TILING SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus for installing tiles on a surface uses tile modules, which have a plurality of tiles mounted thereon, and a device for permitting the tile modules to inter-engage, in which each tile module includes a backing board which can be affixed to a stud wall or the like. Each module has on opposite sides complementary connector members, so that one module can be located above or below another module with the complementary connector members being interengaged. The apparatus also provides for connection to one side of a module and internal and external corners for use with the modules.

Description

AREA OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the area of wall tiling and in particular to a means whereby tiling does not need to be applied to a wall on a tile by tile basis nor does the wall need to first be prepared for the application of such tiles.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is well known for wet areas of a dwelling to be provided with tiling to protect the walls from water penetration. Such wet areas include bathrooms and shower recesses as well kitchen areas adjacent sinks and the like, many of which are either difficult to access or to work in.

The common way of tiling a wall involves first preparing a wall surface to, be tiled and then applying individual wall tiles to that surface with an appropriate cement or other adhesive using spacers and the like.

It has been customary in preparing the surface to install a lining material on an existing wall and then mount individual tiles upon it It is often necessary to use spacers to align the tiles. It will be appreciated that this method can involve a time consuming process often in a cramped space.

At edges of the area being tiled other tiles have to be cut to fit which involves measuring and cutting the tiles on site.

As a result the tile laying process is time consuming and involves a tradesperson spending a considerable amount of time on the premises where the job is being carried out.

Obviously it would be more economical both time wise and financially if a multiplicity of tiles could be prepared off site for speedy installation where required.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention is largely ameliorate the above problems by providing a means whereby tiling modules can be pre assembled such that they can be erected on site in a much shorter time than would be required if individual tiles were to be laid on a wall surface which had first to be pre-prepared.

The invention is a means of installing tiles on a surface using tile modules which have a plurality of tiles mounted thereupon and means whereby the modules can interengage.

It is preferred that the tile modules be used for installing wall tiles. The invention however is applicable to all surfaces such as floors and the like but for convenience sake will be discussed here in tents of its application to walls.

It is further preferred that each tile module include a backing board which can be affixed to a stud wall or the like.

It is also preferred that the tiles be affixed to an outwards facing surface of the backing board by whatever adhesive is preferred, the type of adhesive not being restricted in the invention.

While the inter-engagement means between successive tile modules is also not restricted in the invention it is preferred that a lower edge of each tile module have a depending member able to enter a closely fitting recess in an upper edge of a lower tile module.

It is further preferred that this recess be provided with silicone or other such sealant on installation to prevent water any leakage at the join.

It is also preferred that the lower edge of the bottommost module be slotted into a suitable extrusion or the like and sealed as appropriate.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood we will describe here by way of non limiting example a specific embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practice, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a tiled area which could well be a shower recess and the area adjacent to this and which is made of modules of the invention;

FIG. 2a is a broken sectional view showing a tile module having the two different types of end connections of a first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2b shows the interconnection of two modules of the type shown in FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2a, but of an alternative form of the invention;

FIG. 4a is an extrusion for an internal corner; FIG. 4b is an extrusion for an external corner; FIG. 4c is a section of a female edge member; FIG. 4d is a section of a male edge member; FIG. 4e is a floor joiner section;

FIG. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the connection to a stud and the interconnection between two modules;

FIG. 6 is a view along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows an internal corner and is taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a view of an external corner and is taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

In these drawings we show the invention as applied to a system to effect tiling where the tiles are connected to a backing material, usually a ceramic tiling board, to form a tiled module which can be transported to the area to be tiled and readily fitted to the building frame.

This serves several purposes. Firstly as the tiles can be adhesively secured to the backing board when this is horizontal, the skill level needed is substantially less that is the case where the tiles are fitted on site. It is also. quicker to prepare the modules using the invention rather than to tile on site and further the time the tilers need to spend on site is substantially restricted thus minimising disruption caused by them working where there are other tradespeople.

Also, whilst the specific embodiments of the invention relate to tiles, the same concept can be used for other decorative materials which are amenable to be pre fitted onto sheet material.

Referring to FIG. 1 there are shown a number of tiled modules 20, 21, the limits of which are shown in dark lines with the modules 20 having 45 tiles and modules 21 having an indeterminate number of tiles.

The size of the modules will depend upon the application to which they are put and the size of the tiles on the module.

For example, in the area of FIG. 1 the upright rear module may indicate a shower recess and the width and the height of the module is sufficient to define the shower recess so that there are no joins in the recess itself.

The invention is applicable to tiling areas of any size or shape and basically the module comprise a backing board 30, which may preferably be ceramic tile backing board to which there is connected connector members 40,50, exemplified in FIG. 2a and will be described hereinafter which are connected to the backing board 30 by screws 41.

Tiles 31 are then laid over the backing board 30, and adhesively secured thereto. The tiles can be applied flat in a factory situation or the like and when the adhesive 32 has set, grout 33 can be located in the spaces between the tiles. Thus, there is produced a module of the required size having extending at one end a connector 40. And at the other end connector 50. The sides will also have similar connectors. As can be seen from FIG. 2a or 4d, this has a body portion 42 and an outwardly-extending support 43 which underlies the backing board 30, and outwardly-extending connector member 44 and a recess 45 which will be adapted to receive fixing screws.

The other end connector 50 is also connected to the backing board 30 by screws 41 and in this case has a body 51 having extending in one direction an outwardly-extending support 52 which enables the screw 41 to connect the connecter to the backing board 30 and at the other end from the body there are extending two-spaced arms 53, 54.

These arms correspond to the arm 44 of the other connector 40 and as can best be seen from FIG. 5 when two modules of the invention are to be interconnected the first nodule is placed against the wall or floor and a screw 46 can be driven into a stud 70 to restrain the end of the module.

The other end of the module may be restrained differently, as will be described later.

The next module is then raised above the first module and lowered so that the extension 44 of the connector 40 receives the space between the arms 53 and 54 of the connector 50 with the free end of the arm 54 striking the shoulder of the connector 40 so that the required spacing is achieved between the tiles 31 on the two different modules and this space can be filled by grout 63 and once grouted there is no indication that the wall is not continuous.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative type of connectors 40′ and 50′ which, as far as their connecting portion is concerned, are identical to those shown in FIGS. 2a and 5, but differ in that each has an additional flange 48, 55, which lie over the ends of the backing boards 30.

For this to happen and for the outer surfaces of the flanges 48, 55, to be flush with the outer surface of the module, there must be a rebate formed in the backing boards. This arrangement could be used particularly if thick modules were being used as they will limit the size of the extrusion necessary and there will still be effective location of the tiles as the tiles on each side will still lie in the same relative positions as in the previously described embodiment although they will be further from the framing.

FIG. 6 shows a section very similar to that of FIG. 2b, but being where two vertical modules are interconnecting side-by-side.

In this case, if there is a stud 70 directly behind the connection, then a screw 71 can be passed into the recess 45 of the adjacent member 40, but if there is no stud, then it is not necessary that the member 40b be connected as the interconnection between the members 40 and 50 will ensure that there is effectively no movement between the two modules.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the application of the invention to internal and external corners respectively.

Referring initially to FIG. 4a this shows the corner member of FIG. 7 and it has two extensions 73 which are adapted to receive connector members 53 with the outer end of extension 73 being adapted to enter a recess 74 adjacent the centre of the corner member, whilst the arm 54 can abut an extension 75 on the other surface.

Thus, when two modules are connected into the corner member at right angles, the spacing of the tiles 31 can be such as to permit an even corner grout 77 to be located.

In FIG. 8 the outside corner member 80 has a pair of extension members 81 which are similar in form to the member 73 of the internal corner member 72, and again, these are adapted to receive members 50.

In this case, the arms 53 of the members 50 abut shoulders 82 on the corner member so that, again, the spacing between the tiles 31 is accurate and grouting or a cover strip 83 can be located in the corner.

FIG. 9 shows a module of the present invention meeting at a floor a similar module and, in this case, an internal corner member such as FIG. 4a is used, it is connected to part of the framing of the area by screws and, again, each module has a member 50 which engage with the corner member 72 in a manner similar to that described with relation to FIG. 7. Again, grouting is located at the junction of the tiles.

FIG. 10 shows the use of a floor joiner 60, as shown in FIG. 4e and a connector 50 to locate the lower edge of the module. This arrangement would be used where modules are being built up from a floor.

In this case, the floor member 60 is connected to the frame or the like to which the module is to be fitted and a silicone or adhesive material may be filled into the channel of the floor connector prior to the module being located in position.

The floor 62 can be later located in abutment with the tiles of the module.

Whilst there has been described herein several variations of the system of the invention it is to be understood that variations can be made, the main feature being that the connectors interconnect snugly and permit the modules to be held to the frame without undue movement.

Therefore, whilst we have described herein a specific embodiments of the invention, it is envisaged that other embodiments of the invention will exhibit any number and combination of the features previously described and it is to be understood that variations and modifications in this can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for installing tiles on a surface, comprising:

tile modules having a plurality of tiles mountable on surface; and,

means for interengaging said tile modules.

14. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 13, wherein said tile modules include a backing board affixable to a wall.

15. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 13, wherein opposite sides of each tile module of said tile modules has a complementary connector member so that one said tile module is locatable above, or besides, another said tile module with each said complementary connector member being interengaged.

16. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 15, wherein each said complementary connector member includes a flange for overlaying a backing board of said tile modules for permitting said complementary connector member be to connected thereto.

17. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 15, wherein a first said complementary connector member has an outwardly directed member and a second said complementary connector member has a pair of outwardly directed members spaced for receiving said outwardly directed member of said first said complementary connector member.

18. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 16, wherein said each said complementary connector member includes an additional flange parallel to, and spaced from said flange overlying the backing board and receivable in a relieved portion of the backing board.

19. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 16, further comprising an end connector for receiving each said complementary connector member at one end of each said tile module, said complementary connector member being engagable with two spaced flanges of said end connector.

20. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 15, further comprising an internal corner connector having two arms at right angles, each arm of said two arms being engagable with a connector on one edge of a tile module for retaining said tile module relative thereto.

21. The apparatus for installing tiles on a surface according to claim 15, further comprising an external corner connector having two arms at right angles, each arm of said two arms being engagable with a connector on one edge of a tile module for retaining said tile module relative thereto.