Wedge leveling system

Abstract

A wedge levelling system for aligning surface coverings includes a tab with a substantially flat base and a vertical member extending away from a central area of the top surface of the base. The base includes beveled feet portions on opposite sides for insertion under lower surfaces of adjacent surface coverings, with the vertical member extending between the tiles. The vertical member is attached to the base with frangible leg. The vertical member includes an opening spaced so as to be above two adjacent tiles. When a wedge is inserted and held in the opening and presses down, the tiles are pushed downwardly toward a surface upon which they are being laid to properly align the edges thereof until the tiles are set, the wedge removed and the vertical member broken off at the frangible leg portions.

Claims

1. A wedge leveling system for aligning surface coverings, comprising: a tab having a flat base with a bottom surface and a top surface; a vertical member frangibly secured in the top surface of the base; said base including feet portions extending from opposite sides of the vertical member adapted to be inserted under lower surfaces of adjacent surface coverings to be aligned, with the vertical member extending between opposed edges or ends of said adjacent surface coverings to be aligned; said vertical member being attached to the base by leg portions having rounded lower ends secured to frangible portions held in rounded aligned openings below the top surface of the base; at least one opening formed in said vertical member above the top surface of the base; a wedge adapted to be inserted and held in the at least one opening where said wedge is configured to press down the adjacent surface coverings to be aligned toward a surface upon which the adjacent surface coverings to be aligned are being laid, and said frangible portions of the vertical member are capable of being broken off below the top surface of the base.

2. The wedge leveling system according to claim 1, wherein said base includes openings formed between the feet portions.

3. The wedge leveling system according to claim 1, wherein the frangible portions include a plurality of openings extending therethrough.

4. The wedge leveling system according to claim 3, wherein there are at least two openings in the frangible portions.

5. The wedge leveling system according to claim 1, wherein said vertical member includes a second opening formed therein for holding identifying matter.

6. The wedge leveling system according to claim 1, wherein said wedge includes an angled top surface with a plurality of ribs formed thereon.

7. The wedge leveling system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening formed in said vertical member includes a top knife edge adapted to cooperate with the plurality of ribs formed on the angled top surface of said wedge.

8. The wedge leveling system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one opening has side edges formed by the leg portions of said vertical member.

9. A wedge leveling system for aligning surface for aligning surface coverings comprising: a tab having a flat base with a bottom surface and a top surface; a vertical member frangibly secured in the top surface of the base; said base including feet portions extending from opposite sides of the vertical member adapted to be inserted under lower surfaces of adjacent surface coverings to be aligned, with the vertical member extending between opposed edges or ends of said adjacent surface coverings to be aligned; said vertical member being attached to the base by leg portions having rounded lower ends attached to frangible portions held in rounded openings below the top surface of the base; at least one opening formed in said vertical member above the top surface of the base having side edges formed by the leg portions of said vertical member and a top edge substantially parallel to the top surface of the base; a wedge adapted to be inserted and held in the at least one opening in the vertical member where the wedge is configured to press down the adjacent surface coverings toward a surface upon which the adjacent surface coverings are being laid, to align the edges, and said frangible portions of the vertical member are capable of being broken off, below the top surface of the base.

10. The wedge leveling system according to claim 9, wherein there is at least one opening in the frangible portions.

11. The wedge leveling system according to claim 9, wherein there are two openings in the frangible portions.

12. The wedge leveling system according to claim 9, wherein said vertical member includes an expanded top portion and a second opening formed therein for holding identifying matter.

13. The wedge leveling system according to claim 9, wherein said wedge includes an angled top surface with a plurality of ribs formed thereon.

14. The wedge leveling system according to claim 13, wherein the top edge of the at least one opening is formed as a knife edge for cooperating with the plurality of ribs formed on the angled top surface of said wedge.

15. A wedge leveling system for aligning surface coverings, comprising: a tab having a base with a bottom surface and a top surface; a vertical member frangibly secured in rounded openings formed in the top surface of the base; said base including feet portions extending from opposite sides of the vertical member adapted to be inserted under lower surfaces of adjacent surface coverings with the vertical member extending between opposed edges or ends of said adjacent surface coverings and the feet portions having openings formed through the top surface of the base between the feet portions; said vertical member being attached to the base by a pair of leg portions having rounded ends with each leg having at least one frangible portion held below the top surface of the base; the frangible portions being secured to the rounded ends of the leg portions and include a pair of openings extending therethrough; a first opening formed in said vertical member above the top surface of the base having side edges formed by the leg portions of said vertical member and a top edge substantially parallel to the top surface of the base, and said frangible portions of the vertical member are capable of being broken off, below the top surface of the base.

16. The wedge leveling system according to claim 15, wherein said vertical member includes an expanded top portion and a beveled second opening formed therein, above the first opening, to allow easy gripping and for holding identifying matter.

17. The wedge leveling system according to claim 16, further including a wedge adapted to be inserted and held in the first opening in the vertical member where the wedge is configured to press down the adjacent surface coverings toward a surface upon which the adjacent surface coverings are being laid, to properly align the edges thereof and said wedge including an angled top surface with a plurality of ribs formed thereon, and the top edge of the at least one opening being formed as a knife edge for cooperating with the plurality of ribs formed on the angled top surface of the wedge.

18. The wedge leveling system according to claim 15, wherein said wedge includes an angled top surface with a plurality of ribs formed thereon.

19. The wedge leveling system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one opening formed in said vertical member includes a top knife edge adapted to cooperate with the plurality of ribs formed on the angled top surface of said wedge.

20. The wedge leveling system according to claim 15, wherein said vertical member includes an expanded top portion and a second opening formed therein for holding identifying matter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

(1) The objects and features of the wedge leveling system which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view, looking from above, showing two tiles having a tab of the wedge leveling system with a base inserted under adjacent ends or side edges and a vertical member extending from the base between the ends or side edges of the tiles; a wedge is inserted and held in an opening formed through the vertical member and presses down on the top surfaces of the two tiles so as to align the edges and upper surfaces of the tiles.

(3) FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the tab of the wedge leveling system.

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 2; with the rear view being substantially identical thereto.

(5) FIG. 4 is a top plan view of FIG. 2.

(6) FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 2.

(7) FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a first side of FIG. 2, the other side being identical thereto.

(8) FIG. 7 is sectional view of a frangible connection of a leg of the vertical member to the base of FIG. 2, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

(9) FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial side view of the frangible connection of a leg of the vertical member to the base shown in FIG. 6.

(10) FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a first side of FIG. 1, the other side being identical thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.

ITEM NUMBERS AND DESCRIPTION

(12) TABLE-US-00001 10 tab 12 base 13 tile 14 tile 15 vertical member 16 first opening 17 wedge 18 second bevel opening 19 top surface 20 bottom surface 21 beveled top surfaces 22 openings 24 leg 26 leg 28 upper edge 30 opening 32 opening 34 frangible portion(s) 36 openings 38 rounded ends 39 grooves or ribs 40 upper angled surface

(13) Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1, there illustrated is a preferred embodiment of a levelling device or tab 10 having a base 12 for mounting on a surface or substrate (not shown) under adjacent tiles 13, 14, with an adhesive or thinset applied to the surface to be covered and the lower surfaces of the tiles. The tab 10 includes a vertical member 15 that is secured to the base 12 with a first opening 16 in the vertical member 15 that is adapted to receive a wedge 17, as described more fully herein below. The vertical member 15 may also include a second beveled opening 18 on a top portion thereof for easier gripping, handling and insertion under tiles. The second beveled opening 18 reduces material requirement and provides product recognition, such as a logo or identifying symbol. This top portion is also preferably expanded or thicker to provide additional rigidity when inserting the tab 10, thereby preventing bending or breaking.

(14) As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2-6, 8 and 9, the base 12 includes a top surface 19 and a bottom surface 20, with spaced apart legs or feet 24, 26 with beveled top surfaces 21 on portions of the base 12 that are extending outwardly from either side of the vertical member 15. Openings 22 are formed in the base between the beveled legs or feet 21 (see FIGS. 2-5). The openings 22 allow the adhesive or thinset, that is used on the surface being covered and the undersurfaces of the tiles 13, 14, to access both sides of the base 12 and provides better adhesion and eliminates bonding gaps that can cause tile breakage. Additionally, the openings 22 provide lighter weight, less material used and faster mold cooling when fabricating from a plastic, or the like.

(15) As best shown in FIGS. 1-3, the vertical member 15 has the first opening 16 formed therein between the two legs 24, 26 and an upper edge 28. The inner or lower ends of the legs 24, 26 are held in aligned openings 30, 32 that are formed in the top surface 19 of the base approximately along the centerline thereof by reduced width frangible portions 34. In a preferred embodiment, the openings 30, 32 are curved or rounded in profile.

(16) As best shown in FIGS. 6-9, the reduced width frangible portions 34 are formed below rounded ends 38 of the legs 24, 26 and have a plurality of openings 36 extending therethrough to allow the frangible portions to be more easily broken off, in the desired position, near the bottoms of curved openings 30, 32, when rocked or sufficient force is applied from either side of the tab 10, against the vertical member 15. In this embodiment, two openings 36 are shown but there could be more or less than two openings 36 in the frangible portions 34.

(17) In use, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 9 of the drawings, the tab 10 has its base 12 placed on a surface (not shown), such as floor or wall, with the bottom surface 20 of the beveled legs or feet of the base 12 under the lower surface of the tiles 13, 14 and with sufficient adhesive or thinset applied to the lower surface of the tiles and the surface to be covered by the tiles to allow the adhesive or thinset to enter the break point area and aid in holding the tab in place. The vertical member 15 is placed so as to extend upwardly between opposed ends or side edges of the tiles, to properly space the tiles apart and to allow the first opening 16 to receive the wedge 17 above the top surfaces of the adjacent tiles. The wedge is forced into the opening 16 until grooves or ribs 39, formed on an upper angled surface 40 of the wedge 17 to engage with and lock with the upper edge 28 of opening 16. In one embodiment of the wedge leveling system the upper edge 28 may be formed as a knife edge (FIG. 3) to more securely hold the wedge 17 in position by cooperating with grooves or ribs 39 and, therefore, more firmly press down on the top surfaces of tiles 13, 14 so as to align the opposing edges and prevent misalignment or lippage. It is to be understood that sufficient adhesive is placed on the lower surface of the tiles and the surface to be covered, to enable some of the adhesive to enter the openings 22 and flow onto the top surface 19 of the base 12 to aid in holding the base 12 on the supporting surface.

(18) After the adhesive holding the tiles and base 12 in place sets, the wedge 17 is either removed or used to aid in breaking the vertical member 15 off in the base 12 by either hitting the wedge or removing the wedge and rocking the vertical member around the frangible portions 34 or hitting the upper end of the vertical member 15, above the top surface of the tiles, with a hammer or other tool, or by kicking the wedge and/or vertical member 15. The reduced width frangible portions 34 below the rounded ends 38 of the legs 24, 26 are broken off along the plurality of openings 36, essentially at or near the bottom of the rounded openings 30, 32. The rounded openings 30, 32 and rounded ends 38, as well as the openings 36, allow the frangible portions 34 to be broken off, in the correct location, at or near the bottom of the openings 30, 32, well below the top surface 19 of the base 12. After the vertical member 15 is broken off and removed, the space between the tiles is filed with grout. The grout also fills in the now empty rounded openings 38 in the base 12 to aid in keeping the base 12 in position underneath the lower surface of the tiles 13, 14.

(19) It, therefore, can be seen that the present wedge leveling system provides an improved levelling system comprising a tab having a base and a vertical member 15 releasably attached to the base 12 by frangible leg 24, 26 portions having a plurality of openings 22 formed therein and held in rounded openings formed on the top surface of the base 12. The vertical member 15 includes an opening spaced so as to be above two adjacent tiles when the tiles are placed on the base on either side of the vertical member 15 which extends between adjacent ends or side edges of the tiles 13, 14 to aid in spacing the same. A wedge 17 having an upper angled surface 40 with a number of grooves or ribs 39 that may then be inserted and more securely held in the first opening 16 to press down the tiles 13, 14 toward a surface upon which they are being laid to properly align the edges thereof until the tiles 13, 14 are set, the wedge 17 removed and the vertical member 15 broken off.

(20) Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide for a tile levelling system having an improved tab for insertion between two adjacent tiles so as to both space the tiles apart and cooperate with a wedge inserted into an opening in a vertical member of the tab to align the edges of the two tiles.

(21) Thus, specific embodiments of a wedge leveling system have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

SEQUENCE LISTING

(22) Not Applicable.