IMPROVED PANTILES FOR COVERING HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS
Year: 1805

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, WILLIAM
WILKINSON, of Needham Market, in the County of Suffolk, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Ninth day of August,
in the forty-fifth year of His reign, did give and grant unto me, the said
William Wilkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His special
licence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said William
Wilkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVED PANTILES FOR COVERING HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS;"
in which Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said William Wilkinson, under my hand and seal, to cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within one calendar month next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation being
thereunto had; may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Wilkinson, do hereby declare that my said Invention is fully described
and ascertained as follows, reference being made to the Drawings in the margin
of these Presents.
Fig. 1 represents the lower, and Fig. 2 the upper tiles, with sections of the
ends of each tile. I denominate them upper and lower tiles fro:n their rela-
tive situation with regard to each other when formed into a covering. The
lower tile is formed so that the greater or receiving end may admit the lesser
or dripping end of the next tile above it into its cavity, after the manner of
troughs leading into each other. A perforation is made at the great end of
this tile, through which a clout nail or other fastning may be passed into the
lath that supports it. Fig. 2 is laid with its plain side uppermost. It is
evident, from inspection, that if two lower tiles be placed by the side of each
other at a proper distance, an upper tile will receive into its cavity their raised
edges, be supported by the shoulders formed therein, and closely cover the
space between them.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew a form of moulds which I use for each tile, and in their
aggregate consist of three parts, as exhibited by tho sections Figs. 5 and 6,
viz, the stock, mould board, and frame. Fig. 5: a is the stock, made of two
boards, whose grain is placed contrary one to the other, and fastened together
by screws to prevent its warping. At each end is fixed a bar of iron, with its
upper side reduced to an edge, and standing above the plain of the stock;
and upon these edges rest the ends of the mould board and the interior corners
of the frame. b, the mould board, made of dry mahogany, and formed of two
boards, as recommended for the stock; c, the frame. I have found it neces-
sary to make the sides of the frame somewhat hollowing on the inside with
regard to their length, consequently the side edges of the mould board will be
rounding, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4. The same letters in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6,
refer to the same parts in each.
I have adopted the following process for manufacturing the tiles, though it
is probable that trifling variations may, in practice, be necessary, or other
methods be found more convenient or preferred, according to circumstances.
I think it needless to describe any other, because I consider my Invention to
consist of the tiles when produced, and not in the method of manufacturing
them. The stock being made fast on a table by a staple and wedge or other-
wise. the mould board and frame are placed thereon. The mould is then

page_text: filled with carth, and struck off in the usual manner. A small quantity of
sand is thrown on the face of the tile. The tile frame and mould board are
then taken off the stock, and, with the face of the tile downward, placed on a
hand board. The tile and mould board are forced out of the frame, the moukl
board taken off, and the tile laid on a floor or placed on a stage formed of boards
similar to those used for the common pantile. When the tiles are sufficiently
dryed, they are dressed on a horse or stool resembling the mould board, proper
allowance being made for the shrinking of the tiles. A slay or beater is made
use of for dressing, flat on one side, but a little hollow, with regard to the
length, on the other side. The flat side is used for the face of the tile, the
hollow side to bent up the edges. When dressed the tiles are paired face to
face, and chequered, as exhibited in Fig. 7, which shows the lower tile chequer,
and Fig. 8 the upper tile chequer. In this state I let them remain untill
perfectly dry and fit for the kiln.
Fig. 9, with its sections, exhibit the method in which the tiles are arranged
when formed into a covering. The dotted lines in the body of the Figure
shew the covered joinings. The dotted part of the upper section shows the
manner in which the lower ends of one course of tiles lap over and cover
the upper ends of another course. The whole is the section of this Figure in
the direction of the line d, e. To give the covering formed of these tiles a
light appearance, I reduce or chamfre off the edges, which is perform'd in the
lower tile in the mould, by making an addition to the mould beard, as shewn
by the dotted angle in Fig. 5. In the upper tile it is accomplished by a stock:
share, which I have invented for that purpose, and which is shewn at Fig. 10.
The iron of this tool has two edges, and will consequently cut with either a
driving or drawing motion. This is done at the time the tile is dressed and
is in a soft state.
Fig. 10 consists of a small cutting knife fixed in a wood frame of a con-
venient size to hold in the hand; its under side is a right angle. The knife
is fixed cross the angle. When the tool is drawn along the edge of the tile,
it chamfres off, and produces the effect above stated. I have given no specific
dimensions for the tiles; strictly speaking, I confine myself to none; and it is
obvious, that, by altering the dimensions, a different effect will be obtained.
In the example given in the Drawings the tiles shew equal faces; but the
breadth of the lower tile may be so far contracted as to draw the edges of the
upper tiles close; on the contrary, the upper tile may be contracted to its
least possible breadth, and by these means produce effects widely different.

page_text: The Figures are projected by a scale of two inches to a foot, Number 10
excepted.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilkinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and five.
Sealed and delivered, by the within-
named William Wilkinson, in the
PROSONG of 112
WILLIAM (L.S.) WILKINSON.
WILLIAM (L.S.) WILKINSON.
Sealed and delivered, by the within-
named William Wilkinson, in the
presence of us,
LETITIA MATILDA IIAWKINS,
JOHN MARRIOTT,
Att at Law,
Stownpland, Suffolk.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixth day of September, in the
forty-fifth year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, the said
William Wilkinson came before our said Lord the King in lis Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
forty-fourth year of His said Majesty's reign.
Inrolled the Ninth day of Sontawhor in the your of our Lord One thou