IMPROVEMENTS IN MATS."
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Belier, of 44, Aldermanbury, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATS."-A
communication from abroad by Manien Roullier, of 228, Boule-
vard Voltaire, Paris, in the Republic of France.

page_text: perforated with two holes, and they are jointed the one to the other by
passing wires through the holes, and the length of the wires being equal
to the width of the mat. Thus the discs are linked the one with the
other so as to form a broad chain-like surface. In place of using oval
discs circular or oblong discs or discs of other form may be employed.
Mats thus constructed are very durable, and traffic over them is noise-
less, and they do not retain dust or dirt, which falls freely through the
interstices between the links, and is easily swept up when the mat is
lifted. These mats are also very portable as they admit of being rolled
up tightly.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Belier in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BELLER, of 44, Aldermanbury, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Belier, Her special license that
I, the said Charles Belier, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Charles Belier, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATS," a
communication to me from abroad by Manien Roullier, of 228, Boule-
vard Voltaire, Paris, in the Republic of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Belier, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of tho said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office

page_text: With SLX calendar MONTHS HEAT 400 mmculately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Belier, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mats.
Mats are now commonly made of vulcanized india-rubber. According
to this Invention a somewhat similar article equally durable and much
cheaper is made from waste pieces of leather. The leather is cut into
small oval discs resembling the links of a chain. The discs are each
perforated with two holes, and they are jointed the one to the other by
passing wires through the holes, and the length of the wires being equal
to the width of the mat. Thus the discs are linked the one with the
other so as to form a broad chain-like surface. In place of using oval
discs circular or oblong discs or discs of other form may be employed.
Mats thus constructed are very durable, and traffic over them is noise-
less, and they do not retain dust or dirt, which falls freely through the
interstices between the links, and is easily swept up when the mat is
lifted. These mats are also very portable, as they admit of being rolled
up tightly. In place also of the links being of leather they may be of
wood.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn examples of mats
constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure II. a side view of a mat, the several
links of which are cut from waste pieces of leather.
a, a, are the links, each of which is by preference formed of three or
other number of similar pieces of leather placed together side by side to
form a broad link. Holes are bored through them near their ends, and
the several links are jointed together by wires 6 passed through them
from one side of the mat to the other, as shewn by the Drawings. The
ends of the wires are also passed through small metal washers at the
sides of the mat, and are riveted over to hold the discs or links securely
together. care small discs of leather, each having a hole bored through
its centro. These discs are for the purpose of protecting the wires at

page_text: the ends of the mat, which would otherwise be exposed at the spaces
between the end links.
Figure III. is a plan, and Figure IV. a side view of a mat made in a
similar manner, but in this case the links a are formed of wood instead
of leather. They are connected together by passing wires through holes
bored through their ends and rivetting the ends of the wires as in the
former case. If desired the links may be formed of pieces of leather or
wood of other sections than those shewn by the Drawings.
What is claimed is making a chain-like mat of leather or wood, sub-
stantially as above described and shewn by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Belier, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
RELIER (10)
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