Improvements in Walls and Ceilings or Covers or Ornamentation therefor, and Method of Making the same.
Year: 1899

page_text: -
Improvements in Walls and Ceilings or Covers or Ornamentation
therefor, and Method of Making the same.
We, WALTER RUTTENBERG and MATTHYS VAN ZANTEN; of Dordrecht," in the
Kingdom of Holland, Manufacturers of Lithographic Metal Goods, - do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of covering, or ornamenting the
walls of rooms, partitions, ceilings and the like.
:
The wall and ceiling covers hitherto employed have numerous drawbacks, paper
wall covers soon become dirty and tear, and also suffer from the dampness of
the walls, and are objectionable from the point of view of health.
Stippled or washed walls or ceilings also soon become dirty and are subject to
the action of moisture and have to be always freshly tinted or washed after a
certain time, which is not merely costly but also troublesome.
The object of the present invention is to provide a covering for walls and ceil-
ings, in which these drawbacks do not arise and which is durable, easily cleaned,
and corresponds to all the requirements of hygiene.
The method consists in the use of sheet metal instead of paper as a covering
for walls and ceilings. The sheets which have preferably a width of about half a
metre are bent round sharply at their longitudinal sides. In this condition the
sheets are pressed over wood frames which are formed of two flat longitudinal
bars and some cross bars..
The longitudinal bars exactly fit into the said bent round edges, whilst the
cross bars serve for stiffening and are connected with the longitudinal bars after
the latter have been inserted in the bent round edges of the sheet metal plates.
The galvanised plates are previously ornamented with a drawing or pattern
by lithographic means.
The length of the wood frame and the sheets coincide with the height of the
wall to be covered or the extent of the ceiling. They are placed against the said
wall side by side and screwed above and below to wood bars or laths. The design
on the sheets is such that at the place where the plates join one another a cohe-
rent picture is produced.
If the sheets cannot be obtained of the desired length or if only a certain
length can be imprinted, the separate pieces are connected by a water tight joint
or seam and in such a way, that here also the design is not broken, that is to
say extends right' through.
With a careful and attentive treatment these seams are not at all conspicuous
in the finished covering.
Taking as an example three sheets joining one another for a wall covering, the
longitudinal bars which are cut obliquely at their outer edge and the cross bars
form a frame which serves as support for the casing or wall covering. The thick-

page_text: ness of the longitudinal and cross bars is such that the frame projects somewhat
over the bent round part of the sheet metal plate. The frame is screwed down
firmly on wood laths or bars which are fixed, above and below, against the masonry
or brickwork of the wall.
If it be necessary to have one or more horizontal joints, a cross bar is also
introduced behind the joint and the wall cover is fixed at this place with small
nails in order to prevent any possible rising up of the sheet metal plates.
Instead of wood bars for the frames, angle irons may be employed. These
profile or angle irons should have exactly the form of the bent round part of the
sheet metal plate which projects a little. In the centre there is preferably
arranged a iron, whilst the cross connection is established by means of iron
bars or rods. The central profile or angle iron and the cross bars may however be
replaced by wood laths in case such bars are desirable for a rapid construction
and attachment of the frame. The iron must be galvanised in order that it
may not rust.
These frames are screwed to the wall above and below in any suitable manner
or they may be attached to wood beams or laths.
The frames formed in the manner herein before described may also in a simple
manner be employed for the construction of walls, partitions and the like. The
frames thus formed are then fastened on both sides to laths or bars screwed to
the floor and ceiling of a room, or frames may be employed which are covered
on both sides with sheet metal plates. The longitudinal bars are in such case of
double thickness and have on their outer side a rectangular groove shaped
thus in which the short bent round edges of the plate may lie.
This improved wall covering is particularly suitable for walls and ceilings of
dwelling rooms, bed rooms, bath rooms, kitchens, stores, offices, hotels, cafes,
laboratories, work rooms, entrance halls, hospitals, sick wards, and the like.
The advantages of this improved cover as against the wall papers and the like
hitherto employed are as follows:-
1. The moisture of the walls, which as is well known is very deleterious to
paper wall hangings has no action on this improved covering.
2. Rats, mice, and the like vermin, cannot hide behind this covering.
3. This improved covering is in no way deleterious to health. The colours
with which wall papers are imprinted frequently cause poisoning. The germs
of infectious diseases also frequently lodge in such wall coverings but this cannot
arise with this improved covering and the latter may be cleansed in the simplest
manner with water. Owing to this property this improved cover is particularly
suitable for bed rooms, sick rooms and especially for any localities in which it is
a question of cleanliness above everything.
4. This improved wall cover may be preferably employed for constructing par-
tition walls wherever English walls or plaster partitions have been hitherto
employed. The wall made in this manner occupies very little space and is very
light so that the weight of the floor beams is considerably diminished. Such a
wall may also be removed without difficulty and without damaging anything, and
be again erected at any place. Nails may be driven into such partitions oppo-
site the wood beams or laths for fastening up, or suspending articles thereon.
5. If the frames of such a partition are arranged on both sides in such a way
that between two plates a small air space is formed, the partition allows no noise
to penetrate, which for hotels and private dwellings is of great importance.
6. In kitchens and house passages or halls, and particularly where hitherto the
ceilings and walls have been painted and tinted or washed (stippled) the present
arrangement hereinbefore described may be preferably employed. The painting
or washing necessarily repeated each year which is both expensive and trouble-
some, may be dispensed with and the walls may be simply cleaned by means of a
sponge or leather.
7. The walls on which the cover is attached need not be made of smooth
✓ masonry or be plastered.

page_text: 8. This improved cover is incombustible and consequently is not inflammable
and thus affords safety from fire.
Dated this 10th day of February 1800
Improvements in Walls and Ceilings or Covers or Ornamentation
therefor, and Method of Making the same.
We, WALTER RUITENBERG and MATTHYS VAN ZANTEN, of Dordrecht, in the
Kingdom of Hollond, Manufacturers of Lithographic Metal Goods, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improved method of covering or ornamenting the
walls of rooms, partitions, ceilings and the like.
The wall and ceiling covers hitherto employed have numerous drawbacks, paper
wall covers soon become dirty and tear, and also suffer from the dampness of
the walls, and are objectionable from the point of view of health.
Stippled or washed walls or ceilings also soon become dirty and are subject to
the action of moisture and have to be always freshly tinted or washed after a
certain time, which is not merely costly but also troublesome.
The object of the present invention is to provide a covering for walls and ceil-
ings, in which these drawbacks do not arise and which is durable, easily cleaned,
and corresponds to all the requirements of hygiene.
The method consists in the use of sheet metal instead of paper as a covering
for walls and ceilings. The sheets which have preferably a width of about half a
metre are bent round sharply at their longitudinal sides. In this condition the
sheets are pressed over wood frames which are formed of two flat longitudinal
bars and some cross bars.
The longitudinal bars exactly fit into the said bent round edges, whilst the
cross bars serve for stiffening and are connected with the longitudinal bars after
the latter have been inserted in the bent round edges of the sheet metal plates.
The galvanised plates are previously ornamented with a drawing or pattern
by lithographic means.
The length of the wood frame and the sheets coincide with the height of the
wall to be covered or the extent of the ceiling. They are placed against the said
wall side by side and screwed above and below to wood bars or laths. The design
on the sheets is such that at the place where the plates join one another a cohe-
rent picture is produced.
If the sheets cannot be obtained of the desired length or if only a certain
length can be imprinted, the separate pieces are connected by a water tight joint
or seam and in such a way that here also the design is not broken, that is to
say extends right through.
With a careful and attentive treatment these seams are not at all conspicuous
in the finished covering.
This improved wall covering is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a wall partially covered with the sheets and partly
with sheets omitted;

page_text: Fig. 2 a cross section of the wall covering;
Fig. 3 a cross section of the sheet metal plate
Fig. 4 a cross section through the bent round edge;.
5970
Tot
Fig. 5 a cross section of the wall covering in which profile iron is employed
instead of wood bars for the frame work.
Fig. 3 shows the form of the sheets, a and it will be seen that the short bent
round parts are arranged at the longitudinal sides at an angle of about 45°.
Figs. 1 and 2 show three sheets a joining one another for a wall covering in
which the longitudinal bars c which are cut obliquely at their outer edge and
the cross bars d form a frame which serves as support for the casing or wall
covering. The thickness, of the. longitudinal and cross bars is such that the
frame projects somewhat over the bent round part of the sheet metal plate. The
frame is screwed down firmly at e on wood laths or bars & which are fixed, above
and below, against the masonry or brickwork m of the wall.
If it be necessary to have one or more horizontal joints f a cross bar d is also
introduced behind the joint and the wall cover is fixed at this place with small
nails in order to prevent any possible rising up of the sheet metal plates.
Instead of wood bars c for the frames, angle irons h may be employed as shown
in Fig. 5. These profile or angle irons h should have exactly, the form of the bent
round part of the sheet metal plate which projects a little. In the centre there
is preferably arranged a 1 iron g whilst the cross connection is established by
means of iron bars or rods i. The central profile or angle irons g and the cross
bars i may however be replaced by wood lathis in case such bars are desirable for
a rapid construction and attachment of the frame. The iron' must be galvanised in
order that it may not rust.
These frames are screwed to the wall m above and below in any suitable
manner or they may be attached to wood beams or laths b.
The frames formed in the manner hereinbefore described may also in a simple
manner be employed for the construction of intermediate walls partitions and the
like. The frames thus formed are then fastened on both sides to laths or bars &
screwed to the floor and ceiling of a room, or frames may be employed which are
covered on both sides with sheet metal plates. The longitudinal bars care in
such case of double thickness and have on their outer side a V-shaped groove
in which the short bent round edges of the plate may lie.
This improved wall covering is particularly suitable for walls and ceilings of
dwelling rooms, bed rooms, bath rooms, kitchens, stores, offices, hotels, cafes,
laboratories, work rooms, entrance halls, hospitals, sick wards, and the like.
The advantages of this improved cover as against the wall papers and the like
hitherto employed are as follows;-
1. The moisture of the walls, which as is well known is very deleterious to
paper wall hangings has no action on this improved covering.
2. Rats, mice, and the like vermin, cannot hide behind this covering.
3. This improved covering is in no way deleterious to health. The colours
with which wall papers are imprinted frequently cause poisoning. The germs
of infectious diseases also frequently lodge in such wall coverings but this cannot
arise with this improved covering and the latter may be cleansed in the simplest
manner with water. Owing to this property this improved cover is particularly
suitable for bed rooms, sick rooms and especially for any localities in which it is
a question of cleanliness above everything.
4. This improved wall cover may be preferably employed for constructing par-
tition walls wherever English walls or plaster partitions have been hitherto
employed. The wall made in this manner occupies very little space and is very
light so that the weight of the floor beams is considerably diminished. Such a
wall may also be removed without difficulty and without damaging anything, and
be again erected at any place. Nails may be driven into such partitions oppo-
"site the wood beams or laths for fastening up, or suspending articles thereon.
5. If the frames of such a partition are arranged on both sides in such a way

page_text: that between two plates a small air space is formed, the partition allows no noise
to penetrate, which for hotels and private dwellings is of great importance.
6. In kitchens and house passages or halls, and particularly where hitherto the
ceilings and walls have been painted and tinted or washed (stippled) the present
arrangement herein before described may be preferably employed The painting
or washing necessarily repeated each year which is both expensive and trouble-
some, may be dispensed with and the walls may be simply cleaned by means of a
sponge or leather.
7. The walls on which the cover is attached need not be made of smooth
masonry or be plastered.
8. This improved cover is incombustible and consequently is not inflammable
and thus affords safety from fire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A covering for walls, ceilings and the like, consisting of frames provided
on their outside with sheet metal plates ornamented by lithographed drawings
or the like, the edges of the plate being bent round sharply over the longitudinal
edges of the frames so that the plates firmly adhere thereto, and the sections which
are of equal sizes being placed side by side and forming a full covering for the
wall or ceiling without showing any exterior projections, substantially as here-
in before described.
2. A covering for walls, ceilings and the like of the kind described characterised
by the frames having their outer edges cut obliquely and the plates having their
edges bent round at an equal angle in such a way as to fit exactly on the frames
and be adapted to be placed over the latter substantially as described.
3. In a covering for walls, ceilings and the like of the kind described, the adap-
tation of the same for use as partitions by covering the frames on both sides with
sheet metal plates and forming the longitudinal edges of the frames with a
V-shaped groove, to receive the bent over edges of the plate substantially as
described.
Dated thin 14 1
Ր
1
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, & London.