Abstract:
An adapter is disclosed which allows for the removable attachment of a shorter and narrower roller cover to a standard patent apparatus spinner drier. The adapter device removably attaches to the spinning end of a spinner mechanism and has at an opposite end an attachment mechanism for receipt into a narrow cover roller so that the small cover roller may be spun dry at high speeds and removed from the spinner. The adapter fits a standard spinner and allows a smaller nap roller to be attached thereto.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed towards a drying spinner device for drying cleaned rollers and paintbrushes and in particular an adapter for a standard drying spinner device for utilizing a standard sized roller and brush drying spinner with a small diameter roller and in particular an adapter for attachment of a small diameter roller to a roller and brush spinner drying mechanism. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0002]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the combined roller and brush spinner with the spinner adapter and the small diameter roller of the present invention;  
         [0003]      FIG. 2  is a close-up perspective view of the spinner adapter of the present invention;  
         [0004]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the spinner adapter of the present invention attached to a small diameter roller.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0005]     The present invention is directed towards a spinner adapter  10  which allows attachment of a small diameter and length roller  19 , commonly referred to as long john or little john rollers, directly to a roller and brush spinner device  20 . In normal use, a roller and brush spinner device  20  is utilized in order to spin dry a standard nearly 2 inch wide, 9 inch long roller cover by insertion of the standard roller cover around the first and second compression fingers  24 ,  25 . After installation of the standard size roller cover, reciprocating motion of the handle  22  causes high speed rotational movement of the first and second compression fingers  24 ,  25  at the rotating end of the spinner  20  to spin the roller cover attached to the rotating end of the roller and brush spinner  20  at high speed. Within the interior of the spinner housing  21  is a drive mechanism which translates the reciprocating motion of the handle  22  to rotational movement imparted upon the rotational end of the spinner at compression fingers  24 ,  25  which extend outward from the rotating end of the roller and brush spinner  20 . Fingers  24 ,  25  are inserted into the interior cylinder of the standard 9 inch cover and are frictionally retained therein. Outer fingers  26 ,  27  compress downward onto the outer surface of the cover to aid in maintaining its position. Common drawbacks for such a design is that the compression fingers  24 ,  25  of the roller and brush spinner  20  fit only a single size roller cover, namely a standard 9 inch roller cover which has an inner diameter available of approximately 2 inches, or more accurately 1 7/16 inch width. The matting for the standard size roller cover is then spun dry after attachment to the roller and brush spinner after washing and cleaning.  
         [0006]     Additional use of the roller and brush spinner  20  depicted in  FIG. 1 , is to attach a paintbrush or similar article in between the ends of first and second compression fingers  24 ,  25  in order to similarly spin dry the paintbrush after it has been cleaned. The roller and brush spinner has the compression fingers  24 ,  25  which therefore can receive either a brush in between the end of the fingers or a standard large diameter roller cover in order to spin dry either type painting implement.  
         [0007]     As indicated, a drawback of the standard roller and brush spinner design  20  depicted in  FIG. 1 , is that smaller rollers covers  19 , shown in  FIG. 1 , which are smaller in diameter and in length, do not fit on the compression fingers  24 ,  25  or have an end aperture or opening which can receive such fingers. One alternative may be to forceably fit the smaller diameter roller cover  19  in between both of the first and second compression fingers  24 ,  25  such that each of the fingers compresses against an outer surface of the smaller diameter roller  19 . Such implementation however damages the matting or nap of the small diameter roller cover  19  and may make continued use of such roller cover impractical. However, the small diameter rollers  19 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , can be reused similar to paintbrushes and other roller cover painting articles. Thus, it is desirable to provide a mechanism which allows for attachment of the smaller roller cover  19  directly to a standard roller and brush spinner  20 .  
         [0008]     A spinner adapter  10  of the present invention is depicted which acts as a spinner reducer for small diameter roller covers and allows for direct attachment of the small diameter roller cover  19  to a standard roller cover and brush spinner  20 . The spinner adapter  10  of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3  provides the ability to directly and removably attach a small diameter and length roller cover  19  to a standard roller cover and brush spinner  20  such that reciprocating motion of handle  22  allows for high speed rotational movement of the smaller roller cover  19  thereby drying the roller after cleansing. The spinner adapter  10  of the present invention is comprised of a cylindrical sidewall  11  which may have an open cylindrical interior  12 . The open cylindrical interior  12  may have a width of approximately 1 7/16 inches in order to appropriately receive therein the first and second compression fingers  24 ,  25  extending outwardly from rotating or spinning end the roller cover and brush spinner mechanism  20 . The spinner adapter  10  of the present invention allows for secure affixation of the spinner adapter  10  directly to the rotating end of the roller and brush spinner  20 .  
         [0009]     Extending outward from the opposite end of the spinner adapter  10  of the present invention is an attachment mechanism  13 , depicted in this embodiment as a threaded stud. While the attachment mechanism  13  depicted in the figures is a threaded stud, many other various attachment mechanisms may be utilized for securely and removably attaching the spinner adapter  10  to a small diameter roller cover  19  and the exemplary embodiment depicted herein should not be considered limiting in nature.  
         [0010]     Extending outward from said opposite end of the spinner adapter  10  therefore is the attachment mechanism  13  depicted as a threaded stud which fits securely into a lined aperture  19  of a smaller diameter roller cover  19 . The spinner adapter  10  of the present invention is formed of a cylindrical wall  11  which extends about 3 inches in length and which has a head plate  14  opposite the cylindrical open interior end fitting with the roller cover and brush spinner mechanism  20 . The cylindrical wall  11  extends approximately 3 inches in length, as indicated, and has a head plate  14  which secures the attachment mechanism  13  to the spinner adapter. The cylindrical wall  11  may be made of any rigid material, such as plastic, metal or paperboard, the head plate  14  may be similarly constructed. As is readily apparent however, many different designs of the cylindrical wall and attachment mechanisms may be utilized which may not necessarily require a head plate  14  or other construction. The design of this exemplary embodiment is meant merely to provide the function of attaching a smaller diameter roller cover  19  directly to the rotating end of a roller and brush spinner.  
         [0011]     The spinner adapter  10 , presently described in this embodiment, has an open interior which receives the first and second compression fingers  24 ,  25  and, at an opposite end, has an outwardly extending attachment mechanism  13 , in this embodiment of threaded stud. The attachment mechanism  13  can be threaded directly into the lined aperture  18  of the small diameter roller cover  19  such that the small diameter roller cover  19  is directly affixed to the rotating end of the roller cover and brush spinner. Aperture  18  is typically lined with a plastic or other type of sleeve on most short covers of this type which readily receives the stud  13  or other attachment mechanism. Reciprocating movement of the handle  22  of the spinner  20  imparts significant rotational movement on the small diameter roller cover  19  by virtue of the spinner adapter  20  allowing the small diameter roller cover  19  to be directly affixed to the rotating end of a paintbrush spinner drying mechanism  20 , as is shown in the figures.  
         [0012]     The attachment mechanism, as is shown, is depicted as a threaded stud  13  which may be 5/16 inch in diameter and have coarse threads and may have a length of approximately ½ inch. The attachment mechanism  19  provides a means for direct and removable affixation of a small diameter roller cover or long john cover, as is commonly called, to a cover spinner which, as previously indicated, does not provide adapting mechanisms for attachment to a shortened or narrow diameter long john cover. These long john covers typically are 4-3 inches or shorter in length and do not readily attach to a spinner device  20  as is shown.  
         [0013]     Many variations may be provided based upon the teachings disclosed herein which do not vary or depart significantly from the teachings hereof. Such variations and modifications are considered to fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto and one of ordinary skill in the art reviewing the entire application, including claims, teachings, examples and figures will understand that such modifications for adapting a small diameter roller cover to a standard roller cover and brush spinner apparatus fall within the teachings hereof and the scope of the appended claims.