Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1887.
Complete Left, 28th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th July, 1887.
We ROBERT ROBSON LITTLE of 3 Meldon Terrace Westoe South Shields in the
County of Durham Timber Agent and JOHN HALL of Ellison Place in the City of
Newcastle on Tyne Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows:
This Invention has for its object to so construct timber roofs that they are perfectly
water tight at the joints. The boards forming the body of the roof are made to
join each other at the sides by means of simply abutting against each other or by a
tongue and groove or any other suitable or ordinary joint. Along the face of each
board near to the side edges are made grooves which are preferably inclined down-
wards becoming deeper inwards towards the central longitudinal line of the boards.
In these grooves are fitted covering strips made on the underside to engage with the
grooves in the sides of each two adjacent boards so that the strip covers the joint
between the two boards and fits securely into the grooves. The main part of
the boards at the outer surface may be concave or flat or of any suitable figure in
cross section but it is preferred to make it so that the running off of rain is
facilitated. At the apex of the roof the boards on either side are covered for a
short distance downward by saddle pieces filling the space between the strips
covering the joints and forming with the upper portions of the strips a continuous
seating for the ridge.
The strips may be dispensed with where for example the roof is to be covered with
slates the joint then presenting the advantage of an incline on each side of the joint

page_text: to shed the water away therefrom and prevent it entering thereinto. The joints may
be covered with a strip of India rubber or lead or other waterproof material instead
of or in addition to the strips hereinbefore described. The fastening nails are prefer-
ably put in so that when the strip is used they are protected thereby.
The roofs constructed according to this Invention may be made of much less pitch
than is necessary with other constructions of roofs.
The wood may be creosoted painted or otherwise prepared or treated as desired.
Dated this 17th day of February 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Timber Roofs.
We ROBERT ROBSON LITTLE of 3 Meldon Terrace South Shields in the County of
Durham Timber Agent and JOHN HALL of Ellison Place in the City of Newcastle
on Tyne Merchant, 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 :—
This Invention has for its object to so construct timber roofs that they are perfectly
water tight at the joints. The boards forming the body of the roof are made to join
each other at the sides by simply abutting against each other or by means of a tongue
and groove or any other suitable or ordinary joint. Along the face of each board at or
near to the side edges are made grooves or projections which are inclining downwards
from the joint towards the central longitudinal line of the boards so as to form a
watershed away from the joints. In these grooves or over these projections are fitted
covering strips made on the underside to engage with the grooves or projections in
the sides of each two adjacent boards so that the strip covers the joint between the two
boards and fits securely into the grooves, or over the projections.
The main parts of the boards at the outer surface (the parts between the grooves
or projections) may be concave or flat or of any suitable figure in cross section to
permit the ready running off of rain. At the apex of the roof the boards on either
side may be covered for a short distance downward by saddle pieces filling the space
between the strips covering the joints or the projections at the joints and forming
continuous seating for the ridge. We will describe with reference to the accom-
panying Drawings ways in which the Invention may be carried into practical effect.
Figure 1 shews a part of a Roof constructed according to this Invention. The
boards A are shewn as being joined at their abutting edges with a tongue and groove
like matchboarding but any other form of joint or a simple butt joint may be used.
On the upper surface and at or near the edges at each side of each board is made a
longitudinal groove a inclined downwards away from the joints. B are strips with
their undersides made to fit into the grooves a of adjacent boards. The grooves a
and the undersides of the strips B need not be of the precise form shewn but that
form is the one we prefer. At the apex of the Roof and between the strips B are
saddle pieces C forming a continuous surface for the ridge D and may be pointed as
shewn at c or straight as shewn at c². Figure 2. shews various forms of the exposed
upper surfaces of the boards A and of the grooves a and corresponding undersides
of the strips B. and of the joints between the boards A. At 1 the exposed surfaces
of the boards are curved or slightly troughed. At 2 and 3 there are grooves near each
edge of the strip B. the grooves at 2 being made continuous with the grooves a and
at 3 being made as separate grooves. At 4 the exposed surfaces of the boards are
made flat. The grooves a and the underside of the strips B. and the joint between
the boards are shewn at 5 like the example Figure 1. At 6 is shewn a rabbited joint
between the boards. At 7 there is a simple butt joint between the boards and the

page_text: grooves, a are simply right angled recesses, and the strips B are correspondingly
shaped, whilst at 8 is shewn another form of the grooves a, strip B and joint between
the boards.
The strips B may be dispensed with especially in cases where the timber is to be
covered by slates or the like the joint then presenting the advantage of an incline on
each side of the joint to shed the water away therefrom and prevent it entering
thereinto. In this case the grooves may be replaced by projecting ribs inclined
downwards in cross section away from the joint as shewn in Figure 3. The joints
may be covered by a strip of India rubber or lead or other waterproof material as
shewn at band these may also be used in conjunction with the strips B. The nails by
which the boards are fastened to the rafters are preferably inserted as shewn at so
that when the covering strips are used they are protected thereby.
The roofs constructed according to this Invention may be made of much less pitch
than is necessary with other constructions of roofs.
The wood may be creosoted painted or otherwise prepared or treated as may be
desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
First. In timber roofs boards having along the joints grooves ribs or projections
inclined in cross section downwards away from the joint so as to shed water away
from the joint as herein before described and illustrated.
Second. In timber roofs boards A with grooves a along their top upper parts and
with strips B engaging therewith and covering the joints between the adjacent boards
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the examples given.
Third. In timber roofs the combination of the boards A with grooves a therein the
engaging and joint covering strips B and the saddle pieces C substantially as
described and illustrated whether the exposed portions of the boards be plain or
troughed curved or grooved substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated this 25th day of June 1887.