IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR MATS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ELLIS PARR, of Long Lane, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London,
Merchant, I do hereby declare the nature of an invention for." IMPROVEMENTS
IN DOOR MATS" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to mats used at doors and in other situations for the
purpose of removing and collecting dirt.
It has for its object an improved method of constructing such mats so that they
are very simply and cheaply made of any desired shape, whilst they are reversible
and very effective for their intended purpose.
I take strips of wood, metal, or other suitable material, rectangular or nearly so
in cross section, and of a length about equal to the width of the mat.
I fit one
of such strips into a longitudinal recess upon each side of a corresponding strip of
vulcanized india rubber or other suitable material which is to form the surface
of the mat. This india rubber strip, in cross section, consists of two triangular
parts the apex of one of which is directed upward and the other downward, whilst
their bases are connected by a narrower rectangular part the sides of which form
the sides of the recesses into which fit the strips of wood first described.
I arrange a number of these compound strips of wood and india rubber parallel
with each other, preferably a short distance apart so as to leave spaces between
them, and sufficient in number to form a mat of the required length.
In order to retain the compound bars, so arranged, in their proper places, I make
a frame of wood, or metal, of the desired size, the sides also consisting of compound
bars of india rubber and wood or other material as described, but I make notches
in the inner sides of such compound bars, into which notches the ends (which are
made to project sufficiently) of all the parallel wooden strips first described drop
and fit, the india rubber both in the side frames and in the' parallel strips being
cut or bevilled away so that they meet and form a continuous surface.
The side frames are held together in front and at the back by compound bars of
india rubber and wood, the former being made preferably to slope gradually down
to the ground so as not to present any sudden step or interruption, and one or
more cross stays may also be used between the front and back bars.

page_text: The frame may be made of any desired size and shape to suit the situation where
it is to be used, the compound parallel bars being each cut to the proper length for
its position, and each compound bar can at any time be lifted out and removed or
a fresh one substituted for it without interfering with or disturbing the remainder
of the mat. The upper and lower edges of the india rubber in the compound
parallel strips come to an edge and slope gradually away, and all dirt passes freely
and easily between them as there is no obstacle to its passage along the whole
length of the strips.

page_text: Improvements in Door Mats.
I, ELLIS PARR, of Long Lane, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London,
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement and accompanying drawing (that is to say):-
This invention relates to mats used at doors and in other situations for the
purpose of removing and collecting dirt.
i
It has for its object an improved method of constructing such mats so that they
are very simple and cheaply made, are readily reversible, renewable where required,
and very effective for their intended purpose.
,
In order to put my invention in operation I take strips of wood, metal; or other
suitable material of sufficient strength, rectangular or nearly so in cross section,
and of a length about equal to the width of the mat which is to be made. I fit
one of such strips into a longitudinal recess along each side of a corresponding
strip of vulcanized india rubber or other suitable material or compound which is
to form the surface of the mat. This india rubber strip consists in cross section, of
two triangular parts the apex of one of which is directed upward and that of the
other downward, their bases being connected by a narrower rectangular part the
sides of which, form the sides of the recesses into which are fitted the strips of
wood first described.
I arrange a number of these compound strips, each consisting of a strip of india
rubber of the section described having longitudinal strips of wood embedded in
the recesses in its sides, parallel with each other, a short distance apart so as to leave
a space between them, and sufficient in number to afford the required length for
the mat:
In order to retain the compound bars so arranged in their proper places, I make
an external frame of wood, metal, or other suitable material of the required size,
the sides of this frame also consisting of compound bars composed of strips of india
rubber and wood or other suitable material, similar to those already described, but
I make vertical notches in the wooden strips on the inner side of each such lateral
bar, into which notches the ends (which are made to project sufficiently) of all the
wooden strips upon the transverse compound strips drop and fit freely, the india
rubber both in the side frames and in the transverse bars being cut away suffi-
ciently to allow the ends of the wood to pass into the notches from either side of
the mat.
The compound side frames are held together at the front and back edges of the
mat, by compound bars of india rubber and wood attached to the side bars and
either similar to the latter or preferably having a strip of wood recessed into their
inner side only, their outer side being of india rubber, made without a recess
sloping gradually down to the level of the floor upon which the mat lies, so as to
prevent any sudden stop or interruption which might be liable to catch the feet
of persons using the mat. If the mat is of much length, one or more intermediate
cross stays may also be used between the front and back bars.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing which is in illustration of my invention, figure 1
is a plan, figure 2 a transverse section, and figure 3 a longitudinal section, of part
of a mat made in the novel way described. a, a, are the longitudinal strips of
wood fitted in recesses at the sides of corresponding strips of india rubber b of the
shape described. The inner strips of wood on the lateral bars of the mat are
notched, as shewn at d figure 4, and the projecting ends of the wood strips on. the
transverse compound bars drop into these notches as shewn in figures 1, 2, and 5,
the lower edges of the india-rubber strips resting upon the floor. Narrow spaces c
are left between the strips of wood a, a.
In figure 3 the end bar of the frame is shewn with the outer side of the india
rubber strip at e sloping gradually down to the floor as already described.
It will be seen that any one or more of the transverse strips of india rubber and
wood may be instantly lifted out and reversed, or fresh ones substituted without
interfering with the remainder of the mat. Or the whole mat may be inverted
when worn, its. lower or unworn face then. forming a fresh upper surface for use.
In this last case, however, if the inclined slope e (figure 3) is used, I make the
india rubber of such section as shewn at e figure 7, that it can fall over and present
an inclined slope to the floor whether reversed or not, the ends of the wooden strip
along its inner edge being rounded as shewn or made of such shape where they
enter the notches in the lateral frames that they allow the india rubber e to take
the required position. The ends of the india rubber e are recessed or cut away,
to allow the wooden strips to fit the lateral frames.
Figure 5 is a plan and figure 6 a side view, upon a smaller scale, shewing an
entire mat.
The external frame may be made of any desired size and shape to suit the
situation where it is to be used, the transverse compound parallel bars being each
cut to the proper length for its position.
As the upper and lower edges of the india rubber in the compound strips slope
gradually away from the outer edge, all dirt passes freely and easily between them
through the spaces c, as there is no obstacle to its passage along the whole of
the strips.
I do not confine myself to the precise shape and proportions of the several parts
of the mat, which may be varied more or less to suit different circumstances,
but having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method of making door and other mats of compound strips of india
rubber and wood or other suitable material substantially of the shape and in the
manner described and shewn.
2. In combination with such compound strips the side frames having notches
into which the ends of the transverse strips can be dropped substantially as
described and shewn.
3. The method of making the ends of the mat with reversible inclined slopes,
substantially as described and shewn in figure 7.
Dated this 12th day of September 1885.

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