GB2093495A

GB2093495A - Tile Edge Trim Strip

Info

Publication number: GB2093495A
Application number: GB8105980A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BOB S TILE CENTRE Ltd
Current assignee: BOB S TILE CENTRE Ltd
Priority date: 1981-02-25
Filing date: 1981-02-25
Publication date: 1982-09-02

Abstract

A tile edging strip (1) for an array of tiles (e.g. on a flow or wall) is of a substantially L-shaped cross-section, comprising a base portion (2) and an edge portion (3) thereon. The base portion has a plurality of apertures (4) therethrough, each of a substantially right-angled triangular configuration. The apertures act as a key for mortar and, when the strip is cut (at 4a and 4b) facilitate bending thereof around angles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tile Edging Strip This invention relates to an edging strip and more particularly an edging strip for bordering an arrangement of tiles such as wall tiles or floor tiles.

It is a common practice, for example when fixing tiles in an array which extends only part way up a wall, for the tiles in the uppermost row on the wall to be of the rounded-edge type in order to provide a neat edge to the tile array. Rounded-edge tiles are also often used for forming vertical edges of tile arrays, for example at external corners of walls. However, in spite of the edges of such tiles being rounded off, while giving a pleasant aesthetic appearance, the tile may still be susceptible to damage such as chipping at the edge of the tile or the like.

Furthermore, for various reasons it may happen that the upper edges of the uppermost tiles on a wall, or the free edges of floor tiles have to be cut edges, instead of the finished edges of the tiles, and there may be a tendency for such edges to be somewhat ragged unless the edges are carefully and meticulously smoothed out. This however can be a time-consuming and laborious process.

According to the present invention, there is provided an edging strip comprising a base portion and a projecting edge portion thereon, to form a border to an array tiles, the base portion having a number of apertures therethrough, wherein each aperture is generally of a rightangled triangular configuration.

Preferably, the hypotenuse of each triangular aperture extends at least substantially parallel to the edge portion which in turn projects from the base portion substantially perpendicularly thereto.

The hypotenuse of each triangular aperture may be aligned with the adjoining surface of the raised edge portion, or it may be spaced at a small distance therefrom.

When the edging strip is for example 2 metres in length, which is a typical strip length, the base portion will preferably have 50 apertures therethrough, at a pitch of 40 mm (the pitch is measured as the distance between the rightangled corner of one triangular aperture and the corresponding corner of the adjacent aperture).

In a further preferred feature of the invention, the right-angled corner of the triangle will not in fact come to a point, but instead the corner will be cut off short of the point in order thereby to form a short flat surface at the corner. Equally, the other corners of the triangular apertures may be rounded off, without detriment to proper use of the edging strip.

An embodiment of an edging strip according to the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of part of an edging strip, and Figure 2 shows an end view of the edging strip of Figure 1.

Referring firstly therefore to Figure 1, an edging strip more particularly for edging an array of tiles comprises a strip 1 of suitable material such as aluminium, which may be for example an extrusion. The strip 1 comprises a base portion 2 and an edge portion 3 which, as shown in Figure 2, projects from an edge of the base portion 2 substantially perpendicularly thereto and which preferably has a rounded edge at its bottom left corner as viewed in Figure 2.The width of the edging strip, as indicated at! in Figure 2, is approximately 25 millimetres (1 inch), the thickness of the base portion 2, as indicated at tin Figure 2, is approximately 1.6 millimetres (1/16 inch), the height of the edge portion 3 as indicated at h in Figure 2 is approximately 6 millimetres (4 inch), and the thickness of the edge portion, as indicated at te, is approximately 3 millimetres ( 8 inch). It will be seen from the abovespecified dimensions, given by way of example, that the illustrated edging strip is light and easy to handle. Furthermore, the material of which the edging strip is made will preferably be relativeiy ductile and thus readily bendable, for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter.

Formed in the base portion 2 of the edging strip is a plurality of apertures 4 which each extends totally through the base portion 2 and which are produced for example by a punching operation. As will be seen from Figure 1, each aperture 4 is of a generally triangular configuration, more specifically a right-angled triangle, with the right-angled corner of the triangle facing upwardly in Figure 1. The hypotenuse of each triangular aperture 4 is disposed closely adjacent to and at least substantially parallel to the adjacent surface of the projecting edge portion 3, although the hypotenuse of each triangular aperture 4 may actually coincide with the above-mentioned surface of the edge portion 3.The opposite corner of the triangle does not in fact go to a right-angled corner, but instead is cut off short of the point, thereby to form a short surface 5 which is for example about 6 mm in length in the illustrated embodiment. This configuration of that corner of each aperture 4 will facilitate bending the strip in the manner described hereinafter, while also ensuring that the triangular aperture is of the maximum dimension transversely of the edging strip, without too closely approaching the edge of the strip and thus weakening it.

The other corners of each aperture4 are rounded, to facilitate making the apertures and thus restrict the danger of the strip splitting at those corners.

The apertures 4 are arranged for example at a pitch of 40 mm, the pitch distance being measured as the distance between the notional right-angle corners of two adjacent triangular openings. Thus, a 2 metre length of edging strip will have 50 holes distributed along the length thereof.

In use of the edging strip, the adhesive or mortar bed on which the tiles are to be set, whether on a wall or on a floor or like surface, is first laid in the usual manner. The position at which the edge of the tiles is to occur is established, and the edging strip is then suitably laid in position in the mortar bed. When the edging strip is pressed down into firm contact with the surface on which the tiles are to be laid therefore, the mortar will rise up through the triangular apertures 4, so that when the mortar has set the edging strip will be firmly located against movement in a direction parallel to the surface on which the bed is laid. The upwardly displaced mortar portions which thus engage into the triangular apertures 4, will therefore act as locating means to prevent the edging strip from shifting.

The tiles are then laid in the usual manner, with the edge tiles lying over the base portion 2 of the strip 1, and the edges of these tiles butting against the adjoining surface of the raised edge portion 3, being the surface which faces upwardly in both Figures 1 and 2. The strip may be slightly adjusted as required in order for the edge portion to lie snugly against the edge of the tiles. The tiles therefore ensure that the edging strip is satisfactorily held in place against the mortar bed and thus cannot lift away from the subjacent surface, which could otherwise cause the strip to become disengaged from the mortar portions which provide the lateral locating action.

In some circumstances, it may be desired to take the edging strip around a corner, which may vary between a right-angled corner and a corner of substantially greater radius, at the edge of the tile array. For this purpose, the edging strip shown in Figure 1 is simply cut at the corners 4a and 4b of the appropriate triangular aperture, which are adjacent the raised edge portion 3, thus forming two edge surfaces, previously formed by the sides of the triangle aperture adjoining the right-angled corner thereof, which act as abutment faces to enable the user of the edging strip to bend the strip into a right-angled configuration.If an angle less than a right-angle is required, then the edging strip is cut in the same way, at the respective corners of the appropriate triangular aperture, and then set at the required angle without however the abutment faces coming into abutment in the above-indicated manner.

It will be seen therefore that the triangular openings not only enable mortar to engage thereinto to locate the edging strip, but also, and just as important, enable the strip readily to be bent through any angle up to and including a right angle around an inside corner.

It will be appreciated that, in order to arrange the above-described edging strip around an outside corner, the edging strip will then be cut appropriately; for example, when the outside corner is a 900 angle, then the edging strip can simply be cut at two places, one cut being along an inclined side of one triangular aperture 4 and a second cut being made along the adjacent inclined side of the adjoining triangular aperture.

As the two sides of the adjoining apertures are at 450 to the longitudinal direction of the edging strip, the cuts made along those sides will thus form a 900 angle to facilitate setting up the edging strip.

This form of cutting to fit the edging strip around an outside corner could be avoided in a modified embodiment of the edging strip. which is generally similar to the strip shown in Figure 1 but which additionally has a second row or array of substantially triangular apertures, each of which is disposed between two adjacent triangular apertures indicated at 4 in Figure 1. The triangular apertures of the second array will thus point in the opposite direction to the triangular apertures of the first array. When such a strip is to be used for going around an outside corner at the edge of a tile array, the appropriate triangular aperture of the second array is simply cut at the corners at each end of the hypotenuse of that aperture, in a similar manner to the cuts made at 4a and 4b through the edge portion 3 in Figure 1 when going round an inside corner.The edging strip can then be suitably bent around the corner. In such a case however, it may be necessary to reduce the thickness of the raised edge portion 3 in order to allow that portion to bend satisfactorily around the edge of the tiles, that is to say, without buckling or creasing which would detrimentally affect the appearance of the edging strip.

The above-described edging strips may be used in various ways, for example as upper or side edge members when fixing tiles to a wall, as edging members when laying tiles on a horizontal surface such as a floor, or for forming a neat edge between two surfaces on which tiles are to be laid, for example at an outside corner where there is a window rebate. At ail these locations, the edging strip will provide protection for the tiles to reduce the danger of chipping and cracking and like damage.

Various modifications may be made in the above-described invention without thereby departing from the scope thereof.

Claims (Filed 24 Feb 1982) 1. A tile edging strip comprising a base portion and a projecting edge portion thereon, to form a border to an array of tiles, the base portion having a number of apertures therethrough, wherein each aperture is generally of a right-angled triangular configuration.

2. A tile edging strip according to claim 1 wherein said edge portion is substantially perpendicular to said base portion.

3. A tile edging strip according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hypotenuse of each triangular aperture extends at least substantially parallel to the edge portion.

4. A tile edging strip according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the hypotenuse of each aperture is disposed at a small spacing from the adjacent surface of said edge portion.

5. A tile edging strip according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least the right

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

Claims

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

whether on a wall or on a floor or like surface, is first laid in the usual manner. The position at which the edge of the tiles is to occur is established, and the edging strip is then suitably laid in position in the mortar bed. When the edging strip is pressed down into firm contact with the surface on which the tiles are to be laid therefore, the mortar will rise up through the triangular apertures 4, so that when the mortar has set the edging strip will be firmly located against movement in a direction parallel to the surface on which the bed is laid. The upwardly displaced mortar portions which thus engage into the triangular apertures 4, will therefore act as locating means to prevent the edging strip from shifting.

The tiles are then laid in the usual manner, with the edge tiles lying over the base portion 2 of the strip 1, and the edges of these tiles butting against the adjoining surface of the raised edge portion 3, being the surface which faces upwardly in both Figures 1 and 2. The strip may be slightly adjusted as required in order for the edge portion to lie snugly against the edge of the tiles. The tiles therefore ensure that the edging strip is satisfactorily held in place against the mortar bed and thus cannot lift away from the subjacent surface, which could otherwise cause the strip to become disengaged from the mortar portions which provide the lateral locating action.

In some circumstances, it may be desired to take the edging strip around a corner, which may vary between a right-angled corner and a corner of substantially greater radius, at the edge of the tile array. For this purpose, the edging strip shown in Figure 1 is simply cut at the corners 4a and 4b of the appropriate triangular aperture, which are adjacent the raised edge portion 3, thus forming two edge surfaces, previously formed by the sides of the triangle aperture adjoining the right-angled corner thereof, which act as abutment faces to enable the user of the edging strip to bend the strip into a right-angled configuration.If an angle less than a right-angle is required, then the edging strip is cut in the same way, at the respective corners of the appropriate triangular aperture, and then set at the required angle without however the abutment faces coming into abutment in the above-indicated manner.

It will be seen therefore that the triangular openings not only enable mortar to engage thereinto to locate the edging strip, but also, and just as important, enable the strip readily to be bent through any angle up to and including a right angle around an inside corner.

It will be appreciated that, in order to arrange the above-described edging strip around an outside corner, the edging strip will then be cut appropriately; for example, when the outside corner is a 900 angle, then the edging strip can simply be cut at two places, one cut being along an inclined side of one triangular aperture 4 and a second cut being made along the adjacent inclined side of the adjoining triangular aperture.

As the two sides of the adjoining apertures are at

450 to the longitudinal direction of the edging strip, the cuts made along those sides will thus form a 900 angle to facilitate setting up the edging strip.

This form of cutting to fit the edging strip around an outside corner could be avoided in a modified embodiment of the edging strip. which is generally similar to the strip shown in Figure 1 but which additionally has a second row or array of substantially triangular apertures, each of which is disposed between two adjacent triangular apertures indicated at 4 in Figure 1. The triangular apertures of the second array will thus point in the opposite direction to the triangular apertures of the first array. When such a strip is to be used for going around an outside corner at the edge of a tile array, the appropriate triangular aperture of the second array is simply cut at the corners at each end of the hypotenuse of that aperture, in a similar manner to the cuts made at 4a and 4b through the edge portion 3 in Figure 1 when going round an inside corner.The edging strip can then be suitably bent around the corner. In such a case however, it may be necessary to reduce the thickness of the raised edge portion 3 in order to allow that portion to bend satisfactorily around the edge of the tiles, that is to say, without buckling or creasing which would detrimentally affect the appearance of the edging strip.

The above-described edging strips may be used in various ways, for example as upper or side edge members when fixing tiles to a wall, as edging members when laying tiles on a horizontal surface such as a floor, or for forming a neat edge between two surfaces on which tiles are to be laid, for example at an outside corner where there is a window rebate. At ail these locations, the edging strip will provide protection for the tiles to reduce the danger of chipping and cracking and like damage.

Various modifications may be made in the above-described invention without thereby departing from the scope thereof.

Claims (Filed 24 Feb 1982) 1. A tile edging strip comprising a base portion and a projecting edge portion thereon, to form a border to an array of tiles, the base portion having a number of apertures therethrough, wherein each aperture is generally of a right-angled triangular configuration.
2. A tile edging strip according to claim 1 wherein said edge portion is substantially perpendicular to said base portion.
3. A tile edging strip according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hypotenuse of each triangular aperture extends at least substantially parallel to the edge portion.
4. A tile edging strip according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the hypotenuse of each aperture is disposed at a small spacing from the adjacent surface of said edge portion.
5. A tile edging strip according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least the right

angled corner of each said aperture is not of a sharply pointed shape.
6. A tile edge strip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
7. A method of fitting a tile edging strip according to any one of the preceding claims, including a portion extending around a corner of a said tile array, wherein to fit around said tile array corner, a said edging strip is cut at two positions in alignment with respective ones of the inclined sides of a said aperture, and the strip is bent around the remaining corner of said aperture thereby to form an angled configuration at any angle up to and including a right angle.
8. A method of fitting a tile edging strip according to claim 7 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.