GB2025482A

GB2025482A - Facing tiles

Info

Publication number: GB2025482A
Application number: GB7924368A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HEREFORD TILES Ltd
Current assignee: HEREFORD TILES Ltd
Priority date: 1978-07-13
Filing date: 1979-07-12
Publication date: 1980-01-23

Abstract

A ceramic wall tile having a glazed front (10) and an unglazed back (12) has all of its edges (14) bevelled outwardly towards its back along the entire length of the edge so that the time may be used as an edge or centre tile of a tiled area. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to tiles The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to tiles, especially but not exclusively ceramic tiles. The invention is particularly concerned with ceramic wall tiles which generally comprise relatively thin square slabs of ceramic material, one face of which has been glazed.

When fixing tiles it is normal and in fact desireable to leave a space between adjacent tiles and for reasons of appearance it is important that the space between adjacent tiles is constant. In the past one method of achieving regular spacing has been to provide tiles with "spacers" on their edges. Normally the spacers comprise a protrusion from the side of the tile, the thickness of the spacer being less than that of the tile and the spacer being arranged towards the rear unglazed face of the tile. Two such spacers are arranged on each edge at equal distances from the corners of the tile and project from the edge by a distance which is equal to half the spacing desired between adjacent tiles, so that when two tiles are placed together the spacers abut to define the required spacing.

A major disadvantage of this system is that a normal spacer tile including spacers on all four edges cannot be used at the exposed edges of the tiled surface and a separate tile with spacers on only three edges is required, the remaining edge often being rounded and glazed. Still different tiles having spacers on only two edges and being rounded and glazed on the remaining two sides are required for the corners of the tiled surface.

Recently attempts have been made to overcome this disadvantage by providing a tile which can be utilised in the centre and at the edges and corners of tiled surfaces, and in one recently introduced tile there are spacers on only two adjacent edges, the remaining edges having no spacers and being at least partially glazed. The spacers of this tile are arranged at different distances from the tile corners and the amount of protrusion of the spacer is equal to the desired spacing between adjacent tiles so that it is necessary, on fitment, to ensure that the tile edge including spacers is put alongside a tile edge with no spacers. This makers the tile fixer's task more difficult.

A further disadvantage of this newly proposed tile is that it cannot be used in combination with ordinary spacer tiles as regular spacing could not be achieved.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a timle each edge of which is bevelled outwardly towards the back of the tile the bevel extending over the entire length of the edge of the tile.

Some or all of the edges of the tile may be at least partially glazed.

Preferably the angle of the bevel of each edge is the same and may be 7 . The bevelled edges may be convex.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan of a wall tile; and Figure 2 shows a section through the line A-A of Fig. 1.

A square wall tile has its upper surface glazed and its lower surface 1 2 free from glaze. The upper surface 10 may be provided with a pattern by any normal technique.

Each edge 1 4 of the tile is bevelled, the bevel being covered with glaze and extending along the entire edge of the tile. Conveniently the bevel is of the order of 7 and it is important that the bevels on all the edges of the tiles have equal angles.

It will be realised that the tile shown in Figs. 1 and 2 can be used at the centre or the edge of a tiled surface and when used at the edge the bevel 1 4 will provide a continuous glazed profiled edge for the edge of the tiled surface.

Furthermore, when fixing the tiles, the tile fixer need not be concerned with the orientation of the tile (except, of course, if the pattern thereon demands this) since the tiles can be used in orientation as each edge is identical.

In addition, a tile as described above can be used with tiles having ordinary spacers.

After a surface has been tiled by fixing tiles similar to those illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 thereto it will be realised that a channel which converges towards the surface of the tiled wall is provided and this channel can be infilled to any desired depth by a suitable grouting material. As the bevel angle on each edge of all the tiles is equal, provided the grout is applied at a constant depth, the grouted joints will have the same thickness.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example a different bevel angle can be utilised. It is possible that the glaze does not extend over the entire bevelled edge or does not extend over one or two of the bevelled edges but whereas this may provide a better key for the grout it also provides the tile fixer with tile orientation problems.

1. A tile each edge of which is bevelled outwardly towards the back of the tile, the bevel extending over the entire length of the edge.

2. A tile as claimed in claim 1, in which some or all of the edges are at least partially glazed.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to tiles The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to tiles, especially but not exclusively ceramic tiles. The invention is particularly concerned with ceramic wall tiles which generally comprise relatively thin square slabs of ceramic material, one face of which has been glazed. When fixing tiles it is normal and in fact desireable to leave a space between adjacent tiles and for reasons of appearance it is important that the space between adjacent tiles is constant. In the past one method of achieving regular spacing has been to provide tiles with "spacers" on their edges. Normally the spacers comprise a protrusion from the side of the tile, the thickness of the spacer being less than that of the tile and the spacer being arranged towards the rear unglazed face of the tile. Two such spacers are arranged on each edge at equal distances from the corners of the tile and project from the edge by a distance which is equal to half the spacing desired between adjacent tiles, so that when two tiles are placed together the spacers abut to define the required spacing. A major disadvantage of this system is that a normal spacer tile including spacers on all four edges cannot be used at the exposed edges of the tiled surface and a separate tile with spacers on only three edges is required, the remaining edge often being rounded and glazed. Still different tiles having spacers on only two edges and being rounded and glazed on the remaining two sides are required for the corners of the tiled surface. Recently attempts have been made to overcome this disadvantage by providing a tile which can be utilised in the centre and at the edges and corners of tiled surfaces, and in one recently introduced tile there are spacers on only two adjacent edges, the remaining edges having no spacers and being at least partially glazed. The spacers of this tile are arranged at different distances from the tile corners and the amount of protrusion of the spacer is equal to the desired spacing between adjacent tiles so that it is necessary, on fitment, to ensure that the tile edge including spacers is put alongside a tile edge with no spacers. This makers the tile fixer's task more difficult. A further disadvantage of this newly proposed tile is that it cannot be used in combination with ordinary spacer tiles as regular spacing could not be achieved. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages. According to the present invention there is provided a timle each edge of which is bevelled outwardly towards the back of the tile the bevel extending over the entire length of the edge of the tile. Some or all of the edges of the tile may be at least partially glazed. Preferably the angle of the bevel of each edge is the same and may be 7 . The bevelled edges may be convex. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan of a wall tile; and Figure 2 shows a section through the line A-A of Fig. 1. A square wall tile has its upper surface glazed and its lower surface 1 2 free from glaze. The upper surface 10 may be provided with a pattern by any normal technique. Each edge 1 4 of the tile is bevelled, the bevel being covered with glaze and extending along the entire edge of the tile. Conveniently the bevel is of the order of 7 and it is important that the bevels on all the edges of the tiles have equal angles. It will be realised that the tile shown in Figs. 1 and 2 can be used at the centre or the edge of a tiled surface and when used at the edge the bevel 1 4 will provide a continuous glazed profiled edge for the edge of the tiled surface. Furthermore, when fixing the tiles, the tile fixer need not be concerned with the orientation of the tile (except, of course, if the pattern thereon demands this) since the tiles can be used in orientation as each edge is identical. In addition, a tile as described above can be used with tiles having ordinary spacers. After a surface has been tiled by fixing tiles similar to those illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 thereto it will be realised that a channel which converges towards the surface of the tiled wall is provided and this channel can be infilled to any desired depth by a suitable grouting material. As the bevel angle on each edge of all the tiles is equal, provided the grout is applied at a constant depth, the grouted joints will have the same thickness. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example a different bevel angle can be utilised. It is possible that the glaze does not extend over the entire bevelled edge or does not extend over one or two of the bevelled edges but whereas this may provide a better key for the grout it also provides the tile fixer with tile orientation problems. CLAIMS

3. A tile as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the angle of bevel of each edge is the same.

4. A tile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the bevel angle is 7 .

5. A tile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the bevelled edge is convex.

6. A tile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.