TILE PANEL MANUFACTURE AND PROCESSING

Abstract: The invention provides a method and means for effec­ tively applying a tile-work, by always providing the back side of a plurality of tiles (2) with connection members (3) in such a way that a self-sustaining panel is obtained, while subse­ quently providing said panel, if necessary, with a so-called shutter layer (6) and filling the joints.

Description: Title: Tile panel manufacture and processing Tile setting is labour-intensive, requires much time and specialized workers. It is the object of the invention to provide a method and means therefor for effectively applying a tile-work. To this effect it is proposed according to the invention to always provide the back side of a plurality of tiles with connection members in such a way that a self-sustaining panel is obtained, while subsequently providing said panel, if necessary, with a so-called SHUTTER layer and filling the joints. It has been found that in this manner pre-fabricated tile panels of maximally 2 m2 can be formed, which can be manufactured in factories as prefab members and which can thereafter be easily processed on the construction site. During the processing such a tile panel is positioned for the purpose of a vertical wall in front of the wall to be tiled, provided with shoring means for retaining the tile panel in place, with damming means for preventing mortar from running off, after which preferably via the top side the space between the wall or other supporting member and the tile panel is filled with mortar. If desired, a tile panel may conventionally be made to size by removing a part of the tiles with conventional means. One embodement of the invention will now be explained, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 is a top view of the back side of a tile panel whereon a plurality of connection members are indicated; Fig. 2 shows, partly in vertical section, a part of a tile panel during the manufacture; and Fig. 3 is a view, partly in vertical section, of a tile panel positioned in front of a wall. In accordance with Fig. 2, there are positioned on a supporting plate 1 a plurality of tiles with the front downwards in the required number, shape and pattern and at the required interspace. The various tiles are indicated by 2. On these tiles are attached, always at the angular points, connection plates 3. To this effect, preferably at the four angles of adjacent tiles, a dose of rapid-hardening cement mortar, preferably synthetic resin mortar, is applied on which always the connection plates 3 are pressed. Along the edges of a tile panel always tws tile-oonnecting narrcer conneccion plates 4 are attached. In Fig. 2, the connection mortar is indicated by 5. It has been found that by means of the modern synthetic resin mortars, extremely solid connections can be effected between connection plates and the tiles, whereby a tile panel of e.g. 1 x 2 meters, after hardening of the mortar, can be-taken up at the edges and whereby the panel is sufficiently self-sustaining For enhancing the hardening of the jointing mortar, preferably the pre-treated panel is dried on bearing plate 1 in a dryung over at at least 20 C for 10 hours. For the jointing plates, as well as for bearing plate 1, use is preferably made of an eternite plate or of eterspan, a synthetic product comparable with eternite. The advantage of this material is that a very solid joint with the mortar is realized, since the mortar should naturally also obtain a very good adhesion with the back side of the tiles. This eternite material furthermore does not become deformed during the drying and hardening of the mortar and is sufficiently rigid for ensuring a rigid panel. It is observed, however, that also other plate material, e.g. asbestos cement, can be applied. The sizes of the tiles are not of relevance, so that both tiles of 10 x 10 cm and of 10 x 15 or 15 x 15 or 10 x 20 or also other sizes can be properly utilized. Such tiles in general have a thickness of approx. 6.5 mm. For the eternite connection plates, use is preferably made of eternite having a thickness of approx. 6 mm. for obtaining sufficient rigidity and strength. Besides a manufacture of a panel with a size of about 1 x 2 m, naturally also square panels or panels of a deviating shape may be made, on condition that only the maximum size of 2 m and a maximum surface of 2 m2 is not exceeded. In this manner, also tile panels can be made of floor tiles, e.g. double-baked tiles of 10 x 10 cm. After hardening of the jointing mortar, preferably at the back side, there is applied a so-called SHUTTER layer of cement mortar, having a thickness of 1 or 2 mm, thus avoiding that during the positioning of a tile panel and the application of mortar behind the tile panel, said mortar will adhere to the tiles, thus producing dams in the mortar. This SHUTTER layer is indicated in Fig. 2 by reference numeral 6. By application of the SHUTTER layer, moredver the joints between the tiles at the back side are shut off. As a result, after reversal of the tile panel, the joints can be easily washed-in from the front side without the jointing mortar extending behind the tile panels, which would otherwise also produce mortar dam effect during the mounting of the tile panels. The manufacture of the tile panels and the filling of the joints can be effected very easily in factories in the manner indicated, possibly with special machines, while no specialized tilers are necessary and moreover the operations can be effected effectively under favourable conditions, whereby the tile panels formed can be further transported as prefab members to various construction sites for being processed in situ. During the processing, according to Fig. 3, a tile panel generally indicated by 10 is arranged in front of the wall 11 or a different supporting member. The tile panel is arranged in such a way that at the back side there remains a space of at least 1% cm, while depending on the unevennesses and irregularities in the wall, also distances up to 5 cm are possible. Use is thereby made of adjusting members such as 12, which can be attached e.g. relatively to the floor, as well as adjustable clip members 13, which are adapted to engage e.g. around a window or dJor- frame opening or may be fixed in the wall through plugs. E;y means of threaded pins, the tile panel can be vertically positioned. Subsequently, the edges of the tile panel are dammed up e.g. with rapid-hardening mortar, both at the vertical edges and along the lower edge at 15. When wider tile faces have to be handled, separate panels will be positioned at joint distance from each other, while the join between the panels can either be dammed up with a rapidhardening mortar or be sealed with a sealing strip. When the space behind a tile panel has been dammed up at three sides, thin mortar is supplied at the top side. This may be done e.g. means of a mortar pump 16, which conducts the mortar via a hose 17 to a feeding funnel e.g. of som tens of centimeters in length and 1 cm in width, which terminates behind the upper edge of the tile panel. In ts manner, the space behind a tile panel can be rapidly fill d. It has been found that thus also the mortar may find its Tay around the corner of a wall and even at the back side of .t wall when e.g. at all three sides tile panels are arranged. The joint is rapidly filled from the bottom to the top, while the support construction serves forreatu:"nInrr the tile panel or tile panels in place. After the hardening and the removal of the support construction, the tile wall or possibly the tile floor is ready. For a tile floor use may be made of a mortar layer applied on the floor, whereon the tile panels are simply positioned.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Method of manufacturing a tile panel, characterized in that a plurality of tiles are placed on a supporting plate at joint distance, after which on the corners at the back side of the tiles there is applied a rapid-hardening synthetic resin mortar and on the adjacent corners of different tiles there are pressed connection plates, whereafter the whole is dried until hardening. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the hardening of the jointing mortar between the connection plates and tiles, a shutter layer of cement mortar is applied on the back side of the tile panel. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that after the hardening of the jointing mortar between connection plates and tiles, the joints between the tiles are washed-in 4. Prefab tile panel made through application of the method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a number of tiles, at joint distance from each other, are interconnected by connection plates provided at the back side on the corners of the tiles, while for the jointing mortar use is mede of a rapid-hardening synthetic resin mortar, while the panel is provided at the back side with a. shutter layer. 5. Method of applying-a-tile panel made through application of the method according to any one of the claims 1-3, characterized in that the tile panel is positioned before a wall to be tiled at a distance of at least 1i cm, the tile panel is anchored relative to the supporting construction for absorbing the forces during the filling of the space between wall and tile panel, the lower and side edges of the tile panel are dammed up and thin mortar is inserted from the top side in the space between panel and wall 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that a plurality of panels are positioned adjacent each other, the joints between the panels are dammed up, whereafter the space between tile panels and wall is filled at one go. 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the tile panels in one corner are positioned in adjoining relationship for tiling more walls simultaneously. 8. Tiled structure made through application of the method according to any one of the claims 5-7, use being made of tile panels, made through application of any one of the methods according to claims 1-4.

Inventors: VAN DE VEN, JOHANNES JACOBUS, VAN LIEROP, PETRUS JOHANNES GERARDUS
Applicants: VAN DE VEN, JOHANNES JACOBUS, VAN LIEROP, PETRUS JOHANNES GERARDUS
Application year: 1981
Main classification: E04F13
IPC codes: E04F13