Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Thls invention relates generally to a pour spout for fluid containers,
and particularly to a pour spout and brush holder for paint cans, pails, and
other containers.
Pour spouts, including some provided with brush holders, attachable
to a particular kind and size of fluid container are generally known to those
skilled in the art. A problem with these prior art articles, however, is that
a special spout must be used with each standard kind of container. For example,
paint cans, and the like, usually are provided with an internally grooved lip,
while a paint pail or bucket usually is provided with an externally rolled lip
of greater diameter than that of the can. Conventional spouts must be con-
structed and dimensioned to fit the lip of one container or the other.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple pouring
device which can be easily attached to any one of a paint can, paint pail, or
other similar liquid container for the purpose of transferring the liquid from
one container to another without any waste oE liquid through spillage and the
like.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pour spout
readily attachable to and removable from fluid containers provided either with
an internally grooved lip or an externally rolled lip.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pour
spout readily attachable to and removable from a fluid container without leaving
any of the fluid in an internal groove, on an external lip, or on the outer
surface of the container.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pour
spout having a separate brush holding clip selectively mountable on a spout
portion of the device.
These and other objects are achieved according to the present inven-
tion by providing a pour spout which has: a member provided with an opening,
and lip engaging elements provided on the member for permitting attachment of
the latter to internally grooved and externally rolled lips of fluid containers.
According to a preferred embodi~ent of the present invention, the
attaching elements include a flange, a rim arranged for cooperating with the
flange to engage an externally rolled lip, and a projection also arranged for
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cooperating with the Elange to engage an internally grooved lip.
Advantageously, the flange, rim, and projection have co-
directional, arcuate configurations, and are arranged as con-
centric partial rings, with the flange arranged between the
rim and projection.
The member to which the flanae, rim, and projection
are attached preferably has an arcuate edge conforming sub-
stantially to the rim, and a straight edge arranged extending
across the arcuate edge in a manner oE a chord to form a
segment of a circle. This outline of the member permits a
portion of an opening in an associated fluid container to be -
uncovered for access thereto by a paint brush, and the like.
A pair of spaced, parallel walls are advantageously
provided on the member. These walls are arranged extending
perpendicularly from the straight edge and sloping away from
the member in a direction opposed to the rim, flange, and
projection. They also extend past and partially define the open-
ing in the member. A lip portion of the member is connected to
the walls for forming therewith a spout portion.
A plurality of spikes may be arranged on the walls
so as to extend perpendicularly away from the member and engage
and retain a paint brush~ and the like. ~lternatively to using
the spikes, the pour spout according to the present invention
is provided with a brush holder having a pair of spaced legs
arranged for selectively embracing the spout portion walls and
being retained on same. This brush holder has a clip portion
which grips and retains the handle of a brush, and the like. `~
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided a pour spout for fluid containers, comprising, in
combination: a member provided with an opening: and means
provided on the member for permitting attachment of the member
to internally grooved and externally rolled lips of fluid
containers, the attachment permitting means including a flange,
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a r.i.m ar.rancJed :Eor cooperatlncJ wlth the flanye to selectively
engacJe an externally rolled l:ip of a container, and a
projection also arranged for cooperating with the flange to
selectively engage an in-ternally grooved lip of a container :
different from the container having the externally rolled .~.
lip, the flange, rim, and projection having co-directional, :~-
arcuate configurations, and being arranged as concentric
partial rings, with the flange arranged between the rim and
projection.
Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a pour spout
and brush holder according to the present invention together
with suitable containers and a paint brush.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken
generally along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a pour spout
and brush holder according to the present invention.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken - .. :
- generally along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.
A pour spout and brush holder.10 according to the
present invention
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ls shown in Figure 1 as mounted on either a paint can 12 (full lines) or a paint
bucket 14 (broken lines). A brush holder 16 is arranged on the device, and a
paint brush 18 is shown retained by holder 16 so that the bristles of brush 18
extend into the container on which the spout is arranged.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, a spout according
to the present invention is formed from a planar member 20 provided with an
opening 22. A flange 24 is provided on member 20, and is arranged between and
cooperates with a rim 26 for engaging an externally rolled lip 28, and a pro-
jection 30 for engaging an internally grooved lip 32. Lip ~ forms part of a
10 paint can 12, and the like9 while lip~ may be on a paint bucket 14. Flange
24, rim 26, and projection 30 are shown as having co-directional, arcuate con-
figurations, and are arranged as partial rings. The flange 24 and rim 26
are concentric, while projection 30 is of a smaller diameter.
A plurality of beads 34, five being shown in the drawings, arranged
extending toward flange 24, are provided on rim 26. Further, a plurality of
spikes 36 are arranged extending perpendicularly to member 20 for engaging and
restraining a brush 18. A rib 38 may be provided along the undersurface of
member 20 as for reinforcing member 20 in a conventional manner. ~
Member 20 has an outline formed by an arcuate edge 40, conformed sub- `
stantially to rim 26, and a s~raight edge 42 arranged extending across arcuate
edge 40 in the manner of a chord to form a segment of a circle. This outline
of me~ber 20 permits a portion of an opening 44 in an associated fluid container
to be uncovered and accessible to a brush 18, and the like.
A pair of spaced, parallel walls 46 and 48 are provided on member 20,
and are arranged extending perpendicularly from straight edge 42 and sloping
away from member 20 in a direction opposed to rim 26, flange 24, and projection ~ ~
30. These walls 46 and 48 extend past and partially define opening 22 in member ;` ~ ;
20, and are connected to, or more accurately merge into, a lip portion 50 to
form a spout portion therewith.
Referring now to Figure 4 in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3 of the
drawings, brush holder 16 has a pair of spaced legs 52 and 54 arranged for ~;
selectively embracing walls 46 and 48 and being retained on same. Clip portions
56 and 57 extend from a body 58 of holder 16 in a direction opposed to that of
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legs 52 and 54. Protuberances 60 on the inner surfaces of legs 52 and 54 co-
operate with recesses 62 formed in walls 46 and 48 to snap holder 16 in posi-
tion on the walls. In this manner, holder 16 may be selectively employed as
desired.
As can be readily understood from the above description and from the
drawings, a pour spout according to the present invention can be adapted to
both, for example, gallon size paint cans with a, for example, six inch
diameter, internally grooved lip and all common sizes of paint pails or buckets
with externally rolled lips. The pour spout can quickly be fastened or unfast-
ened with a snap-on action either internally on containers with a grooved lip or
externally on containers with a rolled lip as desired. To place the pour spout
on the various sized containers having externally rolled lips, it is pressed ;~
on the respective sides of the container in the proper direction, if necessary,
to match the contour of the outer sealing lip of the pour spout, which may be
designed for an average gallon size, eight inch outside diameter pail.
Since a pour spout and brush holder 10 according to the present
invention is made in two pieces, brush holder 16 can be attached or detached
by snapping it to walls 46 and 48 of member 20 as desired. With holder 16 on
member 20, a brush 18 can be held firmly in place over a container, and the
necessary painting items can thus be carried as one unit. With holder 16
removed from member 20, and the paint container ready for use, brush 18 can be
positioned on spikes 36 with the bristles of brush 18 hanging over the uncovered
opening 44 of the container. Further, brush 18 can easily be wiped on the
inside edge of member 20, along rib 38, while being used for painting, and the
like.
The pour spout and brush holder 10 according to the present invention
may be constructed from suitable, known synthetic materials such as low density
polyethylene resin, and the like. These materials are suitable for either `~
injection molding or press-forming, and are sufficiently flexible and resilient
to match tolerances and fit standard containers. Further, this construction
permits adaptation of the pour spout to various sizes of, for example, paint
pails, from two quarts to eight quarts. In addition, such construction provides
a pour spout which is essentially chemically resistant to and is not materially
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affected by paints, enamels, lacquers, sealers, thinners, glues, alcohols, and ~
other conventional commercial and industrial cleaners, solvents, and solutions, . ~-
other than strong acids and bases.
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