US3172141A - Brush construction - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1965 J. F. ARENA 3,172,141

BRUSH CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2B. 1960 F/az BY i arme/vn United States Patent O 3,172,141 BRUSH CNSTRUCTEGN .lohn F. Arena, Franklin Square, NY., assigner to Baker rush Co., Enc., New York, N .Y., a corporation of New or r Filed Mar. 28, 196i), Ser. No. 1S,l36 Claims. (Cl. 1S-192) This invention relates to a brush construction, more particularly to an improvement in a paint brush construction.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a brush construction having particular utility in the'rnanufacture of paint brushes, and providing substantial economies in manufacture, simplification of assembly procedures, and at the same time an improved end product.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an improved brush assembly permitting the economical use of materials heretofore considered to be impractical for use in brush and handle constructions.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a brush construction having a reduced number of component parts which may be assembled without the necessity of nailing the component parts together, and which nonetheless possessesrequal or greater structural rigidity and permanence as compared to brushes utilizing nails, screws, or like mechanical fastening elements.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a brush construction and method of assembly wherein the component parts are secured together entirely by a cementitious compound applied in the course of setting the bristles in a ferrule.

In conventional brush structures, the root or butt end of the bundle of bristles is inserted part way into a bristle containing ferrule. A bristle setting compound, normally a vulcanizable material, is introduced into the ferrule in contact with the root ends of the bristles and is subsequently vulcanized. To overcome losses by shrinkage of cement from the ferrule, after vulcanization brads or like material fastener elements are driven through the ferrule into the knot comprising the butts of the bristles and the setting compound, causing the knot to be secured within the ferrule, and assembly of the brush is completed by insertion of a handle, `normally of wood, into the other end of the ferrule, the said handle being secured to the ferrule again by brads or the like, driven through the ferrule and into the handle.

More recently it has been proposed that the former described nailing step be eliminated from the brush manufacturing procedure by the provision of an anchoring spacer member which may be vulcanized within the mass of bristle setting compound in contact with the butt ends of the bristles, in which case the only nailing step recommended is that which connects the ferrule and anchoring spacer block to the handle by means of brads which are driven through the ferrule and anchoring spacer and into the handle.

Both of the previously described construction methods and structures present the drawbacks inherent in the use of mechanical fasteners including the possibilities of splitting of the setting compound in the ferrule, the exposure in the iinished brush of protruding nail heads or the'like, the necessity that the handle portion be of a thickness and material capable of accepting the nails or brads utilized, and the increase in labor costs involved in the nailing step.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a brush structure which completely eliminates the use of nails or like mechanical fastening elements.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel brush construction in which a low cost, light weight hollow handle member may be used, which handle member ice characteristics as compared with the structure utilizing the mechanical features.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a brush construction having an integral handle which may be made of relatively thin walled, exible plastic material not heretofore considered to be acceptable for use Iin such application, in the degrees of thickness and ilexibility made practicable through the novel construction herein described and claimed.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of manufacturing a brush.

Other objects of this invention will be understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross section through a completed paint brush in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a View taken on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the bristle and ferrule sub-assembly prior to attachment to the handle;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of a handle sub-assembly preparatory to being joined to the sub-assembly shown in FIGURE `3.

As shown in FlGURE 3, a tubular ferrule 10, of metal or lthe like, is iilled or stuifed at its lower end 11 with the root or butt ends 12 of bristles 13. A plug or spacer 14 of wood or the like may be provided in contact with the butt ends 12 of the bristles 13, to give added body to said bristles, while at the same time aiding in maintaining said bristles in the end 11 of ferrule 10. A measured quantity of liquid bristle setting compound is then introduced through the end 15 of the ferrule 10 into contact with the butt ends 12 of the bristles 13, and plug or spreader 14. The setting compound 16 is preferably a cold curing, selfsetting composition having little or no tendency to shrink as curing progresses.

A good example of a form of setting compound may include epoxy, polyhydroxy, polyether resins, or esters thereof, as disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,569,- 920, but other setting compounds known to the art may be used. Such so-called epoxy resin cements have the desirable properties aforesaid of self-curing without the requirement of heating the mass, and little or no shrinkage upon curing, and have the further advantage of being available in a variety of viscosities to vary the degree of penetration into the butt ends of the bristle members by the compound, thereby permitting a matching of the viscosity of the setting compound to vthe bristle materials employed, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, to permit optimum holding power for the mass of bristles secured within the ferrule.

As seen in FIGURES l and 2, the liquid setting compound lls the ferrule substantially to a point about half way between the top edge 15 of the ferrule and the upermost portion 17 of the bristles 13.

With the ferrule partially filled with liquid bristle setting compound as previously set forth, assembly of the brush is completed by insertion into the ferrule of the lower or shank portion of thehandle sub-assembly 20. The handle 2t), in its preferred form, is made of polyethylene plastic material. While the thickness of the walls dening the gripping portion 21 must be such as to present a fairly rigid structural member, however, as will be understood more fully from the ensuing description, the slight tendency of the gripping portion 21 to collapse under manual pressure prior to completion of 3. the assembly of the brush, is not necessarily an indication that the walls of the portion 21 are not thick enough, since assembly of the handle with the ferrule member produces greater rigidity in said handle portion than was the case in the unassembled condition of the handle.

The handle 20, adjacent the lower portion of the gripping portion 21, is provided with` a peripherally extending stop bead or ferrule abutting shoulder 22. Below the bead 22 the handle desirably includes convergently tapering side walls or skirts 23, 24, and generally arcuate end walls 25, 26, all together providing a ferrule fitting shank. The end walls 25, 26, like the side walls 23, 24, preferably converge or taper inwardly from their widest point adjacent the bead or rim 22 providing camming means. Moreover, walls 25, 26 may extend a distance beyond the lowermost portions 27, 28, of side walls 23, 24, respectively. The lower portions 29, 30 of the end walls 25, 26, respectively, are provided with transverse apertures 31, 32, respectively, for purposes which will appear.

The portions of walls 23, 24, 25, 26, adjacent the bead 22, are preferably slightly oversized with respect of the dimensions of the periphery of the ferrule 10 and its upper end 15. Thus, when the shank portion of the handle 20 is inserted in the upper end- 15 of ferrule 10, bead 22 is retained abutting against said upper end 15 by the frictional engagement of the resilient plastic walls of the shank of the handle 20 and the inner periphery of the ferrule 10.

Moreover, the tight fit, particularly of the side walls 25, 26, against the corresponding inner peripheral points at the upper edge of the ferrule 10, will cause a slight inward flexing or deformation of the walls 25, 26, for purposes which will appear hereafter.

When the lower portions of the handle are inserted into the ferrule 10 so that the bead 22 engages or abutts the upper end 15 of said ferrule, the lower edges 27, 28, of the walls 23, 24, will preferably be immersed or dipped slightly below the level of the bristle setting compound 16, and the lower portions 34, 35, of the longer side walls 26, 25, respectively, will be in close adjacency to, but not touching, the upper edge 17 of the butt ends 12 of the bristles 13.

As previously indicated, the intimate or slightly oversized fit of the lower portion of the shank of the handle assembly 20 with the inner periphery of the upper portion 15 of ferrule 10, preferably causes an inward, lateral displacement of the end portions 29, of the skirt of end walls 25, 26. Where such lateral movement of the end portions 29, 30 is present, there is little or no likelihood that air might become entrapped within the apertures 31, 32, and thus a ow of bristle setting composition through apertures 31, 32, and complete displacement of air entrapped in said apertures is virtually assured by the inward flexing action previously described.

Moreover, a slight additional flexing and unilexing of the portions of handle 20 not immersed in the compound will augment the flow of compound through the apertures and into the hollow mouth portion.

When the compound 16 has set and hardened by the means prescribed for the cement, the handle assembly 20 will be firmly and permanently secured within the ferrule. The permanence of such bonding is augmented by the constricted mouth presented by the inwardly tapering, converging walls 23, 24, 25, 26, since such constricted construction assures that the shank of the handle is retained within the ferrule by more than merely the bonding between the setting compound and the immersed portions of the handle, since hardened setting compound between the handle and said ferrule prevents outward flexing of said Walls and hardened compound within the handle prevents inward flexion. Thus, the bond between the handle and the ferrule is considerably stronger than it would have been had the walls being merely vertically directed, Further, by assuring a flow of setting compound through apertures 31, 32, a still stronger attach- 4 ment of brush handle to ferrule is achieved. The hardening of the setting compound 16 serves to brace the thin side walls of the shank and to rigidify the entire handle assembly, first by providing a solid base portion, and second, by sealing the hollow handle against escape of air entrapped therein.

it will be readily recognized that the rigidifying action aforesaid will permit great economies by allowing the use of relatively thin walled, relatively light weight handle assemblies as compared to the thickness of walls which will be required if the rigidifying and sealing action of the setting compound were not present. It will thus be seen that the setting compound as used with the novel brush assembly and handle sub-assembly herein described and claimed serves at least three functions, namely, to adhere the handle to the ferrule; to rigidify the hollow, thin-walled handle assembly; and to seal the hollow handle portion, thereby rigidifying the latter.

The brush assembly herein described and claimed will be readily recognized as having many advantages as compared with brush structures heretofore known. By eliminating the nailing required in the prior brush structures, the splitting in the bristle setting compound and in the handle are eliminated without any sacrifice, and in fact, with augmentation of the strength of bond between the handle and ferrule. Moreover, the assembly of handle to ferrule is greatly simplified, thus resulting in more economical production than in previously known brush structures. Still further, the use of a bristle setting compound to rigidity the handle structure, as previously described, permits the use of relatively thin-walled plastic handles, thus resulting in still further economies, as well as providing non-fatiguing, light weight brush assemblies.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a method of producing a light weight rigid paint brush from a handle segment having a deformable plastic handle including a hollow, thin-walled ferrule terminating in an open-mouthed shank and a bristle-supporting tubular ferrule, the handle forming an extended chamber in unobstructed communication with the shank which includes inserting into one end of the ferrule the butt ends of the bristles, cementing the butt ends of the same and exposing an overlying surplus layer of cement at the opposite end of the ferrule and bristle assembly, the combination therewith of the steps of introducing the shank of the handle with a tight fit into the open end of the ferrule to dip the shank into the cement in said overlying layer and to cause the cement to surround the outer and inner walls of the shank so dipped into the cement, and then setting the cement to its rigid stage about the outer and inner walls of said shank, whereby to anchor the shank to the ferrule and to brace and rigidity the walls of the shank of the handle in the cement.

2. A method of producing a paint brush having a hollow deformable plastic handle member having thin walls terminating in an open mouth portion comprising the steps of providing a tubular ferrule, filling one end of said ferrule with the butt ends of bristles, introducing liquefied bristle setting compound into said ferrule, in contact with said butt ends of said bristles, introducing said open mouth portion of said handle member into said ferrule with a friction fit to a point beneath the surface of said setting compound, flexing portions of said hollow handle to redistribute said bristle setting compound with- 1n said ferrule and to extend about the inner and outer walls adjacent the mouth portion, and causing said compound to harden.

3. A method of producing a paint brush having a hollow deformable plastic handle member having thin walls termmating in a downwardly directed constricted open mouth portion and at least one transverse aperture in the walls formed in said handle adjacent said mouth portion, comprising the steps of providing a tubular ferrule,

sarars1 filling one end of said ferrule with the butt ends of bristles, introducing liquefied bristle setting compound into said ferrule in contact with said butt ends of said bristles, with an overlying excess layer, introducing said mouth portion into said ferrule with a friction fit and to submerge said aperture of said Walls defining said mouth portion to a point beneath the surface of said setting compound of said overlying layer, causing the portions of said handle defining said aperture to be shifted by deforming said handle, and hardening said bristle setting compound.

4. A brush comprising a tubular ferrule, a plurality of bristle members having their butt ends filling one end of said ferrule, a hollow, thin-walled integral handle member of relatively deformable plastic secured in the other end of said ferrule and comprising an extended, open chamber through said handle member, said handle having at its lower end a tapering shank having a passage to the interior of said handle sleeved in said ferrule, in proximate spaced relation to said butt ends of said bristles, and a mass ol hardened bristle setting compound contacting said butt ends and filling sai-d ferrule to a point above said passage, whereby cementitiously to unite said bristles, ferrule and handle as the sole means of union between said bristles, ferrule and handle.

5. A brush in accordance with claim 4 wherein said handle includes tapering walls defining a Shank projecting into said ferrule and defining a mouth portion, said walls adjacent said other end of said ferrule, in the inserted position of said handle, providing a frictional fit with the inner periphery of said other end of said ferrule and said bristle setting compound being positioned in sealing relation in said mouth portion.

6. A brush in accordance with claim 5 wherein said walls adjacent said mouth portion are provided with a plurality of transverse apertures communicating with the chamber formed in said handle and said walls adjacent said other end of said ferrule are oversize with respect to the inner periphery of said other end of said ferrule, whereby said walls having said apertures are shifted toward each other when said handle is inserted into said ferrule.

7. A paint brush construction comprising a tubular ferrule, a plurality of bristle members having their butt ends projecting into one end of said ferrule to ll said one end, a handle member having a hollow shank extending therefrom secured in the other end of said ferrule, said handle being thin walled and consisting of deformable plastic material and including walls in said shank portion defining a downwardly directed open mouth vportion, said walls adjacent said mouth portion having at least one aperture communicating with the interior of said handle, cam means on at least one said Wall in spaced relation to said aperture, whereby said wall having said cam means will be shifted laterally by the camming engagement of said cam means with said other end of said ferrule when said handle is inserted in said ferrule, and

a mass of bristle setting compound partially filling said errule to a point above said aperture.

8. A paint brush comprising a tubular ferrule, a plurality of bristle members having their butt ends projecting into one end of said ferrule to lill said one` end, a hollow, thin-Walled integral handle member defining an open chamber having a shank secured in the other end of said ferrule in communication with said chamber, said handle member comprising relatively flexible plastic and including an integral outwardly extending circumferential bead contacting said other end of said ferrule and a plurality of integral skirt portions extending below said bead, said skirt portions being angularly oriented with respect to the major axis of said handle, with the portions of said skirts adjacent said bead being oversize with respect to the inner periphery of said -other end of said ferrule to frictionally tit thereinto, and a mass of hardened bristle setting compound in Contact with said butt ends of said bristle members and partially filling said ferrule to a point above the lowermost ends of said skirts.

9. A brush in accordance with claim 8 wherein said skirts define transverse apertures positioned beneath the surface of said bristle setting compound.

10. A plastic brush handle arranged to be connected with a brush bristle section comprising a ferrule sleeve, in one end of which said bristles are arranged to be cemented, said handle being integrally formed, thinwalled, and detining throughout its length a hollow chamber and terminating in a ferrule insertible shank segment having an open mouth in communication with said chamber arranged to be sleeved in said errule endv/ise of said bristles with a tight iit to frictionally fit within said ferrule and having a skirt and anchor portion extendible into the cement portion of said ferrule to anchor said skirt and anchor portion in said cemented portion to one side of said bristles and to have the skirt portion of said handle lilled and rigidified by the cement entering said shank segment on its outer and inner walls, thereby to rigidify said shank and handle and cementitiously join said bristles, ferrule and handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,931 5/50 Simms 15-171 2,562,716 7/51 Hervey 15-193 X 2,709,272 5/55 Pettengill 15-171 2,913,751 11/59 Hardman et al. 15-143 X FOREIGN PATENTS 498,999 11/ 54 Italy.

543,646 12/55 Belgium.

156,999 11/ 5 6 Sweden. 1,185,047 2/59 France.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

Claims (2)

1. IN A METHOD OF PRODUCING A LIGHT WEIGHT RIGID PAINT BRUSH FROM A HANDLE SEGMENT HAVING A DEFORMABLE PLASTIC HANDLE INCLUDING A HOLLOW, THIN-WALLED FERRULE TERMINATING IN AN OPEN-MOUTHED SHANK AND A BRISTLE-SUPPORTING TUBULAR FERRULE, THE HANDLE FORMING AN EXTENDED CHAMBER IN UNOBSTRUCTED COMMUNICATION WITH THE SHANK WHICH INCLUDES INSERTING INTO ONE END OF THE FERRULE THE BUTT ENDS OF THE BRISTLES, CEMENTING THE BUTT ENDS OF THE SAME AND EXPOSING AN OVERLYING SURPLUS LAYER OF CEMENT AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE FERRULE AND BRISTLE ASSEMBLY, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF THE STEPS OF INTRODUCING THE SHANK OF THE HANDLE WITH A TIGHT FIT INTO THE OPEN END OF THE FERRULE TO DIP THE SHANK INTO THE CEMENT IN SAID OVERLYING LAYER AND TO CAUSE THE CEMENT TO SURROUND THE OUTER AND INNER WALLS OF THE SHANK SO DIPPED INTO THE CEMENT, AND THEN SETTING THE CEMENT TO ITS RIGID STAGE ABOUT THE OUTER AND INNER WALLS OF SAID SHANK, WHEREBY TO ANCHOR THE SHANK TO THE FERRULE AND TO BRACE AND RIGIDIFY THE WALLS OF THE SHANK OF THE HANDLE IN THE CEMENT.

4. A BRUSH COMPRISING A TUBULAR FERRULE, A PLURALITY OF BRISTLE MEMBERS HAVING THEIR BUTT ENDS FILLING ONE END OF SAID FERRULE, A HOLLOW, THIN-WALLED INTEGRAL HANDLE MEMBER OF RELATIVELY DEFORMABLE PLASTIC SECURED IN THE OTHER END OF SAID FERRULE AND COMPRISING AN EXTENDED, OPEN CHAMBER THROUGH SAID HANDLE MEMBER, SAID HANDLE HAVING AT ITS LOWER END A TAPERING SHANK HAVING A PASSAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID HANDLE SLEEVED IN SAID FERRULE. APPROXIMATE SPACED RELATION TO SAID BUTT ENDS OF SAID BRISTLES, AND A MASS OF HARDENED BRISTLE SETTING COMPOUND CONTACTING SAID BUTT ENDS AND FILLING SAID FERRULE TO A POINT ABOVE SAID PASSAGE, WHEREBY CEMENTITIOUSLY TO UNITE SAID BRISTLES, FERRULE AND HANDLE AS THE SOLE MEANS OF UNION BETWEEN SAID BRISTLES, FERRULE AND HANDLE.

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