Tile laying machine and a method of use

A tile laying machine comprising:

• a) a movable platform capable of moving along an X-X axis, a Y-Y axis and a Z-Z axis, said movable platform having a first member mechanically linked to a second member and having a second hydraulic cylinder positioned therebetween, actuation of said second hydraulic cylinder causing said second member to move vertically, along said Z-Z axis, relative to said first member, said movable platform also having first and second ends, first and second sides, an upper surface and a lower surface, first, second and third pairs of spaced apart wheels, each of said first and second pairs of wheels positioned adjacent to one of said first and second sides and inward from said first end, and said third pair of wheels positioned outward of said second end and midway between said first and second sides, said third pair of wheels being controlled by a handle, a first stabilizer secured to said lower surface approximate a corner formed by said first end and said first side, a second stabilizer secured to said lower surface approximate a corner formed by said first end and said second side, and a third stabilizer secured to said lower surface inward from said second end and midway between said first and second sides, a first hydraulic cylinder connected between said movable platform and said handle whereby reciprocal movement of said handle causes said second hydraulic cylinder to raise said first, second and third pairs of wheels and said first, second and third stabilizers contact an underlying surface and bear the entire weight of said tile laying machine, and said tile laying machine is rendered stationary;
• b) a robotic assembly having six spaced apart joints, said joints including a base, a shoulder, an elbow, a first wrist, a second wrist and a third wrist, said base joint being connected to said movable platform and said third wrist joint capable of being spaced farthest away from said movable platform, and each of said joints having 360° of rotational motion;
• c) an effector having a first surface and an oppositely aligned second surface, said first surface being removable secured to said third wrist joint, said effector having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, and said first side is perpendicularly aligned to said second side;
• d) a plurality of spaced apart suction cups mounted on said second surface of said effector, each of said suction cups being connected to a vacuum source, said suction cups capable of picking up, positioning and releasing a new tile relative to an X-X axis of a first laid tile and a Y-Y axis of a second laid tile, and each of said first and second laid tiles having an upper surface and each being aligned perpendicular to one another;
• e) first, second and third edge sensors, at least one of said edge sensors secured to said first side of said effector and capable of detecting an edge aligned along an X-X axis of said first laid tile, and at least one of said edge sensors secured to said second side of said effector and capable of detecting an edge aligned along a Y-Y axis of said second laid tile;
• f) first, second and third height sensors, at least one of said height sensors secured to said first side of said effector and capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said first laid tile, and at least one of said height sensors secured to said second side of said effector and capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said second laid tile;
• g) a control mechanism for operating said robotic assembly, said vacuum source and said edge and height sensors;
• and
• h) a power source for supplying power to said control mechanism.

A method of using a tile laying machine having a movable platform capable of moving along an X-X axis and a Y-Y axis;

• a robotic assembly having four spaced apart joints, said joints including a base joint, a shoulder joint, an elbow joint and a wrist joint, said base joint being connected to said movable platform and said wrist joint capable of being spaced farthest away from said movable platform, and each of said joints having 360° of rotational motion;
• an effector having a first surface and an oppositely aligned second surface, said first surface being removably secured to said wrist joint, said effector having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, and said first side is perpendicularly aligned to said second side;
• a suction cup mounted on said second surface of said effector which is connected to a vacuum source, said suction cup capable of picking up, positioning and releasing a to be installed tile relative to a first laid tile and a second laid tile, each of said first and second laid tiles having an upper surface and each being aligned perpendicular to one another;
• first, second and third edge sensors, at least one of said edge sensors secured to said first side of said effector and capable of detecting an edge aligned along an X-X axis of said first laid tile, and at least one of said edge sensors secured to said second side of said effector and capable of detecting an edge aligned along a Y-Y axis of said second laid tile;
• first, second and third height sensors, at least one of said height sensors secured to said first side of said effector and capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said first laid tile, and at least one of said height sensors secured to said second side of said effector and capable of detecting the height of said upper surface of said second laid tile;
• a control mechanism for operating said robotic assembly, said vacuum source and said edge and height sensors;
• and a power source for supplying power to said control mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:
• a) applying a bonding material to a planar surface;
• b) manually laying a row of tiles and a column of tiles, said row being perpendicular to said column, and said row having a first laid tile and said column having a second laid tile, and said first laid tile being offset from said second laid tile;
• c) positioning said tile laying machine such that said first side of said effector is located within a predetermined distance of said X-X axis of said first laid tile and said second side of said effector is located within a predetermined distance of said Y-Y axis of said second laid tile;
• d) elevating said first, second and third pairs of wheels such that said first, second and third stabilizers bear the entire weight of said tile laying machine, and said tile laying machine is rendered stationary;
• e) using said control mechanism to move said robotic assembly such that said suction cups are positioned above a to be installed tile and activating said vacuum source to lift said tile and move it into position adjacent said X-X axis of said first laid tile and said Y-Y axis of said second laid tile using data generated by said first, second and third edge sensors and by said first, second and third height sensors;
• f) applying a pre-calculated force against said to be installed tile to set it in said bonding material;
• and
• g) repeating steps e and f to lay additional tiles.