Patent Publication Number: US-7587781-B2

Title: Paintbrush with adjustable head

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention first appears as an average paintbrush, but a closer look reveals the unique capacity/ability of the paintbrush head to rotate one-hundred and eighty degrees (180°) through the use of a simple, one-of-a-kind male and female slip/snap locking wheel system, with the female-threaded rear/bottom of the paintbrush handle capable of receiving a universal male-threaded pole/device for extension. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   While restoring our one-hundred year old Victorian home, I, Robert Raymond Vales, was inspired with an innovative idea when I was faced with a myriad of frustrating challenges when attempting to paint high, awkward, and dangerous points inside and outside the painting area. The invention will provide professionals and everyday users of this new invention the efficient, cost-effective means of screwing a universal male-threaded pole onto the rear/bottom of a female-threaded paintbrush handle, therefore providing the ability to reach different heights and rotate the brush head one-hundred and eighty degrees (180°) through the use of the male and female slip/snap locking wheel system, with male part built directly into the tubular handle and forged into either of the two female part locations on brush head, depending on the angle necessary to reach. Thus, the need for a ladder or scaffolding is potentially eliminated, providing the user with safe and convenient working conditions on most platform surfaces when painting. 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,751,762 to Meimeteas; 4,494,268 to Chu; 4,020,520 to Dellas; 3,214,778 to Mathison; 2,948,910 to Hulla; and 2,763,884 to Fritz depict a one-piece paintbrush that allows for no multi-rotational direction at all. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,080 to Rydzicki describes an attachment for holding a brush in different positions but allows for little movement in Rydzicki invention. The present invention provides a means of using a male and female rotating slip/snap locking wheel system built into said handle and forged into brush head to allow the user one-hundred and eighty degree (180°) movement in the directions said handle and brush head is locked into. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,859 to Kim describes a rotational paintbrush, but it contains an unstable directional wheel that if manufactured, would demonstrate its inability to lock securely into painting position. Also, in addition to the wheel, there are too many extraneous parts that would cause instability and difficulty in locking it into position. Plus, the parts and labor for this invention would prove to be much more expensive and time-consuming. These factors in Kim&#39;s invention wouldn&#39;t warrant the manufacturing of Kim&#39;s paintbrush compared to the present invention. The present invention has but to be locked together in the angle the painter so desires, using the male and female slip/snap locking wheel system to form a secure bond between female paintbrush head and male paintbrush handle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,287 to Wheat depicts a paintbrush that has a rear/bottom opening on the handle and a swivel mechanism in the front to do angles in painting. This paintbrush, like the ones that came before it, is extremely unstable when motion and pressure are applied to the brush head when painting a surface or an object. Like Kim&#39;s paintbrush, there are too many parts to manufacture and assemble for his paintbrush invention to be economical. The present invention is most feasible, showing multiple paintbrush head sizes that attach with simplicity to a paintbrush handle using a simple, economical, and uncomplicated male and female slip/snap locking wheel system to form a secure bond between brush head and tubular handle, thus providing the user with safe and convenient conditions on most platforms when painting. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This present invention is a paintbrush having a handle with a longitudinal axis with a female-threaded rear/bottom opening able to receive a universal, standard male-threaded extension pole/device. On the other end of the tubular handle rests a molded male slip/snap locking wheel with protruding teeth able to turn one-hundred and eighty degrees (180°) depending on the set position of the tubular handle tightly secured by a wing nut and bolt. The brush head bottom and the brush head face of this invention each have an indented female slip/snap locking wheel forged/embedded into it enabling the handle and brush head to be locked into 2 different locations on the brush head, depending upon the angle/direction the painter so desires to reach. 
   It is the intention of the present invention to provide a method for the professional painter and the everyday user of this paintbrush to quickly and efficiently reach high, awkward, and dangerous locations in the painting area without the laborious set up of mechanical equipment. This ultimately creates a job that is less strenuous and less time consuming, more economical, and it reduces the risk of possible injury associated with painting from unstable platforms. Most specifically and purposefully, it allows the user to paint at various angles using the male and female slip/snap locking wheel system. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention may be more easily understood by the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an anterior frontal plane view of the present paintbrush invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of  FIG. 1  paintbrush invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a view of the component parts in  FIG. 1   
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the present paintbrush in  FIG. 1  showing the male and female slip/snap locking wheel moving paintbrush head one-hundred and eighty degrees (180°) forward and backward. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the present paintbrush handle securely attached to paintbrush head moving one-hundred and eighty degrees (180°) side to side. 
   

   DRAWING LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
   
       
       1—bristles ( 1 ) 
       2—ferrule ( 2 ) 
       3—brush head ( 3 ) 
       4—1 st  female slip/snap locking wheel recessed/embedded into brush head face ( 4 ) 
       5—bolt hole through center of brush head face ( 5 ) 
       6—2 nd  female slip/snap locking wheel recessed/embedded into brush head bottom ( 6 ) 
       7—bolt ( 7 ) 
       8—wing nut ( 8 ) 
       9—brush head face ( 9 ) 
       10—male slip/snap locking teeth handle top ( 10 ) 
       11—tubular handle ( 11 ) 
       12—female thread inside of rear/bottom handle ( 12 ) 
       13—male finishing cap for rear/bottom 
       14—paintbrush hanging hole ( 14 ) 
       15—longitudinal axis on handle ( 15 ) 
       16—protruding male thread cap rear/bottom handle ( 16 ) 
       17—recessed non-slip hex hole top handle ( 17 ) 
     
  
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawing by numbers of reference  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  shows the paintbrush tubular handle ( 11 ) having an augured-out rear/bottom female end ( 12 ) allowing said rear/bottom to accept a universal standard male extender paint pole/device to reach various heights. The composition of the handle will be manufactured out of a plastic or other sturdy material that will be appropriate for an injection-mold process. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3  in the drawings, handle ( 11 ) is shown having a longitudinal axis ( 15 ) extending therealong. An upper end of the handle has a reduced diameter shank portion extending therefrom offset from a center thereof. An enlarged convex top ( 17 ) is provided on said shank portion and has a male slip/snap locking wheel thereon. 
   Further, brush head ( 3 ) is enclosed by a ferrule ( 2 ) with bristles ( 1 ) injected into ferrule ( 2 ) forming a paintbrush head. 
   Further, brush head ( 3 ) has a forged female slip snap locking wheel ( 6 ) embedded in brush head ( 3 ) bottom that will merge with handle ( 11 ) in which at its top has a male slip/snap locking wheel teeth secured by a wing nut ( 8 ) screwed onto bolt ( 7 ). Also, tubular handle top where hex bolt ( 7 ) runs through has a recessed hex hole to prevent hex bolt ( 7 ) from slipping out of place.