Patent ID: 7861487

Claim:
A device for laying and leveling tiles, said device comprising: a bottom plate the having a corner, a center, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a flexible portion that extends upwardly above the top surface of the bottom plate and is movable between a compressed position and an extended position; a shaft combined with and extending upwardly from the top surface of the bottom plate, said shaft having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a plurality of surface features; and a locking assembly having an opening which is adapted to receive the shaft, said locking assembly having an upper side and a lower side; wherein the locking assembly has at least one locking tongue which is adapted to interfere with the surface features on the shaft so that the locking assembly is movable in a first direction along the shaft but not in a second direction along the shaft; wherein the flexible portion begins near the center of the bottom plate and extends outward away from the shaft.