IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMS OF SLABS FOR ROOFINGS, AND INTERNAL SURFACE FITTINGS OF BUILDINGS GENERALLY
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wheatley, of Middlestonmoor, Spennymoor, in the
County of Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND FORMS OF SLABS FOR ROOFINGS, AND INTERNAL SURFACE FITTINGS OF
BUILDINGS GENERALLY."
Sealed the 5th March 1878, and dated the 26th September 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wheatley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th September 1877.
THOMAS WHEATLEY, of Middlestonmoor, Spennymoor, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMS OF SLABS FOR ROOFINGS, AND
INTERNAL SURFACE FITTINGS OF BUILDINGS GENERALLY."
The object of this Invention is improvements in the construction or forms of slabs
suitable for roofs and internal fittings of houses and buildings generally, by which
a much better appearance to the structure is ensured than is obtained by slates,
ordinary tiles, or by slabs, the exterior surface being flush, without exposed ribs,
projections, or overlappings.
My slabs, which may be glazed on the exterior, may be printed, painted, or other-
wise ornamented to give effect, or they may be plain white glazed, for light and
heat refractory purposes, as desired.
In the construction of my alabs I form an internal rib, with a portion projecting at
one edge, and a similar rib or projection on the top edge, a space being left between
the top of the side edge projection and to the lower edge of the top edge projection
to enable the slab to find a lodgment on the lath, say, of a roof, by which each slab
is held in position without nails or other fasteners, the top edge projection being
nearly the full width of the slab to ensure a secure bearing on the lath for the full
width of the slab. The top edge rib or projection extends from one side of each
slab and takes under the next adjoining slab which rests upon it. In fitting these
slabs in position they "butt" against each other, and also rest upon the side
projecting ribs of the adjoining slab, the joint or seam being first coated with a
cement, putty, or other mastic, to prevent water percolating through.

page_text: The slabs can be made that the seams or butt ends run in the same line vertically
and horizontally, or they may have the seam lines broken or arranged in any
convenient manner.
The lower row of slabs, say, for a slanting roof, are made with a bottom trough
serving as an eave's gutter to lead rain water to one side in connection with the
down pipe, said trough, which hangs over the top course of brickwork, preventing
the rain beating in.
The butt ends of the troughs have projections on one side to permit the seams to
be "luted" with putty or other mastic or cement.
For further security, if desired, the slabs may be provided with countersunk holes
for the insertion of copper or zinc nails, the holes being preferably previously filled
with putty as a cushion for the nails, which by this means can be kept clear of the
slabs. The nails pass through the slabs into roof laths or into boards as roof
linings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Wheatley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
March 1878.
THOMAS WHEATLEY, of-Middlestonmoor, Spennymoor, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMS OF SLABS FOR ROOFINGS, AND
INTERNAL SURFACE FITTINGS OF BUILDINGS GENERALLY."
The object of this Invention is improvements in the construction or forms of slabs
suitable for roofs and internal fittings of houses and buildings generally, by which
a much better appearance to the structure is ensured than is obtained by slates,
ordinary tiles, or by slabs, the exterior surface being flush, without exposed ribs,
projections, or overlappings.
My slabs, which may be glazed on the exterior, may be printed, painted, or other-
wise ornamented to give effect, or they may be plain white glazed, for light and
heat refractory purposes, as desired.
In the construction of my slabs I form an internal rib, with a portion projecting
at one edge, and a similar rib or projection on the top edge, a space being left between
the top of the side edge projection, and to the lower edge of the top edge projection,
to enable the slab to find a lodgment on the lath, say, of a roof, by which each slab
is held in position without nails or other fasteners, the top edge projection being
nearly the full width of the slab to ensure a secure bearing on the lath for the full
width of the slab. The top edge rib or projection extends from one side of each
slab and takes under the next adjoining slab, which rests upon it. In fitting these
slabs in position they "butt" against each other, and also rest upon the side
projecting ribs of the adjoining slab, the joint or seam being first coated with a
cement, putty, or other mastic, to prevent water percolating through.
The slabs can be made that the seams or butt ends run in the same line vertically
and horizontally, or they may have the seam lines broken or arranged in any
convenient manner.
The lower row of slabs, say, for a slanting roof, are made with a bottom trough
serving as an eave's gutter to lead rain water to one side in connection with the down

page_text: pipe, said trough, which hangs over the top course of brickwork, preventing the rain
beating in.
The butt ends of the troughs have projections on one side to permit the seams to
be "luted" with putty or other mastic or cement.
For further security, if desired, the slabs may be provided with countersunk holes
for the insertion of copper or zinc nails, the holes being preferably previously filled
with putty as a cushion for the nails, which by this means can be kept clear of the
slabs. The nails pass through the slabs into roof laths or into boards as roof
linings.
My Invention will be fully understood by refering to the annexed Drawings, in
which, in Figure 1, I have shown the front of a slab suited for use as roofing tiles
or as substitutes for such; this form or construction may however be also used for
walls' facings, the outside or inside of dwelling and other houses, if desired.
The slab A has two projecting pieces B, C, at the back, the upper one B to rest
upon a longitudinal lath which is fitted on the housetop for the purpose, the other
projection serving to space the slabs apart, side by side, in continuous lines, each
line having the vertical or up-and-down seams in line or broken, according to the
desire of the fixer.
Figure 2 shows she back of the slab, and Figure 3 a back or inside view of a
number of them in double row in position upon lath rods D, D, by which they are
supported. In this view the slabs break joint, and when being fixed in place the
seams are luted by a cement, mastic, or plaster, to assist in binding the slabs together,
as well as to prevent the entry of rain water. Each slab holds itself and supports its
own weight upon the lath, and assists by its under-running lip or rib C to hold its
neighbour in place, thereby forming a perfect bond without the use of nails or other
fixing appliances.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a roof with the slabs A in position thereon, the
lower row having the bottoms curled or curved to form an eave's gutter, as at E, the
curved portions overlapping the side wall to prevent rain water beating in through
the top seam of the wall slabs, which may be of the same form, with edge and top
ribs, as the intermediate slabs of the roof, or they may have ribs or projections from
both top and bottom, as well as from the two sides, as in the view, Figure 5.
The eaves' slabs may be of the form shown in Figure 8, for the lower parts to rest
against the wall, the hollow being filled in with cement to serve as a key.
These slabs are also available for slant or flat roofings, and may, like the other
forms of slabs, be attached to the timbers or laths by nails or like appliances, in which
case I prefer to countersink the holes in the slabs, and fill in putty or other mastic
or cement, through which the nails are passed, to serve as a cushion or pad to prevent
the nails touching the slabs.
The nails may, in some cases, have bulged heads of glazed material to give an
ornamental effect to the wall or roof, if desired, and where the slabs are of glazed
ware the design may be caused to blend either in colour or design, as desired.
The plain slabs of the form (shown in Figure 5) may have a top back rib or
projection, as in Figure 6, to rest upon the lath rods, as referred to for Figures 1, 2,
3, and 4, as I have shown in Figure 7, a front view, and Figure 8, a back view, the
object in all cases being that two projecting lips or fillets of one slab may take under
the other two projecting ribs or fillets of the neighbouring slab, and thus form a
bond"
one to the other to hold themselves in position, assisted by the luting
cement that is placed between the meeting ends of each two slabs.
"
It will be thus understood that my slabs, which are applicable to external as well
as internal surfacing of walls, are particularly adapted for skeleton timber, and also
for what are known as concrete structures, to the surfaces of which they can be
secured by a plaster lining.
In the case of skeleton timber structure, the space between the inner and outer
slabs may be filled in with concrete or other body as the placing of the slabs progresses,
thus forming a solid wall of great strength and durability, the timbers being
thereby embedded, so to speak, between the slabs and the concrete.

page_text: My slabs may be of clay moulded into shape, or of glass, or other suitable plastic
body capable of being vitrified.
If the slabs have roughened backs they can be caused to adhere to the inner
concrete or plaster; in that case the lath rods may be inside the uprights, or the
lath rods can be so arranged that they can be removed after the concrete is "sett;"
the uprights may then even be removed and be used for other buildings. The timber
may however be built in the wall.
The slabs can also be used for flooring purposes of halls, passages, and other places,
or as otherwise desired.
In the form of slab shewn in the Drawings, I begin to lay the lower course or row
from the left hand, and work upwards to the right to the necessary height, each
seam being bonded as the work progresses, and the vertical seams may break joint,
as shown, or they may in the same line, as found convenient.
By my Invention houses or other buildings may be constructed in a substanțial
manner, of very durable material, and at less cost than of brick or stone. The slabs
also improve the appearance both externally and internally, and when the outer
surfaces of the slabs are glazed they serve as a "weathering" to existing brick-built
houses, it being only necessary to nail tile laths to the brickwork and attach the
slabs, as before mentioned.
My slabs are available for valleys and hips of roofings, also for chimney tops, by
being cut or shaped with diagonal or angular sides on edges.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the improved construction or forms
of slabs for roofings and surface fittings of buildings generally, as herein-before set
forth, and as shown in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wheatley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight.