US 12,110,696 B2
Tile-setting lippage control
Roland Toca, New Orleans, LA (US); Michele Volponi, Metairie, LA (US); and Darrin Godbold, Metairie, LA (US)
Assigned to DTM INNOVATIONS LLC, Metairie, LA (US)
Filed by DTM INNOVATIONS LLC, Metairie, LA (US)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/534,151.
Application 18/534,151 is a continuation of application No. 17/824,761, filed on May 25, 2022, granted, now 11,840,852.
Prior Publication US 2024/0102296 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. E04F 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC E04F 21/0092 (2013.01) 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tile-setting lippage control system for use with tiles set with mortar as floors or walls on prepared surfaces, the tile-setting lippage control system comprising:
(i) a footed tab having a top-to-bottom orientation in relation to the tiles, a side-to-side width along the tile edges, and tab faces substantially parallel to tile edges;
(ii) a tensioning wedge having a long axis defining a direction of travel perpendicular to tile edges in use, a straight wedge bottom adapted to apply compressive force to the top of the tile in use, an upper surface with tapering height from lesser at a leading end to greater at a wide trailing end, and having wedge teeth;
(iii) a footplate mounted at the bottom of said footed tab, adapted to allow encapsulation with mortar in use, and adapted to apply compressive force to the bottom of tile in use;
(iv) a multi-tapered descending portion at the bottom of said footed tab having on each tab face a thicker center tapering toward the sides, a tapering base thinning toward said footplate, and tapering sides of reducing width toward the bottom;
(v) a wedge slot passing through the central portion of said footed tab, having a membrane initially blocking passage through said wedge slot, adapted to allow placement of said tensioning wedge through said wedge slot such that contact of said wedge bottom with the top of tiles of various thicknesses will cause different portions of the upper surface of said tensioning wedge to contact the edges of said wedge slot, and breaking said membrane at substantially the level of said wedge bottom; and
(vi) a ridged upper portion of said footed tab having a reinforced upper edge having substantially vertical sides, adapted to withstand and transfer force applied in use to remove said footed tab after setting of the mortar.