IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUfacture of TILES, SLABS, PANELS AND PLATES, USED IN THE COVERING AND DECORATION Or WALLS. FLOORS, HEARTHS, CEILINGS, WINDOW BOXES, AND CABINET WORK AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR SECURELY FIXING THE SAME IN POSITION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Rees of Victoria Works 92 Falcon Road
Clapham Junction in the Parish of Battersea and in the County of Surrey
London for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUfacture of TILES,
SLABS, PANELS AND PLATES, USED IN THE COVERING AND DECORATION Or
WALLS. FLOORS, HEARTHS, CEILINGS, WINDOW BOXES, AND CABINET WORK
AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR SECURELY FIXING THE SAME IN POSITION
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Rees at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1883.
THOMAS HENRY REES. of Victoria Works N° 92 Falcon Road-Clapham Junction.
in the Parish of Battersea and in the county of Surrey-London IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES SLABS-PANELS AND PLATES USED IN THE
COVERING AND DECORATION OF WALLS-FLOORS-HEARTHS-CEILINGS. WINDOW
BOXES. AND CABINET WORK. AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED. FOR SECURELY FIXING
THE SAME IN POSITION
My invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing Tiles Slabs.
Panels and Plates used for covering walls floors, hearths Coiling. Window boxes and
Cabinet work and also to the improved method of securely fixing the same in
position, either with cement or without it and by which method the contraction or
expansion of the Tiles or of the surface to which the Tiles are attached is
compensated for. In the specification to Letters Patent granted to me in
October 1881 known as a Patent for the manufacture of Glass Tiles number 4656
of that year I have described the process of manufacturing certain Tiles which in
appearance resemble the Tiles which are herein described. but in the mode of
manufacture and in the principles of construction there is a distinct difference
The Tiles of which the manufacture is described in this specification, are a new
invention. removing some of the objections to the Glass Tile and rendering them.
177

page_text: more generally applicable and more extensively useful. The process of manu-
facture is as follows. I first prepare ordinary printing paper by covering one side
with a thin coat of starch and Gum in the manner adopted for making what is
called "Transfer paper." Upon paper thus made or similarly prepared I print the
patterns, designs, or pictures, required for the Tiles or slabs by the ordinary process
of printing, in Inks of a permanent and durable nature. In this part of the
process there is no novelty but the description is here given. that the process of
manufacture may be understood. The next process is to preparo squares of slabs
or plates of glass in the following way. I take glass of suitable quality and thickness
for the purposes required, either sheet crown or plate glass. and I cut it into squares
or shapes of any required size in the usual way and after cleaning polishing and
drying them in a hot room or oven I varnish them whilst warm, with thin transfer
varnish upon one side only and when this varnish is nearly dry but not quite dry.
I take the pattern designs or pictures which have been printed upon the prepared
paper as already described and place them smoothly upon the varnished side of the
glass, the picture being on the varnish and after pressing them gently, I rub
them over with a smooth burnisher and then damp them with a sponge whichi
causes the paper to seperate from the printed surface so that it can be easily
removed leaving the pattern, design, or picture upon the glass. This is left to dry
naturally or burnt in, in a stove or hot room, if desired for any special purpose the
paper may be left on. The back of the transfer or paper is painted with paint or
varnish of the required colour, and when dry the squares or slabs of Glass thus
ornamented and finished are ready for mounting into Tiles and other forms. Having
described the method which I prefer for ornamenting and. preparing the glass in
order that the whole process of manufacturo may be fully understood. I will now
describe that portion of the process which converts. the glass into a strong and
durable Tile, and it is this portion of the manufacture and also the complete Tile,
Slab or Panel, produced by it which is novel and which I claim as my invention.
...I take the squares or slabs of ornainental glass, prepared as already described and
upon the painted back of each, I secure with any suitable glue or cement. by
preferenco I take a glue made of shellac and Naptha, two or more rough pieces of
thin slate glass, stone, or wood, but I prefer slate and when these are firmly fixed,
I cover the whole of the back with cement of the best and most durable kind.
I have found that two parts of best Portland Cement intimately mixed with one
part of best dry sulphate of Lime and made into a paste with water acidulated
with sulphate of alumina, answers best this quickly becomes as hard as stone and
by moulding or fitting into the irregularities of the studs of slate it holds
firmly forming with the glass a solid Tile or Slab. having a handsome polished
glass face with an artificial stone back. The thickness of the Tile is regulated
by a guage and the back made smooth and level or indented for Keying in.
If the Tiles or Slabs are required for fixing in with cement they are finished
with square flush edges like ordinary Tiles. but if wanted for locking together
with lap joint to be fixed by my improved method with nails or screws then
two or four edges must be bevelled one or two edges having the bevels inwards
or from the glass and one or two edges outwards or from the glass, so that
when put together they form a lap or lock joint. Copper Tags, that is
small pieces of thin copper about one inch square are also inserted in the cement
before it sets, I prefer to fasten them to the studs before they are cemented in and
these Copper tags are fixed on one side of each Tile the right hand side being most
convenient and they should be so placed that they project about half an inch on
the right beyond the back of the Tilo and on the side where the copper tags aro
fixed the bevel should incline inwards from the glass face so that the projecting
bevelled edge of the next Tile may fix in and over the copper tags and the heads
of the nails used in fixing and thus lock together and be securely fixed although
each Tile is nailed or fastened on one side only which permits the Tile to slide in
and out of the bevel or lock joint when affected by expansion or Contraction caused
by change of temprature By the same process already herein described and on

page_text: the same plan and also with the same novel method of securely fixing, I mako
small tiles or slabs of the size of nine inches by three inches in plain colours such
as Red. White. Black. Blue &c so as to resemble the edges of glaized bricks. I
farther propose that when fixing these Tiles or any other Tiles, for this part of
my invention can be applied to the encaustic or any other Tiles with equal effect,
the edges shall be closed together or pointed with putty instead of cement which is
generally used putty forming a flexible elastic and impervious joint and after the
joints are so filled in and made smooth I further propose to dust or rub over the
whole of the joints with gold or silver or other metallic bronze powder or with a
dusting or powdered colour suitable to the decoration and by this very simple and
inexpensive means all the joints are gilded silvered or coloured and a beautiful
effect produced and leaf gold can also be thus used all the Tiles or imitation bricks
being united with lines of gold silver or colour and all the joints level and in
harmony with the rest of the work. Joints in Tile fixing thus made and finished
are part of my method of fixing and I claim such as part of my invention. I havo
carefully described one process of manufacturing my Tiles and the process which I
prefer but I do not confine myself to this exactly as the methods may be varied and
yet the same result obtained.
Thus Instead of fixing studs of slate. stone or other material on the back of
the glass, ground slate stone, sand, sawdust or broken shells. may be sprinkled
upon the back after it has been painted with varnish. paint glue, or any other
adhesive material so as to produce a rough or granular surface, to which the
cement will firmly adhere. The cement may also be varied. one part of Portland
cement to 3 parts of sulphate of Lime answers very well or sulphate of Limo or
Roman Cement with, or without any admixture may be used and when it is
required to have the Tiles thick but light sawdust mixed with the cement in equal
or less proportions answers well-The novelties of my invention are uniting a
glass face to a cement back so as to form a Tile. similar to the encaustic Tile, Also
the method of construction with Tags and beveled edges-so that the Tiles can be
fixed with nails or screws and with or without cement, and the method of fixing
them with gilded or coloured joints impervious to moisture and providing for
expansion or contraction. the whole substantially as herein described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lotters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Henry Rees in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1883.
THOMAS HENRY REES of Victoria Works No 92 Falcon Road Clapham Junction
in the parish of Battersea and in the County of Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF TILES, SLABS, PANELS AND PLATES USED IN THE COVERING AND
DECORATION OF WALLS, FLOORS, HEARTUS CEILINGS, WINDOW BOXES AND
CABINET WORK AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR SECURELY FIXING THE SAME
LIN POSITION
My invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing Tiles Slabs
Panels and Plates used in covering Walls, Floors, Hearths, Ceilings, Window
Boxes and Cabinet work and also to the improved method of securely fixing the
same in position either with cement or without it and by which method the
contraction or expansion of the Tiles themselves or of the surface to which the
Tiles are attached is compensated for In the specification to the Letters Patent
granted to me in October 1881 known as a patent for the manufacture of Glass
Tiles number 4656 of that year. I have described the process of manufacturing
certain Tiles which in appearance resemble the Tiles which are herein described
but in the mode of manufacture and in the principle of construction there is a
distinct difference. The Tiles of which the manufacture is described in this
specification are a new invention being only in part composed of Glass.
The process of manufacture is as follows,. I first prepare ordinary printing
paper by covering one side with a coat-of starch-or-Gum_or_starch with Gum, or
Gum & sugar or Gum & Flour in either of the manners usually adopted for inaking
what is called Transfer paper, Upon paper thus made or similarly prepared, I s
print the patterns designs or pictures, required for the Tiles or Slabs & by the
ordinary process of printing in Inks of a permanent and durable nature. In this
part of the process there is nothing new, but the description is here given, that the
whole process of manufacture may be better understood. The next part of the
process is to prepare the squares slabs or plates of glass in the following way.
I take glass of suitable quality and thickness for the purpose required either sheet
crown or plato glass and I cut it into squares or shapes of the required size in the
usual way and after cleaning polishing and drying them. I varnish them with thin
transfer varnish upon one side, and when this varnish is nearly dry but not quite
I take the patterns designs or pictures which have been printed upon the prepared
or (transfer paper) as already described and place them smoothly upon the
varnished side of the glass the picture being upon the varnish and after pressing
them together by hand or with a roller or otherwise, I then place them in water
or damp them with a wet spong and thus remove the paper, leaving the pattern
design or picture upon the varnished glass. This part is not novel but is the
ordinary transfer process but I have found that by printing with Inks made with
slow drying varnish or by printing a coat of slow drying varnish over the design
picture or pattern the same will adhere to the clean surface of the Glass if pressure
is used the glass not being varnished at all and the paper can be damped off in the
usual way, this is the process 1 now prefer and adopt. The transfers are dried 4
on to the glass in a stove or hot room and thus fixed. If desired for any special
purpose, the paper may be left on to form a backing but I prefer to remove it. for
some purposes I print the designs upon Tin Foil or upon varnished Tin Foil so as
to produce the appearance of silver or Gold in the pattern. The back of the
designs, pictures, or patterns is painted or varnished and when this is dry and

page_text: hard the squares or slabs of glass thus ornamented are ready for mounting and
finishing into Tiles or Slabs. Having described the methods which I prefer for
ornamenting and preparing the glass in order that the whole process of manu-
facture may be understood. I will now describe that portion of the process which
is novel and which converts the ornamented glass into strong and durable Tiles or
slabs suitable for covering walls hearths ceilings &c and it this part that is new
and which I claim as my invention. I take squares or slabs of ornamented glass
as already described and upon the painted back of each I secure with any suitable
glue or cement small pieces of thin slate glass stone or wood or I paint over the
painted back a coat of varnish glue or cement and then sprinkle it with sand or
breeze and let it dry this process I prefer I then cover the back with cement of
a durable kind. I prefer 3 parts of Portland Cement mixed with 1 part of Plaster
of Paris or Sulphate of Lime and this answers all requirements but other Cements
or mixtures of cement can be used, I do not confine myself to any one or to any
particular mixture. The cement when spread over the back is pressed down in
a suitable press or rolled down so that it is worked close, this will then set and
become as hard as stone and is so incorporated with the glass that it forms a solid
Tile or Slab which can be made of any thickness required having a polished glass
face with a back of artificial stone The thickness of the Tile is regulated by a
gauge and the back may be made smooth, er indented for keying into cement.
The Tiles or slabs as described are to be made in two ways. With edges square
and level like the ordinary encaustic tiles, or with lap joint and copper tags for
fixing with nails or screws according to my improved method. The method for
making with the square level edges has been already described. To make them for
nailing or screwing. the cement is moulded upon the glass with two of the edges
bevelled. the one outwards and the other inwards thus
so that when placed together they form a lap joint. Copper Tags or Tongues are
fixed into the cement on one side of cach Tilo (on the right hand side is most
convenient and they must be so fixed that they project about one inch from the
back edge of the tile on the side where the bevel inclines inward from the glass
face. Thus metal tags or tongues may be fastened by being inserted in the cement
before it is set hard or may be secured to studs which are cemented in. Nails
being driven through the metal tags or tongues (as here described) secure the tiles
to the wall or surface, and the projecting edge of the next tile, that is the bevel
edge that projects outward from the glass surface, goes over the metal tags and
nails and under the projecting bevel or edge of the Tile fixed and locks in, so that
although each tile or slab is nailed on the one side only yet all are secured, and
this method of securely fixing permits the tiles at each joint to slide in and out
when affected by expansion or contraction. By the same process as already herein
described and with the same novel method of securely fixing I make tiles or slabs
nine inches by three inches in plain colours such as Red-White-Blue or other
colour so as to imitate the edges of glaized bricks. I further propose that in fixing
these Tiles slabs or the imitation glaized bricks, the edges shall be closed with
putty and not with cement as usually done, the putty forms a flexible elastic and
impervious joint which when made smooth, I further propose to dust over with
gold silver or other bronze powders or with suitable dusting or powdered colours,
by this simple and inexpensive means all the joints are either gilded silvered or
coloured and a beautiful effect is produced or leaf gold or silver can be put on if
desired and then the Tiles slabs or imitation bricks will be united with lines of
bright gold or silver or with lines of colour in harmony with the decoration and
this method of fixing Tiles I claim as part of my invention. Having now described
my improved method of making Tiles slabs and imitation glaized bricks with also
the improved means of fixing the same in position. I now desire it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the exact size form means, materials or proportion
of materials used, (slight variations may be made and similar results bo obtained,
aeither do I claim for the method described of decorating glass by the printing,

page_text: or the transfer process, only that part as described of printing in varnish and
transfering whilst such varnish is still sticky, so as to supercede the varnishing of
the glass itself. this part I claim for as new and part of my invention and I also
claim the manufacturing of Tiles slabs or Tiles made like the sides of glaized
bricks, with a glass face and cement or artificial stone back substantially as herein
described and Tiles, slabs and Tiles like glaized bricks made with a glass face and
a cement or artificial stone back with bevelled or lap edges to lock or fit into or
over each other and with metal tags or tongues projecting so that each tile can
be nailed or screwed and thus securely fixed in position, substantially as herein
described and I also further claim as my invention the method of fixing, Tiles,
slabs and the imitation glaized bricks as herein described or any other with Oil
putty between the joints combined with finishing the said joints with bronze
powders or powdered colours the whole substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Henry Rees, have hereunto set my
hand and seal on this--Twenty Fourth day of December in the year of our
Lord 1882
- (L.S.) THOMAS HENRY REES..