GB2111568A

GB2111568A - Line marker

Info

Publication number: GB2111568A
Application number: GB08137500A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive J Morris
Original assignee: TEXALON INTERNATIONAL Ltd
Current assignee: TEXALON INTERNATIONAL Ltd
Priority date: 1981-12-11
Filing date: 1981-12-11
Publication date: 1983-07-06
Also published as: SE8200066L

Abstract

A line marker for marking a surface with a band of paint sprayed from an aerosol can includes a frame 1 fitted with a pair of main wheels 2 and a pair of detachable auxiliary wheels 24, the upper end of the frame being provided with a can holder and a propelling handle. Flat, rigid, circular, spray shield discs 3 are secured to central stubs 16 projecting from the inwardly facing sides of the main wheels 2. The position of the discs 3 and wheels 2 on their axle 8 can be adjusted to vary the line width by means of biased pins 15 which engage selected circular grooves 9 in the axle. The wheels 2 are fitted with tyres having a central raised rib 13. The aerosol can, Fig. 2 (not shown) is operated by a trigger adjacent a handle portion of the frame, the trigger being connected to a spray actuating member by a control rod which passes through a tubular member of the frame. A stop, which may be variably positioned, prevents upward sliding movement of the can when the trigger is pulled. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Line marker This invention relates to a line marker. The line marker may be used, for example, to mark the ground with a line of paint, The term "line" is used in a general sense and it includes, for example, a band.

According to the invention, a line marker comprises a frame; a pair of wheels mounted on the frame, said wheels being spaced from one another and being provided to make rolling contact with a surface on which a line is to be marked; a flat, circular, disc-shaped, spray shield made of rigid material and mounted adjacent the inwardly facing side of each of said wheels, said shield being fixed to a central stub portion of the adjacent wheel whereby an annular space is provided between said shield and said wheel, and said shield extending radially towards the circumferential edge of the adjacent wheel whereby a small running clearance is provided between the circumferential edges of said shield and the adjacent wheel; the frame also having a holder to receive an aerosol spray dispenser in a position to direct a spray into the space between said shields; and said line marker being provided with actuating means for operating said aerosol spray dispenser when fitted to said holder.

The invention may be embodied in an advantageous manner to solve certain problems.

For example, the problem of providing a line of uniform width and having straight edges is alleviated by the use of flat and rigid disc-shaped shields which are secured to the adjacent wheels.

Such shields run true, as the wheel rotates, thereby providing clean straight edges to the marked line and avoiding disadvantages associated with, for example, the use of conical shields made of plastics material, which may easily become deformed and therefore not run true, or the use of a wheel having a bevelled edge with a shield attached directly to its inwardly facing side. The problem of preventing or reducing creep of the sprayed material (e.g. paint) beneath the wheels, as they rotate, is further alleviated by the use of such shields having a radial extent which provides a minimum clearance beneath their peripheral edges and by providing the annular space between the shields and the inwardly facing side of the adjacent wheels which helps to prevent the sprayed material (e.g. paint) from reaching the wheel bearing surfaces.

Preferably, the wheels have a raised circumferential ridge, which may be located centrally of the circumferential edges of the wheels, to reduce the wheel bearing surface and hence to reduce the possibility of a part of the wheel passing over sprayed material. Each wheel is also preferably mounted on a respective axle portion of the frame so that its axial position may be easily adjusted to adjust the line width. For example, the axle portion may have a plurality of longitudinally spaced circular grooves and each wheel may be fitted with a pin which is biasingly urged towards the axle so that the pin enters a selected groove to locate the wheel in a desired position.

The holder for the aerosol spray dispenser preferably includes a spring clip for receiving e.g.

the body of a can, whereby an empty can can be easily replaced. The actuating means may include an apertured member which receives the spray nozzle of the aerosol can and which bears against spray release means on the aerosol can. This member is connected, by means of a control rod, to a trigger mounted adjacent a handle portion of the frame. When the trigger is pulled, the apertured member bears against the spray release means of the aerosol can whereby the spray is released. In order to prevent the body of the aerosol can from sliding axially in the spring clip, .due to movement of the apertured member caused by pulling the trigger, the frame is preferably provided with a stop member which is releasably secured to the frame, for example by means of a screw thread. The stop member abuts the base of the aerosol can (which is held in an inverted position in the holder).Preferably, the position of the stop is adjustable on the frame so that it may be removed and repositioned to abut against the base of aerosol cans of different sizes.

In order to prevent any contamination of the control rod, connected between the trigger and the apertured member, the control rod preferably passes through a hollow portion of the frame.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a line marker according to the embodimemt of the invention, with the wheels detached.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the line marker shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a line marker has a frame 1, wheels 2, spray shields 3, a holder 4 for holding the body of an aerosol can 5 of paint, and a trigger 6 adjacent to handle 1 a, the trigger forming part of actuating means for releasing a spray of paint from the aerosol can 5.

The frame 1 includes a vertically extending tubular member 7 which is bent, at its upper end, to form handle 1 a. A transverse axle 8 is welded to a lower portion of the tubular member and a series of longitudinally spaced circular grooves 9 are provided in each end portion of the axle 8.

Each wheel 2 includes a flanged portion 10 having a rim 11 on which is mounted a solid tyre 12 having a central raised rib 13. The outer circumferential edge of rib 1 3 contacts the surface on which a line is to be marked and therefore reduces the wheel bearing surface of each tyre.

A collar 14 is fixed to the outwardly facing side of each wheel 2. A spring biased pin 1 5 is mounted in each collar 14 so that it is biased towards the axle 8 when the wheel 2 is fitted thereto. The pin 1 5 is pulled outwardly of the collar 14, in order to fit the wheel 2 on the axle 8 and the wheel is then slid axially along the axle until the end of the pin 1 5 is received in one of the circular grooves 9. The axial position of each wheel 2 may thereby be adjusted on the axle 8 in order to vary the width of the line to be marked on the surface.

A central stub 1 6 projects away from the inwardly facing side of each wheel 2 and the respective shield 3 is secured thereto. Each shield 3 is in the form of a flat, circular disc made of rigid material, such as stainless steel, to prevent warping. The radial extent of each of the discshaped shields is such that a minimum clearance is provided between the lowermost portion of the shield 3 and the surface on which the line is to be marked. in this example, as shown in Fig. 1, the radial extent of each shield 3 is the same as that of the adjacent wheel 2 minus the radial extent of the central rib 13. The height of each rib 13 is such as to provide a minimum clearance between the lowermost portion of the circumferential edge of each shield and the surface on which the line is to be marked. This clearance is of the order of 1 mm.As seen in Fig. 1, the central stub 16 mounting of each shield also provides an annular space 17 between each shield 3 and the inwardly facing side of the adiacent wheel 2.

The holder 4 Is in the form of a spring clip having a U-shape whereby the limbs of the U are urged apart when the can 5 is inserted. The can 5 is mounted in an inverted position and is of a type which does not have a dip tube. The spray nozzle 18 of the can 5 is received in an aperture in a member 19 which is fixed to one end of a control rod 20. The control rod 20 is slidably received within the vertical tubular member 7 except for an upper portion which is bent outwardly to extend from a slot 7a in the vertical tubular member 7 so as to form the trigger 6 which can be squeezed when the handle 1 a is grasped. The control rod 20 is spring biased so as normally to urge the trigger 6 away from the handle 1 a.

When the trigger 6 is pulled, an upward force is exerted on the aerosol can 5. In order to prevent the can 5 from being displaced upwardly by the latter force, a removable stop 21 is attached to the vertical tubular member 7 by means of a screw thread engaging a tapped hole. A series of tapped holes are provided along the length of member 7 so that the position of the stop 21 can be varied to accommodate cans 5 of-different sizes.

A pair of auxiliary wheels 24, mounted on an axle 25 which is supported by struts 26, are provided for holding the vertical tubular member 7 in an upright inclined position. The struts are bolted to a bracket 27 which is welded onto a lower portion of the vertical tubular member 7 so that the auxiliary wheels 24 can be removed, if required. The auxiliary wheels 24 and struts 26 hold the vertical tubular member 7 in an optimum inclined position, i.e. for applying the spray to the surface, and enable the line marker to be left in a stationary position, e.g. whilst an empty can is replaced by a full one, or whilst the operator rests.

Claims

1. A line marker comprising a frame; a pair of wheels mounted on the frame, said wheels being spaced from one another and being provided to make rolling contact with a surface on which a line is to be marked; a flat, circular, disc-shaped, spray shield made of rigid material and mounted adjacent the inwardly facing side of each of said wheels, said shield being fixed to a central stub portion of the adjacent wheel whereby an annular space is provided between said shield and said wheel, and said shield extending radially towards the circumferential edge of the adjacent wheel whereby a small running clearance is provided between the circumferential edges of said shield and the adjacent wheel; the frame also having a holder to receive an aerosol spray dispenser in a position to direct a spray into the space between said shields; and said line marker being provided with actuating means for operating said aerosol spray dispenser when fitted to said holder.

2. A line marker according to claim 1, wherein said wheels have a raised circumferential ridge.

3. A line marker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said wheels is mounted on a respective axle portion of the frame so that its axial position can be adjusted to adjust the line width.

4. A line marker according to claim 3, wherein the axle portion has a plurality of longitudinally spaced circular grooves and each wheel comprises a pin which is biasingly urged towards the axle so that the pin enters a selected groove to locate the wheel in a desired position.

5. A line marker according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said holder comprises a spring clip for receiving the body of the aerosol spray dispenser; the actuating means including an apertured member which is adapted to receive the spray nozzle of the aerosol spray dispenser and to bear against spray release means on the aerosol spray dispenser, said member being connected, by means of a control rod, to a trigger mounted adjacent a handle portion of the frame, a stop member being secured to the frame to prevent any sliding movement of the aerosol spray dispenser when the trigger is operated.

6. A line marker according to claim 5, wherein the position of the stop is adjustable on the frame so that it may be repositioned to abut aerosol spray dispensers of different sizes.

7. A line marker according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control rod passes through a hollow portion of the frame.

8. A line marker according to any one of the previous claims including a pair of detachable auxiliary wheels fitted to the frame for supporting the line marker in an operative position.

9. A line marker substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.