Fastening device for securing wear-resistant tiles to a backing

Claim 2

An anchor for attaching a tile to a metal backing, the tile having a hole that tapers downwardly toward the backing, said anchor comprising: a tapered side wall and an end wall at the small end of the side wall, with the side wall being concentric to the axis of the anchor and surrounding a socket in the anchor and with the end wall extending across the end of the socket and having a generally flat front face that is generally perpendicular to the axis of the anchor, the side wall being narrow enough to fit into the large end of the tapered hole and to seat in the hole with the flat front face of the end wall close to the metal backing, the end wall having an aperture extended completely through it so that a welding rod can be passed through the socket and aperture and brought against the metal backing, the end wall further having a groove that extends partially into it and radiates from the aperture, the groove opening forwardly out of the flat front face of the end wall and toward the metal backing but not rearwardly toward the large end of the sidewall, whereby molten metal from the welding rod will flow outwardly away from the aperture.

Claim 3

An anchor according to claim 1 wherein the aperture is threaded so that the anchor can be secured to the metal backing either by welding or by a threaded element projected from the backing.

Claim 4

An anchor according to claim 1 wherein the groove extends completely across the flat front face of the end wall.

Claim 5

In combination with a metal backing and a ceramic lining overlying the backing and having at least one tapered hole which tapers downwardly toward the backing; an improved fastening device for securing the lining to the backing, said fastening device comprising: a tapered anchor having a large end and a small end and a tapered side wall between the two ends, with the side wall being concentric about the axis of the anchor, the side wall being seated against the tapered surface of the hole with its taper generally corresponding to the taper of the hole, the small end having an end face extending across it with the end face being generally flat and generally perpendicular to the axis, the end face being located adjacent to the backing, the anchor also having a aperture which opens out of the end face at the small end and when unoccupied exposes the backing from the large end of the anchor, the anchor at its small end further having a groove that opens out of the end face and toward the backing, the groove intersecting the aperture and extending from the aperture; and connecting means extending from the backing and into the aperture for securing the anchor firmly to the backing.

Claim 6

In combination with a metal backing and a ceramic lining overlying the backing and having at least one tapered hole which tapers downwardly toward the backing; an improved fastening device for securing the lining to the backing, said fastening device comprising: a tapered anchor having a large end and a small end and a tapered side wall between the two ends, with the side wall being concentric about the axis of the anchor, the side wall being seated against the tapered surface of the hole with its taper generally corresponding to the taper of the hole, the small end having an end face extending across it with the end face being generally flat and generally perpendicular to the axis, the end face being located adjacent to the backing, the anchor also having a aperture which opens out of the end face at the small end and when unoccupied exposes the backing from the large end of the anchor, the anchor at its small end further having a groove that opens out of the end face and toward the backing, the groove intersecting the aperture and extending from the aperture; and connecting means extending from the backing and into the aperture for securing the anchor firmly to the backing.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 4 wherein the connecting means comprises a weld bead that is joined to both the backing and the small end of the anchor, the weld bead occupying at least a portion of the aperture as well as at least a portion of the groove.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 4 wherein the groove radiates from two locations along the periphery of the aperture.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 4 wherein the interior of the anchor is hollow and wider than the aperture and the hollow interior opens outwardly through the large diameter end of the tapered hole in the lining.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 4 wherein the aperture is threaded; and wherein the connecting means comprises a threaded element attached to the backing and extended outwardly from it and into the aperture of the anchor, with the threads of the anchor and the threaded element being engaged.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 8 wherein the side wall at its large diameter end has outwardly opening slots which may be engaged by a tool for turning the anchor.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 8 wherein the threaded element is threaded stud that is welded at its one end to the backing.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 8 wherein the threaded element is a machine screw that extends through the backing.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 4 wherein the lining comprises a plurality of tiles set edge-to-edge with each tile having at least one tapered hole therein and being secured by a fastening device.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 12 and further comprising a grout bed between the tiles and the backing.