# US 4,391,013 A · Finishing tool for smoothing wallboard tape joints > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,391,013 A - Document ID: US4391013A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/232,708 - Filed: 1981-02-09 - Granted: 1983-07-05 - Earliest claimed: 1981-02-09 - Assignees: Padco, Inc. - Inventors: Craig R. Janssen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391013A ## CPC - E04F 21/00: Implements for finishing work on buildings (for working or treating building elements of stone or stone-like material B28D) - B05C 17/10: Hand tools for removing partially or for spreading or redistributing applied liquids or other fluent materials, e.g. colour touchers - B24D 15/02: rigid; with rigidly-supported operative surface - B43L 21/00: Blackboard or slate cleaning devices - E04F 21/06: Implements for applying plaster, insulating material, or the like {(finishing E04F21/16)} - 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 21/1652: {for smoothing and shaping joint compound to a desired contour} - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - 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) - B24D: TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING (abrading-bodies specially designed for tumbling apparatus, e.g. abrading-balls B24B31/14; honing tools B24B33/08; lapping tools B24B37/11) - B43L: ARTICLES FOR WRITING OR DRAWING UPON; {WRITING OR DRAWING AIDS;} ACCESSORIES FOR WRITING OR DRAWING (workshop equipment for marking-out work B25H7/00; teaching hand-writing or drawing G09B11/00) ## Abstract A finishing tool is used to smooth tape joints of interior walls and ceilings constructed of plaster-board or drywall. The tool includes a handle, a resilient polyester foam pad, and a wettable abrasive surface of short, stiff coarse nylon fibers bonded to the resilient foam pad so that they are oriented perpendicular to the surface of the foam pad. In use, the abrasive surface is wetted, and then is moved over the surface of the tape joint to moisten the joint cement. The tool is then moved in a scrubbing-type movement to work the joint cement to a creamy consistency. The surface of the joint cement is then smoothed by stroking the tool along the length of the joint. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tool for smoothing joints between adjacent wallboards, the joints having been prepared with a tape joint compound, the tool comprising: a fluid retaining resilient foam pad having first and second major surfaces; an adhesive layer bonded to and covering substantially all of the first major surface; a wettable abrasive surface formed by a plurality of coarse, short, stiff synthetic polymer fibers oriented generally perpendicularly to the first major surface and bonded to the first major surface by the adhesive layer at first ends and having second free ends wherein the fibers are of a thickness of about 100 Denier and a length of not more than about 0.100 inch so that when the free ends are placed in moving abrasive contact with the wetted tape joint compound, the wetted compound is smoothed flush with the adjacent wallboards as a result of moving abrasive action of the free ends. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the fibers are nylon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the pad is a polyester foam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tool of claim 3 wherein the pad is a non-reticulated polyester foam. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 and further comprising a handle attached to the resilient foam pad adjacent the second major surface and wherein the pad is a generally rectangular solid having generally rectangular first and second end surfaces, generally rectangular first and second side surfaces, wherein the first and second major surfaces are generally rectangular. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tool of claim 5 wherein the pad has a length of about 10 inches, a width of about 21/2 inches, and a thickness of about 11/2 inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The tool of claim 5 wherein the handle has a generally planar surface adjacent the second major surface of the pad and first and second side flanges which engage and hold the first and second side surfaces, respectively, of the pad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7 wherein the handle is a generally rigid plastic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7 wherein the first and second side flanges extend about one-half of a distance from the second to the first major surface of the pad when the pad is in an uncompressed state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7 wherein the first and second side flanges have concave longitudinal grooved portions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The tool of claim 10 wherein the concave longitudinal grooved portions engage and hold the pad. ### Claim 12 A tool comprising: a generally rectangular non-reticulated resilient foam pad having first and second generally rectangular major surfaces, first and second generally rectangular side surfaces spaced sufficiently apart so that the pad is graspable manually, and first and second generally rectangular end surfaces; an adhesive layer bonded to and covering substantially all of the first rectanguar major surface; and a wettable abrasive surface formed by a plurality of coarse, short, stiff nylon fibers having a length of not more than about 0.100 inch and a thickness of about 100 Denier and having first free ends and second ends, the fibers providing abrasive force when the free ends are placed in moving abrasive contact with a surface, the fibers being oriented generally perpendicularly to the first major surface and bonded with the second ends to the first major surface by the adhesive layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tool of claim 12 and further comprising a handle having first and second side flanges with longitudinal concave portions therein for engaging and holding the first and second side surfaces, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12, 13) The tool of claims 12 or 13 wherein the pad is a non-reticulated polyester foam having a length of about 10 inches, a width of about 21/2 inches, and a thickness of about 11/2 inches.