Patent Application
20170183880
BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates generally devices for setting and arranging tile and other non-vegetative floor or ground coverings on a substrate. In particular, a tile and non-vegetative ground covering setting and arranging device having turnable supports is described.
Known tile setting devices are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. When creating, for example, a pathway or floor, the tiles or stones are laid on a very carefully plotted substrate that is designed to hold several tiles or stones. The substrate typically includes an adhering agent such as sand or glue which has been carefully spread over the substrate to properly receive and retain the tiles or the stones. In many applications, tiles or stones are arranged by simply dropping them in place using a template or other type of guide. Thus, if a tile is accidently dropped or misplaced, removing it will cause damage to the substrate and the user will have to resurface or reapply the adhering agent before she can continue with the tile setting project. This results in added frustration and a waste of time and money for the user.
Using conventional devices for setting and arranging tiles, paving stones, or other types of non-vegetative floor or ground coverings, existing setting devices do not adequately provide a means to properly space the tiles to achieve symmetry. In addition, conventional tile setting devices do not adequately provide a way to arrange the tiles so as not to disturb the substrate, which can lead to imperfect and uneven arrangement, which results in increased time, cost, and effort to repair. Finally, conventional setting devices are not equipped to remove and re-set a tile or a stone without damaging the substrate in the event a mistake is made.
Thus, there exists a need for a setting device that improves upon and advances the design of known setting devices.
The present disclosure is directed to a device for arranging tiles, paver stones, and other types of floor or ground coverings on a substrate. The device comprises a platform, at least one housing, a plurality of parallel slidable rods having turnable members, at least one perpendicular slidable rod having a stationing means, and an adequate number of securing means to maintain integrity of the device.
The disclosed tile setting device will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.
Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various tile setting devices are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.
With reference to
Setting device 100 includes a platform 110, at least one housing 120, at least one lower housing, 111, a plurality of parallel slidable rods 130, at least one perpendicular slidable rod 140, a plurality of turnable support means 150, and at least one stationing means 145. A setting device embodying the principles of the present invention can have any desired number of housing 120 and slidable rod 130. However, proper support of a tile of any shape requires a sufficient number to keep it from wobbling or slipping out of the device as it is transported. In accordance with the advantageousness of the invention, and as shown in the figures, setting device 100 illustratively has two housings 120, one lower housing 111, four parallel slidable rods 130, and one perpendicular slidable rod 140. It is an object of the present invention that platform 110 may support more than two housing(s) 120, more than one lower housing 111, more than four parallel slidable rod(s) 130, and more than one perpendicular slidable rod 140. Further, also shown in
As can be seen in
Also shown in
Referring now to
Once first parallel slidable rod 131 and second parallel slidable rod 132 are in the desired positions, the user tightens rod stay 123 (shown in
In the present embodiment, parallel slidable rod may be substantially block shaped and further comprise an aperture (not shown) located at the distal end of parallel slidable rod to receive parallel slidable rod 130. Parallel slidable rod further comprises a bracket 151that is affixed to the distal end of parallel slidable rod 130 as shown. Bracket 151 is affixed lengthwise over distal end of parallel slidable rod 130 and functions to retain a turnable support means 150 as shown.
Turnable support means 150 further comprises a grip 154, a crank 155, a stem 156, and a foot 157. Foot 157 is of a sufficient length to extend substantially underneath a tile and act as a support for the tile. Grip 154 is configured to function as a means for the user to grasp turnable support means 150 and effectuate movement about the center axis within the aperture. Stem 156 is of a sufficient length to accommodate the height of a particular tile. It should be understood that the dimensions of stem 156 and foot 157 are customizable and may change depending on the dimensions of the tile the user wishes to arrange. In this manner, a user may set and arrange different shapes and sizes of tiles or stones in a single project.
Once parallel slidable rod(s) 130 are in the appropriate position, the user, via grip 154, turns turnable support means 150 such that crank 155 effectuates reciprocal circular movement about stem 156 and foot 157 is rotated until it is facing substantially inward as shown. The user then places a tile such that it rests on foot 157 (shown in
Referring now to
Similarly, after the user has positioned perpendicular slidable rod 140 to the appropriate width of a piece of tile, the user may then grasp knob 146 and raise stationing means 145 through opening 141. Then, after the user has positioned turnable support means 150 to position foot 157 underneath the tile, stationing means 145 is lowered to rest on an outer edge of the tile to provide further support as the tile is transported.
When a user wishes to position the tile, setting device 100 is placed over the desired location and gently rested on the substrate. Using stationing means 145 as a lengthwise guide and turnable support means 150 as a horizontal guide, the user is able to position the tile appropriately in relation to an adjacent surface such as a wall or another tile. When the tile is appropriately positioned, the user grasps grip 154 and turns turnable support means 150 such that the foot 157 turns outward and emerges from underneath the tile. The user repeats this turning for each turnable support means 150 and, via gravity, the tile or stone gently falls into place and the substrate remains intact. To release tile setter, the user grips knob 146 and pulls stationing means 145 upward.
In the event that the location of a tile that has already been placed is needed to be changed, the user extends parallel slidable rod 130 out as far as it will go and via grip 154, raises turnable support means 150 until foot 157 is resting against the underside of platform 110. The user then turns turnable support means 150 outward so that foot 157 is facing outward from the edge of the tile. The user then positions setting device 100 over the tile and gently lowers setting device 100 such that turnable support members are moved upward by the substrate and the platform is lowered. The user then turns turnable support means 150 inward and such that foot 157 is gently moved underneath the bottom surface of the tile. The tile is then lifted, repositioned, and re-set in the manner described above. In this manner, a tile or stone may be repositioned with minimal damage to the substrate.
By way of example,
It should be understood that the present disclosure uses the term ‘tile’ to broadly encompass any type of floor or non-vegetative ground covering that is intended to be arranged on a substrate, including, but not limited to, ceramic and travertine tiles, flagstones, paver stones, marble, slate, wood and faux wood, granite, concrete, and any other similar material that is used for such purposes. It should further be understood that the present invention may be made of any sturdy material suitable for its stated purposes including, but not limited to, metal and metal alloys, wood, plastics, and other synthetic materials, now known or later discovered.
The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.
