SWIVEL PAD PAINTER

APPLICATEUR DE PEINTURE A TAMPON ARTICULE

English Abstract

A painting tool capable of swiveling through 360 degrees comprising a base having a pad mounted thereto and upwardly projecting threaded portion on the base having a recess or socket and a handle having a ball at one end to engage the socket. A threaded nut joins the ball to the socket. A tab may be provided on the base to lock the pad in position. The tool permits an increase in the speed of painting and is particularly effective when an extension pole is mounted to the handle.

French Abstract

Un outil de peinture pivotant sur 360 degrés comprend une base surmontée d'un tampon et une projection filetée s'élevant de la base, la projection ayant un renfoncement ou une douille dans laquelle s'insère la boule située à une extrémité d'une poignée. Un écrou fileté fixe la boule à la douille. Une languette peut être ajoutée sur la base pour verrouiller le tampon en place. L'outil permet d'accroître la vitesse de peinture et il est particulièrement efficace lorsqu'un mât d'extension est monté sur la poignée.

Claims

5
CLAIMS:
1. A painting tool comprising:
a handle including a handle portion, the handle portion having a ball at one
end, an
elongated intermediate portion, and an externally threaded surface at the
other end;
a flat pad having a paint absorbing portion, the pad comprising a first paint
engaging side and a second side having an elongated coupling surface located
thereon;
a base mounted to the coupling surface and having an upwardly projecting
portion
including a recessed socket for receiving the ball to permit rotation of the
ball in the
socket;
mounting means for maintaining the ball within the socket to permit rotation
of the
pad through 360 degrees and for selectively locking the ball in the socket,
and
the upwardly projecting portion including a threaded exterior, and the
mounting
means further including internal threads to mesh therewith, and a lock washer
for
selectively locking the ball in the recessed socket.
2. A painting tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein:
the elongated intermediate handle portion includes one end portion integrally
molded to the ball, a curved portion attached to the one end portion and a
flange extending
outwardly from the curved portion, the externally threaded surface extending
from the
flange at the other end of the intermediate handle portion.
3. A painting tool in accordance with claim 2, wherein:
the upwardly projecting portion includes external threads extending
thereabout, the
mounting means comprises an internally threaded nut positioned about the
curved handle
portion and engaging the threads on the upwardly extending threaded portion
with the
recessed socket to secure the ball in the socket and further including a
washer mounted
between the nut and the threaded portion for locking purposes.
4. A painting tool in accordance with claim 2, wherein:
the handle includes a second elongated member, a contoured rubber-gripping
member mounted over the second elongated member and a threaded recess at an
end
thereof.

6
5. A painting tool in accordance with claim 2, wherein:
the ball includes a plurality of spaced parallel slots.
6. The painting tool of claim 1, wherein:
the pad has an integral elongated body and the coupling surface includes a
rigid
substantially rectangular main body having parallel side portions, said side
portions each
having an upwardly and inwardly extending portion forming a channel for
engaging a side
of the base and one of said side portions having a cutaway section.
7. The painting tool in accordance with claim 6, wherein:
the base includes an elongated portion having two sides including sloped
parallel
edge portions, said edge portions slidably engaging the upwardly extending
side channel
portions of the pad coupling surface and further including
a tab on one of said edge portions engaging the cutaway section of one side
portion
to lock the pad to the base.

Description

CA 02489914 2005-11-02
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SWIVEL PAD PAINTER
Background of Invention
The painting tool of this invention is capable of operating in a swivel mode
through 360 as well as being locked in a fixed position. The swivel mode
permits an
increase in speed of painting and is particularly effective when an extension
pole is
attached to the handle. The painting tool involves but is not restricted to
pad painters and
spatter guard rollers.
The prior art includes applicators which have a mechanism to move the
applicator
to another fixed position with regard to the handle or a type of ratchet
wherein the
applicator can be moved to a number of fixed positions but all in the same
vertical plane.
The prior art includes patent publication US 2002/0148057 to Hobden which
discloses an adjustable handle for a paint pad. The handle can be pivoted a
selected
number of degrees relative to the pad holder plate and includes a lock sleeve
that can be
used for locking the handle in selected angular positions relative to the
plate.
Patent US 4,219,899 to Zurawin discloses a paint support and handle assembly
wherein the handle is mounted for swinging movement of about 90 . A spring
clip is used
for biasing the handle in a given direction.
Also of interest are patents US 6,305,043 and US 6,073,298. No patents
disclose
applicant's unique design which swivels through 360 and improves the speed
and
efficiency of painting.
Summary of Invention
This invention relates to painting tool such as a pad painter which may be
operated
in a unique swivel mode. The pad painter is marketed under the name WORK FAST
by
Brenner International Corp. The pad range of motion is extended to 360 . The
pad painter
comprises a pad affixed to an elongated plastic member or pad plate having
channel
members along the sides thereof to receive the handle coupling member. The
upper
coupling member is mounted to the elongated plastic member and includes a
centrally
located upwardly projecting threaded portion. The threaded portion includes a
centrally
located socket joint of a hemispherical configuration within the projecting
member.
The handle includes an elongated configured upper portion and a curved portion
at
one end thereof terminating in a slotted ball or sphere. An internally
threaded cap having

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a central aperture is slidably mounted over the curved end portion. The cap is
screwed
onto the threaded upper coupling member locking the ball within the socket and
permitting
the ball with the handle to swivel about the socket. The pad painter may
swivel at any
angle. This swivel mode permits an increase in the speed of painting. A unique
tab is also
used on the pad painter to facilitate taking a refill on and off.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pad
painter.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pad painter wherein the
handle may
operate in a swivel mode extending the range of motion.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pad
painter or
other painting tool wherein the handle may be locked in a fixed position or
swivel to any
other position within 360 .
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pad
painter
having a unique tab arrangement to couple refills to the handle and facilitate
changing
pads.
A more specific object of this is to provide a new and improved pad painter
having
a handle with a ball at one end which engages a recessed socket joint on a
coupling
member to which the pad is mounted to permit operating the pad painter in
either a 360
swivel mode or in a fixed position.
Brief Description of Drawings
The above an other object and advantages of the invention may be more clearly
seen when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the pad painter comprising the invention,
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a pad assembly,
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an edger trimmer including the invention, and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the edge trimmer base of the invention.
Detailed Description
A unique pad painter 10 comprises an elongated woven or fabric pad 11 as shown
in FIG. 2, having a sponge-like base 12 secured thereto on one side. A plastic
member 13
having channel side portions 16a, 16b extending upwardly at an angle is
mounted to the

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base 12 with adhesive 14 for form a unitary structure 15. Refills of the pad
structure 15
may be mounted to the handle arrangement when appropriate.
One of the side portions 16a includes a cut-away section 17 while the side
portions
16a, 16b basically serve as guides for the handle base or coupling member 18.
The
member 18 includes tapered edges 19a, 19b which engage the side portions 16a,
16b and a
tab 20 which is positioned on a cutaway portion 27 of side portion 16a. The
tab 20
engages the cutaway section 17 on the side portion 16a to lock the pad
structure 15 and
handle base 18 together.
The handle base structure 18 extends upwardly in the center thereof to form a
lower circular portion 21 concentrically located about a circular threaded
inner portion 22
which extends upwardly therefrom. The upper surface 30 includes a plastic
layer 23 and a
hemispherical recess or socket 24 which engages a ball 25 on the end of the
handle 26.
The ball 25 includes a plurality of latitudinal slots 27 about the surface
thereof, a solid
base 28 and a solid portion 29 which is coupled to a curved portion 31 of the
handle 26.
The curved portion 31 joins a handle portion 32 which extends to flange 33 and
then
beyond said flange 33 with an enlarged elongated portion 34. A shaped rubber
handle 35
is mounted over the portion 34 and terminates at the end portion 36 which
includes an
internally threaded recess 37 for poles and various extensions.
An internally threaded cap or nut 38 is located and held in place between the
flange
33 and the ball 25. The cap 38 includes an internal circular washer 39 which
engages the
upper surface 30 to lock the pad painter 10 in position as a unit. The cap 38
may be
loosened to permit the handle 34 to swivel within a total range of 360 . The
swivel mode
permits an increase in the speed of painting. This swivel mode is particularly
effective
with an extension pole attached to the handle 26 at end 36. The fixed mode is
used when a
precise stroke is required. While described with regard to a pad painter 10,
the swivel
design may also be employed with spatter guard paint rollers, edgers, etc. A
further
advantage of the invention mentioned previously is the tab design which
permits rapid
replacement of pads 15.
In operation, a pad structure 15 is mounted on the handle by sliding the
tapered
edges 19a, 19b of the handle base structure 18 within the channels 16a, 16b.
The tab 20
engages cutaway section 17 to lock the parts 15 and 18 together. A lock tab 20
may be
provided at each end. The cap 38 is then threaded onto the recessed portion
221ocking the
handle ball 25 in recess 24. The bal125 may be locked in a fixed position or
may be

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permitted to swivel through 360 to speed up painting. This novel approach is
nowhere
shown in the prior art.
FIG. 3 discloses an exploded view of an edger trimmer embodiment 40 of the
invention. The base 42 however includes a pair of guide wheels 41a, 41b
rotatably
mounted to the base 42 within respective curved raised portions 43a, 43b.
Channel
portions 44a, 44b on the sides of the base 42 engage a sponge pad (not shown).
As with
the preferred embodiment of FIG.1, the base 42 includes a raised threaded
portion 45
having a recessed socket 46. The handle 47 includes a rubber grip 48 at one
end plus an
internally threaded aperture 50 for extension handles and a slotted ball 49 at
the other end.
A cap or nut 51 and a washer 52 are mounted over the handle ball 49 to secure
the ball 49
within the socket 46 and permit rotation of the base. The threads 53 engage
the threads 45
to secure ball 49 in the socket 46.
While the invention has been explained by a detailed description of certain
specific
embodiments, it is understood that various modifications and substitutions can
be made in
any of them within the scope of the appended claims, which are intended also
to include
equivalents of such embodiments.

Representative Drawing