Improved Decorative Coverings for Walls and other Surfaces.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by THE COMPOSITE VENEERING COMPANY, of
26, Cortlandt Street, in the City of New York, United States of America.]
Improved Decorative Coverings for Walls and other Surfaces.
I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 78, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Chartered
Patent Agent, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This invention relates to an article of manufacture to be known as compo-
site embossed paneling and veneering. It is made of two or more ply veneer
and a sheeting of leather which covers the surface, the same being glued
together and embossed as hereinafter explained.
In the accompanying drawing which form a part of this specification I have
illustrated the invention in four figures each containing letters of reference to
indicate corresponding parts as follows;-
Fig. 1 represents a panel such as may be used in wainscoting on the side of
a car or room, showing a face view with the center portion embossed in a raised
figure.
Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the same through the center, showing
the manner in which the veneer and leather conform to each other when
embossed.
Fig. 3 represents a face view showing four thicknesses of veneer with the
grain running in different directions.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the extra thick bottom piece of veneer to
prevent warping.
Referring to Figure 1 the face view represents the leather surface, and in
Figure 2 the top section a represents the leather and the lower sections c repre-
sent the wood veneer. The number of pieces of veneer necessary to produce
the best results depends entirely upon the use to which it is to be applied as
well as the thickness of the leather. If a heavy leather surface is desired where
rich heavy work is being constructed it is necessary to use three or more thick-
nesses of veneer, each with its grain running in as many different directions,
as shown in Figure 3, but where light work is desired such as small chair seats
and very small paneling, only two thicknesses of veneer are required, each of
course with its grain running in a transverse direction to its neighbor.
In making the panel it is best to use a cement or glue that is impervious to
dampness or water and one that will to some extent penetrate the pores of the
wood as well as those of the leather. For this reason, therefore, I have adopted
the use of a caseine cement, that is, a cement made from animal caseine,
lime, etc.
I would also state that to prevent warping the sheet of veneer next to the
leather must be about one-half as thick as the other layers so as to offset the
shrinkage usually caused by the action of the leather.

page_text: To construct the panel, the cement or glue is applied to the upper side of
each successive piece of veneer. The requisite number of pieces of veneer are
then laid one on top of the other, with their grain running in as many different
directions as the number of pieces will permit. A sheet of leather is then placed
on top of the veneers, it being understood that the upper surface of the veneer
to which the leather is applied is coated with the cement or glue. After the
leather is placed upon the veneer the whole is then placed under the embossing
press and all embossed together under a very heavy pressure. Thus the sheets
of veneer are drawn and stretched to conform to the concavity or convexity of
the embossing before the glue is set.
In this way the pieces are positively secured together without the possibility
of air blisters between the parts. The panel thus formed is allowed to remain
under pressure until the glue is thoroughly hardened when it is released and
piled away for use.
Panels or sheeting of this construction can be bent in almost any form around
large pillars or in corners without in the least disfiguring the surface..
The improved article of manufacture is intended to take the place of leather
where it is used for cahir (cobbler) seats and backs; also paneling, wainscot-
ing, etc., where rich leather finished surfaces are desired.
I would also state that in the construction of my improved paneling the very
cheapest and commonest kind of veneer can be used, that kind in fact which
could not be used for any other purpose for the reason that the defects of the
wood when embossed are covered up by the leather and nothing but the finished
leather surface is exposed to view.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my, said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1.As an article of manufacture, composite paneling constructed from two or
more sheets of veneer and a surface covering of leather glued together and
embossed with concavo-convex configurations while the glue is still plastic so
that the wood and leather all conform to each other, substantially as described.
2. As an article of manufacture, composite veneering or paneling constructed
from two or more sheets of wood veneers, the bottom sheet or sheets being
thicker than the top one, and a surface sheet of leather resting upon the thinnest
sheet of veneer, all cemented or glued together and the whole embossed in con-
cavo-convex configurations, substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of July 1899.