Gypsum Board with Multiple Tapered Edges
A gypsum board with multiple tapered edges has a flat, rectangular main flat body with four tapered edges. The main flat body is a gypsum core sandwiched between two paper sheets. The main flat body may be of any appropriate size, including 4 feet by 4 feet or other sizes. In a method for manufacturing the gypsum board with multiple tapered edges, a quantity of gypsum slurry is fed between two continuous paper sheets with a conveyor system to make a continuous gypsum sheet and longitudinal edges of the continuous gypsum sheet are tapered. The gypsum slurry is partially dried, and then the continuous gypsum sheet is transversely compressed between an upper bracket and a lower bracket to form a transverse tapered impression. The continuous gypsum sheet is cut at the tapered impression, and the transverse tapered edges are enclosed with finishing paper.
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/638,693 filed on Apr. 26, 2012.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the construction of houses and other buildings. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gypsum board (drywall sheet) with all edges being tapered and a method for fabrication of said gypsum board with multiple tapered edges.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can live and store personal property. A home is generally a place to provide safety, and is used as a center from which people base their daily activities. Most modern-day households contain living spaces, sanitary facilities, a means of preparing food and sleeping quarters.
Home construction is the process of building a home using many varied materials. Inhabited areas need homes for the inhabitants to live in and new residential developments are constantly being built. Home construction techniques have evolved from simple pre-historic shelters to the vast multitude of living accommodations available today. Different levels of wealth and power have warranted various sizes, layouts, luxuries, and even defenses in a home. Home construction projects are not limited to building a new home, and may often take the form of renovations to beautify or update a building, or repairing damage from accidents, weather or wear.
Drywall, also known as gypsum board, plasterboard, or wallboard, is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper and has become the building material of choice to provide the finishing on most interior walls and ceilings in most modern buildings. Drywall is useful in construction for characteristics including resistance to fire, dimensional stability, low cost, and easy workability. Drywall construction became prevalent in the early 1950's as a cheaper, quicker and easier to use alternative to traditional lath and plaster construction. Many construction projects utilize drywall to make interior walls and ceilings. In most homes, nearly every wall and ceiling is made of drywall covered by at least one coat of primer to seal the plaster and top paper sheet before at least one coat of paint is applied. Drywall generally comes in flat, rectangular sheets in various sizes (4 feet by 8 feet, 4 feet by 9 feet, 4 feet by 10 feet, 4feet by 12 feet & soon the new sheet measuring 4 feet by 4 feet), and in various thicknesses, typically including ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, ½ inch, and ⅝ inch. Other types of gypsum board exist, such as “Green board”, which has the same gypsum core as standard drywall but with a thicker water-resistant paper covering for applications where higher humidity is a consideration, and “Fire Code” drywall which is ⅝ inches thick and fire resistant.
One significant characteristic of drywall is its weight. The average ½ inch drywall sheet weighs 1.8 pounds per square foot, meaning that a typical 4 foot by 8 foot drywall sheet weighs 57.6 pounds each. This is not a trivial amount of weight for most people, and the fact that the weight is distributed over a large area makes drywall sheets unwieldy and difficult to handle. The introduction of the new drywall sheet of the present invention measuring only 4 feet by 4 feet with all edges tapered and weighing less than 30 pounds each will make drywall installation much easier. Installation of drywall, especially on ceilings or elevated areas, often requires two people working together, but some projects lack the budget necessary to hire an extra person. In a situation where a single person attempts to install drywall alone, but is incapable of managing the full drywall sheet, be it 4 feet by 8 feet or even 4 feet by 12 feet, single handedly may halve the drywall sheet and install it in two separate sections. Merely cutting, for instance, a 4 by 8 sheet into two mini sheets measuring 4 feet by 4 feet and installing these un-tapered mini sheets in the traditional manner (vertically) creates a “butt” seam at the 4 foot height and said seam is impossible to finish like a tapered edged seam.
In the installation process, after the drywall sheet is affixed to wall studs, the seams between sheets must be finished by being filled and covered with plaster (joint compound). Typical drywall sheets are tapered at the side edges, producing a recess for joint compound (plaster) to fill when tapered edged sheets are laid (affixed or secured) next to each other. When cut sections of drywall are laid with the cut ends abutted together, there is no recess into which the joint compound (plaster) can be put, causing a ridge at the joint, or a “butt” seam. The addition of tapers to all edges will do much to solve this problem by providing a recess at any joint between drywall sheets.
The value inherent to having a gypsum board (drywall sheet) with all edges being tapered has been known and appreciated for many years. The addition of tapers to all edges will provide a recess to accommodate the patching tape and plaster (joint compound) needed to facilitate the finishing of any and all joints between all installed drywall sheets regardless of size.
Most, if not all of the prior art in connection with the aforementioned invention offer a method and apparatus to apply additional tapers to drywall after market. So far none of these methods and apparatus has succeeded in fulfilling their aspirations. This is not the method proposed herein. To date there is still no commercially viable method of continuous production of four tapered edge drywall in spite of the dire need for such a method throughout the building industry.
With the introduction of smaller tapered drywall sheets, the average do-it-yourselfer will be more confident in tackling drywall installations on their own. With the ability to completely taper a drywall sheet the introduction of a drywall sheet smaller than 4 feet by 8 feet becomes feasible as the elimination of all “butt” seams becomes a reality. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention a drywall sheet measuring 4 feet by 4 feet with all edges tapered can now be manufactured as it will no longer be subject to “butt” seam problems. Such a drywall sheet will be more manageable for an individual installer. (Easier to transport and install)
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for a new drywall sheet with all edges tapered and measuring 4 feet by 4 feet.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is a gypsum board with multiple tapered edges and a method for manufacturing said gypsum board with multiple tapered edges. Said method and apparatus will entail impressing a triangular tapering protrusion 71 into a continuous gypsum sheet 9 (slurry filled) to form a tapered impression 5. The continuous gypsum sheet 9 (slurry filled) will be cut into sections along cut lines 14 producing drywall sheets with multiple tapered edges, and in various lengths.
The present invention solves the problem of “butt” seams created by installing two drywall sheets with abutting untapered edges 25. As seen in
Referring to
The gypsum core 13 is made from a slurry of gypsum and various other ingredients such as, but not limited to, plasticizer, foaming agent, finely ground gypsum crystal, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, starch or another chelate, and various additives that may increase mildew resistance and fire resistance, or other ingredients. A wet gypsum slurry is sandwiched between the first paper sheet 11 and the second paper sheet 12, which, when dried, becomes rigid and strong enough for use as a building material, forming the gypsum core 13 that is positioned between the first paper sheet 11 and the second paper sheet 12. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main flat body 1 has dimensions of 4 feet by 4 feet, but is not limited to said dimensions.
Referring to
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As can be seen in
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The method of the present invention is a method for manufacturing the drywall sheet with multiple tapered edges. It should be understood that the method of the present invention does not contemplate changing the entire process for manufacturing gypsum board, but merely adding steps to said manufacturing process. The method for manufacturing the gypsum board with multiple tapered edges is as follows.
As illustrated in
An upper bracket 6 and a lower bracket 7 are also provided 104, and a dividing blade 8 is provided 105. The lower bracket 7 comprises a triangular tapering protrusion 71 and a piercing protrusion 72. Initially, the upper paper sheet 17 and the lower paper sheet 16 are continuous, being fed off respective rolls of paper. The conveyor system 10 may be any appropriate mechanical system for moving the various stages of the gypsum board along a production line. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, one section of the conveyor system 10 comprises a small transverse gap 18 for raising the lower bracket 7 in order to form the transverse tapered impression 5.
As described in
After the quantity of gypsum slurry is fed between the upper paper sheet 17 and the lower paper sheet 16, the longitudinal edges of the continuous gypsum sheet 9 are tapered using previously known methods of gypsum board manufacturing, or by using another appropriate method 107.
A period of time is allowed to pass for the gypsum slurry held within the upper paper sheet 17 and the lower paper sheet 16 to partially dry 108. The gypsum slurry is allowed to dry to a point where the gypsum slurry holds its form as a moldable solid but can still be shaped by applying a compressive force. At this point, the continuous gypsum sheet 9 is moved to the tapering location to receive a transverse tapered impression 5 prior to being separated into various sheet lengths.
Referring to
As seen in
As described in
The new gypsum sheet section 48 now has longitudinal tapered edges and at least one transverse tapered edge. As described in
A period of time is then specified to wait until the finished new gypsum sheet section 48 is completely dry 112. Preferably, the finished new gypsum sheet section 48 is also passed through a heating chamber to aid in the drying and setting process. The finished new gypsum sheet section 48 is then prepared for storage and transport as commonly done in gypsum board manufacturing. The finished new gypsum sheet section 48 and an adjacent second new gypsum sheet section 48 are folded onto each other about adjacent edges and are taped to each other, or the finished new gypsum sheet section 48 is prepared for storage and shipping by another appropriate method.
In summary, the present invention intends to introduce a commercially viable method and apparatus to apply tapers to all edges on all or some gypsum board (drywall) sheets manufactured. The method primarily provides three additional steps into the present production process. The important steps in the method for the present invention are: impressing a triangular tapering protrusion 71 into the continuous gypsum sheet 9 to form a tapered impression 5; cutting the continuous gypsum sheet 9 into sections, producing new gypsum sheet sections 48 of varying lengths with multiple tapered edges; and enclosing the newly tapered edges, (the first tapered edge 21 and the third tapered edge 23) with a finishing paper when the new gypsum sheet section 48 has completely dried. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a new drywall sheet measuring 4 feet by 4 feet with all edges tapered. Said sheet will be at least half the size of the smallest full drywall sheet presently being manufactured, which is 4 feet by 8 feet. A smaller 4 foot by 4 foot drywall sheet is easier to transport and install, and the implementation of multiple tapered edges makes finishing the install of the drywall sheet simpler, eliminating “butt” seams.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
1. A gypsum board with multiple tapered edges comprises, a main flat body;
- a plurality of edges;
- the main flat body comprises a first paper sheet, a second paper sheet, and a gypsum core;
- the plurality of edges being positioned on the main flat body;
- the plurality of edges being perimetrically connected around the main flat body;
- the plurality of edges comprises a first tapered edge, a second tapered edge, and a third tapered edge;
- the first tapered edge being oriented perpendicular to the second tapered edge;
- the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge being oriented parallel to each other; and
- the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge being positioned opposite each other across the main flat body.
2. The gypsum board with multiple tapered edges as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main flat body has rectangular geometry.
3. The gypsum board with multiple tapered edges as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gypsum core is positioned between the first paper sheet and the second paper sheet.
4. The gypsum board with multiple tapered edges as claimed in claim 1 comprises,
- the plurality of edges further comprises a fourth tapered edge;
- the fourth tapered edge being oriented parallel to the second tapered edge;
- the fourth tapered edge being positioned opposite to the second tapered edge across the main flat body; and
- the second tapered edge and the fourth tapered edge being positioned adjacent to the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge, wherein the first tapered edge, the second tapered edge, the third tapered edge and the fourth tapered edge form a rectangular perimeter.
5. A gypsum board with multiple tapered edges comprises,
- a main flat body;
- a plurality of edges;
- the main flat body comprises a first paper sheet, a second paper sheet, and a gypsum core;
- the plurality of edges being positioned on the main flat body;
- the plurality of edges being perimetrically connected around the main flat body;
- the plurality of edges comprises a first tapered edge, a second tapered edge, and a third tapered edge;
- the first tapered edge being oriented perpendicular to the second tapered edge;
- the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge being oriented parallel to each other;
- the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge being positioned opposite each other across the main flat body;
- the main flat body having flat, rectangular geometry; and
- the gypsum core being positioned between the first paper sheet and the second paper sheet.
6. The gypsum board with multiple tapered edges as claimed in claim 5 comprises,
- the plurality of edges further comprises a fourth tapered edge;
- the second tapered edge and the fourth tapered edge being oriented parallel to each other;
- the fourth tapered edge being positioned opposite to the second tapered edge across the main flat body; and
- the second tapered edge and the fourth tapered edge being positioned adjacent to the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge, wherein the first tapered edge, the second tapered edge, the third tapered edge and the fourth tapered edge form a rectangular perimeter.
7. A method for manufacturing a gypsum board with multiple tapered edges comprises the steps of,
- providing a conveyor system;
- providing a quantity of gypsum slurry;
- providing an upper paper sheet and a lower paper sheet;
- providing an upper bracket and a lower bracket, wherein the lower bracket comprises a triangular tapering protrusion;
- providing a dividing blade;
- continuously feeding the quantity of gypsum slurry between the upper paper sheet and the lower paper sheet with the conveyor system to form a continuous gypsum sheet;
- wherein a length of the continuous gypsum sheet is defined by movement along the conveyor system;
- wherein longitudinal edges of the continuous gypsum sheet are parallel to the movement of the conveyor system;
- tapering the longitudinal edges of the continuous gypsum sheet, wherein the longitudinal edges of the continuous gypsum sheet become the first tapered edge and the third tapered edge of the gypsum board with multiple tapered edges;
- waiting for the gypsum slurry to partially dry, wherein the gypsum slurry is allowed to dry to a point where the gypsum slurry is a moldable solid that can be shaped by applying a compressive force;
- transversely compressing the continuous gypsum sheet at a specified location along the length of the continuous gypsum sheet between the upper bracket and the lower bracket to form a transverse tapered impression in the gypsum slurry adjacent to the lower paper sheet;
- dividing the continuous gypsum sheet by centrally cutting the transverse tapered impression with the dividing blade to produce a new gypsum sheet section;
- wherein the new gypsum sheet section comprises transverse tapered edges;
- wherein the transverse tapered edges are the second tapered edge and the fourth tapered edge of the gypsum board with multiple tapered edges;
- enclosing the transverse tapered edges with a finishing paper to form a finished new gypsum sheet section; and
- waiting until the finished new gypsum sheet section is completely dry.
8. The method for manufacturing a gypsum board with multiple tapered edges as claimed in claim 7 comprises the steps of,
- raising the lower bracket into the continuous gypsum sheet, wherein the lower bracket is raised through a gap between lower wheels of the conveyor system;
- piercing the lower paper sheet with the triangular tapering protrusion;
- stabilizing the continuous gypsum sheet opposite the lower bracket by the upper bracket, wherein the upper bracket allows the force transmitted by the lower bracket to compress the gypsum slurry into the transverse tapered impression; and
- compressing a portion of the gypsum slurry adjacent to the lower paper sheet into an isosceles triangular shape, wherein equal sides of the isosceles triangle converge in a direction from the lower paper sheet toward the upper paper sheet.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 26, 2013
Publication Date: Aug 15, 2013
Inventor: Dennis Arthur ARSENEAULT (KELOWNA)
Application Number: 13/850,487
International Classification: E04C 2/26 (20060101);