Improvements in Fire and Weather Proof Roofing.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire and Weather Proof Roofing.
I, CARL SAMUEL HAEUSLER, of Hirschberg, Silesia, German Empire, Manu-
facturer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to construct a fire and weather-proof roofing for
buildings at a comparatively low cost.
For the roof itself any timber of convenient and suitable cross section
may
be
used but I have found it preferable to use timbers or rafters of from seven to eight
inches square and to place these rafters about three feet apart. This woodwork is
covered with boards or deals and I preferably give the roof an incline of one in
sixteen to one in twelve, which inclination should not be exceeded. Ventilation
insured by channels which are either arranged in the walls or between the layers of
boards which form the woodwork of the roofing.
is
For compensating for any bending or sagging of the frame or woodwork of the
roof and also for creating an insulating layer I first provide a layer of fine and well
dried sand (preferably river sand) varying in thickness from one-eighth to three-
eighths of an inch.
Upon this layer I apply in succession four layers of paper, taking care to cover
the edge of the paper by each successive layer and to lay the successive layer
crosswise. Each layer is, without the employment of any nails, covered or coated
with a hot layer of what is well known as Haeusler's wood cement. These four
layers of paper thus combined constitute one homogeneous layer and this is
particularly important, as this layer will yield or give to any sinking of the
supporting walls and to any warping of the woodwork of the roof. It may be well
to add that no cardboard of whatever size or thickness can take the place of this
fourfold paper layer, constructed and applied in the manner above described so far
as durability and suitability are concerned. Haeusler's wood cement above referred
to is a compound or mixture of coal tar, coal pitch and sulphur; these are melted
together in a double vessel or water bath for about 10 to 12 hours by which they
become thoroughly incorporated.
The edging of the roof for the protection of the exposed parts of the woodwork
as well as all apertures provided for the passage of chimneys and ventilating shafts,
the apertures for skylights and the joints to adjacent walls are lined with sheets of
zinc of any desired and suitable width.
In completing the roofing according to my invention, I cover the fourfold layer
or thickness of paper and its Haeusler wood ceinent with a layer of coal ashes, finely
sifted or of fine sand of about one half or three quarters of an inch thick and finally
I cover the said layer with a layer of clayey gravel of from two to two and a half
inches thick.
By the above described method of covering roofs and by the employment of the
materials specified I produce a roofing which is weather and fire proof and will not
be injuriously affected by frost.
In order to illustrate my improved method of roofing I will refer to the annexed
sheet of drawings.
In these drawings
Figure 1 shows a roof covered in the manner above described the roof having an
incline to one side only.
Figure 2 shows a roof inclined from the middle to both sides and
Figure 3 shows a roof having two inclines towards the middle.

page_text: Figure 4 shows a roof like Figure 1 the roof having a front and back or at three
or all sides projecting walls a; in the higher wall is the aperture 6 for ventilating
purposes and in the lower wall is the gutter c.
Figure 5 shows the end of the roof covering a cornice d and
Figure 6 shews the same construction with the addition of a gutter c on the
cornice d and with an aperture e for ventilating purposes.
Figure 7 shows a similar roofing with a ventilating tube carried through the
roof at its lowest point and the gutter e outside the ends of the rafters and boards.
Figures 8 and 9 show roofs of simple construction suitable for workshops etc. the
flat roof in Figure 8 having an edging of zinc k.
Figure 10 shows a roof like Figure 2 with the ventilating tube projecting
through the middle and highest part of the roof, and
Figure 11 shows a roof like Figure 3, the middle and lowest part of the roof
having the water conduit which at its top is covered by a cylinder i, provided
with holes for the water to pass, the cylinder preventing the gravel entering the
water conduit.
In the figures above referred to, m indicates the layer of gravel, n the layer
of sand or ashes below the gravel and o, r, s, the four layers of paper each
of which is covered with a coating or layer of the Haeusler wood cement.
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:
The covering of roofs with the materials and in the manner substantially as
herein before described with reference to the annexed drawings in order to make
the said roofs fire and weather proof.
Dated this 15th dow of Nonton 100/1
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.