Abstract:
Textile fiber face modular flooring having edges treated to mimic the appearance of grout between installed modules or otherwise provide visual demarcation between modules and methods and apparatus for producing such modules.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US00/01717 filed Jan. 25, 2000 entitled “Modular Floor Covering Edge Treatment,” which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to floor coverings, including carpet and carpet tile and resilient sheet and tile products such as vinyl flooring, and a machine and method of making these floor coverings.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Modules of stone, brick, concrete, tile and other refractory products have long been used for flooring. Many such products are installed with a cementitious material like mortar, called “grout” between modules, and such grouted regions are quite prominent and substantially contribute to the appearance of the finished floor. Some resilient flooring such as vinyl flooring has long mimicked the appearance of tile modules with grout between the tiles, even in roll goods of substantial width having very few actual seams. However, textile face floor covering like carpet and carpet tile has generally sought to hide the seams between adjacent modules or other floor covering components, striving for “invisible” seams.  
           [0004]    Floor covering, including carpet, is produced in modular or tile forms as well as in broadloom or roll goods. Substantial effort has been devoted to making seams between abutting roll goods and tile edges invisible or at least difficult to see, so that a visually continuous expanse of floor covering is seen. Upstanding yarn pile products facilitate hiding seams because of the tendency of the pile on opposite sides of a seam to intermingle.  
           [0005]    Additionally, carpet seams or the edges of carpet tiles are susceptible to fraying or raveling. Such fraying or raveling creates an unpleasant appearance and reduces the life of the carpet. Fraying or raveling problems are increased with flooring consisting of a thin or low face weight, textile fiber based face. Flooring with a flat woven face fabric makes it particularly difficult to hide seams because there is no upstanding pile that can intermingle.  
           [0006]    Such thin flooring provides many advantages such as resiliency to deformation caused by heavy loads, reduction in the amount of materials required to produce the carpet, increased durability, and design flexibility available from woven face fabrics. One drawback of these carpets is that due to the thin nature of the top layer and the resulting flat appearance it is difficult to provide a three dimensional appearance with some portions of the floor covering surface higher than others.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    This invention addresses the issues associated with seams or abutting regions of adjacent floor covering pieces or modules by doing exactly the opposite of one of the objects of great effort in the arts of manufacture and installation of textile face floor coverings. Rather than seeking to make seams invisible, the location of such seams is emphasized, so that the appearance created is of modular units with clear demarcation between adjacent units, somewhat similar to the appearance of traditional ceramic tile with grouted regions between adjacent tiles.  
           [0008]    Such border regions between carpet or other textile floor covering tiles or modules are created by treating a peripheral region around the entire module so that it is visually different from the remainder of the tile or module. Each module for a floor area is treated similarly so that when the edges of all the modules are placed together a consistent edge region is created at the edges of each module. The region formed by adjacent treated portions of modules greatly decreases the noticability of the “seam” or demarcation between modules. This “grouted edge treatment” can be accomplished in a number of different ways, including “manual” and automated ones.  
           [0009]    Among other alternatives for accomplishing this flooring modular edge treatment are one or a combination of (1) use of a colorant such as a dye, ink or pigment, (2) treatment of the edge with energy to elevate the temperature enough to cause at least a change in appearance, (3) impregnating or otherwise treating the region with a plastic material such as a thermoplastic like a hot melt adhesive, and (4) cutting away a portion of the face material of the modular flooring. Treatment with energy and use of a hot melt adhesive can bond face fabric fibers, thereby consolidating the fiber. Hot melt adhesive on adjacent tile or module edges can be reheated after tile installation to bond adjacent tiles edge-to-edge and create a water-impervious floor covering as well as a grout-like appearance.  
           [0010]    Such edge treatment could also potentially be accomplished by transferring color onto a carpet or other flooring surface, such as by using a sublimatic transfer printer in which a vacuum is created so that dye stuffs sublimate from paper onto carpet.  
           [0011]    Module edges can be treated with or without additional colorants or other materials such as hot melt adhesives separately or simultaneously; progressively or an entire edge at a time; before, after or during cutting the module from a floor covering web; and by moving a module past one or more treating devices or by moving the treating device(s) past the module.  
           [0012]    Relatively high speed production of modules having the grouted edge appearance of this invention may be accomplished by conveying a tile past treating stations such as hot air guns or devices for applying hot melt adhesive or colorant. Two such stations can treat opposed edges of a square or rectangle tile while the tile is conveyed in a first direction. Two more stations can then treat the remaining two edges while the tile is conveyed in a direction orthogonal to the first direction or after rotating the tile  90  degrees.  
           [0013]    In summary, possible techniques and devices for achieving the “grouted edge treatment” of this invention include the following, which can be use separately or in various combinations:  
           [0014]    1. Ultrasonic etchers;  
           [0015]    2. Lasers;  
           [0016]    3. Hot air guns;  
           [0017]    4. Hot air knives;  
           [0018]    5. Hot rolls;  
           [0019]    6. Textured hot rolls;  
           [0020]    7. Hot elements other than rolls, such as hot plates and bars;  
           [0021]    8. Polyvinylchloride ink;  
           [0022]    9. Flexographic ink;  
           [0023]    10. Other inking processes;  
           [0024]    11. Chemical application (e.g. dyes);  
           [0025]    12. Chemical burning of the yarn;  
           [0026]    13. Chemical alteration of the edges;  
           [0027]    14. Topical chemical application spray, roller, flick roll, lick roll, transfer coated, film transfer, etc; and  
           [0028]    15. Cutting away a peripheral portion of the face material.  
           [0029]    Another feature of this invention includes changing the color, gloss and texture of the module utilizing heat guns, die coaters and embossers.  
           [0030]    In still another feature of this invention, other treating methods, such as, for instance, impulse heating, radio frequency sealing or lasers are utilized to create a tile having a grouted appearance edge. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of treated flooring modules placed together forming a floor covering.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 is a side elevation, schematic view of a tile treated in accordance with this invention with alternative edge shapes.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 is a side elevation, schematic view of edge-to-edge bonding of a flooring module of this invention.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 is a side elevation, schematic view of fabric-to-fabric bonding of flooring modules.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of treated flooring modules and a heat source utilized with a “manual” embodiment of this invention.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 6 is a side elevation schematic view of a hand apparatus including a hot air gun utilized in the “manual” embodiment of imparting a treated edge to a flooring module.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIGS. 7A and 7B are top plan views of an apparatus including conveyor belts and heat guns for producing a grouted appearance edge on modular flooring.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 7A and 7B showing one of the heat guns.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of another embodiment of this invention showing an apparatus for providing a module having a grouted appearance edge tile including a textured surface that can be made in a variety of colors.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a die coater usable to apply hot melt adhesive in the embodiment of this invention depicted in FIG. 9. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0041]    I. Introduction  
         [0042]    This invention provides textile fiber face modular and broadloom or roll goods flooring having edges treated with a “grouted-edge” appearance and machinery and methods for making the flooring. Alternatives for accomplishing this modular flooring include both “manual” and automatic embodiments.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of several tiles  42  placed together. Each tile  42  has the “grouted edge treatment”  70 . The treated edge  70  is represented in FIG. 1 by the shaded portion of the tiles  42 . As shown in FIG. 1, the tiles  42  are aligned such that the edges create a grout-like appearance between tiles.  
         [0044]    II. Edge Treated Floor Covering Structure and Installation  
         [0045]    A. Structure  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 2 shows a side elevation, schematic (not to scale) view of roll goods or modular flooring, such as tiles  42 , treated in accordance with this invention. The flooring material such as a tile  42  has a top or face layer  72  of textile material, such as woven fabric, tufted fibers, looped fibers, knitted fibers, fusion bonded fibers or another structure. Face layer  72  could include a precoat. An example of a woven fabric usable for layer  72  is disclosed in International Application No. PCTIUS98/21487, entitled “Floor Covering With Woven Face,” dated October  13 ,  1998 , which is incorporated herein by this reference. A backing layer  74  and a resilient layer  76  lie under the face material  72 . The flooring material  42  has regions  78  and  81  at the two sides of the cross section that are different in appearance than the rest of the textile material  78  and may be lower than the nontreated portion of the flooring material  42 .  
         [0047]    The edge treatment of this invention using any of the methods described here can occur after the product has been cut into modules or, in the case of modules produced from a web, can occur before the web carpet is cut into modules or tiles.  
         [0048]    If the appearance of smaller modules than the entire tile size is desired, a treatment similar to the edge treatment can also be applied across the tile, making it appear that a single module actually is a larger number of smaller modules. For instance, if a marking centered side to side in a square or rectangular tile is positioned between each pair of opposed edges, the tile will appear to be divided into four smaller tiles. Any of the “grouted edge” treatments described here could also be used to create patterns on the face of the tiles in order to give the tile surface a three dimensional appearance.  
         [0049]    An alternative and or additional way of achieving the desired “grouted edge” treatment is to use additional “grout-like” material between adjacent edges of floor covering, such as conventional cementitious grout. Such filler materials may not necessarily be conventional grout but instead can be, for instance, hot melt adhesives, glue and a wide variety of polymeric materials including, in particular, polymers the same as, or compatible with the polymer(s) that form the floor covering. Such “grouts” can serve not only aesthetic functions but also utilitarian ones. They can bond the floor covering to underlying floor, serve as a moisture barrier, seal floor covering edges and provide enhanced strength, among other things.  
         [0050]    Such “grout” material is illustrated in FIG. 3 as glue  86 , which can be placed on the carpet in several ways. FIG. 3 shows a side elevation, schematic (not to scale) view of backing-to-backing bonding of tiles. This application is particularly appropriate for flooring having relatively thin face fabric. In this case the glue  86  is placed not only on the face of the flooring at the perimeter  78  or  81  of the tile  42 , but also on the edge  88  of each tile  42 . Immediately before or after the tiles  42  are placed side by side, a heat gun or other heat source is utilized to heat the glue  86  on the perimeter  78  and edge  88  of adjacent tiles so that the adhesive flows and bonds together. Thus, the two tiles  42  bond not only the upper-to-upper face fibers, but also side-to-side and backing-to-backing.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 4 shows a side elevation, schematic (not to scale) view of fabric-to-fabric bonding of tiles  42 . For an application that involves pile carpet, among other situations, it may be more appropriate to apply glue  86  only to the upper fibers of the perimeter  78  or  81  of the tile  42 . When the top side perimeter of each tile  42  is heated, the glue  86  melts and bonds pile-to-pile or fabric-to-fabric of adjacent tiles.  
         [0052]    B. Installation  
         [0053]    When the tiles  42  are installed in the field, the edge region of the tiles  42  may be reheated to melt or fuse abutting edges together by fusing the hot melt adhesive, which: (1) creates a bond between the tiles, thereby provides a moisture impermeable floor covering and (2) hides the seam between tiles and enhances the grout-like appearance.  
         [0054]    Both backing-to-backing and fabric-to-fabric bonding allows the glue gun or hot melt adhesive application to provide a tile with the grout-like edge appearance having the tile-to-tile bonded capabilities and moisture barrier.  
         [0055]    III. Techniques for Producing Grouted-Edge Appearance  
         [0056]    The floor covering of this invention can be produced utilizing a wide variety of techniques.  
         [0057]    A. Hot Air  
         [0058]    The floor covering of this invention can be produced utilizing hot air that is directed against a peripheral portion of the floor covering  42  to melt, consolidate and discolor a portion of the face as illustrated in FIG. 5. Methods and apparatus for such treatment is described in detail in sections B-F below.  
         [0059]    B. Hot Melt Adhesive Treatment  
         [0060]    A glue gun can extrude a “ribbon” of hot melt adhesive through a small slot positioned adjacent to the tile  42  portion being treated to provide a grout-like appearance on the tile  42 . Such a glue gun is available as a model HA2 one module slot coater applicator used in conjunction with a STS 50-4H hot melt supply unit from Suretack Systems, a division of Crist Company, 201F Bell Place, Woodstock, Ga. 30188. The glue gun includes an extruder for releasing stored glue and a heat source for heating the glue. The glue gun applies glue to the four edges of a tile  42 . The glue can be applied to the periphery of the square tiles from a few hundredths of an inch up to an eighth of an inch or more, providing a grout-like region of twice that width when two tiles are placed adjacent to each other. Preheating at least the portion of the tiles  42  on which hot melt adhesive is applied may be desirable to slow cooling of adhesive and facilitate deeper penetration of the face fibers  78  of tile  42 . This provides for maximum penetration and consolidation of the fibers. An appropriate hot melt coating based on EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) is product 52-428 supplied by The Reynolds Company, 10 Gates Street, P.O. Box 1925, Greenville, S.C. 29602. Hot melts and comparable alternatives can include the following ingredients: ethylene vinyl acetate polymer; styrene butadiene polymer; polyolefin polymers; styrene isoprene polymer; petroleum derived tackifying resins; rosin derived tackifying resins; paraffin waxes and oils; terpene derived tackifying resins; microcrystalline waxes and oils; napthanic waxes and oils and polyamide resins.  
         [0061]    C. Impulse Heating  
         [0062]    Impulse heating may also be utilized to create a grouted appearance edge on a flooring module. The impulse heating apparatus includes a brass bar that is heated by resistance heating. The bar surface adjacent to the flooring module may be covered by Teflon® tape. Vertrod Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y. provides impulse heating machinery suitable for use with this invention. In operation, the brass bar optimally covered with Teflon® tape contacts the module then high voltage electricity heats the module edge and the bar releases. The cycle time required to treat a module is a function of the pigments, depth and type of carpet tile module being treated.  
         [0063]    Impulse heating may also be used on a flooring web in conjunction with a die cutting apparatus for cutting the web into tiles or modules. By positioning impulse heating bars adjacent to die cutting blades or knives, a web of flooring material may be cut and the module heat treated in one step.  
         [0064]    D. Radio Frequency Sealing  
         [0065]    Radio frequency sealing may also be utilized to treat the edges of the module. A thermoplastic tape or film is applied to the edge of the module and radio frequency energy passes from a transmitter through the module to a receiver, heating the module and tape. Radio frequency sealers available from Kabar Manufacturing Corp., Farmingdale, N.Y. and tape material such as Thermx™ polyester made by Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN are suitable products for use with this invention.  
         [0066]    Tapes in a variety of colors can be utilized with both impulse heating and radio frequency sealing to provide a decorative module edge finish. Suitable tapes include unsupported films and supported films. Unsupported films (i.e. adhesives) can include a chemical composite such as, for example, olefinic polymers, unsaturated polyester or polyamides (i.e. nylon). Bemis Associates Inc., Shirley, Mass. provides suitable unsupported films. Supported film has an adhesive and a supporting layer. The supporting layer can include another fabric or film (or mylar) that is not thermoplastic. Fabrics that are woven or nonwoven such as, polyesters, nylons, polypropylene and knits are suitable for use as the supporting layer.  
         [0067]    E. Flocking  
         [0068]    Flocking can also be utilized to provide a treated edge. Flocking includes a supported film and an upper layer adapted to impart color. In addition, flocking materials can be affixed to the edge of the module and embossed to provide a textured, decorative appearance to the module. Fabrex International Limited, Lancaster Road, Hinkley, Leicestershire, United Kingdom provides suitable flocking material.  
         [0069]    F. Lasers  
         [0070]    In another embodiment, a laser is utilized to provide the grout-like edge appearance on flooring modules. Lasers can also be used to “engrave” more complex patterns on the tile, such as a broken “quarry tile” appearance, and to engrave “grout lines” in a middle portion of the tile making one tile look like many. A thermoplastic coating such as, for instance, tape or film, can be applied to the module before the laser treatment. Such a “grouted-edge” appearance can be accomplished using the techniques (described for other purposes) set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,858, entitled “Method For Engraving Carpet And Carpet So Engraved,” which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.  
         [0071]    G. Cutting or Shearing  
         [0072]    The desired change in the appearance of tile  42  may be achieved by cutting away a portion of the face  72  of tile  42  to leave a region  78  or  81  that can have a convex surface, a concave surface  72 , a flat, beveled surface  81  or any other desired shape. Among other devices usable to cut away face material is a shear often referred to as a “tile edger” available, for instance, as an “automatic belt-type 90° tile edging machine” sold by B&amp;J Machinery Company, 122 York Street, Dalton, Ga. USA. Such a “tile edger” shear is normally used to remove fuzz or stray fibers from the edge of a carpet tile. In use in practicing this invention, however, the shear is positioned to cut a portion of the pile of a tufted carpet module or other textile face flooring module to leave a bevel  81  as illustrated in FIG. 2 or another surface with a different shape that is visually apparent. For instance, among other shapes possible is the rabbit shape illustrated in FIG. 4.  
         [0073]    IV. Machinery for Treating Floor Covering  
         [0074]    A. “Manual” Treating Machine  
         [0075]    In a “manual” embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 6, an apparatus  139  for mounting a hot air gun  29 , such as, for example, a Leister Hot Air Welder model number 1G3, available from Heely Brown Company, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. An suitable apparatus is disclosed in provisional patent application entitled “Hand Apparatus for Imparting Grouted Edge Appearance to Tile Face Floorcoverings,” filed January  20 ,  2000  and is incorporated herein by this reference.  
         [0076]    A textile fiber face modular tile or floorcovering  42  is treated with the hot air gun  29  that is moved along the edge  70  of a stationary tile  42 . The orientation of a tip  140  of the hot air gun  29  provides for directing air to a peripheral portion of the floorcovering  42 . A base plate  142  rests on rollers  144  that contact the floorcovering  42 . Arms  146  are adjustably mounted to project from base plate  142 . Each arm  146  terminates in a leg  148  projecting down, which in turn terminates in a guide roller  150  that bears against the edge of floorcovering  42  being treated. The guide roller  150  working in cooperation with the rollers  144  provide control and stability so that an operator can efficiently impart hot air to the floorcovering  42 .  
         [0077]    The hot air gun  29  is adjustably mounted on base plate  142  utilizing a sloping gusset or carriage  152  bolted to stanchion  154  with adjustable fasteners  156  permitting adjustment in the height of hot air gun  29  above floorcovering  42 . A handle  158  affixed to stanchion  154  can be useful in operating this apparatus. A heater bracket  160  adjustably attaches the hot air gun  29  to the stanchion  154 .  
         [0078]    The air from the hot air gun is delivered through small holes in the appropriately shaped tip  140  to a peripheral portion of the tile  42  such as a region, for instance, approximately ⅛ to ¼ inch wide (although wider areas may be desirable in some instances) and then pinch rollers may optionally be used to compress the heated fiber. The tip  140  of the air gun  29  and the pinch rollers move along the edge of the module. In another embodiment, a heated contact implement similar, for instance, to the tip of a soldering iron can be briefly brought in contact with a peripheral portion  70  of the tile  42  to treat that portion. Alternatively, the edge treatment  70  could be accomplished using infrared radiation or laser light, or by contacting portions of the tile  42  to be treated with a heated die having the pattern desired to be “imprinted” on the tile.  
         [0079]    In another embodiment, a peripheral portion  70  of the tile  42  is treated with an ultrasonic machine, such as an ultrasonic “etching,” “welding,” or “bonding” machine. With ultrasonics, the tile fiber is generally compressed rather than melted and broken as with a heat treatment. Compressing the face yarn prevents edge ravel, because the face yarn of the treated region is compressed together. The compressed face yarn is also depressed below the nontreated yarn creating a “grout-like” appearance  70  when placed together with similarly treated tiles  42 . Additionally, ink can be used with the ultrasonic machine to change the color of the treated region. Ultrasonic machines currently used to create designs in textile products such as mattress covers and quilts can be adapted for this application.  
         [0080]    B. “Automatic” Tile Edge Treatment Machine Using Hot Air Only  
         [0081]    [0081]FIGS. 7A and 7B show a top plan view of a production apparatus or machine  20  for imparting a grouted-edge appearance to square or rectangular modular flooring, such as a carpet tile or other modules having a textile fiber face. As shown in FIG. 7A, the machine  20  includes a conveyor line  22 , and treating heads  30 ,  32  that can be heat sources. A second conveyor line  24  is positioned to be fed by conveyor line  24  at right angles to conveyor line  22 .  
         [0082]    The conveyor line  22  is positioned to traverse in a substantially horizontal direction to move modules  42 ,  44  and  47  past the heat sources  30 ,  32  to treat two opposed edges. A second pair of heat sources  31  and  33  treat the other pair of opposed module edges on the next conveyer line  24 . Each conveyor line  22 ,  24  rests on legs (not shown) which support it at a convenient height for a worker placing modules on and removing modules from the machine  20 . A control box (not shown) has controls for stopping the machine  20  and for controlling each conveyor line  22 ,  24  and heat sources  30 ,  31 ,  32  and  33 . In one embodiment, the heat sources  30 ,  32  are a heat gun such as a Leister TWINNY Y heat gun or Leister Hot Air Welder model number  1 G 3 . In another embodiment, the heat sources  30 ,  32  are a laser.  
         [0083]    [0083]FIG. 7A shows a top view of flooring tiles  42 ,  44  on the first conveyor line  22 . Tiles are placed on the first conveyor line  22  such that they are adjacent to (or abut) each other. The conveyor lines  22 ,  24  include fences  46  on each side. The fences  46  serve to position the tiles  42 ,  44  so that the edges will be properly treated. Spring strips  48  attached to parallel bars  50  affixed over the conveyor lines  22  and  24  serve to eliminate lifting, curling or puckering of the tiles  42 ,  44  while traveling along the conveyor lines  22  and  24 .  
         [0084]    As shown in FIG. 7A, two adjacent tiles  42 ,  44  are being treated by heat guns,  30  and  32 , respectively. One edge  49  of the tile  44  was first treated first by heat gun  30 . As the tile  44  progresses along the conveyor line  22 , the opposite edge  51  is heat treated by the other heat gun  32 . The adjacent tile  42  is in position to be treated from the heat gun  30 . Heat is first applied to one edge  52  of the tile  42 . As tile  42  passes underneath heat gun  32 , the opposite edge  53  of tile  42  will be treated. Spring strips  48  apply slight pressure on the tiles  42 ,  44  so they remain in position on the conveyor line  22 . Tiles  42 ,  44  and  47  are transported along the first conveyor line  22  to a chute  66  that transitions the tile  47  to the second conveyor line  24 .  
         [0085]    The downstream end  26  of conveyor line  22  is elevated so that a tile  47  can drop from conveyor line  22  onto conveyor line  24 . The chute  66  receives the tile  47  from the first conveyor line  22  and drops the tile  47  onto the slide  68  for positioning on the second conveyor line  24 . As the tile transfers from one conveyor line  22  to conveyor line  24 , the conveyor line  24  is orthogonal (i.e., at 90°) to the first conveyor line  22  so that a second edge  71  of the tile  47  can be heat treated. Thus, the tile  47  does not turn, but the second pair of edges is presented for treatment by moving tiles in an orthogonal direction as compared to their first direction of travel. Conveyor line  22  utilizes two belts  21  and  23  positioned end-to-end. Conveyor lines  22  and  24  can be: (1) one or more belts each or (2) roller conveyors or (3) other types of conveyors. Belt  21  conveys tiles  42 ,  44  past treating stations  30  and  32  and onto belt  23 , which operates at a higher speed than belt  21 , thereby separating tiles  42 ,  44  that were abutting when traveling on belt  21 . This separation between tiles at the point where they change direction even though they abut (or are adjacent to) each other when passing the treating stations provides time for the tile  47  to drop, and settle in position on the next conveyor belt  25  and start moving orthogonal to the original direction of travel without dropping a succeeding tile on top of tile  47 . Due to the change in speed, the tile  47  drops onto belt  25  of conveyor line  24 , settles onto conveyor belt  25  and begins traveling in the direction of the next heat source  31  shown in FIG. 7B before the next tile  44  drops onto belt  25 . Belt  25  of conveyor line  24  may also be operated at a higher speed to feed belt  27  running at a lower speed.  
         [0086]    Alternatively, an apparatus for rotating each module  90 ° could be used between conveyor lines  22  and  24  so that both conveyor lines  22 ,  24  could move modules in the same direction.  
         [0087]    A tile  61  having two treated edges  62  and  64  travels along the conveyor line  24  to have the remaining two edges  63 ,  67  heat treated. Edge  67  is treated by heat gun  31 . As the tile  61  continues to traverse along the conveyor line  24 , the edge  63  will be treated by the heat gun  33 . The result is a tile  73  discharged from belt  27  having all four edges  69 ,  75 ,  77  and  79  heat treated.  
         [0088]    [0088]FIG. 8 shows a close up view of the energy source or heat gun  30 , and illustrates a tile  42  being treated by the heat gun  30 . A gap  64  in the conveyor line  22  positioned beneath a nozzle  65  of the heat gun  30  vents the hot air from heat gun  30 . The heat gun  30  includes a narrow slot that allows for focusing the heated air on the tile  42 . The tile  42  travels along the conveyor line  22  with an edge  52  of the tile  42  adjacent to the fence  46 . The heat gun  30  delivers focused hot air and radiant energy to the edge  52  of the tile  42  to produce a grout line appearance in an area of a desired width, typically between a few hundredths of an inch to about one half of an inch wide. The nozzle  65  of the heat gun  30  blows air against an edge  52  of the tile  42 , causing an indentation  78  in the tile  42 , thereby creating a “grouted” edge appearance. Thus if two tiles  42 ,  44  having grouted edges of one eighth an inch in width are positioned side-by-side, the total grout line appearance is about one quarter an inch.  
         [0089]    The position and inclination of the heat gun  30  is adjustable. Each heat gun  30 ,  31 ,  32 , and  33  mounts on a pivoting plate  53  that, in turn mounts on a carriage  55  that is adjustable in height and lateral position. The pivoting plate  53  is controlled by a threaded rod  54  that can adjust the pivotal position of the plate  53  on the carriage  55  and, therefore, the inclination of the heat gun  31 . The carriage  55  can travel vertically on rods  54 ,  56 , and its vertical position is adjustable with rod  56 . The carriage  55  travels horizontally on rods  54 ,  56 , and its horizontal position is adjustable with rod  57 . A cage  62  can be placed around the heat gun  31  to prevent inadvertent contact with hot surfaces.  
         [0090]    C. “Automatic” Machine With Die Coaters and Contact Treating Heads.  
         [0091]    [0091]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of another embodiment of this invention showing an apparatus  90  similar to apparatus  20  for providing a module having a grouted appearance edge tile including a textured surface that can be made in a variety of colors. The apparatus  90  includes treating heads that may be heat sources  30 ,  31 , die coaters  92 ,  94 , and contact treating heads  100 ,  102  (that may be embossers, shears or other devices). Conveyor lines  108 ,  110  and  112  traverse substantially horizontally moving modules  115 ,  116  past the heat sources  30 ,  31 , die coaters  92 ,  94 , and contact treating heads  100 ,  102 . The module  116  edge  126  first receives heat treatment from the heat source  30 , such as for instance, a heat gun. The die coater  92  is positioned adjacent to the heat gun  30  and provides a coating application to the melted edge  126  of the module  115 . FIG. 10 shows an illustration of a die coater  92 . A suitable die coater is available from Suretack Systems of Woodstock, Ga.  
         [0092]    Referring to FIG. 9, a thermoplastic coating is applied to the pre-heated end  126  of the module  115 . Suitable thermoplastic coatings include, but are not limited to, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyesters and polyamides. By adding a thermoplastic coating to the module  115 , a variety of levels of gloss from shiny to dull and colors can be added to the module  115 . After the thermoplastic coating has been applied, embossing can occur utilizing an embosser as contact treating head  100 . Embossing involves stamping or impressing a pattern into the module  115 . An embosser may use a wheel on an arm that positions the wheel to contact tile  115 . The wheel rolls over the module  115  creating an engraved pattern appearance while the module  115  is warm and soft.  
         [0093]    For example, embossing can create a concrete-like textured appearance or a module edge that resembles a bound edge. At the end of conveyor line  110 , the module  120  does not turn, but a second pair of edges  130 ,  132  are presented for treatment by moving tiles in an orthogonal direction as compared to their first direction of travel (past a second set of heat guns  30 ,  32 , die coaters  92 ,  94 , and contact treating heads  100 ,  102  not shown). The result is a module  115  having all edges treated. The combination of heat guns  30 ,  31 , die coaters  92 ,  94 , and contact treating heads  100 ,  102 , allow the completed module to have many variations in color, gloss and texture.  
         [0094]    Alternatively, a module  115  can be treated only by the heat guns  30 ,  31 , and die coaters  92 ,  94 , or a module  115  can be treated by only the heat guns  30 ,  31 , and contact treating heads  100 ,  102 . Any combination of heat guns  30 ,  31 , die coaters  92 ,  94 , and contact treating heads  100 ,  102 , can be used on a module  115 .  
         [0095]    Additionally, other techniques and devices can be added to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B,  8  and  9  or substituted for the heat sources  30 ,  32 . For instance, hot melt glue application devices could be added or substituted. Likewise apparatus for cutting or shearing a portion of the module face, such as the shear described above could be attached to machine  90  in the position of contact treating heads  100  or  102 . If one or more shears are used, they typically will be positioned to treat a particular peripheral region of a module  115  before any other type of treating heat and sometimes to the exclusion of use of any other type of treating head.  
         [0096]    In another embodiment, the tile remains stationary on the apparatus and the energy sources move around the tile, treating the perimeter or other portions of the tile creating the grout-like appearance edge.  
         [0097]    While certain embodiments of this invention have been described above, these descriptions are given for purposes of illustration and explanation. Variations, changes, modifications and departures from the systems and methods disclosed above may be adopted without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention.