Improvements in the Construction of Slate Mantel-pieces.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
*
Improvements in the Construction of Slate Mantel-pieces.
"
I, WILLIAM JOHN LEWIS, Slate Mantelpiece Manufacturer, of, Highgate
Square, in the City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-.
tion to be as follows:-
.'
This invention has reference to slate mantel-pieces which are built up of a
number of connected-together slabs, and has particular reference to the piers
or jambs thereof.
In such mantel-pieces the piers or jambs are each formed of four or more
parts, viz-A pilaster or front, and two slips or sides and plinth which are con-
nected or boxed together at right angles, with their longitudinal edges adjacent,
usually by the aid of plaster-of-Paris, cement and cramps, and sometimes with
angle stays, which is or are applied at the back within the angles; the parts
of the said pier or jamb being set true to each other before connection. Such
a method of connecting together the parts of a pier or jamb is unsatisfactory
for many reasons, the most important of which are, firstly, the care required
in order to set the parts true, secondly, the extra weight added to the pier or
jamb by the plaster and cement, thirdly, the liability of displacement of the .
parts if the pier should be at all roughly handled, (as is often the case in
transit), fourthly, the liability of the cement or plaster used in the "boxing
to find its way through the joints of the parts and show on the presented surface
of the pier, fifthly, the trouble and expense which frequently occurs in getting
the said pier repaired if the parts should become loosened, especially having
regard to the fact that mantel-pieces are shipped abroad, and the jambs or
piers which are out of repair, by the parts thereof becoming loosened, having
to be reboxed and put together by persons having little or no knowledge of
the special trade of sticking or boxing. Further the cost of carriage upon such
goods is considerably increased by the weight of the materials such as plaster
and cement used in the boxing, and to the impracticability, from a commercial
standpoint, of transporting the parts of the piers separate or loose in order to
lessen space in packing. Still further, ornamentation in boxed-together piers
is limited especially to the exterior corners or angles of the pier's front and
sides, as, for instance, the letting into the said exterior corners or angles such
ornamentation as pillars, grooves, or mouldings.
This invention has for its object a particular method of building up or con-
structing the said piers or jambs which will dispense with the angle stays and
with the cement or plaster method of connection, or "boxing," will reduce the
weight of the structure, strengthen it as a whole, enable its parts to be discon-
nected and put together by almost anyone, and it particular extends its
adaptability to angle ornamentation such as described.
4
In constructing a mantel-piece pier or jamb according to this invention the
pilaster or the slips or sides is or are formed with longitudinal right-angled
extensions worked and planed in the solid piece, forming ribs or flanges against

page_text: which the pilaster or the slips or sides, as the case may be, are adapted to over-
lap and seat itself or themselves, and be connected rigidly by screw-up bolts
or fixed bolts and screw-up nuts, or their equivalents, which are arranged at
suitable points within the length of the said flanges; the plinth being con-
nected to the slips or sides in a like manner. In one form the ribs or Hanges
are inwardly formed upon the front edge of the slips or sides, and the longi-
tudinal edges of the pilaster and plinth overlie them, and are pulled up rigid
thereto by screw bolts which are "leaded-in" the pilaster on the back side,
pass through clearance holes in the ribs or flanges, and engage washers and
screw-up nuts which pull up against the ribs' or Hanges' inner sides.
The pilaster may, instead of overlying the ribs or flanges, be overlaid by
them and be rigidly fixed in this position, in which case the external appearance
of the jamb or pier would show the middle part of the front or pilaster set
back.
In another form the ribs or flanges may be formed upon and worked or
planed in the solid piece forming the pilaster, and the slips or sides be formed
as ordinarily to rest upon them and be connected thereto. In this case the
said ribs or flanges would be formed inwardly at right angles upon the longi-
tudinal edges of the pilaster.
Instead of holes being formed in the said ribs for the passage of the bolts,
open slots may be provided which will, to a certain extent, facilitate the
putting together of the parts. The provision of such slots is more important
insofar as it enables the size of the flange to be reduced and effects an economy
in slate, and also reduces the weight of the actual pier. When open slots
are used one of the sides of the-flange may be faced with a longitudinally-
slotted plate of suitable material with which the bolts, as aforesaid, engage,
so that they cannot pull sideways out of the open slots.
Instead of "leading-in "the connection bolts as fixtures, the same may be
loose and adapted to screw into a suitable screw box fixed in some way to the
pilaster or plinth, or both, or the flange of its slip or side, as the case may be.
A simple and efficient connection means for the parts consists of a number
of small metal plates having screw-socketted centres with which engage head-
less screw pins, the said pins being screwed into the sockets well home, and the
said sockets being fixed to the pilaster or slips, plinths, ribs, or flanges, so as
to be flush. Screw nuts then engage the other ends of the screw pins and
clamp the remaining pilasters, plinths, ribs, or flanges, as the case may be.
The screw boxes may be formed, if necessary, upon a long length metal
plate, so that those of the one side can be fixed to the pilaster, plinth, rib, or
Hange, at one operation, and will not necessitate so many loose parts, and the
screw bolts of the first-described means of connection may, instead of being
"leaded-in" to the pilaster, plinth, rib, or flange, be carried by a long length
metal strip, which is fixed flush to the back side of the pilaster, plinth, rib,
or flange.
As a further modification, the connection screws may pass through the
pilaster or the slip, as the case may be, from the front face, and engage the
screw boxes on the flange or rib, in which case the said screws would have
ornamental heads and form a part of the ornamentation of the front.
By thus constructing a pier or jamb according to this invention the same is,
in respect of the parts composing it, easily detachable, and capable of having
its parts changed should any one of them become broken, as the said parts are
made in duplicate, so that one can be substituted for the other with a surety
that they will go together.

page_text: Improvements in the Constraction of Slate Mantel-pieces.
I, WILLIAM JOHN LEWIS, Slate Mantelpiece Manufacturer, of Highgate
Square, in the City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 slate mantel-pieces built up of a number of con-
nected-together slabs, and has distinct reference to the piers or jambs thereof.
In such mantel-pieces the piers or jambs as now constructed are each formed
of four or more parts, viz:-A pilaster or front, two slips or sides, and a plinth,
"boxed together at right angles by the aid of plaster of Paris, cement, cramps,
and sometimes angle stays, applied at the back within the angles after the
parts of the pier have been set true to each other. Such a method of connecting
together the parts of the pier or jamb is unsatisfactory for many reasons, the most
important of which are, firstly, the care required in order to set the parts true and
the time taken for the plaster and cement to properly harden or set; secondly,
the extra weight added to the pier or jamb by the plaster and cement;
thirdly, the liability of displacement of the parts if the pier should be at all
roughly handled (as is often the case in transit); fourthly, the probability of
the cement or plaster used in the "boxing" finding its way through the joints.
of the parts so as to show on the presented surface of the pier; fifthly, the
trouble and expense which frequently occurs in getting the said pier repaired
if the parts should become loosened, especially having regard to the fact that
mantel-pieces are shipped abroad, and the jambs or piers, which are out of
repair, by the parts thereof becoming loosened, having to be reboxed and put
together by persons having little or no knowledge of the special trade of
"sticking or "boxing." Further, the cost of carriage upon such goods is
considerably increased by the weight of the materials, such as plaster and
cement, used in the "boxing," and to the impracticability from a commercial:
standpoint of transporting the parts of the piers separate or loose in order to
lessen space in packing. Still further, ornamentation in boxed-together piers
is limited especially to the exterior corners or angles of the pier's front and
sides, as, for instance, the letting into the said exterior corners or angies of
such ornamentation as pillars, grooves, or mouldings, being inconvenient and
expensive as adding materially to the cost of the piers so put together and
built up. This invention has for its object a particular method of building up
or constructing the said piers or jambs which will dispense with the angle
stays and with the cement or plaster method of connection or "boxing," will
reduce the weight of the structures, strengthen them as whole, enable their
parts to be disconnected and put together by almost anyone, and extend their
adaptability to angle ornamentation such as described. In constructing a slate
pier or jamb according to this invention the pilaster, or the slips or sides, as
the case may be, is, or are, formed with right-angled extensions worked and
planed in the solid, so as to form ribs or flanges extending the full length of
the pilaster or the slips, against which the pilaster or the slips, as the case
may be, is, or are, adapted to seat itself or themselves, overlap, and be rigidly
connected by screw-up or fixed bolts and screw-up nuts or similar devices
which are arranged at suitable points within the length of the said flanges;
the plinth being connected to the slips or sides in the same manner. The
invention is practically illustrated in the drawings annexed hereto, Fig. 1
being a face elevation, Fig. 2 a vertical section and Fig. 3 a back view of a

page_text: pier constructed in accordance therewith, whilst Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal
sections with the parts of the said pier connected and disconnected, and
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are larger views of a clamping means. Fig. 9 is a diagram
of a complete mantel-piece. In these figs. the ribs or flanges herein before
referred to are marked d², and are inwardly formed upon the front edge d³, of
the slips or sides d of the pier a, so that the edges of the pilaster c, when
the parts are in position, overlie them in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 4.
In like manner do the edges of the plinthe overly the said ribs, as is clearly
shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Holes d are formed through the ribs d2 at dis-
tances in their length, and screw boxes care rigidly fitted to the inside face
of the pilaster cand the plinthe near their longitudinal edges ca, e, at similar
distances apart to the holes d, with which said boxes and holes engage screw
pins g, so as to (with the aid of screw nuts g2) pull the parts up against each
other and rigidly clamp, them in the manner shown in Fig. 4...
'45
The screw boxes are formed on let-in plates as shown, preferably of the
form Fig. 8. or Fig. 8, and these come well flush with the back face of the
pilaster. The parts of the pier Fig. 1, 2, and 3 are four, which are held together
perfectly rigid by six screw-up. connections engaging the ribs or flanges at
different points... Fig. 10 shows the--clamping pins 9 passing through the.
pilaster from the front and engaging screw boxes in the ribs d³, whilst in
Fig. 11 the ribs d² are connected to the pilaster c on its face or front side; the
bolts g-in this case-being. "leaded" into the said ribs and passed through
clearance holes in the pilaster. Fig. 12 and 13 show the ribs, or flanges d²
formed upon and worked or planed in the solid piece forming the pilaster c
the slips or sides being formed as ordinary-to-be-clamped-against them by
screw bolts.
Instead of holes being formed in the ribs for the passage of the bolts
open slots ³ may be provided as shown in Fig. 14, which, in some cases,
would facilitate the putting together of the parts. By the use of such slots
the size of the rib de can be reduced, which will effect an economy in slate and
lessen the weight. A plate such as m, Fig. 15, having a hole m² within it of
the size of the bolt g, may be attached to the rib 2 so that its hole comes
opposite the open slot, in cases where the thickness and extent of the flange
or rib is small, the said plate forming the actual connection between the pin
and the rib. The screw boxes may be formed upon a long length metal
plate which reaches the full extent of the jamb, so that those of the one side
of the pier can be fixed to the pilaster, plinth, rib or flange at one operation
and, will not necessitate so many loose parts.
An alternative method of letting-in the plates carrying the screw boxes.³
flush with the face of the pilaster and plinth, as represented in Figures 1 to 8,
is to machine a groove of the breadth of the plates for the full length of the
pilaster and plinth within which the said plates will be flush when attached:
This method prevents forming sinkings at intermediate distances in the pilaster
and plinth, which are much more difficult to work in slate than are the grooves
which can be planed. Further the back face of the pilaster and plinth can be
left intact with the plates attached to stand out therefrom, but in the flanges
or ribs, which the said pilaster or plinth overlap, full length grooves would be
planed, adjacent to the holes for the screw pins, wherein the said plates lie:
Still further the screw boxes of the plates may comprehend only the thickness
of the said plates, the bosses being dispensed with. It is to be distinctly
understood that according to this invention the ribs flanges or right-angled
extensions are in every case formed from and integral with the solid piece of
slate forming the part or parts which carry them.
By thus constructing a jamb or pier its parts are easily detachable, which
renders the said pier capable of being repaired should any of its parts become
broken; the said parts being made in duplicate so that a new one can be sub-
stituted for a broken one with a surety that it will properly fit. The ribs

page_text: or flanges may be formed in the manner shown by Figs. 16 and 17, in which
case a hole s is bored out from the back face of the slab upon which the rib or
flange is desired, deep enough to admit of a part 2 of the walls of the said hole
being drilled through from the front to form the equivalent of the flange &
shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this arrangement the slab is of a sufficient thick-
ness to allow of the boring of the hole, although the said hole need not be of
any considerable depth or of any particular shape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:―
First. In slate piers or jambs for mantel-pieces the combination with the
pilaster and the slips or sides of right angled extensions, ribs or flanges formed
in the solid piece with either the pilaster or the slips and clamping devices
for detachably but rigidly connecting the parts substantially as described.
Second. In slate piers or jambs for mantel-pieces the combination with the
pilaster, slips or sides and plinth of right angled solid extensions ribs or
flanges formed upon either the pilaster and plinth or the slips, and clamping
devices for detachably but rigidly connecting together the parts substantially
as described.
Third. In slate piers or jambs for mantel-pieces the combination of a pilaster
and plinth having screw boxes attached, slips or sides having right angled
extensions ribs, or flanges formed and worked solid therewith, holes or openings
formed within and through said ribs or flanges, screw bolts to engage said
openings and screw boxes and screw up nuts and washers for pulling the whole
of the parts together substantially as described.
Fourth. In slate piers or jambs for mantel-pieces the combination of slips or
sides carrying screw bolts, a pilaster having formed solid with it right angled
extensions ribs or flanges, holes or openings formed through said ribs with
which the said bolts engage, and screw up nuts and washers for pulling the whole
of the parts together substantially as described.
00
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also at Liverpool, London and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.