PAINT APPLICATOR

Abstract: Paint Applicator including a handle (17, 31) and at least one roller (10, 11) rotatably associated with the handle (17, 31). The said at least one roller has an outer paint holding surface (23, 30, 38) which is tapered with respect to the rotational axis of the roller for applying paint to inaccessible areas.

Description: "PAINT APPLICATOR" THIS INVENTION relates to a paint applicator. Roller type paint applicators enable painters to apply paint to flat surfaces easily and quickly. However, in most paint jobs there are areas which the roller cannot be used. For example, internal corners and complex shapes, as are often found in ceiling mouldings, skirting boards, and corrugated surfaces, are areas which the roller cannot effectively cover. It is usual, therefore, to cover these inaccessible areas by the use of a brush in the conventional manner. Disadvantages in this are that the finish from the roller differs from the finish from the brush, and the time taken to apply the finishing coats with the brush can greatly increase the overall time taken to do the paint job. It is the general object of the present invention to provide a paint applicator which will overcome the above and other disadvantages of the presently available rollers. With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in a paint applicator including a handle; at least one roller rotatably associated with the handle, said at least one roller having an outer paint holding surface which includes or consists of a portion which is tapered with respect to the rotational axis of the roller for applying paint to inaccessible areas. Preferably the paint applicator includes a mounting bracket interconnecting the handle and said at least one roller or first roller. The bracket may include an axle portion for rotatably supporting the first roller. The invention may also include a second roller which is mounted for co-axial rotation on opposite sides of the mounting bracket to the first roller. The second roller preferably tapers in continuation of the taper of the first roller. The first roller may have any appropriate shape. Thus it may have a maximum circumference or periphery at a position intermediate its end and tapering from the maximum position to both its ends. However, alternative shapes are possible and the first roller may have an end portion of substantially spherical segmental shape. In order that the invention may be readily understood and carried into practical effect, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- FIG. 1 is a partly sectioned view of a paint applicator according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a partly sectioned view of a paint applicator according to a modification of the invention, and FIG. 3 is a partly sectioned view of a paint applicator according to a further modification of the invention. The paint applicator shown in FIG. 1 includes a first roller 10 and a second roller 11. The first roller 10 which may be blow-moulded of a suitable plastics material, is of hollow form with co-axial spindles 12 and 13 extending in opposite directions from its ends 10a and 10b respectively, the outer parts of these spindles being threaded externally. The non-threaded parts of the spindles 12 and 13 are rotatable in bearings 14 at the extremities of a pair of mounting brackets 15 and 16. The mounting bracket 15 is secured to a handle socket 17, and the mounting bracket 16 is secured to a rod 18 welded to one side of an attachment plate 19, the other side of which is curved arcuately in cross-section to fit closely about part of the handle socket 17, to which it is releasably secured by a bolt 20. The handle socket 17 and adjacent rod 18, together with the attachment plate 19, will serve as a handle for the paint applicator, but if an extended handle should be required, any suitable dowel-type handle (not shown) may have a bifurcated end engaged in the _ c:. handle socket 17, which may be divided longitudinally to form a clamp, and clamped therein by the bolt 20. The second roller 11, which may be moulded of any suitable plastics material, is hollow, being open at 5 one end, and is formed with an external axial boss 21, axially apertured and tapped and screwed on the threaded end of the spindle 12. A nut 22 is engaged on the threaded end of the other spindle 13. The first roller 10 is in the form of two 10 oppositely arranged co-axial frusto-conical parts with coincident bases and different axial lengths, so that its circumference of maximum diameter is further from its end 10b than it is from its end 10a and also from the second roller 11. 15 The second roller 11 has an outer part which is in the form of a spherical segment, leading to an inner part which is of frusto-conical shape and, in cross-section, aligned with the nearer frusto-conical part of the first roller 10. 20 Both rollers 10 and 11 are surfaced with paint- holding jackets 23 of any suitable well-known material, such as synthetic fleecy material on a fabric or like backing, the material being appropriately cut and shaped and secured adhesively to the rollers. 25 In use, the applicator is charged with paint by holding it by its handle and running it back and forth in a tray containing a quantity of the paint, the roller assembly being tilted as required to ensure full charging with paint. If desired, an appropriately profiled channel 30 or trough shaped tray may be provided. The charged paint applicator is used to apply paint in corners, over cornices or at the top of skirting boards and in like situations where a conventional cylindrical paint roller is not effective. A single pass of the applicator may leave a -_» cr line where the paint is not fully applied, owing to the narrow space between the first roller 10 and the second roller 11, but turning the applicator to reverse the _ . .. relative positions of the two rollers, and making a second pass, a satisfactory paint cover will be applied. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has, as indicated generally at 24, an assembly of mounting brackets, handle socket, rod, attachment plate and bolt as before described with reference to FIG. 1, for supporting rotatably a first roller 25, a second roller 26 and a third roller 27. The first and second rollers 25 and 26 are of similar external configuration to the first and second rollers 10 and 11 of FIG. 1, but in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the three rollers 25, 26 and 27 are solid rather than hollow, and an axle 28 secured axially through the first roller is drilled and tapped from its ends to receive threaded studs 29 extending axially from the second and third rollers 26 and 27. The assembly of rollers 25, 26 and 27 is substantially of double-coned form, with apices which are rounded or of spherical segmental shape, the divison between the first roller 25 and the second roller 26 being closer to the maximum-diameter part of the first roller 25 than is the division between the first roller 25 and the third roller 27. Each of the rollers is covered by a paint holding jacket 30 substantially as before described. The paint applicator is used as before describ normally applying paint in two passes, the second pass with the applicator reversed. The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 has a simple socket-type handle 31 to which is secured a single mounting bracket 31 secured at its end to one end of a transverse bearing housing 33 in which an axle 34 is rotatable, the protruding ends of the axle being threaded. The roller assembly of this applicator comprises a first roller 35 and a second roller 36, both of which are hollow and may be moulded of a plastics material. Each of the rollers 35 and 35 is formed with an internal axial boss 37 which is drilled and tapped and has a threaded end of the axle 34 screwed into it. The assembly of the two rollers 35 and 36 is substantially of double-coned form with rounded apices, the axial length of the first roller 35 being considerably greater than that of the second roller 36, so that the division between the rollers, through which the mounting bracket 32 passes, is off-set to one side of the maximum-diameter part of the assembly and of the f_*rst roller 35. This maximum-diameter part is radiused rather than sharply angular, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, but it will be understood that any of the embodiments may have either a radiused or fairly sharply angled maximum-diameter part. The two rollers 35 and 36 are provided with paint-holding jackets 38 substantially as before described, and the paint applicator is used as before set out. Paint applicators according to the invention will be found to be very effective in achieving the objects for which they have been devised. It will of course, be understood that the particular embodiments of the invention herein described and illustrated may be subject to many modifications of constructional detail and design, which will be readily apparent to skilled persons.

Claims: CLAIMS - 6 - 1. A paint applicator including a handle: at least one roller rotatably associated with the handle, said at least one roller having an outer paint holding surface which includes or consists of a 5 portion which is tapered with respect to the rotational axis of the roller for applying paint to inaccessible areas. 2. A paint applicator as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there is included a mounting bracket interconnecti 10 the handle and said at least one roller, said bracket including an axle portion for rotatably supporting said at least one roller. 3. A paint applicator as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said at least one roller has a maximum circumference or 15 periphery at a position intermediate its ends and tapering from the maximum position to both its ends. 4. A paint applicator as claimed in Claim 3 wherein there is provided a second roller which is mounted for co-axial rotation on opposite sides of the mounting 20 bracket to said at least one or first roller and wherein the second roller tapers in continuation of the taper of the first roller. 5. A paint applicator according to Claim 4 wherein: a third roller having a paint-holding outer 25 surface is mounted for rotation coaxially with the first and second rollers, the third and first rollers being located to opposite sides of a second mounting bracket connected to the handle, the third roller tapering in continuation of. the taper of the nearer part of the first 30 roller. 7. A paint applicator according to wherein: the end of the second roller remote from the first roller is of substantially spherical segmental shape. 35 c

Inventors: GRYPARIS J, GRYPARIS N, GRYPARIS P
Applicants: GRYPARIS J, GRYPARIS N, GRYPARIS P
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B05C17
IPC codes: B05C17