Patent Publication Number: US-7213631-B1

Title: Device for applying a horizontal paper border on a wall

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is related to a method and a device for attaching a paper border on a vertical wall. One of the problems with attaching a paper border on a wall is that normally the entire length of paper is soaked in water to activate the adhesive. The paper border which may be several feet long must then be held by one person so that the different sections of the paper do not contact one another while the adhesive is wet. A second person then progressively presses the paper border to the wall in a horizontal motion. This is a time-consuming process and may take an hour or so to apply a single strip of paper. 
   This problem has been addressed in the prior art. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,543, issued Jul. 12, 1994, to Thomas G. Campagna for “Border Guide”. This patent discloses a housing mounted on the upper end of a long pole. The pole supports the paper and the housing at a height that generally corresponds to the height to which the paper is being attached. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 701,727 which was issued Jun. 3, 1902, to Cuthbert Holmes for “Paper Hanging Machine” shows another device for applying wallpaper to a wall. This device mounts the paper on a roller and includes a brush which presses the paper firmly in place. This device can also be used for applying borders. This arrangement of the roller with respect to the handle suggests that the paper is pressed against the wall by the user. The brush applies additional pressure to complete the operation. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,430 issued Apr. 4, 1995 to Araujo et al. shows a border roller applicator. Araujo uses a first roller for holding the paper, and a wiper 12 that removes excess water and paste from the unwinding paper as the paper is pressed against the wall by a second roller 16. His wiper does not apply direct pressure on the paper. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 471,636 issued to E. M. Graham, shows a paper-hanging machine employing two rollers and a strip E for pressing paper on the wall. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved border guide and method for applying an elongated strip of border paper on a wall. The preferred embodiment of the invention, which will be described in greater detail, employs a body having a handle and a single roller mounted along an axis that is at right angles to the axis of the handle. 
   A squeegee is mounted parallel to the roller on the opposite side of the handle. The axis of the handle, the roller and the squeegee all lay in a common plane. A disc-like seat is mounted on the roller. A fastener connects the seat to the roller at a position adjusted according to the length of the roller. 
   The paper is initially wetted in the conventional manner such as by soaking it in a container of water. The paper is then quickly wound on the roller while the adhesive is still wet. The user then supports the roll of paper in a vertical position and presses the leading edge of the paper to the wall. He then uses the squeegee to press down on the paper. By moving his hand horizontally, he unwinds the roll of paper as he progressively advances the border paper along the wall. 
   The border paper can be easily mounted by a single person in a job that can be completed in a matter of minutes, compared to over an hour in some cases when conventional methods are used. 
   Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views; and in which: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred border guide being used to apply border paper to a vertical wall; 
       FIG. 2  is a view of the border guide in a direction at right angles to the axis of the roll of paper; 
       FIG. 3  is a view as seen from the side of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary view of the border guide; and 
       FIG. 5  is a view generally as seen along lines  5 — 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings, a preferred border guide  10  comprises a body  12  preferably having an integral handle  14 . For illustrative purposes, the length of handle  14  is about 5½″. The body includes an arm  16  which is at right angles to the axis  18  of the handle, and a second arm supported along an axis  22  that is parallel to arm  16  and also at right angles to the axis  18  of the handle and lying in the same plane as axis  18 . Arm  20  is about 2½″ from arm  16 . 
   A crank  24  is mounted on the body and attached to a shaft  26  which extends through the longitudinal center of arm  20 . The shaft is rotatable in the arm by rotating crank handle  28 . 
   A sleeve  30  (roller) is slidably mounted on arm  20  and has a length greater than arm  16 . The outer end of shaft  26  is frictionally connected to sleeve  30  so that by rotating the crank handle, the sleeve is rotated. A disc-like seat  32  is mounted on arm  20 . A threaded fastener  34 , mounted on the seat, engages arm  20 , to lock the seat in an adjusted position along the length of arm  20 . The sleeve is frictionally connected to the outer end of shaft  26  so that the sleeve can be mounted in an adjusted position along the length of arm  20  to accommodate the location of the width of border paper  36 . 
   A third arm  40  is carried by body  12 , and supported parallel to arm  20  a sufficient distance from arm  20  to provide clearance for a rolled up strip of paper. An elongated squeegee  42  preferably formed of a relatively rigid plastic material is carried along the outer edge of arm  40 . The squeegee is about 6″ in length. The overall length of arm  40  is about 6½″. The squeegee lies in a plane containing the axis of sleeve  30  and the axis of handle  14 . The squeegee could also be formed of a somewhat resilient material. The squeegee preferably has a width of about ⅞″ a thickness of ⅛″, and a length of about 6″. 
   In use, the position of the roller sleeve is adjusted to support the roll of paper in a position centrally located with respect to the length of the squeegee. Fastener  34  then locks seat  32  on arm  20 . Sleeve  30  is then rotatable on arm  20 . 
   The user soaks the paper border in water in the conventional manner, and then rolls up the paper on the sleeve as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  by rotating crank handle  28 . This is done in a relatively rapid manner so that the job can be completed before the adhesive has set. The outer end of the paper roll extends beyond squeegee  42  as illustrated in  FIG. 3  and then is pressed to a vertical wall  44 . The user applies pressure with his hand so the squeegee applies a pressure on the paper toward the wall. He then advances the device in a horizontal direction, illustrated in the direction of arrow  46 , as the paper is unwound in the direction of arrow  48 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . He quickly advances the device in a horizontal motion, unwinding and pressing the paper toward the wall until the entire strip has been unwound and applied to the wall. The process is rapid, efficient, and requires only the use of a single user.