Shaping tool for creating artistic designs in sand art bottles
United States Patent [1 1 Wall [ SHAPING TOOL FOR CREATING ARTISTIC DESIGNS IN SAND ART BOTTLES [76] Inventor: Roy Wall, 705 Bernice St.,  
 Farmerville, La. 71241 [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 410,193  
 [52] US. Cl 81/3 R; 7/17; 172/375 [51] Int. Cl B251 l/00 [58] Field of Search 81/3 R; 7/17, 1 L, 1 R, 7/1 C; 30/169, 299, 172; 172/136, 375; 145/50 C; 132/753 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,020,214 3/1912 Metz 7/17 1,235,038 7/1917 Klinka 30/172 X 1,490,775 4/1924 Hemmerly 7117 1,616,355 2/1927 Considine 7/1 C 2,622,729 12/1952 Uttz 7/1 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 422,544 12/1933 United Kingdom 30/172 Primary ExaminerlDonald G. Kelly Assistant ExaminerRoscoe V. Parker Attorney, Agent, or FirmL. S. Van Landingham, Jr.  
 [57] ABSTRACT An elongated rod-like shaping tool is provided which is especially useful in creating designs in sand art bottles. The tool has a shaping tip on at least one end of a rod-like member and an enlarged grasping portion remote from the shaping tip. In a preferred embodiment, shaping tips are provided on both ends of the rod-like member and the grasping portion is a loop in the rod located between the shaping tips. The method of using the shaping tool and a sand artists kit including the tool are described in further variants of the invention.  
 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR I 5 FIG. 5  
 FIG.4  
 FIG. 6  
 FIG.3  
 FIG. 2  
 SHAPING TOOL FOR CREATING ARTISTIC DESIGNS IN SAND ART BOTTLES BACKGROUND OF THE iNvENTioN,  
 Sand art is relatively new form of art and it is not:  
 widely known or practiced at the present time. In executing a work of sand art, the sand artist pours a plural-&#39; ity of freely flowing particulate materials having different colors into a glass bottle or other suitable transparent container and-then uses a shaping tool to create a design or series of designs therein. 7  
  The performance of the shaping tool is very important and especially when working with containers such as bottles with curved sides and/or portions of reduced diameter. Even the most skillful sand artist cannot execute a masterpiece without a suitable shaping tool.  
  The shaping tools available prior-to the present in vention have not been suitable. The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior artand pro \ides an entirely satisfactory shaping tool for the first time.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of one presently preferred form of the shaping tool of the invention;  
 FIG. 2 is a top view of the shaping tool of FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 3 is a view illustrating four additional shaping tips of varying configurations for use on the shaping tool of FIG. 1&#39;. FIG. 4 is a view in elevation illustrating the use of the shaping tool of FIG. 1 in creating the first series of designs in the lower portion of a sand art bottle;  
  FIG. 5 is a further view in elevation similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the use of the shaping tool ofFlG. l in creating a second series of designs in the intermediate portion of a sand art bottle; and  
  FIG. 6 is a view in elevation illustrating the completed sand art bottle of FIGS. 4 and 5.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION INCLUDING PREFERRED VARIANTS THEREOF.  
  Referring now to the drawings, the shaping tool 10 includes a continuous elongated rod-like member 11 having shaping tips 12 on the ends thereof. The tool 10 also has a grasping portion 14 in the form of a loop 15 in member 11 located intermediate the shaping tips 12.  
  The end portions 16 and 17 of member 11 are flatened somewhat and curved away from grasping portion 15, and terminate in flat shaping tips 12. As is best seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 66, the curvature of end portions 16 and 17 is such as to allow tool 10 to be inserted downward through neck 18 of bottle 19 and then along ancl past the curved side 20. The shaping tips 12 must be used to create artistic designs immediately adjacent the internal glass surface and the curvature of end portions 16 and 17 aids in the proper positioning of the flat shaping tips 12 along the entire height of the internal glass surface of bottle 19.  
  The elongated rod-like member 11 is preferably round but it may be square, rectangular or of any other suitable cross section. The grasping portion 15 is preferably an enlargement in member 11 in the form of loop 15 or a solid flat disc-like member, but it likewise may be square, rectangular, or of any other suitable cross section. The flatshaping tips 12 may have square ends as illustrated by tips 21 and 22, slanted ends as illustrated by tips 23 and 24, or round ends as illustrated by tips 25 and 26. The tips 21-26 also may have one or more side notches which may be positioned opposite each other or in offset fashions to aid in creating details in artistic designs. Tip 21, for example, illustrates the positioning of two offset notches which are especially effective in creating the proper shape at the end of certain strokes.  
  As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the designs are created by pushing down with tool 10 on different colored layers of sand. The tips 21-26 have critical configurations which,. on being pushed down through the multicolored sand layers, cause the sand particles thereof to move or flow into the desired multicolored designs. The slanted edged tips 23 and 24 are especially useful for creating generally elongated designs such as the legs of animals and the hoof at the end of each leg. The legs thus created have a pronounced slant which gives the appearance of motion to the completed animal design. The larger tip 23 is usually used for larger animals and the smaller tip 24 for smaller animals. The tips 23 and 24 may be slanted, for example, at approximately 15-45 percent and preferably at about 30 for best results. The larger round. ended tip 25 is very useful for creating rain drop-like designs and for smoothing out uneven lines. A straight edged tip such as tip 21 or 22 is not nearly .as effective as a round ended tip when smoothing out lines as the sand tends to roll against the straight edge. The smaller round ended tip 26 is very useful for making designs such as, for example, antlers or horns on animals, to divide the same clearly and distinctively, and to strike out an unwanted color of sand. The square ended tips 21 and 22 are useful as general purpose shaping tips including designs not previously described for tips 23-26. The wider tip 22 may be used for larger designs and the tip 21 for smaller designs. The offset notches 27 and 28 provided in tip 21 are useful for creating the proper shape at the. end of certain strokes. The larger tips 22, 23 and 25 may be of any suitable width for use in creating generally larger designs, such as approximately 24 and preferably 3 times the width of member 11, and the smaller tips 21, 24 and 26 may be of any suitable width for use in creating generally smaller designs, such as approximately 44 /2 and preferably 1 times the width of member 11. However, it is understood that any suitable tip width may be used and that the width will vary to some extent with the size of the bottle and the size of the design to be created.  
  As is best seen in FIG. 2, a vertical plane passing generally through the longitudinal axis of member 11 also passes generally through the longitudinal axis of loop 15 and is generally normal to a horizontal plane passing through the flat tip 21, or a horizontal plane passing through tip 22. This is the most practical and most preferred relationship between the member 11, the grasping portion 15 and the tips 21 and 22.  
  The tool 10 may be constructed of any suitable material that has sufficient strength and that will hold its shape. A metal such as steel is often preferred, but high strength plastics such as ABS or polyethylene and other polyolefins may be used. The overall length of tool 10 may be varied as. desired. For instance, the length may be varied to accomodate the specific container that is being used for other reasons. Similarly, the curved portions 16 and 17 may be shaped originally to conform with the curvature of a desired container, or in some instances portions 16 and 17 may be so adjusted after manufacture. Also, the curved portions 16 and 17 may extend from loop 15 to tips 12 when desired.  
  The tool illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be produced initially as two separate tools with each having a member 11, a grasping portion 14 at one end, and a shaping tip 12 at the other end. The tool 10 also may be manufactured as illustrated and in instances where an individual sand artist so desires, the tool may be divided into two separate tools. For example, the loop 15 may be provided with a notch 29 which, upon flexing, will cause the loop 15 to break at the notch 29 and thereby form two shaping tools. The resulting two shaping tools each have one half of loop 15 at one end as a grasping portion 14, and a single shaping tip 12 at the other end which may have the configeration of any of tips 21-26 or any other suitable configuration and with or without notches. When the tool 10 is produced initially as two separate tools, then each of the resulting two tools may have configurations such as described above when tool 10 is divided at notch 29.  
  The terms sand and sand art are used herein in a generic sense and it is understood that the terms embrace but are not limited to natural sand. For example, the terms embrace natural sand and any other granular or finely divided material, whether naturally occuring or synthetic, which is suitable for use as a sand substitute in the environment of the invention. Examples of sand substitutes include colored glass and plastics in particulate form and preferably of a particle size similar to natural sand. The materials should be free flowing.  
  With reference to FIGS. 4-6, the shaping tool 10 may be used to execute an object of sand art in accordance with the following steps:  
  1. Place an empty sand art bottle 19 on a smooth surface such as a table top.  
 2. Pour a white or colored sand from a vial into the bottle 19 until it forms a thin layer 30. Be careful not to pour all of the sand from the vial at this time. A funnel is helpful in transferring the sand.  
 3. Repeat step 2 using a different colored sand to form a layer 31.  
 4. Repeat step 2 using another colored sand to form a layer 32.  
 5. Repeat step 2 using another colored sand to form a layer 33.  
 6. After the four layers 30-33 of alternating colors are poured. the shaping tool 10 may be used to create designs. Hold the shaping tool 10 in one hand and hold the bottle 19 steady with the other hand. Place the tool against the surface of the inside wall of the bottle 19. Push the tool 10 down through the layers 30-33 of sand to the bottom of the bottle 19. Pull the tool 10 gently up and away from the wall of the bottle 19, being careful not to mar the design. When the tool 10 is lifted above the top layer 33 of sand, move the tool 10 over about one fourth inch to the right of the design. Push the tool 10 down again through the top layers 30-33 to the bottom of the bottle 19.  
 7. Go all around the bottle 19 in this manner turning the bottle clock-wise so that the designs may be seen as created. When all around the bottle 19, there will be an icicle design in the bottom portion.  
 8. Repeat Step 2 alternating light and dark colors and pour four thin layers of sand 34-37 on top of the completed design. Hold the shaping tool 10 as before. This time push down to the top layer 33 of the first design instead of to the bottom of the bottle 19. Turn the bottle 19 as before and go entirely around the bottle 19 to create another row of icicle patterns.  
 9. Repeat step 8 until the bottle 19 is filled.  
 10. Hold the filled bottle 19 firmly with one hand. Grasp a square ended packing rod with the other hand and place the end in the center of the filled bottle 19. Press down gently, but firmly, in the center of the filled bottle 19. Continue slowly moving the packing rod up and down, always staying in the center of the bottle 19. When there is pressure against the packing rod as it is pushed down, stop packing the sand.  
  I 1 There will be an empty space at the top of the filled bottle 19 after the packing. Still holding the bottle with one hand, pour in some more sand and press it down with a thumb. This will leave enough room for the wax layer 38.  
 12. Hold a candle with the fingers of one hand so that the wax will not drip on the hand. Light the candle and let the wax drip over&#39;the top of the sand in the bottle 19. Make sure that the wax completely covers the sand so that it will be sealed in. Do not over fill the bottle as the cap must fit on. After the wax has hardened, twist the bottle cap 39 on tightly.  
  The above general procedure may be modified as necessary to create more sophisticated objects of sand art. For example, the design may include animals such as deer, elephants and the like, or other objects.  
 If desired, the wax layer 38 may be replaced with a I resilient material such as rubber which extends slightly above the top of bottle 19. The cap 39 then may be applied and used to compress the resilient material to thereby hold the&#39;sand in place. The cap 39 may be of the non-removable type when desired.  
  The foregoing detailed description and the formal drawings are for purposes of ilustration only and are not intended to be limiting to the spirit or scope of the appended claims.  
  The various items needed to execute a work of sand art may be assembled in the form of a kit and sold. The kit may include, for example, at least one and preferably two or more shaping tools 10, which, for best results, have tips 21-26, one or more sand art bottles 19 with caps, at least two and preferably three or more vials of colored sand or a colored sand substitute with contrasting colors, a packing rod which may be a square ended metal or plastic rod Ki-154 inch in diameter and a candle. The items may be arranged and packaged, for example, in a specially constructed styrofoam container so as to be displayed for sale, or on a cardboard backing which is then wrapped with a transparent material.  
 I claim:  
  1. A shaping tool for creating artistic designs in sand art bottles terminating at the upper end in a relatively narrow open ended neck portion and having a side wall sloping downward and outward therefrom to a relatively wide main body portion comprising an elongated rod-like member having first and second ends, substantially flat first and second shaping tips on the first and second ends respectively of the rod-like member for creating artistic designs in a plurality of superimposed multicolored layers of sand or sand substitute in the bottle, and a grasping portion which is a loop formed in the rod-like member intermediate the first and second shaping tips and located a sufficient distance from each of the first and second shaping tips to allow the loop to extend outward from the opening in the neck of the sand art bottle when either the first or second shaping tip rests on the bottom of the bottle, the rodlike member being curved between the grasping portion and each of the first and second shaping tips whereby the flat first and second shaping tips may be inserted downward into the bottles via the opening in the neck thereof and positioned properly against the internal bottle surface to create artistic designs therein at any point between the bottom and the neck, the arrangement and configuration of the rod-like member, the flat first and second shaping tips, and the grasping portion being such that a vertical plane passing generally through the longitudinal axis of the rod-like memher also passes generally through the longitudinal axis of the grasping portion and is generally normal to first and second horizontal planes passing through the flat first and second shaping tips respectively, and the loop having a means formed therein whereby upon flexing the loop breaks and the shaping tool may be divided into two shaping tools.  
  2. The shaping tool of claim 1 wherein one of the shaping tips has at least one notch in the side thereof to aid in creating artistic designs.  
  3. The shaping tool of claim 1 wherein one of the shaping tips has a straight edge.  
  4. The shaping tool of claim 1 wherein one of the shaping tips has a slanted end.  
 &#39; 5. the shaping tool of claim 1 wherein one of the shaping tips has a rounded end.  
 6. The shaping tool of claim 1 wherein said means formed in the loop is a notch.  
 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIQN PATENT NO. 325  
 DATED April 15, 1975 lN\/ ENTOR(S) ROY WALL H is certified that error appears in the ab0ve-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are heTeby corrected as shown below:  
 Col. 1, line 29, FIG,4&#34; et. seq. should be a new paragraph;  
 Col. 1, line 51, &#34;FIG.66&#34; should refer to FIG.6 and Col. 4, line 47, &#34;l/4-l54&#34; should read l/4-l Signed anc: sealed this ZAth day of June 3375.  
  c wsnnw MEN RUTH C. I Conmissioner of Patents attesting Officer and Trademarks