IMPROVEMENTS IN ROOFING TILES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hooper, of Southampton, in the County
of Southampton, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROOFING
TILES."
Sealed the 24th April 1863, and dated the 28th October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hooper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
October 1862.
I, EDWARD HOOPER, of Southampton, in the County of Southampton, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROOFING
TILES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the forming of roofing tiles in such a
manner that when laid upon a roof the rain is prevented, to the greatest
possible extent, from penetrating between or underneath them into the interior
of the building, and this without the use of mortar or other cementitious
stopping, whilst they are at the same time capable of being so arranged that
their weight upon the roof is little or not at all in excess of that of slating.
For this purpose I construct such tiles in the following manner :-I form the
tiles quite flat, or in some cases slightly curved, and, by preference, of a square
form; I form upon the upper surface of the same, where they are covered by
the other tiles, small grooves or channels near to the edge and running parallel
with the same, which channels run through those edges which are uncovered,
or which lie lowest when laid upon the roof. Upon the uncovered portion of

page_text: the upper surface I form other channel or channels running in the direction
in which the rain would run off the tiles when upon the roof; these channels
are also open at the lower ends, but are stopped off at their upper ends where
the tile is covered by the next one above it, a certain amount of perfectly flat
surface intervening between the ends of these uncovered channels and the
before-mentioned covered channels, upon which surface the edges of the
upper tiles lie. Upon the under surface of those edges of the tile which lie
upon the tiles beneath it I form other small channels or grooves also running
parallel with the edges, and formed at such distances from them, that when
laid upon the lower tile they are situated exactly over the covered channels in
the upper surface of the latter; they are also, by preference, made rather
narrower than the latter channels. By this formation and arrangement of
the tiles it will be evident that during a fall of rain the water will flow down
the roof mainly in the before-mentioned uncovered channels in the tiles, and
if the wind should blow the water in an upward direction in these channels,
it will, under ordinary circumstances, be prevented from being forced up
underneath the edge of the upper tile by the close ends of those channels,,
whilst, if by an unusually heavy fall of rain accompanied by a very strong
wind the water should be driven up out of the before-mentioned channels, it
will furthermore be stopped in its progress by the closely meeting surfaces of
the upper and lower tile, and should any water penetrate between these
surfaces, it will be effectually stopped in its progress by the before-mentioned
covered channel in the lower tile, through which channel, being sheltered
from the wind, it will quietly flow down on to the uncovered portion of the
next tile, whilst the channel or groove in the under surface of the upper tile
situated over the covered channel effectually prevents any water being con-
ducted across the latter by the upper tile, the edges of these grooves over-
hanging the channel, and constituting drips by which the water upon the
under surface of the upper tile is also caused to fall into the covered channel.
Instead of only one such covered channel I sometimes form two or more, one
behind the other, and I form a corresponding number of grooves in the under
side of the covering edges of the upper tile. Furthermore, to prevent the
rain from being conducted up underneath the roofing between the meeting
edges of two contiguous tiles, I form at a short distance up where they still
cover the tiles beneath, and, by preference, over the covered channel, a notch
or-groove across the edge of each tile, these notches meeting when the tiles are
put together, forming a hole which prevents the water from passing further
up between the edges, and causes it to fall back into the covered channel in
the tile below. The rain being by this arrangement effectually prevented

page_text: from penetrating beyond such covered channels, I am enabled to render the
roof watertight with a very small amount of lap to the tiles by which the
weight of such a tile covering is rendered considerably less than that of an
ordinary tile covering. Such tiles I either arrange on the "square" or on the
"diagonal" principle, and they may be either provided with holes, and fixed
to or hung on the battens by nails or pegs, or, by preference, they are provided
with "nibs" or "studs" on their under surface by which they are hung on to
the battens.
By preference, I employ my improved tiles on the "diagonal" system, in
which case I prefer to form the nib or stud by which it is hung at the upper
corner of the same, making the thickness or depth of the nib equal to the
thickness of the tile; I furthermore cut off the two corners of the tile that
lie in a horizontal direction in order to obtain the requisite lap of the tiles,
and when two or more such tiles are placed upon each other for the purpose
of drying, storing, or packing, the projecting nib on the one tile is made to fit
into one of the spaces formed by the cutting off of the corners of another tile,
as before described, by which they are enabled to lie quite flat upon each
other, thus facilitating their drying perfectly level, and rendering them less
liable to fracture during transport. In forming such tiles for being employed
on the "diagonal" system, I form the before-mentioned covered channel close
along the two upper edges of the tile, and continue the same parallel with the
edges formed by the cutting off of the two corners, before mentioned, until
they pass through the two lower edges of the tile. The grooves on the under
surface of the tile are then formed along the two lower edges of the same, and
the uncovered channels are formed in a diagonal direction up and down the
tile, passing through the two lower edges of the same, and stopping short
before they reach the covered channel running along the upper edges of the
same. The edges of two contiguous tiles formed by the cutting off of the two
horizontal corners of each tile meet, and the before mentioned notches are
made in them, forming a hole immediately over the upper corner of the
covered channel in the tile beneath. The covered channels will not become.
choked with dirt, being completely covered by the tile above. In some cases
I form ridges upon the under surface of those edges of the tiles that rest upon
the lower tiles, or I form them upon the upper surface of the latter, so as to
prevent the two surfaces being in contact to a greater extent than along these
ridges. Such tiles may be made of earthenware or any other suitable
material, or of any two materials combined, and of any suitable size or form.
It will be evident that each tile having all the covered and uncovered
channels and grooves upon it, there is only one pattern of tile requisite

page_text: to cover a roof with the same, excepting, of course, where half tiles are
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Hooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HOOPER, of Southampton, in the County of Southampton, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Hooper, Her special licence, that I, the said Edward
Hooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Edward Hooper, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROOFING TILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Edward Hooper, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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 Edward Hooper, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention has for its object the forming of roofing tiles in such a manner
that when laid upon a roof the rain is prevented to the greatest possible extent
from penetrating between or underneath them into the interior of the building.
and this without the necessary use of mortar or other cementitious stopping,
whilst they are at the same time capable of being so arranged that their
weight upon the roof is little or not at all in excess of that of ordinary slating..

page_text: For this purpose I construct such tiles in the following manner :-I form the
tiles quite flat, or in some cases slightly curved, and by preference of a square
form, I form upon the upper surface of the same, where they are covered by
the other tiles, small grooves or channels near to the edge, and running
parallel with the same, which channels run through those edges which are
uncovered or which lie lowest when laid upon the roof. Upon the uncovered
portion of the upper surface I form other channel or channels running in the
direction in which the rain would run off the tiles when upon the roof. These
channels are also open at the lower ends, but are stopped off at their upper
ends, where the tile is covered by the next one above it, leaving a certain
amount of perfectly flat surface intervening between the ends of these uncovered
channels and the before-mentioned covered channels, upon which surface the
edges of the upper tiles lie. Upon the under surface of those edges of
the tile which lie upon the tiles beneath it, I form other small channels
or grooves also running parallel with the edges and formed at such distances
from them that when laid upon the lower tile, they are situated exactly over
the. covered channels in the upper surface of the latter; they are also by
preference made rather narrower than the latter channels. By this formation
and arrangement of the tiles, it will be evident that during a fall of rain the
water will flow down the roof mainly in the before-mentioned uncovered
channels in the tiles, and if the wind should blow the water in an upward
direction in these channels it will under ordinary circumstances, be prevente
from being forced up under the edge of the upper tile by the close ends of
those channels, whilst if by an unusually heavy fall of rain, accompanied by a
very strong wind, the water should be driven up out of the before-mentioned
channels, it will furthermore be stopped in its progress by the closely meeting
surfaces of the upper and lower tile, and should any water penetrate between
these surfaces it will be effectually stopped in its progress by the before-men-
tioned covered channel in the lower tile, through which channel being sheltered
from the wind, it will quietly flow down on to the uncovered portion of the
next tile, whilst the channel or groove in the under surface of the upper tile
situated over the covered channel effectually prevents any water being conducted
across the latter by the upper tile, the edges of the grooves overhanging the.
channel, and constituting "drips" by which the water upon the under surface
of the upper tile is also caused to fall into the covered channels.. Instead of
only one such covered channel I sometimes form two or more one behind the
other and I form a corresponding number of grooves in the under side of the
covering edges of the upper tile. Furthermore to prevent the rain from being
conducted up underneath the roofing between the meeting edges of the two.

page_text: contiguous tiles I form at a short distance up, where they still cover the tiles
beneath, and by preference over the covered channel, a notch or groove across
the edge of each tile, these notches meeting where the tiles are put together,
forming a hole which prevents the water from passing further up between the
edges and causes it to fall back into the covered channel in the tile below. The
rain being by this arrangement effectually prevented from penetrating beyond
such covered channels, I am enabled to render the roof water-tight with a very
small amount of lap to the tiles, by which the weight of such a tile covering is
rendered considerably less than that of an ordinary tile covering. Such tiles I
arrange either on the "square" or on the "diagonal" principle, and they may
be either provided with holes and be fixed to or hung on to the battens by
nails or pegs, or they may be provided with nibs or studs on their under
surface by which they are hung on to the battens. By preference I employ
my improved tiles on the "diagonal" system, and form them in the following
manner: I cut off the two corners of the tile that lie in a horizontal direction
when on the roof where they meet the contiguous tiles on either side, the extent
to which the corners are cut off depending upon the amount of lap that may be
required. The before-mentioned covered channel is formed close along the
two upper edges of the tile, and is made to follow the edges resulting from
the cutting off of the corners until they pass through the two lower edges of
the tile. The grooves on the under surface of the tile are then formed along
the two lower edges of the same, and if uncovered channels are employed as
before-mentioned, these are formed in a diagonal direction up and down the
tile, passing through the two lower edges of the same, and stopping short of
In the upper
the covered channel running along the upper edges of the same.
corner of the tile, beyond the covered channel, I make a hole through which
the nail or peg passes for fixing the same. This nail or peg is made by
preference without a head, and is allowed to project above the surface of the
tile to a height equal to the thickness of the tile above. I then make notches
in the edges of the cut off corners of the two tiles that meet over the upper
corner of the first-named tile, such notches being made in such a position that
the projecting end of the nail or peg fixing the first-named tile passes into the
hole thus formed. By this arrangement it will be seen that each tile is fixed
upon the roof not only by the nail or peg passing through the hole in the upper
corner, but also by the nails or pegs of the tiles beneath passing into the notches
formed in the side edges by which the tile is secured in the most perfect
possible manner. Below the before-mentioned notches in the side edges of
the tile I form other notches, which in meeting form a hole, thus constituting a
drip exactly over the upper corner of the covered channel in the tile beneath,

page_text: so that any water which may pass up between their edges is prevented from
passing beyond this hole and falls into the channel beneath. If the tiles are
formed with "nibs
or "studs at their upper corner, then such nibs' or
studs are made of the same depth as the thickness of the tile, and of such a
form that when two tiles are placed upon each other the under sides being
together the nib or stud on the one will fit into the cut off corner of the other,
by which arrangement they are enabled to lie perfectly flat upon each other,
thus ensuring their drying perfectly level and rendering them less liable to
fracture during transport. The covered channels of my improved tile will not
be liable to become choked with dirt, being completly covered by the tile above.
In some cases I form ridges upon the under surface of those edges of the tiles
that rest upon the lower tiles, or I form them upon the upper surface of the
latter, so as to prevent the two surfaces being in contact to a greater extent
than along these ridges. Such tiles may be made of earthenware or any other
suitable material, or of any two materials combined, and of any suitable size
and form. It will be evident that each tile having all the covered and
uncovered channels and grooves upon it there is only one pattern of tile
requisite to cover a roof with the same, excepting, of course, when half-tiles are
required.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 on the accompanying Drawing shew respectively a
front view, a back view, and a section on line X, X, of the form of the
"diagonal" tile which I prefer to employ ; and Figure 4 shews a part plan of
a roof covered with such tiles, though without the uncovered channels, as these
are not always employed; Figure 5 shews a section through the same on
line Y, Y; and Figure 6 shews a section on line Z, Z. Similar letters of
reference indicate similar parts in all the Figures.
a, a, is the covered channel upon the upper surface of the tile, running
parallel with the upper sides b, b, of the same, then following the direction of
the sides c, c, formed by the cutting off of the corners, as above described, and
passing through the lower sides d, d; e, e, e, are the uncovered channels, in
which the rain principally runs off the roof. Small grooves f, f, are made in
the raised portions of the tile between the grooves e, e, as shewn, in order to
intercept any water that may be blown upward on the raised portion, and to
conduct the same into the grooves e, e, e. 9, 9, is the groove or channel on:
the under side of the tile, corresponding in position with the channels a, a, in
the tile upon which it lies, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6; this groove 9, 9,
is made of a less, width than a, a, as shewn, so that its edges should the better
form "drips," facilitating the falling of the water into the channel a; h is the
hole through which the nail or peg is driven, as before described, for fastening.

page_text: the tile; i, i, are the notches in the sides c, c, which are made to fit round
the projecting nails or pegs fixing the tile beneath, as shewn in Figure 4;
j,j, are the notches for intercepting.the water passing up between the meeting
sides c, c, of two contiguous tiles. The hole formed by these notches j,j, is
situated immediately over the upper corner of the channel a, a, of the tile
below, and immediately beneath the groove g in the tile above, as shewn
clearly in the section at Figure 5; this arrangement is attained by making the
length of the sides c, c, equal to the diagonal of the square of the lap, as will
be seen at Figure 4, and by this latter arrangement also the edges of all the
tiles are made to run in continuous diagonal lines over the roof, the tiles
thereby affording the most efficient covering with the least possible amount of
lap. This peculiar geometrical formation of the tile forms an important.
feature of my Invention. In some cases I dispense with the fastening of the
tile at the upper corner, and fix the same simply by means of the nails or pegs
fitting into the notches i, i, in the sides c, c. In other cases I dispense with
these side notches i, i, and fix the tile simply by the upper corner; the nail or
peg would of course in that case not project above the surface of the lower
tiles. m, m, and n; n, in Figure 4 shew half tiles for the eaves and gable end
of the roof; at the ridge half tiles would also be requisite, but at the hip, if
running at about an angle of forty-five degrees to the line of the eaves, no half
tiles will be required.
Figure 7 shews a front view, and Figure 8 shows a longitudinal section
through a similarly formed tile, with a nib or stud o on the under side for
hanging the same on to the battens in place of fixing it with nails. The
notches i, i, in the sides c, c, are in this case dispensed with, and only the
notches j,j, provided for preventing the passing up of the water. a, a, is
the covered channel on the upper surface, and g, g, is the corresponding
groove in the under surface.
Figure 9 shews a front view, and Figure 10 shews a back view of a tile
formed according to my Invention when used on the "square"; Figure 11
shews the manner in which the same are arranged upon a roof.
These tiles are formed and fitted together on the same principle as those
before described, having the covered channels a, a, on the upper surface, and
a corresponding groove b, b, on the under surface, having furthermore the
contiguous corners of two tiles cut off, so as to form the sides c, c', thereby a
affording the requisite lap, as shewn, and at the same time causing the edges
of the tiles to run in continuous lines down and across the roof. The principal
difference between these tiles and the before described ones lies in the arrange-
ment for fixing the same. In this case a piece is added on to the upper side b

page_text: of the tile in which the holes h, h, for fixing the same are made. By this
arrangement the side c' of the tiles becomes somewhat longer than the side c.
As in this arrangement the tiles, beside lying in a sloping direction down the
roof, are also, on account of the overlap, caused to incline in the horizontal
direction, as shewn by the section on line W, W, at Figure 11, the upper
portion of the channel a is stopped off at one end, as shown, as the water in
the same runs back into the other portion of the channel, and through this
down on to the tile below, in the manner indicated. It will be observed that
in this case the meeting edges c, c¹, of the tiles run in a diagonal direction
across the roof instead of in a vertical direction, as in the first described.
arrangement.
Figure 13 shows a hip tile, formed according to part of my Invention,
namely, it is provided with a covered channel a on its upper surface, for
conducting the water that passes up between two tiles down on to the roof
tiles, and a corresponding groove 9 on its under surface fitting over the
channel a in the tile underneath, and forming a "drip," over the same, as
shewn in the section through several of such tiles at Figure 14.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise configurations of tiles as shewn on the accompanying
Drawing, as these may be variously modified without departing from the
nature of my Invention, but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the construction and employment of tiles or slabs having sunken
channels upon their upper surfaces, free from any rebate, shoulder, or raised
portion that would prevent the tiles from lying close together on their general
surfaces, which channels are more or less covered by the tile or tiles above
them, and having further grooves formed on their under surfaces, which
grooves fit exactly over the before-mentioned channels in the tiles beneath,
thus forming "drips" over the same.
Secondly, the construction and employment of tiles having channels and
grooves as described in the first claim in combination with such a form of the
tiles that the meeting corners of two contiguous tiles are cut off, so as to form
meeting edges, in which notches are made for intercepting the passage of the
water, substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the construction and employment of tiles or slabs made or cut out
of any suitable material in which those corners that come in contact with other
tiles or slabs lying in the same plane are cut off to such an extent as to afford
the requisite amount of lap, so as to maintain the external edges of the tiles
upon the roof in continuous lines, the particular shape, general formation, and

page_text: arrangement of the tiles, affording at the same time the most efficient covering
and protection from the rain with the least amount of lap, and without the
necessity for stopping of any kind, thus ensuring the greatest possible economy
in weight and material.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Hooper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
EDWARD HOOPER. (L.S.)