Improvements in the Manufacture of Plates of Glass Designed for Covaring Walls, Ceilings, and other surfaces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1897--Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
Improvements in the Manufacture of Plates of Glass Designed for
Covaring Walls, Ceilings, and other surfaces.
I, LEON MONDRON, Glass Manufacturer of the Verrerie de la Planche,
Lodelinsart, in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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:-
My invention relates to plates of opal or other glass which are employed to
cover walls, ceilings and other surfaces to which the said plates are fixed by means
of cement, plaster and analogous materials.
As the glass has a too great smoothness of surface to enable it to adhere
sufficiently without special preparation to the plaster or cement to which it is to
be applied, this drawback hus been overcome by covering the back of the plates
of glass with granulations" which are maintained thereon by means of a flux
or solvent.
This method is very expensive it requires a considerable amount of labour to
produce the "granulation," and it also necessitates a second costly firing which is
liable to affect the flatness of the glass, render it more brittle and reduce its
tenacity. Further, during said firing it frequently happens that a portion of the
granulation is thrown on to the stone which receives the glass and thus subsequently
spoils the lustre of the other plates of glass.
This method has further the following drawbacks:-
The cutting of the plates to shape is difficult to effect and is often imperfectly
done; this has the result that when the plates are arranged close together on a
wall, joints or intermediate spaces of appreciable extent are left. The packing
also requires great care whilst the polished surface of the plates is liable to be
soratched by the roughness of the other plates, and the workmen run the risk of
being out in handling the plates.
Now my invention is designed to obviate those drawbacks, and it consists in
forming by mechanical or other means upon the surface of the glass plate which
is to come in contact with the cement or other adhesive material, grooves, flutings,
or cavities which will allow of the cement penetrating therein and of thus
maintaining the plate firmly against the wall or other surface to be covered.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 show respectively a perspective
plan and section of a glass plate A formed in accordance with the present invention
in which grooves a are provided; while Figures 3 and 4 show respectively a
perspective plan and section of a glass plate A of a modified form in which traus-
verse grooves b are also provided. The grooves may be produced by means of a
well known machine fitted with steel blades that rub the glass which has been
previously covered with a layer of sand or other hard material. The pressure of
the blades upon the sand while being reciprocated produces the grooves. Any
other mechanical means may be however used.
In order to render the adhesion still stronger the surface of the glass plate in
which the grooves, flutings or other cavities are formed, may also be roughened.

page_text: By this method the labour of "granulation" and of firing again is obviated. The
cutting to shape and the packing do not offer any particular difficulty and the
polished surface will not he exposed to being scratched or damaged.
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;-
Plates of glass designed for covering walls, ceilings and other surfaces, one
surface or side of which may be roughened and which is formed with grooves,
Hutings or cavities adapted to receive a portion of the cement, plaster or other
adhesive material which is employed for causing the plates to adhere to the surface
which they are intended to cover.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.