IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC- TION OF FIREPROOF FLOORING
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Swarbrick, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF FIREPROOF FLOORING."
Sealed the 3rd August 1875, and dated the 10th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Swarbrick at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th February 1875.
I, ROBERT SWARBRICK, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIREPROOF FLOORING," to be as follows:—
The object of this Invention is to make a strong, economical, and
shallow fireproof flooring with a plain flat ceiling.
The Invention consists principally of a peculiar combination of wrought
iron or steel girders or joists supporting a series of slabs or tiles of stone-
ware or other suitable material to form the ceiling, and filled in with
concrete to form the floor.

page_text: I make the iron girders or joists with a T flange (or other suitable
section) at top and bottom, and fix them about eighteen inches or so
apart. The slabs or tiles are made of a suitable size to fit in between
the girders or joists, the face of the slabs being of the exact width from
centre to centre of the girders, so that their edges meet beneath the lower
flanges of the girders and form a flat and unbroken surface to receive
the plaster for the ceiling.
The slabs or tiles are formed with lips, which lie upon the bottom
flanges of the girders, and by these means the latter support the slabs or
tiles. The slabs may also be provided with a dovetailed rib at the back,
which will give them a hold in the concrete and at the same time will be
found convenient for the workman to grasp when fitting the slabs in
their places.
The girders are kept in their places and strengthened by transverse
stretchers or tie-picces of wrought iron, and when the skeleton flooring
is thus put together the whole is filled in with concrete to solidify it and
form the surface of the floor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Swarbrick in the Great Seal Patont
Office on the 10th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SWARBRICK, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto I, the said Robert Swarbrick, Her
special license that I, the said Robert Swarbrick, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Swar-
brick, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain

page_text: }
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIREPROOF FLOORING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Swarbrick, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Swarbrick, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawing:—
The object of this Invention is to make a strong, economical, and
shallow fireproof flooring with a plain flat ceiling.
The Invention consists principally of a peculiar combination of wrought
iron or steel girders or joists supporting a series of slabs or tiles of stone-
ware or other suitable material to form the ceiling, and filled in with
concrete to form the floor.
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 representing a section of a floor and ceiling made according to
my Invention, similar letters of reference being marked upon corre-
sponding parts.
I make the iron girders or joists a, a, with a T or other suitable shaped
flange at top and bottom, and fix them about eighteen inches or so apart.
The slabs or tiles b, b, are made of a suitable size to fit in between the
girders or joists a, a, the face of the slabs being of the exact width from
centre to centre of the girders, so that their edges meet at c, c, bencath
the lower flanges of the girders, and form a flat and unbroken surface
to receive the plaster for the ceiling.
The slabs or tiles are formed with lips d, d, which lie upon the bottom
flanges of the girders a, a, and by these means the latter support the
slabs or tiles b, b. The slabs may also be provided with a dovetailed

page_text: rib e, e, at the back, which will give them a hold in the concrete and at
the same time will be found convenient for the workman to grasp when
fitting the slabs in their places.
The girders are kept in their places and strengthened by transverse
stretchers or tie-pieces of wrought iron, as shown by the dotted lines;
and when the skeleton flooring is thus put together the whole is
filled in with concrete f,f, to solidify it and form the surface of the
floor.
If a wooden floor be desired, light joists 9, 9, and planking h, h, may
be laid on the surface of the concrete.
]
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 the construction of fireproof flooring substantially in the
manner above described and represented by the Drawing annexed, and 1
more especially I claim the form and construction of the slabs or
tiles b, b, with their lips c and d, and with or without the dovetailed
rib e, e.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Swarbrick, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
2