Metal faced tile

Abstract

A base element ( 14 ), such as plywood, has a stainless steel plate ( 10 ) bonded to its upper surface with an overhang ( 15 ) allowing for application of a strip ( 20 ) of a sealing material therebelow to form a cavity sealed butt joint between tiles when they are laid side by side, usually as a floor surface. The base element ( 14 ) has tongues ( 17 ) and grooves ( 18 ) in respective edges to permit interengagement as expansion joints. A deformable, foamed plastics layer ( 22 ) may be bonded to the underside of the base ( 14 ) to allow for uneven substrate.

1 . A tile comprising a substantially rectangular base element having an upper and a lower surface and a metal plate bonded to the upper surface, in which respect the base element is formed with tongues projecting from two of its sides and with corresponding grooves in the other two of its sides and the metal plate extends beyond side edges of the base element for a relatively short distance, sufficient to allow for application of a strip of sealing material therebelow when a plurality of such tiles are laid side by side with inter-engaging tongues and grooves and abutting metal plates.  
     
     
         2 . A tile according to  claim 1  further comprising a layer of deformable material bonded to the lower surface of the base element.  
     
     
         3 . A tile according to  claim 2  wherein the deformable material is foamed plastics material.  
     
     
         4 . A tile according to  claim 2  further comprising a sheet of substantially impermeable plastics material bonded to the underside of the deformable material.  
     
     
         5 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the base element is of wood.  
     
     
         6 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein apertures are provided in the base element to enable it to be fastened by screws or the like to an underlying substrate.  
     
     
         7 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal plate is of stainless steel.  
     
     
         8 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal plate has a three dimensional surface pattern of projections and/or indentations.  
     
     
         9 . A floor when produced from a plurality of tiles according to  claim 1 , which are laid side by side so as to have inter-engaging tongues and grooves, abutting metal plates and a strip of sealing material applied below the edges of the metal plates so as sealingly to connect the respective tiles.  
     
     
         10 . A method of laying a floor using a plurality of tiles which each comprises a substantially rectangular base element having an upper and a lower surface and a method plate bonded to the upper surface, said base element being formed with tongues projecting from two of its sides and with corresponding grooves in its other two sides, and said metal plate having overhanging edges which extend beyond side edges of the base element for a relatively short distance, in which respect a first tile is laid upon a substrate floor, and is optionally secured thereto, a strip of polymer sealing material is applied below at least one of the overhanging edges of its metal plate and protruding therefrom, and a further tile is slid into adjacent position where one of its tongues engages into one of the grooves of the first tile or, respectively, one of its grooves fits over one of the tongues of the first tile, and one edge of its metal plate buts up against that edge of the metal plate of the first tile where the sealing strip has been applied and is thereby sealingly connected thereto.