Improved Manufacture of Metallic Lathing, Netting, or Webbing.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Manufacture of Metallic Lathing, Netting, or Webbing.
I, THOMAS LEWIS BANKS, Architect, of Amethyst, Holmrook, Cumberland, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has mainly for its object an improved manufacture of metallic
lathing for building purposes especially in relation to fire proof construction, which
shall afford an effectual key to plaster or cement, no matter in what position the
lathing be placed, whether horizontally vertically or inclined, while at the same
time the manufacture is inexpensive, the amount of metal employed for affording
a given strength is a minimum, which metal when plastered, will be embedded and
thus protected from the flames on the lower and upper surfaces; and the lathing
is capable of being readily bent in every direction and produced in any dimensions
both as to length and width.
According to my invention I construct such lathing of twisted strips of metal,
the twist being such as to resemble a twisted drill with a comparatively slow twist,
such twisted strips being produced of any desired length and woven or plaited
together in such manner as to form rectangular or other shaped meshes in which
the parts of the strips which cross each other fit with slightly curved surfaces upon
each other, so that the sizes or openings of the meshes are dependent upon the
pitch or distance from centre to centre of each successive twist. From this con-
struction it will be seen firstly that at the middle of each side of each mesh the
strip will be placed edgewise relatively to the plane of the lathing while from that
point it will turn or twist down to a flat position, having a slight transverse
curvature, on either side, the one such approximately flat portion passing over the
corresponding flat portion of the one crossing strip while the other approximately
flat portion will pass under that of the other crossing strip.
It will be preferable for the strips passing in one direction to be twisted to
the one hand, while those passing in the other direction are twisted to the other
hand.
By this means it will be evident that from whatever direction such meshes inay
be considered they will always present precisely the same appearance and on each
side of the mesh there will always be a portion of the metal that recedes obliquely,
with a curvilinear section, away from the opening of the mesh to the back face of
the lathing, thus offering a perfect key for the plaster on each side of the mesh, no
matter on which side the plaster be applied.
Although the said manufacture is mainly intended for lathing as described, yet
it is also applicable with advantage, owing to its strength and more or less
ornamental appearance, as metallic network or webbing, for fencing, screens, and
similar purposes. Although I prefer to weave or plait the twisted strips so as to
produce the form of meshes above described yet they may also be woven or plaited
so as to form differently shaped meshes.
Also, instead of 30 forming the twist of the metal so that there is only a single
twist between the crossing strips, as described, the strips may be made with several
twists in each mesh, thus forming a kind of open tube, into which the mortar will
penetrate so as to form a key.
Also, in place of using twisted strips of metal two or more wires may be secured
together side by side and twisted in like manner or twisted rods may be employed.
The projecting outer ends of each sheet may be secured either by bending them
tightly round the outer strip running in the opposite direction, or by twisting or

page_text: looping the projecting ends together, or the projecting ends may be left so as to
form a joint with another sheet by twisting these ends together.
Dated this 16th day of December 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Manufacture of Metallic Lathing, Nettting, or Webbing.
1. THOMAS LEWIS BANKS, Architect, of Amethyst, Holmrook, Cumberland 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved manufacture of metallic lathing for the
ceilings and walls of buildings, more particularly in relation to fire proof cop-
struction, which shall afford an effectual key to plaster or cement no matter in
what position the lathing be placed, whether horizontally, vertically or inclined,
while at the same time the manufacture is inexpensive, the amount of metal
employed for affording a given strength is a minimum, the metal when plastered
being imbedded and thus protected from the flames both on the inner and outer
surfaces, and the lathing is capable of being readily bent and produced in any
dimensions both as to length and width.
According to my invention I construct such lathing of helically twisted strips of
metal or flat metal wires, such strips or wires being interlaced or woven in any
desired manner for forming network with rectangular, diamond, or other shaped
meshes, the twisting of the strips being such as to afford an effectual key to the
plaster or cement on each side of each mesh.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shews one form of my improved metal
lathing. In this construction the metal strips A are given such a helical twist in
relation to the size of the mesh that the strips cross each other at distances apart
equal to the pitch of the twist, so that at the middle of the side of the mesh the
strip is situated at right angles to the plane of the lathing while from that point it
twists down to a position parallel with the said plane. Thus when plaster or
cement is laid upon such lathing it will be afforded a perfect key by the oblique
surfaces of the twisted strip on each side of the mesh, and it will be seen that on
whatever side of the lathing the plaster be laid, there will always be a certain
portion of the metal on each side of each mesh that recedes obliquely with a
curvilinear section away from the opening to the back face of the lathing, as
indicated by the arrows (1) at Fig. 1, thus affording a dovetail key to the plaster
on every side, and in addition, a certain amount of key will be afforded by the
convex form of the surface at the crossings of the strips at 2, 2, when the lathing is
used in a vertical or inclined position.
Fig. 2 shews a construction in which the metal strips or flat wires A are formed
with two complete twists or helical coils to each mesh, thus affording a still
greater key to the plaster, by reason of its penetration into the hollow spaces
formed by the twists.
In this case the twists may be widened out at intervals, as at a a for enabling the
interweaving of the strips to be effected without causing labour in bending.
Fig. 3 shews a form of twisted strip constructed of a number of round wires
placed side by side.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. Constructing metallic latbing for ceilings and walls of interlaced twisted metal

page_text: strips or twisted flat wires the twists being so arranged as to afford a key to the
plaster on each side of each mesh, substantially as described.
2. The use for securing the plaster or cement of ceilings and walls of metallic
lathing composed of interlaced twisted metal strips or flat wires, substantially as
described.
1
C T 1
1004
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.