Abstract:
An apparatus for applying a plastic film to a surface such as a carpet is provided which includes a handle, frame, film roll dispenser, guide bar, at least one roller and a trailing roller. The trailing roller supports the apparatus off of the roller to allow the apparatus to be pulled back against the stair to smooth the film against the front of the stair.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying a film to a floor surface and, more particularly, to an apparatus for applying a protective film to a carpet.  
         [0002]     Polyethylene film has been used to provide protection for carpets and carpeted stairs. Typically the polyethylene has one side coated with a low-tack adhesive and comes in 24, 32 and 36-inch widths in rolls up to 1,000 feet long. Rolls are typically reverse wound so that the adhesive layer is on the outside of the roll. When the film is applied to a carpeted surface, the adhesive layer is applied to the carpet to hold the film in place.  
         [0003]     Applying the film to a carpet must be done by manually unrolling the film on one&#39;s hands and knees or by using a single roller device with a handle. These methods prove difficult to apply the film without wrinkles and are not particularly suited to application on carpeted stairs.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Accordingly, a carpet film applicator is provided which includes a handle, film roller holder and front and rear rollers to flatten and smooth the film on a carpeted surface. A front guide straightens the film to reduce wrinkling. A pair of side stair guides automatically actuate when applying the film to stairs to smoothly apply the film.  
         [0005]     The carpet film applicator may be used to apply a smooth plastic film to a carpeted surface by pushing the applicator along the floor. For stairs, the side support wheels automatically deploy to support the film applicator. With the weight of the applicator off of the front and rear rollers, the applicator may be pushed back against a stair to pull the film tightly against the stair. Once the film is pushed against the front of the stair, the applicator is lowered onto its front and rear rollers.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the carpet film applicator shown in operation on a flat surface.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the carpet film applicator.  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the carpet film applicator.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 3  with the side support wheels deployed.  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the carpet film applicator.  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the carpet film applicator shown in operation on stairs.  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 4  shown on a stair.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the carpet film applicator of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . Film applicator  10  includes a frame  12 , a push handle  14 , an intermediate handle  15  and a film roll dispenser  16  which holds a film roll  18 . The film roll dispenser  16  allows the film roll  18  to freely turn to dispense the plastic film  20 . Plastic film  20  may be a polyethylene film with a low-tack adhesive backing to hold the film in place once it has been applied to a carpeted or other surface. Polyethylene film is widely used to protect carpeted surfaces because it is relatively thin and durable.  
         [0014]     Front  22  and rear  24  rollers flatten the film  20  against the floor. A trailing roller  26  smoothes the film  20  and helps to tuck the film in against a stair. A front guide bar  28  helps keep the film  20  straight as it comes off roll  18  and is directed to roller  22 . Guide bar  28  is bowed outwardly to help prevent wrinkles in the film  20  when it is dispensed from roll  18 .  
         [0015]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , side stair guides  30  and  32  are each slidably attached to frame  12  by a pair of bolts or pins  34  and  36  through slots  38  and  40 . The slots  38  and  40  allow the side stair guides  30  and  32  to move between a retracted position ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ) and an extended position ( FIG. 4 ). When in the retracted position, the bottom of wheels  42  and  44  of stair guides  30  and  32  are even with the bottoms of rollers  22  and  24 . When the guides  30  and  32  are in the extended position, the guides  30  and  32  hold the rollers  22  and  24  above the floor.  
         [0016]     A pair of latch springs  46  and  48 , one on each side of applicator  10 , are attached at one end to frame  12  and at the other end to side stair guides  30  and  32 . When the latch springs  46  and  48  pull stair guides  30  and  32  down to the extended position, spring biased latch pins  50  and  52  extend an outboard of stair guides  30  and  32  and engage notches  54  and  56 . A chain or cable  58  links latch pins  50  and  52  to a rod  60 , with a release handle  62 . Rotating the handle  62  tightens the chain  58  to pull the latch pins  50  and  52  inwardly against the bias of springs  64  and  66  to disengage latch pins  50  and  52  from notches  54  and  56 .  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , when operating the carpet film applicator  10  on a flat surface, the operator pushes on the handle  14  to move the applicator  10 . As the applicator  10  is pushed along, the plastic film  20  unrolls from film roll  18 . The plastic film  20  travels over the guide bar  28  and under front  22  and rear  24  rollers and trailing roller  28  and onto the flat surface. The operator walks over the film  20  as it is smoothly applied.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 4-7 , when the carpet film applicator  10  is operated on stairs  70 , the front  22  and rear  24  rollers are extended over the edge of a stair such that only the trailing roller  26  is resting on the stair (See  FIG. 7 ).  
         [0019]     When the weight of applicator  10  is no longer on the side stair guide wheels  42  and  44 , the latch springs pull the side stair guides  30  and  32  downwardly to the extended position. The spring biased latch pins  50  and  52  extend through notes  54  and  56 .  
         [0020]     The applicator  10  is then pushed over the edge of the stair  70  and lowered to rest on the next lower stair. The operator may grasp the intermediate handle  15  to help lower the applicator  10 . The applicator  10  rests on the side stair guide wheels  42  and  44  which hold the applicator  10  off of the front  22  and rear  24  rollers and trailing roller  26 . The applicator  10  may be pulled backward to tuck the film  20  into the nap of the stair  70 . The operator then grasps the release handle  62  and turns the rod  60  to release the latch pins  50  and  52 . When the latch pins  50  and  52  clear the notches  54  and  56 , the applicator drops to the rollers  24  and  26  and the film  20  may now be applied to the next stair.  
         [0021]     In the preferred embodiment, 24, 30 and 36-inch rolls of film may be applied, although other widths may also be applied. The front and rear rollers  22  and  24  may be constructed of rubber or other material to flatten the film  20 . Handle  14  may be adjustable to allow for different positions depending on operator height or for use on stairs. Additionally, the applicator  10  may include a bar (not shown) which may be actuated by a lever (not shown) or by the handle  14 , which is lowered behind the trailing roller  26  to tuck in the film against a stair.  
         [0022]     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.