Abstract:
A tile cutting measurement tool used to measure tiles, marbles, and the like. The tile cutting measurement tool is easily maneuverable, easily transportable, inexpensive to manufacture, and lightweight. The tile cutting measurement tool comprises of a contour gauge and a contour gauge guide that is connected to the contour gauge.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to tile cutting measurement devices used in the industry of laying tiles, marbles, and the like. The invention relates to devices that are used to measure and cut floor tiles, marbles, and the like prior to installation. 
         [0002]    The process of tile installation requires great deal of time, patience, labor, and accuracy. Most tile installation professionals in the industry are faced with cumbersome tile measuring and tile cutting issues prior to installation. Many of said issues can be resolved only through countless trial and error runs by the tile installation professional. The trial and error technique by a tile installation professional enormously delays the measurement process to cut tiles. Furthermore, it creates an economic burden on the productivity of a tile installation professional because of additional time, cost and labor required to get the tile installation process completed. 
         [0003]    The process of tile measuring for cutting tiles also involves intricate angles and minute measurements which cannot be conveniently deciphered. The intricate process is rather tough, time consuming and frustrating for most, tile installation professionals. A flexible tile measuring tool is highly needed and required in the industry. A tile measuring tool that would assist tile installation professionals to accurately measure tiles for cutting process by overcoming difficult angles, make out minute measurements for any sized tiles and manage to complete the tile cutting and tile installation process within a reasonable time would be a tremendous asset within the industry. 
         [0004]    As research suggests, there is no tool in the market that allows a tile installation professional to obtain a precise measurement for cutting tiles. There is also no tool out in the market that allows a tile installation professional to cut tiles of any size with any flexibility. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,020,973, Knight, U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,642, Marios, U.S. Pat. No. 1,141,640, Huguenin, and U.S. Pat. No. 923,875, McDonald are some of the existing prior arts that disclose a tile measuring tool for tile cutting and tile installation 
         [0006]    For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a tile cutting measurement tool that could be used to for tile cutting and tile installation processes with ease and efficiency. The tile measuring tool should be easily maneuverable, easily transportable, inexpensive to manufacture, and lightweight. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a tile cutting measurement tool that is used to measure tiles, marbles, and the like. The tile cutting measurement tool is easily maneuverable, easily transportable, inexpensive to manufacture, and lightweight. 
         [0008]    The tile cutting measurement tool having the present invention comprises of a contour gauge and a contour gauge guide that is connected to the contour gauge. The contour gauge comprises of a three dimensional rectangular housing, a plurality of rectangular plate structures that are mounted within the rectangular plate structures, a plurality of guide pins, each guide pin shall be inserted within the central aperture of the three dimensional rectangular housing and through each rectangular plate structure, and a locking mechanism housed within the three dimensional rectangular housing. The contour gauge guide comprises of a pair of antennas, each antenna connects perpendicularly to the three dimensional rectangular housing. The contour gauge guide further comprises of a three dimensional rectangular block, each antenna connects to the rectangular block, a first plate, a second plate, a U-shaped plate, an independently standing screw and an independently standing nut. The independently standing screw and the independent nut secure the contour gauge guide in the following order: first, inserting the screw through the U-shaped plate; then, inserting the screw through the second plate; next, inserting the screw through the first plate; and lastly, securing the screw with the nut. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment of the present invention the tile cutting measurement tool further comprises of at least one ruler mounted on the three dimensional rectangular housing. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism shall be a spring loaded locking mechanism or any other mechanism used to secure an antenna of the contour gauge guide. 
         [0011]    In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the tile cutting measurement tool further comprises of a collapsible guide attached to the three dimensional rectangular housing via the collapsible guide receiving apertures. The collapsible guide is used to realign the plurality of rectangular plate structures of the present invention after taking a measurement of the environment measured. 
         [0012]    An object of the present invention is to provide tile measurement cutting tool for a tile installation professional to use with ease, consistency and accuracy. 
         [0013]    Another object of the present invention is to allow a tile installation professional to save money and time on tile installation process by reducing overall installation time and thus, reducing the labor hours and the associated costs to get the tile installation process completed efficiently. 
         [0014]    Another object of the present invention is to allow a tile installation professional to have an accurate tile measuring tool that ensures its potential users to decipher precise measurements of intricate angles and minute dimensions. 
         [0015]    Yet another object of the present invention is to allow a tile installation professional to measure a more wide range of tile sizes and not be confined to any particular tile size limitations. 
         [0016]    Yet another object of the present invention is to allow a tile installation professional to visualize a mold or a template of any type of tile measurement before the tile is actually cut for installation purposes. 
         [0017]    Another object of the present invention is to allow a tile installation professional to replace the use of one-meter measurement considerably by reducing cutting time, and thus, increasing greater profitability at work. 
         [0018]    Another object of the present invention is to allow a tile installation professional to obtain without much effort, a cutting outline of the X-axis and Y-axis of a tile which cannot be done with products currently in the market. 
         [0019]    Further object of the present invention is to provide a tile cutting measurement tool that is inexpensive to manufacture. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and drawings where: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a top plan, perspective view of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a bottom plan, oblique view of the independently standing screw, the U-shaped plate, second plate, the first plate, the U-shaped plate, and the independently standing nut of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a front plan, oblique view of the plurality of rectangular plates structures, the three dimensional rectangular housing, the plurality of channels, at least one ruler and plurality of apertures of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a front and left plan, oblique view of the three dimensional rectangular housing, one of the plurality of rectangular plates, at least one of the collapsible guides, at least one of the collapsible guide apertures, at least one of the channels, at least one of the rulers, at least one of the guide pins of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a front plan perspective view of the invention without the contour gauge guide being used on a smaller sized tile, marble, or the like; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a front plan perspective view of the present invention in its entirety being used on a larger sized tile, marble, or the like; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a rear plan, oblique view of the three dimensional rectangular housing, the plurality of rectangular plate structures, the plurality of channels; at least one of the rulers, the two rear locking apertures, and the pair of collapsible guide receiving apertures of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8-8  is a partial sectional view of the locking mechanism that is housed inside the three dimensional rectangular housing of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8A  is a sectional view of  FIG. 8-8  that shows the locking mechanism in locked position of the present invention; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of  FIG. 8-8  that shows the locking mechanism in unlocked position of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-8   b , the tile cutting measurement tool of the present invention is comprised of a contour gauge that is connected to a contour gauge guide. 
         [0032]    A contour gauge  100 , comprises of a three dimensional rectangular housing  102 , the three dimensional rectangular housing having a left  102   a , a right  102   b , a top  102   c , a bottom  102   d , a front  102   e , and a rear side  102   f . The front  102   e  and rear sides  102   f  define a guide aperture  103  that runs lengthwise throughout the front side  102   e  and the rear side  102   f  and each guide aperture  103  is parallel to each other. The rear side  102   f  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  further defines two rear locking apertures  104  as seen in  FIG. 7 , centered between the top side  102   c  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  and each guide aperture  103 , the two rear locking apertures  104  being centrally located between the left  102   a  and right  102   b  sides of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102 . The top side  102   c , defines a central aperture  105  that runs lengthwise throughout the top side  102   c  and from the left  102   a  to the right side  102   b  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102 . The top side  102   c  further defines a top locking aperture  106 , the top locking aperture  106  being positioned between the left  102   a  and right  102   b  sides of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  and further between the rear side  102   f  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  and the central aperture  105  as seen in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 7 . A plurality of rectangular plate structures  107  as seen in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 3 , are slidingly mounted within the front  102   e  and rear  102   f  of the guide aperture  103 . The rectangular plate structures  107  comprise of a pair of rectangular plates  107   a  as seen in  FIG. 3 , in which each rectangular plate structure  108  is parallel to each other and has a first  108   a  and second  108   b  end as seen in  FIG. 3 . The rectangular plate structures  107  further comprise of a pair of plate separators  109 . The rectangular plates are connected to each other at their first  108   a  and second  108   b  ends by each plate separator  109   a , thereby defining an internal guide space  110  as seen in  FIG. 3  and in  FIG. 7 . Furthermore, there are a plurality of guide pins  111 , in which each guide pin  111   a  shall be inserted within the central aperture  105  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  and through each internal guide space  110  of each rectangular plate structure  108  as seen in  FIG. 4  and in  FIG. 7 . A locking mechanism  112  is housed within the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  as seen in  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B . 
         [0033]    A contour gauge guide  113  as seen in  FIG. 1 , comprises of a pair of antennas  114  as seen in  FIG. 1 , in which each antenna  114   a  parallel to each other at a sufficient distance within the pair  114  and has a first  114   a   1  and a second end  114   a   2 , the first end  114   a   1  of the antenna  114   a  is connected perpendicularly to each of the two rear locking apertures  104  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102 . A three dimensional rectangular block  115  is connected to the second end  114   a   2  of each antenna  114   a  as seen in  FIG. 1 . The rectangular block  115  consists of a top  115   a , a bottom  115   b , a left  115   c , a right  115   d , a front  115   e , and a rear end  115   f , and the second end  114   a   2  of each antenna  114   a  is connected to the top end  115   a  of the rectangular block  115 . The contour gauge guide further comprises of a first plate  116  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The first plate  116  having a top  116   a , a bottom  116   b , a left  116   c , a right  116   d , a front  116   e , and a rear  116   f  side as seen in  FIG. 2 . The top  116   a  and the bottom  116   b  side define a close-ended centrally located aperture  117  that runs throughout the top  116   a  side and the bottom  116   b  side of the plate  116  lengthwise from right  116   d  side to the left side  116   c  of the plate  116  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The top  116   a  side and the bottom  116   b  side further define two parallel, close ended apertures  118  that run lengthwise from the right  116   d  side to the left  116   c  side of the first plate  116  and are positioned at a sufficient distance to make each of the two close-ended apertures  118  parallel to the centrally located aperture  117  as seen in  FIG. 2 . Additionally, the contour gauge guide  113  comprises of a second plate  119  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The second plate  119  has a top  119   a , a bottom  119   b , a left  119   c , a right  119   d , a front  119   e  and a rear  119   f  side. The bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119  defines a shorter rectangular shaped ledge  120 , the shorter rectangular shaped ledge having a length  120   a  side and a width  120   b  side, the length  120   a  side of the shorter rectangular shaped ledge  120  is parallel to the bottom  119   b  side of the plate  119  and the length  120   a  side of the shorter rectangular shaped ledge  120  is attached to the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119 . The width  120   b  side of the shorter rectangular shaped ledge  120  is perpendicular to the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119  and extends out to the left  119   c  side of the second plate  119  on its length side  120   a  past the left  119   c  side of the second plate  119 . The bottom  119   c  side further defines a longer second rectangular shaped ledge  121  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The longer second rectangular ledge  121  has a length  121   a  side and a width  121   b  side, the length  121   a  side of the second rectangular shaped ledge  121  is attached to the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119  and runs perpendicular to the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119 . The width  121   b  of the longer second rectangular shaped ledge  121  is parallel to the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119 . The length  121   a  side of the longer second rectangular shaped ledge  121  crosses through the width  120   b  side of the shorter rectangular shaped ledge  120  at a sufficient distance forming a cross shape on the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119  as seen in  FIG. 2 . Moreover, the top  119   a  side and the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119  defines a centrally located aperture  122  which is open ended on its right end  122   a  and close ended on its left end  122   b  as seen in  FIG. 2 . Additionally, the bottom  119   b  side of the second plate  119  further defines a rectangular shaped object  123  which is located closer to the left  119   c  side on the second plate  119  as seen in  FIG. 2 . Finally, the contour gauge guide  113  comprises of a U-shaped plate  124  having a top  124   a , a bottom  124   b , a front  124   c , and a rear  124   d  side as seen in  FIG. 2 . The top  124   a  side and the bottom  124   b  side define a centrally located circular aperture  125 , the top  124   a  side defines an independently standing screw  126  and an independently standing nut  127 , the independently standing screw  126  penetrating through the centrally located circular aperture  125  from the top  124   a  side of the U-shaped plate  124  and the independently standing nut  127  secured on the independently standing screw  126  from the rear  116   b  side of the first plate  116  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The front  124   c  side of the U-shaped plate  124  is securely attached to the rear  115   f  end of the three dimensional rectangular block  115  as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0034]    The top  102   c  side of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  further defines a left  128   a  and a right  128   b  channel that are adjacent to the left  102   a  and right  102   b  sides of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  respectively, and a front  128   c  and a rear  128   d  channel that are adjacent to the front  102   e  and the rear  102   f  side of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  respectively as seen in  FIG. 1 . The tile cutting measuring tool further comprises of at least one ruler  129  slidingly housed within at least one channel ( 128   a ,  128   b ,  128   c  or  128   d ) as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0035]    The locking mechanism  112  of the tile cutting measuring tool comprises of at least one spring  129 , at least one thin metal rod  130  with a length  130   a  side, width  130   b  side as seen in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B . The length  130   a  side of the thin metal rod  130  contains at least one grip  131  as seen in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B . Each grip  131  is located symmetrically on the length  130   a  side of the thin metal rod  130  as seen in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B . Each grip also accommodates each of the two rear locking apertures  104 , all housed within the locking mechanism  112  of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  as seen in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 8A , and  FIG. 8B . 
         [0036]    The front  102   e  and the rear  102   f  side of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  further defines a pair of collapsible guide receiving apertures  132  as seen in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 7 . The collapsible guide receiving apertures  132  are parallel to each other and adjacent to the left  102   a  and the right  102   b  side of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  as seen in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 7 . The tile cutting measuring tool further comprises of a pair of collapsible guides  133  as seen in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 4 . The pair of collapsible guides  133  is attached to the rear  102   f  side of the three dimensional rectangular housing  102  via the collapsible guide receiving apertures  132  as seen in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 . 
         [0037]    An advantage of the present invention is that is provides tile measurement cutting tool for a tile installation professional to use with ease, consistency and accuracy. 
         [0038]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a tile installation professional to save money and time on tile installation process by reducing overall installation time and thus, reducing the labor hours and the associated costs to get the tile installation process completed efficiently. 
         [0039]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a tile installation professional to have an accurate tile measuring tool that ensures its potential users to decipher precise measurements of intricate angles and minute dimensions. 
         [0040]    Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a tile installation professional to measure a more wide range of tile sizes and not be confined to any particular tile size limitations. 
         [0041]    Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a tile installation professional to visualize a mold or a template of any type of tile measurement before the tile is actually cut for installation purposes. 
         [0042]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a tile installation professional to replace the use of one-meter measurement considerably by reducing cutting time, and thus, increasing greater profitability at work. 
         [0043]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a tile installation professional to obtain without much effort, a cutting outline of the X-axis and Y-axis of a tile which cannot be done with products currently in the market. 
         [0044]    Further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a tile cutting measurement tool that is inexpensive to manufacture. 
         [0045]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail in reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.