Improvements in Floorings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28 h July, 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Floorings.
We THOMAS CANTWELL, Pirquet Floor Layer, of 503 West 157th Street,
and PETER FRANCIS GALLAGHER, Parquet Floor Layer, of 69 8th Avenue;
both of New York City, in the County and State of New York, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner-
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to hard wood or inlaid flooring for fire proof and other
buildings, and the object of the invention is to provide a new and improved flooring.
which is simple and durable in construction, readily. secured in place, and not
liable to warp.
The invention consists principally of a board provided on its side with a rabbet
for forming a bottom flange having a transverse slot, and a clamping iron adapted
to pass, with part of its body, into the slot and having an arm extending from the
body, said arm being adapted to be bent down over the board flange.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had. to. the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement;
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, on the line 2-2 of
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same, on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional perspective view of the improvement, showing the
clamping iron applied and before bending its clamping arms; and
Figure 5 is a similar view of the same, with the arms bent in position.
The improved flooring is provided with a series of rails A, arranged parallel one
to the other and formed at their lower ends with horizontal flanges A' and A³,
located alternately on opposite sides of the body of the rail A, as plainly illustrated
in the drawings. The flanges A', A" are placed suitable distances apart, as
indicated in Figure 1, and rest on a suitable foundation B. The upper end of each
rail A is formed. with a continuous horizontal flange A, and the several rails are
securely embedded in a layer of cement or other suitable material C (Figure 2)
resting on said foundation B, and left to set and dry so as to become hard:
On the top surface of the layer of cement is placed. a thin coating D of tar or
like binding substance, preferably applied in a hot state; and on the coating Dare
placed the boards E.'E, E made either plain or inlaid and cut a suitable length:
The adjacent sides of the boards 'are formed with rabbets for producing bottom
flanges E, E, formed with transverse slots E; E in alignment with the
outer edge of the flange: A of. the corresponding rail "A, as indicated in"
Figures, and 2.
The two aligned slots E, E are adapted to receive the body of a clamping
iron F, formed at its lower edge with a flange Fidapted to pass under the flange A
of the adjacent rail A, it being understood that a suitable opening is made under
this portion of the rail by a chisel or like tool, to permit of inserting the flange F
after the cement has become hard."
The upper end of the body of the clamping iron F is formed with, two

page_text: arms F and F, of which the arm F is adapted to be bent upon the top of the
flange E, and the other arm F is adapted to be bent over the flange E³ but in
an opposite direction to that in which the flange F extends. See Figure 1.
In laying the floor the board E' already in place against the board E' receives
the clamping iron F at the slot E, with one half of the body extending beyond
the edge of the flange E' and with the flange F engaging the under side of the
flange A³.
The operater now bends the arm F downward to fasten the clamping
iron and board E' in place, and then the board E is placed adjacent to the board E
and in such a manner as to engage with its slots E the projecting body portions of
the clamping irons F. When this has been done, the remaining vertically-disposed
arm F is bent downward upon the flange E³, to fasten the board E in place at
this side. The next board is then joined in the same manner to the other side of
the board E and the above-described operation is repeated until the floor is
completed.
Into the groove formed by the two adjacent rabbets, I place a covering strip G,
preferably cut out at its under side so as to snugly receive the arms F2, F³, bent
down upon the flanges E and E³, respectively. The top of the strip G is flush
with the hoards E, EL, E, and this strip is preferably nailed or otherwise fastened
to the adjacent boards. It will be seen that by the arrangement described, the
several boards are securely fastened in place and are not liable to warp, and no
fastening devices whatever are visible on the surface of the flooring.
It will be seen that by the arrangement described, the floor boards are drawn
very firmly down upon their supports, mainly on the rails A, so that the boards
are prevented from warping and longitudinal shifting of the boards is prevented
owing to the transverse clamping irons extending into the adjacent side flanges of
the adjoining boards.
The flanges A1, A' are placed suitable distances apart, to permit the cement to
pass into the space under the web of the rail, between adjacent flanges.
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,-
1. A floor, provided with a series of boards each provided on its side with a
rabbet for forming a bottom flange having a transverse slot, and a clamping iron
adapted to pass with part of its body into the slot and having an arm extending
from the body, said arm being adapted to be bent down over the board flange,
substantially as shown and described.
2. A flooring, provided with a clamping iron having a body formed with a flange
extending approximately at right angles from the lower end of the body, and arms
extending from the upper end of the body and adapted to be bent at right angles
thereto, substantially as shown and described.
3. A flooring, provided with a clamping iron having a body formed with a flange
extending approximately at right angles from the lower end of the body, and arms
extending from the upper end of the body and adapted to be bent at right angles
thereto, and in opposite directions, substantially as shown and described.
4. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their
upper and lower ends with flanges, floor boards supported on said rails and
extending at right angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with
rabbets for forming bottom flauges, each flange having a transverse slot, and a
clamping iron formed at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail
flange, said clamping iron being adapted to pass with its body into aligned slots
of the adjacent bottom flanges, the clamping iron being formed with arms adapted
to be bent upon the top of said bottom flanges, substantially as shown and
described.
5. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their
upper and lower ends with flanges, floor boards supported on said rails and
extending at right angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with

page_text: rabbets for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot, and a
clamping iron formed at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail
flange, said clamping iron being adapted to pass with its body into aligned slots of
the adjacent bottom flanges, the clamping iron being formed with arms adapted to
be bent upon the top of said bottom flanges, with the arms standing in opposite.
directions, substantially as shown and described.
6. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their
upper and lower ends with flanges, floor boards supported on said rails and
extending at right angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with
rabbets for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot, a clamping
iron formed at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail flange, said
clamping iron being adapted to pass with its body into aligned slots of the adjacent
bottom flanges, the clamping iron being formed with arms adapted to be bent upon
the top of said bottom flanges, and a closing or filling strip fitted into the groove
formed by adjacent rabbets, substantially as shown and described.
7. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their
upper and lower ends with flanges, floor boards supported on said rails and
extending at right angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with rabbets-
for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot, a clamping iron
formed at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail flange, said
clamping iron being adapted to pass with its body into aligned slots of the adjacent
bottom flanges, the clamping iron being formed with arms adapted to be bent upon
the top of said bottom flanges, and a closing or filling strip fitted into the groove
formed by adjacent rabbets, said strip being formed on its under side with recesses
for said arms, substantially as shown and described.
8. A flooring, comprising rails formed at their lower ends with flanges adapted
to rest on a suitable foundation, the upper end of each rail being formed with a
flange, a binding material such as cement for embedding said rails, floor boards.
supported on said rails and clamping irons for holding said floor boards in position
on the rails, substantially as shown and described.
9. A flooring, provided with parallel rails each formed at its lower end with.
horizontal flanges extending alternately in opposite directions, and resting on a
suitable foundation, the adjacent flanges being spaced apart, the upper end of each
rail being formed with a continuous flange, and a binding material such as cement
for embedding said rails and holding the latter in position, as set forth.
10. A flooring, provided with parallel rails each formed at its lower end with-
horizontal flanges extending alternately in opposite directions and resting on a
suitable foundation, the upper end of each rail being formed with a continuous
flange, a binding material, such as cement, for embedding said rails and holding
the latter in position, floor boards supported on said rails, and clamping irons
for holding said floor boards in position on the rails, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.