Improvements in Roofing Tiles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roofing Tiles.
I, CHARLES MAJOR of Bridgwater, in the County of Somerset, Brick and Tile
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide what are known as flat, plain or
Broseley tiles which are capable of being used without cementing and which whilst
allowing of the passing off of moisture which may condense beneath the roof are
proof against the admission of rain or snow.
According to my invention I form the tiles with ribs or projections at the upper
and undersides of the portions which are uppermost when the tiles are in place the
lower portion of the tiles being depressed so that this portion will lie flat or closely
against the tiles beneath it. The projections on the said uppermost portion of the
tile on the underside thereof consist of lengthwise projections which serve to allow
water of condensation to pass down and serve to support the tiles so as to prevent
distortion when in their green state. On both the upper and under surfaces are
also transverse ribs or projections arranged preferably towards the uppermost end
of the upper surface of the tile and lower down on the under surface of the tile.
The ribs prevent the admission of snow or rain. They have in them notches or
openings which allow of the passage of water of condensation but as the said
notches or openings are not coincident in the respective ribs they do not allow rain
or snow to pass. To further protect the joints I make a projection at the central
part of the top of the upperside of each tile and at the sides of the under surface of
the tiles at the parts which come opposite these projections when in place I make
notches to receive the said projection. To further protect the joints at the parts
where the lowermost part overlaps the joint of the two tiles beneath it I make a
projection from the underside of the tile and recesses in the uppersides of the edges
of the tiles beneath it in which the projection engages. The said projections and
recesses may be arranged on and in the upper and the under sides of the tiles as
may be most convenient.
Dated this 11th day of December 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
.COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roofing Tiles.
I CHARLES MAJOR of Bridgewater in the County of Somerset Brick and Tile
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my 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 my, invention is to provide plain or ornamental roofing tiles having
the general appearance of what are known as plain tiles or in some localities
Broseley tiles (not necessarily of the same size or thickness) but which are capable
of being used without cement or mortar and which whilst allowing of the passing
off of moisture which may condense beneath the roof are proof against the admission
of rain or snow.
According to my invention I form the tiles with ribs or projections at the upper
and under sides of the portions which are uppermost when the tiles are in place, the
lower portion of the tiles being depressed so that this portion will lie flat or closely
against the tiles beneath it. The projections on the upper surface of the said
1

page_text: uppermost portion of the tile are arranged transversely whilst those on the under-
side thereof consist of lengthwise projections which serve to conduct water of
condensation down the tile and also serve to support the tiles so as to prevent
distortion when in their green state. Lower down on the under surface are also
transverse ribs or projections which in combination with the ribs on the upper
surface prevent the admission of snow or rain to beneath the roof. The ribs on the
upper surface have in them notches or openings which allow of the passage of water
of condensation but as the said notches or openings are not coincident in the
respective ribs they do not allow rain or snow to pass to beneath the tiles. To
further protect the joints I make a projection at the central part of the top rib on
the upper side of each tile and at the sides of the under surface of the tiles at the
parts which come opposite these projections when in place. make notches or
recesses to receive the said projection. To further protect the joints at the parts
where the lowermost part overlaps the joint of the two tiles beneath it. I make a
projection from the underside of the tile and recesses in the uppersides of the edges
of the tile so that when the tiles are in position these projections engage in the said
recesses in the row of tiles beneath. The said projections and recesses may be
arranged on and in the upper or under sides of the tiles as may be most
convenient.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed more
particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings represent respectively the upper and under sides
of a roofing tile made according to my invention.
Figure 3 is a view of the top edge and Figure 4 a view of one of the longitudinal
edges of the same tile.
Figure 5 is an elevation and Figure 6 a transverse vertical section of a portion
of a roof shewing the way the tiles are fixed in position.
Near the top of the upper surface of cach tile is a rib or projection A extending
across the tile to the two longitudinal edges thereof but having notches a therein to
receive longitudinal ribs d formed on the under surface of an adjacent tile when the
tiles are placed in position as hereinafter described. At intervals of short distances
below the ribs A other ribs or projections B and C are formed each having notches
or openings as shewn respectively at bc, the notches a band c being out of line or
breaking joint with each other. On the central portion of the rib A is a pro-
jection A and at about midway between the top and bottom edges of the under
surface of the tiles are recesses D for the reception of the projections A' when the
tiles are placed in position.
The lower portion of the tile below the recesses D is curved or bent downwards
as shewn in Figure 4 so that the lower edge will lie closely against the upper
surface of the next row of tiles beneath. Near the top of the under surface of each
tile are lugs or projections F by which the tiles are held in position on a roof.. On
the under surface of the tile below the recesses D are transverse ribs e and e
extending across the said under surface and from the rib e¹ are longitudinal ribs d'
extending to the bottom edge of the tile. The ribs d d' d' e e¹ serve to strengthen
the tile without materially adding to its weight and prevent the entrance of snow
or rain to beneath the tiles and also gusts of wind which would tend to shift the
tiles out of position. At the centre near the lower edge of the under surface of
each tile is a lug or projection E which when the tiles are placed in position enter
notches or recesses G formed in the edges of the upper surface of the tiles below.
When the tiles are laid in position on the roof of a building the lugs or pro-
jections F hook onto or engage with the laths or battens I as shewn in Figure 6 the
longitudinal edges of the contiguous tiles in a row being in contact and the
recesses D and G in the contiguous edges of adjacent tiles are opposite to or
coincident with each other as shewn in Figure 5. The recesses G receive the
jections E on the underside of the row of tiles above whilst the projections A² on
pro-

page_text: the centre of the ribs or projections A near the top ends of the upper surfaces of
the tiles enter the recesses D in the edges of the under surface of the said upper
row of tiles as shewn in Figure 6. When the tiles are placed in position any rain or
snow that may find its way between the edges of adjacent tiles will be arrested by the
ribs A B and C of the tiles below and conducted by grooves through the notches
or gaps therein towards the centre of the said lower tiles and thence over the outer
surface of the tiles from off the roof whilst any water of condensation that may
collect on the under surface of the tiles is conducted by the longitudinal ribs ₫ d'on
to the upper surface of the row of tiles below and passes away in the same manner
as the rain water herein before described. Violent gusts of wind which would be
liable to shift the tiles out of position are prevented from having access to beneath
the tiles, by the ribs A B and C and also by the projections A and E engaging in
the recesses D and G.
In order to further ensure the exclusion of rain and wind from beneath the tiles
there may be provided just below the recesses G a rib or projection A' as shewn in
Figure 7 extending across the upper surface of the tile another rib or projection E¹
being also formed along the lower edge of the under surface of the tile, so that
when the tiles are placed in position on a roof the ribs or projections E¹ of the
overlapping tiles will engage with the ribs or projections A' on the tiles beneath as
shewn. In this modification the transverse ribs or projections B, C, e e¹ and the
longitudinal ribs or projections d' herein before described and shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3
and 4 may be dispensed with.
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:
66
1. A roofing tile such as is known as a Broseley tile "having ribs or projections
on the upper and under sides of the portion of the tile which is uppermost when
placed in position the said ribs serving to strengthen the tile and to conduct water
of condensation that may collect on the inner surfaces of the tiles when placed in
position to the external surface of the tiles beneath substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. A roofing tile such as is known as a "Broseley tile" having ribs or projections
arranged transversely across the upper surface of the uppermost portion of the tile
and longitudinal ribs or projections on the under surface of the said uppermost
portion and also on the lower portion of the said under surface notches or gaps,
being made in the transverse ribs or projections on the upper surface to receive the
longitudinal ribs on the under surface of the overlapping tiles when placed in
position on a roof and to admit of the escape of water of condensation substantially
as herein before described.
3. A roofing tile such as is known as a "Broseley tile" having on the upper
surface of the uppermost portion, transverse ribs or projections and on the under
surface of the said uppermost portion, longitudinal ribs, the lower portion of the
tile having on the under surface other longitudinal ribs separated from the
longitudinal ribs on the uppermost portion by transverse ribs, the said lower
portion being depressed or curved downwards so that when the tiles are placed in
position the lower edge of the overlapping tiles will lie close to or in contact with
the upper surface of the under tiles substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. Roofing tiles such as are known as "Broseley tiles" having on the upper
surface thereof near the centre of the upper edge a lug or projection and on the
under surface near the centre of the lower edge another lug or projection recesses
being made in the longitudinal edges of the upper and under surfaces of the tile so
that when the tiles are placed in position on a roof the projections on the under
surface will enter the recesses in the upper surface of two contiguous tiles beneath
and the projection on the upper surface will enter the recesses in the under surface
of two contiguous edges of the tiles above substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 5. The improved roofing tile substantially as illustrated by Figures 1 to 6 of the
accompanying drawings and for the purpose herein before described.
6. The improved roofing tile substantially as herein before described and illus
trated in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of September 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.