Equipment For Dispensing Liquids From A Container

Abstract

A scoop and a funnel for use in conjunction with a container, with the scoop adapted to rest across the container opening while supporting the funnel in position for drainage back into the container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The increased use of container-type rollers for applying paint to wall surfaces has brought with it a problem in the handling of the paint during the filling operations. While these are a lot less frequent, and correspondingly less inconvenient, than the repeated dipping of noncontainer rollers in a trough, some special arrangements are desirable for getting the paint into the relatively small openings of the container rollers, and for supporting the equipment in some manner which does not cause spillage and drainage over the floor. The use of ladles and funnels is standard in handling other liquids, but the usual form of these devices is such as to create a real problem as to what to do with them when they are not in actual use. Wiping them off after each period of use is an obvious nuisance, and placing them on a rag or newspaper produces an undesirable mess that is likely to contaminate the floor area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a configuration for a ladle such that it is capable of being supported across the opening of a standard paint can, with the handle provided with a receiver for the funnel, resulting in a position of the funnel and the ladle such that both will drain back into the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS S

The features of the invention will be discussed with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ladle embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a funnel for use in conjunction with the unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates the manner in which the ladle and the funnel are used to fill a container-type paint roller.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the filler cap for the paint roller.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the storage position of the equipment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the ladle 10 has a cup-shaped portion 11 and a handle 12. A hook projection 13 is engageable with the standard groove in a paint can, in a manner shown in FIG. 5. The engagement of the hook 13 with the groove 14 of the can 15 results in drainage from the hook portion 13 into the groove 14, rather than over the side of the can. It is obvious that the hook portion 13 will be repeatedly emersed in paint as the ladle is used. When a container-type paint roller, as shown at 16, is filled, the cap 17 is first removed from the roller journal. A paint roller of this type of construction is described and claimed in my application Ser. No. 790,555 filed on Jan. 13, 1969. Any sort of efficiency in the filling operation requires the use of a funnel such as is shown at 18. This funnel has a lower extension 19 receivable within the tubular journal 20 of the roller assembly 16; and when in this position, provides for a smooth flow of paint from the cup 11 of the ladle 10, as shown in FIG. 3.

When the filling operation has been completed, the ladle 10 and the funnel 18 are placed in the position shown in FIG. 5. The handle 12 has a receiver portion 21 providing an opening 22 of a size selected to accept the lower extension 19 of the funnel 18. The top opening 23 of the paint can 15 has a diameter which is larger than the circumscribed diameter which would include the cup portion 11 of the ladle, together with the entirety of the opening 22. The engagement of the hook portion 13 with the groove 14, as shown in FIG. 5, thus guarantees that all of the drainage from the portions of the device which have been exposed to the paint will flow back into the can 15.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination with a container having a portion defining a top opening, a set of instruments including a ladle for removing liquid from said container, said ladle having a cup portion and a handle, said instruments also including a funnel, wherein the improvement comprises:

means on said ladle defining an aperture having a configuration selected to engage a portion of said funnel in the upright position thereof, said aperture and said cup portion being disposed within an area identical to the area defined by said top opening, and

means on said ladle engageable with said container portion on opposite sides of said opening.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said aperture is disposed in said handle.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said container has a grooved rim surrounding said opening, and said ladle includes a projection engageable with said rim and having a flange engageable with the groove therein.