Improved Fire and Heat Resisting and Ventilating Floors, Ceilings, and other Structures.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Fire and Heat Resisting and Ventilating Floors, Ceilings,
and other Structures.
JAMES SHEPPARD Trayshill Hornsey Lane London N. Surveyor FREDERICK
DASHWOOD Lindisfarne Hersham Road Walton on Thames Clerk of Works do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hollow tiles or bricks of any convenient size or section formed in any suitable
material capable of being moulded or cast are supported between skew backs of
concrete filled in between wedge or other shaped ends of the tiles or bricks and
joists or bearers of steel or other material giving a solid and even bed to every
portion of the tiles or bricks bearing thereon, continuous skewbacks of any suitable
material as above described enclosing the lower part of joists or bearers being used
if desired, concrete is filled in below and above the joists or bearers and also over
the tiles or bricks so as to secure a solid and unbroken mass over the whole floor or
other structure.
All metal used in the structure is covered in place of paint with a coating
one sixteenth of an inch or more thick of asphalte tar pitch and sand or other
suitable compound forming a layer over the whole surface of the metal space at the
end of each joist bearer or girder is filled in with a packing of similar compound
which layer or packing softens on any increase of temperature and becomes
sufficiently elastic to allow of the metal expanding and contracting without putting
any strain on concrete or other rigid materials which may surround or be supported
by the metal the layer or packing described being enclosed with other material
retaining its position unchanged. Ends of joists bearers or girders resting on walls
or other supports are bedded on steel or hard metal plates grooved in lines parallel
with the joists bearers or girders they may carry, in case of heavy loads steel
spheres or cylinders are placed in suitable sinkings in the steel or hard metal
plates.
The hollow spaces in the bricks or tiles being parallel with the joists or bearers
they are all available for flues ventilation warming the passage of pipes wires and
other purposes and used in connection with hollow bricks or tiles in walls and
partitions internal communication over the whole surface of floors ceilings walls
and partitions is secured for any purpose desired.
Main girders passing at right angles to joists or bearers have their webs pierced
as required or are formed with lattice work. The lower and upper surfaces of the
tiles or bricks are pierced with grooved holes made larger on the inside than the
outside to give key for concrete and plastering or the underside of the tiles or
bricks are so treated as to form a finished ceiling without plastering.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1894.
JAS. SHEPPARD.
FREDERICK DASHWOOD.

page_text: Improved Fire and Heat Resisting and Ventilating Floors, Ceilings,
and other Structures.
JAMES SHEPPARD, Trayshill Hornsey Lane London N. Surveyor FREDERICK
DASHWOOD Lindisfarne 'Hersham' 'Road Walton on Thames Clerk of Works 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in fire and heat resisting floors ceilings
and the like, having for its object the formation of fire and sound proof, strong and
light floors and other similar structures, in which metal used for supports may
harmlessly expand and contract, under changes of, temperature from fire or other-
wise, and in which there may be continuous hollow spaces in the depth or thickness
of the structure available for ventilation, warming, the passage of, pipes and wires,
or other similar purposes.
In the carrying out of our invention. we use metal or other joists spaced to any
distance up to about four feet aud. hollow arched shaped, tiles or blocks, of any
convenient size or section, formed in any material, capable of being moulded or
cast, burnt clay or terra-cotta being commonly used.
The hollow tiles or blocks are formed with wedge shaped and, recessed sides,
so arranged as to allow of their resting on short skew backs having a projecting
limb, which short skew backs are placed on the lower flanges of joists supporting
the structure.
The hollow spaces through the tiles or blocks run at right angles to their span
or width, so that when placed in position such hollow spaces are parallel with the
joists supporting the tiles or blocks.
The webs of any main girders at right angles to the joists are pierced, or formed
with lattice work.
The tiles or blocks are so made that the distance between their sides equals or
exceeds by not more than about two inches, the space between the flanges of the
joists, thus allowing of their being placed, in position from above after the joists
are permanently fixed.
Two of the tiles or blocks rest on each of the short skew backs.
The short skew backs are formed in suiff, clay, plaster, or other suitable material
and are used to support the tiles or blocks in position until concrete is filled in, the
projection of these skew backs is varied, to meet any difference that may be
necessary in the spacing of the joists.
Projections are formed on the lower portion of. the sides of, the tiles or blocks
to support filling pieces, which filling pieces are made solid or hollow as desired,
in similar material to that used for the tiles or blocks these filling pieces rest on
the last named projections on the sides of the tiles or blocks and cover the lower
flanges of the joists.
The short skew backs, tiles or blocks, and the filling pieces, are placed in
position without the use of centering or other temporary support, about the joists
as before described, from above, and as this is done suitable concrete is run in
between the sides of the tiles or blocks and the joists, and also spread over them to
any thickness desired.
In this way a solid bed for every part of the sides of the tiles or blocks is
provided, the filling pieces secured, and the joists completely encased with au
unbroken mass of concrete, forming a solid permanent skew back for the arched
tiles or blocks and also for the concrete arch over them.
The under surfaces of the tiles or blocks and filling pieces, are pierced with

page_text: counter sunk holes or otherwise treated to form key for plastering or are finished
with a plain or ornamented face as desired.
In place of painting we cover the whole surface of all metal work used in the
structure, that can afterwards be encased in concrete or other fire resisting
material, with a coating one sixteenth of an inch or more in thickness, of hot
asphalte and sand, or other similar compound which while remaining hard under
normal conditions softens on being subjected to any considerable increase of
temperature, suitable spaces round the ends of metal joists or girders where they
rest in walls are provided and packed with similar compound.
The coating and packing of hot asphalte and sand or other similar compound on
softening by being subjected to any considerable increase of temperature becomes
sufficiently elastic to allow the metal to expand and contract without putting a
strain or thrust on surrounding concrete or brickwork.
The coating and packing of asphalte compound is enclosed with concrete or
other fire resisting material so that undue change in its position is prevented.
For further and fuller explaination and description of our invention reference is
made to the accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 shews a cross section of a floor constructed according to our invention
indicating the wedge shaped and recessed sides (6), of the arched tiles or blocks (a),
the short skew backs (c) with projecting limb (), resting on the lower flanges of
joists (d) and the filling pieces (e) resting on the projections (f) on the lower part
of the sides of the arched tiles or blocks (a), the continuous hollow spaces (g)
running through the arched tiles or blocks (a) and also the permanent concrete
skew backs and filling or arch (h).
Fig. 2 is a plan of the floor on line A-B indicating the positions for the short
skew backs (c) and the course of the continuous hollow spaces (g) through the tiles
or blocks (a).
Fig. 3 is a view of the short skew back (c) with its projecting limb (i).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In the construction of floors ceilings and the like, the combination of
hollow arch shaped tiles or blocks, having wedge shaped and recessed sides with
projections thereon short skew backs and filling pieces, with permanent concrete
skew backs to joists for the purposes specified and substantially as described and
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The coating of structural metal work with hot asphalte and sand or other
similar compound which remains hard under normal conditions, but softens when
subjected to any considerable increase of temperature and the filling in round the
ends of metal joists or girders wbere resting in walls with such compound, for the
purposes specified and substantially as described.
Dated this Third day of August 1895.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In the construction of floors ceilings and the like, the combination of
hollow arch shaped tiles or blocks, having wedge shaped and recessed sides with
projections thereon short skew backs and filling pieces, with permanent concrete
skew backs to joists for the purposes specified and substantially as described and
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The coating of structural metal work with hot asphalte and sand or other
similar compound which remains hard under normal conditions, but softens when
subjected to any considerable increase of temperature and the filling in round the
ends of metal joists or girders wbere resting in walls with such compound, for the
purposes specified and substantially as described.
Dated this Third day of August 1895.
JAS. SHEPPARD.
FREDERICK DASHWOOD.