Floor mud forming device and methodology
OwnerVadim Mikhaylenkoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for preparing a sloped mud surface around a drain prior to setting tile or stone includes one or more arms (i.e., rigid arms) attached to a sleeve and rotatably supported relative to a vertical axis defined by a vertical shaft and horizontal planar base. An adjustable clamp assembly releasably secures the device to a conventional drain, which may be secured to a drainpipe by pipe threads. The bottom edge of the arm provides a straight working edge. The arm can be freely moved (i.e., rotated) around the vertical shaft degrees, counterclockwise and clockwise. As the arm rotates around the vertical shaft the working edge sweeps over the floor mud surface, spreading and leveling the surface while scraping or sweeping away excess material.
Claims20
A floor mud surface forming device comprising:
- a vertical shaft adapted to be secured perpendicular to a horizontal plane and concentric with a drain in a floor;
- and
- an arm rotatably mounted to the shaft, said arm including a bottom working edge, said working edge forming an acute angle relative to the horizontal plane and being adapted for positioning proximate to a floor mud surface.
A floor mud surface forming device comprising:
- a vertical shaft adapted to be secured perpendicular to a horizontal plane and concentric with a drain in a floor, wherein the vertical shaft includes a threaded end and a tapered end having a rectangular cross section;
- and
- an arm rotatably mounted to the shaft, said arm including a bottom working edge, said working edge forming an acute angle relative to the horizontal plane and being adapted for positioning proximate to a floor mud surface, and the arm comprising a sleeve adapted to rotatably engage the vertical shaft and a first arm section operably coupled to said sleeve, said first arm section including the bottom working edge forming an acute angle relative to the horizontal plane and being adapted for positioning proximate to a floor mud surface;
- and
- a planar base, said planar base having a top side and a bottom side, said vertical shaft being attached to and perpendicular to the planar base;
- and
- a clamping assembly attached to the bottom of the planar base, said clamping assembly being configured to controllably grip a drain and position the vertical shaft concentric with the drain, said clamping assembly comprising a pair of stationary supports and an adjustable support, said stationary supports being positioned to contact a periphery of a half of a drain and said adjustable support being positioned to controllably exert force against the periphery of an opposite half of the drain.
A method of forming a floor mud surface using a floor mud surface forming device,
- said device comprising:
- a vertical shaft adapted to be secured perpendicular to a horizontal plane and concentric with a drain in a floor, wherein the vertical shaft includes a threaded end and a tapered end having a rectangular cross section;
- and
- an arm rotatably mounted to the shaft, said arm including a bottom working edge, said working edge forming an acute angle relative to the horizontal plane and being adapted for positioning proximate to a floor mud surface, and the arm comprising a sleeve adapted to rotatably engage the vertical shaft and a first arm section operably coupled to said sleeve, said first arm section including the bottom working edge forming an acute angle relative to the horizontal plane and being adapted for positioning proximate to a floor mud surface;
- and
- a planar base, said planar base having a top side and a bottom side, said vertical shaft being attached to and perpendicular to the planar base;
- and
- a clamping assembly attached to the bottom of the planar base, said clamping assembly being configured to controllably grip a drain and position the vertical shaft concentric with the drain, said clamping assembly comprising a pair of stationary supports and an adjustable support, said stationary supports being positioned to contact a periphery of a half of a drain and said adjustable support being positioned to controllably exert force against the periphery of an opposite half of the drain;
- and
- said method comprising
- attaching the device to a drain;
- leveling the device;
- spreading floor mud;
- rotating the arm;
- and
- progressively lowering the elevation of the arm and repeating rotation of the arm to achieve a desired uniform inclined surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.