US4583666A — Container attachment

Claim 1

Independent Claim 178 words

A container attachment comprising: (a) a rim guard member adapted to fit on a container to cover at least part of a rim of the container, said rim guard member having surfaces defining an opening of sufficient dimension to permit access to the interior of said container; and (b) a brush holder member fixed to said rim guard member and extending above the container rim, said brush holding member having a receptacle with a brush opening and a drain opening and adapted to support a brush in a generally upright position and permit excess fluid on said brush to drain from said brush through said drain opening of said receptacle, said drain opening being positioned to allow draining fluid to enter the interior of such a container and being located above the level of fluid in the container when in use whereby liquid from the container may be poured through the drain opening and at least a portion of the holder and an adjacent portion of the rim guard member surfaces connect to function as a pouring spout.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 178 words

A container attachment comprising: (a) a rim guard member adapted to fit on a container to cover at least part of a rim of the container, said rim guard member having surfaces defining an opening of sufficient dimension to permit access to the interior of said container; and (b) a brush holder member fixed to said rim guard member and extending above the container rim, said brush holding member having a receptacle with a brush opening and a drain opening and adapted to support a brush in a generally upright position and permit excess fluid on said brush to drain from said brush through said drain opening of said receptacle, said drain opening being positioned to allow draining fluid to enter the interior of such a container and being located above the level of fluid in the container when in use whereby liquid from the container may be poured through the drain opening and at least a portion of the holder and an adjacent portion of the rim guard member surfaces connect to function as a pouring spout.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The container attachment of claim 1 further comprising securing means to secure said rim guard member to said container.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The container attachment of claim 1 further comprising sealing elements fixed to said rim guard member and adapted to engage an interior surface of said container interior.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 58 words

The container attachment of claim 1 further comprising pouring guard elements fixed to said rim guard members and said receptacle of said brush holding member and adapted to aid in preventing spillage of fluid during pouring through said brush holding member, and positioned to reinforce the brush holder and rim guard by supporting and stabilizing the brush holder.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The container attachment of claim 1 further comprising handle retaining portions to retain a handle of said container in a substantially upright direction.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 39 words

The container attachment of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of handle holding portions for selectively retaining a bail of a container in a substantially upright direction or in an angular lock-back position closer to the brush holding member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 66 words

The container attachment of claim 1 further comprising a permanent grid portion positioned at the base of said brush holding member across the drain opening of said receptacle and adapted to allow excess fluid to drain through said grid portion positioned across said drain openings into the interior of a container, while inhibiting smaller brushes from entering the interior of said container through said drain opening.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 246 words

An attachment for use on a paint container or the like comprising; an annular rim guard having surfaces including an outer wall connected to a ring portion, said outer wall being concentric with the container and being on the exterior of said container, said ring portion covering the rim of said container and being canted so that fluid on said ring portion drains into the interior of said container; securing means fixed to said outer wall of said annular rim guard for securing said rim guard to said container; sealing means fixed to a bottom side of said ring portion for engaging an interior portion of said container; and a brush holding member fixed to said ring portion of said annular rim guard, said brush holding member having a receptacle with a brush opening and a drain opening said brush holding member being adapted to support a brush in a generally upright position and positioned to hold a brush at an angle sufficient to permit excess fluid on said brush to drain through said drain opening, said drain opening being located to permit draining fluid to enter the interior of said container, the brush opening being oriented relative to the remainder of the attachment such that when the attachment is in use paint may be poured through the opening and at least a portion of the brush holder and a connecting and adjacent surface of the rim guard are adapted to function as a pouring spout.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 246 words

An attachment for use on a paint container or the like comprising; an annular rim guard having surfaces including an outer wall connected to a ring portion, said outer wall being concentric with the container and being on the exterior of said container, said ring portion covering the rim of said container and being canted so that fluid on said ring portion drains into the interior of said container; securing means fixed to said outer wall of said annular rim guard for securing said rim guard to said container; sealing means fixed to a bottom side of said ring portion for engaging an interior portion of said container; and a brush holding member fixed to said ring portion of said annular rim guard, said brush holding member having a receptacle with a brush opening and a drain opening said brush holding member being adapted to support a brush in a generally upright position and positioned to hold a brush at an angle sufficient to permit excess fluid on said brush to drain through said drain opening, said drain opening being located to permit draining fluid to enter the interior of said container, the brush opening being oriented relative to the remainder of the attachment such that when the attachment is in use paint may be poured through the opening and at least a portion of the brush holder and a connecting and adjacent surface of the rim guard are adapted to function as a pouring spout.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 46 words

The attachment of claim 6 further comprising a second sealing means spaced from the first recited sealing means and fixed to the bottom side of said ring portion for engaging an interior portion of a second container having a different dimension than the first recited container.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 46 words

The attachment of claim 6 wherein said securing means are two integral parts of said outer wall, each of said parts having a general downward directed C-shaped opening adapted to engage cylindrically extending bail bearings on the container and to hold said attachment to said container.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The attachment of claim 6 further comprising handle holding parts extending from said rim guard and adapted to retain a handle of said container in a substantially upright position with respect to said container.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 38 words

The attachment of claim 6 wherein said sealing means is a generally V-shaped in cross-section sealing flange, the sealing flange wall closest to the rim guard outer wall making sealing contact against an interior portion of the container.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 57 words

The attachment of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of handle holding parts which extend from said rim guard and are adapted to retain a handle of a container selectively either in a substantially upright position with respect to said container opening, or in a lock-back position at an acute angle with respect to said container opening.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 47 words

The attachment of claim 8 further comprising a grid portion fixed at the base of said brush holding member across the drain opening of said receptacle and positioned to allow fluid to drain downward through said grid portion and drain opening into the interior of a container.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 286 words

An attachment for use on a paint can comprising: an annular rim guard adapted to fit on top of an open paint can, said guard having surfaces including an annular outer wall connected to an annular ring portion, said ring portion covering the rim of the can, said annular outer wall fitting on the outside of said paint can and being substantially concentric with the paint can, said annular ring portion being sloped downward and inward toward the interior of said paint can so that fluid on said annular ring portion drains into the interior of said can; two securing parts integral with said outer wall and having generally downward directed C-shaped openings adapted to engage cylindrically extending bail bearings on the side of said can to hold said annular rim guard to said can; handle holding parts integral with said annular rim guard adapted to retain a handle of said can in a substantially upright direction; an annular, generally V-shaped sealing flange integral with the bottom side of said annular ring portion, said sealing flange engaging an interior rim lip of the paint can; and a brush holder fixed to said annular ring portion of said annular rim guard, said brush holder having spaced apart inner and outer wall portions connected by side walls and defining a brush receiving opening and a drain exiting opening, said brush holder extending above said annular rim guard and adapted to hold a paintbrush in a generally upright manner, said drain opening being positioned to permit paint draining from a paintbrush placed in said holder to drain into the interior of said can and to connect with the surfaces of the rim guard to function as a pouring spout.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 286 words

An attachment for use on a paint can comprising: an annular rim guard adapted to fit on top of an open paint can, said guard having surfaces including an annular outer wall connected to an annular ring portion, said ring portion covering the rim of the can, said annular outer wall fitting on the outside of said paint can and being substantially concentric with the paint can, said annular ring portion being sloped downward and inward toward the interior of said paint can so that fluid on said annular ring portion drains into the interior of said can; two securing parts integral with said outer wall and having generally downward directed C-shaped openings adapted to engage cylindrically extending bail bearings on the side of said can to hold said annular rim guard to said can; handle holding parts integral with said annular rim guard adapted to retain a handle of said can in a substantially upright direction; an annular, generally V-shaped sealing flange integral with the bottom side of said annular ring portion, said sealing flange engaging an interior rim lip of the paint can; and a brush holder fixed to said annular ring portion of said annular rim guard, said brush holder having spaced apart inner and outer wall portions connected by side walls and defining a brush receiving opening and a drain exiting opening, said brush holder extending above said annular rim guard and adapted to hold a paintbrush in a generally upright manner, said drain opening being positioned to permit paint draining from a paintbrush placed in said holder to drain into the interior of said can and to connect with the surfaces of the rim guard to function as a pouring spout.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The attachment of claim 15 further comprising a pouring spout in said outer wall portion of said brush holder to permit paint to be poured from said attachment out through said pouring spout.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 27 words

The attachment of claim 16 further comprising pouring guards fixed to said rim guard to aid in preventing paint from spilling during pouring through said pouring spout.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 59 words

The attachment of claim 15 wherein said inner and outer wall portions of said brush holder converge downwardly toward the interior of the paint can, said brush receiving opening being sufficiently large to permit entrance of a paint brush and said drain exiting opening being sufficiently small to prevent the paint brush from extending through said drain exiting opening.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 42 words

The attachment of claim 15 further comprising handle holding portions integral with said annular rim guard adapted selectively to retain a handle of a container in either a substantially upright position or in an angular lock-back position toward the brush holding member.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 93 words

The attachment of claim 15 further comprising a fixed grid portion consisting of permanent rib elements extending outwardly from the base of said brush holding member, and positioned when in use substantially horizontally across the base of the inner and outer walls of said brush holder which converge downward toward the interior of a container, said brush receiving opening being sufficiently large to permit entrance of a paintbrush and said grid portion being positioned across said drain exiting opening to inhibit smaller width brush exit from the brush holder through said drain opening.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-04-21	1989-10-21	1990-04-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-04-21	1993-10-21	1994-04-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-04-21	1997-10-21	1998-04-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Container attachment

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