US3669069A

US3669069A - Surface texturizer

Info

Publication number: US3669069A
Application number: US68291A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cedric D Bourboulis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-08-31
Filing date: 1970-08-31
Publication date: 1972-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-13

Abstract

A device for texturizing painted surfaces in which a plurality of tapered S-shaped resilient petals or flaps depend from a formable backing member. The petals or flaps are of non-uniform length. The device has a removable handle for ease in applying it to wall and ceiling surfaces.

Description

United States Patent Bourboulis 1 June 13, 1972 SURFACE TEXTURIZER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Cedric li 1425 Ticyhenor 378,142 8/1932 Great Britain .15/210 5 CmrLafaYettCa1l94549 707,452 4/1954 Great Britain.... 15/210 5 '22 Filed; Aug. 31, 1970 598,731 2/1948 Great Britain ..15/210.5 Appl'yNol: 68,291 620,151 3/1949 Great Britain ..l5/I88 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum 52 us. 0.... ..11s/102,15 210.5 and Townsend [51] Int. Cl .1344! 3/34 [58] Field ofSearch ..15/186, 187,188, 210.5;

117/10; 118/102 [57] ABSTRACT A device for texturizing painted surfaces in which a plurality References Clted of tapered S-shaped resilient petals or flaps depend from a formable backing member. The petals or flaps are of non- UNITED STATES PATENTS uniform length. The device has a removable handle for ease in 944,821 12/1909 Ridgely 15/2 10.5 applying it to wall and ceiling surfaces. 3,142,082 7/1964 Harwood. ....l5/210.5 1,006,630 10/1911 Clarke ..l5/188 '4Claims,9DrawingFigures Q L3 E PATENTEDJUH 1 3 m2 SHEET HP 2 FlGml F 4 v Cm waxa aa ms BY v WW4 W ATTORNEYS PATENTEoJum I912 3.669.069

SHEET 20F 2 20 Is 20 32 I8 FIG...5 F|G 6 F|G 7 l8 l8 a INVENTOR.

CEDRIC o. BOURBOULIS .W MW

ATTORNEYS SURFACE TEXTURIZER This invention relates to painting and decorating devices and more particularly to a texturizer for creating random patterns 'on various surfaces.

Over the years, a number of devices and techniques have been utilized for applying unusual finishes to wall, ceiling, and other surfaces. In'the past, decorative effects have been obtained by rubbing rags or crumpled-up newspapers over wet paint on surfaces to create the so-called tiffany finish or other effects. These finishes are no longer used because of the large amount of labor which must be expended and because, properly done, a large degree of skill must be utilized. There have been many proposals and devices utilized for creating decorative effects including many kinds of stipling brushes. I am aware of a number of these, for example, .the stippling brushes and devices shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,154,928, 1,700,079, 1,772,520, and 1,936,174. I am also aware ofa socalled wood graining device in U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,601 as well as the decorating device shown in British Pat. No. 598,731. None of the devices of which I am aware can accomplish the object of providing a t'exturizing unit for paints and other materials which will yield a random pattern on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces merely by pressing the device against the surface after a coating of wet paint has been applied. It is quite clear from the description of the devices described in the patents listed above that they cannot be used in the same manner asthe present invention. z

The present invention permits the easy creation of random effects through the flexing action of tapered thin resilient petals mounted in a planar backing member. The backing member is provided with a removable handle to more easily permit the manipulation of the tool in applying it to a wall surface. The resilient petals or flaps arespaced apart from each other to permit the maximum flexure. They are formed into an approximate S-shape which permits a substantial amount of flexure and, in addition, causes the petals to flex differently each time the texturizer is pressed against a surface. In this way, a truly random pattern is obtained from the use of the device. The S-shape of the petals or flaps also serves to stiffen them so that they return to their original position immediately after flexure. They also have random lengths so that a truly random pattern is obtained.

Thebacking member, which in the preferred embodiment is made out of a natural or synthetic rubber, is provided with a formable core so that the backing member can be shaped to conform the texturizer to concave or convex surfaces. Because the individual tapered S-shaped petals are spaced apart in the backing member there is no tendency of the individual petals to pick up any substantial amount of paint from the surface to .be decorated so that there is no tendency, for runs or other defects to be created in the painted surface.

In The Drawings:

FIG, 1 is a side elevational view of a paint texturizer of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom plan view showing the S-shape of the petals; I I

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through one of the petals showing its tapered shape;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the texturizer petals;

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing the petal slit at approximately its center for a change in the resulting texture;

FIG. 7 is asimilar view to FIG. 5 showing two slits in the petal for even finer texture;

FIG. 8 is an end view in partial section showing the shaping of the backing member to conform to a convex surface; and

FIG. 9 is.a perspective view of petals showing the movement of the petals in causing thesurface to be texturized.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which the same reference'numerals refer to identical parts in each of the several views, a paint texturizer of the present invention is shown generally at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The texturizer comprises a backing member 12 made of a resilient material such as synthetic rubber formed around a formable core member 14. The core member is'of a formable material such as expanded metal or similar material which will permit the backing member to be conformed to various shapes. Depending from the under surface 16 of the backing member is a plurality of resilient petalsor flaps 18. In the preferred embodiment these resilient petals or flaps 18 are formed of a synthetic rubber and are approximately one inch long by 1 V4 inches wide. The petals taper from approximately oneeighth inch thick at the base 20 of the petal 18 where it joins the backing member 12 to approximately one-sixteenth of an inch or less in thickness at the tip 22. The synthetic rubber petals are preferably formed integrally with the material of the backing member 12 by means of molding or similar processes. The petals 18 are of random lengths, the difierence between the longest and shortest petals being approximately one-eighth inch.

As may be noted from the bottom plan view of FIG. 3 and in the illustrations of the individual petals in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the petals are molded into the backing member so that they form a generally open S-shape. I have noted that this shape when combined in the proportions listed results in an extremely resilient petal admirably suited for the texturizing as accomplished by the unit described. The S-shape causes the petals to spring back to their initial shape immediately upon release of pressure. I a g In order to properly use the texturizer, a handle 24 which may be formed of heavy gauge metal or similar material is utilized for gripping the backing member. The handle 24 is formed with a gripping portion 26 and a curved retainer part 28 at the outer edges of the handle to snap over and grip the edges of the backing member 12 to formthe complete texturizer unit 10.

The tool is used by applying a coating of paint over a surface and, while the paint is wet, the texturizer of the present invention is pushed briskly directly against the surface with the backing member approximately parallel to the surface. This brisk pressure or pounding of the unit against the surface is often called pouncing. A small amount of pressure on the texturizer will cause the individual petals 18 to fold, curl, roll or slide in various directions as may be seen in FIG. 9. Because of the resilient construction of the petals, they will move in different directions with each pouncing of the unit. Thus, the present texturizer, as contrasted with prior art devices, does not require twisting, turning or other manipulation in order to obtain the desired random texture. Simply-pressing the unit against the wetpaint on the surface will create the desired texture in a completely random pattern so that the entire wall or ceiling surface will have an entirely random pattern rather than repeated sections of the same textured pattern.

The petals 18 of the general dimensions described above will result in a large texture pattern. If a finer pattern is desired, it is possible to make a cut 30 in each of the petals in the center thereof from the tip 24 towards the base 20 as illustrated in FIG. 6 so that smaller wiping portions of the petal act on the paint surface. For an even finer texture, two cuts 32 from the tip 24 toward the base 20 as illustrated in FIG. 7 may be made in each of the petals for multiplied wiping surfaces narrower than the usual petal and resultant finer texture pattern.

The texturizer may be used to form a textured finish in plaster or similar materials. In such a case, the same kind of procedure is utilized as for paint. The wet texture mixture of plaster or other material is applied with a brush, trowel, spray or roller over the surface and, while it is wet, the texturizer tool is pounced on the surface in the same manner as for paint. This will result in random mounds of texture material varying in thickness up to approximately one-fourth of an inch. The petals of the present invention will result in random pattern being formed over the entire surface to be textured so that defective or uneven walls can be hidden or plaster sheet rock and similar surfaces decorated in an unusual manner.

The texturizer tool of the present invention may be utilized for applying a textured finish to curved surfaces. The expanded metal or similar core 14 molded inside the rubber of the backing member 12 will permit conforming the shape of the texturizer to any curved surfaces merely by bending the unit with the fingers. After the surface has been decorated, the core member may be straightened with the fingers and the texturizer will again be suitable for use on flat surfaces.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I CLAIM:

l. A surface texturizer comprising a planar backing member, a multiplicity of substantially S-shaped, resilient flaps depending from one of the planar faces of the backing member, said flaps of random lengths so that the free ends of the flaps are not coplanar, said flaps having a tapered crosssection with the narrowest portion adjacent the tip thereof, and a gripping member connected to the backing member for manipulating the texturizer.

2. The surface texturizer of claim 1 wherein the backing member is formed of resilient material having a formable core member therein to permit the backing member to be bend to conform to curved surfaces and thereupon maintain its shape.

3. The surface texturizer of claim 1 wherein the flaps have at least one slit therein along the length thereof to permit the flaps to flex as a plurality of narrow petals to yield a finer textured surface.

4. A surface texturizer comprising a yieldable backing member, a multiplicity of spaced apart elongate flaps formed integrally with the backing member and extending from the member at right angles thereto, each of the flaps made of resilient material and having a tapered cross-section with the thicker portion adjacent the member so that the ends of the flaps will readily bend and curl when pressure is applied to the backing member, each of the flaps having a substantially S- shaped cross-section along a plane parallel to the backing member so that the flaps will tend to spring back to their original shape when applied pressure is relieved, said flaps being of random lengths so that the free ends thereof are not coplanar, and a removable handle mounted on the backing member for manipulating the texturizer.

Claims

1. A surface texturizer comprising a planar backing member, a multiplicity of substantially S-shaped, resilient flaps depending from one of the planar faces of the backing member, said flaps of random lengths so that the free ends of the flaps are not coplanar, said flaps having a tapered cross-section with the narrowest portion adjacent the tip thereof, and a gripping member connected to the backing member for manipulating the texturizer.

4. A surface texturizer comprising a yieldable backing member, a multiplicity of spaced apart elongate flaps formed integrally with the backing member and extending from the member at right angles thereto, each of the flaps made of resilient material and having a tapered cross-section with the thicker portion adjacent the member so that the ends of the flaps will readily bend and curl when pressure is applied to the backing member, each of the flaps having a substantially S-shaped cross-section along a plane parallel to the backing member so that the flaps will tend to spring back to their original shape when applied pressure is relieved, said flaps being of random lengths so that the free ends thereof are not coplanar, and a removable handle mounted on the backing member for manipulating the texturizer.