Paste applicating apparatus for wall covering sheet

Apparatus for applying a controlled thickness layer of flowable adhesive paste to the back of a sheet of wall covering, comprising, in combination:

• a generally rectangular box having elongated back and front walls rigidly interconnected by opposed side walls;
• an elongated, deformable bottom wall underlying said back, front and side walls, means for mounting said bottom wall for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis adjacent to the bottom edge of said rear wall to provide a substantially constant width opening between the bottom edge of said rear wall and the top surface of said bottom wall;
• thereby permitting a sheet of wall covering to be drawn through said box from the back to the front with its back surface uppermost and disposed in overlying relation to said bottom wall, whereby paste introduced into said box contacts the back surface of the wall covering as it is pulled through said box;
• means for adjusting the vertical position of said front portions of said bottom wall relative to the bottom of said front wall;
• and means for reducing the vertical bow of the front edge of said deformable bottom wall to maintain a substantially constant spacing between the bottom of said front wall and said front portions of said bottom wall to permit the passage of said wall covering sheet out of said box with a preselected lateral thickness distribution of paste thereon.

Apparatus for applying a controlled thickness layer of flowable adhesive paste to the back of a sheet of wall covering, comprising, in combination:

• a generally rectangular box having elongated back and front walls rigidly interconnected by opposed side walls;
• an elongated, bottom wall underlying said back, front and side walls, means for mounting said bottom wall for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis adjacent to the bottom edge of said rear wall to provide a substantially constant width opening between the bottom edge of said rear wall and the top surface of said bottom wall;
• thereby permitting a sheet of wall covering to be drawn through said box from the back to the front with its back surface uppermost and disposed in overlying relation to said bottom wall, whereby paste introduced into said box contacts the back surface of the wall covering as it is pulled through said box;
• means for adjusting the vertical position of said front portions of said bottom wall relative to the bottom of said front wall;
• opposed horizontal tracks on the internal faces of said front and rear walls;
• said tracks being disposed immediately above said bottom wall;
• and a false bottom slidably inserted in said tracks to prevent downward flow of adhesive paste, thereby facilitating starting and stopping of the paste application operation.