IMPROVE- MENTS IN TILES AND COVERINGS FOR ROOFS AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mallet, of Bridge Street, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TILES AND COVERINGS FOR ROOFS AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS."
Sealed the 11th December 1857, and dated the 24th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mallet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th June 1857.
I, ROBERT MALLET, of Bridge Street, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention>
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TILES AND COVERINGS FOR ROOFS AND OTHER PARTS OF
BUILDINGS," to be as follows:-
I construct roofing tiles of metal, or glass, or of pottery, or other suitable
material, of a square, or lozenge, or similar form, adapted for being placed.
diagonally on the roof. The upper angle or corner of the tile, and the.
two upper edges which meet there, are bent up or made higher. than the
general surface of the tile. The upper corner has also a hook. or projection.
beneath it, which catches or holds on the laths or purlins which run horizon-
tally along the roof; it has also a hole through it, which receives a screw or
nail, which further secures it to the purlin or lath. The two lower edges of tho.

page_text: tile are turned downwards, or made to project below the lower surface of the
tile. The two side corners of the tile have notches or small recesses which
meet those in the adjoining tiles, and are covered with a small plate or washer,
secured by the same screw or nail which secures the top corner of the tile
below. Each of these side corners has a rib or raised part on the upper
surface, which protects the screw holes from any water flowing down the roof..
These ribs or raised parts, and the screw or nail, are covered by the lower
corner of the tile in the next row above. Triangular tiles are employed to.
complete the covering at the eaves and ridge, and at the gables or hips; a
ridge piece is made to cover the top edges and such portions of the joints as
require it. The ridge is made in lengths which lap on one another. It may be.
of metal, or glass, or other suitable material; or any ordinary ridge may be
employed. The aforesaid ribs or raised parts prevent the passage of water
through the roof. The joints may, however, be still further secured by inserting
strips of vulcanized caoutchouc or felt, or other suitable material, or putty, or
other suitable cement. The general surface of these tiles is "buckled," or
domed, or curved in two or more directions, which renders them much stiffer
and stronger than if they were flat or only curved in one direction; or, instead
of being curved, they may be made in the form of a very flat pyramid or cone.
They may also be made flat, with ribs in various positions; or they may
be corrugated in a radial or other direction, or embossed of various forms, in
order to stiffen and strengthen them. In some cases they may also be made
flat without ribs in the central part; as, for instance, when they are employed
for covering the sides of buildings, or roofs of inclinations too steep to be
walked upon. The glass tiles may be used in this way for covering in
the sides of railway sheds, and for both the sides and roofs of slips for ship
building; and they may also be used for glazing openings or windows in many
cases. The transparent tiles may also be introduced as skylights or windows
in roofs or coverings, composed principally or partially of the metallic or
opaque tiles. By employing glass tiles of different colours, arranged alternately
or in patterns, beautiful and varied effects may be produced; and the over-
lapping of the different colours enhances the effect.
The glass tiles may be stamped or pressed to the required forms from soft or
melted glass, or from sheets of glass softened by heat. The metallic tiles may
be cast or stamped out of sheet metal. They may be of iron galvanized or
coated with zinc or tin, or painted or enamelled, or of copper, or other
suitable metal or alloy. Tiles of pottery may be pressed in moulds or
shaped by the ordinary processes. The form of the edges or laps of the
buckled, or domed, or pyramidal, or conical tiles may be varied, provided that

page_text: they are so arranged that the rain or water which may fall upon them is
conducted down from one to another, without being able to return under or
pass between them. The whole tile may be curved when it is desired to
cover a curved roof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Mallet in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
23rd December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MALLET, of Bridge Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Mallet, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Mallet,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Mallet, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TILES AND COVERINGS FOR ROOFS AND OTHER PARTS OF BUILDINGS," upon the.
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Mallet, 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.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Mallet, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
I construct roofing tiles of metal, or glass, or of pottery, or other suitable.
material, of a square, or lozenge, or similar form adapted for being placed
diagonally on the roof. The upper angle or corner of the tile, and the two

page_text: upper edges which meet there are bent up or made higher than the general
surface of the tile. The upper corner has also a hook or projection beneath
it, which catches or. holds on the laths or. purlins which run horizontally along
the roof; it has also a hole through it which receives a screw or nail, which
further secures it to the purlin or lath. The two lower edges of the tile are
turned downwards, or made, to project below the lower surface of the tile.
The two side corners of the tile have notches or small recesses. which meet
those in the adjoining tiles, and are covered with a small plate or washer
secured by the same screw or nail which secures the top corner of the tile
below. Each of these side corners has a rib or raised part on the upper
surface, which protects the screw holes from the entrance of any water flowing
down the roof. These ribs or raised parts, and the screw or nail, are covered
by the lower corner of the tile in the next row above. Triangular tiles are
employed to complete the covering at the eaves and ridge, and at the gables
or hips; a ridge piece is made to cover the top edge and such portions of the
joints as require it. The ridge is made in lengths, which lap on one another.
It may be of metal, or glass, or other suitable material, or any ordinary ridge
may be employed. The aforesaid ribs or raised parts prevent the passage of
water through the joinings of the tiles. covering the roof.
The joints may,
however, be still further secured by inserting strips of vulcanized caoutchouc,
or felt, or other suitable material, or putty, or other suitable cement. The
general surface of these tiles is "buckled," or domed, or curved in two or
more directions, which renders them much stiffer and stronger that if they
were flat or only curved in one direction; or, instead of being curved, they
may be made in the form of a very flat pyramid or cone. They may also be
made flat with ribs in various positions, or they may be corrugated in a radial
or other direction, or embossed of various forms, in order to stiffen and
strengthen them or to ornament them. In some cases they may also be
made flat without ribs in the central part; as, for instance, when they are
employed for covering the sides of buildings, or roofs of inclinations too steep
to be walked upon. The glass tiles may be used in this way for covering in:
the sides of railway sheds, and for both the sides and roofs of slips for ship
building, and they may also be used for glazing openings or windows in many
cases. The transparent tiles may also be introduced as skylights or windows
in roofs or coverings composed principally or partially of the metallic or
opaque tiles. By employing glass tiles of different colours arranged alter-
nately or in patterns, beautiful and various effects may be produced, and the
overlapping of the different colours enhances the effect.
The glass tiles may be stamped or pressed to the required forms from the '

page_text: soft or melted glass, or from sheets or plates of glass softened by heat. Tho
metallic tiles may be cast or stamped out of sheet metal. They may be of
iron galvanized or coated with zinc, or tin, or lead, or any suitable combina-
tion of these metals, or painted or enamelled, or of copper; or other suitable
metal or alloy. Tiles of pottery may be pressed in moulds or shaped by the
ordinary processes. The form of the edges or laps of the buckled, or domed,
or pyramidal, or conical tiles may be varied, provided that they are so
arranged that the rain or water which may fall upon them is conducted down
from one to another without being able to return under or pass between them.
The whole tile may be curved when it is desired to cover a curved roof, as
herein-after mentioned.
Figure 1, Sheet I., of the accompanying Drawings, is a plan of a sheet iron
buckled tile, constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan, on a
larger scale, of the bottom corner of the same tile; Figure 3 is a plan of the
upper corner; and Figures 4 and 5 are plans of the side corners; Figure 6 is
a plan showing the junction of the corners; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section;
and Figure 8 is a transverse section of the same; Figure 9 is a section of the
whole length of one tile, and portions of the tiles above and below it; Figure 10
is a plan of a portion of a roof constructed with these tiles. The same letters
refer to similar parts in each Figure.
The central part A is buckled, or domed, or curved in both directions, while
the borders B, B, B, B, are flat. The two upper edges C, C, are bent up
above the general surface of the border. The part D at the top corner is also
raised, and its upper edge E is turned down, as shown in Figure 7, so as to
form a hook or projection, which catches or holds on the lath or purlin F. A
hole d is made in the part D to receive a screw G, by which it is fixed to the
lath or purlin. The two lower edges of the tile H, H, and the lower corner I;
are bent downwards. The two side corners of the tile have notches or small
recesses a, which meet those of the adjoining tiles, and are covered by a small
washer secured by the screw.G. Each of these side corners has a rib or raised
part J on the upper surface, which protects the screw holes from any water
flowing down the roof.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 show the mode of placing the tiles together. The top
corner, Figure 3, of the lower tile, is laid on the lath or purlin F. The side
corners, Figures 4 and 5, of the adjoining tiles, are laid upon the top corner of
the lower tile, and the screw G with its washer is screwed into the lath or
purlin E. The bottom corner, Figure, 2, of the upper tile is then laid on, and
covers the whole. Thus the upper edges of each tile turn up under the lower
edges of the tiles above them, and the lower edges and corner of each tile turn

page_text: down over the upper edges of the tiles below them. The passage of water
between them is thus prevented, and roofs may therefore be constructed with
these tiles with a very moderate slope; at the same time the. tiles are very
firmly secured to the purlins or laths by the hook or projection E, and by the
screws at the top corner, and at the two side corners, and are thus not likely
to become loose, or to be lifted or blown up by the wind getting under them.
Owing to the great strength obtained from the domed or buckled form of the
tiles, they may be made of very thin metal, and as there is only one thickness
of covering, except at the laps, a very light roof may thus be made, and the
purlins and rafters may be very wide apart, as each buckled tile may be of
considerable size. Tiles of from sixteen inches to thirty-six inches square will
be found to be convenient sizes.
Triangular or half tiles K. and L are employed at the eaves and ridge, as
shown in plan in Figures 11 and 12; Figure 13 is a plan of a portion of the
eaves, with portions of two caves tiles K, K, and one tile M, similar-to that
shown in Figure 1. The two upper edges C, C, of the eaves tile are turned
up, and its lower edge H is turned down, or is left plain. One of the lateral
edges or corners is turned up, and the other is turned up and down again, so as
to hook over and cover the turned-up edge of the adjoining eaves tile.
The ridge tile L, Figure 12, has its two lower edges H, H, and lower
corner I turned down, and its upper edge C, and the two adjoining corner
edges turned upwards. These edges are covered by a ridge piece N, as shewn
in plan in Figure 14, and in section in Figure 15. This ridge piece is of cast-
iron cast in lengths, whose ends lap over each other as at V, and as shewn on a
larger scale in Figure 16, which is a longitudinal section of a portion of the
ridge. The ridge is a hollow saddle or inverted trough with transverse pieces
or saddles c, c, which cover the corners of the ridge tiles. The ridge is secured
by screws to the wooden ridge piece P.
Figure 17, Sheet II., is a plan of a glass buckled tile, constructed according
to my Invention; Figure 18 is a plan, on a larger scale, of the bottom corner
of the same tile; Figure 19 is a plan of the upper corner; and Figures 20
and 21 are plans of the side corners; Figure 22 is a plan showing the junction
of the corners; Figure 23 is a transverse section of the same; Figure 24 is
a longitudinal section of the upper corner of one of the tiles; Figure 25 is a
longitudinal section of the whole length of one tile, and portions of the tiles
above and below it.
The central part A of each tile is buckled, or domed, or curved, in both
directions, while the borders B, B, are flat: The two upper edges C, C, are
bent up or raised above the borders, and the two lower edges H, H, and the

page_text: lower corner I are made to project below the border. The top corner D is
raised or made thicker than the rest of the tile, and its edge E is turned down
to catch or hold on the purlin F: A hole d is made in the part D to receive
the screw G. The two side corners have notches or recesses a, which meet
those of the adjoining tiles and are secured by the screw G. The parts J are
raised or made thicker than the rest of the tile, so as to protect the screw-
holes from the water running down the roof. These glass tiles are placed
together in a similar manner to the sheet-iron tiles. The screw G is shown
with a countersunk head, and a collar of valcanized caoutchouc, or putty, or
cement may be placed round it, so as to prevent its pressing too hard upon
the glass.
Triangular eaves tiles and ridge tiles are employed as before. Figure 26
is a section of one of the eaves tiles K; Figure 27 is a plan of one of
the ridge tiles L, which has its upper edge turned up and its lower
edges turned down; the ridge piece may also be made of glass, if
desired. Figure 28 is an elevation, and Figure 29 is a section through
the ridge. The ridge piece. N is an inverted trough of glass, which is
secured to the wooden ridge piece P by screws, which are surrounded by
collars of caoutchouc or other suitable material, or with putty or cement, or
otherwise arranged so as to be sufficiently water-tight without pressing too.
much upon the glass. The junctions of the ridge pieces N are covered by
caps Q also of glass, and set with putty or caouthouc, or other cement. The
whole of the covering of the roof may thus be made of glass, if required.
When, however, this is not required, the ridge may be made with sheet lead;
or with ordinary ridge tiles of clay, or of cast-iron or wood, or in any ordinary
manner.
By employing glass tiles of different colours, various pleasing effects may be
produced. Thus, if the tiles be alternately green and purple, as shewn in
plan, in Figure 30, Sheet III., they will produce a series of green and purple
squares, or lozenges divided by bands of an olive colour, produced by the
overlapping of the two colours. At each junction where three thicknesses of
glass are superposed, there will be small squares or lozenges of purple, olive,
or green olive. Various other effects may also be obtained by embossing or
corrugating, or otherwise varying the thickness or the surface of the glass.
Buckled tiles of clay or earthenware, or other suitable material, may be
made of similar form to the glass tiles. The junctions of the tiles may be
rendered still more secure against the penetration of water, by placing a strip
of vulcanized caoutchouc, or tarred or painted felt, or of cork or other suitable
material between them. Thus Figure 31 is a section of portions of two glass

page_text: tiles, R and S, with a strip of such material T, between them. The upper
edge of the lower tile is turned up, and there is also a rib at a short distance
from it, to keep the strip T in its place; or the strip may be cemented to
the upper or lower tile with any suitable cement. In some cases, mortar or
cement may be used instead of the strip T.
When the buckled tiles are required for covering curved roofs, their borders
may be curved to agree with the-curve of the roof as shown in Figure 32,
but they are still to be "buckled," which term I employ in this Specification
to signify that they are convex in both directions as already described. This
buckling or convexity is in a curved or dome form, as shewn in the Drawings,
but it may be in the form of a very flat pyramid or cone if preferred. The
buckling or convexity may be upwards as shewn in the Drawings, or it may
be downwards if preferred.
The central portion of the plate may also be corrugated or ribbed with
parallel, or concentric, or radial, or other corrugations or ribs, in lieu of
making it of a domed or buckled form. The tiles may be made of sheet
iron or cast iron, or other suitable metal or material, stamped or pressed,
or cast, or otherwise shaped to the required form, and they may be tinned,
. or zinced, or galvanized, or enamelled, or painted, or otherwise protected, if
required. The pottery tiles may be glazed, or coloured, or painted, when
required. These tiles may be used for covering the sides of buildings as well
as the roofs, and the glass tiles may be used for this purpose when light is
required, either for the whole side of the building, which is then constructed
of open framing, or to fill spaces or windows at intervals. Glass tiles may
also be introduced at intervals among the pottery or other tiles when light is
required to be admitted, without making the whole roof of transparent tiles.
The general form or contour of the tiles admits of variation.
Thus, it will be
obvious, that they may be made of a lozenge form if preferred. The peculiar
forms of the corners of the tiles shewn in the Drawings may be employed with
flat tiles, and will afford the means of securing them very firmly. As regards
the buckled tiles, however, I do not confine myself to these precise forms, as
in some cases, as for example, when heavy cast-iron tiles are employed on
roofs of slight inclination, the screws may be dispensed with, or the upper
corners only may be secured by them, as the weight of the tiles may be
sufficient to prevent them from being raised by the wind. When the tiles
are supported by wooden laths or purlins, they may be fixed by nails or screws.
When they are supported on iron laths or purlins they may be fixed by screws
screwed into the iron, or by small bolts and nuts, or by copper wires or strips,
or other fastenings, as may be most convenient. The hooks or projections

page_text: at the upper corners of the tiles may be dispensed with, when the tiles are
sufficiently secured by other means.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I claim
is,-
First, the manufacture, and application to the covering of buildings, of
"buckled" tiles, or tiles. which are convex in both directions, of metal, glass,
or other suitable material, having edges or ribs projecting upwards on the
upper portions, and downwards on the lower portions of the tiles, (with
reference to their position when employed on a roof,) and adapted for being
placed more or less diagonally on a roof or side of a building, as herein-before
described.
Second, the manufacture, and application to the covering of buildings, of
tiles, with edges and corners of the forms shewn in the Drawings, and adapted
for being placed more or less diagonally on the roof or side of a building, and
for being secured, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mallet, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
ROBERT MALLET. (L.B.)