A New or Improved Fire Proof Flooring.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1894-Accepted, 2nd June,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Fire Proof Flooring.
We, THE ADAMANT COMPANY LIMITED, of Commercial Street, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Adamant Manufacturers, and JOHN WILKINSON,
Managing Director of the said Company do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:
The said invention consists in constructing fire proof flooring in the manner herein-
after described whereby a simple and efficient fireproof economical and practically
sound proof flooring is produced.
In constructing a fire proof flooring according to the said invention we employ
iron girders of the ordinary kind, that is, girders consisting of a vertical web or
body having horizontal flanges at top and bottom. The said girders are commonly
known as I girders. In constructing the flooring we dispense with the support
required when the flooring is made wholly of concrete our method of construction
requiring no temporary support. We make a series of blocks of the composition
called "adamant" the said blocks having a length nearly but not quite equal to
the distance between the girders and of a breadth about one third their length.
We do not however limit ourselves to any particular proportions. The said blocks
may be of a nearly triangular figure, in cross section although the upper surface
may for the greater part be flat or curved. The lower surface of the block is flat
and the ends of the block have at their lower angles recesses or rebates which
when the block is in position the lower flange of the girder occupies. The
recess or rebate in the end of the block is of such a size that when in position the
lower surface of the said block is at a somewhat lower level than the bottom flange
of the girder. Owing to the length of the blocks being somewhat less than the
distance between the vertical bodies of the girders the said blocks leave uncovered
about one third of the horizontal bottom flange of the girder. When the whole
series of adamant blocks has been put in position on the girders concrete is poured
on the said blocks and girders to a height a little above the top horizontal Hanges
of the girders. The said blocks and horizontal top flange of the girder are
embedded in the concrete the upper surface of which constitutes the floor. The
undersurface of the adamant blocks and the bottom horizontal flanges of the
girders constitute the foundation of the ceiling of the roon below and the said
ceiling is completed by the use of adamant plastering applied to the undersurface of
the adamant blocks and the lower surface of the bottom flanges of the girders. As
the blocks project below the girders the recesses thereby formed are filled with the
adamant plastering the said recesses affording a secure attachment for the
plastering. Although we prefer to complete the ceiling in the way described
that is by the use of adamant plastering yet we do not limit ourselves thereto as
mortar or other plastering materials may be used for completing the ceiling.
The blocks we employ are made preferably of the adamant manufactured by
"The Adamant Company Limited," but we do not limit ourselves to the use of
the said adamant as the other compositions known in commerce as adamant may be
used with the like or nearly the like effect.
Owing to the difference in density between the adamant blocks and the concrete
the fire proof flooring made according to our invention is an imperfect conductor of
sound and walking on the floor is unheard or heard but feebly in the room
below.
Dated the 15th die of Aust 1902
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We, THE ADAMANT COMPANY LIMITED, of Commercial Street, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Adamant Manufacturers and JOHN WILKINSON
Managing Director of the said Company, 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 :-
The said invention consists in constructing fire proof flooring in the manner
bereinafter described, whereby a simple and efficient fire proof economical and
practically sound proof flooring is produced.
In constructing a fire proof flooring according to the said invention we employ
iron girders of the ordinary kind, that is, girders consisting of a vertical web or
body having horizontal flanges at top and bottom. The said girders are commonly
known as I girders.
In constructing the flooring we dispense with the support required, when the
floor is made wholly of concrete, our method of construction requiring no
temporary support.
We make a series of blocks of the composition called "adamant" made into a
concrete with breeze or other like material, strengthening the same longitudinally
with wood iron or steel laths, according to their length and the weight required to
be sustained, the said blocks having a length nearly but not quite equal to the
distance between the bodies or vertical parts of the two girders and of a breadth
about one third their length. We do not however limit ourselves to any
particular proportions. The said blocks may be nearly of a triangular figure in
cross section, although the upper surface may for the greater part be flat or
curved. The lower surface of the block is flat, and the ends of the block
have at their lower angles, splayed-recesses or rebates which when_the_block
is in position, the lower flange of the girder occupies. The splayed recess or
rebate in the end of the block is of such a depth that when in position, the lower
surface of the said block is at a somewhat lower level than the bottom flange of the
girder. Adamant blocks having been put in position on the girders, concrete is
placed on the said blocks and girders to a height a little above the top of the
girders. The said blocks and top flanges of the girders are embedded in the
concrete, the upper surface of which constitutes the floor,: or. the support for other
floor finishing. The spaces under the bottom flanges of the girders, between the
splayed ends of the "adamant" blocks are filled in with "adamant" so as to form
a foundation for the ceiling below.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing represent sections, taken in planes
at right angles to one another, of a portion of a fire proof flooring constructed
according to this invention and Figure 3 represents in perspective the girders and
adamant crossing blocks before the concrete is applied to the said girders and
blocks.
a, a are the top and bottom flanged or webbed girders of iron or steel which we
employ the said girders being supported by the walls of the building in the ordinary
way; b, bare the blocks of adamant situated between the parallel girders a, a and
being supported at their ends upon the lower flanges or webs of the said girders.
The said adamant blocks b, b may have a nearly triangular figure in cross section
as represented in Figure 2, but we do not limit ourselves to the use of that figure
as the upper surface of the blocks may be for the greater part flat. The said
adamant blocks may be strengthened longitudinally, if required, as hereinbefore
described. The way in which the ends of the adamant blocks b,b rest on the lower
webs or flanges of the girders is best seen in the cross section Figure 1; that is to
say, the lower angles of the ends of the said blocks are provided with splayed or

page_text: inclined recesses or rebates c, c, which when the blocks are in position the lower
flanges of the girders occupy, the lower surface of the said blocks being situated at
a somewhat lower level than the bottom of the girder. It will be seen that in
consequence of the length of the blocks being somewhat less than the distance
between the vertical bodies of the grooves, the said blocks leave uncovered about
one third of the upper portion of the bottom flanges of the girders.
After the adamant blocks b, & have been arranged in position on the girders a, a
and nearly in contact, concrete d is placed on the said blocks and girders to a height
a little above the top of the girders as represented in Figures 1 and 2. The said
adament blocks b, b and portions of the girders a, a are thus embedded in the con-
crete, the upper surface of which constitutes the floor or the support for the floor
finishing. The spaces e under the bottom flanges of the girders and between the
splayed ends of the adamant blocks b, bare filled with adamant so as to form a
foundation for the ceiling below.
Although we have represented and prefer to use iron or steel girders having top
and bottom flanges for supporting the crossing adamant blocks and concrete yet
other structures of a similar kind made of iron or steel or wood and provided with
projecting bottom flanges or webs on which the fire proof material is supported may
be used in place of the webbed or flanged girders represented.
"
The blocks we employ are made preferably of the "adamant manufactured
by "The Adamant Company Limited," but we do not limit ourselves to the use of
the said adamant as the other compositions known in commerce as adamant may
be used with the like or nearly the like effect.
Owing to the difference in density between the adamant blocks and the concrete,
the fireproof flooring made according to our invention is an imperfect conductor of
sound, yet the flooring is practically solid, no air spaces being left in which dirt
may accumulate (an important requirement in hospital construction) or through
which heat may be conveyed to the webs or flanges of the girders employed, hence
the advantage of this system of construction for limiting the effects of fire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as the said invention :-
The new or improved fire-proof flooring constructed in the manner hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing; that is to say, a fire proof
flooring consisting essentially of supported webbed or flanged iron or steel girders
or other like supported structures either of iron steel or wood and having bottom
projecting flanges or webs, for supporting crossing blocks of adamant, either
strengthened or not, the said girders or like structures and the crossing adamant
blocks being covered with and embedded in concrete, the upper surface of which
constitutes the floor or the support for the floor finishing substantially as described
and illustrated.
Dated the First day of May 1894.
THE ADAMANT COMPANY, LIMITED,
By JAMES F. H. CARTLAND, Director.
JOHN WILKINSON.