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(11) | EP 1 655 078 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A decorating aid |
| (57) A decorating aid for use in producing repeated patterns on a surface comprises support
means in the form of a handle (40) engageable with the surface, a tool in the form
of a comb (30) movable across the surface to produce the patterns, and a pivot mechanism
(44) for interconnecting the comb (30) and the handle (40) and providing for pivotal
movement of the comb (30).
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Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to a decorating aid for use in the formation of decorative designs comprising a plurality of substantially identical motifs repeated across a surface, each motif being made by a relatively simple tool moved across a surface.
[0002] In recent years, the finishing of walls and ceilings with a plastics screed that can be given a textured finish has become more and more widespread. This is partly because such screeds can be applied relatively cheaply compared with conventional plaster, thus reducing the overall cost of new building work, but also because they provide a convenient method of covering defects in old plaster. They can also be given a pleasing decorative finish, in a variety of regular designs and can receive a final coat of emulsion paint to provide the required colour co-ordination for a room.
[0003] However, a problem with textured plastic screeds is that, at present, repeated patterns must generally be made by a professional if the finished pattern is to be regular and pleasing to the eye, rather than inconsistent and irritating. This is because the pattern is applied with a comb-like tool that is scraped manually through the screed in single, repeated movements to produce patterns of parallel lines, usually of an arcuate nature. The skill needed to carry out this movement repeatedly and consistently, in carefully spaced positions on a wall or ceiling, can only be acquired by lengthy practice.
[0004] It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a decorating aid that can be used, even by an amateur, to produce such repeated patterns.
Summary of the Invention
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007]
Figure 1 is a schematic view of a partly formed pattern created using the decorating aid of the present invention,
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a decorating aid comprising a scraping comb and a handle in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention,
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the aid shown in Figure 2 along the line III-III of Figure 2,
Figure 4 is a plan view of the components of a production embodiment of the decorating aid comprising interlocking adjustable combs and a handle, and
Figures 5 to 7 show the decorating aid of Figure 4 and illustrate the method of reversing the position of the combs relative to the handle.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
[0008] The simple form of the decorating aid shown in Figures 2 and 3 is generally indicated at 10. It includes a scraping comb 11 comprising a slightly flexible, flat, generally rectangular, elongated blade 12 having a set of combing teeth 13 along one longitudinal edge, while the opposite edge portion 14 is set in an elongate handgrip portion 15 of generally oval cross-section. The comb 11 is used to form scraped patterns such as that shown in Figure 1 in a plastic screed on a wall or ceiling.
[0009] Two brackets 16 are attached to the comb 11, one at each end thereof, close to the teeth 13 and each bracket 16 includes a cranked arm 17 having one portion 17a flush with and riveted to the blade 12. A second portion 17b of each arm 17 carries a flat, apertured lug 18 that extends in a plane substantially parallel to, but spaced from, the end of the blade 12 and the two lugs 18 are supported on the same side of the blade 12.
[0010] A handle 19 is provided and this includes an elongated bar that carries a pivot pin 20 that projects at right angles to the handle 19 and has a pointed tip 21 at its end remote from the handle 19. The pin 20 can be inserted through an aperture 18a in either of the lugs 18, and is a loose fit therein, to provide a pivot for the comb 11, as shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the pin 20 is so inserted in the aperture 18a that the tip 21 is close to the tooth 13a at the adjacent end of the blade 12.
[0011] A decorator holding the handgrip 15 in one hand and the handle 19 in his other hand can place the aid against a wall or other surface 22 with the pin 20 at right angles to the surface 22 and with its tip 21 pressed firmly against the surface 22. In this position, the blade 12 of the comb 11 can be held at a suitable angle α to the surface 22 for creating a pattern in a plastics screed 23 that has been applied to the surface 22. The teeth 13 are pressed into the plastics screed 23 with the end tooth 13a very close to the tip 21. The decorator can then easily pivot the comb 11 about the axis of the pivot pin 20 to create an arcuate combed pattern, of any desired angular extent in the screed 23.
[0012] The circular or arcuate patterns that are formed can be repeated at will across the surface 22 and the pin 20 can be inserted in either of the two lugs 18 according to whether it is wished to execute movement of the comb 11 in a clockwise or an anti-clockwise sense.
[0013] The pin 20 may be a relatively loose fit in the apertures 18a of the lugs 18 such that a decorator can adjust the angle α of the blade 12 relative to the surface 22 being decorated according to the nature of the screed or his own working preferences. Alternatively, the pin 20 could be a close fit in the apertures 18a and the lugs 18 could be arranged at a suitable angle to the blade 12 to support the blade more securely at a predetermined angle to the surface 22 to be decorated.
[0014] The decorating aid described above can be produced very economically since, in addition to the comb 11, it merely requires the provision of two riveted brackets 16 and a handle 19 including a pivot pin 20.
[0015] An almost equally simple version (not shown) replaces the two fixed brackets 16 by a single bracket at one end of the comb 11. The lug 18 and its support arm 17 are then modified to enable the lug 18 to be moved from one side of the blade 12 to the other to enable clockwise and anti-clockwise scraping movements to be effected.
[0016] The production form of the decorating aid shown in Figures 4 to 7 comprises a comb 30 that is formed from two or more identical plastic mouldings 30A, 30B. Each moulding 30A, 30B, includes a flat blade 31 that is provided along one edge with a row of teeth 32 and the opposite edge of the blade 31 merges with a barrel formation 33. Each barrel formation 33 is provided at its one end with a projecting stud 34 and, at its opposite end, with a complementary slot to receive the stud 34 of another barrel formation 33 as a close sliding fit. The barrel formations 33 combine together to form a handgrip and the arrangement is such that the decorator will choose the number of mouldings 30A, 30B that he requires, normally one, two or three, depending on the size of the pattern that he wishes to produce and will assemble the required number of mouldings 30A, 30B together to form the comb 30.
[0017] The aid shown in Figures 4 to 8 includes a generally rectangular handle 40, which is again in the form of a plastics moulding. A foot 41 is releasably attached to a stud projecting from one corner of the handle 40 and the foot 41 comprises a plastic moulding of channel-section, but with the side walls of the channel formed with cut-outs so that the ends of the walls of the foot 41 effectively have four point contacts with a wall or other surface against which the handle 40 is placed. An adjacent corner of the handle 40 is formed with an integral projecting foot formation 42. In use, the handle 40 is grasped firmly in one hand and the foot 41 and the foot formation 42 are pressed securely against the wall or other surface with the handle 40 being held in the required position.
[0018] An integral arm 43 projects from one side of the handle 40 and the arm 43 is connected to a moulded plastic pivot mechanism 44 that includes a limb 45 formed with an aperture (not shown) that receives a pin 46 extending from the arm 43. The pivot mechanism 44 is attached to the handle 40 by means of a clip 47 that is formed with a keyhole-shaped opening 48 that receives an integral headed stud 49 projecting from the body portion of the mechanism 44. The clip 47 includes two arcuate recesses 50 and 51 that engage respectively with a headed stud 52 on the arm 43 and with a headed stud 53 on the body portion of the mechanism 44. The body portion of the mechanism 44 is normally connected to the arm 43 so that it extends in line with the axis of the arm 43, but can be connected so that it extends at right angles to the axis of the arm 43.
[0019] The other end of the pivot mechanism 44 includes a mounting for a lever 54 that is arranged for pivotal movement about an axis 55 and the free end of the lever 54 is of bifurcated form to provide a mouth within which the stud 34 projecting from the comb 30 has a snap fit engagement.
[0020] In use, the decorator will apply the texture mix to the surface to be treated and will run the comb 30 through the mix along the top edge of the wall or ceiling to create a starting point. He will then line up the top of the comb 30 to 2.5 cm. down and will rest the foot 41 and the foot formation 42 on the area to be textured. Keeping the handle 40 firmly pressed against the texture area, he will rotate the comb 30 anti-clockwise to the required starting point and move the comb 30 into contact with the mix. With his thumb in the middle of the comb 30 he will then draw the first arc in one smooth clockwise motion. To start the second arc, he will line up the top of the comb 30 again to 2.5 cm. down, but this time the starting point will be the edge of the first arc. He will continue in this way until a first row has been completed.
[0021] To produce the second row, he will position the comb 30 so that the centre point of the comb 30 will line up with the centre of the first arc on the first row, with the teeth of the comb 30 level with the edge of the wall or ceiling and he will the draw half a normal arc shape. To continue the second row, he will again line up the halfway pints, but this time he will align the comb 30 between the semi-circles that have been produced before drawing the next arc, and he will continue across the second row in this fashion. The final part of the second row is another half circle and is effected with the comb 30 reversed, as described below with reference to Figures 5 to 7. This final part of the second row is drawn anti-clockwise.
[0022] At the commencement of the third row, the decorator will aim for the centre of the two semi-circles on the previous row, again halfway down the comb 30 and, once lined up, he will draw the first arc and will continue along the third row following the procedure outlined above. When three rows have been completed, he will normally run a small paintbrush around the ceiling or wall to give a finished edge. He will then repeat the procedure for the second and third rows until he reaches the end of the ceiling or wall, applying more of the texture mix as necessary.
[0023] When the decorator reaches the start of the final row, he may find that there is not enough room on the ceiling or wall for the handle 40. He will accordingly undo the clip 47 holding the body portion of the mechanism 44 in engagement with the handle 40, separate the mechanism 44 from the handle 40, reassemble the mechanism 44 and the handle 40 with the axis of the body portion of the mechanism 44 extending at right angles to the axis of the arm 43 and then replace the clip 47. The final row can then be completed following the procedure outlined above. After the final row of arcs has been completed, the decorator will normally run the comb 30 along the bottom of the final row to give a neat finish.
[0024] Figure 5 shows the comb 30 in its normal position relative to the handle 40. Figure 6 shows the comb 30 flipped through 180° and Figure 7 shows the comb 30 in its adjusted (reversed) position so that the final arc of a row can be drawn, i.e. the pattern is produced using the same motion as before but in an anti-clockwise or reversed direction.
1. A decorating aid for use in producing repeated patterns on a surface, comprising support
means engageable with the surface, a tool movable across the surface to produce the
patterns, and a pivot mechanism for interconnecting the tool and the support means
and providing for pivotal movement of the tool.
2. A decorating aid as claimed in Claim 1, in which the tool is a comb comprising a blade
and a handgrip formation.
3. A decorating aid as claimed in Claim 2, in which the comb comprises a plurality of
comb sections releasably connected together.
4. A decorating aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the support
means is or includes a handle.
5. A decorating aid as claimed in Claim 4, in which the handle has feet that, in use,
are moved into engagement with the surface.
6. A decorating aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the pivot
mechanism includes a body portion that is connectible to the support means in more
than one orientation relative to the support means.
7. A decorating aid as claimed in Claim 6, which includes a clip for connecting the body
portion of the pivot mechanism to the support means.
8. A decorating aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the tool
includes a projecting stud to which the pivot mechanism is connected.
9. A decorating aid as claimed in Claim 8, in which the pivot mechanism includes a lever
having an end portion of bifurcated form to provide a mouth within which the stud
projecting from the tool is received.