AN, IMPROVED MODE OF ROOFING BUILDINGS.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Doyne Dwyer, of 85, Gracechurch Street,
in the City of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN,
IMPROVED MODE OF ROOFING BUILDINGS.".
Sealed the 17th June 1870, and dated the 11th January 1870..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Doyne Dwyer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th January 1870..
I, ROBERT DOYNE DWYER; of 85, Gracechurch. Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said-
Invention for "AN. IMPROVED. MODE. OF ROOFING. BUILDINGS," to: be as
follows:
This Invention consists in covering the roofs of buildings in the
following manner:-For example, suppose it is required to cover a
roof with slates, instead of fixing them by nails as usually practised:
and all the sides lapping over the adjoining slates I propose to fix them
as follows:-I form each of the rafters with steps on the top edge thereof,.
each step being somewhat less in length than the width of each slate, so.

page_text: that when slates are laid thereon the top side of one row of slates shall
be flush with the under sides of the next row of slates beginning at the.
bottom of the roof. The space between the rafters should be such as to
hold and support one row of slates extending from the bottom to the top
of the roof. The edges of each slate coming as near as may be at the
centre of the width of each rafter. I also plough the upper edge of each
rafter so as to form two grooves, each coming about midway of half the
thickness of the rafter, and I coat or cover the said grooves and the top
edge of each rafter with a mixture of Portland cement and boiled linseed
oil. I also coat one side of each slate near the edges thereof with the
aforesaid composition, and I fix the slates to the rafters by the use of a
layer of the said composition, filling the grooves in the rafter therewith
and the surface of the rafter to the depth of the slate, and I proceed in
this manner to lay and fix cach longitudinal row of slates, the edges of
one slate abutting against that of the next and adjoining slate, thus
leaving a flush surface throughout each row. I then proceed to lay and
fix another row after the manner just described, the bottom edges of the
next and upper row lapping over the edges of the row last laid, and in
this manner I proceed until the whole surface of the roof is covered, and
this mode of covering roofs applies to glazed roofs or roofs covered with
any other material than glass or slate. By these means roofs may be
rendered perfectly weatherproof, and will be lighter, stronger, and more.
durable than roofs as heretofore covered.
I would remark that I do not intend to dispense entirely with the use
of nails in covering roofs as above described, as in some cases it may be
found desirable to use nails to afford additional security..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Doyne Dwyer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT 3
DOYNE DWYER, of 85, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,.Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of January, in the year;
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty- 3

page_text: third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer,
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 "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF ROOFING BUILDINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Robert Doyne Dwyer, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Robert Doyne Dwyer, 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, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in covering the roofs cf buildings in the
following manner:-For example, suppose it is required to cover a roof
with slates, instead of fixing them by nails as usually practised and
all the sides lapping over the adjoining slates I propose to fix them as
follows: I form each of the rafters with steps on the top edge thereof,
each step being somewhat less in length than the width of each slate, so
that when slates are laid thereon the top side of one row of slates shall
be flush with the under sides of the next row of slates beginning at. the
bottom of the roof. The space between the rafters should be such as
to hold and support one row of slates extending from the bottom to the
top of the roof, the edges of each slate coming as near as may be at the
centre of the width of each rafter. I also plough the upper edge of each
rafter so as to form two grooves, each coming about midway of half the
thickness of the rafter, and I coat or cover the said grooves and the top
edge of each rafter with a mixture of Portland cement and boiled linseed
oil. I also coat one side of each slate near the edges thereof with the
aforesaid composition, and I fix the slates to the rafters by the use of a.

page_text: layer of the said composition, filling the grooves in the rafter therewith
and the surface of the rafter to the depth of the slate, and I proceed in
.this manner to lay and fix each longitudinal row of slates, the edges of
one slate abutting against that of the next and adjoining slate, thus
leaving a flush surface throughout each row. I then proceed to lay and
fix another row after the manner just described, the bottom edges of the
next and upper row lapping over the edges of the row last laid, and in
this manner I proceed until the whole surface of the roof is covered, and
this mode of covering roofs applies to glazed roofs or roofs covered with
any other material than glass or slate. By these means roofs may be
rendered perfectly weatherproof, and will be lighter, stronger, and more
durable than roofs as heretofore covered.
I would remark that I do not intend to dispense entirely with the use
of nails in covering roofs as above described, as in some cases it may
be
found desirable to use nails to afford additional security.
And in order to explain my said Invention more completely, I now.
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative
Sheet of Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral
figures and letters of reference marked thercon respectively, as
according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a section of one of the
rafters; Figure 3, a bird's-eye view of the rafter. At each of the above. 2
Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding
parts.
To construct a roof according to this Invention the workman should
proceed as follows:-The rafters A have the upper surfaces set off in
steps a, as shown in Figure 1, the rise of each step being the thickness of 3
the slate, also they have two grooves or ploughings b as shown in section
of rafter, Figure 2, extending their whole length of a proportionate size
and distance from each side. The steps are made at such distances as will
allow a lap in each course over the preceeding one proportionate to the
pitch of the roof (which lap need not in any case exceed one inch), and 3
the rafters are placed at such a distance apart as to allow the slates to
meet in the centre of the timber. The upper surface of the timber is to.

page_text: be painted with linseed oil and cement, which when dry is to be covered
with a proper thickness of oil, cement, or its equivalent, care being taken
to fill the grooves or ploughings, and the first slate is bedded down and
so on with each slate cementing the lap, and at the point where the four
corners of the slates meet a composition or a galvanized nail c with a
large flat head is driven in, thereby securing the four corners, as shown
at Figure 3. The joint where the edges of the slates meet on the rafter
is struck level, and the clinches can be cut off the following day, thus
leaving a clean, neat, finished, air-tight roof.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my
said Invention for "An Improved Mode of Roofing Buildings," together
with the best means I am-aquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I hereby declare my
Invention to consist in and I claim, covering roofs in the manner
above described with reference to the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.