GB2483296A

GB2483296A - Tile marker

Info

Publication number: GB2483296A
Application number: GB1014687.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Abbott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-06
Filing date: 2010-09-06
Publication date: 2012-03-07
Also published as: GB201014687D0

Abstract

A tile marking tool for measuring a space to be tiled and marking wall, floor or ceiling tiles. The tool has a fixed jaw or fence 5 and a sliding jaw 2 held by retainers 3 and 4. The tool has a body 1 which includes adjustable guide 6 which automatically deducts the width of a grout space or some other specified length from the tile being marked. The tool is formed as a sliding caliper gauge.

Description

Tile Marker When tiling a room with wall, floor or ceiling tiles it is conventional to tile the center area and then cut further tiles to fill the perimeter. It is difficult to accurately measure the size required for the perimeter tiles as the wall, floor or ceiling being tiled up to is rarely straight making it necessary for one side of the tile to be a different length than the other.

Furthermore it is usual to deduct the width of two tile spacers from the measured distance to create a gap above and below the tile for grouting, increasing the risk of error as a calculation needs to be made to deduct the width of two tile spacers from the measured distance.

To overcome these problems the present invention provides a method of marking a tile so that it can be cut to fit a given space and to automatically deduct the width of one or two tile spacers without measurement or calculations. The tool can also be used to deduct a specified size from a given space without any measurement or calculation. A direct measurement of a space may also be taken without the use of additional measuring devices.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with references to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the parts of the tool.

Figure 2 shows the tool being used to determine the size of tile required to fit between a previously laid tile and a ceiling.

Figure 3 shows a row of previously laid tiles and the space in which the next tile needs to be fitted.

Figure 4 shows the tool positioned on a tile and a pencil being used to mark the tile at the first point.

Figure 5 shows the tool positioned on a tile and a pencil being used to mark the tile at the second point.

In figure 1, sliding jaw 2 is free to move in body 1 and is held in place by means of retainers 3 and 4. Retainer 4 is formed to provide friction between body 1 and sliding jaw 2 SO that it can be held in any required position. Attached to sliding jaw 2 is fence 5.

Sliding jaw 2 and fence 5 could be formed as one component or be separate components attached by screws or any other means. Guide 6 incorporates slot 7 and is held to body 1 by means of knurled screw 8. Loosening screw 8 will enable guide 6 to be adjusted and locked in the required position. One end of guide 6 is extended upwards to create an adjustable gap 9 between the extended part and body 1. The other end of guide 6 extends downwards into aperture 10. Scale 11 is included on body 1 or could be a separate label fixed in place. Sliding jaw 2 has calibrated scale 12 along part of its length.

In figure 2 the tool is being used to determine the size of tile required to fit between a row of previously laid wall tiles 14 and ceiling 15. In this instance a grout space is required above and below the tile to be laid. Before use, screw 8 is loosened and guide 6 is moved to open gap 9. Two tile spacers similar to those being used to space the previously laid tiles are placed in gap 9 whilst guide 6 is lightly pushed against the tile spacers and screw 8 retightened. The tile spacers are then removed.

The design of the tool is such that the distance between fence S at point C and guide 6 at point D will be now be equal to the distance between the ceiling E and the top of the previously laid tiles F, minus the width of two tile spacers. If only one grout width had been required, then one tile spacer would have been used to set the tool instead of two. If a specific size gap is required instead of a grout gap it can be set by aligning mark 13 on guide 6 to the required dimension with reference to the scale 11.

The tool is held in the position shown and sliding jaw 2 is adjusted until the space betwecn the tile 14 and ceiling 15 is lightly gripped. The tool is then removed without moving sliding jaw 2 and positioned on the tile to be cut.

In figure 3 the problem of determining the size of a tile to be cut is shown. As the top of the previously laid tile 14 is not parallel with the ceiling 15, the tool is first used to determine length A. The tile is marked with a pencil and then the tool is used to determine length B and a second mark made on the tile.

In figure 4 the tool has been positioned on the tile to be marked after determining length A. Fence S is held against the tile edge and pencil 17 is used against guide 6 to make the first mark the tile.

In figure 5 the tool has been positioned on the tile to be marked after determining length B. Fence S is held against the tile edge and pencil 17 is used against guide 6 to make a second mark on the tile. The two pencil marks are then joined using the tool itself as a straight edge; no additional straight edge is needed for this. If the tile is cut where marked the tile will now fit perfectly next to the previously laid tiles with the required grout space or spaces.

A further use of the tool is the ability to measure the distance between two points where the actual measurement can be read with reference to scale 12 and mark 18 on body 1.

In figure 2 the distance between the ceiling E and the top of the tiles F can be read with reference to scale 12 and mark 18. The measurement is shown in this instance to be 7mm.

Claims

Claims 1. A tile marking tool for marking a wall, floor or ceiling tile prior to being cut without the need to measure the size required, with a sliding jaw and fence held by retainers and a body which includes an adjustable guide that automatically deducts the width of a grout space or spaces from the tile being marked.
2. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 which automatically deducts one or two grout spaces from the tile being marked without calculation or measurement.
3. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 which will automatically deduct a specific size from the tile being marked without calculation or measurement.
4. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 which will deduct a given size from a measured distance by reference to a scale marked on or attached to the body by any means.
5. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 which will transfer the distance between two points onto a tile without measuring.
6. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 which will give a direct reading of the distance between two points by reference to a scale marked on or attached to the sliding jaw by any means.
7. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 in which the sliding jaw includes a fence as an integral part and constructed from plastic or any other material
8. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 in which the sliding jaw is constructed from any material with a separate fence attached by means of screws or any other method.
9. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 where a retainer is used to provide friction between the sliding jaw and the body.
10. A tile marking tool according to claim 9 where friction between the sliding jaw and the body is provided by any other means.
11. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 where the tool itself can be used as straight edge for drawing a line.
12. A tile marking tool according to claim 1 with a sliding jaw and fence held to the body by retainers or any other method.