AN IMPROVED DESCRIPTION OF TILE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Dumas, of Marseilles, in the Empire of
France, at present residing at No. 8, Windsor Terrace, City Road, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED DESCRIPTION
OF TILE." A communication, and recently patented in France in the
name of Frederick Arnaud.
Sealed the 30th May 1856, and dated the 15th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Dumas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th March 1856.
I, JOSEPH DUMAS, of Marseilles, in the Empire of France, Shipping Agent,
at present residing at No. 8, Windsor Terrace, City Road, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for An In-
PROVED DESCRIPTION OF TILE, to be as follows:-
The tile consists of two separate parts, which may be likened to the top and
bottom of a rectangular box open at the ends. The bottom is divided length-
wise into two equal parts by a projection about one-third the entire width,
running from the middle of one end of the tile to about four-fifths of the entire
length. This projection, for the convenience of description, may be considered
as consisting of three parts of equal width, viz., the centre and two sides. The
two sides are of the same height above the bottom with the sides of the box;
and on one of the sides of the projection, and on the side of the box facing

page_text: thereto, one half of the lid reposes; the other half in like manner resting on
the side and centre side of the bottom of the neighbouring tile. The other
half of the bottom, and the neighbouring half of another bottom, is in like
manner covered by a second lid. The centre of the projection is hollow, and
rises to an exact level with the upper surface of the lid, so that the bottom of
these tiles, with their corresponding lids, present a perfectly level surface,
extending to any distance, finishing off, whenever it may be desired, with half
a lid or half a bottom, as may be necessary, each lid being secured by nails
driven through them into the sides about the centre of their lengths.
That the roofing or other tiling may be extended indefinitely lengthwise as
well as in breadth, the exterior surface of the walls of each box is cut away
for one-half its thickness and one-fifth its length at that end of the tile where
the projection reaches to the end, and so fits into another tile, the interior
surface of whose walls have been in like manner cut away at the opposite end,
viz., that at which the projection does not reach within one-fifth the length of
the tile; each tile having the external surface of its walls cut away at the
end at which the end of the projection reaches to a level with the end of
the wall, and the interior surface cut away at the opposite end, so that when
the tiles are fitted into each other end to end, the end of the projection of one
reaches to the beginning of that of the other, so that each tile with its top
forms a double covered gutter, continuous with the like gutters in another tile,
down which all water that may chance to penetrate through any of the joins
of the lids, or through any crack or crevice, must run off. The lids overlap
each other with a mortice joint, thus also presenting a level surface. The
form of the tiles is also sometimes curved for the purpose of turning corners
where necessary.
What I claim as new in this Invention is the form of the tile, its division
into two parts as described, the projections, with the fitting one tile into
another (forming mortice joints), so that the projections join and form
continuous gutters for carrying off the superfluous moisture, applicable for
roofings, balconies, terrace platforms, and especially mansard walls.
SPEC
pursuance
by the said Joseph Dumas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH 3.
DUMAS, of Marseilles, in the Empire of. France, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
5 unto me, the said Joseph Dumas, Her special licence that I, the said
Joseph Dumas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joseph Dumas, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter 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
"AN IMPROVED DESCRIPTION OF TILE," a communication, and recently patented in
France in the name of Frederick Arnaud, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Dumas, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Dumas, do hereby declare' the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my Invention is to construct tiles for roofs, pavements, floors,
and walls, of earthenware, metal, or other suitable material, in such forms
that when combined for any of the purposes to which tiles are applied they
may present a perfect uniformity on their exterior surfaces, and have their
joints so protected that they will be impervious to water. And the Invention
consists in constructing a series of uniform tiles in such a manner that they
may be fitted together in one direction by mortice or socket joints, and in the
other or transverse direction by raised ledges on their respective edges abutting
closely together. These last-mentioned or open joints are protected by.other
tiles placed over the lower ones, with the middle portion of each upper tile
covering the joinings of the contiguous lower tiles, and firmly clamping or
binding together the ledges on the edges of the adjacent lower tiles by corre-
sponding ledges or projections formed in the middle of. its under side. The
upper tiles are fitted together longitudinally, with lap joints or mortice joints
similar to the lower ones, and are made with serrated or angular ends. They

page_text: are also supported by. ribs rising from the middle portions of the lower tiles,
into which they are jointed in the manner known in the arts as constituting a
rebate joint. To facilitate the fitting, and to obtain lightness and economy of
material, a portion of the ledges and ribs of the lower tiles are hollowed.out.
The tiles may be fastened in the usual mode with nails, pins, or treenails, and
the hollow formed by two adjacent ledges 'is filled in with mortar or cement.
If water should penetrate through any of the joints of the upper tiles forming
the exterior surface of the roof or pavenient, it will be received by the lower
tiles, which, from the peculiar formation with ribs and ledges, constitute
continuous gutters or channels for its conveyance. It is obvious that 'this
principle of constructing tiles and coinbining the joints of the different series
is not confined to a plane surface, but may be adapted to any variety of curves
and angles.
The principle of my Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawing,
in which the same letters in the various figures refer to similar parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a longitudinal series of lower tiles, show-
ing the manner in which they are fitted together with a mortice or socket
joint.
Figures 2 and 3, an end view and à transverse section of a series of tiles,
exhibiting also the rafters or other substructure, upon which they are placed.
a, a, are the side ledges of the lower tiles supporting the upper tiles, and
clamped by the projections on their under sides;. b is the centre rib of the
lower tile, rising as high as the exterior surface of the upper tile, and sup-
porting them with a rebate joint. The ledges and ribs are partially hollowed
out for economy and lightness; the spaces between the ledges to receive
mortar or cement to hold the tiles together. "c, c, the rafters or sills. The
manner in which the ledges and ribs of the lower tile form' gutters or channels
for the conveyance of any water that may penetrate the joints of the upper
tiles may be readily understood from these Figures.
"
Figure 4 is a plan of a series of tiles, with a portion of the upper ones
removed for the purpose of shewing the longitudinal mortice or socket joints
of the ends of the adjacent lower tiles. A small portion of the rebate joint of
the upper tile and the centre rib of the lower one is omitted at d, in the lower
tier represented in the Figure, and the end view-above, because it is the outside
row of the series: For the same reason the lower ends of the first series of
upper tiles are finished with a straight line. It is obvious that the edges may
be finished with a half tile of either the upper or lower variety, which are
combined to constitute the Invention..

page_text: Figure 5 is a plan of the under side of a series of lower tiles, shewing
distinctly the manner in which the ledges and ribs are made hollow, and the
extent to which it is deemed desirable this feature should be adopted.
Figures 6 and 7 are separate plans of a lower tile.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 are plans and a section of an upper tile, shewing the
serrated ends and lap or mortice joints and the projections on the under side,
between which the lower tiles are clamped together.
Having thus fully described my Invention, and illustrated it by the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise formation of the tiles and their joints as described, as the
constructive details may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but what I do claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by
Letters Patent, are,
First, the formation of a series of tiles with mortice or socket joints so
combined that the joints of one division of tiles are protected by those of the
other division, as described.
Secondly, the construction of tiles with ribs and ledges as described, by
which, when combined for any of the purposes to which tiles are employed,
they are converted into the continuous gutters or channels for the conveyance
of any water that may penetrate the joints of the upper series.
Thirdly, the combination of tiles with socket and rebate joints and ribs and
ledges as described, in such a manner that the external surface may be uniform,
and the inner tiles converted into gutters or channels for the conveyance of
any water or moisture that may penetrate the joints of the outer tiles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Dumas, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
J. DUMAS.
L.B.)