GB2247002A

GB2247002A - Adhesive tape applicator

Info

Publication number: GB2247002A
Application number: GB9018104A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Garry Lymer Day
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-08-17
Filing date: 1990-08-17
Publication date: 1992-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-17
Also published as: GB2247002B; GB9018104D0

Abstract

An applicator for applying masking tape T to the edge of a carpet C laid adjacent to a skirting board B comprises a base 1 carrying a support 2 for a roll of masking tape which is turn able about a vertical axis to permit tape withdrawal. On the base is a roller 3 which is freely rotatable and arranged to guide the masking tape as it is pulled from the roll. The front side of the base 1 is provided with a downwardly extending lip 5, to be inserted between the edge of the carpet and the skirting board. The base has a slot or notch (7) through which tape is drawn from the roller 3, the slot forming the tape into an angle as the tape passes through the slot into engagement with the underside of the base and lip, enabling the tape to be firmly engaged with and mask both the upper margin and the side edge of the carpet, allowing the skirting board B to be painted, without paint coming into contact with the carpet. The tape may simply be pulled away from the carpet when the paint is dry. <IMAGE>

Description

ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR This invention is concerned with an adhesive tape applicator.

The applicator forming the subject of the 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 - butts against a skirting board, so that the skirting board can be painted without getting paint on the adjacent edge of the carpet.

Painting skirting boards has long been a problem when there is a fitted carpet which extends right up to the skirting board. Removing the carpet or merely folding back the edges, whilst it permits the skirting board to be painted without difficulty, is time-consuming and necessitates relaying of the carpet afterwards. It is known to use a strip which is pressed flat against the edge of the carpet with one edge against the skirting board to protect the carpet edge as the skirting board is painted but this is generally unsatisfactory because it is necessary to move the strip along the skirting board as the painting progresses, paint often gets on the strip continually making it necessary to wipe it and when the strip is lifted from the carpet the edge of the carpet springs up into contact with the wet paint on the skirting board.Adhesive masking tape can be applied by hand to the edge of the carpet but this is a time-consuming and cumbersome operation and it is difficult to position the tape accurately all the way round the edge of the carpet.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an applicator which can be used easily and quickly to apply masking tape to the edge of a carpet so that it provides an effective protection for the carpet edge when an adjacent skirting board is painted.

The applicator provided by the invention comprises a base carrying means to support a supply of adhesive tape, for example in the form of a roll, and means adapted on movement of the applicator along an edge of an object defined by two contiguous faces disposed at an angle to one another to form the tape as it is drawn from the supply into the shape of two longitudinal portions extending at an angle to one another and to guide the tape into contact with the said faces so that the two longitudinal portions of the tape adhere to the respective faces.

When the applicator is used to apply masking tape to the edge of a carpet butting against a skirting board, the idea is that as the applicator is moved along the carpet edge, the tape is automatically applied to the carpet with one longitudinal portion of the tape adhering to the margin of the upper surface of the carpet adjacent the skirting board and the other longitudinal portion extending downwardly between the side edge of the carpet and the skirting board and adhering to said side edge. In this way the edge of the carpet is fully protected when the skirting board is painted.

It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this application and the applicator may have other uses where adhesive tape is required to be applied to any two contiguous faces at an angle to one another.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of adhesive masking tape applicator embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a front elevation of part of the applicator, Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the applicator in use, and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the applicator.

The applicator illustrated in the drawings comprises a base 1 in a form of a rigid sheet of metal or a plastics material such as UPVC intended to be disposed horizontally when in use. The base carries a support 2 for a roll of masking tape T which is turnable about a vertical axis to permit tape to be drawn from the roll. The support may comprise a circular platform with an upstanding pin which extends into a central hole in the roll of tape.

Positioned on the base between the support 2 and the front side of the base 1 is a roller 3 which is freely rotatable on a vertical spindle 4 secured to the base.

This roller is arranged to guide the masking tape as it is pulled from the roll T and the surface of the roller is provided with a rough finish to prevent the masking tape sticking to it.

The support and the roller may be made of metal or a plastics material.

The front side of the base 1 is provided with a downwardly extending lip 5 disposed at an angle of slightly more than 900 to the base. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, this lip tapers downwardly to a sharp edge 6. Alternatively the lip may be parallel-sided with its lower edge face angled to provide a sharp edge between this face and the outer face of the lip.

The base is provided at its front side with two notches 7 (only one of which is seen in the drawings) disposed at opposite sides of, and equidistantly spaced from the roller 3. Each notch is formed by a parallel-sided cutaway portion 8 of the lip as shown in Figure 2 and a cutaway portion 9 of the base as shown in Figure 1. The cutaway portion in the base has two straight side edges 10, 11, the edge 10 adjacent to the roller being at an angle to the front side of the base 1 and the other edge 11 being disposed at 900 to the front side of the base as shown in Figure 1. Thus, the two notches are handed to allow the applicator to be used left-handed or right-handed.

To prepare the applicator for use a roll of masking tape T is placed on the support 2 for either left or right handed use. The free end of the masking tape is pulled to draw the masking tape from the roll, partially around the roller 3 and then over the adjacent edge of the relevant notch whence it passes underneath the outer end portion 12 of the base, a short length being left protruding from the side of the base. As shown in Figure 3, the applicator is positioned flat on the carpet C adjacent to the skirting board B (which extends upwardly from the floor F beneath the carpet) with the lip 5 extending downwardly between the side edge of the carpet and the skirting board. The free end of the tape is held against the carpet and then the applicator is moved along the carpet edge.As the applicator moves the lip 5 clears the carpet pile away from the skirting board and tape is pulled from the roll T. As shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the tape is guided by the roller 3 towards the relevant notch 7 and as it passes over the edge 10 of the cutaway portion in the base and the adjoining edge of the cutaway portion in the lip and then beneath the outer end portion 12 of the base it is formed into the shape of two longitudinal portions T1 and T2 at an angle to one another or viewed in cross section (Figure 3) one of which T1 is pressed into contact with and adheres to the margin of the upper surface of the carpet C adjacent to the skirting board B and the other of which T2 extends downwardly between the skirting board and the side edge of the carpet and adheres to the latter. The tape therefore masks both the upper margin and the side edge of the carpet and prevents paint coming into contact with the carpet as the skirting board is painted. The tape is simply pulled away from the carpet when the paint has dried.

To mask the edge of a carpet all round a room it is convenient to start at one corner, move the applicator to the next corner, cut the tape and then repeat the operation.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An applicator comprising: [a] a base; [b] means to support a supply of adhesive tape on the base; c] means adapted on movement of the applicator along an edge of an object defined by two contiguous faces disposed at an angle to one another to form the tape as it is drawn from the supply into the shape of tuo 10ngitudinal portions extending at an angle to one another and to guide the tape into contact with said faces so that the two longittidinal portions of the tape adhere to the respective faces.

2. An applicator according to Claim 1 wherein the base comprises a generally flat surface adapted to be engaged with one of said contiguous faces and a lip adapted to be engaged with the other of said contiguous faces.

3. An applicator according to Claim 2 wherein said lip is disposed at an angle slightly more than 90 to said flat surface.

4. An applicator according to one of Claims 3 and 4 wherein said lip is sharp-eded.

5. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said forming means is provided by a slot in two inclined faces of the applicator.

6. An applicator according to Claim 5 comprising a roller around which tape is lead from a supply, and from which tape passes through the slot, to be formed thereby on its application to said edge.

7. An applicator according to one of Claims 5 and 6 comprising two such forming means.

8. An applicator according to Claim 7 wherein each of said two formations is handed.

9. A method of applying masking tape to the edge of a carpet laid adjacent to a skirting board, involving the use of an apparatus comprising: [a] a base; [b] supporting means to support a roll of masking tape on the base; and [c] means adapted on movement of the applicator along one edge of the carpet to form the tape as it is pulled from the roll into a shape to engage an upper surface margin of the carpet adjacent to said edge, and a side margin of the carpet adjacent to said edge.

10. A method according to Claim 9 wherein the base comprises a flat surface to engage the upper surface of the carpet.

11. A method according to one of Claims 9 and 10 wherein the base comprises a lip to cngage the side edge of the carpet.

12. A method according to Claim 11 wherein the lip extends at such an angle as to pull the edge of the carpet away from the skirting board during the application of tape thereto.

13. A method according to any one of Claims 9 to 12 wherein the tape is formed by passing through an angled slot as it is pulled from the supply and applied to the edge of the carpet.

14. An applicator constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompany drawings.

15. A method of applying masking tape to the edge of a carpet, when carried out substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompan)'ing drawings.

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