Mud applicator

A mud pumping apparatus comprising:

• a mud pump having an inlet port and an outlet port and capable of pumping grout from the inlet port to the outlet port;
• a housing enclosing the mud pump,
• wherein the housing comprises a cover portion permanently attached to a bottom portion,
• wherein the bottom portion is configured to form an air-tight seal when installed onto a top of an open container of mud,
• wherein the bottom portion of the housing comprises a hole through which mud is drawn, and
• wherein the cover portion of the housing comprises a hole through which the drawn mud is pushed;
• a mud pipe having two open ends including a first end attached to the pump inlet port and a second end to be inserted into the open container of the mud,
• wherein the mud pipe has a length extending from the pump inlet port to a position near a bottom of open container of the mud when the mud pumping apparatus is installed on the open container of the mud to draw mud from the open container of the mud to the pump inlet port,
• wherein the mud pipe is a circular auger tube further comprising an auger disposed within the circular auger tube coextensive with the second end,
• wherein the auger comprises a helical flute and a diameter that fits snugly within a diameter of the circular auger tube and a central shank operatively coupled to a rotating motor shaft of the mud pump, and
• wherein the auger is configured to draw mud from the open container of the mud into the auger tube;
• an outlet port coupler that couples the outlet port to a mud applicator that conveys the mud to a work surface;
• and
• a container coupler that couples the housing to the open container of the mud to form an air-tight seal between the bottom portion of the housing and the top of the open container of the mud.