Up: Patent Index

261,720 · Ingalls · "Illuminating-Tile" · Page 3 Home  > Prism Glass  > Patent Index  > Page 3

261,720: 3 of 6

their edges together, their edges may be made to over-lap, as shown in Fig. 6. I have here shown the upper laps as formed with convex projections l, one of which is shown in section to simulate lenses, instead of setting glass lenses in blind sockets over the girder.     In Fig. 7 is shown a concrete light with a checkered iron border, the latter being cast in one piece with the iron plate of the tile. The plates are united by a zigzag joint, as in Fig. 1, and the border is crossed diagonally by the joint. To conceal this diagonal joint the border is crossed at intervals by diagonal grooves, as shown, extending parallel with the joint and cutting up the border into diamond-shaped spaces instead of squares.     Figs. 8 and 9 show a concrete light which exhibits some further modifications of my invention. The iron plate is cast with ribs projecting up on a level with or slightly above the tops of the lenses. These ribs are of honeycomb shape in plan, forming a number of hexagonal cells, in each of which a lens is placed. The lens is preferably considerably smaller than the cell, so that the intervening space may be filled with concrete or "beton" up to the level of the ribs, to form an anti-slipping foothold. The seam or joint is here shown as being a straight line extending over the center of the girder beneath. As but little of the iron plate is visible after the concrete is filled in, a straight seam answers nearly as well for this variety of light as a zigzag seam. The bottoms of the cells over the girder are closed to form flanges to bolt through, as in Fig. 1. When a concrete light of this character is to have a border I make the plate, as shown in Fig. 8, with a continuous recessed margin, F, into which may be set encaustic tiles m m, as shown, or which may be filled with cement. In either case the joint across the margin is concealed.     It will be understood that by fixing upon several standard widths for the opening C and keeping in stock a number of end and middle tiles, D D, of length to fit those widths, and by constructing the opening C to one of the widths, my tiles can be laid without necessarily casting them to order for each job. To make the tiles fit the length of the opening C, a portion may be cut off the width of one of the middle tiles, or one middle tile may be cast wider or narrower than the others.     My invention avoids the expense of the framing heretofore employed, it reduces the total length of the seams to less than one-half. It secures a greater area of lighting-surface, and it presents a more uniform and finished appearance from above. It also produces a stronger structure to the same weight, as the frame heretofore used is an element of weakness, being liable to rupture from blows where unprotected by the tiles.     I make no claim to anything claimed in the patent of W. J. Fryer, Jr., dated April 5, 1881, No. 239,607.     I claim as my invention--

1. The improved process of laying illuminating-plates which consists in forming a ledge, c, on opposite sides of the opening to be covered, setting cross-beams or girders E E transversely across said opening at intervals, laying sections D D of illuminating-plates, each of a length equaling the width of said opening, transversely across said opening, with their ends resting on said ledges, and with their meeting edges fitting together over said girders, whereby the girders are concealed and the edges of both plates are supported by them, substantially as set forth.     2. A composite illuminating-tile consisting of sections of illuminating-plate, each section forming an uninterrupted continuation of the illuminating-surface of the adjoining section, and having a length equaling the width of the opening to be covered, the several sections laid across said opening and fitted together edge to edge, in combination with supporting-girders extending across said opening beneath and in contact with the meeting edges of the illuminating-sections, thereby forming bearers for said edges, substantially as set forth.     3. The combination of a section of illuminating-plate formed with uniformly-distributed lens-sockets, and having on its edge a row of divided or incomplete sockets, with a second similar section adapted to meet the first edge to edge, and formed on its meeting edge with divided or incomplete sockets, coinciding with those on the edge of the first section, and adapted, when the two sections are fitted together, to form continuations of and to complete said sockets, thereby forming a row of sockets along the seam, and with a supporting-girder extending beneath said row of sockets and forming a bearer for the meeting edges of both sections, substantially as set forth.     4. A composite illuminating-tile consisting of sections of illuminating-plate provided with equidistant and symmetrically-arranged lens-sockets, set with lenses, and with upwardly-projecting anti-slipping knobs disposed around and between said sockets, the sections fitting together edge to edge, the lenses and knobs on one section forming an uninterrupted continuation of those on the adjoining section, and the line of separation between the sections extending through the plate and avoiding the knobs, whereby the seam or joint is rendered but slightly apparent, in combination with a supporting-girder extending beneath the said joint and forming a bearer for both meeting edges, substantially as set forth.     5. A composite illuminating-tile consisting of sections of illuminating-plate fitting together edge to edge, each section provided with equidistant and symmetrically-arranged lens-sockets, and with upwardly-projecting anti-slipping knobs disposed around and between said sockets, and the lenses and knobs on each section forming an uninterrupted continuation of those on the adjoining section, and the line of separation between each two sections