GB2283725A

GB2283725A - Adhesive tape applicator

Info

Publication number: GB2283725A
Application number: GB9323450A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Frank Pennell; David Neil Wragg
Original assignee: Ryford Ltd
Current assignee: Ryford Ltd
Priority date: 1993-11-13
Filing date: 1993-11-13
Publication date: 1995-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2013-11-13
Also published as: EP0653368A1; GB9323450D0; GB2283725B

Description

2283725 PATENTS ACT 1977 Title: Adhesive tape applicator

Description of Invention

This invention is concerned with an adhesive tape applicator.

The applicator forming the subject of this invention has been devised primarily for use by painters and decorators for the purpose of applying masking tape to the edge of a carpet or other floor covering which abuts against a skirting board, so that the skirting board can be painted without getting paint on the adjacent edge of the carpet.

In the specification of copending application No. 9018104.1 (Serial No. 2247002) there is described an applicator for applying tape around two contiguous faces of an edge of an object such as a carpet, the applicator comprising a base, means to support a supply of adhesive tape on the base, means adapted on movement of the applicator along the edge of an object to form the tape as it is drawn from the supply into two longitudinal portions extending at an angle to one another and to guide the tape into contact with said object, so that the two longitudinal portions of the tape adhere to the respective faces. In use, masking tape is drawn from the supply around a roller through a cut-away portion which provides the forming means.

Difficulty has been encountered in the use of the applicator of the kind described in the specification of said copending application, and it is one of the various objects of this invention to provide an improved applicator for applying tape around two contiguous faces of an edge of an object.

According to this invention there is provided an applicator comprising a base, means to support a supply of adhesive on the base, means adapted on movement of the applicator along the edge of an object to form the tape as it is drawn from the supply into two longitudinal portions extending at an angle to one another and to guide the tape into contact with said object so that the two longitudinal portions of the tape adhere to the respective faces, 2 characterised in that two such forming means are utilised to so form and guide the tape in respective opposite directions, each forming means being associated with a respective roller located in spaced relationship from said forming means.

By the provision of two such rollers better forming of the tape as it passes through the forming means may be obtained.

Preferably said forming means are located in the front edge of the applicator, and the rollers are located at opposite corner portions of the front edge.

Preferably each of said forming means is located immediately adjacent to one of said rollers on said front edge.

In this manner the distance between each roller and its associated forming means may be maximised to minimise the tendency for tape to foul as it is formed and applied in the desired manner.

Preferably the outer surfaces of each roller is generally located so that one of said faces of the forming means extends as a tangent thereto.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an applicator which is a preferred embodiment of this invention, having been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of the preferred embodiment; FIGURE 2 is an underneath view of the preferred embodiment.

llie applicator which is the preferred embodiment of this invention is similar to the applicator described in said copending application to which reference should be made for details not included herein.

The preferred embodiment comprises a base 6 which carries a support 8 for a roll of masking tape (not shown) which is turnable about a vertical axis to permit tape to be drawn from the roll.

3 A front edge 10 of the base comprises a downwardly extending lip 12 disposed at an angle of slightly more than 90' to plane of the base, the lip tapering downwardly to provide a sharp edge. Provided in said front edge are two notches 14a, 14b formed by a parallel-cutaway portion of the lip and a cut away portion of the base, the front edge providing a former to form tape into the desired angular arrangement by feeding the tape through one oi other of the notches 14.

Located adjacent to each of the notches 14a, 14b is a roller 16,b 16a. freely rotatable on a pin 17. The construction and arrangement is such that the distance between the roller 16b and its associated forming notch 14b is maximised, such that a length of tape T drawn from a roll of masking tape on the support 8 passes around the roller 16b, and through the notch 14b to be formed thereby into two longitudinal portions extending at an angle to one another and applied to the edge of the object, such as the edge of a carpet. 711e lip 12 lies in a plane extending generally at a tangent to said rollers 16, providing guidance for the tape as it is formed into said longitudinal portions.

The distance provided between the roller 16b and its associated notch 14b makes it easier for the tape to be formed over the front edge as the tape is drawn into the notch 14,b and beneath the front edge after it passes through the notch 14,b to be applied to the edge of the object. In particular, by maximising this distance tendency for the tape to foul as it is folded into said longitudinal portions is reduced.

By inverting the roll of masking tape on the support 8, the tape may be passed around the other roller 16,a prior to being passed to the notch 14, a for application in the opposite direction.

Tbus in the use of the applicator which is the preferred embodiment of this invention, conveniently tape is applied from one corner towards a central part of a wall, and the tape is cut, prior to the application of the tape from an adjacent corner towards said central part of the wall.

4 Conveniently in the support 8 finger apertures 18 are provided, enabling a user of the device to press on the base 6, to apply the requisite downward pressure as the device is drawn along the edge of the carpet or other object in the application to the edge thereof of the tape T, as tape is drawn from the roll.

llie features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. An adhesive tape applicator comprising a base, means to support a supply of adhesive tape on the base, means adapted on movement of the applicator along the edge of an object to form the tape as it is drawn from the supply into two longitudinal portions extending at an angle to one another and to guide the tape into contact with said object so that the two longitudinal portions of the tape adhere to respective faces of the object, characterised in that the applicator comprises two such forming means adapted to so form and guide the tape in respective opposite directions, each forming means being associated with a respective roller located in spaced relationship to said forming means.

2. An applicator according to Claim 1 wherein said forming means are each provided in the front edge of the applicator, and the rollers are located at opposite corner portions of the front edge.

3. An applicator according to one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein located downstream of each forming means guide means is provided, against which the formed tape may be pressed as the tape is applied to the object.

4. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each of said forming means is located immediately adjacent to one of the roller associated with the other forming means.

5. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the outer surface of each roller is located so that one of the faces of the forming means extends as a tangent thereto.

6

6. An adhesive tape applicator constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

R

7. Any novel feature or novel combination of features hereinbefore described and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.