Patent ID: 6659097
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: B44D,E04F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a decorative tile set of nonuniformly-shaped tiles for installation adjacent uniformly-shaped tiles, the tiles having opposing upper and lower surfaces bounded by interlocking edges, the method comprising:a. for each tile within the tile set, defining a tile boundary at the upper surface of the tile, wherein the tiles within the tile set are adjacently situated at the tile boundaries; b. providing a sacrificial bed having a planar upper bed surface; C. cutting trenches in the sacrificial bed, the trenches defining areas on the upper bed surface which at least substantially correspond to the tile boundaries; d. providing atop the sacrificial bed a workpiece from which the tiles within the tile set are to be cut; e. cutting the workpiece along tile blank boundaries which are coincident with or outside the tile boundaries, thereby producing tile blanks; f. cutting: i. male interlocking structure on selected tile blanks, the male interlocking structure being defined in portions of these tile blanks within the tile blank boundaries and outside the tile boundaries, and ii. female interlocking structure on selected tile blanks, the female interlocking structure being defined in portions of these tile blanks within their tile blank boundaries and their tile boundaries; wherein the cutting of the interlocking structure on each tile blank conforms the tile blank's upper surface to correspond to the tile boundaries therein.