IMPROVEMENTS IN STAIR TREADS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO PAVING OR FLOORING OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Lee Norton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
October 1871.
I, JAMES LEE. NORTON, of Belle Sauvage Yard, Ludgate Hill, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAIR TREADS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO PAVING OR FLOORING OTHER SURFACES," to be as follows:-
"
°
In the Provisional Specification lodged by me on the 22nd day of
July 1871, No. 1938, was described the constructing the treads of stairs
of metal frames formed with cell's open at the top, and into which
blocks of wood are placed, openings being left between the cells for
the passage of dust or dirt.
-
According to my present Invention I form the frames for receiving
the blocks of wrought iron, and in such a manner that two opposite sides
of each cell taper downwards from top to bottom, and the blocks with

page_text: which such cells are to be filled are similarly of a tapered form, so that
when they have been placed into the cells and any weight comes upon
them the block is supported by the sides of the cells. Each frame is
made up of strips of wrought iron placed at right angles to one another
and rivetted at their ends to an outer rectangular frame, also of wrought
iron. One set of the bars are placed vertically, and are at distances
apart equal to the width of the blocks. These bars have slots cut
through them, through which the other set of bars are passed. The
slots are cut so as to incline somewhat toward one another, thus ^\\,
and are arranged in pairs, the space between each pair of bars which
are passed through such slots forming the openings between the blocks
to allow of dust or liquids passing between them, whilst the sides of the
wooden blocks rest against the outer sides of such bars which form
the inclined sides of the cells.
Also in some cases where it is not required that openings or
spaces should be left between the cells, in place of forming pairs of
slots as above described through one set of bars, slots of a triangular
form may be made through them at intervals apart equal to the
width of the blocks, and bars of a corresponding section be passed
through them, or bars of angle or T iron might similarly be used, the a
blocks then resting on the bottom flanges of the angle or T iron, and
such T or angle iron might also be used when openings are to be left
between the cells. In order also to prevent the wooden blocks which are
on the outer edge of each tread of a staircase from being worn away by
the wear which comes upon it, I apply along the outer edge of each of the
blocks, that is at the front of the stair tread, a strip or strips of vulcanized
india-rubber, such strip or strips being made to project somewhat above
the surface of the wooden blocks, so that the wear may come upon the
elastic vulcanized india-rubber, in place of upon the edge of the wooden
blocks. The strips of india-rubber may either be inserted into grooves a
in the wooden blocks, or the edge or surface of the blocks may be cut
away, and the strips be secured by clamping pieces drawn against them
by screws, or tubes of vulcanized india-rubber may be used, and be
held to the blocks by wires passed through them, such wires, where
they project beyond the ends of the tubes, being bent over and driven 3
into the blocks, or the strips may be otherwise secured to the edges
of the blocks. Strips of cork or other elastic material may similarly be

page_text: applied to the surface of the blocks which are at the front edge of the
stair treads, or such blocks might be covered or nearly covered with
such elastic material.
In a similar manner strips or tubes of vulcanized india-rubber, cork,
or other elastic material may be applied to the edges of the treads of
staircases otherwise formed to protect them from wear, and to give
to the front edge of each of the treads a pleasant and safe surface for
the feet, and one that will prevent any tendency to slip. Metal rods
covered with elastic material may likewise be applied to the front edges
of stair treads to preserve them from wear.
Paving or flooring for other surfaces may likewise be formed, as
herein-before described, of wrought-iron frames, having cells formed in
them to receive blocks of wood, and either. with or without spaces
between the cells, and where it is desired to form an ornamental flooring
or paving, I inlay the upper surface of the wooden blocks with various
materials, which may be cut or stamped out in ornamental patterns,
as for example the blocks may be inlaid with printed patterns, cut from
oil cloth, kamptulicon, or such like material, or with coloured cements,
and the wood where it is to be inlaid is cut away to a sufficient
depth to allow of the wear coming mainly upon the upper surface
of the block, and not upon the inlaid portions. The upper surfaces
of the blocks might also have patterns burnt or branded into them,
or they might be stained or dyed with various colors, and be arranged
in the frames in ornamental patterns. Nails or pegs may also be passed.
through the sides of the frame into the blocks to retain them, and also
when it is desired to form a highly ornamental flooring such frames
may be tinned or coated with copper.
'In order also to avoid the necessity of forming special supports for
such frames, and to enable them to be simply laid down upon a level
surface, I affix small blocks of wood or other material to the under side
of each frame at its four corners, such blocks being fixed by screws to
the under side of the blocks of wood inserted into the cells at the several
corners. The frames will thus be supported at their four corners, and a
space will be left below each where any liquid, dust, or dirt which may
pass down through the paving may collect and be swept away whenever
desired, the frames of paving being then removed to allow of this.
being done.

page_text: Where it is not desired to have openings between the cells of the
frame, openings may be left between the several frames to allow dust
or dirt to pass through, and projections may be formed at the corners
of the frame to act as distance pieces, so that the several frames may be
kept at an equal distance apart from one another. In this case the
frames may advantageously be made in comparatively long lengths of
angle or T iron or iron of other section, and of a width equal to the
width of one or more of the blocks. Distance pieces of hoop iron or
other material may if desired be placed between the blocks. Frames
or supports of T iron or iron of other section may similarly be used
to form a solid flooring or paving without spaces or openings being left
in it. The treads of stairs may likewise be formed in a similar manner,
or in place of making up such angle or T iron or iron of other section
into frames, such iron bars may be secured to wooden sleepers or
bearers.
For paving or flooring for rooms and such like, the blocks in each
frame may be shaped so as to come in contact with one another at their
upper surface, and each block may be inlaid or ornamented as above
described, and by this means a very ornamental flooring may be
produced at a slight cost. When using such ornamented wooden
blocks, the framing which is to receive them might either be of cast
iron or wrought iron such as above described, or other construction of
frame might be adopted.
When forming floors for stables or other purposes where it is desired
to render the flooring soft or elastic as well as noiseless, I recess the
blocks of wood to any shape or form desired, into which recesses I fix
pieces of rubber, felt, kamptulicon, cork, asphalte, or other material.
The inlaid material is so arranged that its upper surface is slightly above
the surface of the blocks of wood, and in order to prevent the angles or
edges of the material being broken, the edges are bevilled off to the ;
wooden or other blocks carrying the inlaid material. The elastic
material may be arranged to cover the whole or nearly the whole of
the upper surface of the blocks, or strips of the material may be applied
across the blocks, or the elastic material may be of any other desired
shape or form as above stated.
When the paving is for roads and other ways, the wooden blocks of
the navine may he impregnated with creosote or other nrosorvative

page_text: material before being inserted into the several cells of the metal frames,
or the lower part of the several cells or openings may be filled in with
wooden blocks or blocks of other material, over which a coating of
asphalte of any desired thickness may be applied.