# US 2021/0276038 A1 · Mud applicator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276038 A1 - Document ID: US20210276038A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/326,720 - Filed: 2021-05-21 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-22 - Inventors: Gary J. Pontecorvo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276038A1 ## CPC - B05C 17/002: {with feed system for supplying material from an external source; Supply controls therefor (B05C17/02 takes precedence)} - B05C 11/1044: {Apparatus or installations for supplying liquid or other fluent material to several applying apparatus or several dispensing outlets, e.g. to several extrusion nozzles} - B05C 11/11: Vats or other containers for liquids or other fluent materials - E04F 21/08: Mechanical implements (E04F21/14 takes precedence; spraying in general B05B; sand-blasting B24C) - 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) - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) ## Abstract A mud pumping apparatus that can be removably coupled to a container the mud was originally provided in when first obtained by the user. The mud may be mastic, mortar, grout, joint compound, spackle, or the like. The apparatus may be sized to be used with various standard sized containers, and adjustably powered and controllable to be used with different types, consistencies, and viscosities of spreadable material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mud pipe is a circular auger tube, further comprising an auger located within the auger tube coextensive with the second end of the auger tube, the auger having a helical flute and a diameter that fits snugly within the diameter of the auger tube, the auger also having a central shank operatively coupled to a rotating motor shaft of the mud pump, the auger configured to draw mud from the container into the auger tube. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container coupler comprises a clamp configured to engage a lip around an external circumference of the container and to tighten against the lip to form an air-tight seal between the bottom of the housing and the open top of the container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container coupler comprises a strap attached to a clamp configured to engage an edge around a bottom circumference of the container and to tighten against the edge to form an air-tight seal between the bottom of the housing and the open top of the container. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an applicator removably coupled to the outlet port coupler to convey the mud to a work surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an applicator handle attached to the applicator for the user to grasp and direct extrusion of the mud onto a work surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a switch to start and stop the drawing of mud from the container to the mud pump inlet port. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a variable switch to variably control the volume of the mud drawn from the container to the mud pump inlet port. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, the applicator comprising an applicator head configured to extrude the mud onto the work surface to have a desired extruded cross sectional shape and size. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mud tube further comprises a threaded second end for coupling to a water hose for flushing water through the apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump housing further comprises an inlet with a threaded end to push water into the pump to adjust viscosity of the mud during use, and for cleaning the pump. ### Claim 12 A system comprising: 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; a container platform comprising: a motor comprising a movement component; and two or more wheels configured to move and lock the container platform in a desired position; and a controller configured to engage the movement component to move the mud pumping apparatus from a non-use position to an in-use position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the movement component comprises an interlocking scissor arms component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the movement component comprises a telescoping component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the movement component comprises a screw device disposed within a lift sleeve such that the lift sleeve moves vertically along the screw device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the lift sleeve is affixed to scaffolding via one or more fixation components. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more fixation components comprise scaffolding stanchion brackets. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the controller comprises a wireless controller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is housed within the container platform. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the controller comprises a wired controller.