Improvements in Roofing Tiles, and in Machinery for the Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application. 13th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895.
Improvements in Roofing Tiles, and in Machinery for the
Manufacture of the same.
We, GUSTAV KREBS, Machine Manufacturer, of 4, Wörmlitzerstrasse, Halle on
the Saale, and ABRAHAM WEIL, Merchant, of 291, Hochsterstrasse, Steinheim,
both in the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be
as follows:-
Our invention relates to roofing tiles of cement and to the machinery or press for
manufacturing such tiles.
According to our invention we make the tiles with a mortise joint of such a kind
that overlapping ledges are provided at the upper or lower edges of the roofing
tiles, these having depressions to bring about a mortise joint, or tooth-like lugs with
the same object, and in which one of the truncated corners is provided with a
packing consisting of a metal plate which is slit and bent back, or of the like, the
whole with the object of bringing about an intimate connection and packing of
the cement roofing tiles among themselves, as well as an augmented durability
of the whole roof as the result of the engagement and mode of laying the layers of
roofing tiles.
The overlapping ledges on the lower edges of the tiles for example may possess
depressions parallel to the plane of the tiles, whilst the upper overlapping ledges
may have tooth-like lugs on their inner sides, and one of the truncated corners be
provided with a packing consisting of a metal plate, which is slit and bent round in
two slips so that the tooth-like lugs of the overlapping ledges engage in the
depressions of the overlapping ledges of the adjacent slabs, and the slips of the
packing close the joints between the truncated corners.
The machine or press for the manufacture of our improved cement roofing tiles
comprises an arrangement for forming the depressions in the overlapping ledges in
the roofing tile, consisting of a bed which is sunk in a frame, of another frame
which is adjustable in corresponding recesses in the bed by means of a thrusting-rod
stirrup and lever and is provided with guide-plates and teeth; and of a mould-plate
which covers the bed and is furnished with angles for the overlapping ledges and
the nose, together with recesses contrived in the angles of the same, so that, after
the cement roofing tile has been made upon the mould-plate by the deposition and
distribution of the material, the teeth are pressed into the former overlapping
ledges and the depressions in the latter produced, by moving the toothed frame in
the proper direction..
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The arrangement for forming the overlapping ledges furnished with tooth-like
lugs, comprises a funnel adapted to be shifted upon guide-rods, a plate which can
be shifted vertically by means of a screw and has an edge, the plate being connected
by screws guided in slots, with a plate which, by means of a lever can be shifted
parallel or diagonally to it, and is provided on the sides which are adjacent to the
funnel with recesses corresponding to the tooth-like lugs. The overlapping ledges
in the cement roofing tile are formed by shifting the last named plate in one
direction and the whole apparatus in the opposite direction after which, the said
plate being shifted back and raised, together with the other plate the cement roofing
tile is set free, in a finished state.
The cement roofing tiles manufactured with this press offer the great advantage
that the whole number of such cement roofing tiles are connected among themselves

page_text: to form a single layer, and the soparation of a single cement tile from its fellows
becomes impossible unless a start is made by unroofing at the corresponding spot.
Moreover, this new cement roofing tile affords a perfectly tight. covering, on the
one hand by the tenon and mortise joint, and on the other by the application of the
packing to the joints.
Dated the 13th day of November 1894.
Improvements in Roofing Tiles, and in Machinery for the
Manufacture of the same.
We, GUSTAV KREBS, Machine Manufacturer, of 4, Wörmlitzerstrasse, Halle on
the Saale, and ABRAHAM WEIL, Merchant, of 291, Höchsterstrasse, Steinheim,
both in the German Empire, 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 :--
Our invention relates to the manufacture of roofing tiles of cement having lower
overlapping ledges formed with depressions, and upper overlapping ledges with
projections, or vice versa, so that a tenon and mortise joint is formed between the
tiles when they are placed in position; the invention also relates to the machinery
or presses for manufacturing such tiles.
The cement roofing tiles manufactured with our press offer the great advantage
that they can be connected among themselves to form a single layer, and the
separation of a single tile from its fellows becomes practically impossible. Further
by means of our improved roofing tiles a perfectly tight covering is obtained by reason
of the tenon and mortise joint, and the application of packing consisting of a slit
and peculiarly bent strip of sheet metal which is inserted in the soft cement roofing
tile so as to afford two slips for packing, which slips can be bent up as required: or
the packing may be made of felt.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a machine or press constructed according to
our invention for manufacturing our improved tile:
Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the
arrow A:
Figure 3 is a plan view shewing the arrangement by means of which the
depressions in the overlapping edges are made; and,
Figure 4 a longitudinal section of Figure 3 taken on the line y-z :
Figure 5 shews the press in plan; and,
Figure 6 the moulding plate in perspective plan view :
Figure 7 a plan of the under side; and,
Figure 8 a plan of the upper side of the cement roofing tile:
Figure 9 is a section on the line a-b of Figure 7:
Figure 10 is a front view of Figure 8:
Figure 11 shews a front view and a plan of the angled packing plate; and,
Figure 12 is a perspective view of part of a cement roofing tile provided with the
packing plate:
Figure 13 is a plan of a tile having a felt packing:
Figure 14 is an end view of the same.
A cement roofing tile 1, Figures 7-10, made according to our invention has at

page_text: the upper edges of its flat upper surface two ledges 2 and 3 which are provided on
their inner side with trapezoidal projections 4, 4. The edges of the lower flat
surface are also provided with ledges 5 and 6 which engage over the ledges 2 and 3,
and are furnished with depressions 7. The under sides of the tiles are also provided
with ribs 8 for the purpose of strengthening the same. To enable the tiles to be
suspended, they are furnished with suspending noses 9 in the usual manner.
right blunt or flattened corner of the tile 1 is furnished with a joint packing as in
Figure 11, as follows:-
The
A piece of sheet metal 10 is cut for half its length into two strips or slips 11
and 12, the strip 11 being cut shorter than 12. The shorter slip 11, as also the
end 13 of the piece 10, is bent up so that half the joint packing, that is to say, as
far as in Figure 11 has the form of a U. This joint packing has its portion a
pressed into the right blunt corner of the tile as the latter is being manufactured, so
that the bent slip bounds the flattened corner, whilst the longer slip 12 projects free.
Or we provide one flattened corner of the tile with a strip of felt 13*, as shewn in
Figures 13 and 14, the said strip effecting a good joint between the tiles when they
are placed in position.
In tiling a roof tiles are suspended by their noses from the roof in the usual
manner and the slips 11 of the same curved downwards somewhat, as shewn in
Figures 7 and 12. Upon the second tile being placed in position, the joint formed
by the two blunt corners of the tiles is closed by the projecting slip 11, which acts
as a spring, or by the felt strip whilst the portion of the joint which is formed by the
ledges 5 and 6 is made tight by the somewhat curved portion 12 and the upper part 10
of the joint packing.
It is obvious that the ledges on the upper surface of each tile can be provided
with depressions instead of projections, in which case the ledges on the under surface
will be provided with corresponding projections.
Our improved tile press is constructed as follows:-
On the working table 14, consisting of a hollow casting, is a frame 15 which
corresponds in size to the outside dimensions of the tiles to be made, and in this is
fixed the box-shaped mould 16. The upper side of this mould has at one corner 17
a depression for the nose 9 of the tiles, and on the two opposite longitudinal sides
are furrow-like depressions 18, 19, in which latter in the direction 20 a frame 21,
with teeth 21, is adjustably placed. This latter consists of two plates 22 which are
similarly guided in corresponding oblong grooves in the mould, so that the frame 21
is compelled to move in a particular direction. The plates 22 are connected below
with thrust rods 23, which are guided by longitudinal slits 24 in the mould 16,
traverse the lateral walls of the same, as well as those of the frame 15, and are
connected at their ends by a stirrup 25. In the table 14 is mounted a forked
lever 27 provided with a handle 26, which lever encircles the stirrup 25, (see
Figures 1, 3 and 4).
In the table 14 there is further an ejecting mechanism which consists of a thrust
rod 29, guided in the table-top and in the cross-piece 28, and of a cross-piece 30
which is rigidly connected to the thrust rod. The cross-piece is provided with
rods 31, which are guided in the mould 16. The motion of this ejecting mechanism
is effected by the treadle lever 33 which is pivoted at 32 and by the lever 34 which
is jointed to the treadle lever and to the thrust rod 29.
On the mould 16 is placed a metal template 35 (see Figure 6) which exactly
corresponds to the under surface of the tile. This template is furnished with oblong
depressions 36 which correspond with the ribs 8 of the tile 1. There are also in
the edge 37 of the angle-piece necessary for the formation of the overlapping
ledges 5 and 6, recesses 38 through which the teeth 21" of the frame 21 pass, the
said recesses being adapted to form the depressions 7 in the overlapping ledges 5
and 6 of the tile 1. The corner 39 is suitably bent for the formation of the nose 9
of the tile 1.
On the sides of the table 14 are brackets 40, upon which are fixed bearers 41, which
have a limited travel. They carry guide-rods 42, upon which a bridge 43 is mounted.

page_text: and travels. This bridge carries a funnel 44 corresponding to the upper overlapping
ledges 2, 3 of the tile 1, and the whole of the mechanism required for the formation
of the projections 4,4 of the tile 1. The mechanism for forming these projections 4, 4
comprises the following parts.-
The funnel 44 is provided with lugs 45, in which the screws 46 are adjustably
mounted. The latter carry a triangular plate 47 which is furnished with a lug 48
on the two sides on which it comes into contact with the funnel 44. In the
plate 47 there is mounted by its head 50 a screw 49 which is arranged to screw up
and down in the bridge 43. The end of this screw is connected to a double
crank 51. Oblong slots 52 are formed in the plate 47, in which slots the screws 54,
connected with a second triangular plate 53, are mounted and travel. The plate 53,
which comes to lie against the edge 48 of the plate 47, is furnished with recesses 55
on those sides which come in contact with the funnel 44 and these correspond to
the projections 4 of the tile 1. The plate 53 is also jointed to the plate 47 by
means of a lever 57 which serves as a handle and pivots on 56 in the plate 47, so
that when the lever 57 is moved in the direction of the arrow A the plate 53 is
shifted in the direction of the arrow 58, that is to say, the plates 53 and 47 shift
with relation to each other, and that to such an extent that the outer front surfaces
of the plate 53 which lie against the funnel are intercepted by the outer front
surfaces of the edge 48, in such a way that the plate 53 cannot be released by the
edge 48. The plates 47 and 53 with their screws and levers are capable of being
moved up
and down within certain limits by means of the screw 49. The inner
sides of the funnel 44 are partly formed of a flat bar 59 of wrought iron or steel
which is screwed on and is sharpened below, and comes into contact with the
edge 48 and forms a cut-off with the latter on the lower side when the plates 47
and 53 have reached their lowest position.
The lower part of the funnel 44 is provided with a rim 60 on which a knife or
cutter 61 slides the dimensions of which correspond to those of the funnel, and the
motion of which extends to the sharpened bar 59. The movement of the knife is
effected by means of the lever 63 pivoted at 62. When the whole apparatus is
screwed up to such an extent (for the formation of the projections 4 of the tile 1)
that the lower surface of the plate 53 lies in the same plane with the upper surface
of the rim 60, the bridge 43 with the funnel 44 and the whole mechanism employed
in forming the projections can be moved in the direction of the arrow A to such an
extent that the whole of the tile formed is set free.
The action of the press is as follows
The funnel and the other parts of the apparatus designed to form the tile are
moved in the direction of the arrow A so far that the bed 16 is completely exposed,
and the toothed frame 21 is brought to the dead point, that is to say, it is shifted
in the direction ( the arrow A. When this has been done, the mould plate 35 is
laid upon the mould, the material placed upon it, and the tile 64 spread as far as
the upper overlapping ledges 2 and 3. The funnel 44 with the mechanism for
forming the ledges is then pushed back so far that the mouth of the funnel covers
the spot at which the ledge is to be formed. The plates 47 and 53 are moved
downwards by means of the screw 49 to the level 64 of the upper surface of the
tile and the plate 53 pushed against the funnel by means of the lever 57, as far as
is permitted by the slot 52 and screws 54. When this has been done, the funnel 44
is filled up with material, and the latter rammed down, after which the knife 61 is
thrust into the mouth of the funnel by means of the lever 63, and the excess of
material separated from the ledges formed.
During this process the projections 4 on the overlapping ledges 2 and 3 are
formed at the same time as the overlapping ledges themselves. In order that the
finished tile and the template may be ejected, the plate 53 is shifted in the
direction of the arrow 58 by means of the lever 57 and screwed up to its highest
position as far as the plate 47 by means of the screw 49, the whole mechanism,
together with the funnel, moved in the direction of the arrow A, the frame 21 is
brought to the dead point by means of the lever 26, 27, and the tile ejected by the

page_text: ejecting mechanism. If another tile is to be made, another form-plate is introduce.!
and the process repeated in the same way.
The inner wall of the funnel 44 must be sharpened like a knife, and, since
cast iron of so small a cross section is not sufficiently strong, the inner wall of the
funnel is removed and replaced by a steel or cast iron bar 59 which is sharpene:
like a knife.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our sai!
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Cement roofing tiles having overlapping ledges provided respectively with
projections and depressions so that when the tiles are placed in position a mortise
joint is formed (and in which one of the flattened corners is provided with a
packing consisting of a metal plate which is slit and bent back as described) or of
a strip of felt, the whole in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
herein before described.
2. Cement roofing tiles of the kind described in Claim 1 in which the lower or
upper overlapping ledges possess depressions parallel to the plane of the tiles,
whilst the upper or lower overlapping ledges have tooth-like lugs or projections on
their inner sides, and one of the flattened corners is provided with a packing
consisting of a metal plate which is slit and bent round in two slips, or of a strip
of felt, so that the projections on the ledges of one tile enter the depressions on
the ledges of the adjacent tile and the metal slips or the strip of felt close the
joints between the flattened corners of the tiles substantially as, and for the
purpose, herein before described.
3. For the manufacture of the cement roofing tiles claimed in Claims 1 and 2,
a press, comprising an arrangement for forming the depressions in the overlapping
ledges in the tile, consisting of a bed which is sunk in a frame, of another frame
which is adjustable in corresponding recesses in the bed by means of a thrust rod,
stirrup and lever and is provided with guide-plates and teeth, and of a mould plate
which covers the bed and is bent to the required shape for forming the overlapping
ledges and the nose, the said bent parts being provided with recesses so that, after
the tile has been formed on the mould plate, the teeth are pressed into the ledges
already formed thereby producing the depressions as hereinbefore described.
4. In the press claimed in Claim 3 for the manufacture of cement roofing tiles,
an arrangement for forming the overlapping ledges provided with projections, such
arrangement comprising a funnel adapted to be operated upon guide-rods, a plate
which can be moved vertically by means of a screw and has a rim, the plate being
connected by screws guided in slots with a plate which, by means of a lever, can
be moved parallel or diagonally to it, and is provided on the sides which are adjacent
and for
to the funnel with recesses corresponding to the projections substantially as,
the purposes, set forth.
5. The improved roofing tile herein before described and illustrated in Figures 7
to 10 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The improved press for the manufacture of cement roofing tiles hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
110th Jan of Aust 1905
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.