Coating implements with material supply – Brush – broom – or mop – Including feeder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-02-06
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3752)
Coating implements with material supply
Brush, broom, or mop
Including feeder
C401S048000, C401S285000, C401S289000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183156
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with an improved applicator/spreader apparatus useful in roofing operations for the spreading of viscous flowable materials such as asphaltic roofing mastics. More particularly, the invention pertains to applicator/spreader devices which employ a delivery bar with a pair of specially configured trailing brooms serving to spread and evenly apply roofing materials. The devices of the invention further preferably include a temperature gauge located in close adjacency to the delivery bar so as to allow the user to exercise a greater and more accurate degree of control for application and spreading operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many industrial-type buildings constructed during the last 30 to 40 years were roofed with metallic decking panels. Such panels were normally secured by screws, bolts, or rivets penetrating the metal decking, these penetrations being sealed. Metal roofs of this type suffer from a number of disadvantages, including a tendency to leak, and poor thermal insulation qualities. Over the years, as these metal roofs have begun to wear out, the building owners are faced with the task of providing a replacement roof. Generally speaking, it is a very expensive proposition to remove the original metal decking, and replace it with new decking. Another alternative is to simply place a new metal deck atop the original deck. This is a problem inasmuch as the new metal roof imposes a significant dead load upon the structure of the building, which is particularly troublesome in the case of older buildings.
It has also been suggested in the past to provide a replacement built-up roof using the worn metal roof as a substrate. In such systems, preformed panels of expanded polystyrene, adapted to be placed over the contour of the original deck are employed. Such panels have rigid boards secured to the upper surfaces thereof, and are generally provided in 4′×4′ or 4′×8′ sections. With such built-up roofs, hot asphalt is initially applied to the decking, whereupon the preformed insulation panels are applied. At this point, a roofing membrane may be secured to the upper surface of the foam panels sections, followed by conventional lap joint sealing and finishing. In some of these prior built-up constructions, hot asphalt or existing mastics have been employed which include asphalt, mineral spirits, fibers and fillers. A problem with these roofs is that, in the event of a fire, the polystyrene foam readily melts and becomes flowable, and then drips into the building below with the asphalt. This can cause severe damage to the building and its contents, and indeed the fire insurance rates for a building having a built-up roof of this character are increased because of this hazard if insurable at all.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,347 describes a greatly improved built-up roofing system which overcomes many of the problems with prior replacement roofs. As an adjunct to the roofing system, the '347 patent also discloses an improved applicator apparatus for the application and spreading of roof mastics. This applicator employs an elongated, transversely extending delivery bar having a series of valve units along the length thereof, with trailing spreader chains designed to spread and apply mastic delivered from the bar. While applicator devices as shown in the '347 patent represent a distinct improvement in the art, it has been found that the use of trailing spreader chains can sometimes fail to give complete and uniform coverage on a roofing deck.
There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved applicator/spreader device especially designed for roofing operations and which serves to evenly apply and spread viscous roofing materials over a variety of deck surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides an improved apparatus for the application and spreading of flowable roofing materials. Broadly speaking, the apparatus includes an elongated, hollow, apertured delivery bar adapted to be pulled across a roofing surface, with a trailing material spreader adjacent the bar; the spreader comprises first and second elongated, generally side-by-side brooms oriented for engaging and spreading the roofing material. In addition, the preferred apparatus includes a temperature gauge located in close proximity to the spreader bar (and preferably within three feet thereof) to monitor the temperature of the roofing material substantially at the point of application thereof.
In more detail, the apparatus of the invention advantageously includes a spreader bar made up of an initial manifold in communication with a delivery conduit; the latter has a series of laterally spaced apart outlet openings through the bottom wall thereof. A tubular delivery handle is affixed to the manifold and extends upwardly to allow manual manipulation of the apparatus. The upper end of the tubular handle is adapted to be coupled to a flexible hose or other source of flowable material. In alternative forms, respective valve members are associated with each of the outlet openings of the delivery bar, where each valve member includes an elongated, tubular metallic outlet surrounded by a flexible nipple-type cover.
The dual-broom material spreader preferably includes a first broom located adjacent and in trailing relationship to the delivery bar which has a somewhat concave configuration in plan, presenting a central section and a pair of obliquely oriented side sections. The opposed ends of the first broom are located outboard of the ends of the spreader bar so as to assist in confining flowable material during the application process. A second broom, preferably of substantially rectilinear configuration, is located in trailing relationship to the first broom. The opposed ends of the second broom preferably lie outboard of the ends of the first broom.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1093532 (1914-04-01), Cavalier
patent: 3110055 (1963-11-01), Merrill
patent: 3134129 (1964-05-01), Allen
patent: 3751747 (1973-08-01), Blaeldh
patent: 4265559 (1981-05-01), Mellen
patent: 5050530 (1991-09-01), Studebaker et al.
patent: 5211158 (1993-05-01), Morris
patent: 5353782 (1994-10-01), Morris
patent: 5358347 (1994-10-01), Morris
patent: 5419647 (1995-05-01), Kirk et al.
patent: 5540022 (1996-07-01), Morris
patent: 5552014 (1996-09-01), Morris
patent: 5600929 (1997-02-01), Morris
patent: 5622023 (1997-04-01), Crispino
patent: 5776299 (1998-07-01), Morris
Hovey Williams Timmons & Collins
Walczak David J.
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