Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire Mats, Gratings, Fencings, Panels, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire Mats, Gratings, Fencings,
Panels, and the like.
I JOSHUA HORROCKS, of 108 Pineapple Street, Brooklyn in the County of
Kings and State of New York, United States of America, Wire Worker 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:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of wire structures, such as mats, gratings,
fencings, panels and the like, and it has for its object especially to provide a wire
netting which will be braced in all directions, and in which the wire meshes will be
crossed by continuous metal strips, whose edges will extend beyond opposite sides
of the meshes, thereby providing a rigid structure, and also to provide an article
especially adapted for use as a mat, as the metal strips crossing the meshes are of a
serpentine or zig-zag construction having their edges facing upward and downward,
thus presenting surfaces capable of removing particles of foreign matter adhering
to the articles drawn over a mat for instance, and in contact with the strips.
Another feature of the invention is to provide a mat or like structure which will
not only be exceedingly durable and simple but which will also be economic in its
construction.
"
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a mat or panel constructed in accordance with my
invention;
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken practically on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the metal strips.
The wire structure is made up of strands A of wire, and metal strips or plates B.
The wire A, is cut in suitable lengths, and the wire is crimped or corrugated
throughout its length, the corrugations being shown at 10 in the drawings. The
metal plates or strips are made preferably rectangular in cross section, and they
are made in any desired length and width. The metal strips or plates B are bent
longitudinally to zig-zag or serpentine shape, presenting a scalloped or waved
appearance, and at the point of each scallop an aperture 11, is made, as shown in
Figure 3, extending through from face to face, and an aperture 12, is likewise made
at each end of the strip, the ends being made substantially straight.
In building up a panel or inat, one of the corrugated wires is laid in position to
form, for example, one end of the mat, this particular wire being designated in the
drawing as A, and next a series of wires, which may be designated as A³, is secured
in any suitable or approved manner to the wire first laid. The wires A², are
arranged at predetermined intervals apart, and extend outward from the first wire
at a right angle thereto. One of the serpentine or zig-zag metal strips or plates B,
is now presented to the series of wires A³, and the intermediate wires are passed
one through each of the intermediate apertures 11 in the plate, and the end wires A,
are passed through the end apertures 12 of the plate. The plate is forced along the
wires A2, until it engages at the points of its scallops with the cross wire A first
laid. A second corrugated cross wire A' is then interlaced through the longitudinal
series of wires A³, and alternately over and under all of the intermediate wires of
the same class, the cross wire A¹ being also attached to the end wires A; and as
all of the wires are corrugated the wires are so placed together that they contact at

page_text: their depressed surfaces.
Thus each wire is held locked in place.
cross wire A', is then made to engage with the inner points of the scallops of the
The second
metal strip or plate B first laid, and this method of construction is repeated until a
mat or panel of the proper size has been produced. The mat or panel will then
consist of wire interwoven to form meshes, and zig-zag or waved plates located
between the wires, running in one direction and crossing over meshes formed by the
waving of the wires, the edges of the plates facing upward and downward, or in
.direction of the sides of the panel or mat.
As the plates are much wider than the wire used to form the meshes, and as the
wire is passed through the central portions of the plates, when the structure is
utilized as a mat it will rest upon one edge of all the plates, the opposite edges of
the plates being presented to whatever object they are intended to support, or to
assist in cleaning. All of the wear will be sustained by the plates or strips, as the
wire, which is the weakest part of the structure, is protected by the plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. A mat or like metal structure, the same consisting of a wire mesh, and plates
longitudinally waved and provided with apertures at their points or angular portions,
the plates crossing the meshes, and the wires of the mesh passing through the
apertures in the plates, as and for the purpose specified.
2. As an improved article of manufacture, a mat, panel or like structure, the same
consisting of crimped or corrugated wire woven in meshes, and metal plates of
serpentine or zig-zag construction located between parallel strands of the wire
forming the mesh, the other wire strands being passed through the metal plates, as:
and for the purpose specified.
3. As an improved article of manufacture, a mat, panel or like article, consisting of
strands of wire corrugated or crimped and arranged in longitudinal and transverse
strands, forming meshes, the strands of wire being interlocked, a series of metal
strips or plates of zig-zag or serpentine form, said plates being located between each
two parallel strands of wire, running in one direction, the edges of the plates facing
the sides of the structure, the cross strands being passed through apertures made in
the points or angular portions of the plates and at their ends, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 18th day of July 1893.
JOSHUA HORROCKS,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.