Tile spacing tool

Abstract

A tile spacing tool has a body member or hub and a plurality of finger elements radiating outwardly from the body member. Each of the finger elements has a respective distal or free end with a respective width different from the widths of the free ends of the other finger elements. The different widths correspond to respective inter-tile distances or separations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tile spacing tool comprising: a body member; and a plurality of finger elements radiating outwardly from said body member, each of said finger elements having a respective distal or free end having a respective width different from the widths of the others of said finger elements, said widths corresponding to respective inter-tile distances or separations. 
     
     
         2 . The tool defined in  claim 1  wherein said body member is planar. 
     
     
         3 . The tool defined in  claim 2  wherein said fingers are flattened elongate members coplanar with said body member. 
     
     
         4 . The tool defined in  claim 3  wherein said fingers are spaced from one another about said body member. 
     
     
         5 . The tool defined in  claim 4  wherein said fingers are angularly equispaced about said body member. 
     
     
         6 . The tool defined in  claim 5  wherein said fingers are four in number. 
     
     
         7 . The tool defined in  claim 1  wherein said fingers are spaced from one another about said body member. 
     
     
         8 . The tool defined in  claim 7  wherein said fingers are angularly equispaced about said body member. 
     
     
         9 . The tool defined in  claim 1  wherein said fingers and said body member are all rigid elements rigidly attached to one another. 
     
     
         10 . A building construction method comprising: laying a first tile on a substrate surface; providing a tool including a body member and a plurality of finger elements radiating outwardly from said body member, each of said finger elements having a respective distal or free end having a respective width different from the widths of the others of said finger elements; holding said tool by gripping at least the body member; manipulating said tool to place the distal end of a selected one of the fingers against an edge of said first tile after the laying thereof; and positioning a second tile adjacent said first tile by moving said second tile into contact with the selected finger, along a side of the distal end thereof opposite first laid tile. 
     
     
         11 . The method defined in  claim 10  wherein the manipulating of said tool includes rotating said tool so that said selected one of said fingers extends at a desired angle relative to the hand of the user prior to the manipulating of said tool to place the distal end of said selected one of the fingers against said edge of said first tile.