A NEW OR IMPROVED STRUCTURE OF IRON, APPLICABLE FOR PAVING, FLOORING, BRIDGES, GRATINGS GIRDERS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Edouard Fraissinet, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
STRUCTURE OF IRON, APPLICABLE FOR PAVING, FLOORING, BRIDGES, GRATINGS
GIRDERS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 2nd August 1859, and dated the 17th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Edouard Fraissinet
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th February 1859.
I, PIERRE EDOUARD FRAISSINET, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR
IMPROVED STRUCTURE OF IRON APPLICABLE FOR PAVING, FLOORING, BRIDGES, GRATINGS,
GIRDERS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
I form a structure of iron consisting of a series of lengths or strips of hoop
iron or other flat bar iron which I bendorform each in a series of undulations.
I.then place a number of these undulated bars together, and rivet or otherwise
secure them together at the points of contact the one with other, so as to form
an open grating-like structure. When used for flooring or paving I fill the
open parts of the structure with bitumen, plaster, concrete, broken stones, or
other substances suitable for the flooring or paving intended.

page_text: For girders I may further rivet or otherwise secure straight. hoop, or other
iron to form the upper & lower edges of the girder. I also fill the openwork
with plaster or other suitable material to render the whole solid.
. The structure may also be made of a suitable form for the arches of bridges
& other forms of support or bearers.
For gratings the structure is necessarily without filling and of a strength of
iron according to the purpose required.
*SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Edouard Fraissinet in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
EDOUARD FRAISSINET, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine,in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Pierre Edouard Fraissinet, Her'special licence that I, the said Pierre
Edouard Fraissinet, my executors, administrators,andassigns, or suchothersasl,
the said Pierre Edouard Fraissinet, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at anytime 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 "AN
NEW OR IMPROVED STRUCTURE OF IRON APPLICABLE FOR PAVING, FLOORING,
BRIDGES; GRATINGS, GIRDERS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Pierre Edouard Fraissinet, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals,should particularlydescribe 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
Pateut.
NOW KNOW YE,thatI, thesaid Pierre Edouard Fraissinet,dohereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This structure is formed of strips of hoop or other iron combined, some
of the pieces being flat and others undulated, placed on edge, juxtaposed, and
rivetted at the points of contact, as represented in the annexed Drawing.
It can be formed of any length and width, and its weight will vary according
to the size of the strips of metal required for the purpose intended. This
structure is applicable as a substitute or to strengthen all constructions of
stone, chalk, cement, wood, lead, and even iron.
It is constructed in the following manner:-The straight pieces are pierced
at the middle of their breadth with holes according to the size of the strip or
bar of metal,and at points equidistant equal to double the diameter of the bend
or semicircle of the undulated pieces. The undulated pieces are as shown in
the Drawing annexed, and pierced at the extreme of the bends which should
be the poiuts of contact and junction with the straight pieces, the holes so
pierced in the one coinciding with the holes in the other. The structure
presents three characteristic qualities upon which all the principles are
based. First, resistance to flexure; secondly, uniform repetition of the parts
over any given space of a given strength of metal; thirdly, cellular
First, for paving purposes. A network of metal such as described, and
of convenient dimensions, is formed in the street to be paved; in the openings
is run either asphalte or a calcareous concrete, or plugs of wood are intro-
duced. The paving thus modified imparts to this fibrous network all
the qualities necessary for its resistance to rupture, and for its preservation.
Secondly, for flooring.-This structure being placed in the interior of
houses constitutes a structure light and solid; to complete it, the openings or
interstices are filled with plaster mixed with light matters, whereby its rigidity
is augmented. To obtain a flooring the openings are covered with pieces of
wood applied and fixed to the plaster while wet.
Thirdly, foot and other bridges.-The arch centre being formed between
the abutments, the straight and undulated strips of convenient dimensions
are bent and combined as described, and according to the arch formed by the
centre, and the openings are filled with concrete or cement.
Fourthly, roofing, terrace, &c.—The roofing of edifices can be replaced by
a disposition of the parts analogous to that adopted in the case of bridges; in
this case the structure is filled with a matter impermeable; it is suitably

page_text: arched and furnished with tie rods, thus forming a substitute for the usual
framework, and forms at the same time available area on the roof.
· Fifthly,palisading, fences, railings, balustrades for stairs or inclines.-Placed
vertically, this structure, modified in form and in its constituent parts, will
furnish either slight fences or strong railings.
Sixthly, structure of iron and plastic matters.-By this combination can be
obtained with a light material a great strength in certain kinds of work which
are made at the present time of stonework or burnt earth, such as benches,
kerbs, or copings for walls, large vessels, and other purposes.
I have represented this structure in the annexed Drawing, of which Fig. 1
shows an edge view and Fig. 2 a plan. a, b, c, d, first strip of iron. bent to a
certain form; e, f, g, h, second strip of iron parallel to the first, and joined to
.it, on which it is rivetted by several rivets or plugs; i, j, k, l, third band
parallel to the other two, also joined to the second and also rivetted; m,n,o,p
fourth band; r, s, band of flat iron interposed between two bent strips, and
'rivetted to them.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is the manufacture and
application of the metallic structure herein-before described and its application
to various purposes as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Edouard Fraissinet, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.