Improvements in and connected with Coverings for Walls, Floors, Stair-treads, and similar Surfaces.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 31st Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Coverings for Walls, Floors,
Stair-treads, and similar Surfaces.
I THOMAS ROWLEY of 41 Corporation Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Indiarubber Manufacture Expert, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to the coverings for floors, stair treads, walls, and the like
surfaces.
According to these improvements I employ a soft elastic and waterproof material
such as vulcanised indiarubber, caoutchouc compounds, oxidised oil compounds, and
similar substances as the covering material and I apply it in the form of tessera
tiles or comparatively small pieces so as to produce a tessellated or a kind of mosaic
surface.
In carrying out my invention I may first produce the material in sheets of
various colours and cut these sheets into tessera or comparatively small pieces of
suitable shape which are then secured on or in a suitable base so as to form a mat,
carpet or lining, or directly on the wall, floor, or other surface in such a manner as
to produce any desired pattern.
Alternatively, I may mould or produce each tessera or piece of the material
separately, in which case each of the pieces may be secured upon the wall or like
surface, or upon a base or foundation as herein before described; or they may each
be separately moulded or produced upon individual supports or foundations in
which case the individual foundations or supports with the facing of soft elastic
material thereon may be applied in a similar manner to that adopted in fixing
ordinary tiles or tesseræ.
When each tessera or piece of the soft elastic material is intended to be used
with an individual block or support, it may be moulded in the form of a cap into
the cavity of which the block may fit, or the upper surface of the block may be
scored, undercut, dovetailed, or similarly prepared so as to form a key with the
material and secure its adhesion with or without the use of adhesive cement, in
which case the soft elastic material may be moulded or produced upon the surface
of the block so that its substance will enter the scorings undercuts or dovetails
during the process of manufacture.
Surfaces faced with the soft elastic material according to these improvements will
be waterproof, warm, silent to the tread, and durable, whilst any portion worn
away or damaged may be quickly and inexpensively renewed.
The outer face of the soft elastic waterproof material may be.further ornamented
or decorated by known and suitable means.
Dated this 24th day of Manch
TY 1900
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Coverings for Walls, Floors,
Stair treads, and similar Surfaces.
I, THOMAS ROWLEY of 41 Corporation Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Indiarubber Manufacture Expert, 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 relates to coverings for walls, floors, stair-treads, and similar
surfaces.

page_text: According to these improvements I employ a soft clastic material such as
vulcanised indiarubber, caoutchouc compounds, oxidised (or vulcanised) oil com-
pounds, and similar substances moulded formed or secured upon suitable bases
foundations or supports in such a manner as to produce tiles tessera or compara-
tively small pieces faced or flashed on the external surface with the elastic material.
For the base foundation or support of the individual pieces may employ
suitable materials possessing the necessary strength such as metal, wood, wood-
pulp, earthenware, canvas, and the like, cut or produced to the desired sizes.
The tiles, tessera or similar articles with the soft elastic material thereon may
be applied to the walls, floors, or other surfaces in the same manner as ordinary
tiles.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood will further
describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent vertical sections, and Figures 5 and 6 plans
respectively, of tiles manufactured according to these improvements.
As represented by Figure 1 the soft elastic material A is cut moulded or other-
wise formed to the same size and shape as the surface of the support C upon which
it is cemented or otherwise secured. Around the compound tile and attached
thereto there is a strip of canvas B. Alternatively, a flange equivalent to B may
be moulded upon the soft elastic facing A, so as to form a cap within which the
support C may be inserted and secured, or the support may be included within the
mould so that the soft elastic material is moulded upon the surface and around
the edges of the support.
In the tile constructed as indicated by Figure 2 the soft elastic material A
is moulded cemented or otherwise secured upon a piece of canvas B larger
than A. The projecting parts of the canvas are cemented to the edges of
the tiles as shewn, and the canvas under A may also be cemented to the surface
of C.
As shewn by Figure 3, two of the edges or all the four edges of the tile are
undercut and the soft elastic material may either be moulded upon the support C
or it may be separately moulded and be placed thereon afterwards, and may be
additionally secured to the support by cement.
Figure 4, represents the undercut parts formed longitudinally in the face of the
support C.
In this form it will be generally found preferable to mould the soft
elastic material upon the face of the support. The undercut recesses may be
formed in one direction only or in both directions, that is to say longitudinally
and transversely, crossing each other on the face of the support, and may be of
other than dovetailed form.
In the case of small tesseræ or tiles, the soft elastic material may be cut out of
sheets and be simply cemented upon the face of the support. In these and in other
cases also, where small bosses or projections may be used or where nail heads
would not be objectionable, the soft clastic material may be wholly or partly
secured to the base C by means of nails spikes pins or studs having plain or
ornamental heads.
The tiles tessera or the like articles manufactured according to this invention may
be cemented to the wall floor or other surface or they may be applied thereto by
other known and suitable means as is well understood.
It will be understood that when the soft elastic material has to be moulded upon
the surface of the support an indiarubber compound or other similar compound
capable of being moulded must be employed; in other cases, either indiarubber
compounds, or oxidised or vulcanised oil compounds may be used.
The outer surface of the soft elastic material may be coloured ornamented or
decorated as may be desired by known and suitable means.
Surfaces faced with the soft elastic material according to these improvements
will be water-proof, warm, silent to the tread, and durable, whilst any portion worn
away or damaged may be quickly and inexpensively renewed.

page_text: 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--
Tiles, tessera, and the like articles having a soft elastic surface, constructed
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of December A.D. 1890.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.