A marking paint applicator for a portable electronic locator that locates buried cables and pipes via electromagnetic emissions is disclosed. The marking paint application may include an elongated support structure and a trigger mechanism, along with a bracket assembly, a receptacle for holding paint, and an actuating mechanism for selectively controlling release of the paint in response to operator actuation of the trigger mechanism.

The invention pertains generally to an improved fluid dispensing device, particularly a dispensing device which employs at least one hemispherical domed cannister source of reactants and which uses a color-changing dispensing plastic tip to inform the end-user if the reactants are at a proper use temperature.

Location systems and methods for locating paint and other markings on a surface are disclosed. A paint marking stick may include a magnetic field sonde that is actuated in conjunction with dispensing of paint or other markers, where the sonde generates a magnetic field signal in conjunction with dispensing of paint or placement of a marker. A corresponding utility locator may receive the sonde magnetic field dipole signal and determine and store positional information and type information associated with the paint or other marker.

A paint container for use with a reusable dispensing apparatus, and the reusable dispensing apparatus are provided to dispense paint under pressure. The paint container includes a housing defining an interior space that is devoid of an internal valve, and a combination comprising a propellant combined with paint within the interior space. A container cap is installed on the housing to enclose the propellant combined with the paint within the interior space at an elevated pressure, and defines a channel that cooperates with a portion of the housing. A compressible gasket is disposed within the channel and compressed between the container cap and the portion of the housing to form a seal that interferes with an escape of the propellant combined with the paint between the container cap and the housing. A releasable fastener engages releasably couples the reusable dispensing apparatus to the container cap.

The invention pertains generally to an improved fluid dispensing device, particularly a dispensing device which employs at least one hemispherical domed cannister source of reactants and which uses a color-changing dispensing plastic tip to inform the end-user if the reactants are at a proper use temperature.

Location systems and methods for locating paint and other markings on a surface are described. More specifically, but not exclusively, the disclosure relates to smart paint stick devices and methods of use in locating and marking buried utility lines or other buried objects. One system for locating a buried object may include a buried object locator and a paint stick. The locator may include a tracking component configured to detect a location of a buried object. The paint stick may be configured to cause a paint container to dispense paint at a first position associated with the location of the buried object. The paint stick may include a position determination component configured to transmit one or more range vector signals that are detected by the tracking component. Sensors may be used to determine when paint is dispensed from a paint container, and to determine a color of the paint or a type of a marking.

The invention pertains generally to an improved fluid dispensing device, particularly a dispensing device which employs at least one hemispherical domed canister source of reactants and which uses a color-changing dispensing plastic tip to inform the end-user if the reactants are at a proper use temperature.

A device that can hold at least two cans of spray paint or chalk, thus enabling marking with different colors using a single device. The device comprises a staff, a can holster, a grip, a trigger and a selector. The selector comprises a selector rod moveable in or alongside the staff. At one end of the selector rod is a selector knob and at the other is an engagement mechanism that engages the spray valve of each can, one can at a time. The engagement mechanism comprises a cam and a rocker arm with two opposing fingers, one to engage each spray can when selected. Optionally one or more flag holders may be attached to the staff for holding marker flags.

A marking paint applicator for a portable electronic locator that locates buried cables and pipes via electromagnetic emissions is disclosed. The marking paint application may include an elongated support structure and a trigger mechanism, along with a bracket assembly, a receptacle for holding paint, and an actuating mechanism for selectively controlling release of the paint in response to operator actuation of the trigger mechanism.

A fluid dispensing apparatus may be used to dispense a paint fluid from a paint container that is under pressure and that has a pierceable membrane. The fluid dispensing apparatus may include a valve body having a bore, an adaptor having a bore and a piercing member, and a nozzle having a bore. The fluid dispensing apparatus may be operable to pierce the pierceable membrane to communicate the paint within the paint container with the adaptor bore and with the valve body bore. The nozzle may be operable to permit the paint to flow under the pressure out of the paint container, through the adaptor bore, through the valve body bore and through the nozzle bore to ambient.