Improvements in Fireproof Ceilings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan.,
1900
Improvements in Fireproof Ceilings.
I, MAX MÜNCH-PHIPPS, of Berne, Switzerland, Architect, 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 subject of the present invention is a leaf or slab stone for the construction
of incombustible ceilings with flat or plane lower and upper surfaces.
The inventor proposes to himself to construct an incombustible ceiling, formed
by means of the extreme supports and of vaulting or suspension stones, in leaf
or slab stones of an incombustible material of any description, and which are
jammed or held between the beams or other supports and are capable, by reason
of their special configuration or shape of forming a close vaulted roof or ceiling
jammed or pressed in two directions, and which can be built up by hand with-
out necessitating the employment of transverse supporting pieces or props.
The leaf or slab stones are limited in principle to three pairs of opposing or
abutting surfaces, notably by two straight parallel faces forming a parallelogram
and displaced conversely in a lengthwise direction and in a broad-wise direction
in such a manner that the longitudinal edges on the one part, and the lateral
edges on the other part will extend in a parallel direction; next by a pair of
two extreme contact faces and a pair of lateral contact faces may be equidistant.
In the annexed drawing the leaf or slab stone is represented, by way of
example, constructed according to several different forms or modifications.
Fig. 1, is a view showing a ceiling constructed by means of whole stones and
of half stones on the present system, in combination. The upper and lower
surfaces of the stones are straight or plane forming a rectangular parallelogram,
although they may belong to oblique parallelograms.
Fig. 2, is a transverse section on the line A B of the ceiling.
The extreme supports are indicated at a, s indicates one of the vaulting stones,
which portions do not form part of the subject of the application for a Patent.
The extreme contact faces w and w¹ of the leaf or slab stones are inclined in
an upward direction or in a downward direction, and straight in Fig. 2, whilst
they are convex or curved in Fig. 2ª.
Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section on the line C D, of the ceiling. The lateral
contact surfaces inclined in an upward direction, or in a downward direction f
or f¹ of the leaf or slab stones are provided with longitudinal horizontal grooves
or channels, p, of a square or right angled, or semi-circular section, in which
can be placed if necessary iron rods or bars, or which may be simply filled with'
good mortar in order to prevent the fall of the leaf or slab stones from an un-
finished surface. The extreme faces may likewise be provided with grooves or
channels.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6, are also sections on the line C D.
The lateral faces of the stones may likewise be formed convex or curved instead

page_text: of straight or plane, as shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 4, they are simply curved, in
Fig. 5, they are provided with double or compound curves, in Fig. 6, they
are toothed or serrated. In Fig. 4", the lateral faces are not equidistant. In
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the lateral contact faces are all equidistant. In Figs. 3,
to 6, 6 indicates empty spaces; these figures also show solid stones.
The shoring or propping up of the stones for the execution of the masonry work
is not necessary, but may be done if desired, from the fact that such course or
layer following the direction of the transverse section on line A. B, is immedi-
ately closed or keyed. During the short time which elapses up to the keying
of the vaulting or suspension stone, the stones are prevented from falling by
reason of the inclination of the lateral faces of the courses or layers already
finished to which they are fixed by the cohesive force of the mortar.
The stones may also be so constructed that the two surfaces upper and lower
are only displaced in a longitudinal or in a transverse direction, the contact
faces being formed as hereinabove described, straight or plane, with simple
curves, with several curves, or toothed or serrated.
Fig. 7, shows the plan and in longitudinal and transverse sections a stone the
surfaces of which are only displaced in a length-wise direction.
Fig. 8, illustrates a stone the surfaces of which are only displaced in a broad-
wise direction.
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—
1. A leaf or slab stone formed of incombustible material to admit of the con-
struction of incombustible ceilings, bounded above and below by a straight or
plane surface, and jammed or clamped in two directions, eventually, without
the employment of shoring or propping up by means of transverse pieces, limited
in principle to three pairs of opposing or abutting surfaces notably by two
parallel faces, forming parallelograms which faces are straight or plane, dis-
placed the one with respect to the other in length and in breadth, in such a
manner that the longitudinal edges and the lateral edges are parallel between
themselves, two equidistant extreme contact sides or walls, and two lateral con-
tact sides or walls.
2. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the first claim, the lateral con-
tact faces or sides of which are provided with grooves or channels.
3. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the second claim, with straight
or plane contact surfaces or sides.
4. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the second claim with curved
contact faces or sides.
5. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the second claim with a pair
of straight or plane surfaces and a pair of curved surfaces.
6. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the first claim, with toothed or
serrated sides or faces.
7: A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the first claim, with a pair of
straight sides or surfaces, and a pair of toothed or serrated sides or surfaces.
8. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the first claim, with a pair of
curved walls or surfaces and a pair of toothed or serrated walls or surfaces.
9. A leaf or slab stone limited in principle to three pair of opposing or abutting
surfaces, notably or specially by two parallelogram parallel straight or plane
faces or walls, displaced in relation the one to the other in one direction only,
in a longitudinal direction or in a transverse direction, in such a manner that
the longitudinal edges and the lateral edges are parallel between themselves,
two extreme contact surfaces or walls and two lateral contact surfaces or walls.
10. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim, the lateral
contact faces or walls of which are provided with grooves or channels.

page_text: 11. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim, with straight
or plane contact faces or walls.
12. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim, with curved
contact faces or walls.
13. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim, with a pair
of straight or plane contact surfaces or walls and a pair of curved contact sur-
faces or walls.
14. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim, with toothed
or serrated contact faces or walls.
15. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim, with a pair
of straight or plane contact surfaces or walls and a pair of toothed or serrated
contact surfaces or walls.
16. A leaf or slab stone such as that claimed in the ninth claim with a pair
of curved contact surfaces or walls and a pair of toothed or serrated contact sur-
faces or walls, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 24th day of November 1899
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.