Seaming tape for eliminating peaking and profiling in tensioned seams

A carpet seaming tape for joining carpet along a butt seam and forv/minimizing peaking and profiling of the seam, comprising:

• (a) a scrim, having a longitudinal centerline,
• (b) an adhesive adhered to said scrim for adhering the seaming tape to a backing of the carpet along the butt seam,
• (c) a first rigid strip mounted to said tape in a position substantially parallel to and spaced from said centerline on one side of said centerline,
• (d) a second rigid strip adhered to said scrim mounted to said tape in a position substantially parallel to and spaced from said centerline on an opposite side of said centerline from said first rigid strip, and
• (e) a flexible barrier adhered to and underneath said scrim for preventing said adhesive from contacting surfaces beneath the carpet to be seamed.

A carpet seaming tape for joining carpet along a butt seam and for minimizing peaking and profiling of the seam, comprising:

• (a) a scrim, having a longitudinal centerline,
• (b) an adhesive adhered to said scrim for adhering the seaming tape to a backing of the carpet along the butt seam,
• (c) a flexible barrier adhered to and underneath said scrim for preventing said adhesive from contacting surfaces beneath the carpet to be seamed,
• (d) a first rigid strip adhered to and underneath said flexible barrier, mounted to said tape in a position substantially parallel to and spaced from said centerline on one side of said centerline, and
• (e) a second rigid strip adhered to and underneath said flexible barrier, tape in a position substantially parallel to and spaced from said centerline on an opposite side of said centerline from said first rigid strip.

A method for joining separate pieces of flexible sheet material together along a common butted edge fon-ning a seam, and for minimizing seam peaking and profiling after tension is applied to the joined sheet material across the seam, comprising the steps of

• (a) positioning the pieces of flexible sheet material to be so that the surfaces of the sheet material are oriented in the same direction and the edges to be joined are butted against one another along one or more seams,
• (b) placing a strip of scrim onto one surface of both abutting sheet materials along the length of each seam so that the scrim is approximately centered on the seam,
• (c) adhering the scrim to the surface of both abutting sheet materials,
• (d) positioning a first rigid strip onto the surface of the scrim so that it is essentially parallel to the seam and spaced apart a distance from the seam,
• (e) adhering the first rigid strip to the scrim to the surface of one abutting sheet material,
• (f) positioning a second rigid strip onto the surface of the scrim on the opposite side of the seam with respect to the first rigid strip so that it is essentially parallel to the seam, is spaced apart a distance from the seam, and is on the opposite side of the seam from said first rigid strip, and
• (g) adhering the second rigid strip to the scrim and to the surface of one abutting sheet material opposite to the first rigid strip.