Mud box for joint compound application

A mud box comprising:

• a box including a bottom surface with an outlet orifice, sides, a cover pivotally attached along one edge of the box, and a handle attached to the cover for positioning the box on a surface and applying extruding pressure to the cover for ejecting material through the orifice;
• first and second pressure members each including a first arm extending outwardly from a pivot axis and a second arm extending outwardly from the pivot axis at an angle to the first arm and bearing against the cover pivotally attached to the box to apply extruding pressure to the cover, the first and second pressure members being pivotally mounted on a pressure member mounting axle rotatably mounted on the box, and first and second tension springs each having first and second ends with the first end of the first and second tension springs attached to the box and the second end of the first tension spring attached to the first arm of the first pressure member and the second end of the second tension spring attached to the first arm of the second pressure member, the first and second pressure members being mounted so as to bear against the cover and apply extruding pressure to the cover in response to tension of the tension springs;
• and
• a primary lock coupled to the first and second pressure members and the box, the primary lock having a locked position in which the first and second pressure members are prevented from applying extruding pressure to the cover and an unlocked position in which the first and second pressure members apply extruding pressure to the cover.

A mud box comprising:

• a box including a bottom surface with an outlet orifice, sides, a cover pivotally attached along one edge of the box, and a handle attached to the cover for positioning the box on a surface and applying extruding pressure to the cover for ejecting material through the orifice;
• first and second pressure members each including a first arm extending outwardly from a pivot axis and a second arm extending outwardly from the pivot axis at an angle to the first arm and bearing against the cover pivotally attached to the box to apply extruding pressure to the cover, the first and second pressure members being pivotally mounted on a pressure member mounting axle rotatably mounted on the box, and first and second tension springs each having first and second ends with the first end of the first and second tension springs attached to the box and the second end of the first tension spring attached to the first arm of the first pressure member and the second end of the second tension spring attached to the first arm of the second pressure member, the first and second pressure members being mounted so as to bear against the cover and apply extruding pressure to the cover in response to tension of the tension springs;
• and
• a primary lock coupled to the first and second pressure members and the box, the primary lock having a locked position in which the first and second pressure members are prevented from applying extruding pressure to the cover and an unlocked position in which the first and second pressure members apply extruding pressure to the cover, the primary lock including a ratchet attached to the pressure member mounting axle for rotary movement with the pressure member mounting axle and a pawl pivotally affixed to the box for engaging the ratchet and preventing rotation thereof in the locked position and disengaging the ratchet and allowing rotation thereof in the unlocked position, the primary lock further including a wheel assembly affixed to the pawl for pivotal movement of the pawl into the locked position when the wheel assembly is in a disengaged orientation from a flat surface and for pivotal movement of the pawl into the unlocked position when the wheel assembly is in an engaged orientation with the flat surface, the wheel assembly including an elongated wheel mounting axle having a wheel rotatably affixed to each end generally outwardly from the sides of the box, the wheel mounting axle being further positioned with the wheels generally below the bottom surface of the box in the disengaged orientation and generally in a plane with the bottom surface in the engaged orientation, and the wheel assembly further including a spring attached to the box and bearing on the wheel mounting axle to bias the pawl into the first position with the wheel assembly in the disengaged orientation.