GB1600336A

GB1600336A - Tiles

Info

Publication number: GB1600336A
Application number: GB11966/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Johnson Richards Tiles Ltd H &
Current assignee: Johnson Richards Tiles Ltd H &
Priority date: 1978-03-28
Filing date: 1978-03-28
Publication date: 1981-10-14
Also published as: JPS54164318A; ZA791204B; CA1098730A; AU4510379A; AU532643B2; NZ189901A; IN152899B; PH18705A; GR70243B

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN TILES (71) We, H & R JOHNSON RICHARDS TILES LIMITED, a British Company of P.O. Box No. 1, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to tiles.

It is necessary when mounting ceramic tiles to leave gaps around each tile to allow for slight differential movement of the tiles and the substrate on which they are mounted. Conventionally these gaps are filled with grout and to preserve a satisfactory appearance it is desirable to ensure that the widths of the gaps are uniform throughout the tiled area.

Maintenance of gaps of uniform width between adjacent tiles can present problems, especially to the unskilled user and it is a conventional practice in the manufacture of ceramic wall and floor tiles to provide spacer lugs on the edges of the tiles to define the width of the gap between adjacent tiles. However this presents the problem that if spacer lugs are provided on all the edges of the tiles they form unsightly projections at the exposed edges of the tiled area. It has therefore been necessary in the past to produce special edge tiles which are not provided with spacer lugs and have glazed edges so that they may be arranged at the outer edges of tiled areas to present a neat appearance.Most edge tiles have only one edge exposed, but at exposed corners of the tiled area two edges of the corner tiles are exposed and it is therefore necessary to produce three types of tile, that is tiles having spacer lugs on all four edges, tiles having one glazed edge and tiles having two glazed edges. The glazed edges are usually rounded and none of the edges of such tiles are provided with spacer lugs. The need to provide these three types of tile presents manufacturing problems and is also annoying to retailers and users in that separate quantities of the different tiles require to be stocked and purchased and the installer must be careful to use the correct tiles at different locations. Problems also arise in connection with non-square tiles and tiles having directional patterns.

Because of these difficulties attempts have been made to produce a universal tile, that is a single tile which can be used as an ordinary tile and as an edge or corner tile, but previously proposed universal tiles have in themselves suffered from various disadvantages. In general such proposals have involved the provision of spacer lugs or other forms of projection on some or all the edges of the tile, which lugs have been liable to breakage or have not presented a clean appearance to exposed edges of the tile.

The present invention provides a ceramic tile at least two adjacent edges of which are inclined outwardly from the face towards the back of the tile at an equal constant angle of between 5 and 25 to a line normal to the face of the tile, throughout their lengths and widths. The remaining edges of the tile may be similarly sloped or may be provided with projecting spacer members.

The angle of inclination of the sloping edges is chosen such that the distance between the opposite edges of the sloping portion measured in a direction parallel to the plane of the back of the tile is equal to half the desired spacing between adjacent tiles after fixing.

If the tile is a glazed tile at least two adjacent outwardly sloping edges are preferably glazed, It is desirable to assist handling during the glazing operation that one edge of each tile should remain free of glaze.

In order to ensure that relative movement between the adjacent tiles after fixing is permitted to a sufficient degree, the back of the tile may be weakened in the areas adjacent the outwardly sloping edges to encourage fracture of the edges in these regions under pressure arising from compression of the joint between adjacent tiles.

The weakness may be introduced by providing channels or recesses in the back of the tile extending parallel to the outwardly sloping edges, or by other suitable means.

Where only two adjacent edges of the tile are outwardly sloping the remaining edges are preferably provided with two spacer lugs on each edge, one of which lugs is relatively long compared to the other, the positioning of the lugs being such that when two tiles are placed side by side the short lugs of each tile abut the longer lugs of the adjacent tile.

Pressures arising from relative movement of the fixed tiles then tend to cause crushing of the smaller lugs on both tiles.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of ceramic tile according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of an alternative form of tile; Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line III - III in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure t is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a modification.

Referring to Figure 1, the tile is of square shape having opposed pairs of parallel side edges 4. The edges slope outwardly from the face 5 towards the back 6 of the tile throughout their lengths as seen in Figure 3, the angle of inclination being selected such that the extent x by which the back 6 of the tile projects beyond the face 5 of the tile corresponds to half the width of the gap it is desired to provide between adjacent tiles when fixed.In the tile shown in Figure 1 all four edges are outwardly sloping but in the tile shown in Figure 2 only two adjacent edges 4A. 4B are outwardly sloping, the remaining edges 4C extending at right angles to the face and back of the tile and each being provided with two projecting spacer lugs 7 and 8 each of which projects from the associated edge by a distance equal to the distance x. One of the projecting spacer lugs 7 on each edge of the tile is relatively long in the direction of the edge of the tile compared with the lug 8, and the lugs are arranged relative to one another such that when any two tiles are placed adjacent to one another the long lugs 7 of each tile abut the short lugs 8 of the other tile. Bv virtue of this arrangement pressures arising from relative movement of adjacent tiles tend to cause crushing of the smaller lugs 8 on both tiles to compensate for the movement.

The adjacent sloping edges of the tile may terminate at the ends of each side as shown at 4D in Figure 2 or may extend beyond the ends to meet one another at points displaced radially outwardly of the corners of the tile.

Preferably however the sloping edges extend beyond the corners but are cut off to form a triangular flat as shown at 4E in Figures 1 and 2. This reduces interference between adjacent tiles when arranged at right angles to one another, as when tiling round corners, and facilitates the production of a uniform grouted joint at such points. It also improves the joints which are visible at the edges of tiled areas in the case of tiles mounted either on a flat surface or at right angles to one another as referred to above.

Preferably two adjacent outwardly sloping edges of the tile are glazed but it is desirable in order to facilitate handling that at least one edge of the tile should remain unglazed. It is preferred therefore that three edges of the tiles should be glazed, the glazed edges in the case of the Figure 2 embodiment being the two adjacent outwardly sloping edges.

Tiles constructed in accordance with Figures 1 and 2 are completely universal since the sloping edges and the spacer lugs, where provided, serve to space the edges of the tiles from the edges of adjacent tiles by a distance equal to 2x. When the tiles are fitted at the outer edge of a tiled area they are arranged such that one, and at corners two adjacent outwardly sloping edges are outermost. These edges present an extremely neat and attractive appearance since they are uniform throughout their length and are not provided with any form of lug or projection which detracts from the appearance of the exposed edge or edges of the tiled area.Since the edges are outwardly inclined throughout their lengths continuity is provided between the exposed edges of adjacent tiles and the sloping nature of the edges provides an improved finish compared with tiles having edges at right angles to the face and back of the tile.

A further advantage is that trimming operations can be readily carried out during manufacture to remove excess material following moulding of the tiles and to remove excess glaze prior to firing. In addition the moulds or dies used to produce the tiles may be of simpler and hence cheaper construction, particularly in the case where the tile is provided with four outwardly sloping edges since it is not necessary to form recesses in the dies to produce projections on the moulded tile. The die construction is also simplified where only two edges are sloping since recesses to form the lugs require to be provided at two sides of the die cavity only.

The angle of inclination of the sloping edges of the tile will vary depending on the thickness of the tile and the desired width of gap between adjacent tiles. This width is usually in the region of 2mm. and in the case of a standard 152mm. square tile 5.5mm.

thick the angle of inclination of the edge is likely to vary between about 10 and 12" to the vertical. In the case of a standard 108mm. square tile the angle to maintain a 2mm. gap width will be greater as such tiles are usually about 4mm thick and is likely to vary between about 13 and 18". In general the angle of inclination will normally be between 5 and 25 and preferably between 10 and 20 .

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment incorporating means to weaken the sloping edges of the tile in the regions adjacent to the tile back. For this purpose channels 10 are formed in the tile back 6 adjacent and parallel to the sloping edges 4.

The size of these channels may vary dependant upon requirements but satisfactory results have been achieved by providing semi-circular channels of 2mm. in diameter.

The effect of the channels is to encourage fracture of the edges 11 of the tile in the event of excessive pressure being exerted due to relative movement of the tiles after fixing. The edges of the tiles will crush to some extent under pressure without weakening and hence weakening of the edges may be unnecessary particularly in the case of relatively small tiles where there are more grouted joints in a given area. However where built-in weakness is thought desirable it may be effected in other ways, for example by the provision of series of parallel ribs and grooves extending across the back of the tile parallel to one of the outwardly sloping edges and normal to the adjacent outwardly sloping edge.

Thus there is provided a universal tile which is of simple construction and can be used as an internal or "field" tile. an edge tile or a corner tile while presenting an attractive continuous appearance at the exposed external edges of a tiled area. In addition the tile may be so constructed as to incorporate a built-in fracture facility at the outwardly sloping edges to facilitate relative movement of tiles after fixing due to expansion and contraction forces. Tiles according to the invention are distinguished from conventional round-edge tiles in that the edges are sloping rather than rounded and the extent to which the back of the tile projects beyond the face is related to the width of gap desired between adjacent tiles.

Various modifications may be made with- out departing from the invention and the invention may be applied to tiles of different shapes and thicknesses and for different purposes. Moreover where two sides of the tile are provided with projecting spacer members these may vary in number, size and arrangement as desired.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A ceramic tile at least two adjacent edges of which are inclined outwardly from the face towards the back of the tile at an equal constant angle of between 5 and 25 to a line normal to the face of the tile, throughout their lengths and widths.

2. A ceramic tile according to claim 1 wherein said angle is between 10 and 20 .

3. A ceramic tile according to claim 1 wherein said angle is between 13 and 18".

4. A ceramic tile according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the remaining edges of the tile=are also inclined outwardly from the face towards the back of the tile at a constant angle equal to the angle of the first-mentioned edges throughout their lengths and widths.

5. A ceramic tile according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the remaining edges of the tile are provided with projecting spacer members.

6. A ceramic tile according to claim 5 wherein said spacer members comprise spacer lugs, two of which are provided on each of said remaining edges of the tile, one of said lugs being relatively long compared with the other and the positioning of the lugs being such that when two tiles are placed side by side the short lugs of each tile abut the longer lugs of the adjacent tile.

7. A ceramic tile according to any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the face of the tile and said two adjacent edges are glazed.

8. A ceramic tile according to claim 4 wherein the face of the tile and all the edges of the tile are glazed.

9. A ceramic tile according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the face of the tile and both said inclined edges are glazed and at least one of the other edges is unglazed.

10. A ceramic tile according to any preceding claim wherein said adjacent inclined edges extend beyond the associated corner of the tile and are interconnected by a triangular flat.

11. A ceramic tile according to any preceding claim wherein the back of the tile is weakened adjacent said inclined edges.

12. A ceramic tile accordng to claim 11 wherein said weakness is introduced by providing channels or recesses in the back of the tile extending parallel to one of said inclined edges.

13. A ceramic tile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, or Figure 1 as modified by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A ceramic tile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2, or Figure 2 as modified by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. edges of the tile will vary depending on the thickness of the tile and the desired width of gap between adjacent tiles. This width is usually in the region of 2mm. and in the case of a standard 152mm. square tile 5.5mm. thick the angle of inclination of the edge is likely to vary between about 10 and 12" to the vertical. In the case of a standard 108mm. square tile the angle to maintain a 2mm. gap width will be greater as such tiles are usually about 4mm thick and is likely to vary between about 13 and 18". In general the angle of inclination will normally be between 5 and 25 and preferably between 10 and 20 . Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment incorporating means to weaken the sloping edges of the tile in the regions adjacent to the tile back. For this purpose channels 10 are formed in the tile back 6 adjacent and parallel to the sloping edges 4. The size of these channels may vary dependant upon requirements but satisfactory results have been achieved by providing semi-circular channels of 2mm. in diameter. The effect of the channels is to encourage fracture of the edges 11 of the tile in the event of excessive pressure being exerted due to relative movement of the tiles after fixing. The edges of the tiles will crush to some extent under pressure without weakening and hence weakening of the edges may be unnecessary particularly in the case of relatively small tiles where there are more grouted joints in a given area. However where built-in weakness is thought desirable it may be effected in other ways, for example by the provision of series of parallel ribs and grooves extending across the back of the tile parallel to one of the outwardly sloping edges and normal to the adjacent outwardly sloping edge. Thus there is provided a universal tile which is of simple construction and can be used as an internal or "field" tile. an edge tile or a corner tile while presenting an attractive continuous appearance at the exposed external edges of a tiled area. In addition the tile may be so constructed as to incorporate a built-in fracture facility at the outwardly sloping edges to facilitate relative movement of tiles after fixing due to expansion and contraction forces. Tiles according to the invention are distinguished from conventional round-edge tiles in that the edges are sloping rather than rounded and the extent to which the back of the tile projects beyond the face is related to the width of gap desired between adjacent tiles. Various modifications may be made with- out departing from the invention and the invention may be applied to tiles of different shapes and thicknesses and for different purposes. Moreover where two sides of the tile are provided with projecting spacer members these may vary in number, size and arrangement as desired. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A ceramic tile at least two adjacent edges of which are inclined outwardly from the face towards the back of the tile at an equal constant angle of between 5 and 25 to a line normal to the face of the tile, throughout their lengths and widths.