IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING STABLE FLOORS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Edward Knightley, of 25, Cannon Street, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING
STABLE FLOORS."
Sealed the 23rd July 1861, and dated the 1st February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Edward Knightley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st February 1861.
I, THOMAS EDWARD KNIGHTLEY, of 25, Cannon Street, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
STRUCTING STABLE FLOORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing stable floors.
For these purposes in constructing a stable floor it is made in parts, and such
parts or some of them are arranged to open or fold on hinges, and it is pre-
ferred that the upper surface should be horizontal, and not, as heretofore,
inclined from end to end, or from the sides to the centre. It is also preferred
that the floor of a stall of a stable should be divided into two parts meeting in
the centre, with the exception of the part of the floor near the rack and
manger. Or the division of the floor of a stall or loose box of a stable may be
otherwise divided into parts, and the parts suitably hinged. The floor boards
are fixed on suitable frames in diagonal directions, by preference from the
centre line outwards towards the two sides. The boards are not laid close

page_text: together, but a small space is left in each case between one board and the
next for the passage of urine and water used for washing the floor. Below
the wood floor the surfaces are either paved or cemented, and made to incline
in all directions towards a gutter placed by preference down the centre, and
the gutter is covered by an arched or raised grating or perforated cover.
The
wood floor is supported on suitable bearers of timber or other material, which
are supported at intervals by brickwork or suitable uprights.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Edward Knightley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
EDWARD KNIGHTLEY, of 25, Cannon Street, in the City of London, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Edward Knightley, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Edward Knightley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas Edward Knightley, 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 CONSTRUCTING STABLE FLOORS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Edward Knightley, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Edward Knightley, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing stable floors.
For these purposes in constructing a stable floor it is made in parts, and such
parts or some of them are arranged to open or fold on hinges, and it is preferred
that the upper surface should be horizontal, and not, as heretofore, inclined
5 from end to end, or from the sides to the centre. It is also preferred that the
floor of a stall of a stable should be divided into two parts meeting in the
centre, with the exception of the part of the floor near the rack and manger.
Or the division of the floor of a stall or loose box of a stable may be otherwise
divided into parts, and the parts suitably hinged. The floor boards are fixed
on suitable frames in diagonal directions by preference from the centre line
outwards towards the two sides. The boards are not laid close together, but
a small space is left in each case between one board and the next for the
passage of urine and water used for washing the floor. Below the wood floor
the surfaces are either paved or cemented, and made to incline in all direc-
tions towards a gutter placed by preference down the centre, and the gutter is
covered by an arched or raised grating or perforated cover. The wood floor is
supported on suitable bearers of timber or other material, which are supported
at intervals by brickwork or suitable uprights.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a plan of the upper surface of the floor for a stable ;
Figure 2 shews a plan, the floor being removed; and Figure 8 shews a trans-
verse section of the flooring, and under structure for a stable, constructed and
combined according to my Invention. The wood portion of the floor is divided
into two parts a and b, which are hinged at c, c, at the sides, so as to admit of
their being opened or raised, when it is desired to get at the inclined surfaces
d, d, to clean the same or otherwise. The parts a and b are similarly con-
structed of boards or bars of wood with narrow spaces between them to
prevent the horse slipping, and for the free passage of the urine through the
floor a, b, to the under inclined surfaces d, d, down which the urine flows
freely into the drain, and such is the case in respect to water which may be
used for flushing the surfaces d, d, and for washing the upper surfaces of the
boards or bars of wood of which the floor is composed. The passage from the
surfaces d into the drain should be trapped. The upper surfaces of the boards
or bars of wood are preferred to be studded over with nails or roughed. The
upper surface of the floor should be level and truly horizontal. The Drawings
show the manner of supporting the parts a and b, by piers or blocks of brick-

page_text: work or stone. The Drawings shew the general construction and manner
preferred of putting together of the several parts. It will be remarked that
the wooden flaps a and b do not extend to the sides of the stall, but that a
narrow strip on each side is paved with bricks or otherwise; this renders the
arrangement cheaper to construct, while at the same time the full advantage
of my Invention is obtained, as the horse will never stand with his feet close
alongside of the partition. The details of construction may be varied without
departing from my Invention. By thus constructing the floor or a considerable
part of the floor, and also the parts below the floor of a stable, whether for a
stall or a loose box, horses will at all time be dry, and a much less quantity
of litter will be used by reason of the litter not becoming or remaining wet.
What I claim is the combined arrangement herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Edward Knightley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
T. E. KNIGHTLEY. (L.8.)