FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lintel construction arrangement and more particularly to a lintel construction arrangement as defined in the preamble of the independent claim 1.

The present invention further relates to a tile joint and more particularly to a tile joint as defined in the preamble of the independent claim 13.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A lintel is a structural horizontal block that spans the space or opening between two vertical supports. Typically, a lintel is found over a portal, a door or a window. This invention relates to lintels and especially to a lintel construction arrangement for attaching tiles to the lintel.

Prior art lintels of buildings are covered with tiles by masonry, i.e. by providing individual units of tiles which are laid in and bound together by mortar. However, this type of construction is very time consuming. Another prior art solution for lintels is that the tiles are attached to lintels by gluing, so the typical attachment means for connecting a tile to a lintel is by chemical bonding, i.e. by applying glue or mortar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a lintel construction arrangement which provides an easy and secure way to instal tiles to a lintel.

The objects of the invention are achieved by a lintel construction arrangement which is characterized by what is stated in the independent claim. The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the idea of providing two separate lintel plates that can be securely connected together and which provide a base for the tile to be attached through the lintel plates to the lintel of a building.

According to the invention a lintel construction arrangement is for connecting a tile to a lintel of a building which the lintel has a lintel front surface and a lintel under surface extending transverse relative to lintel front surface. The lintel front surface typically extends from the front surface of a building. The lintel under surface is the surface forming a top surface of a doorway or window opening. The lintel under surface extends from the lintel front surface in the transverse direction relative to the lintel front surface and preferably in the orthogonal direction.

The lintel construction arrangement according to the invention comprises a first lintel plate, a second lintel plate and a form locking connection arranged to connect the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate together. The first lintel plate is to be placed parallel to the lintel front surface and an undersurface portion of the second lintel plate is to be placed on the lintel under surface. The second lintel plate further having a front surface portion which is to be placed on the lintel front surface such that the front surface portion of the second lintel plate is provided between the lintel front surface and the first lintel plate. In other words, the lintel construction arrangement comprises a first lintel plate is to be placed parallel to the lintel front surface, which the first lintel plate has a front surface and a back surface on opposite sides of the first lintel plate. The first lintel plate comprises a first gripper and a second gripper protruding from the front surface for connecting the tile to the first lintel plate. The first lintel plate further comprises a first form locking part.

The lintel construction arrangement further comprises a second lintel plate having an under-surface portion to be placed on the lintel under surface and a front surface portion to be placed on the lintel front surface. The front surface portion has a front surface and a back surface on opposite sides of the front surface portion, which the back surface is to be placed on the lintel front surface and the front surface is to be placed on the back surface of the first lintel plate. The second lintel plate comprises a second form locking part having a counter form for the first form locking part of the first lintel plate.

The front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate may not necessarily be placed against the back surface of the first lintel plate, but instead parts of the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate may form a connection with the back surface of the first lintel plate while other parts of the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate may be spaced apart from the back surface of the first lintel plate. This is because the first and/or the second lintel plate may have a profile which is not straight but comprises indentations or grooves or bends or other forms that deviate from the straight profile.

The lintel construction arrangement further comprises a form locking connection between the first form locking part and the second form locking part. The form locking connection is arranged to connect the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate together. The form locking connection is arranged to lock the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate together through the form of the first form locking part provided to the first lintel plate and through the form of the second form locking part provided to the second lintel plate, which the forms of the form locking parts are counter forms or otherwise compatible for locking the lintel plates together. In other words, the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate are connected together through the first form locking part and the second form locking part forming together the form locking connection.

According to the invention the back surface of the first lintel plate is provided with the first form locking part, and the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate is provided with the second form locking part. The form locking parts are such that by pressing the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate together the lintel plates are connected together through the first and second form locking parts forming the form locking connection. Therefore, the form locking connection is a form fit connection in which the forms of the first and second form locking parts are such that they fit together tightly so that the connection which keeps the first and second lintel plates together is formed.

According to the invention the first form locking part is arranged to protrude from the back surface of the first lintel plate and the first form locking part comprises a collar having a contact surface. The second form locking part comprises a hole having an edge. The collar is insertable to the hole such that the contact surface of the collar is provided against the edge of the hole to provide the form locking connection between the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate. In other words, when the collar of the first form locking part of the first lintel plate is placed to the hole of the second form locking part of the second lintel plate, the contact surface of the collar which is provided to the outer surface of the collar is placed against the edge of the hole, i.e. the inner surface of the hole within the second lintel plate such that a tight connection between the first form locking part and the second form locking part is formed.

According to the invention the first form locking part further comprises a sleeve having an end surface, which the sleeve is arranged to protrude from the back surface of the first lintel plate. The collar is arranged to protrude from the end surface of the sleeve such that the end surface of the sleeve is to be arranged against the front surface of a second lintel plate when the contact surface of the collar is provided against the edge of the hole. In other words, the first form locking part protruding from the back surface of the first lintel plate first protrudes as a sleeve having and end surface extending substantially parallel to the back surface of the first lintel plate and then the collar protrudes from the sleeve, i.e. from the end surface of the sleeve. The outer surface of the collar forming the contact surface to be provided against the edge of the hole. The end surface of the sleeve is preferably provided against the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate.

According to the invention the lintel construction arrangement further comprises a first support connection between the back surface of the first lintel plate and the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate. The first support connection providing a further support between the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate next to the form locking connection in order to carry the weight load of the tile without any bending of the lintel plates.

According to the invention the first lintel plate is provided with a first support protrusion to be placed against the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate such that the first support connection is formed between the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate. The first support protrusion is preferably a bend of the first lintel plate or a nail protruding from the back surface of the first lintel plate which extends from the back surface of the first lintel plate at least to the level of the end surface of the sleeve.

According to the invention the lintel construction arrangement further comprises a second support connection between the back surface of the first lintel plate and the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate, said second support connection is provided on the opposite side of the form locking connection than the first support connection and forming together with the form locking connection and the first support connection a three-point support between the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate. The second support connection providing a further support between the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate next to the form locking connection and on the opposite side of the first form locking part than the first support connection in order to carry the weight load of the tile without any bending of the lintel plates.

According to the invention the second lintel plate is provided with a second support protrusion to be placed against the back surface of the first lintel plate such that the second support connection is formed between the first lintel plate and the second lintel plate. Similarly, as the first support protrusion the second support protrusion is preferably a bend of the second lintel plate or a nail protruding from the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate. The second protrusion extends from the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate at least the extend of the sleeve protruding from the back surface of the first lintel plate in order to form a contact with the back surface of the first lintel plate when the collar of the first lintel plate is provided to the hole of the second lintel plate and the end surface of the sleeve is provided against the front surface of the front surface portion of the second lintel plate.

According to the invention the lintel construction arrangement further comprises a fastening structure for fastening the lintel construction arrangement to the lintel front surface, the fastening structure comprises a first hole for a screw, which the first hole is provided in the first form locking part and a hole in the second form locking part such that a screw is insertable through the holes for fastening the first and second lintel plates to the lintel front surface. The first hole is preferably provided to an end surface of the collar such that the first form locking part providing a cavity to the front surface of the first lintel plate forms a countersink for the screw such that the screw head remains within the cavity when the lintel construction arrangement is attached to the lintel front surface.

According to the invention the first gripper and the second gripper are arranged spaced apart such that the first form locking part is provided between the first gripper and the second gripper. The first gripper and the second gripper can be spaced apart in a width direction of the first lintel plate or in a length direction of the first lintel plate or in both the width direction and the length direction of the first lintel plate such that the first form locking part is provided between the first gripper and the second gripper. For clarity, the first form locking part however protrudes in an opposite direction than the first gripper and the second gripper in the opposite side of the first lintel plate. The length direction of the first lintel plate is the direction which is to be arranged horizontally to the lintel front surface. The length of the first lintel plate being greater than the width of the first lintel plate.

According to the invention the second lintel plate comprising a third gripper for connecting the tile to the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate. The under-surface portion of the second lintel plate comprises a front surface and a back surface on opposite sides of the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate. The back surface is to be placed toward the lintel under surface and the third gripper protrudes from the front surface of the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the third gripper is arranged on the edge of the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate which is opposite to the edge wherefrom the front surface portion of the second lintel plate extends. The third gripper preferably comprises a locking portion to connect with a groove provided on the tile side edge. However, the third gripper may be protruding from the front surface of the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate and connecting with a groove provided on the back surface of the tile.

According to the invention the third gripper is arranged to protrude from the under-surface portion in the direction away from the front surface portion. In other words, the third gripper is arranged to protrude from the front surface of the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate in a direction away from the back surface of the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate.

An advantage of the invention is that the lintel construction arrangement provides a tight connection between the tile and the lintel without the need to attach the tile to the lintel under surface. The advantage of the invention is that the invention eliminates the need to attach anything to the lintel under surface. This makes the installation work easier since the only attachment between the lintel construction arrangement and the lintel is through the lintel front surface which eliminates problems in installations on lintel under surfaces which often are difficult to reach.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in detail by means of specific embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a first lintel plate of the lintel construction arrangement according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the first lintel plate shown in figure 1 as seen from the front side;

Figure 3 shows a lintel construction arrangement according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows the lintel construction arrangement shown in figure 3 with a tile;

Figure 5 shows a lintel construction arrangement as seen from perspective;

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of a first lintel plate of the lintel construction arrangement according to the invention;

Figure 7 shows the first lintel plate shown in figure 6 as seen from the front side;

Figure 8 shows a lintel construction arrangement according to the invention; and Figure 9 shows the lintel construction arrangement shown in figure 8 with a tile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a first lintel plate 1 as a side view comprising indentations and elevations such that the profile is not straight. The first lintel plate 1 comprises a front surface 11 and a back surface 12 on opposite sides of the first lintel plate 1. The front surface 11 comprises a first gripper 13 and a second gripper 14 protruding from the front surface 11 and arranged to connect and lock a tile to the first lintel plate 1. The first gripper 11 is in this embodiment a locking gripper and the second gripper 12 is a support gripper.

The first lintel plate 1 further comprises a first form locking part 15 protruding from the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1 in a direction away from the front surface 11. The first form locking part 15 comprises a collar 15a which is arranged to be connected to the second form locking part 23 of a second lintel plate 2 (not shown in figure 1). The first form locking part 15 is arranged between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 in a vertical direction of the first lintel plate 1 as the first lintel plate 1 is placed on the lintel front surface. The first form locking part 15 protruding in the opposite direction from the first lintel plate 1 than the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 and on the opposite surfaces of the first lintel plate 1.

The first lintel plate 1 further comprises a first support protrusion 16 to be placed against the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2.

Figure 2 shows the first lintel plate 1 as seen from the front side of the first lintel plate 1. The first form locking part 15 is in this embodiment shown in figure 2 provided to the first lintel plate 1 such that the protrusion of the first form locking part 15 toward the back surface side of the first lintel plate 1 forms a cavity to the front surface 11 of the first lintel plate 1. Further, as described in connection with figure 1, the first form locking part 15 is provided to the first lintel plate 1 between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 in the vertical direction of the first lintel plate 1 as the first lintel plate 1 is placed on the lintel front surface, and further the first form locking part 15 is provided to the first lintel plate 1 between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 in the horizontal direction of the first lintel plate 1 as the first lintel plate 1 is placed on the lintel front surface. The lower edge of the first lintel plate 1, which is bent backwards from the front surface 11, forms the first support protrusion 16 protruding toward the back- surface side of the first lintel plate 1.

The figure 2 also shows a fastening structure for fastening the lintel construction arrangement to the lintel front surface. The fastening structure comprises a first hole 15e for a screw, which the first hole 15e is provided in the first form locking part 15 of the first lintel plate 1 and as the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 are connected together through the form locking connection formed by the first form locking part 15 and a second form locking part 23, the screw is arranged to go through the first hole 15e and a hole in the second form locking part 23 and fasten the first and second lintel plates 1, 2 to the lintel front surface.

Figure 3 shows a lintel construction arrangement according to the invention comprising a first lintel plate 1 and a second lintel plate 2 connected together through the form locking connection 3 formed by the first form locking part 15 of the first lintel plate 1 and a second form locking part 23 of the second lintel plate 2. The first and second lintel plates 1, 2 are form locked relative to each other via a contact surface 15b of the protruding collar 15a of the first form locking part 15 and an edge 23a of a hole of the second form locking part 23 that provide a form fit connection for connecting the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 together. The contact surface 15b of the collar 15a and the edge 23a of the hole are better shown in figure 5. The lintel construction arrangement is placed on the lintel such that an under-surface portion 2a of the second lintel plate 2 is provided toward the lintel under surface and the back surface 22 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2 is provided toward the lintel front surface. The front surface 21 of the second lintel plate 2 is provided toward the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1 such that the first form locking part 15 of the first lintel plate 1 and the second form locking part 23 of the second lintel plate 2 are connected together. The figure 3 shows the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 in a connected state. The first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 are further supported by a first support connection 4 and a second support connection 5 such that a three-point support is formed between the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate through the first support connection 4, the second support connection 5 and the form locking connection 3. The tree-point support is illustrated in the figure 3 with dashed lines circling the connections between the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2. The first support connection 4 is formed by a first support protrusion 16 protruding from the first lintel plate 1. The first support protrusion 16 is formed preferably by bending the lower edge of the first lintel plate 1 backwards from the front surface 11 of the first lintel plate 1. However, the first support protrusion 16 may be formed in an alternative way also, for example by a tongue protruding from the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1. The first support protrusion 16 is arranged to form a contact with the front surface 21 of the second lintel plate 2 such that the first support connection 4 is provided between the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2. The second support connection 5 is formed by a second support protrusion 25 protruding from the second lintel plate 2. The second support protrusion 25 is formed preferably by bending the upper edge of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2 forward from the front surface 21 of the second lintel plate 2. The second support protrusion 25 is arranged to form a contact with the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1 such that the second support connection 5 is provided between the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2. The front surface 11 of the first lintel plate 1 comprises a first gripper 13 and a second gripper 14 for connecting the tile 100 to the lintel construction arrangement and in particularly to the first lintel plate 1. The tile 100 may further be connected to the second lintel plate 2 through a third gripper 24 protruding from the under-surface portion 2a in the direction away from the front surface portion 2b. The third gripper 24 preferably comprises a locking portion extending from the third gripper toward the end of the tile 100 to be connected to the lintel construction arrangement. This is further shown in figure 4 in which the connection between the lintel construction arrangement and the tile 100 is shown.

Figure 4 shows the lintel construction arrangement shown in figure 3 with a tile 100 connected to the lintel construction arrangement. The first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 are connected together as described in connection with figure 3 so no only the connection between the tile 100 and the lintel construction arrangement is described. The tile 100 is a corner tile such that the back surface of the tile 100 extends along the front surface of the first lintel plate 1 and further along the front surface of the under-surface portion 2a of the second lintel plate 2. The tile 100 is connected to the first lintel plate 1 through the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 protruding from the front surface 11 of the first lintel plate 100. The first gripper 13 is arranged to connect with a side of the tile 100 facing upward and having a groove for the first gripper 13, whereas the second gripper 14 is arranged to connect with the back surface of the tile 100 having a groove for the second gripper 14. However, the connection between the first lintel plate 1 and the tile 100 can be provided through the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 connecting both to the back surface of the tile 100. The tile 100 may be further but not necessarily connected to the second lintel plate 2. The connection with the second lintel plate 2 is provided through a third gripper 24 protruding from the under-surface portion 2a of the second lintel plate 2. In the embodiment shown in figure 4 the third gripper 24 is arranged to the second lintel plate 2 such that the connection between the third gripper 24 and the tile 100 is provided through the side of the tile 100 having a groove for the third gripper 24. However, the connection between the second lintel plate 2 and the tile 100 can be provided through the third gripper 24 protruding from the under surface portion 2a of the second lintel plate 2 toward the back surface of the tile 100 having a groove for the third gripper similarly as the connection between the second gripper 14 and the back surface of the tile 100.

The tile 100 is to be inserted to the lintel construction arrangement by tilting the tile 100 such that first the tile 100 is connected to the third gripper 24 such that the third gripper 24 provides a hinge to between the lintel construction arrangement and the tile and then the tile 100 is pushed upwards toward the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 such that it locks in its place with the the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14.

Figure 5 shows an explosion view of the lintel construction arrangement in which the hole of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2 is shown. The first form locking part 15 of the first lintel plate 1 is arranged to be provided to the second form locking part 23 of the second lintel plate 2 such that the collar 15a having a contact surface 15b is to be provided against the edge 23a of the hole. As shown in figure 5 the first form locking part 15 comprises a sleeve 15c wherefrom the collar 15a is arranged to protrude. In other words, the sleeve 15c is protruding from the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1 and comprises an end surface 15d. The collar 15a is arranged to protrude from the end surface 15d of the sleeve 15c such that when the contact surface 15b of the collar 15a is provided against the edge 23a of the hole of the second lintel plate 2 the end surface 15d of the sleeve 15c is provided against the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2. The first form locking part 15 comprises a first hole 15e provided to an end surface 15f of the collar 15a such that when the first form locking part 15 is connected together with the second form locking part 23 and placed against the lintel front surface, a screw 4 is arranged through the first hole 15e whereby it is also arranged through the hole forming the second form locking part 23 and connects both the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 to the lintel front surface. All the other features presented in the figure 5 are already described in connection with the figure 3.

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the first lintel plate 1 of the lintel construction arrangement according to the invention. The embodiment of the first lintel plate 1 comprises a similar first form locking part 15 as the embodiment of the first lintel plate 1 shown in figure 1. The difference between the embodiments is that the first and second grippers 13, 14 are slightly different and the profile of the first lintel plate 1 is a bit different in the embodiment shown in figure 1 than the embodiment shown in figure 6. The first form locking part 15 is arranged between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 such that the cavity formed by the first form locking part 15 to the front surface 11 of the first lintel plate 1 is provided between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14. The first form locking part 15 protruding in the opposite direction from the first lintel plate 1 than the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 and on the opposite surfaces of the first lintel plate 1. The first support protrusion 16 on the lower edge of the first lintel plate 1 is similar as shown in the figure 1. The first support protrusion is to be placed against the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2.

Figure 7 shows the first lintel plate 1 shown in figure 6 as seen from the front surface side of the first lintel plate 1. As seen from the figure 7 the first form locking part 15 is provided between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 in the width direction of the first lintel plate 1, which is the vertical direction of the first lintel plate 1 when the lintel construction arrangement is attached to the lintel front surface, and also between the first gripper 13 and the second gripper 14 in the length direction of the first lintel plate 1, which is the horizontal direction of the first lintel plate 1 when the lintel construction arrangement is attached to the lintel front surface. The figure 7 shows the cavity formed to the front surface 11 of the first lintel plate 1 by the sleeve 15c and the collar 15a having the first hole 15e in the middle of the end surface of the collar 15a.

Figure 8 shows the lintel construction arrangement in which the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 are connected together through the form locking connection 3 formed by the first form locking part 15 and the second form locking part 23. The form locking connection 3 is the same as described earlier in connection with figure 3. The first support connection 4 between the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 is similar as shown in the figure 3 but the second support connection 5 slightly differs from the embodiment shown in figure 3. The second support protrusion 25 protruding from the second lintel plate 2 is provided to the upper edge of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate

2 and protrudes perpendicularly relative to the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2 whereas in the embodiment shown in figure

3 the second support protrusion 25 protrudes forward in an inclined position and not perpendicularly from the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2. In the embodiment shown in the figure 8 both the first support connection 4 and the second support connection 5 provide an orthogonal support between the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2 and the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1.

Figure 9 shows the lintel construction arrangement shown in figure 3 with a tile 100 connected to the lintel construction arrangement. The tile 100 is connected in this embodiment also from the sides of the tile 100 and from the back surface of the tile. The first gripper 13 of the first lintel plate 1 and the third gripper 24 of the second lintel plate 2 provide the connection between the side surfaces of the tile 100 and the lintel construction arrangement and the second gripper 14 of the first lintel plate 1 provide a connection between the back surface of the tile and the lintel construction arrangement. The first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 are form-locked relative to each other through the first form locking part 15 and the second form locking part 23. As the first and second lintel plates 1, 2 are aligned the first support protrusion 16 presses tightly against the front surface 21 of the front surface portion 2b of the second lintel plate 2 and in turn the second support protrusion 25 in the opposite side of the form locking connection 3 presses tightly against the back surface 12 of the first lintel plate 1.

When the first lintel plate 1 and the second lintel plate 2 are screwed firmly through the first hole in the first form locking part 15 to the lintel front surface of a building, they form a unitary structure having a three point support connection formed by the form locking connection 3, the first support connection

4 and the second support connection 5. This three-point support connection receives torque force due to the weight of the tile 100 outside of the line of attachment formed by the first form locking connection 3, the first support connection 4 and the second support connection 5, i.e. the horizontal portion of the tile 100. When the tile 100 is further connected to the lintel construction arrangement through the third gripper 24, part of the torque force is also received by the third gripper 24. The tile 100 is to be inserted to the lintel construction arrangement by placing the tile 100 in a horizontal direction such that the first gripper 13, the second gripper 14 and the third gripper 24 form a connection with the tile 100 substantially at the same time. The tile 100 is inserted to the lintel construction arrangement such that the back surface of the tile 100 to be placed toward the under-surface portion of the second lintel plate slides along the under surface portion until the first gripper 13, the second gripper 14 and the third gripper 24 form a connection with the tile 100.

The invention has been described above with reference to the examples shown in the figures. However, the invention is in no way restricted to the above examples but may vary within the scope of the claims.