Newell Operating Company

Ez Paintr Corporation

Lawrence J Bower, Jr

Gerald D VanZeeland

Ronald R Delo

Bruce C Polzin

An apparatus and method for making a paint roller are disclosed. The apparatus includes a mandrel, a first core material strip feeder, a second core material strip feeder, a fabric cover strip feeder, a first heater, a second heater, a first liquid adhesive applicator and a second liquid adhesive applicator. The first core material strip feeder feeds a first strip of core material about the mandrel. The second core material strip feeder feeds a second strip of core material about the mandrel. The fabric cover strip feeder feeds a strip of fabric cover material about the mandrel and about at least one of the first and second strips of core material. The first and second heaters are actuatable between a first active state in which the first and second heaters apply heat to an outer surface of the first and second strips of core material, respectively, and an inactive state. The first and second liquid adhesive applicators are actuatable between a first active state in which liquid adhesive is applied to an outer surface of the first and second strips of core material, respectively, and an inactive state. The apparatus produces paint rollers having varying characteristics by selective actuation of the first and second heaters and the first and second adhesive applicators.

Apparatus and method for making variable paint roller covers

A paint roller having a tubular core formed of thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material being in the form of a multiplicity of spirally wound plies. The multiplicity of plies comprising an outer ply surrounding and in continuous contact with an inner ply. The plies are in general parallelism with one another and fused to one another in the absence of adhesive. A fabric cover overlies the core and is heat fused to the underlying core in the absence of adhesive.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Lawrence J Bower, Jr