Year: 1896

page_text: Date claimed for Patent under Sect. 103 of Act,
being date of first Foreign Application (in Toth NOV., 1895
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1898
oprica
NOV., 1895
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1898
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1898
I, ALEXANDER ROBERTS FORDYCE, Building Contractor, residing at
312 Belleville Avenue, Newark, New Jersey, 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in metallic skeletons of that class
which are adapted to be used in the construction of fireproof walls, ceilings,
partitions, &c.
It relates more particularly to that class of skeletons which is termed
"metallic lathing," which, when attached to suitable supports, forms the
foundation for the filling that goes to make the body of such constructions.
It relates especially to improvements in that kind of lathing that is made by
providing sheet metal with rows of slots, which break joint, and then expanding
the metal so treated. In lathings of this sort as heretobefore made in order to give
them the desired strength it is necessary to use sheet metal of considerable
thickness or to use numerous auxiliary supports. When metal of considerable
thickness is used, owing to its consequent stiffness and want of pliability, much
trouble is experienced in cutting and forming the lathing.
The use of numerous auxiliary supports is also objectionable, especially in the
construction of thin walls, as the contiguity of the filling is considerably interrupted,
and, furthermore, the use of the thick metal and the numerous supports greatly
increases the weight cf the structure; also, in walls of considerable thickness these
lathings do not form a sufficient skeleton. The outstanding keys or projections are
so shallow that to a considerable depth the filling of such walls is unsupported.
This is a serious disadvantage, especially when the filling is in a green state, as it
would be very liable to displacement.
In the invention in the present instance it is proposed to overcome these
objections to a considerable extent. It consists, primarily, in corrugating the
metal at light angles to the general direction taken by the slits. In this way a
lathing is formed which will be considerably stronger than the plane lathing or
that corrugated jarallel with the direction taken by the perforations, which will
allow the use of comparatively thin sheet metal and of fewer auxiliary supports;
also, a skeleton can be constructed which will have considerable depth or thickness,
which renders it especially applicable to the construction of thick walls, and,
turthermore, the engaging edges of the keys will be greatly lengthened, and thereby
a more thorough bonding of the filling will be insured.
The invention further consists in the novel construction and arrangement of

page_text: parts, such as will be hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended
claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference designate
corresponding parts:
Figure 1. is a plan view of a piece of metallic lathing embodying the
invention.
Figure 2. is a similar view showing a sheet of metal after it has been slitted and
corrugated, but before it has been expanded.
Figure 3. is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.
Figure 4. is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.
Figure 5. is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.
Figure 6. is a perspective view of a section of the lathing.
Figure 7. is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, the slits being straight
instead of angular.
Figure 8. is a perspective view of a section having straight slits.
In carrying out the invention a metallic plate A of the required dimensions is
first provided with rows of parallel angular slots, or straight ones, as shown in
Figure 7, a a, the ends a¹ a¹ of which break joint with the ends a¹ a¹ of the slots of
the adjacent rows. The apexes or angles a a² of the slits register-that is, they
fall one directly beneath the other. Aften this has been done the plate-is corrugated
so, that the ribs a³ a³ extend at right angles to the general direction taken by the
slits. The plate will then have the appearance shown in Fig. 2. The plate is
then drawn or expanded, so that the slot will open into uniform geometrical figures
of very irregular outlines. Keys a' a', having ribs a a, will thereby be formed,
and the plate will have the general appearance shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The keys
so formed will project in alternate rows from opposite sides of the plate will point
in opposite directions, and will be considerably inclined from the main plane of the
plate. This excessive inclination is caused by the corrugations, the key itself
being made so stiff thereby that it will not bend when the plate is expanded, while
on the other band the comparatively narrow ribs, owing to the comparatively great
length of the same, will allow considerable movement of the keys.
While it is preferred to have the slots angular, yet they may be given any other
desired form-straight, for instance-without departing from the spirit of the
invention. Of course where the slots are straight the keys will not have so great
an inclination as they will when the slots are angular.
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:
(1.) A lathing consisting of a metallic plate having corrugated keys projecting
therefrom, the corrugations extending longitudinally through the said keys,
substantially as described.
(2.) A lathing consisting of a corrugated metallic plate, slitted and expanded,
the corrugations extending through the slitted portion of the plate and at right
angles to the general direction taken by the slits, substantially as described.
(3.) A lathing consisting of a corrugated metallic plate provided with rows of
angular slits which break joint, and expanded to throw keys from opposite sides of
the plate, substantially as described.
(4.) A lathing consisting of a metallic plate provided with rows of angular slits,
which break joint, and expanded to throw keys from opposite sides of the plate,
substantially as described.
(5.) A lathing consisting of a metallic plate having corrugated keys projecting
from the opposite sides thereof and pointing in opposite directions, substantially as
described.
(6.) A lathing consisting of a metallic plate having corrugated keys projecting
from the same in alternate rows on opposite sides and pointing in opposite
directions, substantially as described.

page_text: (7.) In a metallic lathing, the combination of the corrugated keys and the
corrugated ribs connecting the same, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of April 1896.
ALEXANDER ROBERTS FORDYCE.
H. B. Barlow & Gillett,
Agents for Applicant.
ALEXANDER ROBERTS FORDYCE.
H. B. Barlow & Gillett,
Agents for Applicant.