Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles

Abstract

A device for leveling and aligning tiles and method for leveling and aligning tiles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the leveling device includes a body and two spaced and parallel strip members extending transversely from the body. Each of the spaced and parallel strip members extend to the front and rear of the body. Two opposing lateral open windows are formed in the body. A breakaway section is defined along the body. A wedge device is provided for penetrating one or more of the two opposing lateral open windows and exerting a force on the tiles for leveling them relative to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tile-leveling device comprising:
 a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including a body;   a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft; and   a spacing pad integral with the body and extending from at least one of the front and rear thereof, the combination of the spacing pad and the body setting a predetermined joint distance that is greater than a thickness of the body for the tile leveling device within a single product, eliminating a requirement for any non-tile leveling device spacing components.   
     
     
         2 . The tile-leveling device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base. 
     
     
         3 . The tile-leveling device of  claim 1 , further comprising a vertical traversing subassembly traversing the upper portion of the shaft, the vertical traversing subassembly configured to exert force against at least one tile by pressing the at least one tile against the base. 
     
     
         4 . The tile leveling device of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises an I-shaped base. 
     
     
         5 . The tile leveling device of  claim 4 , wherein the I-shaped base further comprises the I-shaped base having spaced first, second, third, and fourth bars extending transversely from the body, the first and second bars extending to the front of the body and the third and fourth bars extending to the rear of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The tile leveling device of  claim 5 , further comprising a first crossbar located between the first and third bars and a second crossbar located between the second and fourth bars. 
     
     
         7 . A tile-leveling device comprising:
 a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including a body;   a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft; and   a spacing pad integral with the body and extending from at least one of the front and rear thereof, the combination of the spacing pad and the body setting a predetermined joint distance that is greater than a thickness of the body for the tile leveling device, eliminating a requirement for any non-tile leveling device spacing components.   
     
     
         8 . The tile-leveling device as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base. 
     
     
         9 . The tile-leveling device of  claim 7 , further comprising a vertical traversing subassembly traversing the upper portion of the shaft, the vertical traversing subassembly configured to exert force against at least one tile by pressing the at least one tile against the base. 
     
     
         10 . The tile leveling device of  claim 7 , wherein the base further comprises an I-shaped base. 
     
     
         11 . The tile leveling device of  claim 10 , wherein the I-shaped base further comprises the I-shaped base having spaced first, second, third, and fourth bars extending transversely from the body, the first and second bars extending to the front of the body and the third and fourth bars extending to the rear of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The tile leveling device of  claim 11 , further comprising a first crossbar located between the first and third bars and a second crossbar located between the second and fourth bars. 
     
     
         13 . A tile-leveling device comprising:
 a shaft having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including a body;   a base orthogonally coupled to the shaft, the base extending to a front of the shaft and to a rear of the shaft; and   a spacing pad integral with the body and extending from at least one of the front and rear thereof, the combination of the spacing pad and the body setting a predetermined joint distance that is greater than a thickness of the body for the tile leveling device within a single product.   
     
     
         14 . The tile-leveling device as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a shaft-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the shaft being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the shaft from the base. 
     
     
         15 . The tile-leveling device of  claim 13 , further comprising a vertical traversing subassembly traversing the upper portion of the shaft, the vertical traversing subassembly configured to exert force against at least one tile by pressing the at least one tile against the base. 
     
     
         16 . The tile leveling device of  claim 13 , wherein the base further comprises an I-shaped base. 
     
     
         17 . The tile leveling device of  claim 16 , wherein the I-shaped base further comprises the I-shaped base having spaced first, second, third, and fourth bars extending transversely from the body, the first and second bars extending to the front of the body and the third and fourth bars extending to the rear of the body. 
     
     
         18 . The tile leveling device of  claim 17 , further comprising a first crossbar located between the first and third bars and a second crossbar located between the second and fourth bars.