US1865850A - Fountain brush - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1932. E. s. GARVEY 1,

FOUNTAIN BRUSH Filed April 1 1951 //v l/EA/TOF: 5. 5. 64/? v5 )4 Patented July 5, 1932 PATENT OFFICE EDWARD S. GARVEY, OF CLAYTON, MISSOURI FOUNTAIN BRUSH Application filed April 1,

This invention relates to fountain brushes and similar devices wherein fluid is dis charged from a reservoir to a tip. In a fountain brush, the reservoir is usually located "6' in an approximately upright position and the liquid flows from the bottom of the reservoir to a tip used for marking, painting or stenciling.

Ink in the form of a thin fluid is ordi- 1 narily used in such brushes, and the ink is usually permitted to flow by gravlty from the reservoir to the brush tip. One objection to the older devices lies in the irregularity and uncertainty of the gravity flow which occurs while the brush is in motion. Another objection appears in the leakage of ink which often occurs when the brush is not in service. 7

An object of the present invention is to produce a fountain brush, or the like, wherein the ink or other fluid in the reservoir is forcibly discharged by the operator in accordance with his observation of the work, instead of depending upon gravity to supply this fluid. I

Another object is to prevent the leakage which ordinarily occurs in fountain brushes having hand-operated valves to vary the flow of fluid from the reservoir. The ordinary valve is provided with an operating device which extends through a Wall of the reservoir and under some conditions permits leakage of ink through said wall.

I will show how a valve of this kind can any part of the operating means.

i In other words, the preferred form of the invention provides for a forcible discharge of fluid under the control of the operator instead of the usual uncertain gravity flow, and I also prevent the highly objectionable leakage which ordinarily occurs in valve devices under the control of the operator.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying draW- ing, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be be operated without danger of leakage at 1931. Serial No. 526,818.

understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section illustrating a fountain brush embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the device.

I will now describe the fountain brush which I have shown as one form of the invention.

1 designates a reservoir comprising a bottom member 2 screwed into the lower end of a cylinder 3, said bottom member having a threaded extension 4 to receive a threaded ring 5 at the top of a brush tip 6. The usual inlet tube 7 may be located in the brush tip.

8 designates a curved valve normally engaging a correspondingly curved seat in a discharge port 9 in the bottom of the reservoir.

A valve stem 10in the form of a vertical rod extends from the valve to the upper portion of the reservoir where it terminates in a head 11. Guides 12 and 13 retain the valve stem at the vertical axis of the reservoir, the lower guide 13 having three legs seated on the bottom of the reservoir, while the upper guide 12 has similar legs adapted to-engage the inner face of the cylinder 3. The bottom of the reservoir is provided with a circular flange which cooperates with the legs of the lower guide 13 to locate the rod or stem 10 at the center of the discharge port. The valve stem is free to slide in the lower guide 13, but the upper guide 12 is fixed to said stem.

. A spring 14 extends from the lower guide 13 to a collar 15 which is secured to the valve stem. This spring normally retains the valve 8 in its closed position and transmits adownward pressure to said guide 13 to hold it in position. I

Prior to this invention, fountain brushes have been equipped with valves at the bottom and stems, or other operating devices, extending from the valves and passing through the top or side walls of the reservoirs. In actual practice it is very diflicult, if not impossible, to prevent leakage of the thin ink at the place where a valve operating member extends through a wall of the reservoir, as the operating member must be freely movable, and this usually results in a loose fit permitting leakage of ink.

I will now show how the valve 8 can be operated by a member sealed to the reservoir,

so as to positively eliminate the danger of leakage at the operating member.

16 designates a diaphragm at the top of the reservoir adapted to be depressed, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby imparting a downward movement to the valve stem 10, so as to open the valve 8.

This diaphragm is preferably a concavoconvex sheet of spring metal, normally v bowed outwardly and adapted to return to gO ltS normal position when free of pressure.

The margin of said diaphragm is seated on the top of the cylinder 8, and it may be sealed thereto in any suitable manner. For example, a ring 17 surrounding the reservoir has an inturned flange seated on the diaphragm, and this ring may be welded, soldered, brazed, or otherwise united with the diaphragm 16 and cylinder 3.

When the diaphragm is depressed, it compresses the air above the liquid in the reservoir, thereby forcibly discharging the liquid through the port 9. In using the brush, the operator grasps the reservoir in one hand and uses his thumb to depress the diaphragm. Actual practice has shown that this arrangement of the parts enables the device to be very conveniently used and operated.

A variatlon 1n the dlscharge can be ob- .tained by quick and slow movements of the .15. diaphragm.

ia'diaphragm preferably serves as means for opening the valve 8, so the liquid is subjected to pressure and at the same time permitted to freely escape at the valve.

The spring 14, which restores the valve, rm also imparts an upward thrust to the rod 10 which engages the diaphragm. Therefore, if the diaphragm is relatively weak, or if it lacks the inherent spring power, the spring 10 may be used to restore thediaphragm.

It will now be understood that the very simple device herein shown provides a positive pressure to feed the liquid to the brush, instead of depending upon a slow and uncertain gravity flow while the device is in serv- 'ice. Moreover, the forclble dlscharge is very easily and conveniently controlled by the operator. A further advantage lies in the elimination of leakage at the valve-operating means. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a combination of all of these novel features, nor to the specific combination of details which I have shown to illustrate a very simple and inexpensive form of the invention, as one or more of the new results can be obtained in various modifications of the device herein shown.

I claim:

1. In a fountain brush, a reservoir having a bottom provided with a discharge port having a curved valve seat, a curved valve adapted to contact with said curved seat to close said port, a brush below said port, a diaphragm made of spring material seated on the top of said reservoir, a ring surrounding said reservoir and having an inturned flange seated on the diaphragm, said ring being sealed to said reservoir and diaghragm to prevent leakage, an operating device eX-- tending from said valve through said discharge port to a position adjacent the bottom of said diaphragm, said opera-ting device being provided with a upper and lower spring seat, said lower spring seat being separated from said discharge port to provide a space for the delivery of fluid to said port, and a spring located between and seated on said spring seats whereby upward pressure is transmitted to said operating device and valve so as to yieldingly retain them in theirelevated positions, said valve being movable downwardly in response to a downward movement of said diaphragm to permit a forcible discharge of liquid from said reservoir to said brush.

2. In a fountain bush, a hand-receiving reservoir having a bottom provided with a dis charge port having a curved valve seat, a curved valve adapted to contact with said curved seat to close said port, a brush below said port, a concave-convex diaphragm seated on the top of said hand-receiving reservoir and adapted to be depressed by the thumb of the user, said diaphragm being made of spring material normally bowed outwardly and adapted to return to its normal position when free of pressure, a ring surrounding said reservoir and having an inturned flange seated on the diaphragm, said ring being sealed to said reservoir and diaphragm to prevent leakage, an operating rod extending from said valve through said discharge port to a position adjacent the bottom of said diaphragm, a stationary guide to retain said operating rod in the center of said port, said guide having legs seated on the bottom of the reservoir to separate said guide from said discharge port to provide a space for the delivery of fluid to said port, said bottom being provided with a circular flange which cooperates with said legs to locate the operating rod in the center of said discharge port, and a spring whereby upward pressure is transmitted to said rod and valve so as to yieldingly retain them in their elevated positions, said spring being seated upon said guide to hold it in position, said rod and valve being movable downwardly in response to a downward movement of said diaphragm to permit a forcible discharge of liquid from said reser- Voir to said brush.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aflix my signature.

EDWARD s. GARVEY.

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