IMPROVED METAL TILES OR METAL VENEERS TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR ENCAUSTIC TILES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Rees, of 196, Westminster Bridge Road,
in the Parish of Lambeth, & in the County of Surrey, London, for the Inven
tion of "IMPROVED METAL TILES OR METAL VENEERS TO BE USED AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR ENCAUSTIC TILES."
Sealed the 3rd October 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 18th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Rees at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1879.
"
THOMAS HENRY REES, of 196, Westminster Bridge Road, in the Parish of Lambeth,
& in the County of Surrey, London. 'IMPROVED METAL TILES OR METAL
VENEERS TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR ENCAUSTIC TILES."
This Invention relates to the manufacture and the application of metal tiles and
metal veneers which are composed of sheets of metal, such as iron, tin, 'zinč, brass,
or, by preference, tinned iron, japanned or varnished in a plain color on the one
side, and on the other ornamented or decorated by printing, or painting, or by crys-
tallizing, and then when dry varnishing, japanning, or polishing the surface so as to
represent the earthenware or encaustic tiles, and also wood, marble, granite, ivory,
pearl, &c., and to the application of such sheets of metal for lining or covering the
ceilings and walls of rooms, shops, closets, pantrys, cupboards, passages, &c.; and also
for veneering doors, window celes, wash stands, and other articles of furniture, and
for covering or lining carriage doors, door pannels, roofs of railway coaches, tram
cars, omnibuses, &c.
This Invention provides what has long been required, namely, a covering for
ceilings, walls, coaches, &c., as before named, which is durable, washable, ornamental,
and fireproof, and at the same time cheap and easily fixed.
"
A metal covering of this kind does not crack by vibration nor tarnish when
gas is burned; it cannot be set on fire, and can be washed like earthenware, which
it closely resembles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Henry Rees in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
October 1879.
THOMAS HENRY REES, of 196, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey. "IMPROVED METAL TILES OR METAL VENEERS TO BE USED AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR ENCAUSTIC TILES."
My Invention relates to preparing and ornamenting sheets of metal, such as tin,
tinned iron, zinc, brass, copper, &c., so that they will resemble the encaustic or
earthenware tiles, and may be used as a cheap substitute for them, and may also
be fixed in position, such, for instance, as ceilings, carriages, ships' cabins, &c., where
the heavy encaustic or earthenware tiles cannot be applied. By producing upon the
surface of the metal sheets patterns in imitation of marble, tortoishell, ivory, pearl,
mahogany, &c., they may be used for metal veneers for decorating walls, doors, furni-
ture, cabinet work, &c. My Invention I carry into effect in the following manner :-I
take sheets of metal, such as tin, tinned iron, zinc, brass, copper, &c., but by pre-
ference sheets of tin or tinned iron, as being the cheapest and the most durable, and
I varnish or japan these sheets on the one side to protect the metal from oxidation;
this forms the back or wrong side of the metal tile or metal veneer; the other side
I cover with white or coloured enamel. This enamel, the base of which should be
oxide of zinc, may be laid on with a brush, roller, or other instrument, but as in the
ordinary methods it is very difficult to obtain a smooth and even surface, I prefer
the following process, and claim for it as my Invention and as being an improve-
ment upon the methods hitherto adopted.
After spreading the enamel or paint over the surface of the metal sheet I place
it in a gentle stove or warm room until the enamel is set, but not long enough to
dry it then before it is dry I brush or dust the surface over with French chalk,
china clay, whitening, or any fine white powder that prevents adhesion, but
prefer French chalk, and having on the bed of a lithographic or other suitable press,
or on the bed of a lithographic machine, a smooth stone slab, such as an ordinary
lithographic stone; I place the dusted enamelled sheets with the enamelled face
down upon the smooth stone and pass it through the press or machine in the
ordinary way, and the face is pressed hard and smooth; the sheets are then dried
in stoves or warm rooms. Where the white dusting powder is objectionable, as in
the case of coloured enamels, I damp the face of the lithographic stone and use no
powder. After the sheets are enamelled as herein described suitable tile or other
patterns are printed upon them by the usual printing process. I prefer the litho-
graphic process; and when the work is quite dry the sheets are varnished with clear
transparent varnish and dried in hot stoves or rooms. The sheets of metal prepared
as here described will present the appearance of encaustic or earthenware tiles, and
they may be fastened to walls, ceilings, &c., with small pins or screws, or they can
be made to adhere with a suitable cement. To some of these metal tiles I put an
indented flange, so that in joining them together to cover walls, &c., they will lap
over and present a perfectly even surface. By the same process I also make
ornamental borders to form dados, panels, cornices, borders, and flower box points.
The metal tiles and veneers may be joined edge to edge, or edge lapping over edge,
or with the edge lapping over but sunk in the flange as above described. These metal
tiles can be bent into angles or round corners, the metal and the enamel being both
flexible, and the metal sheets are thin and soft enough to be able to be cut into
shape with a common scissors.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner and purposes
of its application, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim for the process of
printing upon metal plates, nor for varnishing them, and have described this part
only in order to fully explain the whole manufacture; but I claim as my Invention,
the manufacture of metal tiles as a cheap and improved substitute for the encaustic

page_text: or earthenware tiles, and I claim for manufacturing as above described metal
veneers as a substitute for and an improvements upon ordinary wood linings and
veneers, and for the application of the metal tiles and metal veneers as here
described to walls, ceilings, furniture, flower boxes, carriages, ships' cabins, &c., &c. ;
and I do also claim for the method of enamelling as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Henry Rees, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
THOMAS HENRY REES. (L.S.)