Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor – With work feeding or handling means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-28
2001-05-01
Osele, Mark A. (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor
With work feeding or handling means
C156S579000, C015S236010, C428S081000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223801
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tools and devices used to hang wallcoverings such as wallpaper, but more particularly to such hand held tools and devices for smoothing and seam setting of wallcoverings, as well as guiding a cutter when trimming wallcoverings such as wallpaper.
II. Description of the Related Art
The related art of hanging wallcoverings involved the use of a smoothing brush, smoother, a broad knife, a sponge or cloth, a seam roller, and a cutting tool. The user was required to hang the wallcovering, using the brush in an upward or downward motion to smooth out air pockets, butt the edges, set the seams with a seam roller, and using the broad knife as a blind guide, trim the wallcovering.
The aforesaid smoothing, butting and setting of seams, and trimming aspects of hanging wallcoverings are difficult, time-consuming, and particularly inefficient, which sometimes results in unsightly errors leaving an unprofessional finish. The use of a brush, smoother, or a broad knife in smoothing wallcoverings without marring or tearing the surface is a continuing problem; manipulation of the wallcovering to conform to the wall or butt the seam by use of the brush or broad knife is limited by the sharp edges of the broad knife and by the lack of rigidity of the bristles of the brush. Consequently, numerous attempts have been made to invent tools and methods that will allow the skilled and the nonskilled to hang wallcoverings quickly and professionally. Examples of such attempts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,490,198 (Mitchell), D297,801 (Olsson), D282,622 (Bobo), 5,181,320 (Tucciarone), 3,500,540 (Lundquist), and 4,077,124 (Christmann).
Mitchell and Bobo disclose a wallpaper hanger having an elongated edge as a guide over which paper is drawn and then clamped, a handle is centrally attached to this guide plate assembly then the device is used to position the paper on the wall and smoothed downward. In general this attempt to smooth wallcovering without a hands-on approach is both unpractical and unwieldy; its design would render the positioning of the wallpaper cumbersome. Additionally, the application of wallcovering involves more than downward motion and, in fact, requires multiple movements in order to conform the wallcovering to the wall.
Another relevant tool disclosed in Olsson's patent, describes an ornamental design for a wallpaper applying device. Although this device would provide a hands-on approach for smoothing wallpaper, the positioning of the hand required to clasp the tool would be burdensome and limits wrist movement, and its designed form with the squared smoothing edge and corners and the alternate design with a serrated edge increase the possibility of scratching and marring the paper, and the serrated edge would tend to leave air pockets. In addition, no means is provided by either of these tools for butting and setting seams or for use as a guide in trimming wallcovering.
It is a common practice to use a broad knife as a straight edge guide in conjunction with a razor blade to trim wallcoverings. Problems arise when duplicate moves required to reposition the broad knife leave the trimmed edge uneven. Lundquist, Tucciarone, and Christmann have provided hand tools that address the need for an improved method of trimming wallcovering. However, in most cases the trimming of wallcovering needs to be manipulated by hand and therefore, these devices would prove to be difficult to position and produce their own problems.
Tucciarone discloses a wallpaper trimming tool for trimming the edges of wallpaper comprising a handle having a blade member secured thereto with a guide edge of the blade member extending transversely of the handle and a pair of opposed arms slidably supported from the handle for movement longitudinally of the handle. A holder is provided on each arm for securing a razor blade therewith and the arms are urged to a retracted position in which the associated razor blades are juxtaposed on the blade member and do not project beyond the guide edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,956, granted to Harrison et al. and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to a floor laying tool comprising a handle, a downwardly projecting shaft connected to one end of the handle, and a working plate portion. The lower end of the downwardly projecting shaft is connected to the top of the working plate portion. The working plate portion is generally triangular in shape with rounded corners.
One of the drawbacks associated with the tools disclosed by Tucciarone and Harrison et al. is that the user is not able to use all of the working surfaces and edges of the blade member or working plate portion interchangeably.
Current improvements in the art continue, but the one tool that can combine virtually every tool needed for hanging wallcovering has not yet been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,237 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,441 highlight the problems associated with the need for multiple tools, wherein the user needs a system or container for these tools.
The present invention provides a multi-function tool and method of use that overcomes the limitations of devices and methods of the related art.
The art to which the invention relates, therefore, includes the following patents:
Patent Number
D297,801
D282,622
3,500,540
4,077,124
4,490,198
4,759,441
4,834,237
5,181,320
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the related art and meets the need for a more effective hanging and trimming device. By combining the function of essential paperhanging tools, the need for multiplicity of tools is eliminated and by the designed form, nature of substance of manufacture, and the method of use of this invention, the technique of applying wallcovering is improved.
The preferred embodiment of the tool is created from ⅛″ transparent acrylic to an overall finished dimension of 8⅛″ in length by 4⅜″ in height. Both corners of the bottom 8⅛″ smoothing/trim guide edge are rounded. Both corners of the top 8⅛″ edge are angled 45 degrees with the point of the angle forming 3″ from the center intersecting the 4⅜″ edge at 2⅝″ from the bottom 8⅛″ edge. Both points of the two 45 degree angles are rounded. In a further preferred embodiment, the bevelled edges of the sides and bottom are somewhat rounded, as opposed to being straight. The top 6″ side and the two 45 degree angled sides are symmetrically finished round on front and back. The bottom 8⅛″ smoothing/trim guide side and the two 2⅝ trim guide sides are beveled symmetrically on the front and back with each side being a mirror image. The intersecting point of the bevels is round. That is, the oppositely disposed faces of the bevel intersect at a radiused or rounded tip, and the point at which the faces of the bevel intersect the front and back sides of the tool is also rounded. Accordingly, the intersecting points of adjacent surfaces of the tool are rounded to prevent tearing or puncturing of the wallcovering and to facilitate smoothing and seam butting. All edges of the formed symmetrical design are perfectly straight. The acrylic is lightweight, firm, resistant to damage and breakage, and is non-brittle.
The present invention is advantageous in that the nature of the acrylic substance, distinct form, with designed beveled and rounded edges permits the tool to glide easily over all types of wallcoverings without marring, tearing, puncturing, or lifting the surface, and increases user's ability to smooth the wallcovering to conform to the surface to which it is applied and to “work” the seam so that it is tightly butted and set. It is of particular significance that this invention eliminates the need for a smoothing brush, broad knife, trim guide, seam roller, and sponge (when sponge is used as a smoothing device). It is of major significance that this invention facilitates the precision bu
Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
Osele Mark A.
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