IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING FIREPROOF FLOORS AND CEILINGS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius Homan, of the Grove, Camberwell, in the
County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CONSTRUCTING FIREPROOF FLOORS AND CEILINGS."
Sealed the 23rd March 1866, and dated the 7th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius Homan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
October 1865.
I, JULIUS HOMAN, of the Grove, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING FIREPROOF FLOORS AND CEILINGS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing fireproof
floors and ceilings.
In constructing fireproof floors and ceilings ordinary wrought-iron girders
are used as heretofore, generally of a section thus I of wrought iron. But in
place of using wood fillets or laths, as heretofore, I employ short lengths
of light wrought iron, by preference having a vertical web and horizontal
flanges at bottom, like ordinary T iron inverted. These short lengths of
light iron are placed parallel to each other between the girders, and at
right angles thereto, and sufficiently near together to allow of their hori-
zontal flanges supporting the concrete or other material of which 'the floor
Price 8d.1

page_text: is to be composed. These short lengths of light iron are supported at
their ends by the lower flanges of the girders. The plaster forming the
ceiling adheres to the concrete or other filling between the girders. The
width of the flanges of the short lengths of iron are not so great as to prevent
the plaster being properly supported by the concrete. In order that the
plaster may obtain a key under the girders, the ends of the short lengths of
iron above mentioned are split or cut, so as to allow of the ends of the flange
of each length being bent downwards and to pass under the girders. These
bent parts coming under the lower flanges of the girders allow of the plaster
being continued under the girders, the spaces between the bent ends and the
girders forming dovetailed openings, which in receiving the plaster form a
good holding for the same under the girders.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent, filed
by the said Julius Homan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIUS
HOMAN, of the Grove, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Julius Homan, Her special licence that I, the said Julius Homan,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Julius
Homan, 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
FIREPROOF FLOORS AND CEILINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Julius Homan, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Julius Homan, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its objectimprovements in constructing fire fireproof
floors and ceilings.
In constructing fireproof floors and ceilings, ordinary wrought-iron girders
are used as heretofore, generally of a section thus I of wrought iron; but in
place of using wood fillets or laths, as heretofore, I employ short lengths of
light wrought iron, by preference having a vertical web and horizontal flanges
at bottom, like ordinary Tiron inverted. These short lengths of light iron
are placed parallel to each other between the girders and at right angles
thereto, and sufficiently near together to allow of their horizontal flauges
supporting the concrete or other material of which the floor is to be composed.
These short lengths of light iron are supported at their ends by the lower
flanges of the girders. The plaster forming the ceiling adheres to the concrete
or other filling between the girders. The width of the flanges of the short
lengths of iron is not so great as to prevent the plaster being properly sup-
ported by the concrete. In order that the plaster may obtain a key under
the girders, the ends of the short lengths of iron above mentioned are splitor
cut,so as to allow of the ends of the flange of each length being bent down-
wards and to pass under the girders. These bent parts coming under the
lower flanges of the girders allow of the plaster being continued under the
girders, the spaces between the bent ends and the girders forming dovetailed
openings, which in receiving the plaster form a good holding for the same
under the girders.
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 shows a section of a floor taken transversely of the girders;
Figure 2 shows a plan of the same. These Figures are each divided into three
parts, one part shows the girders with the short lengths of augle iron of
ansection introduced between the girders of wrought iron, which are of
an I section; another part shows the concrete filling; and the third part
shows the wood floor supported by the joists or girders and concrete, together
with wood chocks or supports.
In these Figures concrete is employed as the filling fireproof material, which
is supported by the flanges of the girders or joists a, a, and by the flanges of

page_text: the short lengths of angle iron b, b. In the arrangement shown in Figures
1 and 2, the short lengths of liron 6 are straight, but when using bricks it is
preferred that the lengths of iron b, b, should be arched, as is shown in section
in Figure 3, and in plan in Figure 4.
In order that the ceiling may becontinued under the girders, the lengths of
iron bare slit at the ends, as shown in Figure 5,so that the ends of the flanges
may be bent downwards and pass under the lower flanges of the girders or
joists, and thus present dovetail spaces for receiving the plaster. The ceiling
is formed against the under surface of the concrete or bricks according as one
or other of those materials are used, the plaster adhering thereto, and at the
ends of the lengths of iron b, b, the bent-down parts receive and key and hold
the plaster. By these means wood laths are dispensed with, whilst the ceilings
are well supported.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is the
combined arrangement of the parts a, a, and b, b, with concrete or brickwork,
and ceilings, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius Homan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JULIUS HOMAN. (L.S.)