Patent ID: 7165879

Claim:
A paint mixer comprising: a. a housing; and b. a rotatable frame within the housing, the frame having i. a base portion supporting a first plate for receiving a paint container, ii. a pair of upright portions extending from the base member, iii. a bridge portion extending between the upright portions, iv. a movable clamp assembly extending below the bridge portion and positioned between the upright portions and having a centrally-located threaded rod extending through the bridge portion and directly connected at one end to a rotatable handle and at the other end to a second plate for advancing and retracting the second plate with respect to the first plate in opposed relationship thereto for clamping a paint container between the first and second plates, and v. a selectively releasable lock including a pawl assembly located in a stationary position on the bridge portion wherein the lock has a first state preventing retracting movement of the second plate with respect to the first plate while permitting advancing movement of the second plate with respect to the first plate and having a second state permitting retracting movement of the second plate with respect to the first plate.