Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to printing block type
devices which are adapted for effecting wall decoration,
see for example U. S. Patent No. 3,180,260.
2. Description of Prior Art
Various devices of the character described ~-
have been proposed for applying an ornamental design in
paint or the like to a wall surface. Such devices are ca-
pable of producing a variety of appearances from a textured
to a representational or nonrepresentational design. When
properly applied, the result is attractive, similar to the
appearance of wallpaper, but at substantially reduced cost.
lS Important to such proper application is the precise posi-
tioning of the device on the wall and the precise and uniform
control of applied pressure over the printing face. "
. .
SUMMARY OF INVENTION -
zO I have found that exceptionally fine results can
be readily achieved by constructing the paint-applying de-
vice from a one-piece, unitary, soft, compressible, resil-
iently self-restoring, sponge body having a relieved,
design-defining, paint-imprinting face, and providing a
Z5 hand-engaging portion of the device as an integral part
quite close to the printing face. The present device may
be easily handled and positioned with requisite precision
and applied with fine touch-responsive pressure.
Another object of the present invention is to pro-
vide a wall-decorating, paint-applying device of the
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1 character described which i9 compact, of minimum weight,
composed of but a single part, and in which the entire device
comprising the printing face and handle are structured with-
in the confines of a block. The device thus presents no ex-
S tensions or protuberances and may be compactly packaged,
stacked, stored and shipped without wasted space.
A further object of the present invention is to
provide a wall-decorating, paint-applying device of the
character above which is economical in its use of paint,
which may be used without spillage or dripping of paint,
and which will apply an attractive design to the wall with
minimum mess.
The invention possesses other objects and features
- of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set
forth in the following description of the preferred form of
the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accom-
panying and forming part of this specification. It is to be -~ -
understood, ho~ever, that variations in the showing made by
the said drawings and description may be adopted within the
scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a wall-decorating,
paint-applying device constructed in accordance with the
present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substan-
tially on the plane of line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.
-FIGURE 3 is a perspective view depicting the appli-
cation of the device to a wall.
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1 FIGURES 4 and 5 are perspective views showing a
paint tray and the application of paint to the printing face
of the device.
FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified form
of the invention taken from one side thereof.
FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the device illus-
trated in FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing the oppo-
site side of the device.
FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken substan-
tially on the plane of line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
_ _
The wall-decorating, paint-applying device of the
present invention comprises, briefly, a one-piece, unitary,
soft, compressible, resiliently self-restoring, sponge body
11 having a relieved, design-defining, paint-imprinting
~; face 12; and a side 13 of the body opposite face 12 which
is formed with an integral, finger-grippable, sponge handle
; 20 portion 14 for manual handling of the device and pressing
of face 12 onto a wall surface 16 to be decorated. As an
important feature of the present invention, body 11 com-
prises a block with face 12 and handle 14 disposed entirely
within the confines of the block, see FIGURE 2.
Preferably, sponge body is composed of a plastic
foam. Various plastic materials may be used having the
requisite sponge-like quality. The common cellulose sponge
is preferred. This material will pick up and express paint
with good uniformity and precision.
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1 With reference to FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, it will be
noted that the block side 13 is formed with spaced-apart,
finger-receiving recesses 17 and 18 which leave therebetween
a section 14 of the body, providing the handle. Thus, in
S the preferred configuration of the device, a rectangular
block shape as illustrated, face 12 and 13 are disposed in
substantially parallel planes with handle section 14 sub-
stantially flush with side 13, see FIGURE 2. As will be
noted, rear block side 13 is substantially parallel to
front face 12 and recesses 17 and 18 are elongated to receive
several fingers of the user's hand, as noted in FIGURES 3
and 5, and to define therebetween an elongated, integral,
finger-grippable, soft, compressible sponge handle portion
for manual squeezing and handling of the device and pressing
16 of face 12, or portions thereof, onto the wall surface to be
decorated. The flexibility and compressibility of handle
portion 14 cofunctions with the compressible body to permit
selectable flexing of the body and face, enabling imprinting
of the wall surface with selected, substantially undistorted
parts of the design to be applied to the wall surface.
Application of paint to face 12 may be convenient-
ly effected by the use of a shallow paint pan or tray 21.
Preferably, a shallow layer of paint is applied to the flat
surface 22 of the tray as by means of a paint brush 23, see
FIGURE 4. The sponge body 11 is then manually engaged as
illustrated in FIGURE 5, and the imprinting face 12 is
applied to tray surface 22 so as to absorb the paint uni-
formly over the printing face. The device may then be
manually transported to wall 16 and applied thereto, as de-
picted in FIGURE 3, so as to transfer the design 24 onto
wall surface 16.
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1 A modified form of the device is illustrated in
FIGURES 6-9 wherein body lla is formed with a second relieved,
design-defining, paint-imprinting face 26 in angular rela-
tion to printing face 12a. Where the configuration of the
device is the xectangular block shape as here depicted,
face 26 may be conveniently provided on an end surface of
the block in perpendicular relation to the main or major
printing face 12a. Design 27 provided on face 26 will ac-
cordingly be of somewhat reduced size and may be advan-
tageously used as an adjunct to the major design 24a pro-
vided on surface 12a and on small wall areas such as between
door frames and walls and the like.
The structure, use and application of the modified
form of device are identical to device 11 above described.
After completing a wall decoration, the device may -
be easily cleaned by rinsing with water where latex paints
are used or with thinner where oil paints or enamels are
used.
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