Grid Plate for Laying Tile on Uneven Surfaces

Abstract

A grid plate for laying mosaic tile preferably includes a grid plate member and detachable tile trowels and/or depth tools. The grid plate member includes a plurality of transverse strips, a plurality of lengthwise strips, and a plurality of retention elements. The plurality of transverse and lengthwise cross strips form a grid pattern. It is preferable that a top of the plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips be brought to an edge to facilitate the distribution of thinset. The plurality of retention elements are integrally molded into the grid pattern to secure the grid plate to a tile cavity.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A grid plate for laying tile comprising:
 a plurality of transverse strips;   a plurality of lengthwise strips joined to said plurality of transverse strips to form a grid pattern; and   a plurality of retention members formed as an integral portion of said grid pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of retention members extend from a side wall of said plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips. 
     
     
         3 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of retention members are located in substantially a center of a height of said grid pattern. 
     
     
         4 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of retention members are rings. 
     
     
         5 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 4  wherein the rings are equally spaced throughout the grid pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 5  wherein a spacing between the rings is greater than a diameter of the rings. 
     
     
         7 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 4  wherein the diameter of the rings is approximately ½ inch. 
     
     
         8 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 7  wherein a thickness of the rings is approximately ⅛ inch. 
     
     
         9 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 1  wherein at least one detachable trowel tool is molded as an integral portion of said grid plate. 
     
     
         10 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 1  wherein at least one detachable depth measurement tool is molded as an integral portion of said grid plate. 
     
     
         11 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 1  wherein a bottom edge of said plurality of transverse strips and lengthwise strips supports a screw hole receiving a securing screw securing the grid plate to a tile cavity 
     
     
         12 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 1  wherein the grid pattern is a series of squares. 
     
     
         13 . The grid plate for laying tile of  claim 12  wherein a bottom edge is formed on a bottom of said plurality of transverse strips and lengthwise strips and said plurality of retention members are an inwardly extending frame framing the outer square. 
     
     
         14 . A method of laying mosaic tile, comprising the steps of:
 providing a grid plate member forming a grid pattern having a plurality of retention members in said grid plate member;   applying a tile bonding substance to a bottom of a tile cavity;   inserting said grid plate member to said plurality of dollops of tile bonding substance;   spreading said tile bonding substance over a top of said grid plate member; and   pressing the tile into said tile bonding substance.   
     
     
         15 . The method of laying mosaic tile of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of retention members are rings extending from internal sidewalls forming the grid pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The method of laying mosaic tile of  claim 15 , wherein the rings extend from substantially a center of a height of said grid pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The method of laying mosaic tile of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of retention members are inwardly extending frames extending from a bottom edge of said grid pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The method of laying mosaic tile of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 utilizing a tile trowel to spread said tile bonding substance on a bottom of the mosaic tile cavity.   
     
     
         19 . The method of laying mosaic tile of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of:
 applying dollops of said tile bonding substance to a bottom of the mosaic tile cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The method of laying mosaic tile of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
 utilizing a tile trowel to spread said tile bonding substance over said top of said grid plate member.