GB2237788A - Paint can attachment - Google Patents

Abstract

A decorators aid enabling removal of excess paint from a brush includes a first annular member 10 for attachment to the top of a paint can and a second member 22 extending across the top of the can and against which a painter may wipe the head of the brush to remove excess paint. The first member has a downwardly projecting peripheral rim 12 with radially inwardly extending lugs to overlie the upper sides of the can. The top surface of the first member has an upwardly projecting peripheral run and a radially inwardly extending ridge is provided on the aid extending parallel to positioned ridge 20. The members are formed integrally by moulding from polypropylene, the second member being offset from the centre of the first member, flat and with chamfered free edges 24. The aid further has a brush support member 40 hingeably connected to the first member and moveable to an upstanding position in which it can receive the handle of a brush, the head of which rests on the second member. The brush member 40 is formed with a clip 46 engaging the upper peripheral rim (Figure 2). Paint cans fitted with the aids may be stacked (Figure 5). A number of different sizes of aid are provided each for fitment to a particular size of paint can. <IMAGE>

Description

DECORATORS AID DESCRIPTION The invention relates to decorators aids, in particular aids for use when painting.

Traditionally when a decorator paints a surface with a paint brush he loads paint onto the brush by dipping it into a paint can or kettle (hereafter referred to as a paint can) containing paint and then applies the paint to the surface with the brush. In order that the paint may be provided evenly on the surface to be painted it is usual for the painter to wipe the brush against the inside of the upper rim of the paint can as he lifts the brush therefrom to remove any excess paint from the head of the brush.

This in general leads to the formation - on at least the inner rim of the upper end of the can - of a layer of paint which when dry makes it difficult for the top of the can to be replaced. In certain circumstances paint runs down the outside of the can - possibly causing damage unless the can is placed upon a suitable paint impervious surface.

Another difficulty associated with painting is that when it is desired to take a short break it is often difficult to find a place in which the brush, quite often laiden with paint, may be safely rested. If the brush is laid upon a surface it is likely that surface will be contaminated by the paint, or the brush contaminated by the surface. Many people therefore rest the brush across the rim of the can. This leads to significant difficulties - paint running from the brush head down the outside of the can and the handle of the brush becoming contaminated by the paint which has been deposited on the rim during the painting which has taken place earlier.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aid which a painter may use in order firstly to enable excess paint to be readily wiped from the head of the brush and to fall back into the paint in the can from which the brush has just been extracted; and which furthermore may be used to provide an adequate and safe means of supporting the brush when not in use such that paint from the head of the brush falls back into the can from which it was extracted-and the handle of the brush cannot be contaminated by excess paint wiped from the head of the brush in an earlier painting operation.

Another difficulty encountered by some individuals having limited space in which to store cans of paint is that of ensuring the adequate stability of a stack of cans one upon the other.

Some provision has been made in the past by the manufacturers of paint cans providing that the upper end of a can is adapted to receive the lower end of a similar can produced by the same manufacturer.

This provision on cans-- enabling their ready and safe stacking - has not been adopted universally either amongst different paint can manufacturers or even amongst paint cans coming from a single manufacturer.

A second object of this invention is to provide an aid which will assist the ready and safe stacking of paint cans of similar size one upon the other - whether they be from the same or different manufacturing sources.

These objects are accomplished, at least in part, by embodiments of the present invention.

In one aspect the invention provides a decorators aid for enabling the removal of excess paint from a paint brush, comprising a first member adapted for attachment to the top of a paint can to cover the uppermost edge of the can and a second member extending across the top of the can and against which a painter may wipe the head of the brush so as to remove excess paint from the brush.

It will be appreciated that a number of different sizes of aid will be provided each adapted to fit upon a particular size of paint can, and that the cover provided by the first member will prevent paint falling upon the uppermost rim of the open can.

The first and second members are preferably formed integrally, with the first member comprising an annular part sized to fit on the top of a paint can and the second member extending across a central portion of the first annular part such that when the aid is fitted to an open paint can the second member lies above any paint in the can.

The second member may be generally flat and in the plane of the annular part and be offset from and not pass through the centre of the annular part.

Desirably the innermost edge of the second member is chamfered.

The first annular part has a first outer peripheral rim projecting normally away therefrom, which first rim, when the aid is positioned on a paint can, extends downwardly and overlies the upper outer sides of the can.

In order to enhance the location of the aid on a paint can the free edge of the said first rim of the aid may be provided with a plurality of lugs extending inwardly of the said first rim.

In this way the aid may snugly be fitted to the top of an open paint can.

With especial advantage the first annular part is provided with a second outer peripheral rim projecting normally away therefrom in a direction opposite to said first rim and having the same or a slightly larger diameter than the said first rim.

With this provision the aid may be placed upon a closed paint can and used to locate a second paint can stacked thereon.

Desirably the aid is further provided with a brush support member for receiving and supporting the handle of a paint brush, the support member being spaced from said second member by an amount such that a brush may be supported by the aid with the handle thereof received by the support member and the head thereof resting upon the second member.

In this way a brush may readily be supported such that any paint falling from the head thereof will pass back into the paint can and such that the handle of the brush is lifted clear of any surface contaminated with paint.

Desirably the brush support member is hingeably connected to the first member and is moveable from a position in which it lies generally in the plane of the first member to a position in which it is upstanding therefrom.

The brush support member may be formed with means enabling it to be releasably fixed in a position upstanding from the first member, and these means may comprise a clip member adapted to releasably engage the said second rim of the first member such that the brush support means may be fixed in an upstanding position by a user when desired.

The aid is preferably formed by moulding from polypropylene.

In a second aspect the invention provides a decorators aid having means attachable to the top of an open paint can and having a portion upstanding therefrom for receiving and supporting the handle of a paint brush and another portion upon which the head of the paint brush may lie such that the brush may is supported by the aid with its head above the open can.

In a third aspect the invention provides a decorators aid comprising means attachable to the top of a first paint can and having upstanding portions by means of which a further paint can may be located and supported on the first paint can.

The above and other, aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be comes apparent from the following description of a device embodying the invention now made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a decorators aid embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view drawn on the line II-II of Figure 1 and showing a brush support member thereof in a first position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing the brush support member in a second position, Figure 4 is a sectional view drawn on the line IV-IV of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a schemmatic view illustrating the aid of the earlier Figures used to support paint cans one upon the other.

The decorators aid shown in the figures comprises a first annular part 10 having on its outer edge a a first outer peripheral rim or flange 12 projecting normally away therefrom and an upper rim or rib 14. The diameter across the aid between the downwardly depending flange 12 is selected such that the aid is a relatively tight fit on the top of a paint can indicated generally at 16. The lower rim or rib 12 is formed with a number (eight in the example shown) of lugs 18.

Spaced radially inwardly of the rim 12 annular part 10 is provided with an upstanding, triangular in section, ridge 20 which runs round the annular part 10 parallel to rim 12.

The annular portion 10, flange 12 and upstanding rib 14 form the first member of the aid.

The second member of the aid comprises a flat brush wiping and support bar 22 which extends, as shown, across an arc of the first member. The support bar 22 is connected to the annular part 10 by webs 24. The support bar 22 has the profile shown in Figures 2 and 3 - that is to say the innermost edge of the brush wiping and support bar is chamfered as shown at 26. The outermost edge of support bar 22 carries a stiffening rib 28 which extends to and is integral with the ridge 20 of part 10.

It will be seen from the Figures that the annular part 10 of the first member is not continuous but is broken at one region 30 in which there is provided a brush support member 40 connected to the outer part of the first member (the flange 12 and rib 14) by means of a thin web 42 which acts as a hinge. The brush support member 40 comprises a pair of prongs 44 as shown clearly in Figure 1. The upper surface of the brush support member (as viewed in Figures 2 and 3) includes a clip member 46 positioned as shown.

It will be appreciated that with the arrangement shown the brush support member 40 may be rotated about the hinged part 42 from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 in which the clip member 46 engages the upper side of the rib 14 to effectively lock the brush support member in the upstanding position shown in Figure 3.

In use the aid is placed upon the top of an open paint can and the brush support member 40 lifted up to the position shown in Figure 3.

As noted above the flange portion 12 of the aid fits snugly on the outer side of the upper end of the can such the brush wiping and support bar extends across the open top of the can above any paint therein. As the brush wiping and support bar is offset from the centre of the aid it does not overlie the centre of the can and allows ready access to any paint in the can by the user for stirring or for the paint brush.

To use the aid a painter simply dips the brush in the paint in the can and upon withdrawing the brush can wipe any excess paint carried on its head by wiping the brush head against the chamfered edges of the bar 22.

It will be seen that in this way the rim of the can is protected - the brush will not be rubbed against it in order to remove excess paint from the brush head. Furthermore it will be seen that part 10 of the first member completely covers the upper edge of the can thereby preventing any paint which may drip from the brush head inadvertantly falling upon the rim of the can. In this way the rim of the can is properly and completely protected from the paint.

Should the painter wish to take a break he can simply rest the brush handle between the prongs 42 of the brush support 40 which is upstanding leaving the head of the brush resting upon the wiping and support bar 20.

It is envisaged that the aid now described will be formed in a single moulding operation from a suitable plastics material such as polypropylene.

When not being used for the purpose described above the aid, with the brush support 40 in the position shown in Figure 2, may be used as a stacking aid enabling the safe and stable stacking of a plurality of paint cans one upon the other such as is illustrated in Figure 5 which shows three cans 60, 62 and 64 stacked one upon the other with the interposition of the aid described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 (as indicated at 66 and 68). In this use the lugs 18 act positively to locate an aid on the top of a lowermost can, which aid supports - on the part 10 - the bottom of an uppermost can.

It will be appreciated that a number of different sizes of aid will be provided each adapted to fit upon a particular size of paint can. For the 2.5 litre paint cans commonly available an aid which is 157mm wide (measured across the inner diameter of the depending rim 12) fits snugly on the top of the open can.

It will be seen that modifications may be made to the described arrangements without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example the hinged brush support member may be omitted if desired or provided as a fixed element or part of the upper rim 14 of the aid.

Whilst advantageously provided in a single moulding operation the various parts of the aid may be made separately and thereafter joined together and the aid may be made of any suitable plastics, metal or wood material.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention provides an aid which a painter may use to enable excess paint to be readily wiped from the head of the brush and to fall back into the paint in the can from which the brush has just been extracted; which may be used to provide an adequate and safe means of supporting the brush when not in use such that paint from the head of the brush falls back into the can from which it was extracted and the handle of the brush cannot be contaminated by excess paint wiped from the head of the brush in an earlier painting operation, and which - when not in use for these purposes aids. The ready and safe stacking of paint cans of similar size one upon the other, whether they be from the same or different manufacturing sources.

Claims (17)

1. A decorators aid for enabling the removal of excess paint from a paint brush, comprising a first member adapted for attachment to the top of a paint can to cover the uppermost edge of the can and a second member extending across the top of the can and against which a painter may wipe the head of the brush so as to remove excess paint from the brush.

2. An aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second members are formed integrally, the first member comprises an annular part sized to fit on the top of a paint can and the second member extends across a central portion of the first annular part such that when the aid is fitted to an open paint can the second member lies above any paint in the can.

3. An aid as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second member is generally flat and in the plane of the annular part, and wherein the second member is offset from and does not pass through the centre of the first annular part.

4. An aid as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the innermost edge of the second member is chamfered.

5. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first annular part has a first outer peripheral rim projecting normally away therefrom, which first rim, when the aid is positioned on a paint can, extends downwardly and overlies the upper outer sides of the can.

6. An aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein the free edge of the said first outer peripheral rim is provided with a plurality of lugs extending inwardly of the said second rim.

7. An aid as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the first annular part is provided with a second outer peripheral rim projecting normally away therefrom in a direction opposite to said first rim and having the same or a slightly larger diameter as the said first rim.

8. An aid as claimed in claim 7, wherein the annular part is provided with a generally circular ridge or protusion projecting normally away therefrom and extending generally parallel to the said second peripheral rim, said ridge being spaced radially inwardly of the annular part from second rim.

9. An aid as claimed in claim 3 and any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the second member comprises a stiffening rib formed, intergrally therewith and with annular part.

10. An aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further provided with a brush support member for receiving and supporting the handle of a paint brush, the support member being spaced from said second member by an amount such that a brush may be supported by the aid with the handle thereof received by the support member and the head thereof resting upon the second member.

11. An aid as claimed in claim 10, wherein the brush support member is hingeably connected to the first member and is moveable from a position in which it lies generally in the plane of the first member to a position in which it is upstanding therefrom.

12. An aid as claimed in claim 11, wherein the brush support member is formed with means enabling it to be releasably fixed in a position upstanding from the first member.

13. An aid as claimed in claim 7 and claim 12, wherein the brush support member is formed with clip means adapted to releasably engage the said second rim of the first member such that the brush support means may be fixed in an upstanding position by a user when desired.

14. An aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims formed by moulding from polypropylene.

15. A decorators aid comprising means attachable to the top of an open paint can and having a portion upstanding therefrom for receiving and supporting the handle of a paint brush and another portion upon which the head of the paint brush may lie such that the brush may is supported by the aid with its head above the open can.

16. A decorators aid comprising means attachable to the top of a first paint can and having upstanding portion by means of which a further paint can may be located and supported on the first paint can.

17. A decorators aid as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.