IM« PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOORS, Roors, WALLS, COLUMNS, AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXTERNAL FLOORS, FENCES, AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR ERECTIONS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Leonard Plimpton, of Bedford Place, in
the County of Middlesex, Merchant, for the Invention of "IM«
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOORS, Roors, WALLS, COLUMNS,
AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXTERNAL FLOORS, FENCES, AND OTHER
STRUCTURES OR ERECTIONS."
Sealed the 11th December 1874, and dated the 12th October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Leonard Plimpton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th October 1874.
I, JAMES LEONARD PLIMPTON, of Bedford Place, in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOORS, Roors, WALLS, COLUMNS,
AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXTERNAL FLOORS, FENCES, AND OTHER
STRUCTURES OR ERECTIONS," to be as follows:—

page_text: erected for temporary purposes, but some of the improvements are also
applicable to other structures and to buildings of a more permanent
character.
The object of the Invention is to form, combine, and arrange the
various parts of such structures in such a manner as to afford greater
strength, durability, and usefulness, and be of a more light and orna-
At the
mental character than similar structures as now carried out.
same time the quantity of material, labor, and expense in constructing
is greatly reduced.
"
The several parts of the building are also so arranged and combined,
that when required the structure can be put together, taken apart,
removed to another situation, and be again put together with great
rapidity and facility without much injury or depreciation. Certain of
the parts are also so arranged and secured as to allow for the shrinking,
the leading
swelling, warping, and tightening thereof; while
characteristic of the Invention may be combined and arranged in a great
variety of ways to suit different tastes and purposes:
The roof of the building is chiefly constructed of narrow' bevilled
strips of wood, grooved and feathered at each edge, so that by causing
the feathers and grooves of the upper layer of strips to interlock into
the grooves and feathers of the lower layer of strips, a kind of bevilled
ridge and furrow surface is produced. These strips with other suitably
grooved and bevilled strips are connected together and formed into
sections of convenient dimensions, say, in length according to the
length of the strips, and in width according to the distance between the
centres of the rafter or roof supports. The parts are made to properly
interlock, and are held in place by being secured from the under side by
means of elastic fastenings to cross cleats placed underneath. These
elastic fastenings admit of the wood of the roof shrinking, swelling,
and warping without splitting, and thereby rendering the roof leaky.
In roofs requiring only one length of such strips or sections, the water
may run off at the eaves in the usual manner; but where in consequence
of the width of the span two or more lengths of sections are used upon
the same slant, the lower end of each section is provided with a slanting
gutter for carrying the water off into suitable conductors or gutters
made in the upper surface of the rafters, or in slanting roof supports;
such gutters also serving to carry off any water which may enter the

page_text: joints between the sections when properly placed and secured. A
wooden structure of this kind may be used as a lining for roofs covered
with metal or other protecting material, and will effectually prevent
water from leaking through into the building. A roof constructed in
this manner will carry off the water when placed at much less inclination
than ordinary roofs constructed of wood, thereby greatly reducing the
roofing surface, whether composed wholly of wood or when covered with
metal or other protecting materials. A. roof or roof lining of this con-
struction is also more stiff, light, and ornamental than roofs of the
ordinary kind.
The walls and vertical partitions of buildings may also be constructed
of similar interlocking strips, which may be permanently secured in any
convenient manner, or may be formed into sections in a similar manner
to the roof. Such sections are joined together or secured to intermediate
posts by means of suitable bevilled joints and proper fastenings, so as to
allow for the shrinking, swelling, and tightening of the parts.
These walls or partitions may be made more or less stiff and
ornamental by varying the form of the strips. Or the manner of inter-
locking them may be varied so as to form ornamental polygonal corners
or recesses, which may be used for ventilating or other purposes.
Grooved posts, rafters, and various other forms of strips may be inter-
locked and combined so as to add greater strength, durability, and
stiffness, or to afford a better finish or means of fastening, and grooved
cross pieces with suitable metal plates or bevilled blocks may also be
combined to vary or complete the finish.
It will be obvious that close fences and external boundary walls may
be constructed in the same manner as the walls and partitions of the
buildings. A cheap, light, and ornamental open fence may be made by
properly securing to transverse bars or rails a number of bevilled cross
pieces, properly arranged and fitted at the ends so as to allow for the
passage of uprights or pickets made of the bevilled strips, which may
be either permanently or temporarily secured.
The interlocking strips may be economically made from planks as
thick as the strips are wide, and may be sawed out and grooved at one
and the same operation with little waste of material. In working up
such bevilled strips there will necessarily be a portion not sufficiently good
to form the roof or sides of a building. These pieces or pieces similarly

page_text: sawed from inferior timber may be economically used in the con-
struction of partitions, walls, and fences. Or by properly bevilling the
corners of the interlocking strips, so as to form a kind of dovetail, a
cheap, light, and stiff partition may be formed, upon which concrete or
plaster may be laid. These intérlocking strips may be variously bevilled,
formed, and combined with other parts and used in a great variety of
ways other than those above mentioned.
Bevilled strips of wood without grooved edges may be similarly sawed
from a plank in such a shape that when properly placed and fastened
together three strips will form a cheap, light, and stiff hollow post or
column having six sides with only three joints, which post may be used
either alone or in combination with an internal core to support the roof,
or to ornament and ventilate the building; and by properly joining
and lapping such strips longitudinally a column, shaft, or conductor of
any required length may be formed which may be used in a variety of
ways in the construction and ornamentation of buildings and other
structures.
Floors or flat horizontal surfaces are constructed of narrow strips of
wood of suitable thickness, and so sawed from the timber and placed on
the floor that the grain of the wood in none of the strips shall be flat or
parallel to the surface of the floor, as floors with the grain of the wood
laid flat are not as durable, and are more liable to splinter up and warp
than floors constructed according to my plan. A sufficient number of
such strips being placed together to form a section of convenient
dimensions they are to be secured from the under side by means of a
screws, nails, or pins to strips of wood placed crosswise of the section in
a diagonal direction; these diagonal strips are made to project a short
distance beyond the sides of the sections, and short diagonal strips are
also secured so as to project at the ends of the sections, the whole being
spaced and arranged so as to readily interlock with other sections
similarly constructed, By placing the cleats at a uniform angle and
fastening them uniformly to the floor strips, they will allow the sections
to swell without warping the surface, and will also serve as a means for
tightening the joints by simply pressing or driving up the strips from
the proper opposite corners of the sections.
⠀ The diagonal cleats also serve to stiffen and insure a proper bearing of
the sections upon the floor-timbers or foundation below. By thus making

page_text: the flooring and other principal parts of a building in suitable finished
sections the floor or structure can be put together, taken apart, and
again put together with great facility and rapidity, and with little or no.
injury to the parts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Leonard Plimpton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, James
LEONARD PLIMPTON, of Bedford Place, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succsesors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Leonard Plimpton, Her special
licence, that I, the said James Leonard Plimpton, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Leonard
Plimpton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOORS, Roors, WALLS, COLUMNS,
AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXTERNAL FLOORS, FENCES, AND OTHER
STRUCTURES OR ERECTIONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Leonard Plimpton, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and.
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Leonard Plimpton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
J
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Floors, Roofs,
Walls, Columns, and other Parts of Buildings," is more particularly
applicable to buildings to be erected for temporary purposes, but some of
the improvements are also applicable to other structures and to buildings:
of a more permanent character, and to the construction of external floors,
fences, and other structures or erections.
The object of the Invention is to form, combine, and arrange the
various parts of such structures in such a manner as to afford greater
strength, durability, and usefulness, and to be of a more light and orna-
mental character than similar structures as now carried out, at the same
time the quantity of material, labor, and expense in constructing is
greatly reduced.
The several parts of the building are also so arranged and combined
that when required the structure can be put together, taken apart,
removed to another situation, and be again put together with great
rapidity and facility without much injury to the several parts or
depreciation in the value of the structure. Certain of the parts are
also so arranged and secured as to allow for the shrinking, swelling,
warping, and tightening thereof, while the leading characteristic of the
Invention may be combined and arranged in a great variety of ways to.
suit different tastes and purposes.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn various views of different.
parts of a temporary wooden building, and the mode of constructing
and combining the various parts for the purpose of effecting the object
of my Invention,
The roof of the building is chiefly constructed of narrow bevilled
strips of wood a, a, a¹, a¹, grooved and feathered at each edge, as shewn
in cross section drawn full size at Fig. 1, Sheet I., so that by causing
the feathers and grooves of the upper layer of strips a, a, to interlock
into the grooves and feathers of the lower layer of strips a¹, a', a kind of
bevilled ridge and furrow surface is produced, as shewn in the Figures.

page_text: The mode of producing these strips a, a¹, will be best understood by:
referring to Fig. 2, in which 6 is a plank of deal or other suitable wood,
which is set up on edge and rests upon a bridge piece or support c. A
pair of spindles d, d, set at an angle (as shewn in the Figure) carry at
their upper ends. circular saws ď, d, and also circular tools e, e, of
suitable thickness to cut the grooves in the edges of the strips a, a².
One of these inclined spindles (with its saw and grooving tool) is set a¨
little in advance of the other, so that they shall not interfere with each
other. It will now be understood that if rapid rotary motion be given
to the spindles & and their saws and grooving tools (and the plank 6 be
pushed forward against the saws), a strip of the form shewn at a, Fig. 1,
will be cut off from the bottom of the plank, the longitudinal edge
grooves being at the same time formed therein, as seen best in the per-
spective view, Fig. 1°. This operation may be repeated until the whole
plank is cut up into strips of the desired form and dimensions, as:
indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. These strips a, a, with other suitably:
grooved and bevilled strips are connected together, as shewn at Fig. 1,
and formed into sections of convenient dimensions, say, in length
according to the length of the strips a, and in width according to the
distance between the centres of the rafters or roof supports. The parts
are made to properly interlock, as shewn in Fig. 1, and are held in place
by being secured from the under side by means of elastic fastenings to
cross cleats placed underneath, as shewn at Figures 3, 4, and 5, in which
Fig. 3 represents an under side view of one of these sections of roof con-
structed of the strips a in the manner just explained; Fig. 4 is a
longitudinal section of the same; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section.
The elastic fastening which I prefer to use in connection with the roofs´
consists of metal screws f, provided with india-rubber washers f¹ below
their heads, as will be best seen in the detached view, Fig. 6, which is
drawn on an enlarged scale. These elastic fastenings ƒ admit of the
wood of the roof shrinking, swelling, and warping without causing it to
split, which would render the roof leaky.
.
In order to impart increased rigidity to the several sections of the roof
when composed of these separate strips a, a', the edges of the outer strip.
on each side of the section are made to take into corresponding grooves:
in stout pieces h, h, which are set on edge and form a kind of half rafter.
When several sections are combined together these pieces h, h, may be
grooved on each side, and may be made of different sections, according to.
.
.

page_text: the place where they are to be used. At Figs. 7 are shewn various
sections of strips which may be used for this purpose.
Figures 8 and 9 are sectional views representing modifications of the
roof already described. In Fig. 8 instead of the strips a and a' being of
precisely the same form (but simply reversed in position), as shewn at
Fig. 1, the strips a, a, are of the form already described and shewn at
Figures 1 and 1º, but the strips a¹ are simply thin strips with no grooves.
therein, but whose edges fit into the grooves of the thicker strips a, a;
this will form a very light roof. At Fig. 9, on the other hand, the
strips a take into grooves or kerfs cut in a kind of gutter joist a¹, which
is much thicker and stronger than the strips a.
This will form a very
strong and rigid roof.
In constructing some kinds of irregularly shaped roofs, or for pointed
roofs, or for covering bay windows or other projecting parts of buildings,
or for constructing spires it may be necessary to make the strips a and a¹:
narrower at the top than at the bottom, as shown at Figures 10, but grooved
at their edges, as in the former instance, so that the strips may fit
together,
Before the cleats g, Figures 3, 4, and 5, are secured in place by the
elastic fastenings f, the angular spaces between the cleats and the s
strips a and a¹ must be filled up. This is effected by means of the filling
pieces,, shewn at Figures 11 and 12. The filling pieces i, i, Fig. 11,
fit into the hollow or groove of the upper strips a, and if desired may be
there secured by means of a pin or screw. The filling pieces ³, 1, which
complete the filling up of the space under the cleats are placed across
the pieces i, i, and rest in a notch made therein, and are secured in place
by the elastic fastening f, Fig. 6.
At Fig. 11 is shewn another form of filling pieces, the only difference
being that instead of bevilling off the ends of the filling as shewn
at Fig. 11 these ends are made square. The spaces between the ridge
cleat g¹, Figures 3 and 4, and the strips a are not filled in the manner
just described, but are simply concealed by means of pieces of metal j, j
stamped or cut to the proper shape. These metal pieces j, j, may be
stamped or cut out in lengths to cover several spaces, as shewn at
Fig. 13, or in separate small metal pieces as shewn at Figs. 13*, where
the ends are made to overlap. The upper edges of the metal pieces j
are fixed in kerfs cut diagonally in the cleat., as shewn at Fig. 4, and

page_text: the pointed ends lie close down in the grooves of the strips a, as shewn
in the Figures.
In roofs requiring only one length of such strips or sections, as shewn
at Figures 3, 4, and 5, the water may run off at the eaves in the usual
manner into any ordinary gutter; but where, in consequence of the
width of the span of the building, two or more lengths of sections are
used upon the same slant or slope the lower end of each section is
provided with a slanting gutter for carrying the water off into suitable
conduits or gutters made in the upper surface of the rafters or slanting
roof supports, such gutters also serving to carry off any water which
may enter the joints between the sections when properly placed and
secured.
The mode of longitudinally connecting two lengths of the improved
roof covering, and of adapting a gutter thereto, is shewn at Figures
14 and 15, Fig. 14 being a plan view, and Fig. 15 a longitudinal section
of the same.
A is one section of the roof, and B another section, which
is to form a continuation of the slope of A. The sections A and B are
constructed in the manner already described, g being the lower cleat
of one section, and the upper cleat of the other section. Between
these two cleats is laid an inch board k on which are fixed on edge
two narrow strips of wood I, I, and on these is fastened a flat waling
piece m. There will thus be left a space n which forms a longitudinal
gutter, which is by preference lined with zinc or other metal, and into
which the water from the section A will drip and be carried off hori-
zontally to any suitable downward channels. The face of the gutter n
is made higher in the middle than at the ends so as to form a slight
incline to carry off the water ridgeways. If the gutter n fills too rapidly
it will flow over the waling piece m and run on to the lower section B
of the roof, and from thence into the eaves gutters, which may be of the
ordinary construction. A wooden structure of this kind may be used
as a lining for roofs, and may be painted or stained and varnished
internally if desired. It may also be covered externally with metal or
other protecting material, which will effectually prevent the water from
leaking through into the building.
If it be desired to protect the roof with metal I prefer to do so by
covering each separate strip with very thin metal bent to the proper
shape, as shown at Figures 14", Sheet II. The strips of wood a and ai

page_text: are-covered with these metal strips before they are assembled together
to form the section of the roof. A roof constructed in this manner
will carry off the water when placed at much less inclination than
ordinary roofs constructed of wood; thereby greatly reducing the roofing
surface, and consequently diminishing the cost of the roof whether it be
composed wholly of wood, or of wood covered with metal or other pro-
tecting materials. A roof or roof lining of this construction is also more
stiff, light, and ornamental than roofs of the ordinary kind.
The walls and vértical partitions of buildings may also be constructed
of similar interlocking strips, which may be permanently secured in any
convenient manner, or may be formed into sections in a similar manner.
to the roof. Such sections are to be joined together or secured to
intermediate posts by means of suitable bevilled joints and proper
fastenings, so as to allow for the shrinking, swelling, and tightening
of the parts. A partition constructed in this manner may if desired be-]
waled on one or both sides with plaster, as shewn in section at Fig. 16,
in which it will be seen that the strips are cut away so as to form a kind;
of dovetail to hold the plaster,
Walls or partitions constructed according to my Invention may be
made more or less stiff and ornamental by varying the form of the 2
strips a, a¹
Another mode of constructing walls or upright partitions by means of
interlocking strips is shewn in horizontal section at Fig. 80. In this
instance the strips are made flat and are grooved at their edges so as to
interlock, as shewn in the Figure, and they are held in place by means 2
of the cross pieces or cleats 7,9, which are secured thereto by the elastic.
fastenings f. This is the form of wall shewn at D, Fig. 21, and it may.
be covered externally, if desired, with thin strips of metal, shewn
detached at Figs. 14. The end strips a, Fig. 30, lock into grooves in the
uprights a*, the other side of which is cut to a bevil to fit the hexagonal 8
pillar F. The end of the cleat or piece 9 is also bevilled to fit the
column, so that when the cleat is secured by the elastic fastening f
the angle of the column will be clipped between them. The manner
of interlocking the strips a, a, may be varied so as to form ornamental
polygonal corners or recesses, which may be used for ventilating or other 8
purposes.
Bevilled grooved posts, rafters, girders, and various other parts of
buildings may be made of different forms of string which mas
he inte

page_text: locked and combined so as to add greater strength, durability, and
stiffness, or to afford a better finish or means of fastening; and grooved
cross pieces with suitable metal plates or bevilled blocks may also be
combined to vary or complete the finish.
Fig. 17 is a cross section of a column or pillar constructed of three
bevilled strips of wood. In this case one side of the strip is made wider
than the other, as will be seen on referring to the Figure, and the strips
may be secured together by nails, screws, or in any other convenient
manner. These strips or pieces are cut from a baulk of timber (as indi-
cated by the dotted lines in Fig. 18,) in the same manner as that shewn
at Fig. 2, for cutting the narrow strips a, a¹, except that in this case
one side of the piece is wider than the other. Hollow wooden posts or
masts may be made in this manner, as shewn at Fgures 19 and 20, and
may be made tapering, the several sections being made to break joint,
as shown at Fig. 19.
.
Fig. 21 is a front elevation of part of a building constructed according
to my Invention. The Figure represents a doorway O and part of a
wall D with fan lights E, E, and an architrave above. Fig. 22 is a hori-
zontal section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 21, and Fig. 23 is a vertical
section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 21.
Fig. 24 is another vertical section taken through one of the supporting
columns F which are constructed in the manner shewn at Fig. 17, and
form the main supports of the structure. The upper ends of the
columns F, F, F, are cut away at the back to the extent of half their
thickness, as shewn at Figures 22 and 24, a facia plate O is then placed
behind the columns and is secured thereto in any convenient manner.
Another plate p, Fig. 2, is placed horizontally and is intended to support
the ends of the girder q, Figures 23 and 24, on which is placed the
eaves gutter 1, and over this is fixed on the top of the column the top
plate or cup piece 8. The end of the roof is seen at a and the lower
cleat at 9. The window sills of the lights E are formed of one of the
angular pieces out from the baulk of timber, shewn at Fig. 18. The
girders q are constructed in a peculiar manner from ordinary deal-
planks.
Fig. 25 represents a deal plank from the upper side of each end of
which a piece is cut off diagonally as indicated by the dotted lines.
These pieces are placed on the top edge of the plank in an inverted position,.

page_text: as shewn at qg, and are properly secured thereon, so that their wide
ends meet at the centre of the length of the plank and thus increase its
depth at the weakest part. In order to increase the depth of the girder at
its ends angle pieces q² cut from another plank are secured to the under
side of the girder by bolts or screws, and the two ends of the girder
are connected together by a string piece which consists simply of an
inch board sufficiently wide and of the required length. This forms a
powerful bow and string. girder, the sagging on which is disguised by
two narrow strips u¹, u¹, placed one on each side on the string piece u at
the bottom of the girder. Two other side pieces v, v, secured diagonally to
the sides of the upper part of the girder serve to ornament and stiffen it,
as shewn at Figure 26, and the two sectional views Figures 27 and 28. In
the space between the piece v, v, is placed one of the strips a, of which
the roof sections are formed. A gutter is thus created to receive any
water that may leak through between the sections of the roof, and also 1
water from the gutters n (Fig. 15) when such are used is conducted
into these channels which will ultimately discharge it down the columns.
u³ shews a screw by means of which the lower string piece of the girder

page_text: :
arranging the parts in this manner the pickets may be painted separately
one colour, and the cross bars w and cross pieces x another colour.
The elastic fastenings may be constructed in various ways; for
instance, they may consist of screws with an india-rubber block or
washer beneath the head, as shown at Fig. 6, and already described, or
they may be made as shewn at Fig. 34, in which the rubber block is
nipped between the bar to and a wedge-shaped piece of wood z, z, with
pointed ends. This piece is shewn detached at Fig. 36. Two screws
pass through this piece, and after passing through the bar to will enter
the cross pieces x, and hold all the parts together.
Fig. 37 represents in plan and edge view another form of elastic
fastening, in which the rubber block is dispensed with, and the proper
degree of elasticity is obtained by making two saw cuts in the wedge
pieces.
Figure 35 represents another form of elastic fastening combining both
the rubber block and the wedge pieces with saw cuts. Moreover in
this case three wedge pieces z, z, are combined in order to increase the
elasticity.
Floors or flat horizontal surfaces are constructed of narrow strips of
wood of suitable thickness, and so sawed from the timber and placed on
the floor that the grain of the wood in none of the strips shall be flat or
parallel to the surface of the floor, as floors with the grain of the wood
laid flat are not as durable and are more liable to splinter up
than floors constructed according to my plan.
and warp
The mode of cutting up a log for the purpose of effecting the object of
this improvement will be best understood by referring to Fig. 38, which
represents a cross section of a log of timber. The thick lines indicate
that the log must be first cut up into square baulks, which latter are
subsequently cut up
into boards. The faint lines indicate the direction
of the saw cuts for this purpose, and that the several pieces must be cut
in different directions in order to ensure that the grain in the boards
shall not be horizontal. A sufficient number of such boards or strips of
wood cut in the manner just explained are placed together to form a
section of convenient dimensions, and they are to be secured from the
5 under side by means of screws, nails, or pins to strips of wood placed
crosswise of the section, and in a diagonal direction, as shewn in Fig. 39,
which is an under side view of portions of several sections of flooring con-
-

page_text: structed in this manner and assembled together. Fig. 40 is an edge view
thereof. The diagonal strips are made to project a short distance beyond
the sides of the sections, as seen at 2, 2, 2, and short diagonal strips 3, 3,
are also secured so as to project at the ends of the sections, the whole
being spaced and arranged so as to readily interlock with other sections
similarly constructed, as shewn at Fig. 39. By placing the cleats at à
uniform angle and fastening them uniformly to the floor strips, they will
allow the sections to swell without warping the surface, and will also
serve as a means for tightening the joints by simply pressing or driving
up the strips from the proper opposite corners of the sections. The dia-
gonal cleats also serve to stiffen and ensure a proper bearing of the
sections upon the floor timbers or foundation below. By thus making
the flooring and other principal parts of a building in suitable finished
sections, the floor or structure can be put together, taken apart, and
again put together with great facility and rapidity, and with little or no
injury to the parts..
. It is obvious that the bevilled, grooved, and feathered strips of wood
may be formed, interlocked, and combined with various other bevelled,
grooved, and feathered strips in a great variety of ways besides those
herein shewn and described, and the elastic fastenings for attaching a
such strips and other coverings of buildings, fences, and structures, may
be constructed with springs variously formed of metal or other suitable
material, and many variations and modifications may be made in
forming, combining, and securing the various sections and other finished
portions of such structures, other than those shewn and described with.
out deviating from the main features of my Invention as herein set
forth, and therefore I do not confine myself to the precise form,
dimensions; or material as herein shown and described, but that which I
consider to be in the above described improvements in constructing
various parts of buildings, and therefore desire to claim as the Invention 8
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,—
-
First. The interlockable strips of wood with bevilled grooves and
feathers made in their edges, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.
Second. A series of V shaped strips when combined and interlocked 8
with other suitable strips having bevilled, grooved, and feathered edges,
so as to form a water shedding roof, roof lining partitions, side covering.
or sections thereof, substantially as herein shewn and described.

page_text: Third. The interlocking filling pieces forming a sliding front, and also
the metal plates forming a tight or ornamental cross joint with the
interlocked V shaped strips when applied substantially in the manner
and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourth. The adjustable elastic fastenings for securing the coverings of
buildings, fences, and other structures when applied substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein shown and described.
Fifth. Constructing tie beams, girders, or slanting roof supports,
substantially as herein shewn and described, so that the sagging of the
upper portion thereof may be hidden by the lower string pieces, which
may be made to support the ceiling and be kept straight by its own
tension, or by means of adjusting screws or other equivalent devices.
Sixth. The interlockable and adjustable floor sections constructed
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Leonard Plimpton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
TITA T
----- בד