Abstract:
A spackle bucket designed to provide a functional replacement for the factory plastic GYPSUM joint compound lid. Said device is made to dramatically improve the accessibility of compound by supplying custom comfort operations such as holding edge tools, spackle knives and HAWKS or similar. The device also embodies a locking lid device, aluminum body and stainless steel hardware.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     Not applicable  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable  
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING  
       [0003]     Not applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     The present invention relates to a spackle bucket and more particularly pertains to a joint compound container device for holding related tools, knives, and joint compounds such as GYPSUM brand and similar.  
         [0006]     2. Description of the Prior Art 
        (1) U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,820     Inventor(s): Mislavsky     Issue Date: Sep. 26, 1995     (2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,496     Inventor(s): Latta     Issue Date: Jan. 6, 1998     (3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,345     Inventor(s): Stewart et al.     Issue Date: May 4, 1993     (4) U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,765     Inventor(s): Hagen et al.     Issue Date: May 29, 2001     (5) U.S. Pat. Des. 439,022     Inventor(s0: Brandeis     Issue Date: Mar. 13, 2001     (6) U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,287     Inventor(s): Louie     Issue Date: Oct. 8, 200        
 
       HISTORY  
       [0025]     Based out of Chicago, the United States Gypsum Company—USG, the company that invented drywall and transformed how the nations homes and commercial buildings were built and transformed, celebrated its 100 th  anniversary on May 24, 2002. USG Company, currently changing its name to “USG Way,” Patented the world&#39;s first drywall panel—the Sheetrock Brand Panel, in 1917. After years of refinement, this economical alternative to conventional plaster wall construction quickly matured into a post-World War II housing boom. USG Corporation is a Fortune 500 company with subsidiaries that are market leaders in their key product groups: gypsum wallboard, joint compound and related gypsum products.  
         [0026]     In the 40&#39;s, drywall, or Gypsum Wallboard—Sheetrock, was phasing out the wood lathers method of creating walls and ceilings. Prior to these 4′×8′ (as well as assorted lengths) of finished wall sheets, the Lathers would continuously hammer 1/4 inch×1¼ inch wood lathe either diagonally or cross to the wood stud framing (real 2×4&#39;s). These strips of wood lathe were space ¼″ apart, and created an industry of migraine headaches, as well as related other symptoms. In many cases, the lathe was followed up by wire mesh to better grab the fresh plaster and give it a more rigid longevity.  
         [0027]     After this deafening procedure is over, the plasterer&#39;s would trowel and smear a base scratch coat of STRUCTOLITE on to the wood lathe and wire mesh—solidifying all parts into a masonry-like surface that is able to accept the finishing plaster. The plaster went on in one or two coats, depending on the talent of the individual/applier.  
         [0028]     When DRYWALL came along, it did away with the need to wood lathe, to install wire mesh, to apply a coat of STRUCTOLITE, and a coat or two of perfectly applied plaster that must be as flat and smooth as glass and done by hand. Instead, the Wood Lathers turned into sheet rockers nailing up wallboard for some plasterers turned into tapers.  
         [0029]     The tapers are the workers to whom my device is primarily applicable. When they approach the job after the rockers, the walls are full of seams, plumber&#39;s holes, electrician&#39;s cutouts, iron lathe run-throughs above the ceiling line, radius work, and tons of untended surface mistakes that flap with a breeze. They must now use ready mix gypsum joint compound to tape over all the seams, holes, and any and all damage to the wallboard until it is perfect enough to accept a coat of paint primer.  
         [0030]     The GYPSUM joint compound has replaced the extremely well paid plasterer with a union of tapers, who do not require a fraction of the experience needed to properly apply plaster and plaster cornices. The speed for putting up walls without plaster has revolutionized everything in the construction world. Access to the product that makes it all happen, however, has not as yet walked upright.  
         [0031]     USG is the nation&#39;s leading producer of GYPSUM compound and wall panels. In 2001 alone, the companies 21 U.S. manufacturing facilities produced in the neighborhood of 10 billion square feet of SHEETROCK Brand GYPSUM Panel, or enough drywall to build 1.2 million average sized homes at app. 2,265 square feet each.  
         [0032]     Since 1917, USG has produced enough products to build more than 36 million average-sized homes. Laid end to end, this drywall and compound marriage would stretch to the moon and back 29 times; would wrap around the Earth&#39;s equator 551 times; would fill the Sears Tower 224 times; and would cover the surface of Lake Erie. All this was done with the Green Factory Cover.  
         [0033]     After personally experiencing the construction Industry as a commercial carpenter for 25 years, 24.9 of those years had me wondering why workers put up with a product whose cover needed to be put on with an ‘oceanic pile driver’, and needed to be opened with ‘THE JAWS OF LIFE’ The device is needed to replace the factory cover that now exists on the compound buckets. Operating the factory cover every time you need compound is frustrating. It is my opinions that the factory cover is good for keeping the tub fresh till you need it, but not for working operations—that is, it was not meant for optimal working habits, convenience, safety and speed. It does, however, serve well for transporting product in bulk, product stacking, for switching with the device at the end of the day—say if you wish to place the device in the gang box, or just moving on to the next jobsite and need to cover the remaining Spackle left behind. As stated in the latter text, the FC serves well for close-up time, FRISBEE, and nothing more.  
         [0034]     The FC is simply the packaging that comes with the tub of Compound, not the best means to access it. It is much too cumbersome; time consuming, and final sounding when the factory lid keeps closing. It turns the bucket into a time capsule over 30 times a day, and drives us to consider ingesting gorilla hormones. A photographer does not jacket his camera between snaps, why should the taper suffer incrementally when the device can take it all away. It also gives the fingers a big break and allows the new lack of trauma to concentrate on the job at hand. It allows for more safety, and will add speed to the job now that dealing with the factory cover has been eliminated/is no more.  
         [0035]     Just because a manufacturer makes the tube of caulk, that does not require him to make the caulking gun. This, in my opinion, is the situation with the product, ‘GYPSUM Joint Compound.’ They supply the product, and one inexpensive means of keeping it fresh—the plastic green cover that is practically hydraulic. The invention in question is to a bucket of Spackle, like a holster is to the hammer. The factory cover is to the Spackle bucket, like the plastic encasement that came with the hammer is to the hammer.  
         [0036]     If you are familiar with the fight to open one of those plastic conform-sealed packages that have the snaps, and no way in without a pair of scissors, and no scissors in sight, than you are somewhat familiar with opening up a bucket of compound with the green (blue, white, red, or black) cover.  
         [0037]     Some tapers are so disgusted with the factory cover, that they tape all day long with it off, throwing away the top inch of compound every time they approach the bucket to reload—this is done from coast to coast and probably even further. That is a lot of waste that can be avoided with the device.  
         [0038]     The device is a silent partner who can hold tools at any time so that nothing gets misplaced or scattered. It centralizes the taper while keeping him/her organized.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]     The invention is a device that will improve the accessibility of compound packaged in 4½-5 gallon buckets. The device will allow the taper to gain access to the compound with only a finger to manipulate the lid, as with the ability to leave his/her tools in their hands while doing so. Removing the factory cover usually takes two hands, even when partially on, thus, one must put the tools down and risk picking up unseen debris—the same debris that will ruin a wall section later, or at least slow one down.  
         [0040]     Using the device would eliminate the continual prying open and snapping shut of the factory cover. The device would also save material waste because of hardening compound due to a partially closed factory lid, as well as time wasted on reapplied efforts in the same spots from pulling dried compound specs that ruin entire sections of wall, and finally, the device resolves the tedious manual labor, as well as ware and tare, on the tools most needed for applying compound—the fingers. Most unlike the factory lid, the device is ‘fingers friendly.’ 
         [0041]     The device installs in under 5 seconds and allows the mechanic to load their hawk with compound at the ready. The device simply gets pushed onto said compound bucket while you eyeball align the bucket handles pivot point of origin with the vertical groove marks on the either side of the devices collar. These painted grooves serve two purposes, 1—is to have an alignment reference mark when hasping the device in place so that the handle properly passes the devices platform on the way up and over, and 2—to keep the handle in a vertical position (feature) until transport/moving is complete. The depth of the vertical handle groove is 1/16″, as the handle does snap in place and stay there when in the upright position.  
         [0042]     The overall dimensions of said device measure 16⅜″ long by 12⅝″ wide, by 2⅞″ deep. In addition, the central edge face of the devices main embodiment features a ⅜″ deep horizontal groove, by 1/32″ in height and prefaced by a ¼″×¼″ shelf, to hold edge tools such as Spackle knives, as well as two vertical holes on each longer end to hold the hawk, and a transverse grooves that holds the bucket&#39;s handle in place with tension on both extreme ends. The hinge for the lid closes open and draws closed to airtight status. The main body is made from aluminum and the hardware is all stainless steel.  
         [0043]     The outermost shape of the invention is determined by the airspace of the spackle bucket handle (swung from horizon to horizon; 180 degrees), in relation to the bucket neck. Said space between the handle and bucket conform the aerial view shape. This shape is ovoid, with eight sides—4 sides follow the general compass positions, and 4 sides are the 45 degree quadrants.  
         [0044]     The same said aerial perspective features the device as an ovoid shape with the lid centered within said shape and is fabricated of die-cast aluminum; 5 separate pieces in all. The hardware consists of a marine cabinet-door draw-hinge—machined and cut for the device, a slide out/slide in finger lever for operating the lid, a marine draw-clamp latch assembly which is attached to a double looped S.S. draw band, screws, and rivets.  
         [0045]     All hardware parts and fasteners are stainless steel on this particular model. The latter material used for the inventor&#39;s prototype, as with the design, was a matter of preference and by no means the only choice for manufacturing. This is merely the Inventors version of, “When they built things years ago, it was made to last,” but lightweight versatility in cheaper design and materials for the manufacturer is a very small leap for this type of  
         [0046]     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.  
         [0047]     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0048]     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and. scope of the present invention.  
         [0049]     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.  
         [0050]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new spackle bucket apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the containers and closures mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a spackle bucket device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art tool guides, either alone or in any combination thereof.  
         [0051]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a spackle bucket device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.  
         [0052]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new spackle bucket and holding device which is of a durable and reliable construction.  
         [0053]     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new spackle bucket device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such spackle bucket devices economically available to the buying public.  
         [0054]     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a spackle bucket device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.  
         [0055]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a spackle bucket device for effectively holding DRYWALL and GYPSUM board compound.  
         [0056]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a spackle bucket device which includes a chassis, slider handle, lid, lid gasket, draw close hinge assembly to effect handling and storing of materials subsequent to opening thereof.  
         [0057]     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0058]     The Lid Part A:  
         [0059]     The current invention&#39;s uppermost portion consists of the lid (12¼″ diameter), which is made from ¼″ die-cast aluminum, and is just wider than the opening of the (USG) bucket which measures 11+ 11/16 th ″ in diameter, +/− 1/16″, pointedly outside/outside. This norm number has been obtained by measuring countless USG buckets, as well as leading competitors such as Georgia Pacific, and concluding that they run at plus or minus ⅛″ to the 11+ 11/16″ diameter.  
         [0060]     The lid is mortised in two places, both exactly opposite each other, for the hinge and for the ring lever (lid opener) on its opposing end. Exact locations of said mortise to follow in itemized definitions of hinge and slide lever.  
         [0061]     The devices lid has a smooth surface on top (both sides) that is for a small work counter, as well as a counter at break time, or as a slice-off counter for cutting sections of tape with spackle knives, etc.; the F.C. has a precariously dimpled and rippled surface that make it accident prone when it comes to balancing objects.  
         [0062]     On the underside of said lid there are two “½” high, 90 degree brackets, which are located just behind the lid gasket at the devices narrowest points—east and west. When the lid fully closes, these brackets create a perfect seam with the narrow side of the main embodiment. They also follow the radius of the main penetration&#39;s edge, leaving a 1/32″ gap as the finished seam. They are filed back on their lower flush/face side so as to open and close the lid freely without obstruction from the brackets severe position at the closing point.  
         [0063]     These two mini brackets can protect the device should those narrow sides meet with a hit. They are also a constant reminder that platform to lid a holding true. They are insurance.  
         [0064]     They are to the device what a role bar is to a car. Are they needed in my Sherman Tank model, probably not, but any material less strong will, ex., mold injection or fiberglass.  
         [0000]     The Lid Part B:  
         [0065]     The device also has a PLEXIGLAS lid that switches entirely with the aluminum lid onto the main embodiment—a two screw operation. The weight in material is nearly identical, so the hinge adjustments work with either lid preference. This lid is different in that said hinge is mortised in from the top of the lid as opposed to the aluminum which is hinged and mortised from the gasket side of the lid. With the Plexiglas lid, there is a view of remaining product, as well as a visual definition of the main embodiment of the device connecting to the rim of said compound bucket in question. When the bucket is exhausted and the mechanic makes a choice to load tools in same said bucket, it becomes an enclosed tool pail, watertight and looking for tools becomes a glance without opening and rummaging first.  
         [0066]     All measurements on the prototypes second lid match the first, with the exception of the opposing hinge placement and the coolest view of the mortis&#39;, screws, threading, gasket, ring lever assembly, alignment brackets, main entry and contents of the bucket—other than that, they are dead ringers for each other.  
         [0067]     Lid Gasket:  
         [0068]     The lid of the current device has a pentagonal shaped gasket that is factory adhered to the underside of said lid. The outside diameter of said gasket measures 11 13/16″ and is adhered center(ed) within the lid&#39;s pie when cured in place, leaving a ⅛″ return from the edge of said lid to front face/beginning of gasket. A slice of the lid gasket measures: (clockwise) ¼″ on the left/outermost vertical side (the same side that defines the height at which the gasket claims between the device platform and the underside of said lid), 5/16″ across the top, ⅛″ down the right side, 45 degree inward cut to bottom, leaving 1/16″ wide seat for touchdown to create the platform seal.  
         [0069]     This gasket is made of silicone rubber and is strength  45  on the durometer gauge. This gasket, as in the main extrusion gasket, is continual and seamless—without break, and has memory properties that allow shape regeneration after mishaps. Both of the devices gaskets share this feature since they are the identical material in all respects but shape and function.  
         [0070]     The Hinge:  
         [0071]     The hinge for said lid of the current device is attached to the main chassis, or platform of the device, with two ¼″×12× 7/32″ long S.S. machine screws. The hinge assembly measures as follows: the base bracket of the hinge is arced and varies ¼″ in width from left to right. From behind said hinge, the base bracket part of said hinge is 2¾″ wide×¾″ on the left side×½″ on the right side× 3/32″ thick, and follows (even/flush) with the outer arc of the platform plate (center plate of three) which it gets attached to. This section of the hinge, as with the other, is mortised into the platform plate flush on all 4 sides.  
         [0072]     The action part of the hinge is attached to the lid with six (same) machine screws; 3 each side-by-side and all equidistant with the parameter of said hinge plate. It too is mortised flush at a depth of 3/32″, and measures 1 9/16″ wide×2⅞″ long. The hinge is made of stainless steel, and performs a dual operating function.  
         [0073]     The first of these functions is that the hinge closes in the open position (115 degrees)—thus insuring the lid does not accidentally swing closed upon the hand while manipulating the product, and second, the hinge draws the lid closed starting at 30 degrees, and once in the closed position, the sprung hinge maintains the draw on said lid, thus keeping air and liquids out with a forced seal.  
         [0074]     Location of hinge: From an aerial perspective and north being upward at 90 degrees, we can place the hinge in relation to its counter working parts. With the ovoid shape having its longest ends at north and south, the hinge would be located at 45 degrees (little hand—10:30), the ring lever at 225 degrees (4:30), ring lever lock at 235 degrees (4:45) and the 1¾″ perforations on the extreme ends—90 degrees and south at 270 degrees (12:00 and 6:00 respectively).  
         [0000]     The (Compression) T-Pin Lock for Lid:  
         [0075]     This part was devised exclusively for the unit and whose job it is to maintain downward pressure from atop the lid at all times. It is a sprung lever that gets lifted, turned into place over the lid and then released to maintain ample downward pull pressure, or whereupon the expansion of the spring does the job of keeping the lid down tight and without leak.  
         [0076]     Centered between the lids edge and the outer edge of the platform plate, and directly opposite the hinge, there is a 7/32″ hole bored through and through the main embodiment of the device to act as the guide sleeve for the T-pin in question.  
         [0077]     The T-pin main body is a 3/16″ diameter, SS, whose topper is centered like the letter T and extends left and right for 1⅛″ each way, summarily making the total dimensions of the main embodiment of the part 2¼″ on top×2¾″ long from top to bottom.  
         [0078]     The said pin&#39;s upper portion does not run straight and horizontal, rather, both parts to the top of the T start at the center and both incline upward at 7 degrees—slight, but enough to get your finger under the one end of flare, and the other need not be lifted so high to catch the top of the lid for lockdown upon rotation.  
         [0079]     The T-Pin has a washer welded in place ⅜″ from the lower inside corner of the topper, and down. The T-pin is then slide through the hole in the main embodiment, whereupon a 3/16″ washer, a 1⅝″×¼″×12 loop expansion spring, another washer, and then a lock nut onto the threaded bottom of said T-pin ( 3/16″). The screw is threaded on until the spring reaches 1¼″, which concludes the final step to the T-pin assembly. The tension is adjustable with said nut.  
         [0000]     Operations Platform Assembly with Central Gasket Spreader:  
         [0080]     The seat plate for the lid is ovoid shaped, as is the shape of the 1/16-inch rubber gasket that gets installed directly underneath said plate, as is the ovoid ¼″ aluminum base plate yet underneath said gasket—or, a 1/32″ sheet rubber gasket sandwich on 2 slices of 1/4 inch aluminum ovoid plates. This is the main embodiment portion from where all the devices parts are rooted and blossom (can you say blossom to an Examiner looking at a construction item?)  
         [0081]     The 1/32″ gasket serves to create a horizontally oriented groove, or reveal, which accommodates edge-type tools such as, but not exclusively for, Spackle knives. Of the two plates, the lower plate steps out 1/4 inch more than the top plate, thus taking away the need for careful aim when parking an edge tool; a reveal with a ¼″ floor guide for instant insertion without the need to stab the blades edge repeatedly by missing the entry mark—(“a step in the right direction” . . . get it?). Anyway, the said ¼″ extension disappears along the narrow side of the device, at its center where the vertical handle alignment dimples are located. As per the latter mentioned compass, these locations would be the east and west sides of said device. The sides are flush for a total of 5″ on each side of the device, or 2½″ on either side of alignment line and on both sides of said unit.  
         [0082]     The main embodiment is flush on these sides so that the handle of the compound bucket can pass the width of the device, but the reveal to use the area as an edge tool holder still remains—as does the still nearby ¼″ step to start the knife into the device before slipping it into the center anyway. In other words, there is still a step to slide your spackle knife into this bald spot; it is just off to the sides a bit.  
         [0083]     The said sheet rubber spacer is set back 3/8 inches from its outer point of entry (GG), and is the only material to ever touch the tapers valued broken-in blades/knife&#39;s edge. Tapers are very fussy about certain knives that took years and hundreds, or sometimes thousands of hours to get just the way they want them. This process, claimed by many, cannot be done by grinding and shaping the blade as it would be akin to trying to rapid age a fine wine or cognac. The edge of the Spackle knife, when sheathed into the device, touches only the rubber, and the flat sides are held in the groove.  
         [0084]     The ovoid plates are welded together by, and to, an aluminum band ( 1/16″× 25/32″) that is located at the units main mouth (or, the inner round access perforation), leaving an aluminum fascia on the inner cliff wall ( 25/32″) that goes from the top of the platform of the main embodiment, thus creating a sealed corner all around, and down to the top of said compound bucket rim, leaving the entire platform an easy clean up with a taping knife. There are no gaskets showing that need constant avoiding; sleek. Behind this smooth inner fascia are the following layers of the main embodiment listed from the top and down (with measurements): operations platform/upper plate below the lid—¼″, sheet gasket spreader— 1/32″, base plate—¼″, and the top of the main extrusion joins this group as it attaches to the underside of the base plate and full well reaching the backside of said 25/32″ joiner band. The band is 1/32″ shy to the base of the extrusion so as to allow pressure conformity whilst seating the device onto the compound bucket. Both of these parts, the extrusion and the joiner band hit and sit on the targeted rim top.  
         [0085]     The main embodiment is also fastened in its four chunkier quadrant edges, along, but not obstructing or cheating into the groove. The additional outer fasteners, aside from the fascia weld are SS rivets, 3 in each quadrant making it 12 all together. The rivets are 90 degree heads× 5/32″ wide× 9/16″ finished (after installation).  
         [0086]     The design is without obstruction to the product, going in or out. The inner diameter of the unit is larger than the mouth of the bucket by the slightest visual margin, and all spills of product will fall either back into the bucket—as it always has, or on aluminum where it can be pulled off with a Spackle knife just as quick as it got there.*#*  
         [0000]     Hawk  
         [0087]     On each extreme end of the platform, there is 1¾″ vertical hole that is for the purpose of parking a HAWK (the 13″×13″ table instrument/with handle that holds the compound). The device is not long enough to boast complete circles for these cutouts, but does occupy most of the pie, which is enough to keep the hawk handle from slipping out. From the top, the entry is 1¾″, but from the side, nothing past 1¼″ can pass through, hence locking in the 1¾″ figure. Because each end of the device features a vertically oriented hole that would be large enough to accommodate the handle of a hawk (which vary in width size), it does away with the need to precariously put down said HAWK that will only sit on a 45 degree angle as you watch your mud head for its death—not to mention the cleanup.  
         [0088]     In addition, each extreme outer end would feature a transverse-oriented groove that could accommodate the handle of the bucket in question. This is accomplished with form fit and tension. Handle goes up and snaps in the handle seat in a horizontal position and out of the way of the incoming spackle knives on the remaining 7 sides; the handle occupying one side. See drawings.  
         [0000]     Spackle Knife  
         [0089]     The 1/32″ gasket between the platform plates is cut in the upper plate&#39;s shape, and dimensions, with the exception that it is ⅜″ shorter all around. The reason for this is so that the spackle knives and edge tools have an ample depth to properly seat in mid-air before they stop against the gasket. ⅜″ depth works real nice, but do not forget the additional ¼″ that the bottom plate sticks out to create the guide for knife entry—that means the top of the knives catch ⅜″ and the bottom occupies ⅝″. The groove (this spreader) creates a fully accessible wrap around the unit; 360 degrees. Again, the lower plate extends out ¼″ more thus making it easier to slide in a knife—a curve, or a square instep with an entry.  
         [0090]     Rag Clip:  
         [0091]     Anchored in place, and underneath the main embodiment of the base plate at 110 degrees is a tiny bearing swivel type bar rag clip (mini-tongs with dividing push down tension bar), for the many mechanics that are always looking for someplace to wipe themselves, or their tools, of compound. This a 2 piece system which consists of the bearing anchor and the clip body.  
         [0092]     The current invention can easily hold enough knives for any one job within its horizontal reveal. The Taper can switch knives in an instant without looking for his/her last used tools for the simple reason that they would be speared into “Buddy;” awaiting orders as opposed to here and there.  
         [0093]     The device comfortably holds 1 knife in each of any of its 8 sided design; all sides include the groove even the tip ends where the 1¾″ holes are for the hawks (extreme north and South inlet tips). More times than not, the taper will be working with/holding 75% of their equipment at all times, leaving between 1-3 article on the device. Its importance is not so much how many knives it can hold as it is important that everything you need is in a quickly accessible and centralized location.  
         [0094]     The spackle knives go around the unit individually, or they can interlock one overlapping the other and still be speared. This can be done in repeated rings one behind the other by interlocking the knives one behind the other at their seams and following one direction at all times and at all locations.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION  
     ILLUSTRATIONS  
       [0095]     Attached  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0096]     Attached