Improvements in Fireproof Floors and other Structures.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fireproof Floors and other Structures.
I HARRY BALY PRICE of 18 Irene Road, Fulham in the County of Surrey,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in fire proof floors and other
structures.
Fire proof floors I construct with iron joists and on the lower flange of the joists
I place fire lumps which are moulded to a peculiar form so that two of the lumps
brought up to the joists from opposite sides embrace the lower flange and part of
the web of the joist, and meet together and interlock beneath the joist at and about
the centre line. The outer sides of these fire lumps are inclined so that the clear
space between the joists after the fire lumps have been applied is wider above than
it is below. These spaces are afterwards filled by moulded blocks of concrete
which are similarly inclined at their ends and these preferably I make to extend
obliquely from joist to joist and I slew them into their places. Also near the lower
part of the concrete block at each end I form a projection which enters a corre-
sponding recess in the fire lump. Or by other like means I cause the fire lumps
and the concrete blocks to key together.
At the centre of each concrete block I fix a moulded fire brick plug preferably
cylindrical with deeply recessed ring grooves around its periphery. Then I fill in
with concrete to cover the whole area over the joists and the moulded concrete
blocks between them. These fire brick plugs key together the moulded blocks and
the unmoulded concrete filling.
To protect girders from the action of fire I employ moulded fire lumps fitted to
the bottom flange of the girder. Each lump extends from side to side beneath the
flange of the girder, and is provided with a jaw which on one side overlaps and
embraces the upper face of the flange and reaches nearly to the web. These fire
lumps are applied to the girder alternately from opposite sides. The upper flange
of the girder is protected by other fire lumps of inverted trough like form, which
cover the upper flange. Finally loose concrete is applied to the girder by the aid
of a roughly formed mould so as to fill in the spaces between the fire lumps at the
top and bottom; thus the girder becomes embedded in a casing of rectangular
section formed partly of the fire lumps and partly of the concrete filled in between
them.
Iron columns I clothe with rings of moulded fire brick, each ring being in three
parts. The rings I keep separate the one from the other by upright distance
pieces, the ends of which abut upon the rings at the joints and at the end of each
upright are two dowels connecting it with the ring sections upon which it is in
contact. After the fire bricks have been thus applied, the spaces between them are
filled in with loose concrete so that the whole forms a cylindrical casing enclosing
the iron column.
Dated this 24th day of May 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Fireproof Floors and other Structures.
I; HARRY BALY PRICE, of 18 Irene Road, Fulham, in the County of Surrey,
Architect, 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 improvements in fire proof floors and other
structures.
Fire proof floors I construct with iron joists and on the lower flange of the joist
I place fire lumps which are moulded to a peculiar form so that two of the lumps
brought up to the joist from opposite sides embrace the lower flange and part of
the web of the joist, and meet together beneath the joist and about the centre line.
The outer sides of these fire lumps are inclined so that the clear space between the
joists after the fire lumps have been applied is wider above than it is below. These
spaces are filled by moulded blocks of concrete which are similarly inclined at their
ends. I cause the fire lumps and the concrete blocks to key together.
In each concrete block I fix one or more moulded fire brick plugs preferably
cylindrical with deeply recessed ring grooves around its periphery. Then I fill in
with concrete to cover the whole area over the joists and the moulded concrete
blocks between them. These fire brick plugs key together the moulded blocks
and the unmoulded concrete filling.
To protect girders from the action of fire I employ moulded fire lumps fitted to
the bottom flange of the girder. Each lump extends from side to side beneath the
flange of the girder and is provided with a jaw which on one side overlaps and
embraces the upper face of the flange and reaches nearly to the web. These fire
lumps are applied to the girder alternately from opposite sides. The upper flange
of the girder is protected by other fire lumps of inverted trough like form which
cover the upper flange. Finally loose concrete is applied to the girder by the aid
of a roughly formed mould so as to fill in the spaces between the fire lumps at the
top and bottom, thus the girder becomes embedded in a casing of rectangular
section formed partly of the fire lumps and partly of the concrete filled in between
them.
Iron columns I clothe with rings of moulded fire brick, each ring being in three
parts. The rings I keep separate the one from the other by upright distance
pieces, the ends of which abut upon the rings at the joints and at the end of each
upright are two dowels connecting it with the ring sections upon which it is in
contact. After the fire bricks have been thus applied, the spaces between them
are filled in with loose concrete so that the whole forms a cylindrical casing
enclosing the iron column.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
⚫ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a fire proof floor in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2 is an horizontal section on the line 2, 2, in Figure 1.
a a are iron joists which support the floor. bb are the fire bricks or lumps
which encase the lower flange of the joist. c c are concrete slabs extending from
joist to joist across the interval between the fire blocks. dd represents concrete

page_text: ee are fire brick plugs set in the slab c
which is filled in loose over the slabs c c.
and serving to key to it the loose concrete d.
Figure 3 shows to a larger scale, a plan of one of the bricks b. Figure 4 is.a.
section of the same on the line 4, 4, in Figure 3 and Figure 5 is a section on the
line 5, 5 in the same figure.
I make the concrete slabs c by the aid of a mould which receives one of the
lumps bat each end and a plug or plugs e at an intermediate place or places. I
cause the concrete to be rammed in the mould and I leave it until it is hard. The
concrete will be found to adhere firmly to the fire lumps. In laying the floor the
slabs can be lowered from above and slewed into their places the form of the fire
lumps at the ends of the slabs being such as to admit of this; it also allows the
upper concrete d to rest directly on the flanges of the joists. Where there is not
space to slew the slab I mould it without the fire lumps at the end, I then first.
place the lumps upon the joists and afterwards drop in the concrete slab making
good with cement the joint fire lump. This fire proof floor is easily laid,
thoroughly protects the joists and the parts are secure from displacement.
b
Figure 6 is a transverse section of a girder protected by means of fire blocks and
concrete in accordance with my invention. Figure 7 shows a side elevation of the
lower part of a girder so protected.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of one of the fire blocks which protect the
lower flange of the girder and Figure 10 is an end elevation.
The fire blocks are moulded to fit the flanges of the girder and with grooves or
recesses to receive the rivet heads. The blocks are applied to the lower flange
alternately from opposite sides, a rough, mould is built around the girder and
concrete is filled in, then the blocks at the top are put into their places. Thus the
girder is completely encased in fire proof material which is very firmly attached
by the jaws of the lower blocks overlapping the flange of the girder, by the lateral
interlocking of these blocks as the drawings show and by the overlapping flanges.
or sides of the upper blocks.
Figure 11 is a side elevation partly in section of a column provided with a fire
proof protecting casing in accordance with my invention. Figure 12 is a horizontal
section of the same.
9 are
ff are curved fire lumps which go together to form rings embracing the column.
The drawing indicates three lumps in each ring but this may be varied.
other fire lumps which keep the rings apart, they are placed under the joints of the
rings and they are provided with projections or dowels at their ends which enter
corresponding recesses in the lumps f. The casing is applied by the aid of a short
cylindrical wooden or sheet metal casing formed around the column, one of the
rings is laid within the casing and upright blocks are erected in their places, then
concrete is filled in about the column to the top of the upright blocks and allowed
to set. Afterwards another ring of fire lumps is laid, the casing is shifted upwards
on the column and the work is proceeded with as before.
In a column thus protected the fire lumps serve to secure the concrete to the
column and prevent it separating and falling away when exposed to great heat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A fire proof floor consisting of metal joists, fire lumps encasing the lower
flanges of the joists, concrete slabs extending between the fire lumps and a covering
of concrete substantially as described.
2. A fire proof floor formed with concrete slabs, a covering of concrete and fire
brick plugs moulded in the slabs and keying them to the covering substantially as
described.
3. A fire proof protection for a girder consisting of fire lumps each with a jaw
at one end and applied to the lower flange of the girder alternately from either

page_text: side, a concrete filling against the sides of the girder and other fire lumps covering
the top of the girder substantially as described.
4. A fire proof protection for a column consisting of rings and uprights of fire
lumps and a filling of concrete between them substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of February 1893.
HARRY BALY PRICE.