WO1988002998A1

WO1988002998A1 - Paint brush

Info

Publication number: WO1988002998A1
Application number: PCT/AU1987/000357
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Nation Smyth
Original assignee: Sabco Ltd
Current assignee: Sabco Ltd
Priority date: 1986-10-22
Filing date: 1987-10-22
Publication date: 1988-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-22

Abstract

A paint brush (1) having tufts of monofilaments (7) of constant cross-section throughout their length. The tufts of monofilaments are mounted in two rows of apertures (5) in blocks (4) the rows of apertures being inclined to each other so that the rows of monofilaments engage toward the tip of the brush.

Description

"PAINT BRUSH"

This invention relates to improvements in brushes, and is particularly directed to improvements in brushes which can be used for painting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

5. Pig bristle is the preferred material for paint brushes, firstly, because it is resilient and springy in nature and has the ability to recover from deformation thus being resistant to taking a permanent "set".

Secondly, each strand is of an extended conical or tapered 10. formation. The root end is of larger diameter than the outer end which is referred to as the "flag" end because of the natural tendency for the outer end to split into several fine sections. This quality is of value because the split or flag ends provide softness which can apply paint without leaving brush marks. These is. qualities render pig bristle as an ideal material for use in the manufacture of paint brushes.

The usual method of paint brush manufacture comprises the selection of a tuft or bundle of bristle of the desired size or volume and of the desired length. This bundle is then positioned within a

20. metal furrule of desired dimension and shape, usually of an elongated rectangle. The root ends of the bristles are placed within the ferrule to a depth of approximately half an inch. Suitable cement, usually a synthetic resin of the epoxy type, is poured onto the inverted root ends of the bristle and allowed to

25. penetrate approximately half an inch. Upon the application of heat or suitable catalyst, the resin sets and provides a strong bond holding the bristles securely within the ferrules. The ferrule is then attached to a handle of convenient style or shape.

The cost is rising steeply of available pig bristles suitable for paint 30. brush manufacture, especially when the bristle length exceeds about two and a quarter inches. Attempts have been made to manufacture synthetic monofilaments in tapered form in order to provide a possible alternative to natural bristle. While success has been achieved with brushes made with such materials, the present cost of tapered monofilament provides no price 5. advantage over the natural bristle. There appears to be no possibility of reduction in the cost of synthetic tapered material.

Attempts have been made to manufacture a brush suitable for the application of paint using level fibre or synthetic monofilament, i.e., material of constant diameter from which the tapered or 10. elongate conical shape is absent. The cost of manufacturing level monofilament is considerably less than that of monofilament of tapered configuration.

Brushes made with constant diameter material have not proved satisfactory since the material tends to spread outwardly at the is. painting end, to lose shape, to clog, to become "bushy" and fail to support the even flow of paint towards the tip of the brush, and fail to deposit paint evenly on the work surface. One object of this invention is to provide an improved paint brush which can make use of parallel fibres or monofilaments formed from a polymeric

20. material, and to yet reproduce at least some of the more desirable properties of pig bristles.

It is already known to utilize a "stapled knot" in the art of broom manufacture, wherein fibres are held together intermediate their ends by a wire staple, the knot or tuft thus formed is folded around 25. the wire staple to a "U" shape and inserted into an aperture. This is a well developed art and machines are in common use for the insertion of fibres when in stapled knots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is characterized by a brush having a plurality of 30. apertures arranged in at least two rows, the apertures being inclined with respect to one another in such a way that when containing filaments, the filaments will come together at a locality which is external of the brush handle but between the handle and the tips of the fibres.

The invention has a number of advantages. Since the fibres can be formed from synthetic resin monofilaments of constant cross-

5. sectional shape, the paint brush can be produced relatively inexpensively, and the fibres of the two rows in being inclined to one another, will work as the brush is moved in use to move the paint towards the tip and will provide a brush producing a finish similar to that of a paint brush made by conventional methods and

10. using pig bristles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which :

FIG. 1 is an end view of a brush according to the invention, is. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the brush, and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The essential feature of the invention resides in the inclination of the two rows of tufts of filaments to slope towards each other, the 20. filaments being inserted into two rows of apertures whose axes of each row are inclined toward each other.

The apertures can be formed in the base of the brush, for example by drilling, or by moulding during the production of the handle and base. Drilling would require a number of operations, and the 25. moulding while possible would be difficult due to the fact that the two rows of apertures are inclined towards each other.

A preferred form of construction of the brush will now be described, but it is to be noted that the invention is not to be limited thereto. Referring to the drawings, the brush 1 comprises a handle joining to a base 2 having an upstanding flange 3. A pair of blocks 4 having apertures 5 into which the tufts 6 of filament 7 are supported by and attached to the flange 3 and base 2. The flange

5. 3 is generally triangular in end view, the sides 8 sloping towards each other at an included angle of between 10 degrees to 15 degrees, preferably 12 degrees. Each of the blocks 4, only one of which will be described for clarity, has an inner side surface 9, the centre line of the apertures 5 being generally parallel to the inner lo. side surface 9. As shown the flange 3 and the inner side surface 9 do not extend the length of the base 2, and the inner side surface 9_r when the brush is assembled, engages the side 8 of the flange, the ends of the blocks 4 having a portion 10 to extend past the end of the flange 3 and engage a further portion 10 of the is. other block, the engaging faces 11 thus being on the centre line of the brush 1.

Into the block 4 there are formed a row or rows of apertures 5, these being at an angle to the vertical faces 11 , and tufts of filaments 12 are inserted into the apertures, these tufts are formed 20. by folding a bunch of filaments over and stapling with a staple 13 into the base of the block.

The flange 3 has one or more pegs 14 extending from both surfaces 8, these being adapted to engage in holes 15 in the inner side surface 9 of each block so that the blocks with the tufts 25. of filaments are merely clipped to the flange 3.

ft will be seen that on assembly, as shown in FIG. 1, the two rows of tufts of filaments are inclined to each other.

The filaments are formed of a plurality of monofilaments of suitable polymeric material, such as polyester. Other fibres may 30. be used, each of the filaments being parallel throughout their length and therefore are produced by a simple extrusion process.

With the arrangements shown in the above embodiment, the parts can be identical, and therefore only one set of tooling is required for their production. There is an avoidance of converging aperture surfaces, such that use of complex dies for ejection purposes is unnecessary. Because of the art which is presently known, the filling, tapering and trimming of the filament ends can be effected automatically or semi-automatically.

Although one form of the invention has been described in some detail it is to be realized that the invention is not to be limited thereto but can include various modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A brush having a plurality of apertures in the body of the brush, the apertures being arranged in at least two rows, the apertures of one row being inclined with respect to the apertures of the other row, a tuft of filaments in each aperture, the filaments

5. of each row meeting at a locality which is external of the brush body but between the brush body and the tips of the filaments.

2. A paint brush having a handle connected to a base, the base including means to support a plurality of tufts of filaments, arranged in two parallel rows, characterized in that the tufts of filaments of each row are inclined toward a longitudinal plane of

5. the brush so that the rows of filaments engage each other over a major proportion f their length from a point spaced from the base and extending to the tip of the brush.

3. A paint brush as defined in claim 2, further characterized in that each of the filaments is a monofilament of constant cross- section throughout its length.

4. A paint brush as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that each of the filaments is a polyester filament.

5. A paint brush as defined in claim 2, further characterized in that the means to support a plurality of tufts of filaments comprises a body having two rows of apertures, the axes of the apertures of each row being inclined to the axes of the apertures of said other

5. row.

6. A paint brush as defined in claim 2, further characterized in that said means includes two blocks, each block having a row of apertures, the apertures of each row in each block being inclined such that when assembled on said base the axes of the apertures

5. of one row intersect the axes of the apertures of said other row.

7. A paint brush as defined in claim 6, further characterized in that said base has an upstanding central flange, said flange having means to locate and engage each block, one on each side of said flange.

8. A paint brush as defined in claim 7, further characterized in that said locating means comprises at least one pin on each side of said flange and at least one hole in said block.

9. A paint brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.