Finishing tool for completing a taped wallboard joint

A tool for embedding tape in adhesive at a corner joint in wallboard, and the like, and covering the tape with adhesive to provide a smooth joint, comprising:

• a roller of a base-to-base dual right frustoconical form having an axle on the common axes of the cones wherein the conical portions meet at an angle of no more than 90.degree. in order to push the tape into the corner;
• a supporting bracket providing a frame piece rotatably supported to the roller axle on each side of the roller;
• two separate frame pieces supported on the axle, one at each side of the roller and each including a trowel member, each of which trowel members is supported in position to move generally into a plane near tangent to a different one of the conical faces of the roller and generally parallel to one wallboard surface at the corner;
• finishing means comprising at least two flexible folded members which are rotatably supported on the axle and provide surfaces at an angle of on the order of 90.degree. to one another to fit into a corner to be finished and at some angle to the wall to function as a scraper;
• and
• spring means between each frame piece and each finishing means tending to urge the finishing means into the respective surfaces of a wallboard corner.

An attachment tool for use with a tape applying tool for applying adhesive followed by tape over a joint in wallboard, and the like, so that the attachment tool will immediately cover the tape and finish the joint before the tape absorbs moisture from the adhesive and becomes wet, comprising:

• a frame structure, including trowel means;
• linkage means comprising a pair of generally parallel arms rotatably connected at one end of the linkage means to the frame structure to rotate about an axis parallel to an adhesive working surface of the trowel means and at the other end connectable to the tape applying tool by connection means permitting rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the linkage means connection to the frame structure and rotatable connection to the frame structure;
• a generally cylindrical roller for embedding tape into the adhesive rotatably supported on the frame to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis of the linkage means connection and positioned so that the trowel means is generally tangential to the roller where it embeds the tape, the roller projecting beyond the trowel into the tape, and the trowel means generally embracing the roller at least at the ends of the roller and following the surface of the roller in the direction of movement of the tape applying tool during applications of tape and adhesive and so that the trowel immediately follows the roller for spreading the adhesive over the embedded tape;
• finishing means having a generally U-shaped frame which is spaced from and generally embraces a major portion of the trowel means and is open in the direction of motion for further spreading the adhesive over the tape and leaving a smooth surface generally in the plane of the wallboard;
• and
• flexible sheet means attached between the trowel means and the U-shaped frame allowing the finishing means to float relative to the trowel means.