Abstract: A paint roller frame and cage assembly mounted for rotation on a shaft portion of the roller frame. The cage assembly includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending support bars joined together by a plurality of ribs providing an annular support for uniformly supporting a roller cover thereon. At the inboard end of the support bars is an annular flange having an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the annular support. Mounted on the annular flange is a retaining spring including a Belleville type spring washer having circumferentially spaced apart spring fingers extending radially and axially outwardly from the outer periphery of the washer for frictionally retaining the roller cover on the cage assembly. The Belleville type spring washer is retained on the annular flange by an end cap having a first annular sleeve telescopingly received over the annular flange.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying paint to walls includes a paint roller, a rotating tube and a rag which is wrapped around and secured to the tube. The tube may be made of a flexible material, and has openings for securing the rag to the tube. A plurality of openings may be arranged around the circumference of the tube at both ends thereof. The apparatus may be used to create marble-like patterns on the wall, similar to that obtained by rag rolling or sponging paint on walls by hand.

Abstract: A roller assembly for rolling planar floorings has a pair of roller sections rotating about offset axes. A handle portion extends along an axis which is offset from the axes of both roller sections, and is positioned equal distance from the two axes. Thus, a force transmitted from the handle portion to the roller is equally divided between the two roller sections. The two offset roller sections prevent the handle from pivoting relative to the axis of the roller. Preferably, a pair of brackets mount the two roller sections and the handle. One of the roller sections is positioned between the brackets while the other roller section is defined by two roller portions extending axially outwardly from the brackets. In this way, a force for smoothing a seam on two adjacent planar flooring sections is concentrated in the central roller.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and method in which fuel exhaust gas from the anode compartment of a fuel cell is communicated by the anode compartment directly to the cathode compartment of the fuel cell, thereby causing burning of the fuel exhaust gas and oxidant gas delivered to the cathode compartment to generate CO.sub.2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a paint roller capable of applying paint to inner corners, edges, and along or adjacent straight lines while still being appropriate for large area surface painting. The roller has an angled end face which spaces the end away from adjacent surfaces, while the contact surface of the roller applying paint can reach up to the inner corner. The construction includes an axle having a straight portion and an angled portion attached to one end by a fixed offset link. The straight portion carries a cylindrical roller body, while the angled portion carries a frusto-conical roller body of a size to extend the substantially linear contact surface of the cylindrical roller. The cylindrical roller has an open end partially containing the frusto-conical roller. Both roller bodies are encased by a tubular covering having pile fibres for carrying paint. The covering is elastic at least in the direction parallel to the straight portion of the axle.

Abstract: An improved roofing handroller for both press-welding and/or sealing overlapping edges of roofing material sheets together. The present invention provides a roofing handroller comprising a body defining a handle, two extended L-shaped roller bearing sections, each attached at an end of the handle, and two rollers, each rotatably mounted on a roller bearing section.

Abstract: A paint roller frame and cage assembly mounted for rotation on a shaft portion of the roller frame. The cage assembly includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending support bars joined together by a plurality of ribs providing an annular support for uniformly supporting a roller cover thereon. At the inboard end of the support bars is an annular flange having an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the annular support. Mounted on the annular flange is a retaining spring including a Belleville type spring washer having circumferentially spaced apart spring fingers extending radially and axially outwardly from the outer periphery of the washer for frictionally retaining the roller cover on the cage assembly. The Belleville type spring washer is retained on the annular flange by an end cap having a first annular sleeve telescopingly received over the annular flange.

Abstract: A roller style paint applicator incorporating a mechanism which will cause an axial rotational force to be exerted to the paint roller in order to facilitate the distribution of paint to the roller during paint saturation. The mechanism also will allow the paint roller to free wheel during the painting act. The mechanism consists of a pinion gear or cylindrical frictional surface affixed to one of the roller hubs which will become engaged with a gear or arcuate frictional surface during paint pool to roller saturation. During painting, disengagement of the gear or arcuate frictional surface from the pinion enables the paint roller to roll unimpeded.

Abstract: A sectional paint roller tube for attachment to a paint roller axle. The roller tube of the present invention has a cylindrical, substantially hollow, endpiece having an opening formed in one end thereof; at least one split sleeve having an inner diameter sized to frictionally engage the paint roller axle and an outer diameter sized to be rotatably received within the endpiece; and a cylindrical, substantially hollow, cap having an opening extending therethrough. One or more extensions may be attached to the endpiece such that an assembled roller tube of a desired length is fabricated. The cap is attached directly to the endpiece if no extensions are utilized, and is attached to the final extension if one or more extensions are used. Thus, by utilizing a small number of standard parts, paint rollers of a wide variety of different lengths are fabricated.

Abstract: A paint roller bearing with offsetting core support surface for use in small diameter paint roller applicators that permit the user to change a paint roller quickly and efficiently on a paint roller applicator, with the bearing having an axle-engaging member that clamps to the axle of a paint roller frame to rotatably secure the bearing to the axle of a paint roller frame. The paint roller bearing offset surfaces permit molding the bearing using in inexpensive open and shut molding process while still providing a central opening in the bearing. An alternative embodiment includes friction ridges to hold a paint roller core on the bearing.

Abstract: A specialty paint finish roller composed of a substantially conventional roller handle assembly having an axle, a roller tube, a pair of bushings for rotatably interfacing with the at least one axle of the roller handle assembly, and a disposable, generally cylindrically shaped rag component twisted around the roller tube, tucked into the axial cavity of the roller tube at either end thereof and secured thereto by a press fit of the bushings with respect to the axial cavity of the roller tube. The rag component is more or less twisted with respect to the roller tube. A specialty finish is provided by the specialty paint finish roller using either the positive application method or the negative application method. Rag components are easily replaceable during the job in order to achieve a maximally artistic result, as could formerly only be achievable using hands-on rag rolling techniques.