New or Improved Means of Safely Fixing Ornamental or other Plates or Surfaces of Glass, Porcelain, or the like Material to Ceilings, Walls, Soffites, or other Places.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1892-Accepted, 6th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Means of Safely Fixing Ornamental or other
Plates or Surfaces of Glass, Porcelain, or the like Material to
Ceilings, Walls, Soffites, or other Places.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT GENT LILLY of 5, Whitcomb Street, Pall Mall East
in the County of London, Builder and Art Decorator, 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 :-
This invention relates to a novel means of fixing plates sheets or surfaces of glass
porcelain china enamel or the like material (of either an ornamented or other
character) so as to decorate or form a covering of a permanent character for
ceilings walls soffites or other places.
I will now for the sake of brevity proceed to describe my said present invention
with reference to fixing a plate of glass of a large size (say 10 feet by 10 feet
square or 8 feet by 12 feet or larger or smaller) and either ornamented or plain-
but I would have it clearly understood that I do not limit myself to glass as other
slabs or surfaces of the like material may be similarly fixed according to my
present invention in a safe and permanent manner for instance china porcelain or
enamel plates or sheets in a plane or other form.
My invention is as follows:-
Either one or both sides of a large plate or sheet of glass is ornamented or not as
desired and in any suitable manner.
Upon the back of such glass I then float or place a layer of suitable cementitious
matter which from its nature will stick to glass etcetera.
Over this layer I then place a flexible backing such as strips or a sheet of wire
gauze, gunny, canvas, or other suitable fabric or material of a rather open texture-
so that the cementitious matter enters and passes through the interstices of the
fabric and when "set" hard firmly keys said fabric to the glass.
The wire gauze or fabric is rather larger in size than the glass and extends say
about 6 inches all round (or only partly around) beyond the edge of the glass.
Upon the back of the fabric or wire gauze I then place another layer of cement
or cementitious material and then while in the plastic state the back of the glass is
applied to the ceiling etc. and thus cements all snugly together so as to secure the
said plate of glass in a permanent manner to the ceiling etc.-the extending edges
of the fabric or wire gauze being nailed or otherwise securely fixed to the ceiling etc.
in any suitable manner.
Or if desired the cement or cementitious matter may be allowed to dry or "set"
hard before affixing the plate to the ceiling wall etc. and in some cases the coating
of cement etc. on the back of the flexible backing may be dispensed with.
In any case the edges of the wire gauze canvas etc. are very carefully and
firmly fixed in any suitable manner so that should the glass thus fixed be fractured
or smashed to pieces no pieces can drop out as the aforesaid flexible backing of
canvas wire gauze etc. serves to always hold upon every part of the glass.
Around the edge of each such plate or slab of glass suitable clips, headed pins,
or other clamps, beads, mouldings or frames may be mounted to assist in supporting
these slabs in position-or the edges of two adjoining slabs or plates of glass
may be made to butt and cement introduced therein between to form a "key"
or tight joint when "set" hard and either with or without mouldings.
It will thus be seen that although the slabs or sheets of glass are supported
all around the edge or in any other suitable manner-yet the essential feature
of my invention is the aforesaid flexible backing in combination with cement or
cementitious material on the back of the glass and the flexible backing itself
fixed securely to the ceiling etc.

page_text: $1
A covering of a decorative or other character is thus provided according to my
present invention of a permanent and safe character and which can be restored to
its original freshness at any time by simply washing with water. (thus saving much
cost in renovating decorative surfaces) while for hospitals, lavatories or other
places covered according to my, invention the walls ceilings etc. can be readily
cleaned and disinfected inasmuch as glass, porcelain, enamel etc. being impervious
and non-corrodable can be thoroughly cleansed or disinfected by simply washing.
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
claim is:
2
a
1. The improved means of safely fixing and securing slabs or sheets of glass
enamel porcelain or the like to ceilings walls soffites or other like surfaces-con-
sisting of first floating or covering the back of the sheet or slab of glass or the like
with cementitious matter then placing thereon while in the plastic state a flexible
Backing formed of a sheet or strips of fabric such as strong canvas wire gauze or
other reticulated material through the interstices of which the cementitious matter
enters and then over this a final coat of cementitious material may or may not be
laid and then fixing such slab or sheet to the ceiling etc. by means of the edge of
such fabric or wire gauze projecting all round substantially in the manner and for
the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. The herein before described means of fixing slabs or sheets of glass or other
similar material to ceilings walls soffites or the like substantially in the manner and
for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this 20th day of July 1892.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.