Improved Glass Tiles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Glass Tiles.
WILLIAM THOMSON, Royal Institution Laboratory, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
An improved glass tile made from opal or other glass, cut or moulded into
such shape and size as may be desired and on the back or one side of which
is fixed a small piece or small pieces of glass or other material which I call
keys" and by which the glass tiles thus produced can be readily and firmly
fixed to walls or ceilings by ordinary plaster, Kean's Parian, Portland or other
cement.
For this purpose I employ a solution of soluble glass i.e. silicate of soda or
silicate of potash but by preference the former which may be either the neutral
or the alkaline silicate but by preference I employ the latter mixed with china
clay or other insoluble silicate, or silica, and oxide of zinc or other like base such
as magnesia, lime etc., or the oxide of zinc or other base may be used alone
with the solution of silicate or the clay or other insoluble silicate may be
used alone with the solution of silicate, but by preference I use a mixture of the
oxide of zinc, china clay, and a syrupy solution of silicate of soda in the pro-
portions of 2 parts (by weight) of oxide of zinc, 1 part of china clay and 3 parts
of a syrupy solution of silicate of soda, but these proportions may be considerably
varied without materially departing from the character of my invention.
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With this mixture or with any of the above I paint the back or one sile of
each tile by means of an ordinary brush or it may be applied by a steel or other
straight edge after the manner of a doctor" used in calico printing and in
spreading melted pitch on paper or by other means I then apply one or more
pieces of glass or other material so that the flat faces of the bits of glass come
against the back of the tile with a layer of cement between them. By preference
I use glass keys of about an inch square and about a fourteenth to a tenth of an
inch thick, but I do not confine myself to any special size, shape or thickness. I
may also, after putting on the tile the layer of my cement, put upon it some
pieces of broken glass, coarse sand, or other material so as to form keys all over
the back of each tile.
My object in using the above mixture or mixtures, and the method described,
is fourfold.
First. The silicate solution takes firm hold of the glass tile on the one hand
and the glass key or other material used as a key, on the other hand.
Second. The mixture or mixtures cover the whole of the back of the glass so
that the keys which are applied do not shew through on to the face by making a
contrast between the colour of the keys and that of the cement employed for
fixing them on to the walls.
Third. These mixtures when allowed to stand for some time become more or
less insoluble in water, but by preference, after applying my cement to the glass

page_text: tiles & fixing the small pieces of glass or other keys, I heat the tiles for one or
more hours at or about the temperature of boiling water & then allow them to
cool slowly; by this process the cement hardens and is afterwards not materially
affected by the water in the cement used for fixing them to the walls.
Fourth. These forms of cement being generally white add to the brightness of
the tiles which are usually semi-transparent and especially is this the case with
the white opal tiles.
Lastly after thus making the tiles I may put on a backing of Kean's, Portland
or other cement so as to increase the thickness & strength of the tiles.
Data thin 4th df Cantan 1907
I, WILLIAM THOMSON, of The Royal Institution Laboratory, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Consulting Chemist, 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:-
The improvements relate to glass tiles and have for object to produce an improved
glass tile made from opal or other glass, cut or moulded into such shape and size
as may be desired and on the back or one side of which is fixed glass, granite,
marble, limestone, felspar or wood, in a small piece or small pieces, or it may
be other material, which I call "keys," and by which the glass tiles thus produced
can be readily and firmly fixed to walls or ceilings by ordinary plaster, Kean's
Parian, Portland or other cement; or can be attached, in similar manner, to
slabs or layers of such cement, or to other tiles of earthenware or other material,
which form a backing to the glass tile and produce therewith a tile of composite
character and of increased strength.
To accomplish this, and to effect my improvements, I employ a solution of
soluble glass, .e., silicate of soda, or silicate of potash, but by preference the
former, which may be either the neutral or the alkaline silicate, but by preference
I employ the latter, mixed with china clay or other insoluble silicate or silica, and
oxide of zinc or other like base, such as,-in some cases as a modification―
magnesia, lime etc.; or the oxide of zinc or other base may be used alone with the
solution of silicate; or the clay or other insoluble silicate may be used alone
with the solution of silicate; in all cases, however, the solution of silicate is
employed; and, by preference, I use a mixture of the oxide of zinc, china clay,
and a syrupy solution of the alkaline silicate of soda in the proportions of 2 parts
(by weight) of oxide of zinc, 1 part of china clay, and 3 parts of a syrupy
solution of silicate of soda.
Other suitable proportions are: Oxide of zinc 2 parts (by weight); china clay
1 part, and a syrupy solution of silicate of soda 6 parts; but these proportions
may be considerably varied without materially departing from the character of
my invention.
With this mixture, or with any of the above, I paint the back or one side of
each tile by means of an ordinary brush or it may be applied by a steel or other
straight edge, after the manner of a "doctor" used in calico printing, and in
spreading melted pitch on paper, or by other means.
I then apply, in some cases, one or more pieces of material, so that the flat
faces of the bits of glass or other material come against the back of the tile with
a layer of my mixture or cement between them. By preference when I use
glass keys employ pieces of about an inch square and about a fourteenth to a

page_text: tenth of an inch thick, but I do not confine myself to any special size, shape,
material or thickness. I may also, after putting on the tile the layer of my
cement or enamel put or sprinkle upon it some pieces of broken glass, granite,
marble, limestone, felspar, wood, coarse sand or other material so as to form
keys all over the back of each tile; or a sufficient key may in some cases be
presented by the surface of my mixture or cement itself, thus obviating the
employment of the aforementioned glass or other keys.
My object in using the above mixture or mixtures and the method described is
fourfold:-
First. The silicate solution or mixture takes firm hold of the glass tile on
the one hand, and the key of glass or other material on the other hand.
Second. The mixture or mixtures cover the whole of the back of the glass, so
that the keys which are applied do not show through on to the face by making
a contrast between the colour of the keys and that of the cement employed for
fixing them on to the walls; and even if cement of dark colour be employed
such is prevented by the layer of white mixture from discolouring the face of
the tile and from disclosing inequalities of tone due to varying thicknesses of
the glass.
Third. These mixtures, when allowed to stand for some time become more or
less insoluble in water, but, by preference, after applying my mixture or cement
to the glass tiles and fixing the small pieces of glass or other keys, I heat the
tiles for one or more hours at or about the temperature of boiling water; say 220°
to 240° Fahrenheit, and then allow them to cool slowly, by which process the
mixture or cement hardens and is afterwards not materially affected by the
water in the cement used for fixing them to the walls.
Fourth. These my special forms of cement being generally white, add to the
brightness of the tiles which are usually semi-transparent and especially is this
the case with the white opal tiles.
Lastly, after making the tiles thus, I may put on a backing of Kean's, Portland
or other cement, so as to increase the thickness and strength of the tiles; or an
earthenware or other tile may be directly attached by means of my cement in
the manner as described to form a composite tile having a glass face."
I am well aware that glass tiles formed with keys for the purpose of attachment
to walls ceilings or the like, are old, and I lay no claim to such a tile. per se,
I am also aware that glass tiles have been formed, having glass, granulated or
other keys attached thereto by fluxing and by various other means; but such are
entirely different from my present invention, which consists in the employment,
for the purpose indicated and with a glass tile, of the cement or enamel or mixture
described. and essentially composed, in part, of soluble glass.
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:
A glass tile having the back or one side thereof prepared with a coating of a
mixture forming a cement or enamel such being composed of a solution of soluble
glass mixed with an insoluble silicate or with oxide of zinc or other like base, or
with both, for the purpose of retaining or forming a key for attachment to a
surface, in manner substantially as herein set forth.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.