IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LATHS, AND IN FIXING AND IN NAILING THE SAME
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hippolyte Becu, of Merville, Departement du Nord,
France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LATHS, AND IN FIXING AND IN NAILING THE SAME."
Sealed the 10th December 1858, and dated the 19th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hippolyte Becu at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th June 1858.
I, HIPPOLYTE BECU, of Merville, Departement du Nord, France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF LATHS, AND IN FIXING AND IN NAILING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to manufacturing laths used for plastering purposes,
and consists in making them in combinations of two, three, four, or other com-
binations of greater numbers instead of singly as at present used. I make the
laths in the form of perforated boards or sheets of a width and length according
to the wood to be used, or other circumstances. I perforate or form the separa-
tions of the laths by piercing the battens with parallel slits, of a length
corresponding between the joists or timbers on which they are to be nailed,
and leave a solid piece at the parts in contact with the joists, &c. After

page_text: piercing the battens, which may be done by punching or by circular saws, or
by other means, I cut it into thin boards or sheets. In this state combined
laths are ready for use.
Laths of this manufacture are quickly and firmly secured in position by
driving the nails through the solid parts of the board or sheets, besides requiring
a much smaller number of nails than is used for ordinary laths to cover the
same surface.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hippolyte Bécu in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HIPPOLYTE
BÉcu, of Merville, Departement du Nord, France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Hippolyte Bécu, Her special licence that I, the said
Hippolyte Bécu, my executors, adininistrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Hippolyte Bécu, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LATHS, AND IN FIXING AND IN NAILING THE SAME,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hippolyte Bécu, 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 per-
formed, 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 Hippolyte Becu, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention relates to manufacturing laths used for plastering purposes,
and in making them in combinations of two, three, four, or other combinations
of greater number, instead of singly as at present used. I make the laths in
the form of perforated boards or sheets of a width and length according to the
wood to be used or other circumstances. I perforate or form the separation
openings of the laths to receive and hold the plaster by piercing battens or
planks with parallel slits of a length corresponding with the distance between
the joists or timbers on which they are to be nailed, and leave a solid piece at
the parts in contact with the joists, &c. After piercing the battens, which
may be done by punching or by circular saws, or by other means, I cut them
into thin boards or sheets, in this state combined laths are ready for use.
Laths of this manufacture are quickly and firmly secured in position by driving
the nails through the solid part of the board or sheets, besides requiring a
much smaller number of nails than is used for ordinary laths to cover the
same surface.
Fig. 1 represents a part of a ceiling in process of being covered with my
improved laths; Figs. 2, 3, and 4 represent side views of laths made according
to my Invention of different widths; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the
same, while Fig. 6 represents a transverse section on an enlarged scale. To
prepare these laths I dispose a number of circular saws side by side on a
spindle, according to the number of openings to be cut in the width of the
plank. These saws are of sufficient thickness to form the width of openings
required. These circular saws being put in motion, I cause the plank of wood
from which the laths are to be made to descend on the saws which at once
perforate it and forms the openings v, v, v, required; this is repeated at intervals
throughout the length of the plank, as seen. Having so perforated the board
or plank, I next saw it into thin boards or pieces suitable for the laths in
the ordinary manner of sawing boards, as will be readily understood.
In nailing these laths on a ceiling, I place two temporary rods a, a, on
which I arrange the lath boards, as seen, for convenience of nailing. In
nailing them up, one fourth part of the nails only are required that would be
required to cover an equal surface with ordinary laths; and, moreover, my
lath-boards are not apt to split, as is the case with ordinary laths; they conse-
quently are much more secure, and present a better surface for plastering, and
somewhat resemble the solidity of a wall. In addition to forming a better
surface for plastering, there is a great saving in nails and workmanship in
putting up the lath surface.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the

page_text: herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the manufacture of laths as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hippolyte Bécu, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
HIPPOLYTE BECU. (L.S.)