An Improved Form of Fireproof Floor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb 1802 Accented, 19th Mar 1802
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Form of Fireproof Floor.
FRANK HINE WILLIS, Architect 34 Ely Place Holborn Circus ROBERT ASTLEY
Architect 34 Ely Place Holborn Circus do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
A system for constructing fireproof flooring with iron or steel joists, or other
médium for carrying the load, with arched fireclay (or other incombustible material)
lintels, formed with projecting tongues, to rest on the bottom flanges of the joists,
& to protect the under side of same from the action of fire-the lintels also
forming centreing for the concrete which fills in the spandrils of the upper side of
the fireclay arched lintels, & thus protects the upper portions of the joists from
the action of fire.
The underside of lintels being toothed, to form a key for the ceiling plaster.
Dated this 18th day of December 1891.
FRANK H. WILLIS.
ROBT. ASTLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Form of Fireproof Floor.
FRANK HINE WILLIS, Architect 34 Ely Place Holborn E.C. ROBERT ASTLEY,
Architect 34 Ely Place Holborn E.C. 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 :-
Qur invention relates to improvements in the construction of fire-proof floors and
has for its object to encase and so protect the iron or steel joists or girders or
other load carrying material used in such floors, to dispense with the use of
temporary centering in the construction of such to reduce the dead weight of such
floors and to enable them to be constructed more expeditiously & economically
than heretofore.
Our invention consists of a floor formed or constructed with lintels, designed on
the system of the Queen post truss with an arched upper surface, as a special
feature. These lintels are made of fireclay, terra-cotta or other fireproof material
and of various sections, which are arranged to rest on the lower flanges of iron or
steel joists or girders, and to pass under the lower flanges of same, an air space
being formed between the under surfaces of the joists or girders and the lower
part of the arched lintels. Concrete is placed over the arched lintels, so as to form
concrete arches, springing from joist to joist.
The function of the arched lintels is to protect the joists or girders from the
action of fire, to act as centering until the concrete is set, and to reduce the dead
weight of the floor. Dovetail grooves are formed in theunder surface of the lintels
to make a key for the plaster or other material for the ceiling below.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood, we have shewn
the same in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a transverse section and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of our
improved form of construction of fireproof floors.
A. A. are the arched braced lintels whose upper parts have a curved longitudinal
section, while their lower parts are flat as shewn, and furnished with ties T. T. T. . .
and struts S. S. The undersurfaces of these lintels are further provided with
TO17

page_text: transverse dovetail grooves G. G. G... serving as a key or fixing means for the
plaster or other material of the ceiling below.
The joists or girders J. J are fixed at a distance of two feet apart, and the
arched lintels, A. A.. are made of the proper lengths to slot in between the
webs W. W of the joists or girders J. J and to rest on the lower flanges E. E. .
thereof. The arched lintels A. A are fixed in such a manner that their lower or
flat portions P. P.. are below the bottom flanges E. E. of the joists or girders,
leaving an air space H. H. . . between the two.
Upon the upper surface of the concrete the floors are finished in the usual
manner with boards, wood blocks, stone, bricks, tiles cement, asphalte, and the like,
while the ceiling below is formed with plaster or other suitable material.
The arched lintels are so formed that there are five continuous air spaces besides
the air space H. running throughout the entire length of the floor, which air spaces
can be carried through the walls of the building into the outer air, or connected
with the usual ventilating flues in the walls, and would thus carry off foul or heated
air or gas.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
1. The improved construction of fireproof flooring, arranged and operating
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The arched and braced fire-proof lintels substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn in the drawing.
3. The series of concrete arches springing from joist to joist, formed without
the aid of temporary centering, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn
in the drawing.
Dated this 9th day of February 1802
FRANK HINE WILLIS,
ROBERT ASTLEY,
34, Ely Place, Holborn Circus, E.C.