Patent Publication Number: US-4579552-A

Title: Sheet rock tape crimping device

Description:
This invention relates to shaping devices for materials, and more particularly, to a sheet rock tape crimping device. 
     The principal object of this invention is to provide a sheet rock tape crimping device, which will be of such design, as to be employed to shape rock tape quickly and effectively into a properly folded condition for application to joined sheets of sheet rock in corners, thus saving the installers a great deal of time. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a sheet rock tape crimping device, which will be of such design, as to include a pair of spaced rollers, which will be mounted in a guide portion of the assembly, for forming a semi-bead along the longitudinal center of the tape, as the tape is fed through the device. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a sheet rock tape crimping device, which will be manually operated and safe to use. 
     Other objects are to provide a sheet rock tape crimping device, which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use, and efficient in operation. 
    
    
     These, and other objects, will be readily evident, upon a study of the following specification, and the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, shown in operative use, 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tape, shown prior to being crimped, 
     FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, showing the tape after being crimped; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view, showing the crimped tape after being removed from the device; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the device, showing the tape removed therefrom, 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5, and 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged end elevational view of the invention. 
    
    
     Accordingly, a device 10 is shown to include a substantially triangular-shaped main body 11, consisting of a &#34;V&#34;-shaped member 12, having a bead formed portion at its apex 13. A channel member 14 is provided, and its sides 15 are force fitted onto the upper ends of member 12, or are fixedly secured thereto, in a suitable manner, if desired. 
     A pair of spaced mounting brackets 16, of inverted &#34;L&#34;-shape, are fixedly secured to the inside surface of the top of channel member 14, by suitable fasteners 17, and brackets 16 are disposed towards the rear of the interior of device 10, and are spaced from an observation opening 18 through channel member 14. The forward or front end 19 of device 10 is cut at an angle, for easy and smooth feeding of the tape 20 into the opening 21 defined in the device 10, and a pair of spaced forming rollers 22 are freely and rotatably received on bolts 23 received through the end portions of brackets 16. A nut fastener 24 is received on the bolt fasteners 23, and rollers 22 are also freely received between brackets 16, and spaced from the apex 13 for crimping tape 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The direction of feed of tape 20 through device 10 is indicated by the arrow 25. 
     In operation, the tape 20, to be crimped, is pre-creased by the user at its leading edge center, prior to its being introduced into the opening 21 at the forward end 19 of device 10. The device 10 is then held in the user&#39;s hand, and tape 20 is force fed in the direction of the arrow 25, until it starts to appear at the rear of device 10. When the above occurs, the user then pulls the tape 20 through device 10, and, as the tape 20 traverses the interior of device 10, the rollers 22 rotate, and being in engagement with the center of the tape 20, rollers 22 force the longitudinal center of the tape 20 into the beaded apex 13 thereof, thus crimping or forming tape 20 into a &#34;V&#34;-shape, for application to the corner 26 formed by the sheet rock panels 27 on the walls 28. 
     While various changes may be made in the details of construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as is defined by the appended claims.