GB2360829A

GB2360829A - Steam plate

Info

Publication number: GB2360829A
Application number: GB0007797A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert George Eades
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-30
Filing date: 2000-03-30
Publication date: 2001-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-30
Also published as: GB0007797D0; GB2360829B

Abstract

A steam plate for use in the removal of wall coverings comprises a quadrilateral back plate 2, steam inlet 8, drain 9 and walls 4-7. The steam plate comprises two walls 4 and 5 inclined outwardly of the base plate forming a tip 11 on a peripheral corner, and two walls 6 and 7 inclined inwardly of the base plate forming a trough for collecting condensed steam. Alternatively the edges joining the walls of the steam plate are different lengths so that condensed steam drains towards the corner with the shortest edge.

Description

2360829 STEAM PLATE This invention r--lates to a steam plate. Steam plates

are used to remove coverings applied to walls and ceilings with water soluble adhesives.

The steam plate comprises an open faced container into which steam is passed at substantially ambient pressure. The open face is abutted against the covering to be removed. The steam penetrates the covering and solubilises the glue allowing the covering to be removed.

In general steam plates are very effective. They can suffer from two independent disadvantages.

First many if not most walls and ceilings are not truly perpendicular. In some cases since the building has been constructed there has been movement of the ground and building for example due to subsidence on heave. Secondly the walls and ceilings may never have been truly perpendicular.

It can then be difficult to apply a conventional steam plate to corners.

This means that portions of the covering can be difficult to remove.

Secondly as the steam plate functions steam will condense and very hot water may collect within the steam plate. If this spills onto a person a painful or even serious injury may result.

The invention seeks to reduce at least one of these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a steam plate having a back plate, a steam inlet, a drain and walls, the back plate being quadrilateral 2 and having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall upstanding there from, the first wall being joined by a first edge to the second wall, the second wall being joined by a second edg-1 to the third wall, third wall being joined by a third edge to the fourth wall and the fourth wall being joined to the first wall by a fourth edge, the first edge inclining outwardly and the third edge inclining inwardly.

According to the invention there is provided a steam plate having a back plate, a steam inlet, a drain and walls, the back plate being quadrilateral and having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall upstanding there from, the first wall being joined to the second wall by a first edge, the second wall being joined to the third wall by a third edge, the third wall being joined to the fourth wall be a fourth edge, the first edge being shorter than the second and fourth edges, and the second edge being shorter than the third edge.

Embodiments of the invention will now be discussed by way of nonlimiting example be reference to the accompanying figures of which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows a first elevation of an embodiment of the invention, and Figure 3 shows a second elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

Steam plate 1 is generally quadrilateral in plan view. The illustrated embodiment is provided with a planar back plate 2 but it is not essential for the performance of the invention that it be of any particular shape.

3 Handle 3 for holding the steam plate is provided. It may be desirable to provide insulating material so as to shield the hand of the user from heat from the device in use. The back plate and/or handle may be of heat insulating material.

Back plate 2 carries first, second, third and fourth side walls 4,5,6,7 which will be described in more detail hereinafter.

A steam inlet 8 is provided in a side wall for connection to a boiler (not shown).

It will be apparent to the skilled that the steam inlet need not be on a side wall.

A drain 9 is provided in a corner of the steam plate. The position of the drain will be described hereinafter in more detail.

The steam plate has an open face. A first corner of the open face is defined by first and second walls 4,5. Both the first and second walls are inclined outwardly of the device. The angle cc,p may lie in the range of about 9Y' to 0 ' preferably in the range of about 110' to 160% and even more preferably in the range of about 120' to 150'. The first and second walls meet therefore at an edge 10 which extends outwardly and terminate at tip 11. 25 This arrangement allows tip 11 to be located right into the corner of walls even if the walls are not perpendicular.

4 The precise value of angles (x and P is not critical for the performance of the invention provided that it is greater than 90'. If however the angle is too small the device will not be effective in rooms with badly out of square walls. In the event that (x and P are too large insufficient steam or water 5 vapour may reach the very tip resulting in uneven performance.

Third wall 6 abuts first wall 4 and fourth wall 7. Fourth wall 7 abuts third wall 6 and second wall 5. Preferably angle V and 3 are less than 901, for example they may lie in the range of about 5' to 85'. Preferably they lie in the range of about 20' to 70'. Even more preferably they lie in the range of about 30' to 60'. This is advantageous since firstly it provides a visual clue to the user to orientate the device so that tip 11 abuts the wall corner. Secondly the inwardly directed walls 6,7 define, together with the back plate, troughs. Condensate will be trapped in a trough. This reduces the likelihood of hot water being split when the steam plate is removed from the wall.

Drain 9 is provided at the junction of the back plate third and fourth walls since when in use this will generally constitute the lowest point.

In preferred embodiments of the invention walls 4,5,6,7 are not parallelograms but are trapezoid i.e. having one pair or sides parallel or trapezium i.e. having no side parallel. Where walls 4,5,6 or 7 are trapezoid it is the sides abutting other walls which should be parallel to one another.

In these embodiments the edge of the first wall joining it to the second wall is shorter than the edge joining the first wall to the third wall. The edge of the second wall joining it to the first wall is shorter than the edge joining it to the fourth wall. The edge of the third wall joining it to the first wall is shorter than the edge joining it to the fourth wall. The edge of the fourth wall joining it to the second wall is shorter than the edge joining it to the third wall. This arrar.,,,,ement is such that when the steam plate is held with the free edges of the walls horizontal as for example when applied to a ceiling the drain will be at or near the low point of the apparatus. Most of the collected water will drain away.

The precise value of the heights of the top edges of the walls above the back plate are not critical for the invention. Suitable values may be in the range 8mm. to 8Omm, preferably in the range 15mm. to 45nim.

It will be apparent to the skilled that the second feature of having the back plate in a plane converging with a plane extending through the free edge of the walls is useful in conventional steam plate where the walls are as close 15 to perpendicular as can, conveniently be obtained.

6

Claims

1. A steam plate having a back plate, a steam inlet, a drair. and walls, the back plate being quadrilateral and having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall upstanding there from, the first wall being joined by a first edge to the second wall, the second wall being joined by a second edge to the third wall, third wall being joined by a third edge to the fourth wall and the fourth wall being joined to the first wall by a fourth edge, the first edge inclining outwardly and the third edge inclining 10 inwardly.

2. A steam plate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drain is provided at the third edge.

3. A steam plate as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first edge subtends an angle in the range of 110' to 160' to the base plate.

4. A steam plate as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the third edge subtend an angle in the range of 20' to 70' to the base plate.

5. A steam plate as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein in the first and second walls incline outwardly and the third and fourth walls incline inwardly.

6. A steam plate as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first edge is shorter than the second edge, the second edge is shorter than the third edge and the first edge is shorter than the fourth edge.

7 7. A steam plate having a back plate, a steam inlet, a drain and walls, the back plate being quadrilateral and having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall upstanding there from, the first wall being joined to the second wall be a first edge, the second wall being joined to the third wall by a third edge, the third wall being joined to the fourth wall be a fourth edge, the first edge being shorter than the second and fourth edges, and the second edge being shorter than the third edge.

8. A steam plate substantially as described herein by reference to the 10 figure.