Paintbrush clamp or holder

PAINT BRUSH CLAMP OR HOLDER

M. J. SMITH

Filed March 7, 1946

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Inventor

JVelrfif jsfmitil

Patented Feb. 21, 1950

2,498,511

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,498,511

PAINTBRUSH CLAMP OR HOLDER

Nels J. Smith, Columbia Falls, Mont. Application March 7,1946, Serial No. 652,688

Claims. (C

My invention relates to paint brush clamps or holders and is particularly adapted for use in holding one or more paint brushes in paint cans or other containers containing paint or paint solvents, in order that the same will not dry 5 out while not being used.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which can be used on cans or containers varying greatly in height. 10

Another object of my invention is the provision of such a structure which may be used on paint cans or containers of any given circumference or shape.

Another object of my invention is the provision 16 of a novel, inexpensive clamping device for holding the paint brush handles.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of means for vertically adjusting the paint brush clamps in order that the brushes 20 may be lowered into the fluid at any desired level.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device in which a plurality of paint brush clamps can be mounted on a common vertical axis for rotation on a horizontal plane over 25 the fluid within the container.

Another object of my invention is the provision of such a structure which is rigid and durable but which can be manufactured at a minimum cost. 30

The above and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, attached drawings and appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein like char- 35 acters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my novel construction mounted on a paint can or container; 40

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical axial section and partly in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a top elevational view similar to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of my novel paint brush clamp; and ⁴⁵

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5—5 of Fig. 2.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the letter A designates an open-topped paint can or other container over which a pair 50 of laterally spaced anchoring hooks I are placed. The extreme outer ends of hooks 1 may be joined by a connecting member 2 as illustrated in Fig. 5, if desired. For the purpose of increasing the frictional bite of the hooks I upon the inner surface 55 (Cl. 211—65) of the container A, I provide double teeth on the outer end of hooks ί identified by the numerals 3 and 4. The inner ends of hooks I are formed or bent into vertically extending elongated tu5 bular guides in the form of coils 5. The extreme inner ends of hooks I, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 5, extend into and are held fast by the rolled edges of a retaining clip 6, which member 6 is positioned intermediate the coils 5. A 10 stud 1, having a knurled head 8, is shown as having screw threaded engagement with clip 6. It will be obvious that by screwing stud 1 inwardly so that its extreme inner end makes contact with the outside surface of the pail or container 15 A, that clamping hooks I may be frictionally locked in position, free from horizontal or vertical movements.

A pair of supporting rods or legs 9 extend vertically through a pair of laterally spaced tubular 20 guides 5. Their upper ends are bent horizontally at 10 to project the open upper end of container A and terminate in a pivot pin-receiving loop or eyelet 11. The extreme lower ends of legs 9 . are inwardly offset at 12 to prevent legs 9 from 25 being accidentally withdrawn through guide members 5.

A vertically extending pivot pin 13 is carried by eye 11, and is held securely in place by a nut 14. A plurality of paint brush clamps or 30 holders, identified in their entirety by numeral 15, are pivoted to pivot pin 13 for horizontal movements over the contents of the container A and are vertically separated from each other by spacers or the like 16.

Referring with greater particularity to my novel paint brush clamps, it will be seen, particularly by reference to Figs. 3 and 4, that they are constructed from a single piece of spring wire or the like and are so formed as to make a pair 40 of spring arms fl and 18, respectively, which are crossed at their intermediate portions, as indicated at (9, and which are connected at their inner ends by an anchoring portion in the form of a pivot pin-receiving loop or eye 20, through 45 which pivot pin 13 is adapted to pass. It will be noted that arm ΙΊ has an outwardly closed longitudinally extending slot 21 adjacent its free end. As shown, slot 21 is formed by bending backwardly upon itself, the free end of spring 50 arm 17. Through slot 2i the free end of arm extends. It will be observed that free ends of arms 17 and 18 provide, outwardly of their crossed intermediate portions, an outwardly opening; brush-receiving mouth and exert a yielding tension tending to close the mouth. It will also be

2,498,511 brush clamps pivoted to said pivot pin for movements over the contents of said container.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which each of said paint brush clamps comprises a pair of spring arms crossed at their intermediate portions and connected at their inner ends by an anchoring portion in the form of a loop, one of said arms having a longitudinally extending outwardly closed slot adjacent its free end through which the other of said arms is extended, said spring arms providing, outwardly of their crossed intermediate portions, an outwardly opening brush handle receiving mouth, and exerting a yielding tension to close said mouth.

4. In a device of the class described, an anchoring hook adapted to fit over the top edge of an. open container,, a vertically extending guide member on the outer end of said hook in which said guide member is formed by bending the outer end of said anchoring hook into a coil, a supporting rod frietionally adjustably mounted in said guide member,, the upper end. of said supporting rod terminating in a horizontally disposed supporting bracket, and a horizontally dis- posed paint .brush clamp pivoted on a vertical axis to said supporting bracket for movement over the contents of said container.

NELS J. SMITH.

observed that the free end of arm 18 is longer than the free end of arm 17 whereby to provide a stop when cooperating with the closed end of slot 21 carried by the free end of arm 17.

Paint brushes, identified by the letter B, are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as being securely held in the clamps f 5.

It will be observed that the load carried by supporting rods 9 is considerably off-center with respect to the axis thereof. Hence, supporting rods 9 are adjustably, but frictionally, held in tubular guides 5 against accidental movement. However, support-rods 9 may be very readily manually adjusted when desired to compensate for varying levels of the fluid in container A into which it is desired to subject the bristle end of the brush B.