US2206201A - Tile and retaining means therefor - Google Patents

Description

y 1,940- r F. J. PLYM 2,206,201

TILE AND RETAINING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 27, 1938 Patented July 2, 1940 PATENT OFFICE TILE AND RETAINING S THEREFOR Francis J. Plym, Niles, Mich, assignor to The Kawneer Company, Niles, Mich., a. corporation of Michigan Application April 27, 1938, Serial No. 204,638

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to store fronts for, the exterior of building constructions and more particularly to the construction and combination of porcelain tile or pans and, retaining clips for anchoring these tile in an assembled position.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel construction of tile for covering or surfacing the exterior of a store front and members for retaining these tile in a desired position. A further object is to provide a novel tile or pan construction and a clip or moulding for, mounting and retaining the tile or pans in a predetermined position, but permitting the ready removaLor replacement of a damaged tile.

Another objectof the present invention is to" provide a novel. combination of tile members for coveringoa store front and retaining members therefor, the retaining members being in the form of clips adapted to be mounted in spaced relation upon a suitable backing whereby the ,surface to be covered is progressively built up more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing: 2 i

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a store front or window in which my invention is employed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section through the novel tile and retaining means.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the retaining clip and showing its manner of redow l in which the noveltile 2 takes the place of the usual brick, terra cotta or the like forming the outer surface of the store front. The novel tile 2 is shown in the formof a porcelain enamel pan having an inwardly and upwardly turned flange 3 at its upper edge and an inwardly and outwardly turned or curved flange 4 at its lower edge. The opposite sides, or edges 55 of the tile may bebent or projectedinwardly in any suitable manner. i

The novel retaining means for the tile comprises a flexible or resilient clip member S'so constructed and arranged as to anchor the upper edge of a lower tile and the lower edge of an upper tile, but permit their ready removal or replacement should a tile become broken or chipped. The clip 6 is formed with a channel-shaped seat or base 1 adapted to be rigidly attached to a strip or other backing 8 by a screw or other suitable attaching means .9 passing through an opening Ill in the base I. The clip or moulding beyond the base is formed to provide a riser or ledge ll forreceivingand retaining the flange 3 on the upper edge of a tile, an outwardly extending leg l2 and a rearwardly and outwardly extending yieldable or resilient flange l3 adapted to interlock with the flange 4 of the lower edge of a tile and so formed as to permit expansion and contraction so essential to anefficient surfacing or covering for the exterior of a building.

These clip members or mouldings are suitably spaced apart as more. clearly disclosed in Fig. 5 to yieldably, yet firmly, retain the tile sections in a predetermined adjusted position. In the assembly of the tile sections, a lower setor row of clips 6 is secured upon suitable strips, braces or other backing 8 and then an upper set or row of the clips is attached so as to mount and retain a lower row of tile. These tile are then mounted in position by forcing the upper edge of each tile under the risers ll, after which the lower edge 4 is forced or pressed over the flexible I or resilient flange l3 and interlocked therewith 1 to prevent accidentaldisplacement. Then the next upper row of clips is attached and the same procedure of mounting the tile sections is followed. Thus the construction is built up from the bottom. After the tile have been so assembled to cover the exterior, mastic or other suitable plastic isinserted between adjacent sections to provide a weather-proof seal.

Should one of the tile be damaged or broken, all that is required to remove and replace it is that the mastic or other weathering material used be removed from the spaces aboutthat particular tile and a screw driver or other instrument be inserted to depress the flexible flange E3 of the clip so as to allow for withdrawal of the lower flange 4 and edge of the tile, after which the upper flange 3 may be easily withdrawn and a new tile or section inserted to replace the one damaged and removed.

By the present construction and combination, I have provided a novel means and method of mounting and retainingtile for store fronts and the like wherein the tile are firmly, yet yieldably, secured in an assembled relation, but in which a chipped or broken tile may be'quickly removed and replaced without removal of any of the adjoining sections. This construction also permits an assembly of any desired dimensions, and one in which no attaching means are visible. Due to the resiliency or yieldability of the mounting or retaining means, provision is made for the necessary or required expansion or contraction due to temperature changes, to which an exterior surfacing is subjected, although it is to be understoodthat the present assembly'is also adapted for interior use. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the tile are retained in assembled relation by these resilient or flexible clips even though the tile may vary somewhat in their dimensions.

Having thus disclosed the invention,

I claim: i

1. In a wall surface covering, tile sections adapted to form the surface of the covering and provided with inwardly projecting flanges, and" means for anchoring the upper and lower flanges of each section in such manner that the tile sections are firmly. retained in assembled relation even though subjected to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, said means comprising spaced clips each having an ofi-set base adapted to be secured to a backing and provided with a riser portion to receive and anchor one edge of a tile section and a flexible portion extending outwardly from the riser and adapted to interlock with the adjacent edge of an adjoining tile section whereby each clip is adapted to retain adjacent edges of adjoining tile sections. 2. In a wall surface covering, tile sections adapted to form the surface of the covering and provided with inwardly projecting flanges, and means for anchoring the upper and lower flanges of each section in such manner that the tile sections are firmly retained in assembled relation even though subjected to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, said means comprising spaced clips adapted to be secured to a backing and each so formed as to receive and firmlyanchor one flange of a tile section between the clip and the backing and resiliently retain an adjacent flange of an adjoining tile section whereby each clip is adapted to anchor the adjacent flanges of adjoining tile sections.

3. In a wall surface covering, tile sections forming said covering and provided with inwardly bent edges, one edge extending inwardly and having a flange extending away from the section and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the section,.the opposite edge extending inwardly at an acute angle to the section and with'the free end curving in the opposite direction, and means attached to a backing and adapted to interlock with adjoining edgesto lock the sections to the backing.

4. In a wall surface covering, tile sections adapted to form the covering and provided with inwardly projecting flanges and means for an- 1 choring the adjoining flanges of each section in such manner that the sections are firmly retained in assembled relation even though subjected to expansion and contraction, said means comprising clips having a ledge portion for receiving and retaining a flange of one section, said portion extending outwardly and then rearwardly for receiving and retaining a flange of the adjoining section. FRANCIS J. PLYM.

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