Coating brush cleaning and storing apparatus and method

Abstract

A brush cleaning and storing apparatus, particularly for storing of paint brushes and coating brushes and brushes of like material, in such Manner that the brush can be introduced into a solvent and then rubbed against a plate having a surface which aids in removal of the paint or similar substance. In addition, the apparatus and the method provide for suspending the brush in a housing of the apparatus. In this way, the solvent is contained within the housing, thereby avoiding environmental nuisance problems associated with the disposing of the solvent, and which also enables the reuse thereof.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A brush cleaning and storage apparatus for the cleaning and storage of brushes used in the application of a coating material, said apparatus comprising: 
 a) housing having an exterior wall forming an enclosing interior chamber;    b) closure means on said housing for obtaining access to said interior chamber when opened;    c) cleaning means in said housing having a irregular surface pattern allowing brushes to be rubbed thereagainst and thereby aid in the cleaning of a brush containing an entrained substance; and    d) whereby said container can be closed after cleaning of said brush to thereby preclude excessive evaporation of the solvent therein.    
     
     
         2 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 1  further characterized in that the interior chamber of said container has a bottom section which is adapted to receive a solvent for allowing the dipping of a brush into the solvent before rubbing against said cleaning means.  
     
     
         3 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 1  further characterized in that said cleaning means comprises a plate extending generally horizontally within said housing and which has an upper irregular surface thereon for enabling a user to hold a brush by the handle thereof and to brush against the irregular surface of said plate.  
     
     
         4 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 1  further characterized in that the openable portion of said container is an upper lid section which is hingedly opened and closed against an open upper end of said container.  
     
     
         5 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 1  further characterized in that said container has a bottom reservoir adapted to contain a solvent for dissolving entrained coating material in said brush and said cleaning means is a plate having an irregular surface effect suspended in said solvent or in closely spaced relationship to said solvent above the upper surface thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 1  further characterized in that handle means is associated with said container to allow carrying of said container by a user thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 1  further characterized in that means is provided in said interior chamber for holding cleaned brushes in a suspended condition.  
     
     
         8 . The brush cleaning and storage apparatus of  claim 7  further characterized in that said means for holding the brushes in a suspended condition is a hook means.  
     
     
         9 . A method for cleaning of brushes used in the application of a coating material and for allowing for the storage of same, said method comprising: 
 a) introducing a brush used in the application of a coating material into a solvent for that coating material contained within a reservoir of a container;    b) rubbing the brush against an irregular surface of a cleaning member; and    c) suspending the brush in a chamber of said container which has a solvent content located in said container.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further characterized in that said method comprises dipping the coating brush into the solvent located at a base reservoir in said chamber and allowing for the rubbing of the brush against a plate having an irregular surface effect to remove the paint entrained in the brush and to aid in the wiping of the solvent from the brush.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further characterized in that said method comprises suspending the brush in the container and closing the container to preclude excess evaporation of the solvent and to enable the suspension of brushes in the solvent in the container.  
     
     
         12 . An improvement in an apparatus for accomplishing the cleaning and the storage of brushes used in the application of a coating material, said improvement comprising: 
 a) means for introducing a coating brush into a solvent located in a solvent reservoir of a container;    b) a cleaning member for enabling of the rubbing of the brush against an irregular surface pattern of said cleaning member shortly after the introduction of the brush into the solvent therefor;    c) means for hanging the paint brush in a suspended condition in said chamber after the cleaning thereof; and    d) closing said container so that the brush is stored in a solvent.    
     
     
         13 . In the cleaning and storage of coating brushes of  claim 9  further characterized in that said apparatus comprises lid means closeable over an upper opening in said container and which opening provides access to the interior of said container.  
     
     
         14 . The improvement in the apparatus of  claim 9  further characterized in that said apparatus comprises means in an interior chamber of said container for holding the coating brushes in the suspended position in said container.  
     
     
         15 . The improvement in the apparatus of  claim 9  further characterized in that said cleaning member is a relatively flat plate having an irregular upper surface pattern with projections thereon providing a roughened upper surface facilitating the cleaning of the coating brush thereon.