Improvements in Elastic or Flexible Coverings for Stair Treads, Gangways, and the like
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic or Flexible Coverings for Stair Treads,
Gangways, and the like.
GEORGE NASH 40 Stamford Hill London N. Pianoforte Dealer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
By the use of india rubber or other flexible material, in blocks or strips of pyramidal
shape, having two side flanges, & held in position by strips of brass or other metal,
some flat & others convex, which are screwed to the tread of stairs or floor of
gangway.
Dated the 20th
L 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic or Flexible Coverings for Stair Treads,
Gangways, and the like.
I, GEORGE NASH, of 40, Stamford Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte
Dealer, 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 elastic or flexible coverings for stair treads, gangways and
the like, applicable also for use as door and like mats.
In carrying out my invention I provide blocks of india-rubber or other suitable
flexible material provided with flanges so as to enable the said blocks to be held in
position by strips of suitable material which are attached in any suitable manner to
the treads of stairs, floors of gangways, or other places or fixed to frames as may be
found most convenient.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which―
Figures 1 and 2 are a vertical section and a part plan respectively of a stair tread
provided with my improved flexible covering.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3, 3, of figure 1.
Figures 4 and are an elevation and a plan respectively of one form of my flexible
blocks which I use to form the covering for stair treads or the like.
Figure 6 is a plan of another form of block, and
Figure 7 is a section on the line 7, 7, of figure 6.
Figures 8 and 9 are views illustrating two different methods of arranging my
flexible blocks for stair treads of winding or circular staircases.
Figure 10 is a vertical section showing my flexible covering applied to a plate or
frame so as to serve as a door mat, the said covering and plate being perforated to
receive or allow the passage of the dirt; and
Figure 11 is a plan view of one of my flexible blocks used to form the said mat.
Figure 12 is a plan view representing one of the said mats hinged to a floor.
Similar reference letters indicate similar or corresponding parts in the several
figures of the drawings.
Referring to figures 1 to 5, a, a are the blocks which are most advantageously
made of india-rubber; the blocks are formed with two flanges b, b on opposite sides
and c, c are metallic strips which are placed over the flanges b, b and are attached to
the stair tread d by screws e, e or other suitable means and serve to hold the blocks
in position in rows, the blocks being arranged on the stair tread d so as to leave
a, a

page_text: sufficient space between the rows to receive the strips c, c as shewn clearly in figures 1
and 2. The blocks a, a are preferably formed with pyramidical projections 6', 6' on their
upper surfaces so as to enable a secure foothold to be obtained thereon, the said pro-
jections being preferably arranged in rows parallel with the edges of the blocks as
shewn clearly in figures 2 and 5, so that when being swept the broom can be moved
from end to end of the rows of blocks or transversely of them, thereby sweeping out any
dirt which may have lodged between the said projections. As shewn in figures 2, 6
and 7, I can sometimes form the upper surface of the blocks a, a with angular
ridges 62, 63 arranged diagonally. These while giving perhaps a more ornamental
appearance than the projections b₁, are not so easily swept clean.
It will be obvious, however, that instead of placing the ridges 63, 6 diagonally, I
can place them parallel with the sides of the blocks a, a thereby enabling the blocks
so formed to be swept quite as easily as those having the projections 61, b¹.
c, care strips for confining the ends of the rows of blocks, the last block in each
row being formed with an additional flange 63 upon which the strips c', c' bear. This
additional flange is, however, not necessary and can therefore be dispensed with, if
required, suitable packing-pieces being placed beneath the strips c', c¹ to make them
level with the other strips c, c.
The strip c at the front of the stair tread I prefer to be bent so as to form a nosing,
and the strip c at the rear of the stair tread and the strips c c¹ to be slightly rounded
as shown to give an ornamental appearance.
By arranging the blocks a, a in rows in the manner described they can be easily
removed when worn and others substituted.
When forming the blocks a, a of india-rubber, I prefer to incorporate with it about
one fifth of its weight in Portland or other suitable cement so as to increase its
wearing properties and I also find it advantageous to make or mould the blocks in the
form of a strip of the width of one block and then separate them by means of a knife
or other suitable means.
When using my flexible coverings for the stair treads of winding or circular
staircases, I either arrange the blocks a, a in radial rows as shewn in figure 8, in
which case the blocks are tapered as represented, or I arrange them in rows parallel
with the front edge of the stair tread as shewn in figure 9, or parallel with the rear
edge of the same.
When using my flexible covering as a mat for wiping the feet, I mount the
blocks a, a upon a plate or frame as shewn, the said blocks and frame being
perforated with holes g, g, as shewn clearly in figures 10 and 11, to receive or allow
the passage of the dirt. The holes g, g I prefer to make taper in the direction shewn,
so that the dirt can be easily dislodged by striking the mat.
In some cases, as for instance, on board ship, I prefer to attach the mat to the deck
or floor of gangways or the like so as to prevent its displacement by any movement
of the vessel. To effect this advantageously I can hinge the mat at one end to the
deck or floor as shewn at h, h figure 12, a plate i provided with an opening being
hinged at the other end to engage with a staple; to which it can be secured by a
padlock or other means. By thus hingeing it, the mat can be lifted up, when required,
to remove the dirt that may accumulate in and beneath it. In some cases, however, I
attach the mat to the deck or floor by means of thumb screws k, as shewn by the
dotted lines in figure 10, the plate f being extended and provided with holes 1, 1 for
that purpose, as shewn by the dotted lines in figure 12. This arrangement is most
advantageous, however, for use outside cabin doors, as the part of the mat through
which the screws k pass can be placed against the sill of the door so as to be out of
the way.
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. A flexible or elastic mat or covering for stair treads, gangways and the like,
formed of a number of flanged blocks of suitable flexible material held in nosition hr

page_text: strips placed in the said flanges and secured to a bed or to the stairs or gangway,
substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before described.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved flexible or elastic coverings for stair
treads, gangways and the like, hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1 to 10
of the accompanying drawings.
3. The improved door mats, hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 10
and 12 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 6th day of May 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.