Versatile paint tray

A paint tray includes a bottom, front wall, back wall, sidewalls, and a mounting bracket connected to the side walls. The mounting bracket has parallel legs, each leg including a foot at one end and a hook at the other end. The feet extend outward of the legs and are pivoted at the tops of opposite sidewalls of the tray for movement of the bracket from a storage position within the tray to an operating position behind the tray. A crossbar connects the hook ends of the legs. The hooks engage the top step of a step ladder, with the legs overlying the top step and the tray hanging from the top step in a substantially vertical attitude.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is a paint tray for use on a horizontal surface, or on a 
step ladder, or on an extension type ladder. 
BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 
Painting was at one time generally done with a brush and a can of paint. If 
a ladder was used, the can was hung by a hook on a rung of the ladder. If 
a step ladder was used, the can was set on a shelf on the back side of the 
step ladder. 
Widespread use of the paint roller as a substitute for a brush, or as a 
supplement to a brush, has prompted the development of the paint tray. 
Paint trays of various configurations are now known in the prior art. The 
following patents are the most relevant prior art that I know of: 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,751 to Misiukowiec et al (Feb. 27, 1996) discloses a 
paint pan with a removable bracket by which to hang the pan from a rung of 
an extension ladder, between the ladder side rails, or to hang the pan 
outward of the side rails. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,411 to Cupp et al (1980) discloses a paint tray with a 
handle by which to hang the tray from a rung of an extension ladder. The 
handle is configured to permit the tray also to be mounted on a horizontal 
shelf such as that provided by a step ladder. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,970 to Engh (1967) discloses a paint tray with hooks by 
which either to hang the tray from a rung of an extension ladder, or to 
support the tray in an inclined horizontal position. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A paint tray according to this invention includes a bottom, front wall, 
back wall, sidewalls, and a mounting bracket connected to the side walls. 
The mounting bracket has parallel legs, each leg including a foot at one 
end and a hook at the other end. The feet extend outward of the legs and 
are pivoted at the tops of opposite sidewalls of the tray for movement of 
the bracket from a storage position within the tray to an operating 
position behind the tray. A crossbar connects the hook ends of the legs. 
The hooks engage the top step of a step ladder, with the legs overlying 
the top step and the tray hanging from the top step in a substantially 
vertical attitude.

DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawing, my paint tray 10 includes a front wall 12, back 
wall 14, sidewalls 16, bottom 18, and a front opening 20 above the front 
wall 12, all together forming an open vessel for paint and the like. 
A bracket 30 includes parallel legs 32 and a crossbar 38. Each leg includes 
a foot 34 at one end pivotally connected to the top the tray 10, and a 
hook 36 at the other end. The crossbar 38 connects the ends of hooks 36. 
The feet 34 extend through the tops of opposite sidewalls 16. The feet 34 
extend outward so their pivotal connection with the sidewalls 16 is 
outward of the legs 32 and the bracket 30 is pivotable to an 
out-of-the-way storage position within the tray 10. 
FIG. 2 shows the tray 10 hanging by its bracket 30 from a rung 25 of an 
extension ladder 26, to illustrate one use to which the tray is adapted. 
The back wall 14 of the tray 10 includes slots 22 at the top to permit the 
bracket 30 to swing behind the back wall 14. The extent of pivotal travel 
of the bracket 30 behind the back wall 14 is determined by the depth of 
the slots 22. 
FIG. 3 shows the tray 10 mounted on the top step 27 of a step ladder 28. 
The bracket hooks 36 grip the edge of the top step 27, the bracket legs 32 
overlie the top step 27, and the tray 10 hangs down the back of the ladder 
in a substantially vertical attitude. The hooks 36 are dimensioned to 
provide a snug grip on the top step 27 of the step ladder 28. This helps 
to prevent the bracket from sliding on the top step, to a disconnected 
position, and falling from the step ladder. 
FIG. 4 shows the tray 10 in a relatively horizontal position, supported 
there by the bracket 30 at an appropriate position behind the back wall. 
The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of this invention, 
including any dimensions, angles, or proportions, is intended as 
illustrative. The concept and scope of the invention are limited only by 
the following claims and equivalents thereof.