Improvements in Slabbing Tiles, Mosaics, and other similar Appliances.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Slabbing Tiles, Mosaics, and other similar
Appliances.
We, WILLIAM HENRY GODWIN trading as William Godwin & Son, of
Lugwardine Works, Withington, near Hereford, Encaustic and Art Tile Manu-
facturer, and THOMAS PICKERILL of Montrose Villas, Bartonsham, Hereford,
Manager of Tile Works, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in slabbing tiles and mosaic panels for.
the sides of grates, dog grate linings, hearths and other similar appliances, and has
for its object the provision of a means of preventing any warping of such panels or
slabs taking place through the unequal contraction of the cement or other material
in which said tile panels or slabs may be set.
In order to carry out this invention we provide at the back of the cement or
other fixing material, a series of tiles or plates made of metal, earthenware tiles,
slates or other convenient hard material, of any convenient size and shape,
preferably of rectangular shape, with the greater lengths placed correspondingly
with the lengthways of the slab, and arrange them cross jointed in position in the
cement.
When the tiles are slabbed in the ordinary way with cement backing only, or
when narrow strips of metal are introduced, the tiles on the face of the slabbing
are apt to pull the cement out of position, as the process of drying goes on, so
that the tiles become warped in position and eventually get out of place. This
said warping is no doubt caused by the gradual evaporation of the water contained
in the admixture of the cement which forms the back of said panels, and in which
the tiles are set, with the result that as the water evaporates, the cement contracts,
and thus the tiles or mosaics embedded on the face thereof are pulled out of place,
the surface of said tiles or mosaic panels assuming a convex shape, and the cement
backing that of a concave surface. By embedding on the back of the cement
tiles or plates of other hard material aforesaid, the same effect is produced
only in a contrary direction, and thus there is provided a counteracting
influence in the process of shrinking which is thereby equalised on both front
and back of the cement slabbing. In like manner by placing the tiles or plates
in "break joint" positions, and crosswise longitudinally the equalisation is further
secured.
In order that our invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a set of tiles or mosaic panels.
Fig. 2 represents the back of the cement slabbing to which said tiles or
panels are fixed, showing the improved method herein before described, by
embedding small plates made of earthenware tiles, slates, metal or other convenient
hard material, said plates being laid in and embedded in cross-joint positions as
shown.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the tiles and cement.
In these views A A are the front tiles or mosaic panels, B the cement or other
material to which the said tiles or panels are fixed. CC the rectangular plates

page_text: or small tiles aforesaid embedded in the cement at the back for the purpose
of preventing the warping of the structure in the manner indicated by the dotted
lines D.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In slabbing tiles and mosaic panels for the sides of grates, dog grate linings,
hearths, or other similar appliances, the provision of tiles, slates, or plates of metal
or other convenient hard material, the same being embedded in the back of the
cement or other slabbing substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. The application of this invention to any tile or mosaic panels used for
grates, dog grate linings, hearths, or other similar appliances, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of Antchen 1000
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Monument Chambers, London, E.C., Applicants' Agent.
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Monument Chambers, London, E.C., Applicants' Agent.