A NEW OR IMPROVED PAVEMENT OR FLOORING
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, SIMON BIVORT, of Zumet, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED PAVEMENT
OR FLOORING to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved method of manufacturing tiles or
blocks for pavements or floorings of ground floors of houses, sheds, causeways,
streets, and other surfaces, and consists in the assemblage or combination of blocks
or plates of wood, and blocks or plates of terra cotta, stone, cement, or other
compressed matters, the latter being of the same shape, and having the same kind
of surface as those of wood.
In order to join and combine the two kinds of blocks or plates permanently
together, I make one or more projections on the surface of the wooden blocks or
plates, and one or more recesses in the blocks or plates of terra cotta or other
material, to correspond with such projections, or vice versa so that on sliding ono
surface over the other, the projections of the one, slip into the hollows of the,
other, and the two surfaces thus adhere. The exterior joints of the two surfaces
are afterwards stopped hermetically so as to prevent the introduction of water,
mud, or any other foreign matter between the two surfaces, and the fitting of
the blocks or plates is thus accomplished upon a bed or foundation of cement.
T

page_text: I, SIMON BIVORT, of Zumet, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED PAVEMENT
OR FLOORING and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a new or improved method of manufacturing tiles or
blocks for pavements or floorings of ground floors of houses, sheds, causeways,
streets, and other surfaces, and consists in the assemblage or combination of blocks
or plates of wood and blocks or plates of terra cotta, stone, cement, or other
compressed matters, the latter being. of the same shape and having the same kind
of surface as those of wood.
In order to join and combine the two kinds of blocks or plates permanently
together, I make one or more projections on the surface of the wooden blocks or
plates, and one or more recesses in the blocks or plates of terra cotta or other
material, to correspond with such projections, or vice versa, so that on sliding one
surface over the other, the projections of the one, slip into the hollows of the other,
and the two surfaces thus adhere. The exterior joints of the two surfaces are
afterwards stopped hermetically so as to prevent the introduction of water, mud,
or any other foreign matter between the two surfaces, and the fitting of the
blocks or plates is thus accomplished upon a bed or foundation of cement.
For the better understanding of the new or improved method of manufacturing
the said tiles or blocks, I shall now refer to the accompanying drawings, in which
figs 1, 2 and 3 are sectional views by A B, fig 3 showing the form which may be
given to the projections on the wooden blocks or plates, and the corresponding
recesses in the blocks or plates of terra cotta, coment, or other compressed matters;
fig, 4 is a top view of a tile or block, with part of the wooden block or plate taken
away; and fig 5 is a sectional view showing the mode of junction of two wooden
and cement tiles or blocks, and the bed or foundation of cement.
In these figures, the same letters of reference, indicaté corresponding parts, and
A is the block or plate of wood; B the block or plate of terra cotta, cement, or
other material; C the cement bed or foundation.
Another method of manufacture, illustrated in figs 6 and 7 of the drawings may
be employed and by means of which four wooden blocks or plates A B C D may be
combined with a block or plate of cement, made of a cement or other material as
stated above, in a liquid or pasty state, and becoming hard afterwards. For this
purpose, the four wooden blocks or plates are united by means of metal cramps a
of any suitable forin or number; the latter are partly driven or inserted in the
wood, and left partly projecting so as to afford a grip for the cement. The four
wooden blocks or plates, having been formed with a dovetail or other projection as
just described (or with a recess) are turned over on their flat surface in an iron
square, and there they are tightened up by means of screws. It is preferable, in
order to obtain greater firmness, to place them in such manner that the projections,
(or recesses) in the opposite blocks A and C may be perpendicular to those in the
blocks B and D, and the projections or recesses having been made in a direction
perpendicular to the grain of the wood, this crossing of the grain of the wood,
when the flooring or pavement is laid, adds to its beauty, especially if different
grained woods are used.
A coat of bitumen, tar, oil, varnish, or other suitable waterproofing material is
then given to it to fill up the pores of the wood and prevent absorption by it; or

page_text: preferably, a mixture of bitumen and tar, or the same proofing may be obtained
by injection, or by carbonizing the wood. The said wooden blocks or plates are
afterwards joined one to the other by means of cramps a and a composition of
cement or other above mentioned compound (which sets hard afterwards) in a
liquid or pasty state, is run over the blocks or plates, which it covers, penetrating
under the dove-tail projections (or recesses), and under the cramps, which are thus
embedded in the cement. When this layer is sufficiently set, the square or frame
is turned over, and placed under a press; the water is by this means climinated
without rendering the wood dump. A few days afterwards the pannels or com-
binations of tiles or blocks are set and ready for use.
It is scarcely necessary to add that the blocks or plates may be of any desired
shape, they are damp proof, and fire-proof, heat has no effect upon them; they may
be inanufactured and kept on hand, are easily portable, do not deteriorate, and are
economical.
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
A tile or block for pavements or floorings, consisting of one or more wooden
blocks or plates furnished with projections, (or recesses) single or joined by means
of metal cramps, in combination with cement or other similar material, applied in
blocks or pannels in which are corresponding recesses (or projections), or in a liquid
or pasty state, substantially as above described for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 20th day of January 1885

page_text: FIG. 6.,