Improvements in and relating to Wall Tiles or other Wall Linings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wall Tiles or other Wall Linings.
We, WALTER HUBBARD, Managing Director of The British Stone and Marble
Company Limited, Plough Bridge Works, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey,
BENJAMIN LEWIN MOSELY, of 36 Robertson Street, Hastings, in the County of
Sussex, Surgeon Dentist, and JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 433, Strand, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The tiles now used for lining walls are usually made of baked or burnt clay, and
either cemented directly to the wall, or screwed to plugs or strips of wood in or upon
the wall, or forming a part of a wooden partition. In the latter case, the tiles are
formed with a rebate along one edge, and an overlap on the opposite edge, to cover
a corresponding rebate; the screws or fastenings passing through the rebated
portion, and concealed by the overlapping portion.
For thin partitions and walls exposed to much vibration-as at railway stations-this
method of attaching tiles is useful, as the cement setting in the other case is apt to
crack and cause the tiles to fall out, apart from the greater skill required in laying
the tiles in cement. But the overlapping tiles are also open to the great objection
that they are thicker than the flat tiles used for cement setting, and the clay of which
they are composed, shrinking unequally in the burning, form imperfect and unsightly
lines and arrises.
By this invention we make tiles of an unshrinkable material, and are thus enabled
to make thin tiles with perfect lines, and use other forms and arrangements of
fastenings.
The material we prefer to employ is of the nature of artificial stone, partly or
wholly, composed of siliceous substances, and such as described in the specifications
No. 5808 of 1888, No. 2780 of 1889, and No. 2781 of 1889; although other unshrink-
able material may be used. In forming the tiles we prefer to make them the usual
thickness of the cement laid tiles, and with a rebate and overlap in this said thickness.
We also make them with holes, grooves, recesses or the like, and after securing the
said tiles in any convenient manner through the said holes or grooves, the latter are
covered by specially formed bosses, strips, or other ornamental forms which may be
fitted cemented or otherwise attached to the said tiles.
The bosses, strips or other forms are adapted to be flush with the remainder of the
tiles, or to project above the surface thereof; and may be of the same, or any other
colour or colours. As the material we employ is unshrinkable we are not restricted
to the dimensions of the clay tiles in use, consequently we may make wall linings
in the form of panelling for dadoes and wall mouldings.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1889
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wall Tiles or other Wall Linings.
We, WALTER HUBBARD, of Plough Bridge Works Rotherhithe, in the County of
Surrey, Director of a public Company, BENJAMIN LEWIN MOSELY, of 36, Robertson
Street, Hastings, in the County of Sussex, Surgeon Dentist, and JOSEPH SINCLAIR
FAIRFAX, of 433 Strand, in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Patent
Agent, 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 :-
The tiles employed for lining walls are usually made of baked or burnt clay, and
either cemented directly to the wall, or screwed to plugs or strips of wood in or upon
the wall, or forming a part of a wooden partition. Where the tiles are screwed to
wood, they are formed with a rebate along one edge, and an overlap on the opposite
edge to cover a corresponding rebate: the screws being passed through the rebated
portion, with their heads concealed by the overlapping portion. For thin wooden
partitions, and brick walls exposed to much vibration as at railway stations-this
method of attaching tiles is useful; as the cement setting in other cases is apt to
crack and allow the tiles to fall out; apart from the greater skill and time required
to lay tiles in cement. But the overlapping tiles are also open to the objection that
they are thicker than the flat tiles laid in cement, and the clay of which they are
composed shrinking inequally in the burning, form imperfect and unsightly lines
and arrises.
By this invention we make tiles of a strong and unshrinkable material, and are
thus enabled to make thin tiles, with perfect lines, and use other forms and arrange-
ments of fastenings.
The material used is of the nature of artificial stone, partly or wholly composed of
siliceous substances, as described in the specifications No. 5808 dated 18th day of
April 1888; No. 2780 and No. 2781 dated the 16th day of February 1889, although
other similar material may be used. In forming the tiles, we prefer to make them
of the usual thickness of the cement laid tiles, and with a rebate and overlap in this
said thickness. We also make them with holes, grooves, recesses or the like, and
⚫ after securing the said tiles in any convenient manner through the said holes or
grooves, the latter are covered by specially formed bosses, strips or ornamental
forms which may be fitted, cemented, or otherwise attached to the said tiles.
The bosses, strips or other forms may be flush with the remainder of the tile, or
project above its surface, and of the same or any other colour or colours. As the
material employed is wholly or approximately unshrinkable, we are not restricted to
the dimensions of the clay tiles now in use; and consequently we may make panelled
wall linings for dadoes, wall skirtings and mouldings.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a flat tile a and
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing a rebate with screw holes for
attachment to the wall, and an overlap c adapted to cover over the corresponding
rebate of the next lower tile. Above each figure a tile is indicated in position by
dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a front elevation and Fig. 4 a side elevation of two tiles, a, a,
each of which is sunk or rebated next to the sides thereof, as denoted by 6; the
central part of the tile a being of the usual thickness. The four rebated sides of each
tile is provided with a countersunk screw hole b¹ at each corner, and other holes b²,
between the same. These tiles are screwed to the wall by the corner holes 6, and the
rebated sides are covered by four separate strips a¹, a', each of which are shown with
a raised corner ornament solid with the strip which extends in length to the next
corresponding corner ornament. These strips, a', a¹, may be raised above the general
surface of the tile a, and may also be made wide enough to cover the rebated side
of two adjacent tiles: thus forming panelled work. Each strip a¹ is cemented to
the tile a, the small holes 62 forming a key to hold the cement. The upper halves

page_text: of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show these strips in position, and the sunk ornaments upon the
strips and the centre of the tiles are denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 is a front elevation and Fig. 6 a side elevation of two tiles having the same
thickness throughout, except a small square portion in the centre, b. In this sunk
portion are two long slots 61, countersunk for the reception of screws, by which each
tile is secured to the wall. A small raised piece a', shown by Fig. 7, which is
cemented in the square b (in the same manner as the strips. described in Figs. 3
and 4), serves to cover over the screws, and is shown in position by the lower halves
of Figs. 5 and 6.
Fig. 8 is a section and Fig. 9 a front elevation of a wall moulding to be screwed
to the wall, and adapted as the cap of a dado. The screws used are shown with
projecting heads at the lower part of the moulding, and as sunk in small recesses in
the upper part of the same; and it will be obvious that the design may be made to
cover the same as described for Figs. 5 and 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
A tile or other wall lining composed of unshrinkable siliceous material, substantially
as and for the purpose herein shown and described.
Dated this 25th day of November 1980
FAIRFAX & W TER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicants.