US3309053A - Holder for paint cans - Google Patents

Description

March E4, 1967 s. c. BAKER 3,309,053

HOLDER FOR PAINT CANS Filed April 12, 1965 IN VIZN '1 URL ,4 TTORA/EV United States Patent OfiFrce 3,3%,@53 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 3,309,053 HOLDER FOR PAINT CANS Stephen C. Baker, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Sir-Ev, lnc., Birmingham, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 447,323 Claims. (Cl. 248-210) This invention relates to painting equipment and apparatus in general and more particularly to means for supporting a paint can for use on a ladder.

Almost everyone has experienced the difiiculty of using a paint can while standing on a ladder. Although most stepladders provide a fold-down shelf on the back side of the ladder, even these are not too good. Usually they are at the wrong height and the open paint can is placed precariously on the top or one of the other steps of the ladder.

With the longer and extension type rung ladders, the problem is even greater since there is no place at all to stand or support a paint can while it is being used. The best that most people have been able to devise is a hook arrangement for use with the handle on the paint can to support it in a free hanging position on the back side of the ladder. In such a position it is hard to reach, either around or through the ladder, the handle standing over the can is in the way, and the paint can yields and swings to and fro when the brush is wiped against the side of the can.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for supporting and holding a paint can disposed for easy and convenient use on a ladder or the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple structure, easy and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which will provide a shelf at any given position on a step or rung type ladder, and which shelf is adapted to receive and hold an open paint can for use thereon.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a sheetmetal or like member formed to include a pair of panel walls at right angles to each other and with one formed for engagement with the edge of a step of a stepladder, or the rung of a rung type ladder, in a manner which provides a fixed, horizontal shelf support on which an open paint can may be set down without fear of being inadvertently knocked oif or otherwise upset.

Other objects and advantages to be gained in the practice of this invention, and more specific details of those mentioned, will be better understood and more fully appreciated upon a reading of the following specification on a preferred form of the invention and having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the paint can or other support means of this invention, as used on a step ladder.

FlGURE 2 is a top plan view of the support means of the first drawing figure, as used on a rung ladder.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the support means of this invention shown by FIGURE 2, through the mid-section thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a back-side view of the support means of this invention, as seen in the plane of line 4-4 on the previous drawing figure.

The paint can support is shown to include a pair of panel walls 12 and 14 which are formed at right angles to each other and are of relatively the same length and width. The support is made of sheet metal, but may be made of plastic or other materials if desired.

Each of the panel walls is formed to include a pair of elongated slots which extend from near the junction of the two walls towards their outer disposed ends. The slots are identified 18 and 20 in panel wall 12 and as 22 and 24 in panel wall 14.

The slots are disposed near the side edges of the panel walls and are in parallel spaced relation to each other.

Each of the elongated slots 18, 2t), 22 and 24 is formed to include an enlarged opening 26 at its outer disposed end which receives the fasteners of a retainer means later described.

The panel wall 12 is rounded at its outer disposed end principally for appearance.

Referring to the two panel walls 12 and 14, it will be appreciated that they are essentially the same and that either one may serve as a back or bottom Wall for supporting a paint can or the like thereon. For example, in FIGURE 1 the panel wall 12 serves as the back wall and the other wall 14 is the support wall. In FIGURE 3 the panel wall 12 is the support wall and the panel wall 14 is disposed to serve as the back wall.

Suitable retainer means, such as the length of chain 36, with a fastener 32 at each end, may be engaged to whichever panel wall is serving as the back wall, to hold a paint can engaged thereto. The fasteners 32 are shown as simple bolts with enlarged heads 34 receptive through the enlarged ends of slots 18, 20, 22 and 24 and adjustable the full length of the slots. One of the fasteners may include means for adjusting the length of the chain between them, although not specifically shown, and a coil spring 36 serves ideally as a tensioning means to hold a paint can of whatever size snug against the back Wall of the paint can supporting device.

The panel wall 14 is shown to have the outermost terminal edge thereof bent down, as at 40, and under, as at 42, to provide a reversely bent flange which extends back under the panel wall 14 and in fixed spaced relation to it. It includes a separation 44 between its side edges which forms two side edge parts 46 and 48, each of which have a thumb screw member 50 threaded therethrough. The thumb screws 50, as will be immediately apparent, enable the support to be engaged to the front edge of the top or any other step of a stepladder or to the rung of a ladder, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 3:

The support means 10 of this invention is particularly Well suited for use with a rung type ladder in that the r-eversely bent flange 42 may be disposed over one rung of a ladder, identified as 52, and the length of the wall 14 is less than the distance between a pair of rungs; the next lower rung being identified as 54. The length of the wall 14 is also substantially equal to the distance between rungs, when the ladder is disposed at an angle, as for use, so that the wall 12 rests on and is supported by the ladder rung 54.

Since the distance between ladder rungs is generally standardized and the angle at which a ladder is disposed does not vary appreciably, a basic dimension is obtainable. However, appreciating that there are diflerences, and despite means for holding a paint can on the support so that it can be maintained at a slight angle, a pair of hooks 60 and 62 are used to compensate for slight differences.

The hooks 60 and 62 are engaged to the panel wall 14, near its junction with the Wall 12, and hang free. They are of such length as permits them to be engaged to the side rail of the rung ladder, identified 56 in FIGURE 3, and to serve both to hold the paint can support near one side of the ladder and in a horizontal disposition.

In the latter respect, holding the support wall 14 level, it will be appreciated that if the Wall 14 droops down and the engagement of one of the hooks with the ladder side rail 56 does not straighten it out, that the whole support member can be shifted away from the side rail to cause the hook to pull it up straighter. The side movement shortens the length of the hook, in effect, and causes scope of this invention come to mind. Such of these as are within thelanguage of the hereinafter appended claims I are to be considered as inclusive therein and only those specifically excluded are to be considered as outside thereof.

I claim:

1. A support for a paint can, and comprising:

a member having a pair of panel walls formed at right angles to each other and interchangeably adapted to serve as a bottom wall for receiving and supporting a paint can thereon and aback wall for receiving the paint can in retained engagement therewith,

said panel walls each including a pair of relatively spaced elongated solts which are enlarged near the outer disposed ends of the panel walls,

one of the panel walls having the outer disposed terminal, edge thereof turned back under said one panel wall and spaced apart therefrom for receivin g the rung of a ladder therein,

said one panel wall having a length, as disposed to serve as the back panel wall, of less than the distance between an adjacent pair of ladderrungs and substantially that required to dispose the other of said panel walls in supported engagement and horizontally disposed on the lower rung of said ladder rungs when engaged to the upper thereof and when the ladder has its rungs angularly disposed for use,

meansdetachably engaged in said panel wall slots at the enlarged ends thereof for holding a paint can to the back wall thereof,

and means engaged to said panel walls near thejunction thereof and laterally extendable for engagement with the side rail of a ladder for holding the paint can supporting bottom panel wall horizontal and fixed against the upsetting movement force of the weight of the paint can thereon.

2. A support means for paint cans and the like in use with rung and stepladders, and comprising;

a member formed to include a pair of panel walls at right angles to each other and adaptable for interchangeable use as back wall and bottom wall supports for paint cans and the like received thereon,

one of said panel walls having the terminal end thereof formed back upon itselfto-provide a hook for the hanging support of saidmember on the rung of a ladder as vertically disposed for use with a rung ladder and for retaining engagement with the edge of a step of a stepladder as horizontally disposed for use therewith,

and means for alternate use'with said panel walls in their service as back wall supports for holding a paint can and the like in engagement therewith.

3. The support means of claim 2, including free hanging hook means providedion one of said panel walls for engaging the side rail of a rung ladder and' permissive of variable positioning of said member laterally on the rung of a ladder for horizontal orientation of the panel wall serving as saidbottom wall support.

4. The support means as claim 2,

said holding means for alternate'use with said panel walls including chain means of variable length and including tensioning means between the ends thereof.

5. The support means as claim 2,

said holding means including elongated slots provided near each side edge in each of said panel Walls and means for spanning the distance. between the slots about an object and for retained engagement of the endsthereof in said slots.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

Cook 248'-210 I

Claims (1)

1. A SUPPORT FOR A PAINT CAN, AND COMPRISING: A MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF PANEL WALLS FORMED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER AND INTERCHANGEABLY ADAPTED TO SERVE AS A BOTTOM WALL FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING A PAINT CAN THEREON AND A BACK WALL FOR RECEIVING THE PAINT CAN IN RETAINED ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID PANEL WALLS EACH INCLUDING A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SPACED ELONGATED SOLTS WHICH ARE ENLARGED NEAR THE OUTER DISPOSED ENDS OF THE PANEL WALLS, ONE OF THE PANEL WALLS HAVING THE OUTER DISPOSED TERMINAL EDGE THEREOF TURNED BACK UNDER SAID ONE PANEL WALL AND SPACED APART THEREFROM FOR RECEIVING THE RUNG OF A LADDER THEREIN, SAID ONE PANEL WALL HAVING A LENGTH, AS DISPOSED TO SERVE AS THE BACK PANEL WALL, OF LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN AN ADJACENT PAIR OF LADDER RUNGS AND SUBSTANTIALLY THAT REQUIRED TO DISPOSE THE OTHER OF SAID PANEL WALLS IN SUPPORTED ENGAGEMENT AND HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ON THE LOWER RUNG OF SAID LADDER RUNGS WHEN ENGAGED TO THE UPPER THEREOF AND WHEN THE LADDER HAS ITS RUNGS ANGULARLY DISPOSED FOR USE, MEANS DETACHABLY ENGAGED IN SAID PANEL WALL SLOTS AT THE ENLARGED ENDS THEREOF FOR HOLDING A PAINT CAN TO THE BACK WALL THEREOF, AND MEANS ENGAGED TO SAID PANEL WALLS NEAR THE JUNCTION THEREOF AND LATERALLY EXTENDABLE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE RAIL OF A LADDER FOR HOLDING THE PAINT CAN SUPPORTING BOTTOM PANEL WALL HORIZONTAL AND FIXED AGAINST THE UPSETTING MOVEMENT FORCE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PAINT CAN THEREON.

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