IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOORS, THRESHOLDS, STAIRCASE STEPS AND THE LIKE a
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, Proprietor of the firm
of J Brandt & G W v Nawrocki, Patent Solicitor and Civil Engineer of
124 Leipzigerstrasse Berlin Germany for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FLOORS, THRESHOLDS, STAIRCASE STEPS AND THE LIKE a communication
from Messieurs F. Arnecke & Co of Blankenburg in the Harz Germany
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von
Nawrocki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
2nd November 1883,
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, Proprietor of the firm of J. Brandt
&G Wv Nawrocki, Patent Solicitor and Civil Engineer of 124 Leipzigerstrasse
Berlin Germany "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOORS, THRESHOLDS, STAIRCASE STEPS AND
THE LIKE" (A communication from Messieurs F. Arnecke & C° of Blankenburg
in the Harz Germany)
This invention relates to manufacturing floors, thresholds, staircase steps and the
like which are exposed to a great amount of wear, of end or cross grained wood, by
which means articles constructed according to this invention are made to last much
longer and afford better foothold.
In order to make the use of end grained (or diagonally grained) wood practicable
for these purposes the end grained wood is glued on lower planks and held in the
proper position by feathers, dowels or other suitable means,
One mode of using end grain wood paving consists in the application of upper
end grain plates which are glued to lower long grained planks and particularly
strongly fastened together in position by feathers because the glue hardly holds
enough alone. The feathers may be sunk more or less deeply in the lower long
grained planks they may either be put in from the upper or lower surface or they
may be placed in the middle. Instead of the feathers wooden dowels or pegs of
any suitable cross section and arrangement may be used for joining the end or
diagonally grained wood and the lower long grained planks together. The upper
portion of the floor is made of diagonally grained wood. The parts of the floor or

page_text: pavement are turned out finished and cut to the desired dimensions from the
factory. The mode of laying the pavement or floor is as follows. The lower
beams or sleepers are first laid down upon which are screwed feathers dovetail in
cross section and with the broadest part uppermost and the lower long grained
boards are provided with corresponding dovetail grooves.
The boards are then simply pushed on to the dovetail feathers. The laying is
as follows: first the dovetail feathers are screwed on for one board, then the board
is pushed onto same, then the dovetail feathers for the second board are screwed on
and the second plato pushed on to same and so on. The side edges of the boards
are provided with alternate groove and feather, whereby the boards are connected
to one another.
A warping or displacement of the paving boards is rendered impossible by this
peculiar construction. If after a time the joint should open, the boards are easily
closed up, as the wedge shaped feathers admit of this being done. For this reason
the feathers are made somewhat shorter than the width of the paving boards.
In the same manner the steps of staircases, thresholds and the like are fastened
by pushing the paving boards on to wedge or dovetail shaped feathers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent fled
by the said Gorard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki in the Patent Office on the
2nd May 1884.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI Proprietor of the firm of J. Brandt and
G. W. v Nawrocki Patent Solicitor and Civil Engineer of 124 Leipzigerstrasse,
Berlin, Germany "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOORS, THRESHOLDS, STAIRCASE STEPS AND
THE LIKE A communication from Nessieurs F. Arnecke & Co of Blankenburg in
the Harz Germany
33
This invention relates to manufacturing floors, thresholds, staircase steps and the
like, which are exposed to a great amount of wear, of end or cross grained wood, by
which means articles constructed according to this invention are made to last much
longer and afford better foot hold.
In order to make the use of end grained or diagonally grained wood practicable
for these purposes, the end grained wood is glued on lower planks and held in the
proper position by feathers dowels or other suitable means.
One mode of using end grained wood paving is shown at Figure 1, in plan and at
Figures 2 and 8 in section in the accompanying drawings and consists in the
application of upper end grain plates a which are glued to lower long grained
planks 6 and moreover strongly fastened together in position by feathers & because
the glue hardly holds enough alone. The feathers & may be sunk more or less
deeply in the lower long grained planks b they may either be put in from the
upper or lower surface the former construction being shown in section at Figure 2
and the latter at Figure 4 or they may be placed in the middle Instead of the
fonthers wooden dowels or pegs of any suitable cross section and arrangement may
be used for joining the end or diagonally grained wood and the lower long grained
planks together. In Figure 4 the upper portion of the floor is shown made of
diagonally grained wood. The parts of the floor or pavement are turned out
finished and cut to the desired dimensions from the factory. The mode of laying
the pavement or floor is as follows The lower beams or sleepers g Figures 1 and 2
are first laid down upon which are screwed feathers f dovetail in cross section and
with the broadest part uppermost as shown in plan at Figure 5 and the lower long
grained boards b are provided with corresponding dovetail grooves as shown also
at Figure 4.
The boards are then simply pushed on to the dovetail feathers f. The laying is
as follows: first the dovetail feathers fare screwed on for one board, then the next
board is pushed on to same then the dovetail feathers for this second board are
screwed on then the third board is pushed onto same and fixed and so on. The
side edges of the boards bare provided with alternate groove and feather, whereby
the boards are connected to one another.
A warping or displacement of the paving boards is rendered impossible by this
peculiar construction. If after a time the joint should open, the boards are easily
closed up as the wedge shaped feathers fadmit of this being done.
For this reason the feathers are made somewhat shorter than the width of the
paving boards, as will be understood from Figures 1 and 5.
In the same manner the steps of stair cases thresholds and the like are fastened
by pushing the flooring or paving boards on to wedge or dovetail shaped
feathers f
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to me
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim.
First-The use of cross grained or diagonally grained wood for floors, staircase
steps, thresholds and like objects when fixed and combined substantially as
heroinbefore described.

page_text: Second-The production of floors, staircase steps, thresholds and like articles of
cross grained or diagonally grained wooden upper boards or plates a and lower long
grained planks b both layers a and b being glued and joined together by feathers a
or by dowels of any suitable cross section substantially as set forth.
Third-The mode of fastening the described floor boards stair case steps and
thresholds on to their respectivo lower beams or sleepers g by means of conical
dovetail shaped feathers f (in cross section) upon which the plates are pushed
singly.
In witness whereof I the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Twenty eighth day of April in the year of our Lord 1
One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.