Tape applicator with adjustable compound flow and method for adjusting the compound flow of such an applicator

Abstract

The invention relates to a strip applicator (1) for joining two plaster boards. The applicator comprises a container (4) having an output slot (9) for the strip which has a determined height and is provided with height adjustment means comprising: —a height adjustment plate (16) arranged inside the container, —a securing plate slidably secured against the front wall (13) and comprising a sliding guide provided with an elongate opening, the securing plate comprising a sliding stop (111b) provided with a central hole (115) and cooperating with the sliding guide—a shaft (17) for coupling and clamping the plate, the shaft being engaged in an opening (16a) of the plate, in the elongate opening, and in the central hole—means (116, 117) for tensioning/de-tensioning the coupling and clamping shaft.

1 . An applicator ( 1 ) of jointing tape for joining two sheets of plasterboard, the applicator comprising a payout device ( 2 ) for paying out a jointing tape that comes in a roll ( 3 ) and a mud chamber ( 4 ) through which the tape is paid out, in use, the chamber having, with reference to the position of use, a tape inlet slot ( 6 ) formed between a free end ( 7   a ) of a rear wall ( 7 ) of the chamber and a first free end ( 8   a ) of a lower wall ( 8 ) of the chamber, and a tape outlet slot ( 9 ) formed between a free end ( 10 A) of a frontal wall ( 10 ) of the chamber and a second free end ( 8   b ) of the lower wall ( 8 ) of the chamber, the chamber further comprising two lateral walls ( 11 - 12 ), one of which constitutes a removable side cover ( 11 ) providing access to the inside of the chamber, the outlet slot ( 9 ) having a determined height (H 1 ) and being equipped with heightwise adjustment means, characterized in that the adjusting means comprise:
 a plate ( 16 ) for adjusting the height (H 2 ) of said outlet slot, said plate being arranged inside the chamber against an interior face ( 10   c ) of the frontal wall ( 10 ) of the chamber,   a mounting plate ( 110 ) fixed with the ability to slide against an exterior contact face ( 10   b ) of the frontal wall ( 10 ) of the chamber, the contact face comprising a sliding guide ( 14 ) equipped with an oblong orifice ( 15 ), the mounting plate ( 110 ) comprising a sliding end stop ( 111   b ) collaborating in sliding with the sliding guide ( 14 ) and equipped with a central hole ( 115 );   a coupling and clamping spindle ( 17 ) for coupling and clamping the plate, said spindle being engaged in an orifice ( 16   a ) of the plate, in the oblong hole ( 15 ) of the sliding guide, and in the central hole ( 115 ) of the sliding end stop   means ( 116 - 117 ) for tensioning/slackening-off the coupling and clamping spindle to allow the mounting plate and the plate to be clamped against/loosened off from the frontal wall of the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the orifice ( 16   a ) in the plate is polygonal and the coupling and clamping spindle ( 17 ) has a polygonal cylindrical portion ( 17   a ) of a shape that complements the polygonal hole and that is intended to be inserted in the polygonal hole in order to prevent the plate from rotating about the coupling and clamping spindle. 
     
     
         3 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises a second orifice, the coupling and clamping spindle comprising a bearing head bearing against the plate equipped with an immobilization pin intended to be engaged in the second orifice in order to prevent the plate from rotating about the coupling and clamping spindle. 
     
     
         4 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fixing means ( 116 - 117 - 118 ) comprise a quick clamp lever ( 116 ) comprising a cam ( 116   a ) fixed in a pivoting and eccentric manner to a coupling member ( 117 ) fixed to the coupling and clamping spindle ( 17 ). 
     
     
         5 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the sliding end stop borne by the bearing face of the mounting plate consists of an oblong groove ( 111   b ) of determined length (L 3 ) collaborating in sliding with the sliding guide borne by the contact face of the frontal wall of the chamber, the sliding guide being an oblong rib ( 14 ) of determined length (L 2 ) less than the length (L 3 ) of the oblong groove. 
     
     
         6 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the sliding end stop borne by the bearing face of the mounting plate consists of an oblong rib of determined length (L 2 ) collaborating in sliding with the sliding guide borne by the contact face of the frontal wall of the chamber, the sliding guide being an oblong groove of determined length (L 3 ) greater than the length (L 2 ) of the oblong rib. 
     
     
         7 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plate is made of a rustproof metal. 
     
     
         8 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is a mounting plate for fixing an application head ( 100 ), the mounting plate ( 110 ) comprising a fixing web ( 111 ) and two flanks ( 112   a - 112   b ) perpendicular to the fixing web and each having two orifices facing each other in pairs to receive a first rotation spindle ( 120 ) and a second rotational spindle ( 130 ) which are mutually parallel, the first rotation spindle bearing two toothed wheels ( 121 ) for driving the tape, the application head ( 100 ) further comprising:
 two link rods ( 131 ) mounted via a first end to rotate freely on the second rotation spindle, between a retracted position and an application position, a second end of each link rod being mounted to rotate freely on a third rotation spindle ( 132 ), on either side of a corner wheel ( 133 ), itself free to rotate on the third rotation spindle   a spring ( 140 ) having two legs ( 141 ) bearing against the mounting plate, each one being extended by a bend ( 142 ) connected to an immobilizing arm ( 143 ) equipped with a catch ( 144 ) for immobilizing the link rods ( 131 ) in the position of use, the immobilizing arms extending in a plane secant to a plane passing through the two legs, the arms being joined together by a return arch ( 146 ) extending in a plane secant to the plane passing through the two immobilizing arms   reversible immobilization means ( 151 - 152 ), independent of the spring, for immobilizing the link rods in the retracted position.   
     
     
         9 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the immobilization means comprise at least one immobilization claw ( 151 ) and at least one end stop ( 152 ) configured so that, in the immobilization position, at least one link rod is kept pressed against the end stop by the claw. 
     
     
         10 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the claws and/or the link rods are configured to allow the link rods to be forcibly unlocked from the claws. 
     
     
         11 . The applicator ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the free end ( 7   a ) of the rear wall ( 7 ) of the chamber and the first free end ( 8   a ) of the lower wall ( 8 ) of the chamber comprise a cylinder ( 7   a   1 - 8   a   1 ) of cross section (D 1 ) greater than a thickness (E 1 ) of the wall to which each cylinder is attached, and wherein each cylinder is covered with a removable protective sleeve ( 201 - 202 ) of an internal cross section that complements the cylinder that the sleeve covers, each protective sleeve having a longitudinal opening ( 201   a - 202   a ) delimited by two immobilization edges ( 201   b - 202   b ) for immobilization against the wall bearing the cylinder that the sleeve covers. 
     
     
         12 . A method for adjusting the mud flow rate of an applicator of jointing tape joining two adjacent sheets of plasterboard, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 a) providing a jointing-tape applicator as claimed in  claim 1 , the chamber of the applicator being filled with jointing compound and the tape being ready for use and comprising a free end protruding from the tape outlet slot;   b) operating the means for tensioning/slackening-off the coupling and clamping spindle in order to slacken off the mounting plate and the plate from against the frontal wall of the chamber   c) sliding the mounting plate coupled to the adjusting plate using the coupling and clamping spindle until the outlet slot for the tape has an operational height corresponding to a datum mud-application flow output;   d) operating the means for tensioning/slackening-off the coupling and clamping spindle in order to clamp the mounting plate and the plate against the frontal wall of the chamber.