Patent Publication Number: US-2023146168-A1

Title: Numbering Stencil Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to stencil device and more particularly pertains to a new stencil device for painting numbers or words on a curb. The device includes a frame the can be positioned on an exposed face of a curb and a pair of first mating members that are attached to the frame. The device includes a plurality of stencils and a plurality of second mating members that are attached to respective stencils. A selected combination of stencils can be attached to the frame to facilitate numbers or words to be accurately painted on the curb. 
     (2) Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to stencil devices including a stencil device that includes a mount which includes a first portion hingedly coupled to a second portion which can be positioned over a curb and a plurality of stencils that are attachable to the mount for painting indicia on the curb. The prior art discloses a stencil device that includes panel that has a pair of rails straddling a slot in the panel and a plurality of stencils that can be slid into the rails. The prior art discloses a stencil device that includes a cart and a pair of stencil wheels that are rotatably disposed on the cart for painting markings on parking lots. The prior art discloses a stencil device that includes a frame into which a plurality of stencils can be positioned and a plurality of spacers that are insertable into the frame for occupying empty space in the frame. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a frame that is positionable against an exposed face of a curb to define a painting area on the exposed face. A pair of first mating members is provided and each of the first mating members is coupled to the frame. A plurality of stencils is provided and respective stencils are positionable on the frame to facilitate words or numbers to be painted onto the exposed face of the curb. A plurality of second mating members is provided and each of the second mating members is coupled to a respective one of the stencils. Each of the second mating members on respective ones of the stencils releasably engages the first mating members on the frame when the respective stencils are positioned on the frame for retaining the respective stencils on the frame. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a numbering stencil assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing indicia being painted onto a curb. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing indicia having been painted onto a curb. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  5    thereof, a new stencil device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  5   , the numbering stencil assembly  10  generally comprises a frame  12  that is positionable against an exposed face  14  of a curb  16  to define a painting area  18  on the exposed face  14 . The curb  16  may be a gutter curb on a public roadway or other type of curb. The frame  12  has a pair of first arms  20  that each extends between a pair of second arms  22 . The first arms  20  are spaced apart from each other such that the frame  12  has a rectangular shape and each of the second arms  22  has a length that is greater than the length of the first arms  20 . Each of the second arms  22  has a back surface  24  and a first edge  26  extending between each of the first arms  20 . In this way the back surface  24  is exposed when the frame  12  is positioned against the exposed face  14  of the curb  16 . Furthermore, the first edge  26  of each of the second arms  22  is directed toward each other. Each of the first arms  20  may have a length ranging between approximately 6.0 inches and 8.0 inches. Additionally, each of the second arms  22  may have a length ranging between approximately 15.0 inches and 17.0 inches. 
     A pair of first mating members  28  is provided and each of the first mating members  28  is coupled to the frame  12 . Each of the first mating members  28  is positioned on the back surface  24  of a respective one of the second arms  22  and each of the first mating members  28  is aligned with the first edge  26  of the respective second arm  22 . Additionally, each of the first mating members  28  is coextensive with the first edge  26  of the respective second arm  22 . Each of the first mating members  28  may comprise a hook portion of a hook and loop fastener or other type of multiple use, releasable fastener. 
     A plurality of stencils  30  is provided and each of the stencils  30  has a plurality of openings  32  each extending through the stencils  30 . Each of the openings  32  in each of the stencils  30  is structured and arranged to define a respective letter or number. The respective letter may be a letter of the Latin alphabet or any other alphabet that is employed to represent spoken languages throughout the world. Additionally, the respective number may be an Arabic numeral or other numeral employed in written languages throughout the world. Respective ones of the stencils  30  are positionable on the frame  12  to facilitate words or numbers to be painted onto the exposed face  14  of the curb  16 . 
     Each of the stencils  30  has a front side  34 , a back side  36 , a top edge  38  and a bottom edge  40 , and each of the openings  32  in each of the stencils  30  extends through the front side  34  and the back side  36 . Respective ones of the stencils  30  are positionable against the frame  12  such that the back side  36  of the respective stencils  30  abuts the back surface  24  of the second arms  22  of the frame  12 . Additionally, the respective stencils  30  are distributed along the second arms  22  of the frame  12 . A plurality of second mating members  42  is provided and each of the second mating members  42  is coupled to a respective one of the stencils  30 . Each of the second mating members  42  on respective ones of the stencils  30  releasably engages the first mating members  28  on the frame  12  when the respective stencils  30  are positioned on the frame  12 . In this way the respective stencils  30  are retained on the frame  12 . 
     Each of the second mating members  42  on the respective stencils  30  is positioned on the front side  34  of the respective stencils  30 . Furthermore, each of the second mating members  42  on the respective stencils  30  is positioned adjacent to a respective one of the top edge  38  and the bottom edge  40  of the respective stencils  30 . Each of the second mating members  42  on the respective stencils  30  extends along a full length of the top edge  38  and the bottom edge  40  of the respective stencils  30 . Additionally, each of the second mating members  42  may comprise a loop portion of a hook and loop fastener or other type of multiple use, releasable fastener. 
     In use, selected stencils  30  are positioned on the back surface  24  of the second arms  22  such that the second mating members  42  on the stencils  30  engage the first mating members  28  on the frame  12 . The frame and the selected stencils  30  are positioned against the exposed surface  14  of the curb  16 . In this way the stencils  30  can be accurately positioned on the exposed face  14  of the curb  16  for spray painting a street address, for example, on the exposed face  14  of the curb  16 . Additionally, the stencils  30  can be combined in nearly endless combinations on the frame  12  to form words and numbers. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.