mproved Method and Means for Producing Building Decorations and Ornamental Letters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
mproved Method and Means for Producing Building Decorations
and Ornamental Letters.
We, GEORGE WILLIAMS of Bancroft House, Hitchin, England, Artist and
REDERIC HARMAN PETER BERLYN, of Elm House, Brixton, London, England,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
nanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to an improved method and means for producing ornamental
etters, and building decorations, such as panelling, cornices, picture and other
frames and the like.
According to our invention we produce ornamented sheets, panels, headings, &c.
which can be used in decorating the interior of halls, galleries, theatres, concert
rooms, music halls, and other similar places of public resort, these decorations being
manufactured cheaply and being made to represent the most varied patterns or
designs which can be made to suit the particular taste of the architect or designer,
and may exhibit any colours, or blending of colors as may be most appropriately
applied to the part requiring to be decorated. For hygienic and sanitary purposes,
i.e. for hospitals, baths, lavatories, urinals, and the like, these ornamented sheets,
panels, headings, etc., will be found highly suitable and a good substitute for lead
fights or ornamented tiles hitherto used, for the same purposes, as they are much
more effective, brilliant, and variegated than the said tiles and possess considerable
strength.
The sheets, panels, etc. manufactured according to this invention will be found
particularly suitable for decorative ecclesiastical work, such as church windows,
altars, &c., and will advantageously replace the present lead lights and quarry
glazing, while fully vying therewith as regards transparency and brilliancy. Their
use will be further found most invaluable in dwelling houses, where the high price
of ornamental tiles or slabs has hitherto deterred owners from availing themselves'
of such decorations. A further advantage of my improved sheets, panels, &c. is
that they can be readily fixed by means of nails, hooks, screws, beads etc. without
having to use cement or the like and without requiring the assistance of a skilled
artizan, as such sheets or panels can be bought in assorted sizes of one or more
patterns and may be fixed in the same manner as pictures, by any unskilled person
who can arrange them according to their taste or desire and remove thein and
replace them by others as fancy may direct.
In carrying our invention into practice, we use small glass or china ornaments
having the shape of marbles, studs, strips, lozenges, prisms, pyramids and other
suitable geometrical form, or of discs having a raised central part or carrying any
suitable pattern, ornament or design, coloured or otherwise, the colour of each
separate part, piece, or design being different so that they may be combined in any
desired manner to produce letters, ornaments and decorations of any desired hue,
shade or tint.
These glass pieces are inserted in any suitable frame of a shape or form adapted
to suit the requirements of the decoration or sign board wanted. These frames
which may form sheets, bands or strips, are in some cases made of sheet metal such
as zinc, tin, iron, and the like, such metal being stamped by means of dies having
geometrical shapes so as to form a series of rows of holes of circular, square, or
other shape, through which the upper part of the glass ornaments or studs may be
inserted, so as to protrude therefrom, the underside thereof bearing against a
similarly stamped sheet serving as a back and joined to the former sheet by solder

page_text: -
or in any other manner; or such a sheet may be merely folded in two, the ends being
secured together by means of solder, hooks or otherwise. Some of the geometrical
holes thus formed may be left unfilled for the purpose of ventilation or so as to
form designs patterns or letters by sorting and symetrically inserting the glass
ornaments in some of the holes or openings. Or we may insert separate glass or
other ornaments through a perforated piece of wood, vulcanite, slate or other.
material, such perforations being cut to correspond with the outline of the ornament
or being merely made circular or square and furnished all round with a gilt or
other beading, showing a portion of the glass edge around the ornament proper
which is secured by a back formed of a similar piece of the same or of a different
material glued, nailed, rivetted, screwed, or otherwise fixed to the front piece.
When making use of rose, diamond shaped or other cut glass ornaments, we
secure the edges thereof in the inner grooves of lateral painted or gilt bars of wood
or other material, which are connected together at each end by cross pieces, dove-
tailed in the grooves aforesaid, and in some cases in order to impart greater solidity
to these narrow frames suitable for cornices, picture frames and the like, filed at
the back and on each side of the said painted or gilt bars to afford them a suitable
support.
Although we have generally referred to glass as the material placed in the
perforations, etc., referred to, yet it is evident that carved wood, ivory, paper-maché
or such like substances may be substituted for glass when the question of
transparency is not essential.
The accompanying four sheets of drawings illustrate different modes and means
of producing ornamentations, decorations and letters; they are merely shown by
way of example as the relative positions and combinations of the divers glass
pieces may be varied to an almost unlimited extent.
Figures 1 and 2 are plans of two punched metal frames, while Figures 14 and 24
are central cross sections thereof. In Figure 1 the perforations a of the frame are
hexagonal in shape while in Figure 2 they are circular. The frame is composed of
a front part and of a back f¹formed either by folding the punched metal sheet
upon itself and joining its free ends together (Figure 1) or by joining together all
the ends of two separate parallel sheets (Figure 2) this joining being effected by
means of solder, wire, or otherwise. are the glass studs having the shape
clearly shown in Figure 1 or any other shape, they are inserted in the perforations a
so as to protrude through the same as shown, and may be of different colours;
those forming the ground b being of one colour, and those forming the lozenge
pattern shown shaded in Figure 1 being of red, blue, or other colour or intermixed
in any suitable manner. Or the ground beads may be dispensed with as shown at a
Figure 1 and the perforations not occupied by the coloured studs, left open, the
latter studs having a larger base in such cases, or if the punched frames are used to
form a cornice or a dado, the two uppermost or lowermost rows of perforations may
be respectively left without studs for the purpose of ventilation. In Figure 2 the
glass studs b. b' are replaced by marbles, the marbles b forming the ground, and the
shaded marbles & the lozenge pattern shown, in this case the ground marbles may
likewise be dispensed with.
Figures 3 and 34 are respectively a plan and a central cross section of a wooden
frame enclosing an ornamentation or design d through the openings of which
protrude the large glass ornaments or discs a, and the glass studs, while a
longitudinal row of marbles m is arranged along the top of the said frame. The
marbles mare held in the grooves g formed in the two longitudinal bars c
(Figure 3). The glass discs a and studs are secured by their flanges, with the
aid of the back which is similar in shape to the front, but is made of ordinary
deal or other common wood, while this front is made of walnut, mahogany, or other
superior wood.
It is obvious that this frame may also be made of cast or stamped metal,
the back being in all cases detachable and secured to the front by means of
screws or otherwise, or dove-tailed as shown in Figure 3. By thus using dises,

page_text: Studs and marbles of different colours, some very brilliant and artistic effects can
be produced.
Figure 4 is a plan of a frame, and Figure 4* a cross section of the same on
line of Figure 4. This frame is of wood and ornamented as shown with
5 beadings b. b'. A central row of glass ornaments or discs a of the same or of
different colors is inserted in the grooves formed between the back of the
beadings b. 6 and two bars or filets c nailed or screwed upon the upper and lower
edges thereof. These beadings are connected together by the end bars d d. The
above frame may be advantageously used as a picture frame. Figures 5 and 54
show another arrangement in plan and in cross section respectively. The frame in
this case consists of a row of vertical superposed wooden bars a abbcc nailed or
screwed to the cross bars d e. Cross strips s s
&c. of coloured glass are
inserted in rows between the superposed bars aforesaid and circular cavities shown
in dotted lines in Figure 5 are formed in the latter between the said strips to allow
of the coloured glass marbles mm &c. being securely held in the spaces left
between the glass strips and the different sets of superposed bars. The frame
shown in plan in Figure 6 and in cross section in Figure 64 is particularly suitable
for cornices. For this purpose we combine coloured and ornamented beadings
and with gilt beadings and d, a row of glass marbles m colored or not being
inserted between the recesses r formed within the beadings c and d. These beadings
are disposed at an angle being secured at each end and at regular intervals
between these ends to trapezoidal blocks or frames e, the lowermost block resting
upon an ornamented wooden base f.
a
Another construction of picture frame is shown in Figure 7 which is a plan
thereof Figures 74 and 7B being respectively a cross and a longitudinal section of
the same.
A row of coloured glass ornaments or discs a are inserted by their
projecting edges a¹ between the grooves formed in the side beadings which are
nailed or screwed to the back d. The frame is made entirely of wood, the back
being merely of common deal.
In the arrangement shown in plan in Figure 8 and in end view in Figure 84, a
parallel row of wooden or other bars a hold between their grooves shown in
dotted lines in Figure 8 rows of coloured glass marbles m, these bars a being held
together at the top and at the bottom by the wires w.
Figure 9 is a plan. Figure 9 a central vertical section and Figure 9B a section
on line. of Figure 9, of an ornamental wooden frame decorated according to a
modification of my invention.
This frame is made of two parts a and b joined together by nails or screws and
the marbles m are arranged in the spiral openings and at the top of the frame
being held in grooves formed in the spiral or circular wooden edges, while the
central glass ornaments d are inserted by their circular edges within the front and
back part a and b of the frame the lower end of which is held by the block e.
Figures 10 and 104 show how beadings for picture frames may be simply made
by using two bars a and b furnished with an inner central circular groove g against
which the two sides of the marbles m can bear.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 are plans and Figures 114, 124, 13 and 14ª central
cross sections of different ornaments fixed or inlaid separately in a frame formed of
two parts a and b the former of which is centrally perforated to allow of the glass
ornaments o protruding through the same. The front a may be made of artistic
wood, slate, vulcanite or other similar material while the back b may be made of
any suitable substance and may be either solid or perforated like the front and of
sufficient strength to securely hold the glass ornaments in position, these two parts
being glued, nailed, screwed, or otherwise fixed together. The perforations may
have their outline cut to coincide with that of the glass ornament (Fig. 12) or be
simply circular and surrounded by a gilt edge c so as to display a part of the edge
of the ornament (Fig. 11); or as shewn in Fig. 14 the perforations may be
arranged symmetrically to form a geometrical figure, marbles being used instead of

page_text: glass ornaments. In Fig. 11 the back is let in a recess formed in the wooden
plate forming the front a.
Figs. 15 and 15ª illustrate the insertion or mounting in the manner herein before
described of a row of diamond or rose shaped cut glass ornaments o held at their
edges by the projecting edges of the ornamental beadings a and b and by two bars c
glued or nailed against the inner sides of the beadings, which are secured together
at each end by the cross bars d, this arrangement would form a very rich frame for
pictures &c.
Figure 16 shows the insertion in a frame constructed as above described of
glass discs furnished with raised letters instead of ornaments. By these means
very elegant signboards may be made and used, as headings, notices, or for
advertising purposes.
In the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the coloured studs and marbles may
be, arranged to form letters as well as designs, words being thus obtained which
would vividly impress the lookers on, and be remembered by them for a long time.
Although we have mentioned for convenience of description the use of glass,
studs, marbles or other ornaments, it is obvious that we inay use ornaments of
different material, such as porcelain, opal, mother-o'-pearl, ivory, stones, bone,
paper maché and the like, which may be likewise coloured in different ways, and
be blended combined and intermixed one with the other, so as to form patterns
or designs of striking brilliancy and manifold effects resembling tesselated and
mosaic work.
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. The improved method and means for producing building decorations, and
ornamental letters, by means of two parallel sheets of metal, wood or other
substance furnished by punching or otherwise, with a number of geometrical and
symmetrical perforations through which protrudes the upper surface of studs,
marbles, or other ornaments of plain or coloured glass, opale, ivory and other
substances, held in position by the lowermost sheet forming a back therefor, the
two sheets being joined together by solder, glue, wires, nails, screws, or otherwise,
substantially as herein described and shown and for the purpose set forth.
2. The various modifications of our invention whereby plain or coloured studs,
marbles, and other ornaments of glass or other substance are combined with
ornamental wooden and other frames for the purpose of forming panels, cornices,
picture frames and the like substantially as herein before described and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th date of August 1801
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.