Leveling device for tiles

Abstract

This is a leveling device that is capable to bring to the same level two or more tiles with which the leveling device is placed in contact.

Claims

1. Leveling device suitable for being used by a user for laying on a plane and leveling at least two adjacent tiles P, P, comprising: a support suitable for being disposed between the at least two tiles P, P and comprising: a base suitable for being disposed under the at least two adjacent tiles P, P, an elongated body that extends orthogonally to the base and comprises first gripping means; a pressing body with central longitudinal axis, suitable for being movably fastened to the support and comprising a bearing structure with a lower edge adapted to abut on at least one of the at least two tiles P, P; a hole being formed in the bearing structure so as to receive the elongated body that can translate freely; the pressing body further comprising: at least one fin fixed elastically to the bearing structure and adapted to be pressed by the user so as to be moved from a rest position when the fin is not pressed to a release position when the fin is pressed; at least one arcuate body fixed elastically to the bearing structure, connected to the at least one fin and including second gripping means; the first gripping means and the second gripping means being shaped in a homologous way so as to be coupled with one another so that when the elongated body is inserted in the hole and the at least one fin is in a rest position, the at least one arcuate body abuts on the elongated body and couples the first gripping means and the second gripping means to one another so as to avoid a free translation of the pressing body relative to the support, and so that when the elongated body is inserted in the hole and the at least one fin is in the release position, the at least one arcuate body is moved away from the elongated body and the first gripping means and the second gripping means are not coupled to one another so as to enable the pressing body to freely translate relative to the support; wherein the first gripping means of the elongated body include a thread and the second gripping means of the at least one arcuate body include a counter-thread, homologous to the thread, so that the elongated body can be screwed and unscrewed in the at least one arcuate body.

2. Leveling device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing body includes a first fin and a second fin which are elastically fixed to the bearing structure and are arranged above opposite to each other with respect to the central axis of the pressing body.

3. Leveling device according to claim 2, wherein the pressing body includes a first arcuate body and a second arcuate body which are fixed elastically to the bearing structure and arranged opposite to each other with respect to the central axis of the pressing body.

4. Leveling device according to claim 3, wherein an end of a first arm and an end of a second arm are fixed to the first fin, and an end of a third arm and an end of a fourth arm are fixed to the second fin, the opposite end of the first arm and the opposite end of the third arm being joined together and to a first cross member fixed to the first arcuate body, the opposite end of the second arm and the opposite end of the fourth arm being joined together and to a second cross member fixed to the second arcuate body.

5. Leveling device according to claim 4, wherein the first cross member develops downwards by means of a first projection up to touch a first plane coplanar to the lying plane of the lower edge of the pressing body, and wherein the second cross member develops downwards by means of a second projection up to touch a first plane coplanar to the lying plane of the lower edge of the pressing body.

6. Leveling device according to claim 2, wherein the bearing structure includes a cylindrical body in whose upper portion a first opening and a second opening are formed in which the first fin and the second fin are arranged, respectively.

7. Leveling device according to claim 6, wherein at least one relief is disposed on the outer surface of the cylindrical body.

8. Leveling device according to claim 1, wherein the bearing structure includes a support disk disposed internally and at half height of the entire bearing structure, a first half-cylinder and a second half-cylinder extending downwards from the support disk up to touch a second plane coplanar to the lying plane of the lower edge of the pressing body.

9. Leveling device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated body is joined to the base through a portal that develops orthogonally to the base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are two axonometric views of a leveling device, made according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 3 is a side view of a first element of the leveling device in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 4 is a view in section of the element in FIG. 3 according to plane A-A indicated in FIG. 3;

(4) FIG. 5 is a side view of the element in FIG. 3;

(5) FIG. 6 is a view in section of the element in FIG. 3 according to plane B-B in FIG. 5;

(6) FIG. 7 is a top view of the element in FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 8 is an axonometric view of a second element of the leveling device in FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 9-12 are axonometric views showing the usage procedure to use a leveling device according to the invention.

(9) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, number 10 denotes a leveling device comprising a support 12 and a pressing body 14.

(10) The pressing body 14 includes an internally hollow cylindrical body 16 provided with a lower edge 17 and reliefs 18 arranged at angular intervals on the outer surface of the cylindrical body 16.

(11) A first opening 20 and a second opening 22 are formed in the upper portion of the cylindrical body 16 and are opposite to each other at an angular distance of 180 degree to each other.

(12) As shown in FIG. 6, a first shoulder 24 and a second shoulder 26 are arranged internally to the cylindrical body 16, in its lower portion, and develop on a common plane starting from the inner surface and connecting to a support disk 28 also visible in FIG. 7, the two shoulders being symmetric to each other with respect to the central axis of the pressing body 14.

(13) The first shoulder 24 and the second shoulder 26 support, on the upper part, a first triangular portion 30 and a second triangular portion 32, respectively. Both triangular portions are protruding from the support disk 28 in opposite directions.

(14) A first fin 34 and a second fin 36 are joined to the first triangular portion 30 and the second triangular potion 32, respectively. These fins have an arcuate shape and develop in an orthogonal direction with respect to the triangular portions 30, 32.

(15) As visible in FIG. 1, the first fin 34 and the second fin 36 are arranged in correspondence of a first opening 20 and a second opening 22, respectively.

(16) The joining edge between the triangular portions 30, 32 and the respective fins 34, 36 has a reduced thickness so that it is possible to flex the fins 34, 36 with respect to the triangular portions. The fins 34, 36 have, therefore, an elastic behavior. In other words, it is possible to press the two fins 34, 36 inwards by pressing them with the fingers of a hand; when the fins are released, the fins return to their orthogonal position with respect to the triangular portions 30, 32.

(17) A first arm 38 is joined integrally to a side edge of the first fin 34, while a second arm 40 is joined integrally to the opposite side edge of the same first fin 34.

(18) Likewise, a third arm 42 is joined integrally to a side edge of the second fin 36, while a fourth edge 44 is joined integrally to the opposite side edge of the same second fin 36.

(19) The ends of the first arm 38 and third arm 42, opposite to those of union with the fins 34, 36, are connected to a first cross member 46, and likewise, the ends of the second arm 40 and fourth arm 44 are connected to a second cross member 48.

(20) The first cross member 46 is joined to a first arcuate body 50, while the second cross member 48 is joined to the second arcuate body 52.

(21) A first counter-thread 54 is obtained on the first arcuate body 50, while a second counter-thread 56 is obtained on the second arcuate body 52.

(22) The first counter-thread 54 and the second counter-thread 56 have the same thread pitch and are arranged with respect to each other so as to form an only continuous counter-thread.

(23) The first arcuate body 50 and the second arcuate body 52 have an arcuate section and extend vertically in front of each other so as to form a circular threaded hole 29 the axis of which coincides with the axis of the cylindrical body 16 and which is open laterally, as shown in FIG. 7.

(24) The joining portions between the arms 38, 40, 42, 44 and the fins 34, 36, and between the arms 38, 40, 42, 44 and the cross members 46, 48 have such a thickness that the joining portions can be flexed towards each other.

(25) In this way, when the first fin 34 and the second fin 36 are pushed towards the inside of the cylindrical body 16, also the first arm 38 and the third arm 42 are moved towards the inside and push the first cross member 46 towards the outside of the same cylindrical body 16.

(26) Likewise, by applying the same pressure on the first fin 34 and second fin 36, the second arm 40 and the fourth arm 44 are moved inwards and push the second cross member 48 towards the outside of the cylindrical body 16.

(27) The displacements of the first cross member 46 and second cross member 48 cause the first arcuate body 50 and the second arcuate body 52 to move away from each other so as to enlarge the hole 29.

(28) The configuration of the arms and cross members cause that the force to be applied on the fins for the mutual spacing of the two arcuate bodies is minimal.

(29) As visible in FIGS. 2 and 4, a first half-cylinder 58 and a second half-cylinder 60 extend downwards from a support disk 28, also the half-cylinders having an axis coinciding with the central axis of the cylindrical body 16.

(30) The first half-cylinder 58 and the second half-cylinder 60 are spaced apart so as to be crossed, without being touched, by the first shoulder 24 and the second shoulder 26.

(31) Besides, a first projection 62 and a second projection 64 protrude radially from the first half-cylinder 58 and second half-cylinder 60, respectively and develop in height on the same first half-cylinder 58 and second half-cylinder 60.

(32) The support 12 includes a base 66 from which a V-shaped portal 68 develops orthogonally, the portal being joined to the same base 66 through a first connecting portion 70 and a second connecting portion 72.

(33) The first connecting portion 70 and the second connecting portion 72 taper towards the base 66 so as to obtain a reduced thickness in correspondence of the union to the same base 66.

(34) An elongated body 74 extends from the portal 68. A thread 76 is formed on the elongated body 74 and is shaped in a homologous way to the first counter-thread 54 and second counter-thread 56 so that it is possible to couple, by screwing, the elongated body 74 to the hole 29 when the first arcuate body 50 and the second arcuate body 52 are adjacent.

(35) Such position is realized in resting phase, that is, when the first fin 34 and the second fin 36 are not put under pressure.

(36) On the contrary, when the first fin 34 and the second fin 36 are pressed inwards, the first arcuate body 50 and the second arcuate body 52 move away and allow to insert or remove the support 12 to or from the pressing body 14 inside the hole 29 without the need to screw or unscrew the same support 12.

(37) The thread 76 as well as the first counter-thread 54 and the second counter-thread 56 have a reduced thread pitch so as to precisely adjust the position of the pressing body 14 with respect to the support 12.

(38) The thread pitch of such threads may be included between 2 and 5 mm; in particular, the embodiment illustrated has a thread pitch of the threads equal to 3 mm.

(39) Below, the use procedure of a leveling device 10 according to the invention is described.

(40) Firstly, a first tile P is arranged in the desired position on an appropriate adhesive material that is laid on the screed.

(41) As it appears from FIG. 9, a support 12 is then positioned in correspondence of a side edge of the same tile P, to which edge a second tile P has to be leant, so that the base 66 of the same support 12 is positioned between the same tile P and the screed.

(42) The second tile P is placed on the adhesive material so as to be adjacent to the first tile P and is arranged on the base 66 as it appears from FIG. 10.

(43) The elongated body 74 having the thread 76 protrudes between the two tiles P, P. The distance between the two tiles is determined by the thickness of the portal 68, which determines the width of the tile joint.

(44) Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 11, the pressing body 14 is approached and coupled to the support 12 ensuring that the elongated body 74 of the support 12 is inserted into the hole 29 of the pressing body 14 until the lower edge 17 of the cylindrical body 16 is in abutment on at least one of the two tiles P, P.

(45) Such positioning can be done by screwing the pressing body 14 onto the support 12 without pressing on the first fin 34 and second fin 36.

(46) Alternatively, the user can exert pressure on the two fins 34, 36 separating further the first arcuate body 50 and the second arcuate body 52 from each other and the user can insert the elongated body 74 into the enlarged hole 29 without having to rotate the pressing body 14 so that this operation is very rapid.

(47) As shown in FIG. 12, once the pressing body 14 is in abutment on one of the tiles P, P, the user rotates the pressing body 14 taking hold of the same by means of the reliefs 18.

(48) Doing so, the screwing of the pressing body 14 onto the elongated body 74 of the support 12 causes that the lower edge 17 pushes downwards the tile that is higher up.

(49) The reduced thread pitch of thread 76, first counter-thread 54 and second counter-thread 56 allows to obtain a better adjustment and to press on the tiles without the user having to make a great effort to rotate the pressing body 14.

(50) The user can terminate the screwing when the lower edge 17 is in abutment on both tiles P, P.

(51) Besides, also the first half-cylinder 58 and/or the second half-cylinder 60 along with the first projection 62 and/or the second projection 64, all these elements being arranged internally to the cylindrical body 16, will abut at first on one tile and then on both tiles P, P.

(52) As visible in FIG. 4, since the first half-cylinder 58 and the first projection 62 form an only body with the first cross member 46, the first arcuate body 50 is prevented from getting away from the elongated body 74 so that the two threads remain paired and the pressing body 14 can keep pushing on the tile that is higher up.

(53) Likewise, since also the second half-cylinder 60 and the second projection 64 form an only body with the second cross member 48, the threads of the first arcuate body 50 and elongated body 74 are prevented from being decoupled.

(54) When the edges of the two tiles P, P are at the same level and the so-described operation has been performed for all the leveling devices arranged on the tiled surface under construction, it is necessary to let the adhesive material dry so that the tiles be stably fixed to the floor.

(55) Then, the user removes the pressing body 14 and a part of the support 12 by acting with a kick or with a violent blow against the pressing body 14.

(56) In fact, the impact on the pressing body 14 provokes the detachment of both the elongated body 74 and the portal 68, secured to the pressing body 14, from the base 66 that remains under the tiles P, P.

(57) This is possible because of the reduced thickness of the first connecting portion 70 and second connecting portion 72 which connect the portal 68 to the base 66.

(58) Then, the several pressing bodies 14 used to lay the tiles can be recovered for a new utilization by separating them from the respective remained portions of the supports 12. Such separation can be made easily by pressing on the fins 34, 36 and removing the elongated bodies 74 and the portals 68.

(59) Finally, there may be variants to be considered as included in the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the following claims. For example, the leveling device according to the invention may include coupling means between the support and the pressing body, different from thread and counter-thread, such as a form coupling.