Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 25th May, 1889
I, CHARLES BENNET of 173, Usher Road Bow, London, in the county of Middlesex
Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
By this Invention a great variety of designs can be obtained and the floor can be
more firmly fastened down, and secured in such a manner as to render it practically
impossible for it to be effected by ordinary circumstances and provides a solid base or
foundation.
In the case of Warehouses Public, and other large Buildings I propose in the first
instance to lay a bed of concrete to the desired level upon which a succession of sleepers
are placed transversely or otherwise at suitable distances apart, the said sleepers being
by preference formed in section larger at the base and tapering upwards and grooved
or slotted in their length, and around and within the said grooved slotted portions and
sides, I then further fill in and around the spaces formed between the sleepers with
Concrete up to the level of the sleepers, which becomes firmly embedded therein;-I then
take and lay sections of Wooden blocks upon the sleepers, which are formed by
different pieces of wood being connected and put together and attached by "tongue
and "groove" and secured by Glue or other adhesive substance or substances, these
sections of blocks being so disposed as to form the required design or pattern. The
edges of the sections will be "rabitted" and lie apart from the next section of wooden
block upon the sleeper, leaving a recess or space between each in their length or
width, and the "rabitted" projecting part on the lower side I screw and secure to the
main sleepers which may be of either Oak, Pitch Pine or other suitable timber. In
the recessed spaces and projections formed by the Blocks in manner described,
binding pieces of wood T shaped and corresponding in section are then placed so as
to fit or cap exactly therein, the upper portion overlapping the projecting part of the
"rabbit" section of the blocks, and the lower portion to bed upon the top of the
sleepers and are then likewise screwed or fixed down thereto, the heads of the screws
being countersunk and afterwards the space or hole formed filled in with wood. I

page_text: would propose previous to fixing the binding or T pieces toward the edges of the
sections on the sleepers to coat them with any suitable or preferred substance to
prevent any moisture from entering and passing toward the sleepers.
In some cases may wish to make the sections forming the flooring to hutt or meet
together at both sides or ends, but "rabitted" or "grooved" to a desired extent in
their lengths, so as to form a channel and the projecting parts screwed or otherwise
to the sleepers. In the channel so formed I would then place a strip of wood or lath
formel to fit exactly therein and then screw or otherwise fasten them down over the
ridges or projections of the sections of blocks to the sloepers or joints below, the heals
of the screws or other fastenings being recessed and are afterwards filled in.
Flooring can also be unde in similar manner and secured to joists as well as to
sleepers in Concrete or without the same.
I would propose to place a Coating of Tar, Bitumen or other substance impervious to
moisture on the upper part of the concrete hed and coating same with sand for the
blocks to rest or be upon.
The Main sleepers as well as tho under portion of the flooring should be treated with
either of the best known processes for preserving them from dry rot und damp.
By this method of laying flooring, if at any time it may be required to see to or
repair piping or for other purposes all that is necessary is to unserow the surrounding
part where necess is required and afterwards it is easily replaced without injury to the
floor.
HUGHES & COMPANY,
38, Chancery Lane,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Method of Laying and Securely Fastening
Wooden Flooring.
I CHARLES BENNET of 173 Usher Road Bow, London in the County of Middlesex,
Cabinet-Maker 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 :-
By this Invention a great variety of designs can be obtained, and the floor can be
more firmly fastened down and secured in such a manner as to render it practically
impossible for it to be effected by ordinary circumstances and provides a solid base or
foundation.
In the case of Warehouses, Public and other large Buildings I propose in the first
instance to lay a bed of Concrete to the desired level, upon which a succession of sleepers
are placed transversely or otherwise at suitable distances apart, the said sleepers being
by preference formed in section larger at the base and tapering upwards-I then fill
in and around the spaces formed between the sleepers with Concrete up to the level of
the sleepers, which becomes firmly embedded therein; I then take and lay sections of
wooden blocks upon the sleepers, which are formed by different pieces of wood being
connected and put together and attached by "tongue and groove" and secured by
Glue or other adhesive substance or substances, these sections of blocks being so disposed
as to form the required design or pattern. The edges of the sections will be "rabbetted"
and lie apart from the next section of wooden block upon the sleeper, leaving a recess
or space between each in their length or width, and the "rabbetted" projecting part
on the lower side, I screw and secure to the main sleepers which may be of either Oak,
Pitch Pine, or other suitable timber. In the recessed spaces and projections formed by
Blocks in manner described binding pieces of wood T shaped and corresponding in
section, are then placed so as to fit or cap exactly therein, the upper portion overlapping
the projecting part of the rabbet section of the blocks, and the lower portion to bed
upon the top of the sleepers, and are then likewise screwed or fixed down thereto, the
heads of the screws being countersunk and afterwards the space or hole formed filled
in with wood. I would propose previous to fixing the binding or Ṭ pieces toward
the edges of the sections on the sleepers to coat them with any suitable or preferred
substance to prevent any moisture from entering and passing toward the sleepers. In
some cases I may wish to make the sections forming the flooring to butt or meet
together at both sides, or ends but "rabbetted or "grooved" to a desired extent in
their lengths, so as to form a channel, and the projecting parts screwed or otherwise
to the sleepers. In the channel so formed I would then place a strip of wood or lath
formed to fit exactly therein, and then screw or otherwise fasten them down over the
ridges or projections of the sections of blocks to the sleepers or joints below the heads
of the screws or other fastenings being recessed, and are afterwards filled in.
Flooring can also be made in similar manner and secured to joists as well to sleepers
in concrete or without the same.

page_text: I would propose to place a coating of Tar, Bitumen or other substance impervious
to moisture on the upper part of the concrete bed, and coating same with sand for the
blocks to rest or hed upon.
The main sleepers as well as the under portion of the flooring should be treated with
either of the best known processes for preserving them from dry rot and damp.
By this method of laying flooring if at any time it may be required to son or to
repair piping or for other purposes, all that is necessary is to unserew the surrounding
part where access is required and afterwards it is easily replaced without injury to the
Hoor.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. I represents a plan view of a portion of a floor
Jaid according to my Invention. Figs. 2 and being sections of such flooring with
differently constructed sleepers and Figs. 4 and 5 being details of the methods of fixing
the sections. A represents a bed of Concrete which may either be laid upon the
ground as shown in Fig. 2 or upon rafters or joists as in Fig. 3. Referring firstly to
Fig. 21 embed sleepers B in the Concrete such sleepers being broader at the base
than at the upper surface. The sections of flooring are rabbetted at their ends and
when laid in position a sufficient space intervonos between the adjacent ends for the
introduction of a T shaped strip of timber. Previous to the laying of the strip
screws are passed through the rabbetted ends of the sections into the sleepers B after
which the T shaped strip is introduced and likewise screwed to the sleepors. The
Tsiped strip is grooved on its upper surface and this groove is filled up after the
insertion of the screws d by a slip of wood t. In Fig. 5 the T shaped binding piece
is replaced by a rectangular strip E, the ends of the sections being rabbetted as
previously described but meeting one another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
1st. The herein described method of laying wooden flooring consisting in embedding
sleepers such as B in a layer of Concrete, securing the sections of flooring (to such
sleepers by means of screws D and filling up the space between the rabbetted ends of
the sections by a T shaped or rectangular strip also screwed to the Sleeper substantially
as described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. In flooring such as described the use of a slip such as E for concealing the
heads of the screws in the binding strip substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
3rd. The complete method of laying and fastening wooden floors substantially as
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 96th day of March 1880
HUGHES & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.