[0001] This invention relates to a tiling trowel.
[0002] Tilers use a notched trowel to apply adhesive to a surface. Depending upon the surface
and the type of tile or vinyl used, a different depth of adhesive is required. To
accomodate this the tiler needs a series of trowels with different notch sizes for
the different jobs. The need for several different sizes is disadvantageous.
[0003] It is an aim of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage.
[0004] According to the present invention there is provided a trowel having at least one
edge provided with adjustable means for limiting the depth of material which can be
applied to a surface.
[0005] Said edge and adjusting means is preferably consituted by mutually cooperable members
mounted for movement with respect to one another (preferably slidable movement) conveniently
at least one of said member is notched, wherein movement of the members relative to
one another varies the effective depth of the notching and hence the depth of material
applied. In one embodiment both members are notched. The members preferably comprise
two plate like members which may be substantially rectangular.
[0006] For practical purposes it is advantageous if all four edges of the trowel are notched,
and advantageously with two or more different sizes of notch available simultaneously
for different tasks. Notches may be rectangular, V-shaped or in any other convenient
shape, with sizes and shapes combined as required. The notching may be in a part of
the trowel fixed with respect to a handle of the trowel and/or in a movable part.
[0007] A notched blade construction may be combined with slidably adjustable depth gauges,
thereby providing a further means of adjusting the depth of material applied.
[0008] The means for limiting the depth of material applied could be adjustable to discrete
settings but are preferably adjustable continuously over a range for flexibility of
use. The slidable adjusting means are preferably provided with fixing means to prevent
slippage once the desired limit has been set for the material depth.
[0009] The present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a trowel according to one embodiment of
the invention;
Figures 2, 3 and 4 are plan views of the trowel of Figure 1 shown adjusted to produce
different depths of adhesive; and
Figure 5 and 6 are fragmentary plan views of an edge of a trowel according to a second
embodiment of the invention.
[0010] A first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1-4. A tiler's trowel for
applying adhesive comprises an upper plate 4 having a handle 1, and a lower plate
5 securable thereto. Two adjacent edges 7 of the upper plate are provided with large
rectangular notches 17 for laying ceramic floor tiles, and two adjacent edges 6 are
provided with smaller rectangular notches 16 suitable for ceramic wall tiles. The
lower plate 5 is without notching.
[0011] The upper plate 4 is provided with diagonal slots 3. The lower plate 5 has corresponding
smaller holes 9. When assembled the holes 9 in the lower plate 5 and the slots 3 in
the upper plate 4 are aligned and loosely held by screws 8 and wing nuts 2. Then depth
of notch revealed by the plate 4 and 5 can be adjusted by means of sliding the plates
relative to one another with the screws 8 able to travel along the slots 3, while
remaining substantially stationary relative to the holes 9. When the desired depth
of notch is reached the wing nuts 2 are tightened into place to fix the plates.
[0012] Depth gauges 10 are securable to the lower plate 5, said depth gauges being provided
with slots 11 for taking the fixing means passing through holes 9 in the lower plate.
The length of a depth gauge 10 is adjusted by sliding relative to plate 5 with the
screws 8 travelling along the slots 11. Wing nuts 2 are tightened to fix the gauges.
[0013] Figure 2 shows an extreme position of the adjusting means with fixing means located
at the end of the slots 3. The plates are set to show the entirety of notches 17 on
the edges 7, suitable for a thick adhesive bed.
[0014] Figure 3 shows an intermediate adjustment where the fixing means are in a middle
part of the slots 3 so that both notches 17 and 16 are made effectively smaller by
plate 5, to provide a shallower depth of adhesive.
[0015] Figure 4 shows detachable depth gauges 10 fixed to plate 5 and protruding from the
trowel edge to provide a very thick adhesive bed.
[0016] Although in this example the upper plate has notched edge it will be understood that
the trowel could have straight edges on the upper plate with the lower plate notched
along its edge or edges.
[0017] In a second embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6, the trowel has V-shaped notches
and the adhesive depth is adjustable by using two notched plates 40, 50 with equal
size notches 110 and 120 respectively. Here slots 30 are horizontal to the trowel
edges. Adjustment occurs as before by way of loosely held screws which pass through
holes in the lower plate 50 and move along slots 30 in the upper plate, covering the
plates to move relative to one another. Figure 5 shows one extreme of the range of
adjustment, notches 110 and 120 in lower and upper plates coincide to give a thick
bed of adhesive. Figure 6 shows the notches 110 and 120 off set making a smaller effective
notch size.
[0018] In the illustrated embodiments, four slots are provided, but an alternative, especially
where the additional depth gauge is disposed with, is to have two slots positioned,
say in alignment with the handle, and to opposite sides thereof.
1. A trowel having at least one edge (6, 7) and characterised by adjustable means (4,
5) associated with said at least one edge for limiting the depth of material which
can be applied to a surface.
2. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 in which said edge and adjusting means comprise mutually
cooperable (4, 5;40, 50) members mounted for movement with respect to one another.
3. A trowel as claimed in claim 2 in which at least one of said members (4) is notched
(16, 17;110, 120).
4. A trowel as claimed in claim 3 in which movement of the members (4, 5;40, 50) relative
to one another varies the effective depth of the notching and hence the depth of material
applied.
5. A trowel as claimed in claim 3 or 4 in which both members (40, 50) are notched (110,
120).
6. A trowel as claimed in claim 3 or any claim appendant thereto in which two or more
different sizes of notch are available simultaneously to respective edges.
7. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 in which one of the members is fixed
with respect to a handle (1) of the trowel.
8. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 in which the members are slidable
with respect to one another and clamp means is provided for selectably locating the
two members with respect to one another to set the maximum depth of material which
can be applied.
9. A trowel as claimed in claim 8 in which the direction of slidable movement of the
two members for adjustment is angled with respect to at least one edge of the trowel.