Tape applicator

A method of applying adhesive-backed drywall tape to a corner joint defined by adjacent sheets of drywall material using a tape applicator having a head portion and a handle portion, the head portion including tape mounting means, a pivotable roller assembly having a cylindrical first applicator roller and a V-shaped second applicator roller therein, and trigger-operated tape cutting means, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) loading a roll of drywall tape into said tape mounting means;
• (b) feeding the free end of said tape across guide means towards said roller assembly and then about said first and second applicator rollers, said roller assembly having been rotated to a rotational limit position thereof;
• (c) orienting said applicator to place the tape adjacent said applicator rollers at one end of said joint;
• (d) drawing said applicator along said joint, keeping said applicator rollers closely adjacent said drywall material, and applying tape drawn from the tape roll to the joint-defining drywall material by initially adhering tape to said material by the circumferential edges of said first applicator roller and thereafter stretching said tape into said corner with said V-shaped second applicator roller;
• and
• (e) when the joint has been taped, operating said trigger-operated cutting means to sever said tape adjacent the other end of the joint, release of the trigger of said cutting means permitting said cutting means to return to a safety position within said head member.

A device for applying adhesive-backed drywall tape to a joint defined by abutting drywall panels, comprising:

• (a) a generally rectangular integrally formed head member having side and interconnecting end sections, said side and end sections defining a tape roll receiving opening in said head member;
• (b) spring-biased tape roll mounting discs rotatably journalled within said opening, there being one such disc associated with each of siad side section;
• (c) elongated handle means mounted to one of said head member end sections and including trigger means therein;
• (d) a roller assembly including frame members pivotally mounted to the other of said head member end sections, a first applicator roller and a second applicator roller rotatably mounted between and to said frame members, and a tape cutter member mounted between and to said frame members adjacent said applicator rollers;
• (e) latch means mounted to said head member adjacent one rotational limit position of said roller assembly, said limit position being the position of said assembly at the start of a taping operation;
• (f) means connecting said latch means to said trigger means;
• and
• (g) means biasing said roller assembly towards said one limit position.

An applicator for tape provided in a roll wound on a core, comprising:

• (a) elongated handle means;
• (b) a unitary head member including integrally formed side wall means and interconnecting end sections, said handle means being affixed to one of said end sections;
• (c) a pair of axially aligned disc members positioned between said side wall means for frictionally engaging the ends of a tape roll core located therebetween, each disc member being affixed to a stub shaft rotatably journalled in the adjacent side wall means and being biased towards the interior of said head member;
• (d) transversely spaced support means including a pair of N-shaped frame members each being pivotally attached at one apex thereof to an adjacent outer surface of the other of said head member end sections, said frame members each mounting one end of first and second tape applicator rollers respectively at the free ends of the two legs defining said one apex;
• (e) each of said applicator rollers being as long as at least one half the width of the tape to be applied;
• (f) means biasing said support means towards one rotational limit thereof;
• and
• (g) tape cutting means mounted between the third legs of said frame members for cutting said tape.

A device for applying adhesive-backed drywall tape provided in a roll wound on a core, to an interior corner defined by meeting panels of drywall material comprising:

• (a) elongated handle means;
• (b) a unitary head member including integrally formed side wall means and interconnecting end sections, said handle means being affixed to one of said end sections;
• (c) a pair of axially aligned disc members positioned between said side wall means for frictionally engaging the ends of a tape roll core located therebetween, each disc member being affixed to a stub shaft rotatably journaled in the adjacent side wall means and being biased towards the interior of said head member;
• (d) transversely spaced carrier means pivotally mounted to the other of said head member end sections;
• (e) a generally cylindrical first applicator roller rotatably supported between said carrier means, said first applicator roller having a width about one half the width of the tape to be applied and adapted to apply said tape only along lines defined by the outer circumferential edges thereof to the drywall panels defining said corner;
• (f) a second applicator roller rotatably supported between said carrier means, having a V-shaped surface profile and the same width as said first applicator roller and being adapted to stretch the tape initially applied by said first applicator roller into said corner for adherence to said panels;
• and
• (g) tape cutting means operable to cut said tape.

A roller assembly pivotably connectable to a tape applicator device for applying adhesive-backed drywall tape to a corner defined by meeting drywall panels, comprising:

• a pair of generally triangular spaced spart carrier members;
• a first axle connecting said members together adjacent a first apex thereof and adapted for pivotable connection to said device;
• a generally cylindrical applicator roller rotatably mounted between said members adjacent a second apex thereof;
• and
• a V-shaped applicator roller rotatably mounted between said members adjacent the third apex thereof, said applicator rollers having the same width and each being about one half the width of the tape to be applied, said cylindrical roller being adapted to contact the tape only along the outer circumferential edges thereof and said V-shaped roller being adapted to contact the tape only on the V-shaped surface thereof.