CA2088930C - Wallboard bundling tape and method - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A bundling tape has two rows of perforations extending from one end of the tape to the other; the perforations are arranged inward of and substantially parallel to the edges.
first band is formed between one edge and a first row of perforations, and a second band is formed between the other edge and the second row of perforations; between the two rows of perforations is a center band tear strip. The bands have co-planar upper and lower surfaces. The tape also has an additional zipper tape attached to the surface of the center band, and apparatus and methods are described for making this laminated tape. Bundles of material, such as wallboard, are fastened together by adhering the bottom surface of the first band to the uppermost sheet of material, and by adhering the bottom portion of the second band to the lowermost sheet.

Description

2~893~

TITLE OF_T~B INVEN~ION

WALLBOARD BUNDLING TAPE AND METHOD

FIE~D OF_T~E INVENTION
This invention is directed to forming bundles of material and in particular to forming bundles comprising two sheets of wallboard, and is further directed to a bundling tape and apparatus and method for making same.

BAC~GROUND OF THE INYEN~ION
Wallboard is frequently used as a wall matarial in home and commercial construction. Wallboard, often referred to as gypsum wallboard, is normally shipped in bundles of two rectangular sheets which are held together by a printed paper tape called bundling tape applied along the end edges of the sheets. The bundling tape is applied to the edges of the two sheets of wallboard at the gypsum manufacturing plant; the tape can either have pre-applied adhesive on the back, or the adhesive can be applied to the back of the bundling tape immediately at the point of application to the wallboard.
Typically, wallboard has a smooth surface on one side ~20 and a coarse or tougher surface on the other side. The smooth surface will ultimately face outward into the room where the wallboard is installed. The coarse backing surface is ~enerally tougher, and there is little concern if the coarse back sheet is scratched or nicked in transport. For this reason the bundles 2 ~ 3 ~

are usually formed with the smooth sur~aces fa~ing one another and with the rough or coarse surfaces facing outward.
While this arrangement has served to protect the important smooth surface of the wall board, it has raised its own problem, that being how to once again separate the sheets in the bundle at the work site. It is desirable that the separation be clean and even, leaving as little tape remnants overhanying the separated sheets as possible and with such remnants being as even as possible along the length of the sheet. These objectives are necessary in order to ensure that abutting edges of the sheets can be smoothly and squarely fitted in installation.
To date, a number of solutions have been proposed to the problem but none has been entirely satisfactory It is against this background that the present invention arises.

PRIOR A~T
Among those solutions proposed to the problems discussed above associated with separation of wall board bundles, two useful proposals comprised in one instance the use of perforated bundling tape and in another instance the use of a zipper tape along with conventional solid bundling tape. Each of these proposals has be~n useful to some extent, but each has also proven to have substantial drawbacks.
In situations where a zipper tape (or "zip tape") is used, the zipper tape is placed along the end edges of the two sheets which are to be joined, covering the gap between the sheets. Bundling tape is applied to the end edges of the sheets, 2~8~3~

overlapping onto the rough surfaces of khe sheets~ The bundling tape adheres to the zipper tape as well as to the exposed parts of the end edges and the rough surfaces of the sheets.
Generally, the zipper tape extends to the edges where rouyh surfaces and end edges meet so covering substantially all of the end edges. Zipper tape has generally been formed from a roll of "liner board" which is approximately three times thicker than the bundling tape, and which is generally more rigid and stronger than the bundling tape.
The prior art bundling tape is generally an elongated strip of paper, or other suitable material, which may have adhesive pre-coated across its entire bottom surface be~ore application to the wallboard; in the alternative, the zipper ~ape back surface, the exposed portions of the end edges, and the portions of the rough surfaces adjacent to the snd edges may all be coated with adhesive so that bundling tape may be adhered to the zipper tape and wallboard. Usually bundling tape is applied at both ends of a bundle to form the complete wallboard package which is shipped.
When a carpenter is ready to use the prior art wallboard package, the sheets are separated by removing the zipper tape along with the center portion of the bundling tape.
T~ remove the zipper tape and the center portion of the bundling tape, the carpenter must grip a first end o~ the zipper tape and pull it away from the end edges; this leaves behind an upper band and a lower band o~ bundling tape~ The bands which remain behind have irregular rough edges, and the bundling tape which remains attached to the end edges may interfere with the ability to align 2 ~

the sheets with the edges of other sheets or to join closely with flat surfaces. The zipper tape and attached center portion of the bundling tape are usually thrown away, although in some cases, they may be recyclable.
The process of producing the prior art wallboard bundles requires special equipment to apply the zipper tape, and then to apply bundling tape over the zipper tape and to the edges and surfaces of the wallboard sheets. Since the zipper tape is approximately three times as thick as the bundling tape, but the rolls of the former and latter uually have equal diameter, it is usually necessary to stop the manufacturing process three times to add new rolls of zipper tape for every one roll of bundling tape.
The zipper tape is not only more difficult to apply, requiring extra equipment and extra processing steps, but is also more expensive due to the increased amount of material and labor required; zipper tape increases the amount of material which is thrown away and also increases shipping weight. Furthermore, the prior art zipper tape ~requently leaves behind portions of bundling tape on the end edges of the wallboard, which require removal in order to facilitate better engagement with an adjacent sheet edge or to reduce the size of cracks in a wall or ceiling.
In these situations where a perforated tape is used, the bundling tape is in the shape of a generally rectangular, elongated strip or web with a first edge and a second edge which are substantially parallel to each other; the edges are also sub~tantially parallel to rows of perforations or tear lines.

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_ 5 _ The perforations run from the first end to the second end of the tape. Thus, a center band or tear strip is located between first and second rows of perforations. Adhesive is only applied to bottom surfaces of the strips of tape outwardly of the center tear strip. There is no adhesive on the center strip. The perforations [or "perfs") in the tape ("perf tape") enable the center tear strip to be separated in a fashion similar to the way stamps may be torn from a sheet of stamp~. The tape is applied to the appropriate edges of the wallboard sheets with the outer strips adhering to the rough surfaces and the unglued center tear strip overlying the edges.
The perforated tape provides useful results under proper circumstances since it is much easier to separate wallboard sheets in bundles by simply removing the center band.
This is surprising because the weight of the wallboard sheets and the large oppo~ing tensile forces exerted by them on the bundling tape are such that perforated tape would not normally be considered usable as a wallboard bundle packaging component, even though perforatad tape has been used in the prior art to seal carton lids lying in the same plane. However, frequently the center ~and, if not carefully pulled, can "dovetail" or tear inwardly and break, so that it may be necessary to restart the tear from the opposite end of the center band, or to tear off the remaining pieces of the center band from the perforation edges.
~5 There is thus a need for a wallboard bundling tape and bundling method which addresses these ongoing problems.

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8UM~RY OF_TIIE INVEN~ ON
The present invention, which encompasses novel bundling tapes and methods for fastening sheets of material together, includes, in one or more preferred embodiments, the provision of a tape which is an elongated strip that has at least two rows of perforations dividing the tape into three lengthwise extending bands. As used and understood in this speci~ication and claims, the term '~perforation" is also intended to encompass a thinner or otherwise weakened material location whether or not a through opening or hole exists at said location. These bands comprise a first band and a second band located between the edges of the tape and the perforations, and a center band or tear strip sandwiched between the first and second bands and the two rows of perforations. A zipper tape is located preferably beneath the tear strip, but optionally above the tear strip.
Thus, the invention provides a package, comprising at least two pieces of sheet material; an elongated strip, the strip having a first edge, a second edge and first and second rows of per~orations; a first band extending from the first edge to the first row of perforations; a center band extending from the first row of perforations to the second row of perforations; a second band extending from the se~ond row of perforations to the second edge; the bands having co-planar top sides and co-planar bottom sides; adhesive means located on the bottom sides of the first band and the second band; wherein the bottom side of the first band of each strip is adhered to the first piece of sheet material and the bottom side of the secnnd band of the strip is adhered to the second piece of sheet material to fasten the 9 ~ ~

pieces of sheet material together; and wherein the rows of perforations are positioned and dimensioned to facilitate easy removal of the center band of the strip to permik separation of the pieces of sheet material; with the package further comprising a zipper ~ear strip, the tear strip having dimensions approximately equal to that of the center band and being located between the center band and the sheet material, wherein the tear strip further facilitates the easy removal of the center band of the strip.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a method for bundling relatively rigid sheets of material together, comprising: positioning zipper tape means adjacent at least one set of aligned edge surfaces of first and second sheets of relatively rigid material, each sheet also having upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of the second sheet facingly engaging the lower surface of the first sheet; and fastening the sheets together by applying at least one piece of perforated tape to the first sheet and the second sheet across at least one set of aligned edge surfaces; the perforated tape including an elongated strip, the strip having a first strip edge, a second strip edge, and first and second rows of perforations, the tape further comprising a first outer band extending from the first strip edge to the first row of perforations, a center band extending from the first row of perforations to the second row of perforations, a secsnd outer band extending from the second row of perforations to the second strip edge, and adhesive means located on the bottom sides of the first outer band and the second outer band;
wherein the adhesive means on the bottom side of the first band 2~8~3~

being adhered to the first sheet; and the adhesive means on the bottom side of the s~cond band being adhered to the second sheet.
In a further embodiment, the æipper tape is attached to the center band prior to applying the tape.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a laminated bundling tape comprising an elongated top strip of material with a first basis weight, the top strip having a first edge, a second edge and at least two longitudinally extending rows of perforations; a lirst outer band on the top strip extending from the first edge to a first row of at least two rows of perforations; a second outer band on the top strip extending from the second edge to a second row of at least two rows of perforations; a center band on the top strip extending from the first perforation row to the second perforation row; the top strip bands having co-planar top sides and co-planar bottom sides; and an elongated tear strip of material with a second basis weight that is approximately equal to the first basis weight of the top strip; the tear strip being adhered to the center band and having a width not greater than the width of the center band, whereby the tear strip facilitates the easy removal of the center band from the top strip.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides apparatus for producing a laminated bundling tape from an elongated top strip of a first material having a first basis weight and an elongated tear strip of a second material having a second basis weight, the apparatus comprising means for providing a first moving web of the first material; means for simultaneously slitting the first moving web into a first ,.~, 2~8~93~

plurality of parallel moving top strips of the first material;
means for simultaneously forming at least two longitudinally extending parallal rows of perforations in each moving top strip;
means for providing a second plurality of parallel moving tear strips of the second material, where the second plurality is equal in number to the first plurality and the width of each tear strip is not greater than the width between the parallel rows of perforations in each top strip; means for coating adhesive on one side of each moving tear strip; and means for simultaneously forcing the adhesive coated side of each moving tear strip against a side of a respectively different moving top strip and between the parallel rows of perforations, whereby the top strip and the tear strip are bonded together.
In a further embodiment there is provided a method for producing a laminated bundling tape from an elongated top strip of a first ma~erial having a first basis weight and an elongated tear strip of a second material having a second basis weight, the method comprising the steps o~ providing a first moving web of the first material; simultaneously slitting the first moving web into a first plurality of parallel moving top strips of the first material; simultaneously forming at least two longitudinally extending parallel rows of perforations in each moving top strip; providing a second plurality of parallel moving tear strips of the second material, where the second plurality is equal in number to the first plurality and the width of each tear strip is not greater than the width between the parallel rows of perforations in each top strip; coating adhesive on one side of each moving tear strip; and ~imultaneously forcing the 20~893~

adhesive coated side of each moving tear strip against a side of a respectively different moving top strip and between the parallel rows of perforations, whereby the top strip and the tear strip are bonded together.

BRIEF DE~CRIPTIONQF TlI~AWINÇ:S
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon referring to the drawings. In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wallboard bundle formed with a bundling tape of the present invention, showing partial disengagement of a portion of the tape;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the tape of Figure 1, with portions of the tape folded back upon itself to show the bottom surface and zipper tear strip ("zipper tape" or ~'zip tape") as well as partial disengagement of the band portions forming the tape;
FIGURES 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show a first preferred embodiment of apparatus for making the tape of Figures 1 and 2;
23 it is noted that Figures 5 to 7 appear on a sheet with Figure 1;
and FIGURES 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and ~3 show a second preferred embodiment of apparatus for making the tape of Figures 1 and 2.
It is noted that Figure 11 appears on a sheet with Figure 4.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the 2~93~

contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalen~s as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DE~;CRIPI'ION_C)F THE PR13FERREI) EMBODI~lE~lTS
Figure 1 illustrates a wallboard hundle 170 utilizing the bundling tape 159 of the invention. An upper sheet 172 lies upon a lower sheet 173. Both sheets 172 and 173 are generally rectangular in shape, and have edges 171; the edges of sheets 172 and 173 generally being co-planar. End edges 171 meet substantially planar, rough or coarse surfaces 17~ at corners 174 and 175. Sheets 172 and 173 are arranged so that the rough or coarse surfaces 176 facP outward and the smooth surfaces (not shown) are adjacent to, and facing, one another. A gap (not illustrated) may exist between sheets 172 and 173, and is due to lS manufacturing irregularities and/or to the paper coating applied to the wallboard sheets which may make corners 174 and 175 sliyhtly rounded, rather than perfectly square.
The wallboard sheets are genarally made from gypsum or other suitable materials. The rough surfaces are usually a less refined grade of paper. The end and side edges are generally planar.
The wallboard sheets are preferably shipped in bundles of two, with the smooth surfaces facing one another and the rough surfaces facing outward. Thus, the smooth surfaces are protected from damage during shipping; since the rough surfaces are generally not visible in the finished wall or structure, nicks and scratches in the rough surfaces caused by shipping and ~8~3Q

handliny do not pose a problem. On the job site wallboard is frequently cut to conform to architectural structure limitations, but the cut edges are generally not visible in the completed wall or structure.
It has now been determined that unexpected advantages can be obtained by combining the features of a zipper tape with the feature~ of a perforated bundling tape in order to obtain the complete tear and fast separation capabilities provided by the zipper tape, as well as to obtain the clean and even tear possible with the perforated tape.
Moreover, it has been determined that when a standard 42 lb. zipper tape is laminated to a perforated wallboard bundling tape, a laminated tape roll of 24 inches in diameter typically has less than 3,000 linear feet per roll (standard 42 lb. zipper tape has a basis weight of 42 pounds per 1~000 square feet, "lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft."; it is also commercially available in the form of liner board and kraft paper at 55 lbs.
per 1,000 sq. ft. and lower basis weights). Further, there can be difficulties in aligning and adhering the standard heavy zipper kape to the center band of the perforated bundling tape.
In contrast, a normal non-laminated bundling tape roll of 24 inches in diameter typically has about 7,000 linear feet. In order to gain more linear feet per roll of laminated tape, a zipper tape lighter in weight (e.g., thinner) than 42 pounds per 1,000 square feet is therefore desirable although it would be reasonable to believe that the lighter zipper tape (or "2ip Tapel') would not provide sufficient reinforcement to the center band of the perforated tape to result in a clean and even tear ~ 13 ~ 3~

at the per~orations. Surprisingly, however, when a lighter zipper tape having a basis weight as low as 15 to 20 lbs. per l,000 sq. ft. (for example, about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.), is laminated to a perforated bundling tape of approximately the same basis weight, the combined center band and zip tape are strong enough to tear evenly and cleanly. Additionally, a 24 inch diameter roll of such laminated tape, having zipper tape and perforated tape basis weights of about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft., respPctively, provides approximately 4,000 linear feet.
Tape 159 is in the shape of a generally rectangular, elongated strip or web with a first edge 177 and a second edge 178 which are substantially parallel to each other; edges 177 and 178 are also substantially parallel to rows 162 and 163 of perforations or tear lines 1~4. Perforations 164 preferably run the length of tape 159. ~ first row 162 of per~orations 164 runs substantially parallel to first edge 177 to form a first band or securement strip 165. A second row 1~3 of perforations 164 runs substantially parallel to first row 162 and to second edge 178 forming a second band or securement strip 166. Thus, a center band or tear strip 161 is locatPd between first row 162 and second row 163 of perforations 164. Bands 161, 165 and 166 have substantially co-planar upper or front surfaces 161a, 165a and 166a and substantially co-planar bottom surfaces 161b, 165b and 166b. The center band 161 is laminated to a zipper or tear tape strip 167. This combined tape 159 may be referred to as a laminated tape, reinforced tape, combined tape, zip and tape, or by other convenient terms which may develop.

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The tape 159 may be made from a bleached kraft paper, although other cellulosic or fibrous material may be used; it is also possible to use metal foils or plastics for the tape, although it may be necessary to use different adhesives depending on the type of material used to make the tape.
Preferably, the zipper tape strip 167 has a basis weight which is approximately equal to the basis weight of the perforated tape strip 160, without taking into account the additional weight of any adhesive that may be applied to the perforated tape. In addition, the zipper tape strip 167 preferably has a width not greater than but approximately equal to or slightly less than the width of the center band 161. The Zipper tape is preferably unbleached kraft.
Under certain circumstances, standard wallboard bundles bound together using a perforated tape, such as perforated tape 10, having a basis weight of about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft., in which the perforated tape center band is laminated to a zipper tape having a basis weight of about 16.7 lbs. per l,000 sq. ft.
exhibited some dove-tailing or irregular tearing of the center band of the perforated bundling tape during removal of the center band, especially when users attempted to simultaneously remove more than one bundling tape center band from two or more wallboard bundles.
It has been discovered that the occurrence of such dove-tailing or irregular tearing of the center ~and from a wallboard bundle held together with perforated tape having its center band laminated to a zipper tape can be minimized by the use of a zipper tape having a basis weight greater than 20 lbs.

~ 15 per 1,000 sq. ft., and preferably between 20 lbs. per 1,000 sq.
ft. and about 42 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. In a pre~erred embodiment, a zipper tape having a basis weight of about 26 lbs.
per 1,000 sq. ft. is adhered to the center band of a perforated bundling tape, such as tape 10, with the perforated bundling tape having a basis weight of about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. It has been discovered that this tape optimizes the number of linear feet per 24 inch diameter roll of the combined tape, while providing a perforated tape having a sufficient basis weight for wallboard bundling and also providing a zipper tape having sufficient basis weight to minimize uneven tearing at the perforations of the perforated tape while removing the center band from a wallboard bundle held together with the perforated tape. A 24-inch diameter roll of laminated tape with a 26-lb.
zip tape and 16.7 lb. perf tape contains 3100 linear feet of tape; if the tape is 2.5 inches in width, such a roll weighs about 19 pounds.
Use of a zipper tape having a basis weight greater than 20 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. allows for the use of water-based adhesive to adhere the zipper tape to the center band of the perforated tape. Problems associated with the use of water-based adhesives when using zipper tape having a basis weight of lower than 20 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. are discussed below~
While liner board useful in making zipper tape is also commercially available at basis weights of 33, 42, and 55 lbs.
per 1,000 sq. ft., and while it is envisioned that such thicker zipper tapes may be used with perforated tape, such as perforated tape 10, it is noted that such thicker zip tapes would require 2~8~3~

thicker diameter rolls to provide the same number of linear feet of combined tape than ~or rolls of combined tape having a zipper tape of lower basis weight.
Use of a heavier basis weight perforated tape is also envisioned (e.g., up to 25 lbs. or greater per 1,000 sq. ft.), with it beiny understood that a thicker perforated tape than about 16~7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. will result in less tape on a roll of tape than a thinner tape on a roll of the same diameter, and higher basis weight tape is more expensive. Further, a thicker perforated tape may require a greater degree o perforation, or a thicker tear strip in order to get a clean tear when removing the center band.
In one version of this tape 159 embodiment, it is possible to laminate the zipper tape strip 167, with adhesive 168 on its front surface 167a, to the bottom side or surface 161b of the center band of the perforated tape strip 160 which has not been pregummed (e.g., has had no adhesive of any kind applied to the bottom surfaces 161b, 165b and 166b of the perforated tape strip 160). In another version of this embodiment, the perforated tape strip 160 has adhesive 169 previously applied completely across all of its bottom surfaces, and the zipper tape stxip 167 is adhered to the adhesive 169 on the bottom ~61b of the center band 161.
Although gum adhesive (dextrin or cornstarch based adhesives which are water activated) can be used as adhesive 168 or 169 to laminate the zip tape strip 167 to the center band 161 of the perforated tape strip 160, poor adhesion of the center band to the zip tape is likely to result~ Therefore, it is 3 ~

preferred to use a resin product, such as a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer emulsion, as the adhesive 168 to adhere the zip tape 167 to the center band 161 of the perforated tape strip 160.
One such suitable resin product is called Adhesive 606 which is available from the Port City Company in Wilmington, North Carolina. The resin adhesives tend to be more viscous than the gum adhesives, and therefore do not penetrate as deeply into the zip tape. A possibly suitable non resin adhesive 168 is Product 0176 from the H.B. Fuller Company, which is cheaper and may be viscous enough to provide a sufficiently strong ~ond, even though it is a water-based product. Early exp~riments demonstrated that it is less desirable to rely upon a water-based adhesive for lamination of the zip tape strip to the center band of the perforated tape strip. The water needed to activate such an adhesive is readily absorbed into the zip tape which limits the ability of the water to dissolve a water activated gum adhesive and to adhere the zip tape to the center band of the perforated tape. Further, since the laminated tape product 159 is to be formed into rolls, any excess moisture in its zip tape 167 component could cause the tape 159 to adhere to itself, and to make it difficult or impossible to subsequsntly use the laminated tape roll. This problem is noted when zip tape having a lower basis weight is used, generally below about 20 lbs. per 1,000 sq.
ft., and particularly around 16-17 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. or less. Therefore, while it is possible to use a gum adhesive to hold the zip tape strip 167 to the center band 161 of the perforated tape strip 160, care should be taken not to use too much water in adhering the zip tape to the perforated tape with 2~8~3~

a gum adhesive, and improved and unexpected results are achieved by using a resin product as the adhesive 168 on the zipper tape strip 167.
It has also been surprisingly discovered that a water activatable adhesive, such as but not limited to a gum adhesive, may be used to adhere a zip tape, such as strip 167, to the bottom of the center band, such as bottom 161b on band 161, of a perforated tape strip, such as strip 160, when using a zip tape having a basis weight of greater than about 20 lbs. per 1,000 sq.
ft. In a preferred embodiment, a zip tape formed of liner board having a basis weight of about 26 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. is adhered to the bottom of the center band of a perforated tape strip using a water activatable adhesive. The basis weight of the zip tape is sufficient to avoid adherence of the tape to ikself in a laminated tape roll ~l~blocking'~)~ while the zip tape has sufficient strength to provide for a clean tear along the perforations when the tape is used in bundling wallboard.
Further, a greater number of linear feet of laminated tape can be stored on a roll when using a zip tape with a basis weight of 26 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. than on a roll of the same diameter formed using prior art zip tape having a basis weight of 42 lbs.
per 1,000 sq. ft.
A gum adhesive 169 may normally be applied at least to the bottom surfaces 165b and 166b of the outer bands 165 and 166 of the perforated tape strip 160 prior to adhering the zip tape strip 167 to the center band 161 with a resin adhesive 168. This gum adhesive 169 is later used to adhere these outer bands to the wallboard bundle. It is further contemplated, as specifically 2~88~3~

shown by Figure 2, that the gum adhesive 169 may also be applied both to the center ~and 161 as well as to the outer bands 165 and 166 of the perforated tape strip 160 prior to adhering the zip tape strip 167 to the center band with a resin adhesive 168.
Alternatively, the gum adhesive 169 may be applied to the outer bands 165 and 166 after the zip tape strip 167 has been adhered by resin adhesive 168 to the center band 161.
One of skill in the art will immediately recognize that numerous variations can be made in the weight of the zipper tape strip 167 and perforated tape strip 160, in the number of perforations 164 per inch forming the perforations on the bundling tape strip 160, and in the separation between the perforation rows 152 and 163, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In the perforated tape-zipper tape bundle embodiment shown in Figure 1, a wallboard bundle 170 is formed using the perforated tape strip 160 to which the zipper tape strip 167 is adhered. Strip 167 is held between the center band 161 of the perforated tape and the aligned, substantially co-planar end edges 171 of two stacked rectangular wallboard sheets 172 and 173 in the bundle. The Figure 1 wallboard sheets 172 and 173 have smooth surfaces facing each other and outwardly facing rough surfaces 176 to which the outer tape bands 165 and 166 are adhered. Of coursa, additional bundles 170 can be stacked on top of the single bundle 170 shown in Figure 1, so that the tape outer bands 165 and 166 are firmly pressed against rough surfaces 176. The wallboard sheets 172 and 173 also can have their opposite or opposed co-planar and aligned edges (not shown) g 3 ~

fastened with another strip of the bundling tape 159. In another version of this Figure 1 bundle embodiment, however, there is no adhesive between the center band 161 and the zipper tape 167 that is used to bond them together. For this latter version, the zipper tape 167 will first be held or placed on the edges 171 of the wallboard bundle, with adhesive then being applied to or activated on the bottom surfaces of the outer bands 165 and 166 of the perforated tape 160 (which may or may not have pre-applied adhesive) just prior to adhering the perforated tape 160 to the wallboard bundle over the zipper strip 167. Therefore, Figure 1 may also be understood to show a wallboard bundle wherein the zipper tape strip 167 is not adhered or otherwise attached to the perforated bundling tape strip 160, but is only located between the center band 161 of strip 160 and the wallboard edges 171 where it will also act in conjunction with perforations 164 to further facilitate the easy removal of said center band.
In still another version of the Figure 1 bundle embodiment, the adhesive can instead be applied to the rough surfaces 176 of the pairs of wallboards forming a bundle, with the adhesive being applied just near the rough surface corners 174 and 175, so that the perforated tape 161 (which may have no adhesive) and the zipper tape 167 (which may or may not be adhered to the perforated tape) can be fastened over edges 171 to hold the bundle together. Thus, the zipper tape 167 can be utilized with ungummed perforated tape 160 without necessarily adhering the zipper tape to the center band of the perforated tape, and the adhesive can be applied to the rough surfaces of the wallboard bundle or to the outer bands of the perforated tape just prior to taping the bundle together with the zipper tape being held between the center band 161 and the edges 171 of the wallboard sheets.
In some instances, aligning the rows 162 and 163 of perforations 164 in the bundling tape strip 160 with the upper and lower edge corners 174 and 175 of wallboard bundle 170 may encourage undesirable premature tearing or breakage of the tape 160. While such a wallboard edge corner alignment of perforation 164 is certainly feasible and provides the stated advantages of the present invention, it may be more desirable to provide a center band 161 having a width greater or less than the total thickness of the wallboard sheets 172 and 173 in the bundle. Thus, a wider center band 161 can extend over the rough surfaces 176 of both wallboard pieces in the bundle, and upon removal of the center band 161 (which may he assisted by one or more additional tear strings or pieces of zipper tape), the wallboard sheets 172 and 173 will separate without any tape ~xtending beyond the sheet corners 174 and 175. In the alternative, however, it may be even more preferable to remove a center band 161 having a width which is slightly less than the total thickness of the edges 171 of the wallboard bundle 170, as shown in Figure 1. Hare, the smaller center band 1~1 is centered only on the edges 171 of the wallboard bundle and just inside the corners 174 and 175, so as to leave a small overlapping piece of the adhered tape outer bands 165 and 166 on each of these edges.
However, this small overlap, due to the perforations 164 in the tape, will have a uniform width and will not have the same degree 2 ~

of undesirable effects as the rag~ed edge produced by using an unperforated tape.
It has also been discovered that it is advantageous to provide a zip tape strip 167 having a width slightly less than the width of the center band 161 of the perforated tape strip 160 to which it is laminated. It is believed that this relationship will result in fewer instances of premature breakage of the perforations 164 due to movement of the wallboard bundles. For example, a perforated tape strip 160 having a center band 161 which is 3/4 inche~ (6/8 inches) in width could have a zip tape strip 167 of 5/8 inches wide that is adhered equidistantly between the perforations 164 separating the center band 161 from the outer bands 165 and 166 of the perforatad tape strip.
In connection with preferr~d methods and apparatus for producing the laminated perforated tape embodiment of the present invention, and for laminating a zip kape to the center band of the perforated tape, the following equipment and methods are shown and described.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show a first preferred embodiment of apparatus for making the laminated tape 159 depicted in Figures 1 and 2. This apparatus includes a bundling tape input station A and a zipper tape input stati~n B. The bundling tape input station A generally consists of a free wheeling (not driven) unwind shaft 180 in Figure 3 on which is mounted a relatively wide single roll 181 of a pre-gummed, non-perforated white kraft paper web 182 from which the perforated top bundling tape strip 160 will be processed. This paper, without adhesive thereon, typically has a basis weight of around ~8~3~

16-17 lbs. per 1,000 square feet. It can be obtained with its bottom side or surface 182b entirely pre-coated with a water activated gum adhesive such as a corn starch/dextrin based adhesive which would add about 5 lbs. per 1,000 square feet.
This is the adhesive 169 that was described in connection with Figure 2 and which is used, when activated with water, to attach the outer bands 165 and 166 to the wallboard sheets 172 and 173 in the bundle of Figure 1. The top side or surface 182a of web 182 may have printed matter thereon which also will appear on the top side of each tape 159.
The width of the solid bundling tape web 182 on roll 181 is at least two or more times the width of the finished perforated laminated bundling tape 159. In Figure 3, web 182 is assumed to be four times wider than tape 159. When a rewind shaft 194 at a tape rewind station D is rotated, the bundling tape solid wide web 182 is withdrawn from roll 181 and then passed around idler tension control rollers 183, 184 and 185 to a smooth surface idler anvil roller 186 located at a slitter-perforator station C. Here, the solid wide web 182 is slit into four parallel bundling tape strips 160, in each of which is also simultaneously cut the two rows 162 and 163 of perforations 164 shown in Figures 1 and 2.
This slitting and perforating operation at station C
is best viewed in Figure 5, where the slitter-perforator station C is shown to also include a group of knife holders 187 which are attached to a dove tailed support member 188 and are spaced in a row along the width of anvil roller 186 over the bundling tape web 182 from roll 181. Each knife holder 187 ~8~3~

carries a vertically disposed, rotatable cutting wheel knife 189a or 189b which is forced against web 182 and anvil 186 by air pressure applied via an individual pipe 190 from an appropriate source of air. In Flgure 5, the cutting wheel knives 189a have continuous unbroken peripheries, as shown in Figure 6 and are appropriately spaced from each other for slitting the broad web 182 into parallel narrow strips 160 of bundling tape paper, each tape strip 160 having a width equal to the distance between edges 177 and 178 in Figure 2. On the other hand, the cutting wheel knives 189b have serrated or toothed peripheries, as shown in Figure 7 for cutting perforations 164 into web 182. They are grouped in pairs between cutting wheels 189a for placing the two perforated rows 162 and 163 in each narrow bundle tape strip 160 at the same time that these strips are being slit from web 182~
Consequently, the bundling tape strip center band 161, and its outer bands 165 and 166 are formed at station C. Since both slitting and perforating are simultaneously performed by cutters 189 which are all held on support 188, the rows of perforations 164 can be precisely spaced and aligned with each other and with the edges of their respective strips 160. Knife holders 187 and cutting wheel knives 189 which are suitable for the above described purposes are commercially available, particularly from the Dienes Corporation of Spencer, Massachusetts, whose "crush cutl' type of holders and cutting wheels can be so employed in the slitter-perforator station C of Figures 3 and 5. Crush-cut tools for slitting and perforating are advantageous because they are quicker to set up and only one smooth surface anvil roller 186 is required. However, other 2~8~93~

types of cutting tools may alternatively be emplvyed at station C.
Following the slitter-perforator operations at station C, the separate parallel perforated tape strips 160 pass around a stationary straight guide bar 191 and an idler roller 192 which are both wide enough to contact all of these strips. If necessary, a conventional bowed stationary bar may also be provided between anvil roller 186 and stationary straight bar 191, or perhaps provided in place of the latter, for contacting these strips 160 to prevent their overlapping while in motion. Strips 160 are then wound clockwise into individual rolls 193 of laminated tape 159 which are affixed on the driven rewind shaft 194 at the tape rewind station D. Idler roller 192 is supported by a pivoted arm 195 that is biased to maintain roller 192 in constant contact with each roll 193. As best shown in Figure 4, there are four such rolls 193 on shaft 194 in the first apparatus embodiment, meaning that the slitter-perforator station C has cut four tape strips 160 from the input web 182, although only two such strips 160 are completely shown in Figure 5.
As each of the four bundliny tape strips 160 is wound onto its respective roll 193, an individual narrow zipper tape strip 167 is concurrently pressed against and adhered to the bottom side or surface 161b of the bundling strip's center band 161 so as to also be wound therewith onto roll 193, thus forming the finished laminated tape 15g of Figures 1 and 2. In the embodiment of Figures 3-7, each zipper tape 167 is pre-slit and is initially obtained from a different one of the four zipper 2~8~

tape supply rolls 196 shown in Figure 4 which are freely mounted on an unwind shaft 197 at the zipper tape input station B. In order to put more linear feet of laminated tape 159 on roll 193, a relatively light æipper tape 167 is employed having a basis weight of about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 square feet, which is approximately equal to the basis weight of the bundling tape 160 that was cut from web 182. The use of this lighter zipper tape also unexpectedly results in a laminated tape 159 that is strong enough to tear evenly and cleanly along its perforations 164 without dovetailing, even though it was previously anticipated that such a light weight zipper tape would not prevent undesirable dovetailing or uneven tearing. Furthermore, this lighter weight æipper tape 167 is cheaper in cost, less heavy to transport, and reduces the time and expense of replacing empty rolls 196 during the manufacturing process because more light weight tape 167 can be stored on these rolls.
After being unwound from its supply roll 196 by rewind shaft 194, but prior to its contact with a bundling tape strip 160 at the rewind station D, each zipper tape strip 167 has its front surface 167a coated with a suitable adhesive 168, preferably resin in nature, by a coating mechanism 198. In Figures 3 and 4, this coating mechanism 198 is comprised of a trough or container 199 for holding a quantity of suitable viscous adhesive 168, and a pair of flanged guide wheels 201 and 202 in kandem for each zipper strip 167. These guide wheels direct said zipper strip across the top of and in contact with a rotatable adhesive applicator wheel 203 that extends down into the adhesive 168. The guide wheels 201, 203 also direct their 3 ~

respective zipper tape strip 167 into proper alignment with the center band 161 of the perfora~ed bundling tape strip ~60 at the rewind station D. Applicator wheel 203 may be a single drum long enough to contact all of the zipper tapes 167, or it may comprise a group of individual narrow applicator wheels each contacting a different zipper tape strip 167. Typically, its outer cylindrical surface is knurlad or otherwise is adapted to pick up and temporarily retain an amount of adhesive 168 thereon as the wheel 203 rotates through container 199. Thus, the movement of each zipper strip 167 across applicator wheel 203 will cause the latter to apply adhesive 168 to the tape's front side or surface 167a. As mentioned earlier, this coated zipper tape surface 167a presses against the bottom side or surface 161b of the center band 161 of bundling tap~ strip 160 at the rewind station D where the two tapes are wound together. The resin adhesive 168 that is carried by the zipper strip 167 will dry within a few minutes after the roll 193 is wound tightly.
It is also important to note that while the bottom side 161b of perforated strip 160 may already have a pre-coated water based adhesive 169 thereon because of having been cut from web 182, it is more desirable if not also necessary to use a resin adhesive for the purpose of producing an adequate bond between top strip 160 and zipper strip 167. This stronger resin bond also appears to be an important reason why a lighter weight zipper tape 167 can be used than would ordinarily be expected.
The first preferred apparatus embodiment of Figures 3-7 may be constructed using parts from conventional equipment, such as a center winder machine made by the Stanford Division o~ Man ~8~93~

Roland Inc. (Salem, Illinois), with provisions for slitting and perforating the bundling tape strips 160, and also modified to hold the pre-slit zipper tape rolls 196, to apply adhesive 168 to the zipper tape strips 167, and to guide each zipper tape 167 into the proper position between the perforation rows 162 and 163. In the Stanford Center Winder Machine, the unwind shaft corresponding to shaft 180 in Figure 3 can also be expanded to grip roll lB1 and, moreover, it can move in and out of the Figure 3 plane under control of sensing mechanism in order to keep web 182 properly aligned with other apparatus elementsO
However, the embodiment of Figures 3-7 is capable of producing only a limited number of laminated tape rolls 193 at the same time because the Stanford center winder machine can accommodate a bundling tape supply roll 181 which is only about thirty inches wide and twenty-four inches in diameter.
Accordingly, a second preferred apparatus embodiment is shown in Figures 8-13 which will permit a much larger number of longer laminated tape rolls to be produced by a novel combination of elements next to be described.
In the Figure 8 elevation view, a bundling tape input station A includes a free wheeling unwind shaft 210 on which is mounted a single roll 211 of pre-gummed, non~perforated white kraft bundling paper in the form of a wide solid web 212, having a typical basis weight of around 16-17 lbs. per 1,000 square feet with no adhesive thereon. The length of shaft 210 and its stand height above the floor are designed so that it can accommodate a full roll of paper up to fifty inches wide and fifty to sixty inches in diameter. This solid, wide paper web 212, which can 2~8~3~

be obtained with water-based gum adhesive on its side 212b, is pulled from roll 211 by thP tape rewind station C and passed around idler roller 213, tension control roller ~14, idler roller 215 and idler roller 216 before passing over the uppermost idler rnllers 217 and 218. Rollers 217 and 218 are supported in a horizontal frame member 219 which can be pivoted around a vertical axis 220 in response to sensor controlled mechanism (not shown) that operates to maintain the moving web 212 in proper alignment with other sections of the apparatus. These rollers 217 and 218, together with their supporting frame 219 and sensing mechanism, can be part of conventional and ~ommercially available equipment such as an offset pivot guide device manufactured by the Fife company of Omaha, Nebraska.
The wide solid web 212 next moves downwardly so as to pass around idler rollers 221 and 222 before reaching a slitter-perforator station B. As is also shown in Figure 11, a smooth surface idler anvil roller 223 is located at this station which cooperates with a plurality of knife holders 224 spaced in a row along dovetail bracket 225. These holders 224 support crush cut knife slitter wheels 226a and crush cut knife perforation wheels 226b for slitting web 212 into a plurality of narrow, parallel bundling tape strips 160 that are also concurrently provided with the rows 162 and 163 of perforations 164. This is the same operation that was previously described in connection with the holders 187 and cutting wheels 189a and 189b which are shown in Figure 5. In Figures 8 and 11, however, up to twenty 2.5" wide bundling strips 160 may theoretically be cut from a 50"
wide solid web, but in practice only about 19 strips may be slit 2~g~93~
- 30 ~

from a standard ~7.75" wide roll after .25" of selvedge has been removed. Although each knife holder 224 is also shown to be vertically oriented in Figures 8 and 11, the holder may alternatively be rotated clockwise in Figure 8 and thus horizontally oriented so that its air pressure input pipe 227 would generally lie in a horizontal plane. Of course, each cutting wheel 226 would still be vertically disposed. Each holder 224 also may be slightly lower so that its cutting wheel 226 would contact web 212 somewhat earlier in the web'~
passage around anvil 223. Other types of slitters and perforators may alternatively be used at station B.
After being slit and perforated at station B, the parallel bundling strips 160, each including a center band 161 with a bottom side 161b, continue moving and pass around a driven winding drum 228 that also makes continuous contact with two parallel rows 229 and 230 of driven laminated tape rolls 231 and 232, respectively, at a tape rewind station C. As best shown in Figure 12, row 229 consists of a plurality (e.g., ten) of laminated tape rolls 231 on a driven shaft 233, each roll 231 being spaced apart by about one tape roll width from adjacent roll~ 231 on said shaft 233. Similarly, row 230 consists of a plurality (e.g., nina) of laminated tape rolls 232 on a driven shaft 234, where each roll 232 thereon also is spaced apart by about one tape roll width from adjacent rolls 232 on said shaft.
Shafts 233 and 234 are also movable and biased by air pressure to press tape rolls 231 and 232 against winding drum 228.
However, the laminated tape roll~ 231 on shaft 233 in row 229 are staggered or alternated with respect to the laminated tape rolls 2~893~

232 on shaft 234 in row 230, so that the tape rolls 231 and 232 appaar to be interleaved when viewed as shown in Figure 11. This staggered tape roll arrangement, which is found in commercially available equipment such as the Cameron duplex winding machine, permits one set of alternate bundling tape strips 160 from station B to be wound onto tape rolls in one of said rows 229 and 230, while the other set of alternate tape strips 160 are wound on tape rolls in the remaining row. For example, the set which includes alternate bundling tape strips 160a, 160c and 160s in Figure 11 will first pass clockwise (as seen in Figure 8) between winding drum 228 and tape rolls 231a, 231c and 231s, respectively, then will be respectively wound counterclockwise on said tape rolls 231a, 231c and 231s. Similarly, the other set which includes alternate tape strips 160b, 160d and 160r also pass clockwise (as seen in Figure 8) between winding drum 228 and tape rolls 232b, 232d and 232r, respectively, then are respectively wound counterclockwise onto said rolls 232b, 232d and 232r.
As each of the bundling tape strips 160 is wound onto its respective rewind xoll 231 or 232, an individual narrow adhesive-coated zipper tape strip 167 is concurrently pressed against the bottom surface 161b of the bundling strip's center band 161 so as to also be wound therewith onto the same roll, thus forming the laminated tape 159 of Figures 1 and 2. This operation is best depicted in Figuras 8 and 12 which together show a pluxality (e.g., nineteen) o~ parallel, spaced-apart zipper tape strips 167 pulled by tape rewind station C and emerging from a 90o redirect frame component 235 (later ~8~

described), each strip to thereafter pass around the tandem guide wheels 236, 237 and over the adhesive applicator wheel 238 of a coating mechanism 239. In Figure 12, the nineteen sets of guide wheels 237 and 237 ar formed by flange pairs on a single drum, but individual wheels may instead be used as shown in Figure 4.
Applicator wheel 238 coats adhesive 168, preferably resin, on the front surface 167a of each zipper tape strip 167 which then moves to winding drum 228. There, one set of alternate zipper strips 167 respectively adhere to the one set of alternate bundling tape strips 160a, 160c, etc. for forming laminated tape rolls 231a, 231c, etc., respectively, in row 229. The remaining alternate zipper strips lS7 also adhere to the remaining alternate bundling tapes 160b, 160d, etc. to form the laminated tape rolls 232b, 232d, etc., respectively, in row 230. For example, Figure 9 shows that the adhesive coated top surface 167a of a zipper strip 167 will press against the center band bottom surface 161b of bundling tape strip 160a as the two tapes pass together around winding drum 228 and then onto tape roll 231a. Similarly, in Figure 10, the adhesive coated top surface 167a of the next adjacent ~ipper strip 167 will press against the center band bottom surface 161b of bundling tape strip 160b as the two strips pass together around winding drum 228 and then onto tape roll 232b.
The individual zipper tape strips 167 are obtained from a zipper tape input station D by way of the aforementioned 90o redirect frame 235. In Figures 12 and 13, a single full roll 240 (up to 50" in diameter) of brown kraft zipper paper in the form of a wide solid web 241 is mounted on a free wheeling shaft 242 ~8~93~

so as to be unwound a~ a right angle to the Elow of the bundling tape web 212 from station A. This zipper paper has a basis weight of about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 square feet. After passing around idler rollers 243 and 244, this zipper solid web 241 S passes over anvil idler 245 at a slitter station E. This station further includes a plurality of knife holders 246 spaced in a row across the width of web 241 as shown in Figure 12. These holders ~46 carry rotatable crush cut cutting wheels 247 (or their equivalent) for slitting web 241 into as many parallel zipper strips 167 as there are rolls 231 and 232 to be produced of the laminated bundling tape 159, e.g., nineteen rolls. Idler roller 24~ now directs these multiple zipper strips 167, which are close together after leaving slitter station E, to the 90o redirect frame 235 where each zipper tape 167 is slipped upside down, turned 90o in the plane of Figure 12, and i5 spread further apart from the adjacent zipper strips 167 in the manner shown in Figure 12. Redirect frame 235 generally consists of a series of spaced and parallel round bars 249, onP for each zipper strip 167, which are diagonally secured in frame member ~35 at about a 45 degree angle with respect to the incoming zipper tape strips 167. Each incoming zipper tape strip 167 passes over and then under a different turning bar 249 so as to emerge from the redirect frame 235 in a direction which allows it to become aligned with a different pair of guide wheels 236 and 237.

~XPERIMEN~A~
Non-limiting examples of construction of wallboard bundles using perforated tape with adhered zip tape follow.

208~30 Wallboard bundles, as described previously, were constructed using a perforated tape with adhered zip tape. Materials used in practicing the present invention can be obtained from the same sources used to produce prior art wallboard bundles. In addition to the preferred resin and water activatable adhesives mentioned earlier, water activated adhesive can be obtained from the Rexford Paper Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Holland Manufacturing Company of Succasunna, New Jersey. Preferred sources of paper for producing perforated tape (e.gO, bleached white kraft paper), include Gilman Paper Company of St. Marys, Georgia, and International Paper Company of Mobile, Alabama.
Preferred sources of paper for producing zip tape includ~
Weyerhaeuser Paper Company of Tacoma, Washington and Gaylord Container of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Although wallboard comes in standard thicknesses of 5/8", 1/2", and 3/8", other thicknesses may be utilized. All sheets of wallboard used in these experiments had a width of 4 ft. and lengths of 8 or 12 ft~ (note that in forming a bundle, both sheets of wallboard have the same dimensions). However, wallboard bundles of varying widths and lengths can also be formed using the present invention. A
perforated tape was formed using bleached kraft paper. The perforated tape had a width of 2 1/2". Other widths of perforated tape are contemplated, provided that the width of the perforated tape is greater than the combined thicknesses of the wallboard sheets forming a bundle, so that sufficient tape is available to adhere to the coarse backing surfaces when the rows of perforations are aligned in parallel to the aligned edges of the sheets in the bundle. In a non-limiting embodiment, two 21~8~3~

parallel rows of perforations, separated by 11/16" are centered on the 2 1/2" width of the bleached kraft paper. By way of non-limiting example, a perforation wheel can be utilized to form the perforations, such as a wheel having 17 teeth per inch, with it being understood that a wide variety of perforation methods and patterns can be utilized. A water-activatable adhesive was coated across the entire width of one surface of the perforated tape to form an adhering surface. Zipper tapes, of 5/8" width and of varying basis weights were then adhered to the center band of perforated tape formed as described previously.

EXAMPLE_I
Sets of gypsum boards, 4 ft. in width, l/2" in thickness, and 12 ft~ in length were formed into bundles utilizing the perforated tape described above laminated to a natural kraft paper zipper tape having a basis weight of about 13.3 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. The zipper tape was 5/~" wide and was adhered to the center of the perforated tape center band, which had perforations spaced 11/16" apart. Wallboard bundles were then formed by adhering the outer bands of the adhering surface of the perforated tape to the coarse backing surfaces of opposed sheets of gypsum board. Stacks of 20 bundles formed in this matter were generated.

EXANP~E II
Bundles of gypsum wallboard were formed as in Example I, with the exception that the zipper tape was formed of ~ 36 - ~ ~ 8 ~0 natural kraft paper having a basis weight of about 16.7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.

E A~PL~ III
Gypsum Wallboard bundles were formed as in Example I, with the exception that the zipper tape was formed using 2~ lbs.
per 1,000 sq. ft. liner board.

~EAR TESTING RBSUL~S
The center bands were removed from the perforated tape holding the wallboard bundles in Examples I to III together by (1) grasping one end of the zipper tape and pulling away from each wallboard bundle, or (2) simultaneously grasping the end of the zipper tape and center band of the perforated tape and pulling away from each wallboard bundle.
With regard to bundles formed in Example I and in Example II, it was difficult to obtain an acceptably clean tear, particularly when one attempted to remove the center band from a plurality of bundles simultaneously. It was possible to obtain a clean tear when care was used to ensure that the center band was pulled perpendicularly outward from each bundle when removing the center band from bundles formed in Examples I and II.
However, under conditions which simulated how the wallboard bundles would be broken apart in actual use (e.g., pulling the tear strip away from a bundle at a substantial angle from perpendicular), a ~lean tear was noted only when removing the center band from a plurality of bundles formed in Example III.
Of about 300 bundles formed and broken apart in Example III~ more 2 ~ 3 ~

than 285 bundles exhibited a clean tear when the center bands were removed, either individually or by tearing of a plurality of center bands from a plurality of b~mdles simultaneously. It was noted that, as the basis weight of the zipper tape increased, the greater the number of bundles which exhibited a clean tear in actual use. In instances where, after removal of the center band, a portion or portions of the broken perforated tape extended over the edge of a board from an opened wallboard bundle, this overlap or overhang of tape was uniform, and thPrefore did not pose the disadvantage of a jagged edged tape overhang, such as that caused when usinq a non-perforated tape with a zip tape.
Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the invention a wallboard bundling tape and method that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the invention.

Claims (42)

1. A package, comprising:
at least two pieces of sheet material, said at least two pieces including a first piece and a second piece;
an elongated strip, said strip having a first edge, a second edge and first and second rows of perforations;
a first band extending from said first edge to said first row of perforations;
a center band extending from said first row of perforations to said second row of perforations;
a second band extending from said second row of perforations to said second edge;
said bands having co-planar top sides and co-planar bottom sides;
adhesive means located on said bottom sides of said first band and said second band;
wherein said bottom side of said first band of each of said strip is adhered to said first piece of sheet material and said bottom side of said second band of said strip is adhered to said second piece of sheet material to fasten said pieces of sheet material together; and wherein said rows of perforations are positioned and dimensioned to facilitate easy removal of said center band of said strip to permit separation of said pieces of sheet material;
with said package further comprising a zipper tear strip, said tear strip having dimensions approximately equal to that of said center band and being located between said center band and said sheet material, wherein said tear strip further facilitates the easy removal of said center band of said strip.

2. The package of Claim 1, wherein said material is wallboard.

3. The package of Claim 1, wherein:
said material comprises first and second rectangular sheets of wallboard with each sheet having two side edges, two end edges, a rough surface and a smooth surface;
wherein said sheets are in stacked array defining a bundle in which the smooth surface of said first sheet faces said smooth surface of said second sheet and said end edges of said first sheet are substantially co-planar with said end edges of said second sheet; and wherein said first band is adhered to said rough surface of said first sheet, and said second band is adhered to said rough surface of said second sheet.

4. The package of Claim 1, wherein:
said material comprises rectangular sheets of wallboard, each of said sheets having two side edges, two end edges, a rough surface and a smooth surface;
said sheets being arranged in a bundle comprising a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein said smooth surface of said first sheet faces said smooth surface of said second sheet and said end edges of said first sheet are substantially co-planar with the end edges of said second sheet; and wherein said first band is adhered to said end edge of said first sheet and a portion of said rough surface of said first sheet, and said second band is adhered to said end edge of said second sheet and a portion of said rough surface of said second sheet.

5. The package of Claim 1, wherein said tear strip is adhered to said center band.

6. The package of Claim 3, wherein said tear strip is adhered to said center band.

7. The package of Claim 4, wherein said tear strip is adhered to said center band.

8. A method for bundling relatively rigid sheets of material together, comprising:
positioning zipper tape means adjacent at least one set of aligned edge surfaces of first and second sheets of relatively rigid material, each sheet also having upper and lower surfaces, said upper surface of said second sheet facingly engaging said lower surface of said first sheet; and fastening said sheets together by applying at least one piece of perforated tape to said first sheet and said second sheet across at least one of said at least one set of aligned edge surfaces adjacent said zipper tape means;
said perforated tape including an elongated strip, said strip having a first strip edge, a second strip edge, and first and second rows of perforations, said tape further comprising a first outer band extending from said first strip edge to said first row of perforations, a center band extending from said first row of perforations to said second row of perforations, a second outer band extending from said second row of perforations to said second strip edge, and adhesive means located on said bottom sides of said first outer band and said second outer band;
said adhesive means on said bottom side of said first band being adhered to said first sheet; and said adhesive means on said bottom side of said second band being adhered to said second sheet.

9. The method of Claim 8, wherein:
said two sheets are wallboard, said sheets being rectangular in shape, and having a smooth surface and a rough surface, said sheets being arranged with said smooth surface of said first sheet facing said smooth surface of said second sheet; said zipper tape means being a zipper tape having a length and width approximately equal to that of said center band; and wherein said adhesive means on said bottom sides of said first outer band and said second outer band are adhered to said rough surfaces of said first sheet and said second sheet.

10. The method of Claim 9, further comprising the step of stacking said fastened sheets with other similar sheets so that said outer bands adhered to said rough surfaces are pressed against said rough surfaces.

11. The method of Claim 9, wherein:
opposed edge surfaces of said first sheet are co-planar with opposed edge surfaces of said second sheet to form two sets of aligned edge surfaces, wherein said fastening step comprises applying at least one piece of said perforated tape across each of said two sets of aligned edge surfaces.

12. A method for bundling relatively rigid sheets of material together, comprising:
providing first and second aligned sheets of relatively rigid material, each having upper and lower surfaces and at least one edge surface, said upper surface of said second sheet facingly engaging said lower surface of said first sheet, a first edge surface of said first sheet being co-planar with a second edge surface of said second sheet; and fastening said sheets together by applying at least one piece of a perforated tape to said first sheet and said second sheet; said tape comprising an elongated strip, said strip having a first edge, a second edge, and at least two rows of perforations, said tape further comprising a first band extending from said first edge to a first one of said rows of perforations, a center band extending from said first row of perforations to said second row of perforations, a second band extending from said second row of perforations to said second edge, adhesive means located on said bottom sides of said first band and said second band, and a zipper tape attached to said center band;

said fastening step comprising the steps of:
adhering said adhesive means on said bottom side of said first band to said first sheet; and adhering said adhesive means on said bottom side of said second band to said second sheet.

13. A method of securing together two relatively rigid sheets of material having upper and lower surfaces, and edge surfaces, the intersection of said edge surfaces and said upper surfaces defining upper edges and the intersection of said edge surfaces and said lower surfaces defining lower edges, said upper surface of a first sheet facing the lower surface of a second sheet, at least one of said edge surfaces of said first sheet being aligned with at least one of said edge surfaces of said second sheet to form at least one set of aligned edge surfaces, said method comprising:
(a) providing a fastening tape having a width greater than the combined thickness of said first and second sheets, and having first and second parallel tear lines extending lengthwise of said fastening tape to define a tear strip between said tear lines and first and second securement strips positioned outwardly of said tear lines;
(b) adhesively securing said first securement strip to said first sheet so that said first tear line is aligned with said lower edge of the aligned edge surface of said first sheet in a first set of said at least one set of aligned edge surfaces;
(c) adhesively securing said second securement strip to said second sheet so that said second tear line is aligned with the upper edge of the aligned edge surface of said second sheet in said first set of said at least one set of aligned edge surfaces to secure said sheets together while permitting separation of said sheets following removal of said tear strip;
and (d) reinforcing said tear strip with a zipper tape to facilitate removal of said tear strip.

14. The method of Claim 13, wherein step (d) is performed by situating said zipper tape so said zipper tape is between said aligned edge surfaces and said tear strip.

15. The method of Claim 14, wherein said sheets are wallboard.

16. The method of Claim 14, wherein step (b) includes adhesively securing a portion of said first securement strip to an upper edge portion of the aligned edge of said first sheet and adhesively securing a portion of said second securement strip to a lower edge portion of the aligned edge of said lower sheet.

17. The method of Claim 16, wherein said sheets are wallboard.

18. The method of Claim 17, wherein said reinforcing of step (d) is performed by utilizing a fastening tape in which said zipper tape is attached to said tear strip prior to performing steps b and c.

19. The method of Claim 17, wherein opposed edge surfaces of said first and said second sheet are aligned to form two opposed sets of aligned edge surfaces, and at least one piece of said perforated tape is applied across each of said two sets of aligned edge surfaces.

20. The method of Claim 18, wherein opposed edge surfaces of said first and said second sheet are aligned to form two opposed sets of aligned edge surfaces, and at least one piece of said perforated tape is applied across each of said two sets of aligned edge surfaces.

21. A laminated bundling tape, comprising:
an elongated top strip of material with a first basis weight suitable for wallboard bundling, said top strip having a first edge, a second edge and at least two longitudinally extending rows of perforations;
a first outer band on said top strip extending from said first edge to a first row of said at least two rows of perforations;
a second outer band on said top strip extending from said second edge to a second row of at least two rows of perforations;
a center band on said top strip extending from said first perforation row to said second perforation row;
said top strip bands having co-planar top sides and co-planar bottom sides; and an elongated tear strip of material with a second basis weight ranging between about fifteen pounds per thousand square feet and about fifty-five pounds per thousand square feet;

said tear strip being adhered to said center band and having a width not greater than the width of said center band, whereby said tear strip facilitates the easy removal of said center band from said top strip when said first and second outer bands are adhered to at least one surface.

22. The tape of Claim 21, wherein said tear strip is adhered to said center band by a resin adhesive.

23. The tape of Claim 22, wherein said resin adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer emulsion.

24. The tape of Claim 21, wherein said first basis weight ranges from about fifteen to about twenty pounds per one thousand square feet, and said second basis weight is about twenty-six pounds per thousand square feet.

25. The tape of Claim 24, wherein said tear strip is adhered to said center band by a water activatable adhesive.

26. A laminated bundling tape, comprising:
an elongated top strip of material with a first basis weight sufficient for wallboard bundling, said top strip having a first edge, a second edge and at least two longitudinally extending rows of perforations;
a first band on said top strip extending from said first edge to a first row of said at least two rows of perforations;

a center band on said top strip extending from said first perforation row to a second row of said at least two rows of perforations;
a second band on said top strip extending from said second perforation row to said second edge;
said top strip bands having co-planar top sides and co-planar bottom sides;
a first adhesive located on said bottom sides of at least said first band and said second band; and an elongated tear strip of material with a second basis weight ranging between about fifteen to fifty-five pounds per thousand square feet;
said tear strip being adhered by a second adhesive to said bottom side of said center band and having a width not greater than the width of said center band, whereby said tear strip facilitates the easy removal of said center band from said top strip.

27. The tape of Claim 26, wherein said second adhesive is a resin adhesive.

28. The tape of Claim 27, wherein said resin adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer emulsion.

29. The tape of Claim 26, wherein said first basis weight ranges from about fifteen to about twenty pounds per one thousand square feet; and said second basis weight is about twenty-six pounds per thousand square feet.

30. The tape of Claim 29, wherein said second adhesive is a water activatable adhesive.

31. Apparatus for producing a laminated bundling tape from an elongated top strip of a first material having a first basis weight and an elongated tear strip of a second material having a second basis weight, said apparatus comprising:
means for providing a first moving web of said first material;
means for simultaneously slitting said first moving web into a first plurality of parallel moving top strips of said first material;
means for simultaneously forming at least two longitudinally extending parallel rows of perforations in each said moving top strip;
means for providing a second plurality of parallel moving tear strips of said second material, where said second plurality is equal in number to said first plurality and the width of each said tear strip is not greater than the width between said parallel rows of perforations in each said top strip;
means for coating adhesive on one side of each said moving tear strip; and means for simultaneously forcing said adhesive coated side of each said moving tear strip against a side of a respectively different said moving top strip and between said parallel rows of perforations, whereby said top strip and said tear strip are bonded together.

32. The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said adhesive is selected from the group consisting of resin adhesives and water activatable adhesives.

33. The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said second basis weight ranges from about fifteen to fifty-five pounds per thousand square feet.

34. The apparatus of Claim 33, wherein said adhesive is a resin adhesive when said second basis weight is less than or equal to about seventeen pounds per thousand square feet, and said adhesive is a water activatable adhesive when said second basis weight is greater than or equal to about twenty-six pounds per thousand square feet.

35. The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said slitting means and said perforation forming means operate at the same time.

36. The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said means for providing said tear strips includes means for supplying a second moving web of said second material, and means for simultaneously slitting said second moving web into said second plurality of parallel moving tear strips.

37. Apparatus for producing a laminated bundling tape from an elongated top strip of a first material having a first basis weight and an elongated tear strip of a second material having a second basis weight, said apparatus comprising:

first means for providing a first moving web of said first material;
first means for simultaneously slitting said first moving web into a first plurality of parallel moving top strips of said first material;
means for simultaneously forming at least two longitudinally extending parallel rows of perforations in each said moving top strip, second means for providing a second moving web of said second material which moves at an angle to said first moving web;
second means for simultaneously slitting said second moving web into a second plurality of parallel moving tear strips of said second material, where said second plurality is equal in number to said first plurality and the width of each said tear strip is not greater than the width between said parallel rows of perforations in each said top strip;
means for turning said second plurality of moving tear strips so that they move in the same direction as said first plurality of parallel moving top strips;
means for coating adhesive on one side of each said moving tear strip; and means for simultaneously forcing said adhesive coated side of each said moving tear strip against a side of a respectively different said moving top strip and between said parallel rows of perforations, whereby said top strip and said tear strip are bonded together.

38. The apparatus of Claim 37, wherein said first slitting means and said perforation forming means operate at the same time.

39. Apparatus for producing a laminated bundling tape from an elongated top strip of a first material having a first basis weight and an elongated tear strip of a second material having a second basis weight, said apparatus comprising:
means for providing a first moving web of said first material which has one side thereof coated with a first adhesive;
means for simultaneously slitting said first moving web into a first plurality of parallel moving top strips of said first material, where each said top strip has one side thereof coated with said first adhesive;
means for simultaneously forming at least two longitudinally extending parallel rows of perforations in each said moving top strip;
means for providing a second plurality of parallel moving tear strips of said second material, where said second plurality is equal in number to said first plurality and the width of each said tear strip is not greater than the width between said parallel rows of perforations in each said top strip;
means for coating a second adhesive on one side of each said moving tear strip; and means for simultaneously forcing said second adhesive coated side of each said moving tear strip against said first adhesive coated side of a respectively different said moving top strip and between said parallel rows of perforations, whereby said top strip and said tear strip are bonded together.

40. A method for producing a laminated bundling tape from an elongated top strip of a first material having a first basis weight and an elongated tear strip of a second material having a second basis weight, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a first moving web of said first material;
simultaneously slitting said first moving web into a first plurality of parallel moving top strips of said first material;
simultaneously forming at least two longitudinally extending parallel rows of perforations in each said moving top strip;
providing a second plurality of parallel moving tear strips of said second material, where said second plurality is equal in number to said first plurality and the width of each said tear strip is not greater than the width between said parallel rows of perforations in each said top strip;
coating adhesive on one side of each said moving tear strip;
and simultaneously forcing said adhesive coated side of each said moving tear strip against a side of a respectively different said moving top strip and between said parallel rows of perforations, whereby said top strip and said tear strip are bonded together.

41. The method of Claim 40, wherein said slitting means and said perforation forming means operate at the same time.

42. The method of Claim 40, wherein said step for providing said tear strips includes a step for supplying a second moving web of said second material, and a step for simultaneously slitting said second moving web into said second plurality of parallel moving tear strips.