Improvements in Wood-block Flooring.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct.. 1896
Improvements in Wood-block Flooring.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS HERBERT, of 1 Clarendon Road, and JOHN SEPTIMUS
HAYES, of 97 Grove Road, both of Walthamstow, in the County of Essex,
Manufacturers of Wood-block Flooring, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to construct and lay wood-block flooring
in a cheap and efficient manner.
In carrying our invention into effect we make a saw cut or narrow groove in
the opposite sides or ends of each block, about midway of the upper and under
surfaces of the same, instead of on all four sides as heretofore.
We form a zig-zag strip of sheet metal of any desired length, each straight-
piece of which being longer than the side or end of the block having the saw
cut by a distance equal to the width of the strip.
The first straight portion of the strip is placed in a saw cut of the first wood-
block and the second straight portion lies at the side of said block. The second..
wood-block is then placed in position with the second straight part of the strip
above referred to embedded in one of its saw cuts, and so on. When the first two
diagonal rows of flooring have thus been placed in position, another zigzag strip
of metal is inserted in the saw cuts at the loose or exposed ends or sides, and
another row of blocks is connected to those already laid by means of said zigzag
strip.
In some cases each straight part of the zigzag strip of metal will pass across
two or more blocks, the proportions being arranged accordingly.
By means of our invention we dispense with saw cuts or grooves on two sides of
each block, and we are enabled to connect a large surface together by means of
each zigzag strip, thus ensuring a perfect and immovable floor which is unaffected
by shrinkage.
The blocks will be V grooved at the bottom of the sides and laid in composition
in the ordinary manner..
The ends of each zigzag strip will be shorter than the other sections thereof, so
that two of such short ends will be received within a groove of one of the blocks
and thus securely bond the blocks together.
Dated this 19th day of December 1895.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Wood-block Flooring.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS HERBERT, of 1 Clarendon Road, and JOHN SEPTIMUS
HAYES, of 97 Grove Road, both of Walthamstow, in the County of Essex,
Manufacturers of Wood Block Flooring, do hereby declare the nature of our
0 invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
--
The object of the present invention is to construct and lay wood block flooring
in a cheap and efficient manner.

page_text: ་
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents a plan of a portion of a wood block floor in which the wood!
blocks are laid in rows alternately. at opposite angles.
Fig. 2 is a plan of parts of two rows of wood blocks arranged as represented
at Fig. 1. but with the rows separated by a space within which is represented the
bonding metallic strip.
Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of a wood block floor in which the blocks are
arranged in squares of three each placed alternately in opposite directions and
showing a metallic bonding strip near the edges thereof-ready to be placed in position
within the grooves of the blocks.
Fig..4 is a perspective view of one of the blocks separately and Fig. 5 is a plan
of a bonding strip formed differently from those shown at Figures 1. 2. 3.
In carrying our invention into effect we make a saw cut or narrow groove a¹ in
the opposite sides or ends of each block a about midway of the upper and under
surfaces of the game, instead of on all four sides as heretofore.
We form a zig-zag strip.b of sheet metal of any desired length each straight
piece of which in the examples shown at Figures 1. 2. 5 being longer than the side
or end of the block a having the saw cut a' by a distance equal to the width of the
strip b.
In the examples shown at Figures 1. 2. 5 the first straight portion of the strip b
is placed in.a saw cut a' of the first wood block a and the second straight portion
of said strip 6 lies at the side of said block a. The second wood block a is then
placed in position with the second straight part of the strip b above referred to
embedded in one of its saw cuts or narrow grooves a' and so on.
When the first two diagonal rows of flooring have thus been placed in position,
another zig-zag-strip of metal b is inserted in the saw cuts or narrow grooves a¹ at
the loose or exposed ends or sides of said blocks and. another row of blocks is
connected to those already laid by means of said zig-zag strip b.
In some cases as shown at Fig. 3 each straight part of the zig-zag strip b of
metal will pass across two or more blocks a the proportions being arranged
accordingly.
The zig-zag metal strips b may as shown at Figures: 1. 2. 3 be cut in such form
from a metal sheet or as shown at Fig. 5 such zig-zag strip may be formed from a
straight strip of sheet metal bent over at each angle.
By means of our invention we dispense with saw cuts or grooves on two sides of
each block a and we are enabled to connect a large surface together by means of
each zig-zag strip 6 thus ensuring a perfect and immovable floor which is unaffected
by shrinkage. The blocks will be formed with V grooves a³ at the bottom of the
sides.and laid in composition in the ordinary manner.
The ends of each zig-zag strip b will be shorter than the other sections thereof
so that two of such short ends will be received within a groove a¹ of one of the
blocks a and thus securely bond the blocks together.
In Fig. 1 we have shown a bordering of wood blocks a* on two sides of the floor
space covered by the blocks a and filling blocks a** of the required sizes and
shapes are employed to fill the spaces between the blocks a and a. The blocks a*
are grooved along their ends to receive short bonding strips 6* and along one side
to receive projecting portions of the strips b.
It will be evident that the wood blocks may be otherwise arranged without
departing from the peculiar character of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed w
we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improvements in wood block flooring.substantially as herein shown and
described.
";
2. In wood block flooring, the combination with wood blocks, having saw cuts

page_text: or.grooves along two opposite sides or ends, of zig-zag metallic bonding strips
entering said saw cuts or grooves, substantially as herein set forth.
3. In wood block flooring, the combination with grooved wood blocks of zig-zag
metallic strips entering the grooves and serving to bond the blocks together-
substantially as herein set forth.
Dated September 18th 1898.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents..
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.