Carpet seaming apparatus and method

Abstract

A carpet seaming system and method include a seaming tape iron, a hot melt carpet seaming tape and a method of installation wherein seam peaking is minimized. The seaming iron has a grooved base plate and connected liquid channels which accomplish seam welding of carpet backings at the seam. The device feeds molten adhesive from the tape through the base plate of the iron up to an elevated location at or near a rear end of the iron, in a position to be picked up by and applied to opposed edges of the two carpet backings as the iron is moved along on the carpet seaming tape. As the two carpet edges come together behind the iron, the backings are seam welded or seam sealed by the liquid adhesive in a butt joint, adding significant strength to the seam in the carpet. In one embodiment, the carpet seaming iron further includes a tape dispenser connected to the iron, for storing and feeding a roll of hot melt seaming tape under the front of the iron's base plate as the iron advances along the tape. The carpet seaming tape has a narrow hot melt adhesive strip, preferably less than two inches wide. The carpet seaming tape may be used in conjunction with seam sealing, wherein hot melt adhesive is applied between the edges of the carpet backings to seal the seam between the two sections of carpet. With the narrow tape and seam sealing, the assembled carpeting when stretched will not tend to peak significantly at the seam.