Self-metering liquid applicator

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUID TO A SURFACE COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR SAID LIQUID, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A BASE AND UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS, HEATING MEANS IN THE BASE OF SAID CONTAINER TO MAINTAIN THE LIQUID AT A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, A WICK OF STEEL WOOL IN SAID CONTAINER OF SUFFICIENT HEIGHT TO EXTEND FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER TO A POINT ABOVE THE LEVEL OF LIQUID THEREIN, WIRE MESH SURROUNDING THE TOP AND SIDES OF SAID WICK, AN APPLICATOR, AN APPLICATOR TIP ON SAID APPLICATOR, WIRE MESH COVERING SAID APPLICATOR TIP, SAID APPLICATOR TIP HAVING SAID WIRE MESH THEREON ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID WIRE MESH ON THE TOP OF SAID WICK, THE WIRE MESH ON SAID WICK AND SAID APPLICATOR TIP BEING WETTABLE BY THE LIQUID BUT WHICH DOES NOT ABSORB THE LIQUID, HEATING MEANS IN SAID APPLICATOR ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN SAID APPLICATOR TIP AT A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, THE MESH SIZE OF THE WIRE MESH BEING SUFFICIENT TO APPLY THE DESIRED AMOUNT OF LIQUID, SAID AMOUNT OF LIQUID BEING INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO SAID MESH SIZE, AND MEANS TO MOVE SAID APPLICATOR TIP TO AND FROM CONTACT WITH SAID MESH SURROUNDING SAID WICK.