Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles
AssigneeAcufloor, LLC
InventorsClinton D. Bunch, Joshua A. Bunch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for leveling and aligning tiles and method for leveling and aligning tiles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the leveling device includes a body and two spaced and parallel strip members extending transversely from the body. Each of the spaced and parallel strip members extend to the front and rear of the body. Two opposing lateral open windows are formed in the body. A breakaway section is defined along the body. A wedge device is provided for penetrating one or more of the two opposing lateral open windows and exerting a force on the tiles for leveling them relative to each other.
Claims20
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including an integrated spacing body having a thickness selected from a plurality of predetermined thicknesses so that the integrated spacing body sets a corresponding predetermined joint distance, eliminating a requirement for any non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft;
- and
- a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including an integrated spacing body having a thickness that varies in predetermined increments depending on the application so that the integrated spacing body sets a corresponding predetermined joint distance, eliminating a requirement for any non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft;
- and
- a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including a built-in variable tile joint spacing body portion having a variable thickness selected from a plurality of predetermined values, the selected thickness being greater than necessary to achieve leveling-only such that the spacing portion establishes a corresponding predetermined joint distance that eliminates any need for non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft;
- and
- a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including an integrated spacing body configured in variable spacing thickness increments selectable from multiple predetermined values, each predetermined value establishing a different joint distance to suit a particular installation, the selected thickness being provided in the integrated body portion such that the joint distance is set within a single product and no additional spacing elements are required;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft;
- and
- a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.