Improvements in the Construction of Hollow or Tubular Building Tiles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Hollow or Tubular Building
Tiles.
We, ELMER ELLSWORTH VAN WIE, of Number 434, Lyman Avenue, Manufac-
turer, and JOSEPH JOHN JACOBS, of 401, Orange Street, Foundryman, both of
Kenosha, in the County of Kenosha, and State of Wisconsin, United States of
America, 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 has for its object to provide an improved building tile of such
construction that a number of them can be readily and conveniently interlocked
with each other and used in building a wall or arch and for other purposes
requiring a rigid structure adapted to withstand a considerable strain or pressure,
and to these ends the said invention consists in certain peculiarities of construc-
tion as hereinafter moro particularly set forth and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of this invention to the building
of an arch or culvert.
Figure 2 is a view illustrating its application to the construction of a vertical
wall.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the tile.
Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the tile.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tile.
In carrying out said invention, we prefer to make the tile cylindrical, either
by casting, rolling, forging, or otherwise, presenting a tube 1, in one end portion
of which are cut a series of open-ended slots 2 extending inward to or slightly
beyond the center of the tile, the number of slots depending upon the use to
which the tile is to be applied. In connection with these slots, the other or
unbroken part of the tube is formed with a corresponding series of channels or
grooves 3 extending on a line with the aforesaid slots and of a depth not to
materially weaken the structure. The slots may be of a length equal to one half
the length of the tube, and in this event the meeting ends of the tiles which
are on a line with each other will abut, though we prefer to extend the slots a
short distance, or shorten them, and have one end of the tile or tube tapered
and the opposite end reamed out to receive the tapered end of the adjoining tile.
This construction reinforces the end of the tile which is provided with the slots
and will therefore provide a more rigid structure.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that a wall, arch, or other structure
requiring strength can be built from tiles constructed in accordance with this
invention, requiring no extraneous substance to hold said tiles together, the
interlocking parts serving to brace each other or practically form continuous
hollow tubes. In forming columns, the tiles at the center are slightly larger
DQ77

page_text: than those surrounding the same, and the slots and corresponding channels in
the said central tiles are slightly wider. In forming an arch, the curve of the
arch will be determined by the location of the slots, those at the under side being
closer together than the other pair.
The tiles can be made up of metal, artificial- stone, terra-cotta, glass, or other
material according to the character of the structure to be built therefrom, and
it is obvious that the application of the tile is practically unlimited, and we
therefore do not wish to be limited to the particular uses herein set forth. If
desired, in any instance, the tile may be made in halves or sections if more
convenient, as the result will be the same, when they are put together, as if
they were originally complete tubes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. A tubular building tile having open ended slots extending a part only of
the length thereof, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A building tile, comprising a tube one end of which is provided with open-
ended slots extending longitudinally to or near the center of the tube, the other
part of the tube being grooved on a line with the slots.
3. A building tile comprising a tube one part of which is provided with an
open-ended slot and the other part having grooves or channels on a line with
the aforesaid slots, the said tube being tapered at one end and reamed out at
the other.
Dated thin 91at ...
T1 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.