An Improved Means for Cleaning Paint or Varnish Brushes and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means for Cleaning Paint or Varnish Brushes
and the like.
ARTHUR READ POLLARD Master Sign Writer 18 Warwick Place Worthing
in the County of Sussex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention is a drum shaped vessel or of any suitable shape, the top or end
being open and is made to hold a liquid, another drum having one end also, but is
perforated or made of woven wire, or any other suitable material, is made to drop
inside the first mentioned vessel so that the perforated bottom is about half way
down and is held in that position, another part of the invention is a false bottom
which is first inserted in the larger drum the whole of it being put together in this
manner. It is then filled with a suitable quantity of paraffin which should rise
above the perforated bottom, any brush used for paint or varnish and the like may
be inserted and manipulated about in the aforesaid vessel and is quickly cleansed.
Its advantages over other methods are
Paraffin is much cheaper to use than turps.
It cleanses a brush quicker and more effectual.
All impurities settle on the false bottom, which can be removed at any time.
Paraffin can be used over again, and will keep in a liquid and clear condition
whilst turps can only be used a few times and soon thickens.
The hair of brushes are kept in a better condition after cleaning with paraffin.
Dated this 13th day of June 1896.
ARTHUR READ POLLARD.
An Improved Means for Cleaning Paint or Varnish Brushes
and the like.
I ARTHUR READ POLLARD, of 18 Warwick Place, Worthing, in the County
of Sussex, Master Sign Writer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manuer the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object to provide a more convenient means and a
device whereby paint and other similar brushes may be more conveniently cleaned.
In order to enable this to be done, I employ a pot or vessel for containing
pariffin or the like which has a reticulated or perforated diaphragm. While the
brush is being cleansed this diaphragm is immersed in the pariffin or other liquid
contained in the vessel.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and ascertained, I append
drawings in which :-
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation of the brush cleaner.

page_text: .
Fig. 3. is an elevation partly in section of the false bottom or tray.
Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation of a modified form of brush cleaner. The vesself
is shewn half in section.
Fig. 5. is an elevation of the upper vessel provided with a reticulated bottom.
Fig. 6. is a view of the exterior of the brush cleaner.
Referring to Figs. 1. 2. 3 & 6, a is an outer vessel or container of any suitable
shape, but preferably cylindrical, which is provided with a suitable handle b for
conveniently carrying same. I provide this outer vessel a with a false bottom or
tray c to which is attached one or more thin vertical strips or uprights d
strengthened with gussets at their lower ends where they are attached to the false
bottoin c, and provided with rings e at their upper ends, to facilitate the removal.
of the false bottom.
In the vessel a I place a second vesself which is preferably made to fit the
former closely. The vesself is shallower than a, and suspended therein by means
of a flange or ridge g, which engages with the top edge of the vessel a.
As before stated the vessel is provided with a reticulated bottom h, so that
when a brush is to be cleaned it is rubbed to and fro upon this rough surface
which quickly cleanses the bristles or fibres of same.
For convenient withdrawal when necessary the vessel is provided with rings f¹
or any other suitable form of attachment. is a scraper to assist in cleaning the
brush. The scraper may be of the form shewn in Fig. 2. or it may be circular.
The latter will prevent spattering if the brush is cleaned by twirling between the
hands. The cleaner is used in the following manner.
After fitting the component parts together, a quantity of paraffin or turps
(preferably paraffin) is poured into the cleaner, and in such a quantity as to
submerge the lower end of vesself some two or three inches in the cleansing fluid.
The brush to be cleaned is then rubbed over the reticulated bottom h, and all the
impurities from the brush escape through the interstices of same and are
deposited upon the false bottom c, which as before described can be removed and
cleaned periodically. The brush is thus kept from coming into contact with
impurities which have already been deposited upon the false bottom.
In some cases it is necessary to make the inner vesself, capable of being raised
out of the cleansing fluid and retained in such raised position.
Means for effecting this are shewn in Figs. 4 & 5.
ii. are one or more studs formed upon and projecting from the outer side of
vessel f, so that when it is desired to retain same in a raised position, it is lifted
until the studs are clear of the top edge of vessel a upon which, the sides of this
vessel being of a slightly flexible nature, they contract so as to form a sufficient
bearing surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an improved pot or vessel for cleaning paint brushes and the like, the
inner suspended vessel provided with a reticulated bottom, substantially as shewn
and described.
2. In an improved pot or vessel for cleaning paint brushes and the like, the
inner suspended vessel, provided with a reticulated bottom, said vessel being
capable of being withdrawn from the exterior vessel, or raised out of its normal
position in said exterior vessel, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In an improved pot or vessel for cleaning paint brushes and the like, the outer
vessel a provided with a false bottom c, and in which outer vessel is suspended an
inner vesself provided with a reticulated bottom h, substantially as shewn and
described with reference to Figs. 1. 2. 3 & 6.
4. In an improved pot or vessel for cleaning paint brushes and the like, the outer
vessel a, in which is suspended an inner vesself provided on its outer side with oue
or more projecting studs i, i, which may be caused to engage with the top edge of

page_text: vessel a, whereby the inner vesself may be raised from its normal position and
retained in any other position, substantially as shewn and described, with reference
to Figs. 4 & 5.
5. The improved pot or vessel for cleaning paint and like brushes, substantially
as shewn and described.
Dated this 12th day of March 1897.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
"The Inventors' Assistant" Office, 75 Chancery Lane, W.C.