IMPROVEMENTS IN WOOD BLOCK FLOORING
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM COURT of Court Street Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland,
Contractor do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WOOD BLOCK FLOORING to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a wood block flooring so constructed
that each block is held down securely in its place without any possibility of said
blocks being knocked up and causing any unevenness upon the surface of the
flooring.
My improvements in wood block flooring consist in forming a dovetail joint
around each block on underside, and dovetailing each block to a composition base.
The composition of which I form the said base consists of a mixture of Stock-
holm Tar pitch and resin.
Blocks constructed in accordance with this my Invention when once laid can
not be lifted out of place and form a perfectly level flooring, a close joint being
obtained on surface.
The composition as above described always remains flexible though firm so that
when the floor is laid no chipping occurs and the said floor remains perfect.
Among the advantages derived from this my invention may be mentioned the
following.
A perfectly damp proof floor is obtained, as no wet nor damp can permeate the
composition aforesaid.
The blocks cannot get out of position, and a perfectly level flooring is ensured
and by this my Invention a flooring may be laid equal to a parquet flooring at
about one fourth the cost. .
HORN & SON,
172, Strand, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Wood-block Flooring.
I, WILLIAM COURT of Court Street, Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland,
Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WOOD-BLOCK FLOORING" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In these my Improvements in wood-block flooring I provide a foundation in the
ordinary manner of concrete or other suitable material, and the blocks are formed
of wood with which the upper surface of the floor is made with a semi-dovetail
groove all round on the underside of each block so that when one block is placed
against another on its bed (preferably of composition on a foundation of concrete)
the semi-dovetail groove in each block comes opposite the corresponding semi-
dovetail groove or grooves of the blocks already laid in position, thereby forming a
complete dovetail groove into which an elastic and flexible composition (hereinafter
referred to) is caused to enter by first dipping each block into the aforesaid com-
position made hot, which adheres thickly to the block so that when the said block
is pressed or put down on its composition bed with a sliding motion, it causes the
hot composition to completely fill the dovetail groove or grooves which aforesaid
hot composition in each dovetail groove cools, and welds or becomes solid with the
composition bed on which the blocks are laid, thereby preventing the blocks when
once laid from getting out of position, besides maintaining a perfectly even surface
with close joints, the said. blocks being laid equal to parquet flooring at considerable
less cost.
The composition which I prefer to use consists of a mixture of Stockholm Tar,
pitch, and resin, which when cool always remains solid and flexible so that when
the floor is laid no chipping occurs, and a floor so laid remains perfect. The said
blocks cannot be knocked up or out of place. By using the aforesaid composition
neither wet nor damp can permeate, therefore a perfectly damp-proof floor is
obtained.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and explained in
detail I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings on which letters of reference
are marked on corresponding parts on all the Figs. alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. is a plan view of the upper side of a portion of flooring laid according to
this my invention.
Fig. 2. is an enlarged sectional elevation of the flooring and foundation through
the line of Fig. 1.
In these Figs. a are the blocks which may be laid as shewn in the drawing or to
form any desired pattern: bare the dovetails of composition formed by bringing
the blocks against one another on their bed of composition c, which is laid of any
desired thickness on a foundation of concrete d.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st The formation of semi-dovetail grooves on underside of blocks for flooring,
substantially as, and for the purposes herein before described, set forth and fully
illustrated in the drawings annexed.
2nd The formation of dovetails of composition fitting into aforesaid dovetail
grooves of blocks for flooring substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described set forth and fully illustrated in the drawings annexed.
3rd The construction and general arrangement of "Improvements in wood-block
flooring" substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described set forth
and fully illustrated in the drawings annexed.