Paint brush and paint roller cleaning device

Abstract

Presented is a unitary generally cylindrical holding device for use in conjunction with the cleaning of paint brushes and paint rollers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to paint brush and paint roller cleaning devices, and particularly to such a device for holding either a paint brush or a paint roller, and adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis to effect cleaning of a paint brush or paint roller through the action of centrifugal force. Other devices to effect cleaning of paint brushes and paint rollers by centrifugal force are known, but such devices are usually complex mechanical structures expensive to purchase and complicated to use. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a holding device for a paint brush or a paint roller which is both economical to manufacture and simple to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint brush and roller cleaning device constituting an elongated tubular structure embodying holding means along its inner and outer periphery, the holding means associated with the inner periphery being effective to retain the handle of a paint brush, while the holding means associated with the outer periphery are effective to retain a paint roller in place while it is being rotated.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however, that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In terms of broad inclusion, the invention comprises an elongated tubular body sections of the wall of which have been displaced in reference to the inner and outer periphery of the tube so as to define a restricted passageway within the confines of the tube within which the handle of a paint brush may be inserted and resiliently held, while also providing resilient wall portions projecting beyond the outer periphery of the tube and over which may be inserted a paint roller, to be held by the resilient projecting wall portions impinging upon the inner periphery of the paint roller. One end of the elongated tubular body is provided with a stub shaft adapted to be mounted in the chuck of a drill motor so as to effect rapid rotation of the device with brush or paint roller mounted thereon, so as to effect cleaning thereof through the action of centrifugal force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the device as used in conjunction with a paint roller, the latter being shown in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 2--2 in FIG. 1, and illustrating sections of the wall of the tubular body projecting inwardly and outwardly in relation to the inner and outer peripheries of the tubular body.

FIG. 3 is an elavational view illustrating the use of the device in connection with the cleaning of a paint brush.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the device in use for the purpose of cleaning a paint roller.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In terms of greater detail, the paint brush and roller cleaning device of the invention comprises a generally elongated tubular member designated generally by the numeral 2, and including a generally cylindrical wall 3, preferably fabricated as a tubular member from an appropriate synthetic resinuous material such as polyvinyl chloride, and having an overall length of about 7 inches and a diameter of about 1 1/4inch. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tubular member 2 is provided with inwardly projecting resilient sections 4 spaced equally about the periphery of the tube and which project inwardly to produce a constricted throat or passageway 6 into which the handle of a paint brush 7 may be inserted and resiliently retained between the resilient portions 4. Each of the resilient portions 4 forms a part of the original wall of the tube 2, and is formed by cutting pairs of parallel elongated slits 8 in the wall and under heat and pressure depressing the portion of the wall 4 thus separated from the main body of the tube until it achieves the position illustrated in FIG. 2.

At the opposite end of the tube there is provided similar slits 9 defining wall sections 12 which instead of being depressed inwardly into the interior of the tube 2, are caused to project outwardly as shown so that they project beyond the outer periphery of the tube. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the resilient portions 12 serve to resiliently engage the inner peripheral surface 13 of a roller assembly 14 slipped over the outer periphery of the tube. It has been found that sufficient frictional resistence exists between the surfaces of the roller assembly or the brush and the associated displaced members 4 and 12 of the tube to permit rapid rotation of the tube and the attendant brush or roller so as to effect cleaning of the brush or roller through the effect of centrifugal force.

To effect such rotation, there is provided at one end of the tube 2, a cap structure 16 having a cylindrical wall 17 in the inner periphery 18 of which is proportioned to snugly engage the outer periphery 19 of the tube. The member 6 is fabricated from appropriate synthetic resinous material and if desired may be adhesively secured to the end of the tube. It has been found preferable however that the proportions of the inner peripheral surface 18 and the outer peripheral surface 19 of the tube be formed so that the member 16 may be retained on the tube through frictional resistance.

Mounted through the member 16 is the shank of a cap screw or bolt 21, the head 22 of which lies within the member 16 and the shank of which passes outwardly therefrom along the central axis of the tube. An appropriate washer 23 and lock nuts 24 are provided to lock the shank to the member 16. The portion of the shank 21 that extends beyond the lock nuts 24 thus constitutes a stub shaft and may be used to attach the device in the chuck 26 of a drill motor 27. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when so mounted, whether the brush be supported within the tube and retained by the wall portion 4, or whether the roller assembly 14 be supported on the tube by the portions 12, actuation of the drill motor 27 will effect rotation of the brush or the roller, which has preferably been immersed in a solvent appropriate for the paint being used. When the device is rapidly rotated within the confines of a container 28 as shown, centrifugal force causes the paint particles retained between the bristles and in the felted roller to dislodge themselves and fly radially outwardly out of the brush or roller. Thus, it is possible to clean a brush or roller in a matter of seconds as opposed to the laborious process normally followed by most painters.

While the elongated tubular member has been described as fabricated from a synthetic resinous material, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it may be made from many suitable materials. Additionally, while the strips 4 and 12 are shown as spaced apart by a section of the tube from which they are struck, these strips may be continuous onepiece members formed in an undulating pattern so that one portion projects inwardly and another portion projects outwardly.

Claims

I claim:

1. A paint brush and paint roller cleaning device, comprising:

a. an elongated tubular body symmetrical about a longitudinal axis;

b. means on one end of the tubular body including a shaft adapted to be mounted in the chuck of a drill motor or other rotative device; and

c. means formed in the wall of the elongated tubular body adapted to retain the handle of a paint brush when inserted into the interior of said elongated tubular body and adapted to retain a paint roller when the latter is slipped around the exterior of the tubular body.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in which said means including a shaft on one end of the tubular body constitutes a ferrel secured to to the end of said elongated tubular body.

3. The combination according to claim 1, in which said means formed in the wall of said elongated tubular body for retaining said paint brush and said paint roller constitute sections of said tubular body displaced inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the elongated tubular body and sections displaced outwardly away from said longitudinal axis, said sections which project inwardly providing a constriction within said tubular body, while said sections projecting outwardly project beyond the outer periphery of the tubular body.

4. The combination according to claim 1, in which said elongated tubular body constitutes a length of synthetic resinous tubing, said means for retaining said paint brush and roller constitute elongated strips of said tubular body struck from the wall thereof over a major portion of their length and attached only at their ends, the intermediate portions of the strips between the ends being displaced in relation to the cylindrical wall from which they were struck.