GB2343216A

GB2343216A - Plastering apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2343216A
Application number: GB9823485A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas Sarnac Newey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-10-28
Filing date: 1998-10-28
Publication date: 2000-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-28
Also published as: GB9823485D0; GB2343216B

Abstract

A plastering apparatus 1 comprises a float 9 connected to a reservoir 2 by a plaster feed tube 7. The reservoir holds freshly mixed plaster 3 which is fed along the feed tube to the float by means of an air pump 8. The flow rate to the float is altered using an air valve 21 which is controlled by manipulating two Bowden cables 22, 23. The float is attached to plaster feed tube by means of a ball joint 10 which allows movement. The float also comprises a handle 24 and a plaster receiver (11, figure 2) from which plaster passes along four small tubes 12, 13, 14, 15 onto a front plate 16 and then out on to a surface through four apertures 17, 18, 19, 20.

Description

PLASTERING The present invention relates to plastering.

It is known to apply plaster to the walls of a building by hand pressing the plaster against the wall with a float. Mechanical devices are known for plastering large surface areas by spraying the plaster onto a wall. The plaster is then hand finished to give a smooth surface, or keyed to give a surface to accept a further coat of plaster, making the application of each coat of plaster a two stage process.

Known mechanical devices include the Tyrolean hand spray machine. This comprises a rotating cylinder, from which a number of tines extend, mounted in a container with its tines partially submerged in a trough of plaster. Rotation of the cylinder causes plaster to be flicked onto the wall by the tines. Other mechanical spraying machines usually pump the plaster from a reservoir and through a delivery pipe to a nozzle. As the material flows through the nozzle it is atomised by compressed air mixed with the plaster, and sprayed onto the wall.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of applying plaster to a wall.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a float for applying plaster to a wall, the float comprising: * a plaster receiver for receiving pumped plaster and connectable to a plaster feed tube; and * a front plate for spreading pumped plaster from the receiver on the wall.

In one embodiment the plaster receiver is tubular and is connected to the front plate by a plurality of tubes leading to a corresponding plurality of openings in the front plate through which the pumped plaster is applied to the wall.

Normally the front plate is generally rectangular with the openings along a central axis thereof, distribution being aligned with the axis.

In a second embodiment the plaster receiver is configured as a elongate indentation in the front plate. In this embodiment also the front plate is generally rectangular.

Preferably the float includes a universal coupling for the plaster feed tube.

Conveniently the float may include a manual control for a plaster pump.

While the manual control may be connected to the plaster pump by two Bowden cables, preferably the float includes an air cylinder for pneumatic connection to the pump.

Whilst the plaster distributor may be configured as a handle, preferably a separate handle is attached to the plaster distributor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for applying plaster to a wall, the apparatus comprising: * a reservoir ; * a plaster feed tube connectable to the reservoir ; * a pump, adapted to pump plaster from the reservoir through the plaster feed tube; and * a float of the first aspect, connectable to the plaster feed tube.

Normally the reservoir will includes a paddle for stirring plaster. The paddle is powered by an air motor, to obviate electrocution.

Conveniently the apparatus may include an air valve connectable to the pump, and adjustable by means of the Bowden cables.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of applying plaster to a wall consisting of pumping plaster to a float of the first aspect and applying the plaster to the wall with the float.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention including first a float of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section of the first float ; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the float of Figure 2 ; Figure 4 is a front view of the plate of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a cross-section of a second float of the invention ; Figure 6, is a perspective view of the float of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a front view of the float of Figure 5.

First Embodiment of the Invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a plastering apparatus 1 comprises a reservoir 2 to hold a supply of freshly mixed plaster 3. The reservoir having a lid 4 to prevent any foreign bodies being incorporated into the plaster 3. The plaster 3 is mixed by a paddle 5 in the reservoir 2, powered by an air motor 6 mounted on the lid 4 of the reservoir 2. A plaster feed tube 7 leads from the reservoir 2 through an air pump 8 to a float 9. The plaster feed tube 7 is connected to the float 9 via a ball joint 10 to give flexibility of movement with respect to the float 9.

As shown in Figures 2,3 and 4, the float 9 consists of a plaster receiver 11 fed by the plaster feed tube 7. From the plaster receiver 11 four small tubes 12,13,14,15 feed onto a front plate 16 of the float through four apertures 17,18,19,20. The plaster 3 enters the plaster receiver 11 of the float 9, and passes along the smaller tubes 12,13,14,15 and onto the face plate 16 of the float 9 where is can be applied to a wall. The face plate 16 of the float is of rectangular shape with the apertures 17,18, 19,20 along a central axis.

The flow rate through the plaster feed tube 7 is a maximum of 35 gallon per minute, but can be controlled using a air valve 21 attached to the pump 8. Opening of the air valve can be controlled by manipulating two Bowden 22,23 cables attached to the float 7 by means of a lever 25. A handle 24 of the float is secured onto the back of the plaster receiver 11.

Second Embodiment of the Invention.

As shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, an alternative float 30 has a rectangular front plate 31. A plaster receiver 32 is provided as a semi-circular extension 33 moulded as one piece with the front plate. As in the first embodiment, the float has an attachment for a feed tube 34, in the form of a ball joint 35 which feeds into the semi-circular extension 33. The portion of the front plate in front of the semi-circular extension 33 is cut away so that as the plaster is pumped from the reservoir 2 through the feed tube 34, it flows into the semi-circular extension through an opening 35, and can be applied to the wall using the float. To prevent the plaster from spilling onto the floor the ends of the semi-circular extension 33 are capped 35,36.

To control the flow rate of the plaster, an air cylinder 37 is attached to the back of the semi-circular extension, and connected to the air valve 21 for controlling the rate of plaster flow. Alternatively the flow rate may be controlled using Bowden cables as described above.

A handle 38 is also provided on the back of the semi-circular extension for ease of manipulation of the float.

To plaster a wall, dry plaster and water are added to the reservoir 2. The motor 6 is switched on to drive the paddle 5 and mix the plaster. The plasterer will then hold the float 9,30 with the plate 16,31 horizontal and upwards and turn on the pump 8. When a quantity of the plaster 3 appears on the face plate 16 he will apply the face plate to a wall. As the plaster is pumped to the float it can be applied continuously to the wall, smoothing the plaster as it is applied.

It is usually necessary to apply two or more coats of plaster to a wall. The under layer, or floating coat, will typically set in about an hour, the top layer or finish coat will typically set in about two and half hours. After applying the floating coat using the apparatus of the invention, the reservoir can be cleaned out or changed and prepared for the second layer of plaster. Alternatively several apparatuses may be used in sequence each filled with a particular formula of plaster.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described. For example the float may have a triangular face plate, and the feed tube may be attached to the float back with a knuckle joint.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A float for applying plaster to a wall, the float comprising: * a plaster receiver for receiving pumped plaster and connectable to a plaster feed tube ; and a front plate for spreading pumped plaster from the receiver on the wall.

2. A float as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plaster receiver is tubular and is connected to the front plate by a plurality of tubes leading to a corresponding plurality of openings in the front plate through which the pumped plaster is applied to the wall.

3. A float as claimed in claim 2, wherein the front plate is generally rectangular with the openings along a central axis thereof.

4. A float as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plaster distributor is configured as a semi-circular indentation in the front plate, extending the length of the front plate.

5. A float as claimed in claim 4, wherein the front plate is generally rectangular.

6. A float as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein float includes a universal coupling for the plaster feed tube.

7. A float as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the float includes a manual control for a plaster pump.

8. A float as claimed in claim 7, wherein the manual control is connected to the plaster pump by two Bowden cables.

9. A float as claimed in claim 8, wherein the float includes an air cylinder for pneumatic connection to the plaster pump.

10. A float as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the plaster receiver is configured as a handle.

11. A float as claimed in any one of claim 1 to 9, further including a handle attached to the plaster receiver.

12. A float as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

13. Apparatus for applying plaster to a wall, the apparatus comprising: * a reservoir; a plaster feed tube connectable to the reservoir ; * a pump, adapted to pump plaster from the reservoir through the plaster feed tube ; and w a float as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, connectable to the plaster feed tube.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the reservoir includes a paddle for stirring plaster.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the paddle is powered by an air motor, to obviate the risk of electrocution.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, claim 14 or claim 15, including a float as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, or claim 10 or 11 as appendant to claim 8, further including an air valve connectable to the pump, and adjustable by means of the Bowden cables.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13,14 or claim 15, including a float as claimed in claim 7 or claim 9, or claim 10 or 11 as appendant to claim 9, further including an air valve connectable to the pump, and pneumatically adjustable by mean of the air cylinder.

18. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of applying plaster to a wall consisting of pumping plaster to a float and using the float to apply the plaster to the wall.

20. A method of applying plaster to a wall substantially as herinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.