Improvements in Metallic Wire Mats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1882
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1893—Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Wire Mats.
I, JOSEPH NICHOLS, of the firm of J. Nichols and Sons, of Cheapside Wire
Works in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention pertains to the production of metallic wire mats, formed from
Archimedian convolutions entwined one within another, so as to produce a meshed
surface, which, when in use, lies upon the ground, and forms a means for removing
dirt accumulations from boots and shoes.
Wire convolutions have heretofore been so entwined one within another, that the
pattern or patterns produced by the union of the said convolutions, has or have
dips or valleys between the convexities or rises, assuming that the said meshed
surface is lying upon a horizontal plane.
Thus in one form of entwinement, the generatrix of one spiral passes within the
inside edge of an adjacent spiral, and so on, hence the entwinement of parallel & side
by side spirals, and the formation of a meshed surface, with dips or valleys running
in parallel directions between the rises or concavities.
In another form of mesh heretofore made, the spirals are directed obliquely, and
cross each other. Still there remains the same defect in respect of the dips or
valleys.
According to my invention, the mesh, or reticulated surface has no dips or valleys,
but has formed enclosed figures, such as a hexagon or star-shaped enclosure,
according to the number of series of spirals employed.
Thus, in one form of my invention, I employ three series of spirals, viz., two
oblique series crossing each other, and a horizontal series crossing the oblique series,
at the junction of the spirals of one oblique series with the spirals of the other
oblique series, hence the production of an enclosed pattern, with scraper edges upon
all sides of the figure.
'In carrying out one form of my invention, in connection with a three-series spiral
mesh, I proceed as follows:-
I take a series of spirals of like convolutions and pitch, or of the same generatrix,
and I place the same in an oblique direction, sloping or directed from right to left,
and with the said spirals lying close to each other.
I then take a second series of spirals, and dispose the same obliquely, and at the
same angle as the aforesaid first series, which are crossed by, and entwined into, the
second series, as hereinafter described.
Thus, assuming the production is being performed upon a horizontal plane,
and that the left hand series of obliquely disposed spirals are arranged in proper
order, and side by side, and with the hollows or declivities following each other
in a horizontal plane, then on the passing of the generatrix of each spiral first
under the rise of one of the left hand spirals, then over the dip or declivity of
it, then again under a lower convolution of the same spiral. Then, as the
generatrix travels on from the first spiral, under the rise of a convolution of the
second one, then over the declivity or dip below the said rise of the said second
one, and then again under a rise of the next and lower convolution, and so on
until the entwining of the right hand obliquely directed spirals have been
completed.
When this stage of the production has been reached, by the entwinement of the
right-hand directed oblique spirals, with left-hand directed oblique spirals, the
horizontal dips or valleys between the rises of the left-hand series are bridged by
the rises of the right-hand series, but now by this said entwinement, valleys are
1

page_text: produced in the directions of the left-hand spirals, which are subsequently bridged
over, as hereinafter described, by horizontal and closure spirals, which are made to
entwine with both of the oblique spirals as stated.
Looking upon the entwinements vertically, the rises of the left hand series, form,
as it were, a series of horizontal bars, which appear to be united by twists of the
shape of the figure 8, formed by the rises or concavities of the right hand series,
crossing the dips or hollows of the left-hand series.
A series of horizontal spirals are now taken, and the generatrix of each made to
pass through the lower loop of a figure 8 twist, upon the top side of a bar, then
through the upper loop of a figure 8 twist upon the lower side of the said bar, then
through the lower loop of the 8 twist again above the bar, and so on above and
below the bar until the entwinement has been completed, so that each of the
horizontal spirals first pass under the rise of a diagonal right-band spiral, then
over the valley of it, then over the valley of a left-hand spiral, and at the same time
under the rise of a right-hand oblique spiral, which is below the former con-
volution.
The generatrix then passes under the valley of a right-hand spiral, above the
former valley of the said spiral, then over the rise of a left-hand spiral, and so on
entwining itself between the loops of the 8 twists, above and below the imaginary
horizontal line formed by the rises of the left-hand oblique spirals.
The mesh produced is made up of enclosed figures, alike unto a hexagonal sided
figure, or a figure produced by placing triangles one upon another in three directions,
and with the sides formed spirally.
Like enclosed figures, with scraper tops all round, may be produced by changing
the convolutions of the coils, so that four, five or other series of spirals may be
entwined in like manner as the three series as described.
The terminals, or the ends of the wires of the spirals are preferably entwined or
twisted one about another, so as to lock the mesh, and with the ends of one or two
lengths of each series turned or twisted over a border, or a border rod, frame or
their equivalents, and with a coil, or series of coils entwined or evolved around the
said border frame, which forms, as it were, a core to the border proper.
The convolutions of the border, which may be of any desired construction, figure.
or formation, may be arranged to come between the connections of the mesh with
the border.
The whole of the mat is perfectly flexible, and will lie flat upon any ground or
surface.
Dated this 26th day of April 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Wire Mats.
I, JOSEPH NICHOLS of the firm of J. Nichols and Sons, of Cheapside Wire
Works, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 pertains to the production of metallic wire mats, formed from
Archimedian convolutions entwined one within another, so as to produce a meshed
surface, which, when in use, lies upon the ground, and forms a means of removing
dirt accumulations from boots and shoes.
Wire convolutions have heretofore been so entwined one within another, that the
pattern or patterns produced by the union of the said convolutions, has or have dips
or valleys between the convexities or rises, assuming that the said meshed surface is
lying upon a horizontal plane.
...

page_text: Thus, in one form of entwinement, the generatrix of one spiral passes within the
inside edge of an adjacent spiral and so on, hence, the entwinement of parallel and
side by side spirals and the formation of a meshed surface, with dips or con-
vexities.
In another form of mesh heretofore made, the spirals are directed obliquely and
cross each other. Still there remains the same defect in respect of the dips or
valleys.
According to my invention the mesh or reticulated surface has no dips or valleys,
but has formed enclosed figures, such as a hexagon or star-shaped enclosure,
according to the number of series of spirals employed.
Thus, in one form of my invention, I employ three series of spirals viz., two
oblique series crossing each other and a horizontul series crossing the oblique series,
at the junctions of the spirals of one oblique series, with the spirals of the other
oblique series, hence the production of an enclosed pattern with scraper edges upon
all sides of the figure.
In carrying out one form of my invention in connection with a three-series spiral
mesh I proceed as follows:-
I take a series of spirals of like convolutions and pitch or of the same generatrix
and I place the game in an oblique direction, sloping or directed from right to left
and with the said spirals lying close to each other.
I then take a second series of spirals, and dispose the same obliquely and at the
same angle as the aforesaid first series which are crossed by and entwined into, the
second series, as hereinafter described.
Thus, assuming the production is being performed upon a horizontal plane, and
that the left hand series of obliquely disposed spirals are arranged in proper order,
and side by side, and with the hollows or declivities forming troughs or continuous
valleys; the generatrix of each right hand spiral is then passed first under the rise
of one of the left hand spirals, then over a succeeding dip or declivity of it, and then
again under a lower convolution of the same spiral. Then the generatrix travels
on from the first spiral under the rise of a convolution of the second one, then over
the declivity or dip below the said rise of the said second one, and then again under
a rise of the next and lower convolution, of the said second spiral and so on until
the entwining of the right hand obliquely directed spirals have been completed.
When this stage of the production has been reached, by the entwinement of
right-hand directed oblique spirals, with left-hand directed oblique spirals, the
horizontal valleys or dips between the rises of the left-hand series are bridged by
the rises of the right-hand series, but now by this said entwinement, valleys are
produced in the directions of the left-hand spirals, which are subsequently bridged
over, as hereinafter described, by horizontal and closure spirals, which are made to
entwine with both of the oblique spirals as stated.
Looking upon the entwinements vertically, the rises of the left-hand series, form,
as it were, a series of horizontal bars, which appear to be united by twists of the
shape of the figure 8, formed by the rises or concavities of the right-hand series
crossing the dips or hollows of the left hand series.
A series of horizontal spirals are now taken, and the generatrix of each made to
pass through the lower loop of a figure 8 twist upon the top side of a bar, then
through the upper loop of a figure 8 twist upon the lower side of the said bar, then
through the lower loop of the 8 twist again above the bar, and so on above and
below the bar until the entwinement has been completed, so that each of the
'horizontal spirals first pass under the rise of a diagonal right hand spiral, then over
the valley of it, then over the valley of a left hand spiral, and at the same time
under a rise of a right hand oblique spiral, which is below the former convolution.
The generatrix then passes under the valley of a right-hand spiral above the
former valley of the said spiral, and then over the rise of a left hand spiral, and so
on entwining itself between the loops of the 8 twists, above and below the imaginary
horizontal line formed by the rises of the left hand oblique spirals.

page_text: The mesh produced, is made up of enclosed figures, alike unto a hexagonal sided
figure, or a figure produced by placing triangles one upon another in two directions,
and with the sides formed spirally.
Like enclosed figures, with scraper tops all round, may be produced by changing
the convolutions of the coils, so that four, five, or other number of series of spirals
may be entwined in like manner as the three series as described.
The terminals or the ends of the wires of the spirals are preferably entwined, or
twisted one about another, so as to lock the mesh, and with the end of one or two
lengths of each series turned or twisted over a border, or a border rod, frame or
their equivalents, and with a coil or series of coils entwined or evolved around the
said border frame, which forms, as it were, a core to the border proper.
The convolutions of the border, which may be of any desired construction, figure,
or formation, may be arranged to come between the connections of the mesh with
the border.
The whole of the mat is perfectly flexible, and will be flat upon any ground or
surface.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a scraper mat, or a portion of
a wire mat, made according to one form of my invention. It will be understood
that my said invention resides in the intercoiled part, without the border.
The said mat, less the border, is made by intercoiling a series of oblique and
horizontally crossing convolutions in manner that hexagonal sided or enclosed figures
are produced.
Figure 2 represents a cross section of the said mat upon the dotted line A. B.
Figure 3 represents the first series of oblique and parallel convolutions, herein-
after called left hand strands. This diagrammatic view shows the relative positions
of the Archimedian or serpentine coils one with another, and the dispositions of the
rises and dips thereof.
Figure 4 represents a vertical section of Figure 3 on the dotted lines C. D.
Figure 5 represents the oblique left hand strands crossing and intercoiled with
oblique right hand strands, and constitutes the second process of intercoiling.
Figure 6 represents a vertical section of Figure 5 upon the dotted lines E. F.
Thus the partly made mat Figure 5 is made up of a series of left hand coils and a
series of right hand coils intercoiled one with another, that is, a series of coils
running from the left hand side to the right side starting from the top of the
mat, and a series of coils running from right to left hand side starting again from
the top of mat, are made to cross each other and intercoil, and then by passing a
series of horizontal convolutions intercoiling with the aforesaid, a mat of the pattern
as in Figure 1 is thereby produced.
A series of obliquely directed left hand spirals a are taken and arranged side by
side as in the diagram Figure 3, and then a series of obliquely directed right hand
spirals b, are taken and intercoiled crosswise with the left hand spirals a, hence the
formation of a meshed reticulated surface as in Figure 5.
Again, the formation of the said mesh Figure 5 is made by taking a series of
spirals of the same pitch, or of the same generatrix, and intercoiling with them, a
second series of obliquely directed and crossing spirals, of the same pitch as
the first.
I now take a series of horizontal spirals c, of the same pitch, and arranged at the
same distances apart as the oblique and crossing spirals, and on the said horizontal
coils or strands being intercoiled with the oblique crossing ones in manner as
described, a wire mat or a scraper wire mat is produced, the pattern or the enclosed.
pattern resembles an enclosed six-sided figure, and forms a scraper surface.
The terminal ends of the strands are interlaced or entwined within the coil
border d, thus covering up the ragged or irregular boundary edges.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular border, and
the body of the mat may be made up of four or other number of strands, so as to
produce an enclosed figure or pattern of the mesh.

page_text: Figure 7 represents the body part of a scraper mat made from crossing oblique
coils of the same pitch of crossing horizontal and vertical coils of a like pitch
respectively, but of a greater pitch than that of the oblique crossing coils.
a and b are oblique crossing coils, and c and e are horizontal and vertical crossing
coils, which two latter are of greater pitch than the two former, so that on the whole
being intercoiled as set forth, the connections of them are made at points f, hence
the production of a four strand open wire mat.
To make a closer mesh, intermediate oblique and other coils have only to be
introduced by intercoiling the same in proper positions.
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 :-
First: A metallic wire mat, consisting of three series of intercoiled spirals, viz.,
two oblique series crossing each other, and a third or horizontal series crossing the
oblique series at the junctions of the spirals of one oblique series with the spirals of
the other oblique series, hence the production of a wire mat having an enclosed
pattern, with scraper edges or rises upon all sides of the said enclosed pattern, as
set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Secondly-A wire mat, consisting of obliquely crossing spirals, with horizontal
and vertical intercoiled spirals entwining with the oblique spirals, as set forth in
Figure 7.
Thirdly-In wire mats, the organization and formation of the body or part
composed of intercoiled convolutions.
Fourthly:-In wire mats, the combination with the enclosed patterned body part,
of the border coil or coils, as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of January 1892
JOSEPH NICHOLS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.