IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD AND OF MEANS FOR COVERING FLAT ROOFS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elijah Aldis, Builder, of Chichester, in the County of
Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD AND OF MEANS
FOR COVERING FLAT ROOFS."
Sealed the 29th April 1879, and dated the 31st October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elijah Aldis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1878.
ELIJAH ALDIS, Builder, of Chichester, in the County of Sussex.
IN THE METHOD AND OF MEANS FOR COVERING FLAT ROors."
"IMPROVEMENTS
Instead of rafters in the usual way, joists are laid on the wall plate; on the joists
are fixed battens of the proper distance apart to receive the quarries to form the
covering; the rebated quarries will require but a single thickness, laid in cement or
any other material; plain quarries are laid in two thicknesses, the upper course to
be so laid that the joists of the under course are completely covered thereby, the
latter not being fixed in any way to the battens, allowance is made for the shrinkage
of the timbers without affecting the covering, the upper and lower courses are
cemented together, the joints in the upper course are filled in with liquid cement
and cleaned off, after which a coat or two of silicate wash or any other suitable
material renders it waterproof; the quarries can be made of burnt earth, slate,
natural or artificial stone, or any other suitable material; ornamental tiles can be
used for the top course.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Elijah Aldis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th April
1879.
"THE IMPROVE-
ELIJAH ALDIS, Builder, of Chichester, in the County of Sussex.
MENTS IN THE METHOD AND OF MEANS FOR COVERING FLAT ROOFS."
Instead of rafters in the usual way, joists are laid on the wall plate; on the joists
are fixed battens of the proper distance apart to receive the quarries to form the
covering; the rebated quarries will require but a single thickness, laid in cement or
any other material; the plain quarries are laid in two thicknesses, the upper course
to be so laid that the joints of the under course are completely covered thereby, the
latter not being fixed in any way to the battens, allowance is made for the shrinkage
of the woodwork without affecting the covering, the under course is laid on
the battens and not fixed thereto, cement is then spread on the under course of
quarries, a guage is applied to take off the superfluous cement to the desired
thickness of the operator, thereby ensuring a level surface on which the top course is
laid, the joints being then filled in and cleaned off; the top course of quarries can
be rendered waterproof with a solution of silicate or any other material, or can be
made impervious to wet in the manufacture, plain or ornamental.
I do not confine myself to any particular configuration of the quarries, the edges
of which may be rebated, square, or bevelled, forming a V joint, the quarries are laid
a sufficient distance on to the parapet so that the brickwork shall cover them, after
which a fillet of cement is laid in the angle formed by the parapet and the roof.
ELIJAH ALDIS. (L.S.)