"A PLASTERING FLOAT WITH HOLES"

The present invention relates to trowels and floats primarily for use in Plastering and finishing plaster, concrete and other like materials. The Float is intended for use mainly in construction, do it yourself, home

improvements, by laypersons,

.craft workers and professional tradesmen etc.

BACKGROUND TO THE PRESENT INVENTION

External Walls, Concrete Footpaths etc.

1. Scudded - mixture of sand, cement mixed up like thick paint, applied

to wall by 'scudder' / scudding tool

2. Scratch Coat - to put thickness on wall so as not to show blockwork underneath, and also used for straightening the wall

3. Top Coat / Finish coat (to be floated) - sand, cememt, lime + waterproofer, if necessary, and plasticizer and water = plaster.

Internal Walls etc.

1. Scudded -.mixture of sand, cement mixed up like thick paint, applied to wall by 'scudder' / scudding tool

2. Plaster applied with sand and cement. This is then Floated, and subsequently scratched, for grip re Skim Coat.

3. Bonding - Sometimes used for straightening walls, slabs, drywall and ceilings, before Skim Coat (also for drywalls/plasterboard). Bonding may need to be Floated.

On application of the plaster, as it begins to set, there is an exothermic reaction which increases the drying out of the plaster, combined with the type of surfaces to which plaster is-being-applied, and prevailing weather conditions, e.g. humidity, moisture content of the wall / footpath

etc. thereby reducing the time allowed for Floating. Known trowels and floats currently in production, (the most common of which are called 'bull floats'- being large rectangular fioats)generally have a flat solid blade, ^y which gives rise to the following problems, namely:-

Float sticks to the wall

The Float creates suction / surface tension between the moist plaster and the float, which leads to the moisture coming to the surface from the inner side of the newly laid plaster. The surface moisture creates a vacuum between the float and the moist plaster. As the user of the float continues to move the float in a circular motion, the moisture is drawn from the inner

surface of the plaster to the outer surface. This in turn creates greater suction between the float and the outer plaster. Due to the current design of the float, as the user continues to move the float in a circular motion, and as the outer surface continues to extract more moisture from the inner side of the plaster, the float tends to stick to the outer side of the plaster

creating splatter etc. As this motion continues, suction is increased resulting in the plaster sticking to the float.

(This can cause a cavity to be created between the Scratch Coat and the Plaster (i.e. between layer 2 and 3 for an external wall or between layers 1 and 2 for an Internal wall), which is noticeable on inspection producing a

hollow sound in the _when tapping the wall).

The outer side of the plaster begins to move en masse with the motion of the float. Given that the inner side of the plaster has lost a sizeable proportion of its' moisture, elasticity is reduced and the working surface reverts to its original solid state.

When the circular motion stops, the removal of the float from the wall becomes difficult as the suction between plaster and float is so great that it sometimes pulls the plaster off of the wall in great chunks from the area around the float.

In the case of an uneven surface to the plaster, pre floating, the current

float tends to move around the uneven areas, only partially levelling out the surface.

Due to the suction, as referred to above, the float tends to bury itself into the outer surface of the plaster, which is likely to ^' cause major and frequent damage to the working surface.

Sometimes there can be long delays in waiting for plaster to get to proper floating condition. On very large walls, by the time the user gets to the bottom of the wall or finishing the wall, the plaster may become very dry. The moist plaster, on drying out, reverts to a crumbling mass. If one continues to float without sprinkling with water, the plaster will ravel.

beneath the float. (Ravel is the professional term used for plastering when the user floats a dry wall and the plaster crumbles underneath the float, thus leaving a poor quality finish.

Where lime is used in the plaster / concrete mixture etc., the consistency of colour depends on how it is finished. If part of the wall is required to be

sprinkled with water, i.e. walls, footpaths, floors etc. this will in turn change both the consistency of the plaster / concrete while also changing the colour, and may also require re-floating.

Marks left in the working surface leave a spoiled appearance. Thus, a large

proportion of time is currently spent minimizing and correcting this problem.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

It is the main object of this invention to overcome at least one or more of these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Inventive Step of this invention is the holes in the Float which reduces the vacuum / suction between the Float and the plaster / concrete etc., while also reducing the contact area.

The present invention is preferably a hand-held invention which may be of

any suitable-size,.shape or dimension including circular, oval, square, triangular, rectangular but would preferably be rectangular with at least one straight edge for finishing corners, edges etc. In the one aspect, the present invention has a stout handle and preferably 21 tapered holes (7 x 3). However, this number and configuration of holes may obviously be

changed depending on the shape, size and context of use of the float / trowel. The holes beneath the handles are 'blind' holes in that they do not go fully through the invention. The remaining holes are preferably tapered

by design / conical as per Fig 3, to maintain rigidity of the invention, while also retaining excess material etc. in holes which may in turn be re-used by flicking the excess plaster in the Float back onto the wall, where there may be divots in the plaster.

In another embodiment, the present invention includes a porous, semi- porous or non-porous Cloth or Material (e.g. Sponge etc.) which may be affixed to the bottom side and/or to the top side of the float / trowel for the / different stages in the process of using the float, e.g. shielding the user's * hands from the excess plaster coming through the holes or soaking up

excess moisture or alternatively for the process finishing.

The sponge may be placed on the bottom side of the Float and either attached via 6 sponge type nodules protruding through the existing corner and outside middle holes of the Float to maintain their attachment to the Float, or alternatively attached to cuff-link type stick-on studs which may

be attached to the top side of the Float.

In reference to the cloth / material on the top side of the Float, which is present to protect the user's hand from excess plaster coming through the holes, this cloth/ material may be attached to the cuff link type stick-on studs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

1. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention

2. Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of the invention from the user's side, i.e. showing holes and handle. The full

circles represent the holes while the broken holes represent the unseen 'blind' holes. The holes on either end of the handle, marked 'X' and 'Y ⁵ are 'blind holes', i.e. they do not break through the surface of the handle.

3. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of the . Elevation of the Float.

4. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of a sectional view of the holes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With respect to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a rectangular float with holes, 10. The rectangular float has a number of holes, 11, and two 'blind'

holes, 12.

The handle, 13, is moulded to the shape of the hand.

The planar surface of the present invention is smooth for providing a quality finished surface. The holes are preferably larger on the lower surface, next to the working surface which reduces in size as per 14,

Figure 4. However, the shape and size of these holes may vary depending on the size and working surface to which the present invention is put.

The handle, if required may be adapted to fit an extension for larger embodiments.

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of this new invention are as follows:-

1. The holes in the Float greatly decrease the suction / vacuum between the Float and the material being floated, e.g. plaster, concrete etc.

2. The lesser suction in the Invention allows the user to begin floating . at an earlier stage, thus reducing time spent waiting for plaster to dry. For larger working surfaces, this increases the amount of time for floating rather than waiting for the plaster to dry to the right consistency before the base of the wall may have dried out to the point that it will need

rehydration, i.e. to be sprinkled with water.

3. There is reduced surface area contact with the Float which in turn reduces the suction, thus reducing the extraction of moisture from the inner side of the plaster to the surface. This has the net effect of diminishing the chances of the inner side of the plaster drying out or creating a cavity /

separating the layers with an air pocket in the wall.

4. This lesser suction greatly reduces the movement of the plaster on the inside of the plaster while maintaining its moisture.

5. Due to the holes and reduced surface contact, there is a marked reduction in the levels of-plaster_sticlcing to the Float.

6. While the flat float will move across the surface of the uneven working surface, pushing the render etc. around and only partially levelling out the surface, the present invention allows for the protruding aspects of the uneven areas to be sheared off by means of the holes.

7. The present invention reduces friction and allows the user to glide over the

plaster thus reducing strain and resulting in less effort.

8. When the holes become clogged with excess mortar etc. from the working surface, the excess may be flicked from the invention back onto the working surface, thus filling divots in the working surface, providing

added material where more is needed, and decreasing waste in the overall process, not to mention time in the finishing process.

VARIATIONS

It is of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications

and variations thereto as would be apparent to pwersons skilled in the art ' are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

The Float may be made from a variety of materials, for example:- Plastics, Wood, Metal, Ceramics, Rubber etc.

All cloths / materials used as accessories to the Invention may be either porous, semi-porous or non-porous in nature.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word "comprise", and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components,

integers or steps. The words "plaster, render, material etc." all refer to the working surface. They are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

The Float may be made from a variety of materials, for example:- Plastics, Wood, Metal, Ceramics, Rubber etc.

All cloths / materials used as accessories to the Invention may be either porous, semi-porous or non-porous in nature.

ACCESSORIES

The present invention may have a sponge attached, by means of nodules

protruding through holes in Float. The sponge may be held by the nodules, for example one on each corner and two on the outside middle holes etc., Alternatively, this sponge may be attached by means of elastic / cuff-link type stick-on studs. The nodules- may be pushed through the holes, thus keeping both nodules and sponge firmly in place.

^■ Some material may be placed between the sponge and the nodules, whether porous, non-porous or semi-porous.

The tops of the nodules to the sponge protruding through the 14mm holes underneath keep the sponge in place. The present invention may be covered with a 'letter-box' shaped covering. This cover will cover over all

of the holes, but not the handle, thus allowing the user to have less hand contact with the working surface etc. The Cover may be permanent or detachable depending on the nature of the work. The material may be porous, semi-porous or non-porous. Provision for space may be made for cuff-link type stick-on studs at each comer of an alternate embodiment of

the present invention. More studs may be attached at the user's discretion. These studs may be used to hold in place materials on either or both the top and/or bottom side of the present invention, e.g. porous, semi-porous and non-porous materials. These studs are to act so as to bind / hold in place the material either to the top or bottom side of the Float, or both.