Improvements in Fire-proof Floors, Ceilings, and the like, partly applicable to other Forms of Floors, Ceilings, and Partitions.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May. 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-proof Floors, Ceilings, and the like, partly
applicable to other Forms of Floors, Ceilings, and Partitions.
1, THOMAS LEWIS BANKS, of Holmrook, Cumberland, F.R.I.B.A., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates mainly to improvements in that description of fireproof
floors or ceilings in which a structure is composed of iron or steel girders or joists
combined with iron or steel intermediate supports and concrete filling, the ceiling
being constructed with metal lathing serving as a key for the plaster, and by
preference formed of what is known as "expanded metal," that is to say, sheet
metal slit in such a way that, when expanded, the slits open out, forming open
meshes or lattice work.
According to one improved construction of such floors or ceilings, I mount upon
the iron joists, suitably placed for the span, a series of wrought iron, steel, or other
metallic strips or wire rods of a size sufficient to bear the weight of the concrete
until it sets, or hardens.
The ends of these rods or strips are bent round the top flanges of the joist so as
to exercise a tight hold on the same, and the part extending from the one joist to
the other is bent down into a V form and at the apex is formed a semicircular bend
to receive a horizontal rod midway between the joists and at a level below the
bottom flange of the joists.
Other rods are secured directly under the joists by means of metal clips also
having a V bend, and the ends of which are bent over the bottom flange of the
joist and are by preference made to extend partially up the web thereof.
Transversely across these rods, so as to rest upon them, I place the expanded
metal, or other metal lathing to form the key for the plaster ceiling. One coat of
plaster is put on and allowed to harden in this lathing, to supply a floor for the
concrete, which is then filled in the spaces between the joists, and which, after
setting, only rests upon the flanges of the joists. The plastering of the ceiling is
afterward finished on the underside.
The above described construction may also be employed in connection with
wooden joists and trimmer arches.
According to another modification, in place of the ✓ shaped rods for supporting
the ceiling, I employ upwardly arched iron or steel bars suitably trussed by tie
bars and struts, or stays and resting with their ends upon the bottom flanges of the
two joists. These centres, which may either be built up as described or cast of one
steel casting, are placed at suitable distances apart, and their upper arched surface
is covered in with the before mentioned expanded metal, or sheet iron, or equivalent
fireproof covering, and upon this is filled in the concrete to any required depth,
expanded metal or layers of hoop iron being, if necessary, also inserted in the body
of the concrete. The expanded metal or other metal lathing for the ceiling is
secured to the tie bars of the centres in the following manner.
Metal loops or eyes are suspended by a hooked stem from the upper edge of the
tie bars, and through the eyes are passed metal rods, upon which is then laid the
expanded metal or other lathing, this being held in position either by bearing with
its upper side against the under edge of the tie bars, or the eyes may be made of
a sufficiently elongated form to allow of a rod being passed through them above
the upper surface of the expanded metal or other lathing, so that this will be held
securely between the lower and the upper rods passed through the loops. This

page_text: arrangement for securing the lathing may also be applied with advantage to floors
or partitions with wood joists or quartering, or with wood studs introduced therein,
for which purpose the stem of the said loop, instead of being hooked, is formed
either as a screw or as a spike so as to be screwed or driven into the wood. By
means of this construction the iron lathing and plastering for the ceiling or wall
surface can be secured at a certain distance away from the wood joists or
quartering.
The above described arched centres will only have to support the ceiling after
the concrete filling has set. The space left between the arched bar of the centre
and the ceiling may be utilised for ventilating purposes or for carrying gas and
water pipes, electrical conductors &c.
The construction is also applicable to trimmer arches.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for Applicant.
Improvements in Fire-proof Floors, Ceilings, and the like, partly
applicable to other Forms of Floors, Ceilings, and Partitions.
I, THOMAS LEWIS BANKS, of Holmrook, Cumberland, F.R.I.B.A. 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 mainly to improvements in that description of fire proof
floors or ceilings in which a structure is composed of iron or steel girders or joists
combined with iron or steel intermediate supports and concrete filling, the ceiling
being constructed with metal lathing serving as a key for the plaster.
I will proceed to describe my several improvements with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shews a cross section, Fig. 2 a perspective view and Fig. 3 an enlarged
detail of one construction of floor or ceiling.
Upon the iron joists A, suitably placed for thé span, I place a series of wrought
iron, steel, or other metal strips or rods B of a size sufficient to bear the weight
of the concrete until it sets or hardens. The ends of these rods or strips are
bent round the top flanges of the joists A, as shewn more clearly at B' Fig. 3, so
as to exercise a tight hold on the same while the part extending from the one
joist to the other is bent down into a V form as shewn, and at the apex B² is
formed a rounded bend to receive a horizontal rod C midway between the joists
and at a level below the bottom flange thereof. Other rods C₁ are secured at
the same level as C underneath the joists by means of V shaped metal clips D,
bent round the bottom flange of the joist, and by preference made to extend some
distance up the web thereof.
Transversely across these rods, so as to rest upon them, I place the metal
lathing E consisting by preference of interlaced twisted metal strips to form the
key for the plaster ceiling F. One coat of plaster is then put on and allowed to
harden in this lathing in order to supply a floor for the concrete G, which is then
filled into the spaces between the joists, as shewn, and which after setting, is
only carried by the flanges of the joists. The plastering F is afterwards finished
on the underside.
This construction may also be employed in connection with wooden joists, in
which case the ends of the bars B and clips D would be bent into loops and secured
by spikes or screws.

page_text: Figs. 4 to 7 shew another modification in which in place of the V shaped rods B
for supporting the ceiling I employ upwardly arched iron or steel bars B² suitably
trussed by tie bars B³ and struts or stays B. Fig. 4 shews a cross section,
Fig. 5 a perspective view, and Figs. 6 and 7 enlarged details of the suspension
loops.
These arched supports, which may either be built up of the separate parts B2 B3 B4
as described, or may be cast of one light steel casting, are placed at suitable
distances apart with their ends resting upon the bottom flanges of the joists, and.
if B and B are of separate parts, the bolts that secure their ends together may
also serve to secure them to the joists, as shewn.
or with thin
Their upper surface is then covered in either with metal lathing
sheet iron H or other suitable fire proof covering, and upon this is filled in the
concrete G to any required depth, layers of metal lathing or hoop iron being if
necessary, also inserted in the body of the concrete. The metal lathing E for the
ceiling is secured to the tie bars 138 of the centres in the following manner.
Metal loops or eyes I are suspended by a hooked stem I' from the upper edge
of the tie bars B³ and through the eyes are passed metal rods C upon which is
then laid the metal lathing E this being held in position either by bearing with
its upper side against the under edge of the tie bars B³ as shewn, or the eyes may
be made of a sufficiently elongated form to allow of a rod being passed through
them above the upper surface of the metal lathing, so that this will be held securely
between the lower and the upper rods passed through the loops. This arrange-
ment for securing the lathing may also be applied with advantage to floors, or
partitions with wood joists or quartering, or with wood studs introduced therein,
for which purpose the stem of the said loop, instead of being hooked, is formed
either as a screw or as a spike as shewn at Figs. 8, 9 and 10 so as to be screwed
or driven into the wood or other material. Figs. 8 and 9 shew loops I with spikes,
and Fig. 10 one with a screw. E is the metal lathing, held in position by the upper
and lower rods C C¹. By means of this construction the iron lathing and
plastering for the ceiling or wall surface can be secured at a certain distance
away from the wood joists or quartering, as shewn at Figs. 11 and 12 where
Fig. 12 shews such a ceiling with metal lathing fixed below an old ceiling of
ordinary construction.
The above described arched supports B2 B3 will only have to support the ceiling
after the concrete filling has set. The space J left between the arched bar B³ of
the support and the ceiling may be utilised for ventilating purposes or for carrying
gas and water pipes, electrical conductors &c.
The construction is also applicable to trimmer arches.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. In fireproof floors, ceilings and the like, the combination with joists or girders
such as A, of bent rods such as B having their ends secured to the joists, and
carrying rods C at their middle, which rods together with other rods C¹ suspended
by clips D from the joists, serve to support metal lathing E on which is fixed the
plaster of the ceiling, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3
of the drawings.
2. In fireproof floors, ceilings and the like, the combination with joists or girders
such as A, of arched metal supports such as B2 B3 B4, metal coverings such as H
for receiving the concrete filling, and metal rods C supported by the tie bars B³
for carrying metal lathing to which the plaster ceiling is fixed substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 4 to 7 of the drawings.
3. The use, for securing metal lathing to the supports of ceilings, or to walls
or partitions, of metal loops or eyes formed either with hooks for suspension from
metal ceiling supports or with spikes or screws for fixing to wood or other

page_text: material, which eyes receive rods that support the metal lathing, substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 4 to 12 of the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of February 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.