Hand held masking sheet material dispenser

A support assembly for use with a hand held dispenser for dispensing a length of sheet material from a roll of sheet material, the dispenser including a handle assembly and an elongated blade, the handle assembly include a frame and a hub rotatably mounted to the frame such that the hub is rotatable about a hub axis, wherein the elongated blade is attached to and extends from the frame, the support assembly comprising:

• a bracket configured for selective attachment to the elongated blade apart from the frame, the bracket including a guide track having first and second segments combining to define a guide axis;
• a brace defining a leading side opposite a trailing side, the leading side slidably mounted to the guide track such that the brace is slidable relative to the bracket along the guide axis,
• a support hub for selectively receiving an end of a roll of sheet material, the support hub rotatably mounted to the trailing side of the brace;
• wherein the support assembly is configured to provide:
• a locked state in which the leading side of the brace is over the first segment of the guide track and is prevented from rotating relative to the bracket,
• an unlocked state in which the leading side of the brace is over the second segment of the guide track and can rotate relative to the bracket.

A method of applying a length of sheet material to a surface, the method comprising:

• receiving a hand held dispenser including:
• a handle assembly including:
• a frame,
• a hub rotatably mounted to the frame such that the hub is rotatable about a hub axis,
• an elongated blade attached to and extending from the frame, the elongated blade having a cutting edge extending between opposing, first and second blade ends, wherein the first blade end is proximate the frame and the second blade end is opposite the frame;
• and
• a support assembly including:
• a bracket attached to the elongated blade apart from the frame, the bracket including a guide track having first and second segments combining to define a guide axis,
• a brace defining a leading side opposite a trailing side, the leading side slidably mounted to the guide track such that the brace is slidable relative to the elongated blade along the guide axis,
• a support hub rotatably mounted to the trailing side of the brace;
• sliding the brace along the guide track in a direction away from the hub and to an unlocked state;
• rotating the brace relative to the guide track in the unlocked state such that the support hub is not aligned with the hub axis;
• receiving a roll of sheet material, the roll defining opposing, first and second ends;
• loading the first end on to the hub;
• rotating the brace relative to the guide track to align the support hub with the hub axis;
• sliding the brace along the guide track in a direction toward the hub to a locked state in which the second end is loaded on to the support hub;
• manipulating the dispenser relative to the surface such that a length of sheet material is progressively dispensed from the dispenser;
• and
• manipulating the dispenser to sever the length of sheet material from the roll of sheet material via the cutting edge.