adapted to receive paint and efficiently transfer it to a surface. The roller 19 is rotatably supported in a housing 12 having end walls 14 and a bottom 16, which has a slightly curved outer portion, as shown in FIGURE 2, to conform to the curvature of the applicator roller 10 and to form a trough for receiving excess paint from the roller. Roller 10 i journalled on thumb screws 20, as shown in FIGURE 3. Each thumb screw 20 has a knurled head and has a threaded shank portion for threaded engagement in an opening of an end wall 14 of housing 12, as shown. The thumb screws provide means for ready removal and replacement of the applicator roller.

A feed or transfer roller 22 is rotatably mounted in parallel tangential relation to the applicator roller. The transfer roller is journalled on thumb screws 24, which are similar to thumb screws 20. Bores 26 in roller 22 are adapted to receive the ends of the thumb screws.

Delivery of paint to the applicator roller is effected from a bent delivery tube or pipe 28 which extends substantially over the line of tangential engagement between the transfer roller and the applicator roller. Delivery tube 28 extends across the back portion of the trough 12, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. In the illustrated preferred form of the invention, the trough is formed integrally with the upper part of the hand grip 38, which extends from a cover 32 adapted for threaded engagement with an upper neck portion of a paint container 34. The container has a quantity of paint therein and serves as a source of supply which is carried by the applicator of this invention. The delivery tube 28 is threaded into a vertical bore 38 in the upper portion of hand grip 30. This bore communicates with a vertical bore 40 of smaller diameter in the hand grip. The shoulder defined between bores 38 and 40 forms a valve seat for a ball check valve 42 which is biased towards the seat by a coil spring 44, one end of which engages the inner end of tube 28, as shown.

A manually operable piston or plunger 46 is disposed in another vertical bore 45 in the hand grip. An annular groove 48 near the inner end of the plunger accommodates a sealing ring 50 to provide a movable fluid seal between the plunger and the bore. Interposed between the end of plunger 46 and the bore is an helical spring 52, which urges the plunger upward, as the plunger is viewed in FIGURE 2.

A bore 56 of slightly smaller diameter than bore 45 interconnects bore 45 with a bore 58 of the same dia-rn eter as bore 45. Threadedly connected into the end portion of bore 58, which end portion is defined by a boss 60 extending from hand grip 30, is a downwardly ex tending pipe 62 which terminates at a point near the bottom of container 34. A ball check valve 64 is normally seated against the upper end pipe 62 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. When the applicator is tipped or inverted, this ball valve engages the shoulder defined between

bores

58 and 56, which forms a valve seat for cooperating with the ball to prevent the escape of paint from container 34.

A transverse bore 68 in hand grip 30 communicates between bore 40 and the lower part of bore 45. The outer end of bore 68 is closed by a threaded clean-out plug 70 which is removable to permit cleaning of the interior of the hand grip.

A drain passage 72 in hand grip 30 communicates between the trough 12 and the interior of paint container 34 through a larger bore 74. In the end portion of bore 74 is threaded a plug 76 which has a transverse slot in its upper portion intersecting an axial opening. The slot and hole normally cooperate with a ball 78 in an obvious manner to permit the draining of paint into container 34. When the applicator is tipped or inverted, this ball 78 engages the shoulder defined between bores 74 and 72,

which forms a valve seat for cooperating with the ball for preventing the escape of paint. 2

From the foregoing and from examination of FIG- URES l, 2 and 3, those versed in the art will understand the operation of the present invention. As shown in FIGURE 1, the applicator may be conveniently grasped and manipulated with one hand, with the oper ators thumb on the plunger 46. When the plunger is 'reciprocated by thumb action, a partial vacuum in the paint. On each upstroke of the plunger, the ball 64 lifts to allow paint to move upwardly through pipe 62 and bore 58 into tube 40 and delivery tube 28.

Paint delivered from delivery tube 28 spreads along the line of tangency between the two rollers, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, and is thus distributed along the length of applicator roller 10. Rotation of this roller on a surface being painted rotates the transfer roller against the applicator roller in an action which assists in distributing paint evenly over the surface of the applicator roller. In applying paint the applicator is moved back and borth vertically for walls or horizontally for ceilings, while the applicator roller 18 uniformly and accurately applies the paint.

Delivery of paint to the applicatorroller may be accurately regulated under the direct visual and manual control of the operator. The operator manipulates plunger 46 to deliver paint to the rollers at the proper rate. Any excess paint from the rollers drips into the trough formed by the lower part of housing 12 and is promptly drained through passage 72 into the container 34. Therefore, the applicator roller does not operate by rotating in a pool of paint. Instead, delivery of paint to the roller is by transfer from between the two rollers and from the transfer roller 22 to theapplicator roller.

An advantage of the invention, in addition to the foregoing, is that paint may be conveniently applied to either vertical walls or to horizontal ceilings without changing the attitude of the applicator, as may be observed from FIGURE 2.

It will be understood that. the device of the present invention is of compact and unitary construction, thus facilitating operation by one hand of an operator, with full manual and visual control of the delivery of paint.

In FIGURE 4 is shown a modified form of the present invention wherein a transverse distributing pipe or manifold 80 is. provided at the end of delivery tube 28. The distributing pipe or manifold has orifices spaced along its length to distribute paint along the line of tangency between the applicator roller and the transfer roller. The structure of the applicator of FIGURE 4 is otherwise the same as the embodiment hereinbefore described.

This form of the invention increases the uniformity an( accuracy of delivery of paint to the rollers and particularly to the feed of paint to the applicator roller 10, and the transfer of paint to the wall or ceiling being painted.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only; it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, as many variations will be readily apparent to those versed in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the scope of the appended claims.

The inventor claims:

1. In a paint applicator, the combination comprising a roller adapted for transferring paint to a surface, a transfer roller positioned for tangential engagement with the applicator roller, means for supporting the rollers, means'for delivering paint substantially to the line of tangency between said rollers, whereby paint is transferred to the applicator roller, said supporting means including a source of supply of paint and including manually operable means for transferring paint from said source to said delivery means, means disposed beneath said rollers for receiving excess paint and conducting it to said source of supply, and valve means positioned to prevent escape of paint fromsaid source of supply upon tipping said applicator.

2. In a paint applicator, the combination comprising a roller adapted for transferring paint to a surface, a transfer roller positioned for tangential engagement with the applicator roller, means for supporting the rollers, and means for delivering paint substantially to the line of tangency between the rollers for transferring paint to the applicator roller, said supporting means including structure integral with a cover for a source of supply of paint, said supporting means including means for transferring paint from, the source of supply to the delivery means, and said supporting means including means for receiving excess paint from the rollers and conducting it to the source of supply.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 459,486 Dunne -Q Sept. 15, 1891 489,828 Peterson Jan. 10, 1893 1,594,591 Bettes Aug. 3, 1926 2,284,874 Kokay June 2, 1942 2,398,844 Muggleton et al. Apr. 23, 1946 2,419,338 De Marco Apr. 22, 1947 2,424,323 Millholland July 22, 1947 2,528,657 Hobe Nov. 7, 1950 2,563,842 Johnson Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,889 Great Britain of 1884 793,449 Great Britain Apr. 16, 1958 811,644 France Jan. 23, 1937 843,007 France Mar. 20, 1939