Improvements in Parquet Flooring.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Parquet Flooring.
I, ERNST QUEITZSCH, of 18a, Burg Street, Löbejün, in the Kingdom of Prussia
and German Empire, Cabinet Maker, 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 consists of a new kind of parquet flooring in which the various panels
are not cut parallel and at right angles to the direction of the grain of the wood, but
at certain angles in such a manner that the flooring shall not become warped or
distorted as has hitherto been the case when the flooring is laid in the ordinary way,
by reason of the variation of heat and moisture.
Overcoming all the inconveniences arising from the said deformations, this inven-
tion aims at regulating not only these but counterbalancing the strains to which the
material may be subjected from any cause whatever.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 shows the way in which the parquet panels have hitherto been cut;
Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the various forms of the new kind of work according to the
present invention.
In the method of cutting parquet panels according to Figure 1 it is well known
that the wood swells when subjected to moisture expanding in the direction a, and
on becoming dry shrinking in the reverse direction, while in neither case does there
occur any appreciable expansion or contraction in the direction b. Consequently
unevenness is produced, especially in the form of cracks in the joints d, owing to
contraction, and the so-called tongues e spring" or become loosened, being them-
selves likewise cut to the direction of the grain of the wood. These tongues are
nailed to the panels as shown at cc, and this is very often the cause of their splitting,
leaving the adjoining panels without any hold.
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By my invention, as hereinafter described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4 of
the accompanying drawings, I am enabled to overcome these objections.
The individual panels A, B, C, D are cut diagonally across the grain along each
side, and are therefore able to expand or contract with evenness at every joint when
subjected to moisture or heat. But this expansion or contraction will only be very
slight, as the direction of the grain of the wood on each side of the panel is at a
sharp angle to its edge, as shown at the joint d; furthermore, such slight alteration
in shape of one panel would be counteracted by a similar alteration in its neighbour-
ing panel. The connecting tongues e¹ could also be cut similarly, thus obviating
their splitting in the direction of the joints between the panels.
By my invention, in order to avoid having a short length of grain at the two
opposite corners of the panels, which, having only a small degree of adhesion, might
be broken off by careless handling, I may insert, and secure by glueing or otherwise,
a block, of preferably hard wood, in the middle where four panels abut, as shown
in Figure 3, having its top of either square or round cross section.
The edge of each panel may be cut at any suitable angle, say 45 degrees with the
direction of the grain, so that the ends of the grain in each adjacent panel may make
angles with one another. By thus cutting the panels and tongues, thereby reducing
the strain on them due to atmospheric influences, I am enabled to use thinner inmaterial

page_text: than heretofore. Should any pieces fall off, they could be glued in their original
places, consequently effecting an important economy in material.
In Figure 4 the individual panels are shown of a rhomboidal shape, this arrangement
serving for a simple flooring, in which the panels may be of any required length.
The boards or panels are in this case so laid that their narrow sides, cut to an angle,
lie in position against one another and are nailed down along one side, into which is
glued the tongue e¹ cut diagonally to the grain, whilst the other side is pushed in. The
other sides of the hoards or panels are adapted to receive the long sides of the corres-
ponding tongues, which only require to be pushed in and not nailed.
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 parquet flooring in which the various panels or parts are cut at certain angles
to the direction of the fibres of the wood in such a manner that the strains arising
from pressure tension or bending may be reduced or mutually balanced thus ensuring
on the one hand durability and on the other hand a considerable economy there being
less wear and tear of material compared with the parquet flooring hitherto in use.
Uated this 30th day of December 1897.
STANLEY POPPLEWELL & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 61, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., .
Associate Agents.