# US 2009/0260740 A1 · Drywall tape and mud dispenser > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260740 A1 - Document ID: US20090260740A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/494,348 - Filed: 2009-06-30 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-01-25 - Inventors: Paul Teel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260740A1 ## CPC - B05C 3/18: only one side of the work coming into contact with the liquid or other fluent material (B05C3/02 takes precedence) - B65H 37/002: {Web delivery apparatus, the web serving as support for articles, material or another web} - E04F 21/026: {for applying adhesive or joint compound to joint tapes, in particular drywall tapes (joint tapes E04F13/042; drywall taper tools E04F21/1657)} - E04F 21/165: for finishing joints, e.g. implements for raking or filling joints, jointers (bricklayers' tools E04G21/16; repairing, e.g. filling cracks, E04G23/02 {; wallpaper scrapers or the like B44C7/02; implements for cleaning joints A47L13/10}) - E04F 21/1657: {for applying tape to joints, e.g. drywall taper tools} - B65H 2301/5113: applying adhesive - Y10T 156/1357: Slitting and severing - Y10T 156/1798: with liquid adhesive or adhesive activator applying means - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A container is provided having a periphery and a base, which enclose a cavity. The periphery and the base are connected together, the periphery upwardly extending from the base. The periphery has a first slot and a substantially opposing second slot. Each of the first and second slots is sized to permit a first end of a tape located on a roll to be slid through it. A tape holder may be connected to the container so that the tape holder lies outside of the cavity of the container. The roll of tape can be placed on the tape holder so when the tape is pulled through the “mud box”, the tape is thereby unwound. As the tape is manually pulled through the “mud box”, joint compound is thinly applied to one side of the tape. As this is done, the joint compound begins to “adhere” to the tape, conditioning the tape for excellent wall adhesion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a container having a periphery and a base, which enclose a cavity; wherein the periphery and the base are connected together, the periphery upwardly extending from the base; wherein the periphery has a first slot and a substantially opposing second slot; wherein the first slot is sized to permit a first end of a tape located on a roll to be slid through the first slot; wherein the second slot is sized to permit the first end of the tape located on the roll to be slid through the second slot; and further comprising a tape holder connected to the container so that the tape holder lies outside of the cavity of the container; and wherein the roll can be placed on the tape holder so that the roll can be rotated and the tape thereby unwound; wherein the second slot is located in an end wall; and and further comprising a gate attached to the end wall in a manner which allows the gate to be adjusted to different states to allow different flow rates of dry wall mud through the second slot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gate includes a first gate slot and a second gate slot; wherein the first gate slot and the second gate slot are elongated; and further comprising first and second protrusions fixed to the end wall; wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured, so that the first protrusion fits within the first gate slot at the same time that the second protrusion fits within the second gate slot; and wherein the first protrusion can be slid up and down within the first gate slot and at the same time the second protrusion can be slid up and down within the second gate slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising first and second fasteners which are configured to be connected to the first and second protrusions respectively; and wherein the first and second fasteners when tightened hold the gate in a vertical position with respect to the end wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the periphery is comprised of a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, which together with the base form an open box configuration; wherein the first side wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first end wall, and a second end connected to the second end wall; wherein the second side wall lies spaced apart from and opposite of the first side wall, and wherein the second side wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first end wall, and a second end connected to the second end wall; wherein the first end wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first side wall, and a second end connected to the second side wall; wherein the second end wall lies spaced apart from and opposite of the first end wall, and wherein the second end wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first side wall, and a second end connected to the second side wall; wherein the first slot is located in the first end wall; and the second slot is located in the second end wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall is truncated triangular in shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the first and second slots are parallel to the base. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of the first and second slots are adjacent to the base. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the open box configuration is elongated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the periphery and the base is elongated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means for cutting the tape outside of the cavity after the first end of the tape has exited the second slot. ### Claim 11 A method comprising providing a container having a periphery and a base, which enclose a cavity; wherein the periphery and the base are connected together, the periphery upwardly extending from the base; wherein the periphery has a first slot and a second slot; wherein the first slot is sized to permit a first end of a tape located on a roll to be slid through the first slot; wherein the second slot is sized to permit the first end of the tape located on the roll to be slid through the second slot; and further comprising connecting a tape holder to the container so that the tape holder lies outside of the cavity of the container; and wherein the roll can be placed on the tape holder so that the roll can be rotated and the tape thereby unwound. wherein the second slot is located in an end wall; and and further comprising attaching a gate to the end wall in a manner which allows the gate to be adjusted to different states to allow different flow rates of dry wall mud through the second slot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the gate includes a first gate slot and a second gate slot; wherein the first gate slot and the second gate slot are elongated; and further comprising first and second protrusions fixed to the end wall; wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured, so that the first protrusion fits within the first gate slot at the same time that the second protrusion fits within the second gate slot; and wherein the first protrusion can be slid up and down within the first gate slot and at the same time the second protrusion can be slid up and down within the second gate slot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein first and second fasteners which are configured to be connected to the first and second protrusions respectively; and wherein the first and second fasteners when tightened hold the gate in a vertical position with respect to the end wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising placing the roll on the tape holder so that the roll can be rotated and the tape thereby unwound and the first end of the tape can be inserted through the first slot, into the cavity, and then through the second slot out of the cavity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising placing joint compound into the cavity so that the tape will be exposed to the joint compound. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the periphery is comprised of a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, which together with the base form an open box configuration; wherein the first side wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first end wall, and a second end connected to the second end wall; wherein the second side wall lies spaced apart from and opposite of the first side wall, and wherein the second side wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first end wall, and a second end connected to the second end wall; wherein the first end wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first side wall, and a second end connected to the second side wall; wherein the second end wall lies spaced apart from and opposite of the first end wall, and wherein the second end wall has a bottom connected to the base, a first end connected to the first side wall, and a second end connected to the second side wall; wherein the first slot is located in the first end wall; and the second slot is located in the second end wall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein each of the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall is truncated triangular in shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein each of the first and second slots are parallel to the base. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein each of the first and second slots are adjacent to the base. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the open box configuration is elongated. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein each of the periphery and the base is elongated. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising cutting the tape outside of the cavity after the first end of the tape has exited the second slot.