Patent Application
20190040636
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The disclosure and prior art relates to installation devices and more particularly pertains to a new installation device for installing mortar and a plurality of tiles on a floor.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cart that may be rolled along a support surface. A plurality of gripping units is provided and each of the gripping units is coupled to the cart. The plurality of gripping units is arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on the cart. Each of the gripping units is selectively manipulated into a gripping position to releasably grip an associated one of a plurality of tiles. Moreover, the gripping units position the tiles above the support surface. Each of the gripping units is selectively manipulated into a releasing position to place the tiles on the support surface in the corresponding columns and rows. A pumping unit is coupled to the cart and the pumping unit contains a fluid mortar. The pumping unit selectively dispenses the fluid mortar onto the support surface thereby facilitating the tiles to be selectively lowered onto the fluid mortar.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A plurality of gripping units 28 is provided and each of the gripping units 28 is coupled to the cart 12. Each of the gripping units 28 is selectively manipulated and the plurality of gripping units 28 is arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on the cart 12. Each of the gripping units 28 is selectively manipulated into a gripping position and a releasing position.
Each of the gripping units 28 releasably grips an associated one of a plurality of tiles 30 when the gripping units 28 are positioned in the gripping position. In this way the gripping units 28 raise the tiles 30 a selected distance above the support surface 14. Each of the gripping units 28 lowers the tiles 30 onto the support surface 14 when the gripping units 28 are positioned in the releasing position. In this way the plurality of tiles 30 are simultaneously arranged in a plurality of columns and rows on the support surface 14. The tiles 30 may be ceramic floor tiles or the like.
Each of the gripping units 28 comprises a rod 32 that is coupled to and extends forwardly from the front wall 16 of the cart 12 and the rod 32 is horizontally oriented. The rod 32 is spaced from the bottom wall 20 of the cart 12 and the rod 32 has a distal end 34 with respect to the cart 12. A plurality of tubes 36 is included and each of the tubes 36 extends downwardly from the rod 32 and each of the tubes 36 is vertically oriented. The tubes 36 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed between the front wall 16 and the distal end 34. Each of the tubes 36 has an inside surface 38, a first end 40 and a second end 42. The first end 40 is accessible on a top side of the rod 32 and the second end 42 is spaced from the rod 32.
A plurality of first bolts 44 is provided and each of the first bolts 44 has an outer surface 46. The outer surface 46 of each of the first bolts 44 is threaded. Each of the first bolts 44 extends through the first end 40 and the second end 42 of an associated one of the tubes 36. Moreover, the outer surface 46 of each of the first bolts 44 threadably engage the inside surface 38 of the associated tube. A plurality of first knobs 48 is provided and each of the first knobs 48 is coupled to an associated one of the first bolts 44. Each of the first knobs 48 is spaced above the rod 32 and each of the first bolts 44 is selectively urged downwardly and upwardly in the associated tube 36.
A plurality of grips 50 is provided and each of the grips 50 is threadably coupled to the second end 42 of an associated one of the first bolts 44. Each of the grips 50 is spaced a selected distance from the support surface 14 when the associated first bolt 44 is manipulated. Moreover, each of the grips 50 releasably engages an associated one of the tiles 30 such that the plurality of tiles 30 is arranged in the plurality of columns and rows. Each of the grips 50 comprises a receiver 52 that threadably engages the second end 42 of the associated first bolt 44. The receiver 52 has a distal end 54 with respect to the second end 44 of the associated first bolt 44 and the receiver 52 is oriented collinear with the associated first bolt 44. The receiver 52 may comprise a tube or the like.
An arm 56 is coupled to the distal end 54 of the receiver 52 and the arm 56 is oriented transverse with respect to the receiver 52. The arm 56 has a first end 58 and a second end 59, and each of the first end 58 and the second end 59 of the arm 56 is equidistant from the receiver 52. Each of the grips 50 includes a pair of collars 60. Each of the collars 60 is coupled to an associated one of the first 58 and second ends 59 of the arm 56 and each of the collars 60 has an inside surface 62.
A pair of second bolts 64 is provided and each of the second bolts 64 has a first end 66, a second end 68 and an outer surface 69. The outer surface 69 of each of the second bolts 64 is threaded. Moreover, the outer surface 69 of each of the second bolts 64 threadably engages the inside surface 38 of an associated one of the collars 60 and each of the second bolts 64 is vertically oriented. The second end 68 of the second bolts 64 is spaced below the associated collar 60.
A plurality of second knobs 70 is provided and each of the second knobs 70 is coupled to the first end 66 of an associated one of the second bolts 64 for manipulating the associated second bolt 64. A plurality of suction cups 72 is provided and each of the suction cups 72 has a top end 74 and a bottom end 76. Each of the suction cups 72 flares outwardly between the top end 74 and the bottom end 76. The top end 74 is coupled to the second end of an associated one of the second bolts 64. The bottom end 76 corresponding to each of the suctions cups 72 is concavely arcuate with respect to the top end 74 of the corresponding suction cup. Thus, the bottom end 76 of each of the suction cups 72 suctionally engages the associated tile 30.
A pumping unit 78 is coupled to the cart 12 and the pumping unit 78 contains a fluid mortar 80. The fluid mortar 80 may be tile mortar or the like. The pumping unit 78 selectively dispenses the fluid mortar 80 onto the support surface 14. Thus, the tiles 30 are selectively lowered onto the fluid mortar 80. In this way the plurality of tiles 30 are simultaneously applied to the support surface 14 thereby enhancing efficiency with respect to installing a tile floor. Moreover, the gripping units 28 facilitates the plurality of tiles 30 to be precisely positioned on the fluid mortar 80 in the plurality of rows and columns.
The pumping unit 78 comprises a pair of reservoirs 82 and each of the reservoirs 82 is coupled to the cart 12. Each of the reservoirs 82 contains the fluid mortar 80. Each of the reservoirs 82 has a top end 84 and the top end 84 is open to receive the fluid mortar 80. The top end 84 of the reservoirs 82 is aligned with an associated one of the openings 22 in the cart 12 to facilitate access to the top end 84. A pair of lids 86 is provided and each of the lids is removably coupled to the top end 84 of an associated one of the reservoirs 82 to close the associated reservoir 82.
A pump 88 is coupled to the cart 12 and the pump 88 has an input 90 and an output 92. The input 90 is fluidly coupled to each of the reservoirs 82 to urge the fluid mortar 80 outwardly from the output 92. The pump 88 may be an electric fluid pump of any conventional design. A plurality of conduits 93 is provided and each of the conduits 93 is fluidly coupled to the output 92. In this way each of the conduits 93 receives the fluid mortar 80 from the pump 88.
Each of the conduits 93 has a distal end 94 with respect to the pump 88 and the distal end 94 of each of the conduits 93 is spaced from the bottom wall 20 of the cart 12. The distal end 94 of each of the conduits 93 is open to dispense the fluid mortar 80 onto the support surface 14 when the pump 88 is turned on. Moreover, the conduits 93 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the bottom wall 20. In this way the conduits 93 spread the fluid mortar 80 evenly beneath the columns of the tiles 30. The plurality of conduits 93 may comprise a plurality of manifolds that are each in fluid communication with the pump 88.
A plurality of buttons 95 is provided and each of the buttons 95 is coupled to the cart 12. Each of the buttons 95 is electrically coupled to the pump 88 such that the plurality of buttons 95 controls operational parameters of the pump 88. The plurality of buttons 95 may include an on button and an off button. Additionally, the plurality of buttons 95 may include a pressure increase button and a pressure decrease button to select the rate that the fluid mortar 80 is released from the conduits 93. A power supply 96 is coupled to the cart 12 and the power supply 96 is electrically coupled to the pump 88. The power supply 96 comprises at least one battery.
In use, each of the tiles 30 is manipulated to engage the suction cups 72 on a corresponding one of the grips 50. Additionally, the tiles 30 are positioned on the grips 50 such that the tiles 30 are evenly spaced apart from each other to in the plurality of columns and rows. Each of the second bolts 64 is manipulated to orient each of the tiles 30 at an angle that corresponds to the angle of the support surface 14. Each of the reservoirs 82 is filled with the fluid mortar 80 and the buttons 95 are manipulated to turn the pump 88 on.
The cart 12 is rolled along the support surface 14 to facilitate the conduits 93 to release the fluid mortar 80 along the support surface 14 in a length that is equal to the length of the rods 32. Each of the first bolts 44 is manipulated to lower the corresponding tile 30 onto the fluid mortar 80 that has been applied to the support surface 14. In this way each the tiles 30 are precisely positioned on the support surface 14 in the plurality of rows and columns. Thus, the cart 12, the gripping units 28 and the pumping unit 78 enhance efficiency and accuracy with respect to installing a tile floor. The process of dispensing the fluid mortar 80 and applying the tiles 30 to the support surface 14 is continuously repeated until the installation of the tile floor is complete.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
