Artist{40 s tool & conditioning structure

Claim 2

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall, said tool conditioning means comprising a lower dividing wall formed integral with said side wall and said bottom wall and a generally upstanding wall portion removably carried by said side wall, said removable wall portion extending from said lower dividing wall substantially to the upper edge of said side waLl, said upstanding wall portion having a substantially V-shaped slot therein extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof for receiving the working end of an associated artist''s tool, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of the associated artist''s tool in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool.

Claim 3

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall, said tool conditioning means comprising a generally upstanding first wall portion and a second wall portion disposed substantially normal to said upstanding wall portion, a substantially V-shaped slot disposed in said first wall portion for receiving the working end of an associated artist''s tool, said second wall portion being positioned below the lower end of said slot for receiving excess materials removed from the end of the associated artist''s tool after the associated tool has been pulled through said slot, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of the associated artist''s tool in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool.

Claim 4

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall, said tool conditioning means comprising a generally upstanding first wall portion and a second wall portion disposed substantially normal to said upstanding wall portion, a substantially V-shaped slot disposed in said first wall portion for receiving the working end of an associated artist''s tool, said second wall portion being positioned below the lower end of said slot for receiving excess materials removed from the end of the associated artist''s tool after the associated tool has been pulled through said slot, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of the associated artist''s tool in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool.

Claim 5

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, a dividing wall integral with said bottom wall and said side wall and dividing said open receptacle into at least two open compartments, the upper edge of said dividing wall being disposed below the upper edge of said side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall and disposed above said dividing wall, said tool conditioning means including a substantially vertically extending slot therein for receiving the working end of an associated artist''s tool, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of the associated artist''s tool in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool.

Claim 6

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, a dividing wall integral with said bottom wall and said side wall and dividing said open receptacle into at least two open compartments, the upper edge of said dividing wall being disposed below the upper edge of said side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall and disposed above said dividing wall, said tool conditioning means including a substantially vertically extending slot therein for receiving the working end of an associated artist''s tool, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of the associated artist''s tool in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool.

Claim 7

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said tool conditioning means is removably carried by said side wall.

Claim 8

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said tool conditioning means includes a pair of oppositely disposed tabs extending through openings provided in said side wall, said tabs serving to facilitate the application of inward pressure on said tool conditioning means whereby to constrict said slot.

Claim 9

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said tool conditioning means has a peripheral lip portion contiguous with said slot and extending substantially normal to said slot, thereby providing an elongated passage through which the end of the associated artist''s tool is longitudinally moved.

Claim 10

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 6, wherein the surfaces forming said peripheral lip portion are disposed at aboUt a l0* angle relative to said slot.

Claim 11

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said tool conditioning means comprises an upstanding first wall portion and a second wall portion extending laterally of said first wall portion, said slot being disposed in said first wall portion and said second wall portion being disposed below the lower edge of said slot, said second wall portion serving to receive excess materials removed from the associated end of the artist''s tool and to direct the excess materials into one of said open compartments.

Claim 12

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said slot in said tool conditioning means is oriented such that said slot is canted at an angle of between about 50* to 80* relative to said bottom wall, thereby to facilitate longitudinal movement of the associated artist''s tool through said slot and relative to said open receptacle.

Claim 13

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said tool conditioning means is oriented such that said slot is canted at an angle of about 80* relative to said bottom wall, thereby to facilitate longitudinal movement of the associated artist''s tool through said slot and relative to said open receptacle.

Claim 14

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said slot is substantially V-shaped.

Claim 15

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 11, wherein the included angle of said V-shaped slot is about 15*.

Claim 16

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein the upper edge of said dividing wall has a substantially V-shaped notch therein, the lower surface of said tool conditioning means being disposed in said notch for cooperation therewith.

Claim 17

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said dividing wall is formed by two upstanding and integrally connected portions of said bottom wall, thereby dividing said receptacle into two separate and independent compartments which are hinged at the juncture of said upstanding portions of said bottom wall.

Claim 18

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, a dividing wall integral with said bottom wall and said side wall and dividing said open receptacle into at least two open compartments, the upper edge of said dividing wall being disposed below the upper edge of said side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall and disposed above said dividing wall, said tool conditioning means comprising an upstanding first wall portion and a second wall portion extending laterally of said first wall portion, a slot disposed in said first wall portion, the lower edge of said slot terminating above said second wall portion, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of an associated artist''s tool positioned in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool, and said second wall portion of said tool conditioning means serving to receive excess materials removed from the end of the associated artist''s tool upon movement thereof and to direct such excess materials into one of said open compartments.

Claim 19

An artist''s tool conditioning structure comprising an open receptacle having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall, a dividing wall integral with said bottom wall and said side wall and dividing said open receptacle into at least two open compartments, the upper edge of said dividing wall being disposed below the upper edge of said side wall, tool conditioning means carried by said side wall and disposed above said dividing wall, said tool conditioning means comprising an upstanding first wall portion and a second wall portion extending laterally of said first wall portion, a slot disposed in said first wall portion, the lower edge of said slot terminating above said second wall portion, said tool conditioning means being formed of a semi-rigid material whereby opposed inward pressure on said tool conditioning means in the direction of said slot causes constriction of said slot and the application of compressive force on the end of an associated artist''s tool positioned in said slot, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the end of the associated artist''s tool through said constricted slot said tool conditioning means operates to squeeze out waste materials on the working end of the associated artist''s tool, and said second wall portion of said tool conditioning means serving to receive excess materials removed from the end of the associated artist''s tool upon movement thereof and to direct such excess materials into one of said open compartments.

Claim 20

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 15, wherein said first wall portion of said tool conditioning means has a peripheral lip portion contiguous with said slot and extending substantially normal to said slot and providing an elongated passage through which the end of the associated artist''s tool may be longitudinAlly moved, thereby to facilitate the wiping of excess materials from the end of such tool.

Claim 21

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 15, wherein said slot in said tool conditioning means is oriented such that it is canted at an angle of between about 50* to 80* relative to said bottom wall, thereby to facilitate longitudinal movement of the associated artist''s tool through said slot and relative to said open receptacle.

Claim 22

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 15, wherein said upstanding wall portion of said tool conditioning means has a peripheral lip portion contiguous with said slot and extending substantially normal to said slot to provide an elongated passage through which the end of the associated artist''s tool may be longitudinally moved, the outer terminal edge of said second wall portion is beveled to provide a knife-like edge thereon for scraping the end of the associated artist''s tool, and said tool conditioning means is oriented such that said slot is canted at an angle of about 80* relative to said bottom wall, thereby to facilitate longitudinal movement of the associated artist''s tool through said slot and said peripheral lip and relative to said open receptacle and also to facilitate scraping of the end of the associated artist''s tool against the beveled edge of said second wall portion.

Claim 23

The artist''s tool conditioning structure set forth in claim 14, wherein said tool conditioning means is removably carried by said side wall, said tool conditioning means including a pair of oppositely disposed tabs extending through openings in said side wall to facilitate the application of inward pressure on said tool conditioning means whereby to constrict said slot, and the upper edge of said dividing wall has a substantially V-shaped notch therein adapted to receive said tool conditioning means, the lower surface of said tool conditioning means being disposed in said notch for cooperation therewith.