GB2504882A

GB2504882A - Removable tile spacer

Info

Publication number: GB2504882A
Application number: GB1319746.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Hemingway
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-11-23
Filing date: 2010-11-22
Publication date: 2014-02-12
Also published as: GB2475777A; GB0920462D0; GB201319746D0; GB2475777B; GB201019742D0

Abstract

A removable tile spacer 22 comprises an elongate body with a cruciform cross section. The spacer 22 may be between 30 and 35 mm long and may have four limbs which are 2.25mm thick. The spacer 22 may be of a resilient material, such as PVC, and may be formed as an extrusion which is cut to length. The spacer 22 is used at the corner of four tiles to ensure correct spacing and projects form the surface of the tiles sufficiently to be gripped by a user for removal once tile adhesive has set.

Description

Tiling device The invention to which this application relates is a tiling device for fittinu tiles to walls. h

It is common to fit tiles to walls in rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens to provide a water-resistant surface. Typically tiles are arranged in a grid-like pattern, with the gridlines running horizontally and vertically for an aesthetically pleasing effect of rows and columns.

Of course, the height of the wall does not usually equate to the height of an exact number of tiles such that it is typically necessary to cut the tiles making up at least one row. Usually the top and bottom rows are cut substantially evenly, as it is difficult to cut tiles thinly, as may be necessary if only one row was cut. In addition, cutting both rows in such circumstances tends to provide a more aesthetically pleasing result.

Tiles are normally fixed by applying adhesive to the reverse surface thereof, then placing the tiles onto the wall in the appropriate position. As the adhesive is not yet set at this point, the tile often rests on the tile or other surface therebelow, separated by a tile spacer to allow grout to be inserted into the resulting gap thereafter once the adhesive has set and the tile is supported by the wall.

I lowever, as it is difficult to cut tiles with precision, it is not appropriate to use the lowest row (of cut tiles) as a guide for subsequent rows, as small deviations in the tile sizes in the cut tiles can lead to the higher rows becoming uneven.

Conventionally therefore, a length of wood is screwed to the wall for supporting the lowest uncut row. A spirit level can be used to ensure that the wood, and accordingly the row of tiles, is horizontal.

After the adhesive has set, the wood can be removed and the tiles cut for the lowest row can be inserted thereunder for a neat finish -A disadvantage with this system is that the wood may bend under the weight of the tiles, particularly when used with larger heavier tiles. In addition the wood has to be removed and/or disposed of after completing the job, which is inconvenient.

A further disadvantage is that walls are rarely flat and straight, especially in older buildings, and it is therefore difficult to ensure that the finished surface of the tiles is in the same plane when the walls are uneven, as some tiles may protrude or be recessed in some areas compared to the rest of the tiles. It is possible to lever out uneven tiles using a screwdriver for example, but this often results in breakage of the tile as the force is applied at an angle.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a tiling device which overcomes one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages.

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided a tiling device for use in tiling a surface, comprising an elongate support member for supporting one or more tiles, wherein at least one rear member is fitted to the support member for aligning tiles with respect to the distance between the tiles and the surface.

Typically the surface is a wall.

Thus the tile device provides hori2ontal alignment of the tiles via the support member and lateral alignment i.e. depth from the wall via the rear member. Typically the support member supports the tiles via their edges, and the rear member extends behind the tiles i.e. between the rear and the wall or other surface.

Tn one embodiment the position of the rear member is adjustable with respect to the support member. Typically the rear member is provided with one or more slots through which screws or other adjustment means may protrude to allow the position thereof to be adjusted.

Typically the rear member is formed as a backplate which extends substantially along the length of the support member.

Typically the support member is a square or rectangular tube.

In one embodiment the support member is telescopic. In one embodiment the support members are interconnectable.

In one embodiment two or more support members may be connected by clamping means. Typically the clamping means includes an elongate member which is C-shaped in cross-section and fits over the ends of each support member.

In a further embodiment two or more support members may be connected via an insertion member extending inside at least a portion of both support members and secured to each tiling device via securing means extending through an aperture in the surface of each support member.

Typically the support member is rigid.

In one embodiment, the support member is made from 3mm thick extruded engineering grade aluminium.

In one embodiment, the rear member is made from stainless steel.

In one embodiment the support member is supported by one or more legs. Typically the legs are adjustable to allow the height of the support member to be adjusted. Typically the legs are provided with a screw thread to allow height adjustment thereof.

Typically the legs are provided with feet. Tn one embodiment the feet are rotatably adjustable with respect to the leg. In one embodiment the feet may be provided with apertures to allow the feet to be secured to the supporting surface via the same.

Typically the legs are provided at the ends of the support member. In one embodiment a leg may be provided around the middle of the support member, which may be fixed to the supporting surface. The middle leg thus helps stabilise the device with the rear member against the wall to be tiled.

In one embodiment the legs are provided with attachment means for detachably attaching to the support member.

Typically the attachment means are in the form of a grip, but it will be appreciated that any suitable means could be used.

Typically the grip is provided with a knob, grub screw, or the like, for adjusting the hold of the grip on the support member. 31)

In one embodiment the support member is supported by support arms, which in turn are supported by legs. Typically each of the support arms is a square or rectangular tubular structure. In one embodiment the arms are provided with threaded apertures through which the legs adjustably extend.

In one embodiment a spirit level is provided for the support member and/or support arms. In one embodiment the or each sprit level is integrally formed in the device.

Tn a further embodiment the spirit lev& is formed as part of a member which is C-shaped in cross-section and fits over the support member. Typically the C-shaped member is provided with attachment means to secure the same to the support member.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a tile removal device comprising a handle portion, and an arm portion for insertion between tiles, wherein the arm portion is L-shaped such that the distal end thereof may be abutted against the rear surface of a tile.

Typically the distal end of the arm portion is ins ertable between the tiles, and may be turned through 90° to ensure the distal end extends across the rear surface of the tile.

Thus by inserting the tile removal device between the tile joints and rotating the same, the user can remove or laterally align the tile by pulling the device. As the distal end of the device extends across the rear surface evenly, the forces applied thereto are spread out so that the risk of cracking the tile is minimised.

In one embodiment the arm portion has a diameter of approximately 2.2mm, although it will be appreciated that any suitable diameter may be used to fit between tiles.

Typically the handle portion is made from plastic and/or aluminium, and the arm portion is made from hardened steel.

In one embodiment the handle and arm portions are connected via corresponding screw threads.

In a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a tile spacer comprising a member which is cross-shaped in cross-section for spacing tiles apart in a grid-like pattern, wherein the member is elongate to allow the same to be gripped by the user and removed from the tiles after use.

Typically the tile spacer is 20-50mm in length. Preferably the tile spacer is around 30-35mm in length.

In one embodiment each tile spacer is cut from an extruded length or around lm or more. Typically the extruded length may be used to support borders or mosaics.

Typically the tile spacer is made from a resilient material such as PVC. Thus in contrast to the prior art, the tile spacer is rigid rather than being brittle. As such the tile spacer helps maintain the right-angled orientation of the tiles.

In one embodiment each arm of the cross of the tile spacer has a diameter of approximately 2.23mm, equating to the resultant spacing between the tiles, although it will be appreciated that the diameter may be si2ed to any dimension to suit the requirements of the user. It will also be appreciated that in this embodiment the aforementioned diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the arm portion of the tile removal device to allow easy insertion of the same between tiles.

In a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts for a tiling system comprising at least one tiling device, at least one tile removal device and at least one tile spacer, as herein described.

In one embodiment the kit includes an uncut extruded length of tile spacer for use in supporting borders, mosaics, or the like.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of tiling a surface comprising the steps of positioning a tiling device against the surface, said tiling device comprising an elongate support member supported by legs, and a rear member for abutting against the surface; placing one or more tiles on the support member such that they are supported by their edges characterised in that the rear surfaces of the tiles extend over the surface and the rear member.

In one embodiment the legs are adjusted to change the height and/or angle of the support member.

In one embodiment adhesive is applied to the tiles and/or surface to be tiled.

Typically, tile spacers are removably inserted between tiles to space apart and maintain the orientation of the tiles.

In one embodiment the lateral position of the tile with respect to the surface is adjustable by using a tile removal device. 31)

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described wherein: -Figure 1 iflustrates a tiling device according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a leg for a tiling device according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a tile removal device according to an embodiment of the invention (a) with handle (b) without handle.

Figure 4 illustrates a tile spacer according to an embodiment of the invention (a) from above (b) from the side.

Figure 5 iflustrates a leg for a tiling device according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 illustrates a close-up view of a portion of a tiling device according to a further embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figure 1, there is illustrated a tiling device 2 comprising an elongate support member in the form of an aluminium square tube 4, and a stainless steel backplate 6 extending along the rear edge thereof. It will be appreciated that other materials could be used which are impervious to corrosion from grout, adhesive, and the like.

With further reference to Figure 2, the tube 4 is supported by legs 8 which are threaded so as to be adjustable with respect to grips 10 through which the threads 14 extend, via knobs 12.

The grips are C-shaped to match the outer surface of the tube member, and are provided with grub screws 24 to adjust the hold on the tube member. It will be appreciated that the grips could include a spirit level to check the alignment of the tube 4, or could be lengthened and provided with two grub screws so that the grip could overlap two tubes and be used to connect the same together, the screws being tightened on the respective tubes.

The legs may be provided with feet 16 to improve stability of the device on the floor 18 or other supporting surface.

With further reference to Figure 5, a different leg configuration is illustrated wherein instead of a grub screw, a threaded knob 38 is used to more easily adjust the hold of the grip member 10 on the tube member 4. In addition, the foot 44 is cross-shaped and made of metal instead of being a triangular piece of plastic.

Advantageously, one of the limbs of the cross is longer than the others, and the foot is connected to the thread 14 such that the position of the longer limb 40 can be rotated about the thread.

The longer limb 40 can therefore extend in the same direction as the grip 10 for greater support, or away from the grip such that the foot can be secured to the floor using a nail or the like via aperture 42.

Once the legs have been connected to the tube member 4, the tiling device is abutted against a wall 36 such that the backplate 6 is substantially flush with the wall. The legs are adjusted to ensure that the tube 4 is horizontal.

Tiles 20 can then be fitted to the wall with adhesive, being supported by the tube 4 such that they are arranged in a horizontal row without the potential deformation associated 31) Another advantage is that as the tiles extend over the backplate 6, they are also spaced equidistantly from the wall, even if the wall is uneven.

With reference to Figure 6, if a section of wall to be tiled is longer than the tiling device, a second tiling device can be abutted up against the first tiling device. As mentioned above these can be connected together via an elongate C-shaped member or, as illustrated, via an inner insertion member 46. The insertion member extends inside at least a portion of both tubes and is secured to each tiling device via a threaded knob 48 which extends through an aperture in the surface of each tube.

The tiles are spaced apart by tile spacers 22 as illustrated in figures 4a-b, which are inserted between tiles so as to abut the wall, but are long enough to be removed from the tiles once the adhesive is set. Thus, the tile spacers are reuseable.

Another advantage is that, as the tile spacers are made from rigid PVC, they help maintain the grid like pattern of tiles in neat horizontal rows and vertical columns.

After the adhesive has set, the tiling device2 can simply be removed from the tiles by detaching the legs 8 therefrom and lowering the device beyond the row of tiles previously supported there b.

A row of tiles can then be cut to fit the gap between the floor 18 and said row.

With reference to Figures 3a-b there is illustrated a tile removal device 26 comprising a handle 28 for gripping by the user, a body portion 30, and an L-shaped arm portion 32, the distal end 34 of which is bent so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to the rest of the arm.

The arm portion 32 of the tile removal device is thin enough to be inserted into the gap between adjacent tiles 20, and rotated through 90° such that the distal end 34 extends behind a tile 20.

The user can now pull the tile outwards to adjust the lateral spacing with respect to the wall, or even remove the tile completely. As the force applied to the tile is more evenly distributed compared to conventional means, the risk of damaging the desired tile or its neighbours is minimised.

Thus a tiling system can be provided comprising a tiling device for supporting tiles, tile spacers for spacing apart the tiles, and tile removal devices for adjusting the depth and/or removing defective tiles.

Advantageously, the system reduces the time spent in fixing and levelling the tiles using conventional means by about half.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention may also include further additional modifications made to the device which does not affect the overall functioning of the device.

Claims

Claims 1. A tile spacer comprising a member which is cross-shaped in cross-section, wherein the member is elongate to allow the same to be gripped by the user and removed from the tiles after use.
2. A tile spacer according to claim I wherein the member is 20-50mm in length.
3. A tile spacer according to claim 1 wherein the member is 30-35mm in length.
4. A tile spacer according to claims 1-3 wherein each tile spacer is cut from an extruded length which in its uncut form may be used to support borders or mosaics.
5. A tile spacer according to any of claims 1-4 wherein the tile spacer is made from a resilient material.
6. A tile spacer according to any of claim 5 wherein the resilient material is PVC.
7. A tile spacer according to any of claims 1-6 wherein each arm of the cross of the tile spacer has a diameter of approximately 2.25mm.
8. A tile spacer according to any of claims 1-6 wherein each arm of the cross of the tile spacer has a diameter equating to the spacing required by a user between tiles in use.
9. A tile spacer according to claim 1 wherein the member is of such length so as to be removable from between the tiles once adhesive surrounding the tiles has set in use.