Mud applicator

A mud pumping apparatus comprising:

• a mud pump having an inlet port and an outlet port, capable of pumping grout from the inlet port to the outlet port,
• a housing enclosing the mud pump, the housing having a cover portion permanently attached to a bottom portion, the bottom portion configured to form an air-tight seal when installed onto the top of an open container of mud, the housing having a hole through a housing bottom portion through which mud is drawn, and a hole through a housing cover portion 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 mud container, the mud pipe configured to have a length extending from the pump inlet to a position near the bottom of the mud container when the apparatus is installed on the mud container and to draw mud from the container to the pump inlet;
• 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 mud to form an air-tight seal between the bottom of the housing and the top of the open container.