BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a drywall tape dispensing system of this invention, with a bucket holding drywall compound shown in ghost lines;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the drywall tape dispenser portion;
FIG. 3 is an enclosed top view of a metering guide; and
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 showing the tape dispenser mounted in a bucket.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, it can be seen that a drywall tape dispensing system in accordance with this invention is shown and designated by the numeral 10. System 10 includes open ended container 12, which retains drywall compound C at a level below its open top 14. System 10 further includes drywall tape dispenser 16, which is made up of frame 18, a plurality of guides (discussed and numbered below), and a roll 20 of drywall tape T. Frame 18 has feed end 22, feed extension 24 extending from feed end 22 to a first end of support portion 26, and dispensing extension 28, extending from an opposite end of support portion 26 to dispensing end 30.
Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, frame 18 is formed from opposed rails 32, 34, joined at dispensing end 30 by cross support 36. At feed end 22, opposed rails 32, 34 bend in the direction of dispensing end 30 as at bends 38, (FIGS. 1 and 4), and then bend upwardly at bends 39 (FIGS. 1 and 4) to their terminal ends. Rail 32 provides an axle 42 at its terminal end, extending crosswise toward the terminal end of rail 34, which forms an axle support 44. Frame 18 is preferably formed of a strong yet flexible material that is capable of permitting rails 32, 34 to be moved apart from each other at feed end 22, as represented by double-headed arrow A. Cross support 36 will keep rails 32, 34 in closer proximity as the rails extend from a spread apart feed end 22 toward the connected (via cross support 36) dispensing end 30.
By spreading rails 32, 34 apart at feed end 22, axle 42 can be distanced from axle support 44 to receive roll 20 (FIG. 1) and can thereafter be moved back together so that axle 42 is received by axle support 44, with a roll 20 of drywall tape to rotate about the axis defined thereby. A stainless steel material has been found to work well, providing some spring force from the spread feed end position back to the closed feed end position. Elastic bands may optionally be wrapped about opposed rails 32, 34 at chosen intervals, and preferably proximate feed end 22, to keep rails 32, 34 generally parallel to one another and to keep axle 42 received in axle support 44. They might be removed to install new roll 20 and then repositioned about rails 32, 34.
Leading end 50 of drywall tape T extends from roll 20 down the length of feed extension 24 to pass under support guide 52, and, because support guide 52 is provided on support portion 26, it rests within drywall compound C, thus ensuring that tape T, pulled from roll 20, and under support guide 52, is covered with drywall compound C. Leading end 50 then extends from support guide 52 through metering guide 54 proximate dispensing end 30. Leading end 50 is thus accessible at dispensing end 30, and pulling on leading end 50 pulls additional length of drywall tape T under support guide 52 and through metering guide 54. In particular embodiments, tape T also passes under feed guide 56 provided on feed extension 24. The bends at 38, 40 bring the outer diameter of roll 20 in better alignment with guide 56, making the dispensing of tape T off of roll 20 a little easier.
As shown in the figures, in some embodiments, extension guide 56 can be provided as an elastic band. Additionally, support guide 52 could be an elastic band. Extension guide 56 and support guide 52 simply help to ensure that tape T is forced into compound C as it extends from roll 20 to metering guide 54.
As seen in the cross section of FIG. 3, metering guide 54 includes opposed guides 58, 60, having a space 62 therebetween for the passage of tape T. By configuring opposed guides 58, 60 such that they may be selectively distanced from each other and selectively brought closer together, a different amount of compound C can be caused to remain in tape T as it is pulled through metering guide 54. Preferably, opposed guides 58, 60 are distanced at from 1 mm to 6 mm apart. In other embodiments, they are preferably distanced at from 1.5 to 4 mm, and in yet other embodiments, at from 1.5 to 2.5 mm. It will be appreciated that these opposed guides might be fixedly secured to opposed rails 32, 34 of frame 14 where they might be selectively removable and positionable thereon. Additionally, they might be configured so that the distance between opposed guides 58, 60 is adjustable by moving one or more of guides 58, 60 in the direction of arrows A or B.
In light of the foregoing, it should thus be evident that the process of the present invention, providing a drywall tape dispensing system, substantially improves the art. While, in accordance with the patent statutes, only the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, the present invention is not to be limited thereto or thereby. Rather, the scope of the invention shall include all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the attached claims.
Patent Application
20080066872
