An Improved Roofing Tile, and Means for the Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL OF DUTTIVATION.
An Improved Roofing Tile, and Means for the Manufacture of
the same.
1, KARL THOMANN, Manufacturer, of Halle on the Saale, Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The tile has preferably the shape of a rhombus, with two of its corners cut off,
the said tile being placed on the roof diagonally, so that one corner is at the top,
one at the bottom, and two (which are cut off) at the sides.
The upper edges or sides of the tile are provided with ledges extending the
whole length of the said sides and projecting from the upper face of the tile. The
lower sides or edges of the tile are also provided with ledges, similar to the upper
ones, but formed on the lower face of the tile, so that when the tiles are fitted
together, the upper tile covers and overlaps the lower tile by the united width of
the two ledges. The upper ledge of each tile may be dovetailed, while the lower
edge is rectangular, so as to form between the two ledges a triangular open space,
for the water. Or both the upper and the lower edge may be dovetailed, so as to
fit together, without any intervening air space.
For securing the tiles to the laths of the roof, I employ wedges or keys, and
strengthen the upper corner of each tile by a triangular extension or lug formed on
the lower face of the tile, the lower edge of the said lug (or the base of the
triangle) being approximately parallel to the lath, while the other sides of the
triangle are flush with the upper edges of the tile..
The wedge is driven between the base of the said lug and the contiguous face of
the lath, and may be partly embedded in the lath and the lug.
The tiles may be thickened in the centre, or provided with strengthening ribs.
The machine for making the tiles chiefly comprises a mould or open box having
approximately the shape of the tile and a moveable bottom plate or tile carrier
fitting into the said box and adapted to be lifted from below by means of a spindle
and a treadle.
The mould, together with the tile carrier, or the latter alone, may be shifted
horizontally on the table or platform of the machine, in order to place the partly
formed tile under the ledge-forming apparatus. In a similar manner, the ledge-
forming apparatus may be shifted by hand on to the moulding box.
The ledge forming apparatus chiefly comprises: a funnel shaped receptacle for
the plastic material, of which the tile is to be made; a slide adapted to close the
said receptacles at the bottom and also to act as a cutting off knife. When the
tile has been roughly formed in the moulding box mentioned above, the tile is
shifted horizontally, so as to place it underneath the receptacle for the raw material,
or vice versa, and plastic raw material from the said receptacle is stamped on to the
tile, the sliding knife having been previously drawn back, and a moveable hood or
cover situated in the said receptacle having been placed in its lowest position.
Said hood or hollow cover is adapted to slide up and down obliquely, and to
cover those parts of the tile surface, where no ledge is to be formed.
After the raw material has been stamped, the horizontally moveable slide or
cutting knife mentioned above is pressed forward sufficiently, to cut off the ledge
from the superincumbent raw material contained in the receptacle. Subsequently
the hollow cover or hood is lifted obliquely, (by means of a rack and pinion and a
handlever) above the top or face of the dovetailed ledge, the shape of the latter
peing due to the shape and oblique movement of the cover.

page_text: During the upmotion of the cover, the cutting-off knife, which covers the ledge,
protects the latter from injury.
After the upper ledge has been formed, the mould is withdrawn from underneath
the receptacle, or vice versa, and the tile carrier or moveable bottom plate situated
in the mould is lifted, so that the tile can be easily taken off. If it is desired, to
have both the upper and the lower edge of the tile dovetailed, a suitably shaped
key or wedge is placed in the mould, which wedge may also serve to produce a
groove in the lug formed at the upper corner of the tile. After the tile has been
formed, the said key is drawn out laterally through suitable openings in the walls
of the mould.
In the latter case the finished tile can be shifted horizontally on the bottom
plate, so that it can be subsequently taken off vertically without injuring the
Jedges.
The raw material for making the tile may be clay, cement, or various other
plastic substances or mixtures.
Dated this 10th day of November 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Roofing Tile, and Means for the Manufacture of
the same.
I, KARL THOMANN, Manufacturer, of 20 Merseburger Strasse, Halle on the
Saale, Germany, 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 :-
This invention relates to a new shape or type of roofing tiles, and to apparatus or
machinery specially designed for the manufacture of the same.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 to 17 show several varieties of tiles embodying my invention, and the
method of connecting and fixing the same for the formation of roofs, while
Figs. 18 to 24 illustrate mechanical appliances suitable for the manufacture of
such tiles.
As shown by the drawings, the tile has approximately the shape of a square or
rhombus with two opposite corners cut off, and the tile is placed diagonally, so
that one of the two sharp or intact corners is at the top, while the other is at the
bottom.
On one (viz. the upper) face of the tile is formed a ledge or rib a, extending over
the length of two sides; and the other (lower) face carries a similar projection or
rib b, also extending over two sides.
The upper rib a is so shaped, that it acts as a hook, for the lower rib 6 of the next
tile to engage with; the two ribs thus hooked together leaving between them a
space c
(Figs. 6 and 7), adapted to retain any rain water or snow permeating
through the joint.
Where such an intermediate space is formed, as shown in Fig. 6,-the lower
rib b of the next succeeding tile is rectangular, as illustrated in that figure.
Where, however, it is desired, to dispense with the said space c, the lower rib b is
dovetailed or hook-shaped, like the upper rib a (see Figs. 9 and 11).
In this case the respective ribs a and b of two adjoining tiles closely fit each
other, as shown in Figs. 11, 14, 15 and 17.
For the purpose of simply and securely connecting tiles, thus fitted together,
intermediate pieces or wedges d (Figs. 11 to 17) are inserted between the laths or
rafters and the tiles, whereby all the tiles of a roof are firmly and tightly joined.

page_text: The shape of the joining or retaining wedges d, and their arrangement between
the tiles and rafters, may vary. Each rafter may, for example, be provided with
a groove f, and the tiles also grooved, as at g, Fig. 11; the space, formed by the
two grooves facing each other, being available for the insertion of the wedge d
which should be of such a shape as to fit, or fill up, the said space.
Or a firm wedge-connection may, if preferred, be obtained in the manner indicated
by Fig. 17, in which case one side or surface of the wedge d meets the surface of
the tile, and a notch h is provided both in the tile and in the rafter.
Other suitable shapes inay be given to the wedge and grooves or notches, the
main feature of the improved tile-connection residing in the employment of a wedge
which, by receiving support or leverage from the rafter, tightly, compresses the
engaging ribs a and b of adjoining tiles, thereby keeping the tiles themselves firmly
connected.
If desired, the tiles may be strengthened, either by having their central portion i
made thicker than the rest, or by having additional projections or ribs formed on
either or both faces, the shape or configuration of such ribs, projections or central
enlargement being optional.
These peculiarly formed tiles,-which offer many important advantages, such as
the facility they afford for covering roofs, the tight joints they form when fitted
together, and their lightness-can only be manufactured by means of special
appliances, of which Figs. 18 to 24 show a good example.
This apparatus is constructed as follows:
Within a mould cise A there is arranged a tile-carrying plate B (Fig. 18),
adapted to be moved up and down within the case A, by means of a lifting
device D.
The mould box A, together with the carrying plate B, are capable of horizontal
displacement upon the table. This displacement is effected by hand and serves for
conveying each tile, as it is moulded, under the apparatus in which the upper and
lower engaging ribs are formed. If desired, the rib-forming apparatus may itself
be moved by hand towards the mould case.
The rib-former consists of a hopper or funnel-shaped receptacle E, in which the
raw material for the tiles is placed.
This receptacle is capable of being closed by means of a sliding door M, which
at the same time serves as a cutter. The operation of the rib-former is as
follows;
When the moulding of the tile in the box A has been nearly completed, it is
slid under the receptacle E, or inversely, the receptacle E is moved on to the
case A, and sufficient material to form the rib is then pressed or stamped on the
tile (see Fig. 20). During this operation, the sliding cutter M is drawn back, and
the part F of the receptacle E-which part is adapted to be moved up and down
in the receptacle in an inclined direction-remains at the extreme point of its
downward path (Fig. 20). When the material has been pressed on to the tile, the
slide M is moved to the position, in which it is shown in Fig. 21, in performing
which movement it cuts off the portion of the material necessary to form the rib,
from the rest of the material contained in the box E. The piece F is then raised,
at the desired angle of inclination, by means of a toothed lever G, whereby the
bevel, which enables the rib a to perform its hook action, is imparted to it; during
which operation the sliding cutter or plate M remains and serves as a guard, to
protect the said rib a from damage during the upward movement of the part F.
When the upper rib a of the tile has thus been formed, the mould case A is
withdrawn from under the rib-forming apparatus E F, or this apparatus is removed
from the case (Fig. 22), and by means of the treadle D, spindle J and thrust
bars H-H, the tile carrying plate B is raised within the case A, sufficiently to
admit of its lateral removal from the said plate.
When it is desired, that both the ribs a and b should be bevelled or hook-shaped,
as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 14, a wedge K (Figs. 23 and 24) is inserted into the

page_text: T
mould case; which wedge may be so shaped, as at the same time to form the
grooves g and h for the supporting or retaining projections or lugs of the tiles, and
may be removed through the openings k (Fig. 24), when the formation of the tile
is completed.
The finished tile may then be so shifted upon the carrying plate B (see Fig. 24)
that it can be removed without damage to the lower engaging rib. The carrying
or holding lug N of the tile, provided on the lower face thereof, may, as before
mentioned, be at the same time provided with a groove which is to receive the
intermediate tightening piece or wedge d.
The whole operation by which a complete tile is made is performed in a very
short space of time. In fact, the operative is enabled to carry out the entire
process in a very few movements of his hand, and, consequently, to produce a great
number of tiles within a given space of time.
The nature of the material employed in making the tiles may vary almost
indefinitely, provided it is capable of receiving and retaining the desired shape.
Cement, cement-mixture, clay and various mixtures thereof, or mortar mixture
will prove particularly suitable, though any other similar material may be employed
instead.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A roofing tile having on its upper and on its lower face respectively, ledges a
and b, and in addition an engaging hook or rib N, substantially as described and
illustrated by the drawings.
b
2. A roofing tile of the type specified by Clause 1, the lower ledge being either
rectangular, as in Figs. 6 and 7, or hook-shaped or dovetailed as in Figs. 11 and 14
to 17, substantially as described and shown by the drawings.
3. A roofing tile of the type specified by Clause 1, the upper or lower face of
the tile, or both, being also strengthened with ribs i, substantially as described and
shown by the drawings.
4. A roofing tile of the type specified by Clause 1, the ledges or ribs being
shaped in such a manner, that two tiles when joined together, form an interstice c
Fig. 6, and may be fixed or secured by simply suspending them or hooking them
on to the rafter, substantially as described and shown.
5. Roofing tiles made as specified by Clause 1, and having hook-shaped or
dovetailed ledges a and b and ribs N adapted to be joined together and secured in
position by means of wedge-shaped keys d, substantially as described and shown by
Figs. 11 and 14 to 17.
6. A machine or apparatus for the manufacture of tiles as specified in Clauses 1
to, said apparatus chiefly comprising a moulding box A provided with a plate B,
and a ledge-forming apparatus (E F), either the box A with plate B, or the ledge-
forming apparatus being adapted to be shifted horizontally on a table, so that the
box A will be situated under the ledge-forming apparatus, in order to produce the
ledge a, substantially as described and illustrated by the drawings.
7. In a moulding machine of the type specified by Clause 6, a ledge-forming
apparatus chiefly comprising a hopper-shaped receptacle E, the inner part F of
which is adapted to slide up and down obliquely, and a sliding partition or
moveable bottom M adapted to serve as a cutting knife, substantially as described
and illustrated by the drawings.
8. In a moulding machine of the type specified by Clause 6, a moulding box A,
in combination with a top plate B adapted to be placed in the said box and to be
removed from the same sideways after a tile has been moulded, substantially as
described and illustrated by the drawings.
9. In a moulding machine of the type specified by Clause 6, the combination of
a moulding box A with a vertically moveable top plate B, a pedal lever D,

page_text: spindle J and thrust bars H, H for the purpose of lifting the plate B out of the
box, after a tile has been moulded, substantially as described and illustrated by the
drawings.
K. THOMANN,
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.