Improvements in Tiles, Slabs, Building Blocks, Pipes, and the like Used in the Construction of Walls, Buildings, Roofs, Pavements, and the like.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Tiles, Slabs, Building Blocks, Pipes, and the
like Used in the Construction of Walls, Buildings, Roofs,
Pavements, and the like.
I GEORGE EDWARD SMART of Belvedere House Tunbridge Wells in the County
of Kent Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TILES OR EQUIVALENT AND ACCESSORIES APPLICABLE IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WALLS OR BUILDINGS ROOFS PAVEMENTS AND THE LIKE to be as
follows:-
"
This invention consists essentially of tiles or equivalent slabs adapted to fit in
dovetail or other shaped grooves formed therein or in suitable corner pieces which
are provided with any required number of the grooves usually three or four.
In one way of constructing a wall according to my invention I take the corner
or junction pieces and slip the slabs into their grooves forming by preference two
walls side by side and joining them by cross ties so that they form one hollow wall
the spaces in which may be filled in with any suitable material. The slabs may if
desired be provided with grooves or projections so that slabs may be joined to them
in a similar manner to their junction with the corner pieces.
Although the various pieces of these walls may be fitted together and fastened
with mortar or cement so as to make a permanent wall they are notwithstanding
particularly suitable for temporary purposes as the walls can be put together
without any fastening and moved or taken to pieces again whenever required the
spaces being if desired filled in with soil sand or the like to increase the weight
and fill up crevices.
Cross pieces may also be employed so as to divide one course of slabs from the
next so that any particular course or courses may be filled in and others left empty;
suitable coping pieces may be used which are constructed to suit the slabs.
For roofing work both slabs and connecting pieces may have suitable projections
or holes to fix them by to the woodwork of the roof. One advantage of these
slabs for roofing purposes. is that as the slabs are connected together they are not so
liable to be stripped or blown off as in the case of ordinary tiles.
For pavements and similar work the slabs may be roughened or have projecting
designs; they may also be used as partitions or moulds for concrete.

page_text: One purpose for which these slabs would be very useful is for the rapid
repairing of breaches in sea walls as the filling in being protected it would not be
so liable to be washed away with each tide while the work was in progress. They
would also be useful as backing for sea walls.
The slabs and connecting pieces may be bevilled and overlapped when desired.
The coping slabs may be suitably shaped to give the desired effect such as
angular or semicircular the latter form being applicable when two parts are fitted
together as pipes which may be utilized for drainage purposes and would occupy
much less room in transit than the ordinary kind. When fitted the reverse way
the rain water might be collected from the top of a wall in a tank or pond at the
end of it. Tonguing and grooving or equivalent means may be employed for
joining together the different courses or slabs.

page_text: I GEORGE EDWARD SMART of Belvedere House, Tunbridge Wells, in the County
of Kent, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention consists essentially of tiles or equivalent slabs adapted to fit in
dovetail or other shaped grooves formed therein or in suitable corner pieces which
are provided with any required number of grooves usually three or four.
In one way of constructing a wall according to my invention I take the corner
or junction pieces and slip the slabs into their grooves forming by preference two
walls side by side and joining them by cross ties so that they form one hollow wall
the spaces in which may be filled in with any suitable material
The slabs may if
desired be provided with grooves or projections so that slabs may be joined to them
in a similar manner to their junction with the corner pieces.
Although the various pieces of these walls may be fitted together and fastened
with mortar or cement so as to make a permanent wall they are notwithstanding
particularly suitable for temporary purposes as the walls can be put together
without any fastening and moved or taken to pieces again whenever required the
spaces being if desired filled in with soil sand or the like to increase the weight
and fill up crevices.
Cross-pieces may also be employed so as to divide one course of slabs from the
next so that any particular course or courses may be filled in and others left empty
suitable coping pieces may be used which are constructed to suit the slabs.
For roofing-work both slabs and connecting pieces may have suitable projections
or holes to fix them by to the woodwork of the roof.
One advantage of these slabs for roofing purposes is that as the slabs are con-
nected together they are not so liable to be stripped or blown off as in the case of
ordinary tiles.
For pavements and similar work the slabs may be roughened or have projecting
designs; they may also be used as partitions or moulds for concrete.
One purpose for which these slabs would be very useful is for the rapid repairing.
of breaches in sea walls as the filling in, being protected it would not be so liable
to be washed away with each tide while the work was in progress. They would
also be useful as backing for sea walls,
The slabs and connecting pieces may be bevilled and overlapped when desired.
The coping slabs may be suitably shaped to give the desired effect such as
angular or semicircular, the latter form being applicable when two parts are fitted.

page_text: .
together as pipes may be utilised for drainage purposes and would occupy much
less room in transit than the ordinary kind. When fitted the reverse way the rain-
water might be collected from the top of a wall in a tank or pond at the end of it
Tounging or grooving or equivalent means may be employed for joining together
the different courses or slabs.
Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 a
section on line a b of my improved paving slabs. A A are the slabs having their
opposite edges formed with hook-shaped projections A¹ the inner faces of which are
corrugated or wavy or are inclined in alternate directions as shown at A³ Figure 1.
In laying these blocks their projections A¹ are laid side by side, the result being
that a groove is formed. Into this groove I place a junction piece B having a
groove in its under side adapted to correspond and engage with the projections A*
on the slabs; this unites the slabs firmly together and the interlocking of the faces
prevents longitudinal movement. I prefer placing the slabs so that they break
joint, and these joints may either lap over or butt against each other.
Figures 3 and show a plan and edge view of a modification in the method of
joining paving slabs, and the like. In this instance the slabs A have projections A¹
on each edge of the character shown but in their opposite edges the projections are
reversed, thus when the slabs are laid their joints interlock with one another as
shown at L and form a flush surface. This enables junction pieces to be dispensed
with and to a certain extent the cost of laying will be cheapened. A further,
modification of the method I sometimes employ for jointing paving or other slabs is
shown in cross-sections at Figures 5 and 5*.
Figure 6 is an elevation Figure 6* a cross-section and Figure 7 an edge view of
building slabs. These slabs have their top and bottom edges formed with tongues
and grooves C C³, their vertical joints being formed with a curved tongue C³ and
corresponding groove C. It will be seen that the curved tongues can only be
inserted in the groove by a slightly circular movement as indicated by the dotted
lines Figure 7 but when in position the two slabs cannot be drawn asunder in a
straight line as the remote portions forming the slab must be raised to accomodate
the curve.
Instead of forming the adjacent slabs see Figures 9 and 10 with corresponding
grooves and tongues I form a groove C in each slab through which I insert curved
rods or strips C³ which may be made of metal or any suitable material. In a
modification of this means of connecting the adjacent slabs I use a tongue and
groove of pear shape as shown in cross-section in Figure 8 or I form all the slabs
with grooves and use a loose strip with double pear shape heads or double curve of
8 shape as shown at Figure 10° to connect them.
Figures 10° 10° and 10d show modifications of forming the horizontal and vertical
joints. The slabs C in this case have their edges formed with angular projections a
and recesses b which interlock with similar projections and recesses in adjacent slabs
when placed in position. The vertical joints shown in cross section Figure 10ª
have tongues and grooves with recesses or grooves c formed in their faces into which
I place rods or when used for building purposes of a permanent character I run in
liquid cement.
In some instances I form a slot or chamber C' in the centre of each slab C see
Figures 9 and 10 to allow the rods C³ to pass through them for the purpose of
binding in position.
In constructing buildings with slabs of this character I make the walls hollow
and use suitable junction pieces at the corners to take the tongues and grooves.
The slabs are maintained at a suitable distance apart by means of ties, the inter-
vening spaces being if desired filled with any suitable material. Where the.
building is to be permanent I run liquid eement into the joints to fill up all.
interstices.
Figures 11 and 12 show in plan and side elevation roofing tiles. These tiles D
are of channel shape.in cross section and have their ends-shaped so as to overlap

page_text: one another as shown in Section in Figure 12 thus forming when placed together
flush surfaces. These outer edges are perfectly straight but the inner edges D¹ are
formed with a corrugated or wavy surface similar to that described and shown in
Figures 1 and 2. A junction piece E of channel section similar to B Figure 2
provided with internal inclined faces is placed over the joints and serves to bind
the contiguous tiles firmly together. These tiles are attached to the roof by the
hook projections D' or by any other suitable means.
Modified forms of tile are shown in plan side elevation and section in Figures 13,
14 and 15 respectively. In this arrangement the alternate tiles are of different
sections E being a tile of channel section and G is formed with overlapping grooves
which fit over the sides of the tile F. The sides of the tile F are formed with a
portion of the edge with notched wavy or angular projections and the corre-
spending overlapping grooves in the tile G are formed with projections which
engage with them.
Figures 16 and 17 show in plan and end view a pipe constructed with joints
according to my invention. The pipes H are made in halves and their upper and
lower members have corresponding wavy grooves H³ and tongues H³; for jointing
purposes the ends being also furnished with tongues H³ and grooves H for making
their lateral joints. These pipes may be used as a coping for walls with either
their concave or convex sides uppermost. In the former case the channel would
form a trough for drainage or other purposes.
Figures 18 and 19 show in plan and end elevation an improved form of building
block J adapted for walls These are secured together by means of the tongues J¹
and grooves J their narrow edges being half checked. Instead of the joints being
formed with tongues J¹ and grooves J'a groove can be provided in each face and a
loose strip or junction piece of curved section inserted as shown at J³. The
openings formed in walls constructed with these blocks can be utilized as water
courses or smoke flues.
Figures 20 and 21 show sectional views of a method of forming the ends of
blocks with curved tongues M and recesses N instead of making a groove and
tongue the whole length. This modification I employ for the purpose of concealing
the means of connection where such is desired.
Any of the slabs can have their surfaces grooved or roughened when they are
used for paving purposes to give foot hold for horses and pedestrians and can be
made in different colors with ornamental devices. When used for buildings,
provision can also be made for attaching the joists, wall plates etcetera as
required.
Although I have only referred in the foregoing description to what I deem the
more important of the parts to which my invention is applicable there are many
others; such for instance as the various pieces used in the construction of stair-
cases, doorways and window frames in which my principle could be utilized. Also
instead of the pieces having only single tongues and grooves two or more could
be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The construction of bricks, tiles, slabs, pipes, and similar articles having
grooves and tongues or their respective equivalents when engaging surfaces are
corrugated or wavy or equivalently shaped substantially as and for the purpose
specified and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In bricks, tiles, slabs, pipes and similar articles the method of preventing
longitudinal slipping which consists in forming the faces of the grooves and
tongues or their respective equivalents with wavy corrugated or equivalent surfaces
which engage with each other substantially in the manner specified and shown in
the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. The construction of bricks tiles alabs and the like with curved tongues and
grooves substantially such as described and shown in Figures 7 and 10 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. The construction of recessed blocks tiles slabs and the like adapted to be fitted
together in pairs face to face to form pipes and having at their backs tongues or
grooves for the purpose of connecting them back to back substantially as specified
and shown in Figure 19 of the accompanying drawings.
having
5. A tile for roofing or similar purposes such as shown in Figure
central and end channels such as C7 adapted to receive rods or strips such as C³ for
the purpose of holding the various tiles together substantially as specified.
SL1002