Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CA 02488142 2004-11-22
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to containers for brushes, scrapers, paint-cans and
other accessories
used by commercial painters and more particularly to a container which opens
to give a
commercial painter ready access to cans of paint and a large number of
different accessories
which he requires in his trade. The container may be mounted on castors so
that it may be easily
moved without the necessity of lifting it and it folds into a relatively
compact size when it is not in
use for ready transport.
Commercial painters require many tools in their trade. Paint, brushes and
rollers, of
course, are required as are paint-trays, tools such as screw drivers for
removing such things as
face plates over electrical switches and outlets, plaster knives for removing
bumps and protrusions
in walls which are to be painted and putty knives and quick drying plaster for
filling in
indentations in walls. Poles are also required for attaching to the handles of
brushes and rollers for
extending the reach of the painters.
Containers are known for holding paint, brushes, rollers and all the tools and
other
accessories that a commercial painter requires in his trade. Examples of such
containers are
described in U.S. patent no. 5,509,672 to Offerson; no. 5,190,303 to
Schuamacher et al.; no.
5,002,293 to Gottselig as well as U. S. Design patents 219,649 to Salcman et
al; no. 303,029 to
Friskey; and no. 295,099 to Gallaugher et al.
The containers described in the foregoing patents are well as in patents
showing similar
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CA 02488142 2004-11-22
subject matter have many disadvantages. Some are quite bulky and do not fold
into a compact
size when not in use. Others are complicated of construction and expensive to
build. Still others
have room for cans and trays of paint but room for little else.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have invented a painter's tray which overcomes many of the problems of known
containers such as those described above. The container folds into a compact
size when not in use
for ready storage and transport. The container holds a large number tools and
accessories
required by a commercial painter and displays them in a way that makes it easy
for the painter to
find what he wants. As well the container is relatively simple of construction
and accordingly
inexpensive to build.
Briefly, the container of my invention includes a base and a lid hinged to the
base. The
base has spaced apart lower and upper walls and side walls which extend
therebetween. The
upper wall has a plurality of depressions formed therein, one of which has a
circular side wall
adapted to receive a paint-can. Two other depressions each have flat side
walls which together
define a rectangular receptacle having an open top. One of those depressions
is open within its
side walls and is adapted to receive a paint tray while the other depression
has a plurality of
partitions within its side walls and is adapted to receive paint brushes,
paint scrapers and the like.
The lid has spaced apart first and second walls and third walls which extend
therebetween.
The second wall has a plurality of cavities, one of which is rectangular and
elongated for receipt
2
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CA 02488142 2004-11-22
of a paint pole while two others are rectangular and open for receipt of paint
rollers, paint brushes
and the like.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The painter's container of the invention is described with reference to the
accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of the container when closed;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the container shown closed in solid lines and
partly open in
broken lines;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the container when fully open; and
Figure 4 is an elevation of the container when partly open and loaded with
painting
accessories.
Like reference refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the painter's container has a base 10 and a
lid 12.
Hinges 14 interconnect the lid to the base and by means of the hinge the lid
pivots from a closed
position illustrated in solid lines in Figure 2 to partly open positions
illustrated in broken lines in
the same Figure. The hinge also allows the container to be fully opened as
illustrated in Figure 3
The container has a handle 16 and castors 18 which are attached to each corner
of the
lower wall 20 of the base so that the container can be moved by rolling it
along a floor without
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CA 02488142 2004-11-22
the necessity of lifting it.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the base of the container has an upper wall
22 which is
spaced apart from the lower wall 20. Side walls 24 extend between the lower
and upper walls.
A number of depressions 26 are formed in the upper wall and extend downwardly
therefrom. One of those depressions, numbered 26a has a circular side wall and
is adapted to
receive a paint-can 28 as depicted in Figure 4. Second and third depression
26b,c each have flat
side walls which together define a rectangular opening having an open top.
Depression 26b is
open within its side walls and is adapted to receive a paint tray while third
depression 26c has a
number of partitions 30 within its side walls and is adapted to receive paint
brushes, paint scrapers
and the like.
The lid has a construction similar to that of the base. The lid has first and
second walls 32,
34 and third side and end walls 36 which extend between the first and second
walls. A number of
cavities 38 are formed in the second wall 34, some of which 38a are elongated
for receipt of the
unconnected segments of a paint pole while others 40 are more square and
receive plaster knives,
screw drivers and other tools commonly used by painters. Conventional spring-
loaded clips 42 are
fastened to the second wall to attach such things as rollers, brushes and
cages to the wall.
It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the
structure of the
painter's container as illustrated and described herein, without departing
from the scope and
purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
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