IMPROVEMENTS IN STABLES AND STABLING, APPLICABLE IN PART TO KENNELS AND TO THE FLOORS OF FISH HOUSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Page, of Great Yarmouth, in the County of
Norfolk, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STABLES AND
STABLING, APPLICABLE IN PART TO KENNELS AND TO THE FLOORS OF FISH
HOUSES."
Sealed the 27th March 1863, and dated the 6th October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Page at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th October
1862.
I, ROBERT PAGE, of Great Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk, Builder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STABLES
AND STABLING, APPLICABLE IN PART TO KENNELS AND TO THE FLOORS OF FISH HOUSES,"
to be as follows:-
I make the floors of stables of Portland cement or artificial stone, which
when sufficiently set I treat with boiled oil to insure perfect non-absorption,
and I have proper gratings, so that the staleings shall pass off to the drains
without obstruction; to facilitate which I arrange the floors so as to get a
number of slight inclines, which will be sure to lead all staleings to the gratings
without lodgments, or having too great inequalities in the floor. In this stable
I purpose to use for stabling purposes a portable pallet or mat for the horse to
lic upon in lieu of straw and the like; this I make of gutta percha, india-
rubber, or compounds thereof.
My stables have also an improved arrangement of rack, that is, I make the

page_text: same on a level with the horse's head, supplied from the hayloft by means of a
wide spout or duct, which will lead the hay and the like direct to the said
rack without allowing it to drop out whilst in transit. I also ventilate stables
by the use of ventilators placed at opposite points so as to insure complete
circulation of the air; and I have the window of perforated zinc, and use
enamelled mangers.
For kennels it is obvious all the above arrangements will not be required,
but for them and for fish houses the non-absorbent floor will always be
adopted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Page in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
PAGE, of Great Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk, Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Vietoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Page. Her special licence that 1, the said Robert Page, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, as such others as 1, the said Robert Page, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STABLES AND STABLING, APPLI-
CABLE IN PART TO KENNELS AND TO THE FLOORS OF FISH HOUSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Page, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
one of
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Page, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment;

page_text: My said Invention is comprised in the following particulars, wherein
reference is made to the accompanying Drawing.
In the first place 1 make waterproof or non-absorbent floors for stables (or
kennels and fish houses) by the use of the artificial stone or composition,
consisting of the substance known as Portland cement combined with fine
sand and fine shingle, also finely powdered clinkers from furnaces which
have been comminuted by grinding or pounding. Proceeding according to the
method I prefer I mix these together in the dry state in the following
proportions, viz. -One part of Portland cement, three of shingle, or three of
shingle and finely powdered clinkers, and one of fine sand and one part of
Portland cement; or where it may be difficult to obtain shingles, I can
employ three parts of clinkers, one of fine sand, and one of Portland cement;
or the quantity of fine sand may be reduced to half the quantity named, when
the quantity of clinkers or shingle will be increased in the same proportion.
Having by agitation well mixed together all these substances in the dry state,
I proceed to add water thereto in the same manner as when using Portland
cement as ordinarily practised, and I lay down the same and form the floor,
first preparing the ground or substratum by laying bricks or placing rubbish
well rammed down in such a way that the floor may have a number of slight
inclines, which will be sure to lead all staleings, whether of horse or mare,
direct to the gratings, and ensure their being carried away to the cesspool or
main sewer.
And when so far dried as to be what is termed "set," I pay
over the surface with boiled linseed or other oil, so as to ensure perfect non-
absorption. purpose in this stable to use (instead of straw) a mattress for
the horse to lie down upon, this mattress to be of india-rubber or gutta percha,
india-rubber and cork, like what is known as kamptulicon.
"
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
The different views shewn are noted therein and will be understood by
inspection, but it may be necessary to remark that the dotted lines on the plan
of the floor shew the arrangement of the inclines to the cesspools before
mentioned, the highest points being at a, b, c, d, the lowest e, f; c being
intended to provide for carrying off the staleings of a horse, the staleings of a
mare being carried off at either e or f, by which arrangements the hinder
hoofs never stand in the wet occasioned by the staleings. Moreover the sides
of this stable may be lined with gutta percha.
By reference to the Drawings and the explanations therein written, the
manner in which my stable is arranged will be readily understood without
further description.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare
that I claim the improvements in stables and stabling applicable in part (that
is, as regards the mode of constructing the floors or flooring, as herein-before
described,) to the floors of fish houses, as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Page, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W. H. BATEMAN,
General Patent Compy., Limited,
71, Fleet St., E.C.
ROBERT PAGE. (L.S.)