US2111003A - Alignable tile - Google Patents

Description

March 15, 1938. K. F. PETTY ALIGNABLE TILE* Filed Dec. 28, 195e INVENTOR. K/RK PE 77)/ I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to decorative or finishing tile used for wall and floor covering, and has for its objects: First, to provide a composite tile having one or more resilient edges; second, to pro- 5 vide a tile having a vitreous body and a plurality of resiliently pliant edges whereby, after said tile is laid in a course, alignment may be effected; a third object is to provide a tile with a main body of solid material and certain portions of pre-de-v termined edges composed of a pliant material to aid in spacing and aligning after setting.vk

I attain the above objects by means of the construction and manufactures illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-Fig. 1 is a plan View of a rectangular form of my tile; Fig. 2, an end View thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan View of a hexagon form of tile; Fig. 4 is a front view of a portion of a wall laid with my type of tile; Fig. 5, a section thereof, taken substantially on line 5-5, 20 Fig. 4 and Fig. 6, a fragmentary perspective view of a slightly modified form of tile.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

Thebody of the tile, indicated by the numeral 2, is composed of the usual material, being baked clay usually with vitreous substance on the face thereof. After the tile is formed and finished, the edges are smoothed and two adjacent edges, such as 3 and 4 (Fig. l) are provided with spacercushions or pads indicated by 5 and 6, on edge 3, and 1 and 3 on edge 4. These cushions are composed of a resiliently pliant material and for this purpose I prefer to use non-deteriorating vulcanized rubber, although in some instances it is better to use resilient or loosely packed coarse felt or other similar fibrous substance. These spacer-cushions are preferably attached to the edges of the tiles by Water-proof cement. However, in the modified form shown in Fig. 6, edges of the tile body 2 are provided with dovetail shaped recesses I5, extending from the back toward, but not to the face. Fibrous spacer cushions I6 are fitted into these recesses Where they are retained by compression and the dovetail shape of the sides of the recesses. y,

It is to be noted that the spacer-cushions do not extend all the way across the edges to which they are attached, but leave a sufficient space on the edge next the outer face toretain the grout along the front edge, and permit a continuout finished joint.

It is necessary that the spacer-pads be placed on adjacent edges, or the equivalent thereof, so that there is adjustment between joints both 55 horizontally and vertically. For this reason when (Cl. 'I2-18) tile are shaped other than rectangular, such as the hexagon form shown in Fig. 3, spacers I2 are provided on three or sufficient adjacent sides to effect adjustment and alignment of each course after it is laid. 5

Tile, composed as above described, are set by first preparing a plastic setting-bed 9, (Figs. 4 and 5) upon which several courses of tile are then laid, starting from a vertical plumb line I0 on one edge and a horizontal baseboard I I at the 10 bottom. Before the setting-bed 9 sets the courses of the tile are aligned with a steel straight edge by tapping lightly with a mallet, according to the usual practice. Since the spacer-pads 3 and 4 are composed of a resilient or plastic substanceV to provide slight give or take-up between each of the contacting edges, this, I have found, is sufficient to permit any given course, or even several courses, to be aligned, so long as the setting-bed is in a plastic and adhesive condition. Alignment can be procured in the same way both vertically and horizontally. When alignment is satisfactory and the setting-bed has hardened, the tile are fixed in aligned positions by inserting grout cement I4, in the joints therebetween. This is made to cover the spaces in front of the spacer-` pads making a finished continuous joint. In Figs. 4 .and 5, grout is shown inserted in the lower joint Il, but it is not shown inserted into the upper joint I8, in order to more clearly indicate the position of the spacer-pads.

It is my intention to, in all cases, provide a tile having the spacer-pads permanently attached to comprise a unit structure, and avoid the additional handling of separate spacing devices now commonly used such as, string, sand and the like.

While I have described and illustrated the preferred form of my invention, it is apparent that, to those familiar with the art, numerous changes and substitutions may be made, all of which, however, would remain within the spirit of my disclosure. Therefore I Wish to be limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The self-aligning tile comprising, in combination, a body of fired-clay having a plurality of pre-determined adjacent edges providing with dovetailed recesses, extending from the back toward the front thereof and resiliently pliant spacer-pads retain Within said recesses by cornpression, and having their outer faces extending above the edge of the tile body from which they protrude.

2. A self-aligning tile comprising, in combination, a tile body of fired clay having its front and back faces parallel, joined by a plurality of edges substantially at right angles thereto, said edges being provided with a plurality of recesses extending from the back toward, but not to, the front face, with the walls thereof converging toward the outside to provide means of retention, in combination with resiliently pliant spacer pads shaped to ft within said recesses and having their ends converging outwardly to substantially conform to the corresponding parts of the recesses in said tile whereby they are retained therein, and having a at face extending outward and beyond the at edge of said tile wherein they are retained.

KIRK FRANCIS PETTY.

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