Abstract:
A method and apparatus for applying a wall covering material to a wall surface. The apparatus comprises a body containing a reservoir for holding a portion of stucco material and a dispensing port extending therethrough, a handle extending from the reservoir and a vibrator for vibrating the reservoir. The method comprising introducing a quantity of material into a reservoir, locating the reservoir proximate to the wall surface, providing a vibration to the reservoir and moving the reservoir in the direction along the wall surface to apply a portion of the material to the wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to wall coverings in general and in particular to a method and apparatus for applying stucco to a wall surface. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In the field of construction, many types of wall coverings are conventionally used to cover and protect the underlying wall structure. In particular, one type of wall covering that is conventional used is stucco. There are many advantages to using conventional stucco such as durability and appearance. However, conventionally it has been time consuming to apply to a wall surface. One conventional method for applying stucco to a wall surface is for a worker to hold or otherwise transport a portion of the stucco material to the wall surface whereupon the worker applies the stucco material to the wall surface with a hand trowel or the like. 
         [0005]    Disadvantageously, the requirement to distribute or spread the stucco to the surface of the wall adds a time to the process of applying the stucco. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the quantity of stucco material that can be applied to the wall when utilizing such a method will be limited to the quantity that may be readily carried by the worker. 
         [0006]    Other techniques of applying to go to a wall surface have also been unsatisfactory. In some other methods, have been to first apply the stucco to the wall surface using a sprayer, and thereafter distribute or evenly the move the stucco material around the wall surface using a trowel or the like. Spraying the stucco material to the wall surface without thereafter distributing it around with a hand trowel may result in a stucco layer that is uneven or inconsistent in depth. Furthermore, the requirement to distribute the stucco material about the wall surface using a hand trowel also add a second finishing step which adds additional time to the time required to complete the task. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for applying a wall covering material to a wall surface. The apparatus comprises a body containing a reservoir for holding a portion of stucco material and a dispensing port extending therethrough, a handle extending from the reservoir and a vibrator for vibrating the reservoir. 
         [0008]    The vibrator may comprise an eccentrically weighted shaft. The shaft may be rotated by a motor. The motor may be selected from the group consisting of electric pneumatic or hydraulic. 
         [0009]    The body may be formed of sheet metal. The dispensing port may comprise a slot extending horizontally along the body. The slot may be substantially rectangular. The slot may have an adjustable height. The slot may be formed by an adjustable plate located along bottom edge of the slot. The adjustable plate may be selectably lockable to the body. The adjustable plate may be selectably secured to the body by fasteners. The hopper may include an open top. The hopper may have a substantially triangular cross section. 
         [0010]    According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a method for applying a wall covering material to a wall surface, the method comprising introducing a quantity of material into a reservoir, locating the reservoir proximate to the wall surface, providing a vibration to the reservoir and moving the reservoir in the direction along the wall surface to apply a portion of the material to the wall. 
         [0011]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view, 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for applying a material to a wall according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  as taken along the line  2 - 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  proximate to a wall for applying stucco thereto. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a an exploded view of the front plate of the reservoir of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the handle of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  as taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an apparatus for applying a wall covering material to a wall surface according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at  10 . The apparatus  10  comprises a body  12  having a reservoir  22  therein and a handle  60  and a vibrator  80  connected thereto. The body  12  is formed of front and rear walls,  14  and  16 , respectively and first and second side walls,  18  and  20 , respectively. The front, rear and side walls,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20  define the reservoir  22  which may optionally include an open top as illustrated. The reservoir  22  is operable to receive a stucco material therein which may thereafter be dispensed through a port (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) as will be more fully described below. 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , the rear wall  16  and first and second side walls  18  and  20  are connected together to form a portion of the reservoir. The front wall  14  is selectably removable from the first and second side walls  18  and  20 . As illustrated, the rear wall  16  includes a bottom extension  24  separated from a main portion  26  of the rear wall by slots  28 . The slots  28  have a width sufficient to receive the front wall  14  therein. The rear wall  16  and first and second side walls  18  and  20  may be formed of any suitable material, such as, by way of non-limiting example, metal, plastic or composite materials. The rear wall  16  and first and second side walls  18  and  20  may be co-formed with each other or connected to each other by any suitable means, such as, by way of non-limiting example, adhesives, welding, fasteners or the like. Additionally, the apparatus may be formed by any known method, such as, by way of non-limiting example, moulding, casting or machining. 
         [0020]    The front wall  14  comprises a substantially planar member extending between top and bottom edges,  30  and  32 , respectively and first and second side edges  34  and  36 , respectively. The bottom edge  32  includes a notched portion  38  having a top edge  40  therealong and first and second extensions  42  extending to either side of the notched portion  38 . The notched portion  38  defines an opening or port through the reservoir for dispensing a portion of the stucco material therethrough as will be more fully described below. The front wall  14  also includes side taps  44  extending rearwardly from each of the first and second side edges  34  and  36 . The side tabs  44  include adjusting apertures  46  therethrough for adjusting the location of the front wall  14  relative to the rear and side walls. As illustrated the adjusting apertures  46  may comprise slots, however it will be appreciated that other opening types may also be utilized as well, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a plurality of slots. The first and second side plates  18  and  20  include fastener bores  48  through which fasteners  50  or the like are passed to secure the adjusting apertures  46  thereto. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the handle  60  comprises a substantially tubular member extending between first and second side brackets  62  and  64 . The first and second side brackets  62  and  64  are secured to the first and second side walls  18  and  20 . The handle may be substantially hollow to receive a vibrator  80 . It will be appreciated that the handle  60  may also be formed of any other suitable shape, such as, by way of non-limiting example, square, triangular or irregular. The handle  60  includes a vibrator, generally indicated at  80  therein. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the vibrator  80  may be formed of a motor  82  having a shaft  84  extending therefrom. The shaft  84  may be eccentrically weighted, such as, by locating a weight  86  therealong, by way of non-limiting example. The shaft  84  may also include an end bearing or bushing support  88  as are commonly known in the art. The motor  82  comprise any known type, such as, by way of non-limiting example, electric, pneumatic or hydraulic and may include an actuating means, such as, by way of non-limiting example a lever  90  or button as are commonly known. As illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, for a pneumatic motor, the motor  82  may include a connector  92  for connection to a pneumatic supply line or the like. It will be appreciated that other connectors and supply means will be suitable for other motor types. The speed of the motor  82  may be adjusted or variable to adjust the speed of the material dispensed through the slot  96 . 
         [0022]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the front plate  14  may be secured to the rear plate  16  by passing the extensions  42  of the front plate  14  through the slots  28  of the rear plate and thereafter passing fasteners  50  through the adjusting apertures and fastener bores  46  and  48 . In such a manner, the top edge  40  of the notch forms a slot, generally indicated at  96  with the bottom wall  16 . The front wall  14  may be adjusted up and down relative to the rear wall  16  by moving the fasteners  50  within the adjusting apertures  46  so as to select a desired height of the slot  96 . By way of non-limiting example, the height of the slot  96  may be selected to be between ¼ and 1½ inches (6 and 38 mm) high although it will be appreciated that other sizes may be useful as well depending upon the material to be dispensed therethrough. The height of the slot  96  may be adjusted by a user as set out above to adjust the quantity or rate at which a material is dispensed from the apparatus. 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , in operation a user may introduce a quantity of the stucco material into the reservoir  22  and place the front wall  14  against a wall  8  to which the stucco is to be applied. Thereafter the user may activate the motor  82  to create a vibration in the apparatus and move the apparatus in an upward direction, generally indicated at  98  so as to dispense a quantity of stucco material  6  to the wall  8 . 
         [0024]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.