US2883043A - Conditioning container for brushes - Google Patents

Description

E. KURATH CONDITIONING CONTAINER FOR BRUSHES April 21,- 95@ -2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l, 1957 Il!) Allnllf lan(- Il INVENTR. Eras? Rufe/2 BY y /fwf/ ff'/ April- 21, 1959 E. lKURATH CONDITIONING CONTAINER FOR BRUSHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F255' Filed April l, 1957 .Fz4

Unite States Patent() CONDITIONING CONTAINER FOR BRUSHES Ernst Kurath, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Wisconsin Laboratories, Inc., Dousman, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 1, 1957, Serial No. 650,020

8 Claims. (Cl. ZIM-15.1)

This invention relates to a container for brushes, and more particularly one adapted to retain paint brushes in a sealed vapor saturated compartment to free them of paint binding materials and retain them in a soft usable condition even after extended periods of non-use.

While numerous forms of paint brush containers have been in general usage, most of them have had shortcom` ings which rendered them incapable of serving their intended puipose to the best of advantage.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved vapor type container for paint brushes which will overcome the inherent shortcomings of previously designed containers intended to remove paint binding materials and maintain used brushes in soft usable substantially new condition in spite of long storage periods.

Another object is to provide a container of suliicient size to accommodate a considerable number of various widths and sizes of paint brushes.

Another object resides in the provision of new and improved means for the suspended support of paint brushes housed in the container.

Another object resides in the provision of means for maintaining a brush supporting element in elevated position to facilitate the selection of the desired brush from an assortment of brushes stored in the container.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved hinged cover for the container.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of spring urged means for maintaining a substantially uniform pressure on the cover to effectively seal the container against vapor leakage.

Another object resides in the provision of relatively large at pads of absorbent material adapted to be saturated with a paint binder solvent solution.

Another object resides in the provision of positioning means for maintaining the relatively large ilat absorbent pads in space conserving position adjacent the inner walls of the container.

A more specilic object resides in the construction of the absorbent pads which include a reservoir adapted to hold a supply of liquid solvent for maintaining the pads in saturated condition.

Another object is to expose a large area of the absorbent pads to facilitate vaporization of the solvent within the container to expedite the dissolving of oils and binding materials contained in the residual paint which remains in the brushes after use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through a brush container constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

t Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view takensubstantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

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Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the latching means for retaining the handle of the container in carrying position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, showing spring urged means for effecting uniform sealing pressure between the cover and body of the container;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view,'taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing means for permitting relative movement between the container cover and the carrying handle;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the body of the container, taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3, showing details of construction of a movable brush supporting member and the latch supporting structure;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. l, showing the construction and positioning of the pads of absorbent material; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2 showing the pads of absorbent material broken away to more clearlyl illustrate the formation and structure of the pads of absorbent material. l

Before entering into a detailed description of the structure and operation of the illustrative embodiment of thie present invention, it is believed that a brief description of the nature and functioning of the device will serve to emphasize its numerous advantages. j

Vapor type paint brush containers provide a simple and effective means for storing brushes during periods of non-use and maintaining them in soft usable condition at all times. y

It is a well established fact that paint brushes stored in the open air become hard due to the evaporation of solvents and the resultant solidifying of the various materials normally present in all paints, vamishes and lacquers, even though the brush has been carefully cleaned before it is put away.

Since numerous types of binding materials, such as oils and resins, are found in all paints, vamishes and lacquers, the most satisfactory solution to the problem of maintaining the brushes in soft, pliable and usable condition resides in the provision of a suitable solvent material which is capable of penetrating the brushes to dissolve the binding materials and prevent their hardness. Experience has taught the fact that old used brushes may be rejuvenated and the life of the new brushes may be materially lengthened if they are stored in an atmosphere containing a solvent vapor rather than being immersed in a bath of liquid solvents. In view of the many different binding materials which are commonly used in the paint industry, it has been discovered that the use of a blend of solvents is highly desirable so that 4each of the various types of binding materials can be dissolved from the brushes to preclude their hardening. After the excess paint, varnish or lacquer has been removed from the brush, the brush may be suspended in the container in a manner to be hereinafter more specifically described and exposed to the action of the vapors of the blend of solvents which till th container after it has been closed and sealed. y A Referring more particularly to Fig.v l of the accompanying drawings, it will be noted that the brush conrainer 10, embodying the teachings of the present invention, is preferably rectangular in shape and having a` depth great enough to hold various sized brushes including sash brushes and comprises a flanged bottom 11,"a wrap-around wall 12 joined at its lower marginal edge to the flanged portion of the bottom 11 by means'o'f' channel-shaped binding strip 13. The several pieces are joined' together inzany appropriate mannerto provide an' air-tight leak-proof joint. The upper marginal edge of the wrap-around wall is provided with an inwardly and downwardly turned ange 1-`4 which delineates the open topv of the container.

A'. cover 15 having a size slightly larger than that of thefmouth. of the container: includes a depending marginal ange 16 adapted to surround the marginal. edge of the mouth of thecontainer. A gasket 17 preferably formed of. cork or other suitable material is adhesively secured tothe underside of the cover 15 to afford an air-tight sealv when the cover is applied to the open topped conrainer.

Invv order to insure uniform yieldable sealing pressure between the gasket 1-7 of the cover 15 and the upper marginal edge of the container a coil spring 18 (see Fig.. 5 is positionedover a stud 19 which extendsthrough the central portion of. the cover and is threadedly secured vto the underside of the cover through the medium of.` a nuty 20 suitably anchored to the underside of the cover 15. The lower end of the coil spring 18 engages the top surface of the cover 15, while the upper end of the. coil spring 18 is housed within a recess 21 formed in ahandle 22 which provides the carrying medium for the container. The cover 15 is movably secured to the handle -22 bymeans of two pairs of laterally spaced angle brackets 23 disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the cover 15. The horizontal portions of the angle brackets 23. (-see Fig. 6) are secured in lateral spaced relationship on the top surface of the cover 15 by the application of nuts and bolts 24. The lateral spacing between the vertical portions of the angle brackets 23 is such that the handle 22 is vertically movable between the upright portions. of the angle brackets 23. The handle 22 is provided with a vertically disposed slot 25 adapted to receive a bolt 2.6 which passes through aligned holes 27 formed in the adjacent brackets 23 to retain the cover 15 on the handle 22. Itis to be understood that similar means are provided for retaining the handle in operative association with both pairs of angle brackets 23.

Suitable hinge and latching means are provided for the opposite ends of the handle 22. In the present instance, the supporting structures for the hinge and latching means for the handle 22 are applied in aligned relationship to the outer surfaces of the end walls 12 of the container 10 adjacent the upper portion thereof. Each of these structures includes a substantially rectangular box-like member 28 having one of its narrower sides secured to the end wall 12 of the container by means of vertically spaced bolts 29.. A pair of vertically disposed laterally spaced arms 30 are secured by means of bolts 31 to the inner surfaces of the member 28 adjacent the side of the member disposed opposite the anchoring means. A pair of axially aligned holes 32 are positioned adjacent the upper extremity of each of the arms 30. Additional axially aligned holes 33 are disposed in the arms 30 below theA holes 32. The holes 32 at the upper extremity of one pair of arms 30y serve to receive a bolt 34 which passes through a hole adjacent one end of the handle 22 to provide a hinge connection between the handle and the supporting means.

The latching means for the opposite end of the handle 22 comprises a U-shaped rod 35 having a long leg 36 slidably receivable in the lower axially aligned holes 33 in the. farms 30 disposed on the end of the container opposite the hinge bolt 34. A nut 37 is threadedly attached to the extremity of the long leg 36 to preclude accidental removal of the latching means from. its support. The, shorter leg 38 ofthe U-shaped rod 35 is adapted to be. slidably received. through the aligned holes 32 and a hole 39 which passes through the handle. 22 to releasably retain the handle in load-carrying relationship with the container 10.

When the handle 22 is in latched. position on the contanen 10a the bolts. 24. which pass. through the angle brackets 23 are positioned intermediate the ends ofthe vertically disposed slots 25, formed in the handle 22, so that the coil spring 18 mounted in the recess 21 in the handle 22 exerts a downward pressure on the cover 15 to yieldably retain a uniform pressure between the gasket 17 in the cover 15 and the open marginal top of the container 10 to maintain an airtight seal between the cover 15 and the container 10.

The container 10 is provided with a pair of identically formed brush-holding members in the form of bent rods 40 which are vertically movable and supported on mounting brackets Ll1 fixedly positioned on shorter opposite sides of the container 10. In order to strengthen the end walls of the container 10', to better secure the mounting brackets 41 and the hinge and latch mounting means 28, a channel-shaped plate 4.2 is secured in position on the walls of the container 16 adjacent their upper portions. The bolts 29 which secure the box-like members 28 in position on the ends of the container 10 pass through suitable holes. formed in the plate 42 and also through holes 43 formed in the base portion of the mounting brackets 41. The members 28 and 41 are rigidly secured in position by the application of nuts 44 to the inner ends of the bolts 29. Each of the mounting brackets 41 are provided vwith a pair of vertically spaced inwardly directed horizontal portions 45 provided with aligned holes 46 adapted to slidably receive a shank portion 47 of the brush-holding rods 4i). A nut 48 is threadedly attached to the lower end of the shank portion 47 of each of the rods 40. When the rod is moved vertically to the elevated position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1)-, one side of the nut engages a depending ange portion 49 formed on the inner end of the lower horizontal portion 45 of the bracket 41 to frictionally engage the nut 48 and retain the rod 40 in its elevated position. The inner end of the upper horizontal portion 45 of the bracket 41 is provided with an upwardly directed flange portion 50 provided with a centrally disposed notch 51 adapted to receive and position a horizontally disposed portion 52 of the brush-holding rods 4d.

Relatively large absorbent solvent saturated pads 53 are removablypositioned adjacent the longer side walls of the container 10 by a pair of vertically spaced flat wire bars 54 provided with flanged ends 55 adapted to be secured to the inner surfaces of the end walls of the container 10 to retain the bars 54 in spaced relationship with the side walls of the container.

The absorbent pads 53 each have an area which is slightly less than the area of the longer side walls of the container 10 so as to present a relatively large exposed area to facilitate the saturation of the sealed container with the vapor of the solvent.

Each of the absorbent pads 53 comprises a plurality of fibrous sheets of absorbent material 56, such as cardboard; These sheets are retained together in any suitable manner such as by the application of stitching or metal staples 57. The lower portion of each of the pads 53 is encased in an open topped solvent containing envelope 58 which in turn is housed within an absorbent folded sheet or cover 59.

A brief description of the use and operation of the device will serve to emphasize its numerous advantages for maintaining used brushes in new condition and to prevent their hardening in spite of long delays between periods of usage of particular brushes. To prepare the container for use, the handle 22 and associated cover 15I are swung to the dotted line open position, shown in Fig. l, and the absorbent pads 53, which lie between the vertically spaced. bars 54 and the adjacent longer side walls of the container 10, are saturated with the proper solvent solution. The container is now ready to receive brushes. One of the brush-holding rods 40 is then elevated to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and as many as four or six brushes may be retained in suspended position on the horizontal portion 52 of the rod 40. When y the desired number of brushes have been suspended on the elevated brush-holding member 40, it may be lowered to a position where it lies within the notch 51 of the mounting bracket 41. The other brush-holding member 40 may then be elevated and additional brushes may be suspended on the horizontal portion 42 of the other brush-holding rod 40. It then may be lowered to a position wherein it lies within the notch 51 in its mounting bracket 41 to releasably retain the horizontal portions 52 of the rods 40 in axial alignment and the suspended brushes against accidental displacement within the container. The handle 22 and cover 15 may then be swung as a unit to a position above the open container, with the shorter leg of the U-shaped latching rod 35 withdrawn from the hole 32 in the upper ends of the latch supporting arms 30 so that the free end of the handle 22 will pass between the laterally spaced arms 30. Slight pressure may then be applied to the top of the handle 22 in order `to align the hole 39 in the handle 22 with the holes 32 in the arms 30 so that the shorter leg 38 of the latch 35 may be inserted through the aligned holes to releasably retain the handle 22 in load-sustaining position on the container 10. The required downward pressure on the handle 22 to align the hole 39 with the holes 32 in the arms 30 results in the compression of the coil spring 1S to exert uniform downward pressure on the cover 15 to insure sealing pressure between the gasket 17 and the upper marginal rim of the container 10.

The vapor-laden solvent atmosphere within the sealed container permeates the brushes to dissolve any paint or other binding material contained in the stored brushes to preclude their hardening. In actual practice, the binding materials retained in the bristles of the brushes actually dissolve and drip from the suspended brushes to free them completely of paint and its binding materials.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its embodiment without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. A conditioning container for used paint brushes, said container comprising an open topped hollow body portion, a brush supporting element mounted for vertical movement on the interior surface of said container, said brush supporting element having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are disposed wholly within said container and a raised position wherein a portion of the supported brushes is readily accessible for application to or removal from said brush supporting element, a handle hingedly mounted on said container, a container cover operatively associated with said handle and movable with respect thereto, yieldable spring means disposed between said handle and said cover, latching means for releasably retaining said handle in load carrying position on said container, said spring means being responsive to the xed positioning of said handle in latched position to eiect a sealing pressure between said cover and the open top of said container, and a pad of absorbent material y within said container, said pad adapted to be saturated With a volatile paint binder solvent solution whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to solvent-laden vapor within said container to maintain the brushes in soft usable condition.

2. A conditioning container for used paint brushes to maintain them against hardening, said container comprising an open topped body portion, a brush supporting element mounted for vertical movement in said container, said brush supporting element having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are disposed wholly within said container and a raised position wherein a portion of the supported brushes is readily accessible for application to or removal from said brush supporting element, a handle hingedly mounted on said container, a container cover operatively associated with said handle, yieldable spring means disposed between said handle and said cover for normally urging said cover away from said handle,

latching means for releasably retaining said handle in load carrying position on said container, said yieldable spring means being responsive to the latched positioning of said handle to effect sealing pressure contact between said cover and the open top of said container, and a pad of absorbent material within said container, said pad adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to the action of solvent-laden vapor from said absorbent pad to dissolve the paint binding material on said brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition.

3. A conditioning container for used paint brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition, said container comprising an open topped body portion, a brush supporting element mounted for vertical movement in said container, said brush supporting element having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are disposed wholly within said container and a raised position wherein a portion of the supported brushes is readily accessible for application to or removal from said brush supporting element, a handle disposed above and across said container, a hinged mounting means for one end of said handle, a latching means for releasably retaining the other end of said handle in load carrying position on said container, a container cover movably associated with said handle, yieldable means disposed between said handle and said cover for normally urging said cover toward an extreme position away from said handle, said yieldable means being responsive to the latched positioning of said handle to effect sealing pressure contact between said cover and the open top of said container, and a pad of absorbent material within said container, said pad adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to the action of solvent-laden vapor from said absorbent pad to dissolve the paint binding material on said brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition.

4. A conditioning container for used paint brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition, said container comprising an open topped body portion, a mounting bracket secured to the inner surface of said container, a brush supporting element carried by said bracket and mounted for vertical movement with respect thereto, said brush supporting element having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are disposed wholly within said container and a raised position wherein a portion of the supported brushes is readily accessible for application to or removal from said brush supporting element, cooperating means on said bracket and brush supporting element to frictionally retain said brush supporting element in elevated position wherein a portion of said brush supporting element is disposed above said container to facilitate the application and removal of brushes thereon, a handle disposed above and across said container, a hingedmounting means for one end of said handle, a latching means for releasably retaining the other end of said handle in load carrying position on said container, a container cover movably associated with said handle, yieldable means disposed between said handle and said cover for normally urging said cover toward an extreme position away from said handle, said yieldable means being responsive to the latched positioning of said handle to effect sealing pressure contact between said cover and the open top of said container, and a pad of absorbent material within said container, said pad adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to the action of solvent-laden vapor from said absorbent pad to dissolve the paint binding material on said brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition.

5. A conditioning container for paint brushes, said container comprising a substantially rectangular open toppedv hollow body portion, a vertically movable brush supporting element mounted' on the interior surface of one end of said body portion, said brush supporting element having a lowered position wherein the suppored brushes are disposed Wholly within said container and a raised position wherein a portion of the supported brushes is readily accessible for application to or removal from said brush supporting element, a relatively large pad of absorbent material positioned adjacent a side wall of said body portion, said pad adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution, a handle hingedly mounted on said container, a container cover operatively associated with said handle, and latching means for releasably retaining said handle in load carrying position and said cover in sealing contact with the open top of said container whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to solvent laden vapor within said container to maintain the brushes in soft usable condition.

6. A conditioning container for paint brushes, said container comprising a substantially rectangular open topped hollow body portion, a vertically movable brush supporting element mounted on the interior surface of one end of said body portion, said brush supporting element having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are disposed wholly within said container and a raised position wherein a portion of the supported brushes is readily accessible for application to or removal from said brush supporting element, a relatively large pad of absorbent material positioned adjacent a side wall of said body portion, said pad adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution, a handle hingedly mounted on said container, a container cover movably mounted on said handle, yieldable means disposed between said handle and said cover, and latching means for releasably retaining said handle in load carrying position on said container, said yieldable means between said handle and cover serving to exert a uniform sealing pressure between said cover and the open top of said container when said handle is latched in load carrying position on said container whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to solvent laden vapor within said container to maintain the brushes in soft usable condition.

7. A conditioning container for paint brushes, said con tainer comprising a substantially rectangular relatively deep open topped body portion, a pair of vertically movable brush supporting elements on the interior surface of the opposite ends of said body portion, each of said pair of vertically movable brush supporting elements having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are disposed wholly within said container and an elevated position wherein a portion of said brush supporting element is disposed above said container to thereby facilitate the application or removal of brushes to and from said supporting elements a pair of pads of absorbent material disposed adjacent the opposite sides of said body portion, each of said pads adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution, a handle dispensed above and across said container, a hinged mounting means for one end of said handle, a latching means on said container for releasably retaining the other end of said handle in load carrying position onsaid container, a container cover movably associated with said handle, spring means disposed'between said handle and said cover for normally urging said cover toward an extreme position away from said handle, said spring means being responsive to the latched positioning of said handle to effect sealing pressure contact between said cover and open top of said container whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to the action of solvent-laden vapor from said absorbent pad to dissolve the paint binding material on said brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition.

8. A conditioning container for paint brushes, said container comprising a substantially rectangular relatively deep open, topped body portion, a pair of brackets mounted on the inner surface of said container atV opposite ends thereof, abmsh supporting element vertically movable with respect to each of said brackets, each of said vertically movable bmsh supporting elements having a lowered position wherein the supported brushes are wholly within said container and an elevated position whereinV a portion of said brush supporting element is disposed above said container to thereby facilitate the application or rcmoval of brushes to and from said supporting elements, cooperating means on saidsbrackets and brush supporting elements to frictionally retain said elements in elevated position wherein a portion of each of said elements is disposed above said container to facilitate the application and removal of brushes thereon, a handle disposed above and across said container, a hinged mounting means for one end of said handle, a latching means for releasably retaining the other end of said handle in load carrying position on said container, a container cover movably associated with said handle, spring means disposed betweenfsaidl handle and said cover for normally urging said cover toward an extreme position away from said handle, said spring means being responsive to the latched positioning of said handle to effect sealing pressure contact between said cover and the open top of said container, and a pad of absorbent material within said container, said pad adapted to be saturated with a volatile paint binder solvent solution whereby brushes housed within said sealed container are exposed to the action of solventladen vapor from said absorbent pad to dissolvethe paint binding material on said'brushes to maintain them in soft usable condition.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,109,828 Goti Sept. 8, 1914 1,147,785 Cotlin July 27, 1915 1,305,862 Adair June 3, 1919 1,435,110 Etord Nov. 7, 1922 2,109,346 Terzo July 8, 1937 2,270,593 Kurath et al Ian. 20, 1942 2,768,851 Gifford Apr. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 734,458 France Aug. 1, 1932

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