Improvements in Wood Block Flooring & Method of laying same
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 4th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Apr., 1887.
ROBERT DAVISON 182 Marylebone Road N.W. Building Trades Contractor and
WILLIAM THOMAS CREED Milton House Huddleston Road, Willesden Green, N.W. Clerk
of Works Jointly, do hereby declare the nature of thisinvention to be as follows
:-
Improvements in Wood Block Flooring & Method of laying same. The Object of
our Invention is to introduce a perfect system of bonding the blocks on all sides, with
wood keys & permanently secure the same to the floated concrete Surface or other
bed with a Fibrous damp proof Composition, the tenancious nature of which renders
the joints under & about the blocks perfectly unbreakable; our system applies to all
usual Geometrical & Ornamental shapes of Blocks and in all kinds of Wood.
The Blocks have Dovetail Joints worked on two or more sides & have recesses
worked on two or four sides, in which we insert the wood keys & for thin Blocks we
introduce one or more angle chases on the back or bottom bed of each block. The
blocks are thus secured and held together so as to prevent the possibility of becoming
loose.
B
Thus we construct a perfectly level & well bonded floor. The blocks of which
cannot by any possibility become loose or uneven on the surface the Wood Keys at
same time preventing any stains or other matter working through the joints to
disfigure the surface of the Floor.
This improved flooring, is laid on the ordinary concrete & floated bed or other
surface and permanently secured to it by the Blocks being dipped on the underside in
Boiling Composition & laid on a bed of same Damp proof Fibrous Composition or
Mastic, composed of the following ingredients in various proportions, to suit the
circumstances of any kind of work. Pitch-Resin-Stockholm & other Tars-Fatty
Matter Resin Oil, Limepowder or other Cement to which is added when hot a
quantity of Asbestos-Cow hair or other suitable firbre for the respective kinds of
work Thus making a solid compact flooring that is perfectly immovable in every
way.
The cost of which is about the same as ordinary Wood Block Flooring.

page_text: ROBERT_DAVISON 182 Marylebone Road N.W. Building Trades Contractor, and
WILLIAM THOMAS CREED, Milton House Huddleston Road, Willesden Green N.W.
Clerk of Works, 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 our Invention is to introduce a Perfect System of Bonding the Wood
Blocks on all sides with wood Keys and permanently secure same to ordinary floated
concrete surface or other bed, with a Fibrous Damp proof Composition the tenacious
nature of which makes & renders the joints under & about the blocks perfectly
unbreakable.
Our system applies to all the usual Geometrical, & Ornamental shapes of Blocks ;
made in all kinds of Woods. The value of a Perfect System of Keying, or bonding
the Wood Blocks together is now well known to those, who have to do with Wood
Block Flooring; as in very dry situations, & when laid over Hot Air flues, the Blocks
become loose, & in others the Compositions in which they have been laid has worked
through the joints to the damage, & disfigurement of the Flooring. Our System is to
obviate these defects; and renders the Wood Block Floors made & laid in our
system, free from either of these great defects.
In our System each Block has a Dovetail Joint worked on 2 or more sides, and
have recesses worked on 2 or more sides, into which we insert Wood Keys. For thin
Blocks we introduce 1 or 2 angle chases on the bottom side; or bed of each Block,
in place of the Dovetail; the Blocks are thus securely held together; so as to prevent
the possibility of becoming loose.
In order that our Invention may be more readily understood, we have annexod a
sheet of drawings illustrative of our improvements.
Fig. 1 is a Cross Section of a Wood Block, with the Wood Keys inserted in the
recesses B. B. the dovetail joint is also shown under the Keys.
Fig. 2 is a Longitudinal Section of the Block, the Wood Key A is shown, in the
recess B. B.
Fig. 3-is a Cross Section of a thinner block showing the Wood Keys C. C. in
side recesses D. D; and the angle chases are formed as shown E. E. on bottom beds
of the thin Blocks; and in the thicker where circumstances require that special care
1s to be taken for securing the Blocks laid in our fibrous composition.
Fig. 4 is a Longitudinal Section of blocks with the Wood Keys C. C. shown in
the recesses D. D of thin blocks.
Figs. 5, 6, & 7 are plans of three ornamental Patterns of Wood Block Flooring,
drawn to a reduced scale. The upper part of which F. F. F has in each case been
removed to the vertical plane of the Wood Keys; which are thus laid bare, and are
seen in the constructional position, they occupy in each pattern, and show the

page_text: completeness of our system of Keying, or bonding the Blocks together, is at once
demonstrated.
In order to secure a sound, and perfectly unbreakable joint between the bottom, or
underneath side of the wood Blocks; and the concrete, or other floated surface of
stone, cement or Wood, we make use of a fibrous damp proof Composition, or Mastic.
The base of which is Pitch, Resin, Stockholm or other Tar, Fatty Matter, Resin Oil,
Lime Powder, Red or White Lead, or other cements, boiled together in such pro-
portions to suit the position, and the kind of work; to which we add when boiling a
sufficient quantity of Asbestos, or cow hair, or other short fibrous materials. The
whole is kept heated, and applied to the surface, of the space to be laid with blocks;
while hot, the blocks are dipped into this Mastic, sufficient to cover the bottom bed of
the Block, then floated with a sliding notion on the prepared surface into its proper
position. The Keys being inserted as the work proceeds. The value of this fibrous
Composition, or Mastic cannot be over estimated, as the ordinary Bituminous Com-
position, used for work of this kind is liable to Fracture under concussion; as a sharp
blow, or the fall of a heavy weight on the Floor has destroyed, or broken the joint
under & about the blocks, which have then worked loose, and had to be relaid. This
is impossible where the blocks are laid in our fibrous Composition.
Thus we construct a perfectly level, & well bonded Floor, the Blocks of which,
cannot by any possibility become loose, or uneven, on the surface. The Wood Keys
also prevent any Stains from the Composition, or other matter working through the
joint, & disfiguring the surface of the Floor; which has always been a serious defect
in Wood Block Floors. We thus make a solid, and compact Flooring immovable in
every way, & the cost of which is about the same as ordinary Wood Block Floors.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is.
1st. The Introduction of a Perfect System of Keying, or bonding the Wood
Blocks on 2, or on all sides with Wood Keys in recesses made in the Blocks for that
purpose.
2nd. The Introduction of Angle Chases in the bottom bed of the Blocks for
the Mastic to enter, and hold and bond the same to concrete, or other prepared
Beds.
3rd. The Introduction of a New Fibrous Damp proof Composition, for securing the
Wood Block Flooring to the concrete or other surface, with a joint that is unbreakable,
as set forth, and indicated.