Improvements in or relating to Fireproof Floors and Ceilings for Buildings.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Fireproof Floors and Ceilings for
Buildings.
I, JEAN FEKETEHAZY, of No. 12, Felso erdosor, Buda Pest, in the Kingdom of
Hungary and Austrian Empire, Engineer, 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:-
The object of the present application consists of a flooring and ceiling of special
construction, which is built of iron and cement like other previously known floor-
ings and ceilings, but which is distinguished therefrom through its special form,
and still more through its novel construction.
The novel construction, designed with special reference to the requirements of
such constructions is especially suitable for facilitating the greatest possible
utilization of the materals, and the most suitable disposition of the main wall
or pillars.
The principal characteristic of the invention is consequently not the material or
the combination thereof, but the novel construction and the structural form
of the device.
This special construction is characterized by the arrangement that the main
supports of the flooring extend by means of wing shaped projections to both sides
so far that they either lock immediately the one in the other so that other covering
pieces, such as cross supports, brick arches, and so forth, are quite unnecessary, or
that only a small orifice is left open between two main supports, which orifice is
covered by plates, this arrangement being adopted for constructional reasons.
The said main supports are built of an iron frame work with addition of concrete,
cement, or other suitable material for the support of pressure in such a manner
that the iron portions are only arranged in places where tractive strains can
occur, whereas in those places where compressing strains are to be encountered,
cement, concrete, or the like is made use of.
This principle of construction renders it possible to utilize the material to the
best advantage, and to construct the flooring and ceiling easily and cheaply to
correspond to the given conditions of strain. Further, the main supports lying
one beside the other are connected together below by means of these horizontal
partitions which form the ceiling and serve to a considerable extent to absorb the
horizontal strains consequent upon the weight resting upon the floor, which strains
have the effect of tending to separate the main supports, as well as to absorb any
occurring torsional strains.
In this method of construction there occur between the wings of the main
supports and the horizontal connecting partitions separate hollow spaces which
are especially suited for the provision of heating appliances and ventilation, and
forming a particular advantage of this invention.
Through the application of the plates which bridge over the division occurring
between the main supports, the said main supports are rendered to a certain degree
independent of one another, so that for instance the circumstance that one support-
ing wall or pillar sinks a little will not in any way injure the static position of the

page_text: flooring. Moreover, owing to the fact that in this construction no cross supports,
arches, or the like, occur, the distance apart of the main supports can be made
wider than usual so that this width may even exceed 5 metres. From this there
results the advantage that the load of a relatively wide area is distributed over
four supporting points of the main support, so that for instance the wall built over
a wide window can be entirely relieved of pressure.
A constructional form of the above described invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 shews the flooring in section.
Figure 2 shews a vertical longitudinal section of a main support.
Figure 3 shews a horizontal section of a main support.'
As above stated parts of the main support A are constructed of iron in order
to resist the tractive 'strains. As in a girder in the upper part there is only
pressure, and in the lower part only traction, these iron frames must be placed in
the lower part thereof. Through the longitudinal round iron bars band in each
girder either one (Figure 1, left) or two (Figure 1, right) iron bars a of I section
are made use of, according as the girder is intended to support only the movable
load or also a partition wall, such as D. These bars of I section are considerably
smaller than the rafters of an ordinary floor, and they are secured at both ends in
the main walls (see Figure 2). The said bars serve especially for connecting the
main walls together. As to the round bars b, these should not extend from wall
to wall, but a portion thereof, as shewn in horizontal section in Figure 3, should
end in the girder stepwise, according to the amount of the pressure upon the
same.
At the point where the greater part of the vertical strains occur, that is at the
ends of the main girders, some of these round bars, as for instance the bar e
(Figure 2) can be bent upwards. The upper part of the main girder in which only
compressive strains occur is formed of concrete, cement, or the like matter. In
like manner the wings C of the main girder are formed of the like material spread
over suitable temporary supporting frames. As these wings or supports C are only
supported at one end, whilst the other end is weighted by means of the plates F,
they act as levers, in which the same tractive strains occur as in the upper girder, con-
sequently there should here be embedded in the cement or the like a wire netting h
whilst the end part thereof, in which only compressive strains occur, is formed of
concrete.
In order that the plates F may have a supporting surface the outer edges of the
supports Care sloped off. With regard to the space left between the main
supports, and covered by the said plates F, this space serves firstly to enable the
temporary support, which has been used for the building of the arch, to be removed
through the same, and secondly by means of this device the whole arch is
transformed into a definitely calculable support.
The lower horizontal partition m, as well as the lower part of the main support
A, is preferably constructed of cement-concrete, because these parts have only to
support themselves, and serve to surround the iron framing, whereas the other parts
are constructed of strong cement.
As already stated, the horizontal partition m serves also to take up any horizontal
strains, for which reason there is inserted in the same also wire netting k. The
horizontal partition m can be suspended here and there upon the girder C, and
also in order to avoid any undesirable sagging of the ceiling any specially heavy
objects, such for instance as chandeliers, may be suspended directly from the
girders C.
The lower ceiling surface can have any lighter ceiling ornamentation, of wood
or the like, attached to it, or ornaments may be cast in the ceiling itself.
As the upper surface of the ceiling already consists of a horizontal surface there
is no need for the usual filling for the support of the flooring boards, and instead
thereof the usual boarding p is laid directly upon the concrete by means of asphalt,

page_text: or attached to rafters, which have been embedded in the concrete during the
construction.
Upon the flooring boards parquetry q or other desired flooring can be laid.
By the above described method of construction there are in addition to the
advantages already stated further technical effects and advantages obtained.
Firstly, as the main girders are independent of one another the whole flooring
forms a statically calculable bearing surface, the calculation whereof does not
depend upon that of an elastic line as is the case with an arched support. From
this there results the advantage that should one of the supports sink down at one
side the static relations of the several parts of the flooring will not be affected.
Secondly, upon a flooring constructed according to this invention partition walls
can be erected at any desired point.
Thirdly, this method of construction is quite fire proof, dust proof, and especially
sanitary, inasmuch as the filling below the flooring boards in which collects all
kinds of vermin and effluvia is done away with. Moreover, as the girders act
also when uniformly weighted as arches, these exercise upon the supporting walls
or pillars only a vertical pressure, whilst the horizontal strains are taken up by the
horizontal partition m whereby the greatest possible efficiency of the construction
is attained.
In the construction of the flooring the following course is preferably adopted:
After the main girders A have been built in, the frame for the lower horizontal
partition m is set up, and this latter is constructed of cement or concrete with the
requisite wire netting. After the partition m has hardened the frames for the
supports C are put in place, and after these have been constructed each frame is
removed through the open space, and the same is covered with suitable plates
or tiles F.
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 improved construction of flooring characterized by the arrangement of
side supports attached to the main girders A of any suitable construction, said side
supports being of the width of the space spanned by the said main girders and
consisting of a wire netting h and a suitable material, such as cement, or concrete,
for the support of the determined strain, and which leave between their respective
unsupported ends the space covered by plates F, which space serves for the removal
of the framing requisite for their construction. Further, the provision of a hori-
zontal partition m devised to take up the torsional and horizontal strains
exercised upon the main girders when the side pieces C are loaded
with the formation of a hollow space E, the said partition m being constructed of a
suitable material for this purpose, and forming the visible ceiling of the room
below the flooring.
2. The improved combined metallic and concrete flooring constructed sub-
stantially as described, and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.