Tile Alignment and Leveling Device
AssigneeDavinci Italia/USA Group, LLC
InventorsEdward A. Kufner, Ralph Burgin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for aligning and leveling tiles as they are laid in floors, walls, countertops, or the like. The device has a locking assembly and a bottom plate combined with a shaft that extends from the bottom plate through the locking assembly so that the locking assembly is movable along the length of the shaft. In use, the device is placed between adjacent tiles so that the locking assembly and bottom plate hold adjacent tiles at a desired height as the setting bed dries. The locking assembly has flexible members adapted to exert a constant compressive force against the tiles during the tile leveling process.
Claims16
A device for laying and leveling tiles, said device comprising:
- a locking assembly adapted to be slidably combined with a shaft, wherein the locking assembly has a first portion with an opening adapted to receive the shaft, a second portion adapted to engage the tiles, and a flexible member combined with the first portion on one end and the second portion on another end, wherein the flexible member is movable between a compressed position and an retraced position such that the flexible member moves from its retracted position to its compressed position when the first portion is moved closer to the second portion, said flexible member is biased in its retracted position;
- and
- a securing mechanism which allows the locking assembly to move in a first direction along the shaft but not in a second direction along the shaft.
A device for laying and leveling tiles, said device comprising:
- a bottom plate having a top surface;
- a shaft combined with and extending upwardly from the top surface of the bottom plate;
- a locking assembly having a first portion with an opening adapted to receive the shaft, a second portion adapted to engage the tiles, and a flexible member combined with the first portion on one end and the second portion on another end, wherein the flexible member is movable between a compressed position and an retraced position such that the flexible member moves from its retracted position to its compressed position when the first portion is moved closer to the second portion, said flexible member is biased in its retracted position;
- and
- a securing mechanism which allows the locking assembly to move in a first direction along the shaft but not in a second direction along the shaft.
A device for laying and leveling tiles, said device comprising:
- a bottom plate having a top surface and a flexible portion that extends upwardly above the top surface of the bottom plate and is movable between a compressed position and a retracted position, said flexible portion being biased in its retracted position;
- a shaft combined with and extending upwardly from the top surface of the bottom plate;
- a locking assembly having a first portion with an opening adapted to receive the shaft, a second portion adapted to engage the tiles, and a flexible member combined with the first portion on one end and the second portion on another end, wherein the flexible member is movable between a compressed position and an retraced position and is biased in its retracted position;
- and
- a securing mechanism which allows the locking assembly to move in a first direction along the shaft but not in a second direction along the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.