Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Steps, Building or Monumental Slabs, and other Articles of Artificial Stone, Asphalte, or the like, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Steps, Building
or Monumental Slabs, and other Articles of Artificial Stone,
Asphalte, or the like, and Apparatus therefor.
We, ANDREW WILLIAM PERRIMAN, Builder of 68 Lower Kennington Lane,
in the County of Surrey, and WILLIAM OWEN, Engineer, of 4 Opal Street in
the County of Surrey, 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 :-
One of the objects of this invention is to construct steps of artificial stone or the
like with reversible and removable tread blocks or slabs also formed of artificial
stone with or without metal ornamentation or inscriptions embedded therein, a
second object being to construct monumental slabs with metal inscriptions or
devices embedded therein in the same way as the tread blocks above mentioned,
while a further object of the invention is to provide special forms of moulds or
boxes for enabling the above named steps, slabs, or other articles to be constructed
with facility.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a plan and
Figure 2 a section on the line 2-2 cf Figure 1, of a step and tread block or slab
constructed according to this invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view partly broken away of a modified form of the
tread block.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of monumental slab or head-stone constructed
according to our invention.
Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of one form of mould or box
for moulding artificial stone according to this invention.
and
Figures 6 and 7 represent detached portions of the mould shown in Figure 5,
Figure 8 is a perspective view partly broken away of another form of the
mould.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In constructing one of our improved steps we mould it preferably by the process
set forth in the Specification of William Owen No. 19647 of 1894 and in boxes
such as illustrated in Figures 5 and 8.
The step proper A is moulded at its upper part, with a recess for receiving the
tread-slab B which may either be rectangular or otherwise symmetrically formed
so as to enable it to fit into the recess in whichever way it may be applied to it.
In Figure 1 the tread-slab is formed with rounded corners B¹ and concave ends B 2
and the ends of the recess in the step are formed to correspond therewith. The
shaping of the ends of the tread-slab B and of the ends of the step recess in this
manner gives a more secure hold to the tread slab than can be obtained with the
rectangular form as will be well understood.
At each end of the tread slab B we form recessed or countersunk holes B3 for
receiving bolts or screws C which screw into nuts D moulded or otherwise secured
in the step A'these nuts being preferably of dovetail form as shown in Figure 2 or
of other suitable shape to prevent their being drawn out of the step A. The
:

page_text: heads of the bolts or screws C may be triangular or of other shape and fit into the
countersunk holes B 3 so as not to project above the tread surface.
The trend-slab shown in Figure 3 has its ends of dovetail form and is adapted
to fit into a step-recess having ends of corresponding form. In the tread slab
shown in this figure we represent the beforementioned metal work E in the form
of letters vi. "P & O"; these letters pass entirely through, and are visible at
both sides of the slab and tend to enhance its life and cannot be effaced by
wear, said letters lasting and remaining distinct as long as the slab retains its
integrity.
A tread-slab constructed as before described is symmetrical about two axes
perpendicular to each other and is capable of four distinct changes as regards
position, thus, after it has become worn in one position the bolts C may be with-
drawn, the slab raised out of the step-recess, turned end for end and replaced, or it
may be merely inverted or both inverted and turned end for end. The bolt
holes B 3 are countersunk at both sides of the slab as shown in Figure 2.
Instead of the metal work or inscription E passing entirely through the slab B
as shown in Figure 3 it may pass only partly through it and this remark applies
equally well to the monumental-slab or head-stone F shown in Figure 4; or, if it
be desired that the inscription or device should read from both sides of the slab,
two superimposed inscriptions may be used, one reading correctly from one side of
the slab and the other from the opposite side; these superposed inscriptions if
desired may be formed as one casting.
The head-stone F Figure 4 may be of any desired shape and the importance of
our invention in connection with such devices will be readily appreciated when it is
considered that the inscription E which may be of any required design, cannot be
effaced or obliterated so long as the slab remains intact to support it whereas in
head stones in which the inscriptions are carved or tooled out the inscriptions soon
become defaced under atmospheric and other influence.
Tread slabs of triangular form, such as would ordinarily be used for winding
stairs, and as segments to landings, would be capable of being inverted but not
turned end for end as in slabs of a form symmetrical to two axes perpendicular to
each other as for example those shown in Figures 1 and 3.
The moulding boxes in which we prefer to form the before described steps, slabs
or blocks of artificial stone inay be constructed in the manner shown in Figure 5.
This moulding box is a convenient device for making a number of slabs or blocks
at one operation and consists of a number of substantially-square plates G with
perforations G at the four corners, to receive the bolts H which are preferably
screw threaded and provided with nuts H' at both ends. The side walls J of the
moulding box are in separate pieces every one alike. Each part J is provided at
one end with a tenon J¹ and at the other end with a mortise J2 the tenon and
mortise of each part J engaging respectively with the mortise and tenon of the
parts adjacent to it. The bolts H pass through the holes J 3 in the walls J and
hold them and the plates G securely together. The walls J may be perforated as
indicated in dotted lines at J 4 in Figure 7 to admit the water for converting the
lime etc. into artificial stone.
The manner of building up the mould or succession of superimposed moulds
shown in Figure 5 and charging them with the ingredients from which the
artificial stone is to be produced and thereafter tightening them together will be
sufficiently well understcood to render further description unnecessary. It may
however be explained that the shape of the moulding box number of the bolts H
and separate compartments and other details may be modified to suit special
requirements.
The mould shown in Figure 8 is constructed of six plates all bolted together.
The bottom plate K is provided with a bevel flange extending over all four edges
this being perforated to receive the bolts L and the lower and vertical edges of
the vertical walls K' are provided with similar perforated bevel edges or flanges so
that when bolted together as shown they form mitre joints. The upper edges of

page_text: the walls K' are provided with horizontal perforated flanges to which the
correspondingly perforated cover K 2 may be bolted. Holes may be formed in the
walls K K K 2 to admit the water to the interior of the mould.
Each of the bolts L is preferably formed with a cotter L' at one end and pro-
vided with a nut L2 at the other so that while the necessary power may be applied
through the nut for tightening up the joints, the mould may be speedily opened by
driving out the cotters.
The moulds or boxes shown in Figures 5 and 8 for simplicity are represented as.
of rectangular form and not of the shape necessary for forming the artificial stone
structures illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, but they may be constructed for moulding-
blocks of any desired form and moreover the interior may be divided by loose metal
or other partitions into a number of separate moulding compartments.
The before described reversible slabs may be constructed of artificial stone as
before described or of concrete, cement, asphalte, or other suitable material and
with or without the metallic ornamentation, inscriptions or equivalent embedded
therein and when the tread-slabs are applied to existing stone steps the nuts D may
be leaded or otherwise secured in the latter.
If desired the before described slabs may be moulded within metal frames which
would form an integral part of the completed device and these frames may be
provided with projections or flanges (as may also the metallic work previously
described) to give them a firm hold in the slab.
The before described slabs besides being applicable to the purposes previously.
mentioned may be applied to walls or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what.
we claim is :-
.
1. The combination with a monumental slab tread-slab or other block of artificial
stone, concrete, asphalte, or the like of a metallic inscription or ornamentation
embedded therein and extending partly or wholly through it substantially as,
described.
2. The combination with a monumental-slab tread-slab or other block of
artificial stone concrete asphalte or the like of a metallic inscription or ornamentation.
embedded therein and appearing alike at both sides of the slab or block substantially
as described.
3. The combination with a monumental tread or other slab or block of artificial
stone concrete asphalte or the like of two metallic inscriptions or ornamentations
cast or secured back to back and embedded in the slab or block substantially as.
and for the purpose described.
4. A reversible tread slab formed of artificial stone concrete asphalte or the.
like substantially as described.
5. The combination with a step such as A formed of artificial stone or the like.
of a reversible slab such as B formed also of artificial stone or of concrete
asphalte or the like substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
6. A mould comprising plates such as G bolts and nuts H H' and walls J having
mortise and tenon ends substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The complete mould substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of January 1896.
A. W. PERKIMAN.
WILLIAM OWEN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants..