CONSTRUC OF FLOORING
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wharam at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1880.
THOMAS WHARAM, of Hyde, in the County of Chester.
CONSTRUCTION OF FLOORING."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
My Invention relates to the construction of that kind of flooring consisting of
blocks of wood laid upon a bed of concrete or cement, such as is employed in fire-
proof buildings.
The object of the Invention is to cause the blocks to adhere inore firmly to each
other and to the cement, and thus to prevent them from rising or becoming
loose.
In the first place I plane or otherwise form in each side of each block a shallow.
longitudinal groove or grooves so that when the blocks are laid side by side, and
the cement "washed in," the latter enters the grooves and forms, as it were, a key
or tongue between the blocks so as prevent any block from rising above the
surrounding blocks.
And in order to cause the blocks to adhere more firmly to the bed of concrete or
cement on which they are laid, I drive into the back of each block a suitable
number of studs or nails, leaving the heads projecting from the wood about three-
eighths of an inch (more or less), so that when the blocks are laid upon the cement
or concrete the heads of the studs or nails become firmly embedded in the cement,
and thus the blocks are in effect nailed to the concrete foundation, and are perfectly
secured from becoming loose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Wharam in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
July 1880.
THOMAS WHARAM, of Hyde, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FLOORING."
My Invention relates to the construction of that kind of flooring consisting of
blocks of wood laid upon a bed of concrete, asphalt, or cement such as is employed
in fire proof buildings.
The object of the Invention is to cause the blocks to adhere more firmly to each
other, and to the cement, and thus to prevent them from rising or becoming
loose.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof :-
Fig: 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 an end view of a flooring block made according
to my Invention; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a piece of fire-proof flooring
constructed according to my improved blocks.
In the first place I plane or otherwise form in each side of each block a, a, a
shallow longitudinal groove or grooves b, b, so that when the blocks a, a, are laid
side by side, and the cement "washed in," the latter enters the grooves b, b, and
forms, as it were, a key or tongue between the blocks so as to prevent any block
from rising above the surrounding blocks.
And in order to cause the blocks a, a, to adhere more firmly to the bed of
concrete, asphalt, or cement, on which they are laid, I drive into the back of each
block a suitable number of studs, screws, or nails c, c (see Fig. 3), leaving the
heads projecting from the wood about three eighths of an inch (more or less), so
that when the blocks a, a, are laid upon the cement or concrete, as seen at Fig. 3,
the heads of the studs or nails c, c, become firmly embedded in the cement, and
thus the blocks are in effect nailed to the concrete or other foundation, and are
perfectly secured from becoming loose.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,-
First. The construction of flooring blocks with grooves in the sides, for the
purposes above set forth, and
Secondly. Driving studs or nails into the backs of such flooring blocks, leaving
the heads projecting for the purpose of obtaining a secure hold in the cement or
concrete on which the said blocks are laid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wharam, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.