Tice & Jacobs - Illustrated Descriptive Circular - Page 12

    When the strengthening rib d is cast with a solid metal web on its lower side--as shown in figs. 3, 4, 7 and 8--said web will, in some degree, obstruct the light. This is prevented by casting the rib shallow, and adding a truss consisting of a tension rod, g, connecting two lugs, h h, cast upon the rib and braced outward by a strut, i, at its center, as shown in figs. 5 and 6.
    In the engravings, fig. 1 is a plan view of an area cover consisting of three sections of tile, fitted into a stone coping.

    Fig. 2 represents a vertical cross-section of fig. 1, on the irregular line x x.
    Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the sectional tiles.
    Fig. 4 is a side view of the same, showing one end fitted into the stone coping, and the other end resting upon an angle-iron attached to the wall of the building.
    Fig. 5 is a side section view of a series of risers and steps, composed of illuminating tiles, on line y y, in fig. 6.
    Fig. 6 is a rear view of fig. 5.
    Fig. 7 is a side view of one sectional tile, supported upon angle irons, attached to the coping as well as to the wall.
    Fig. 8 shows another way of supporting the tile upon the coping when the latter is too thin to bear rabbeting, as shown in figs. 4 and 5.

    When the tile is unusually long, two or more additional struts are placed intermediately between the center strut, f, and the lugs, h h, shown in fig. 6. The tension rod is adjustable to any desired degree of tautness by means of screws and nuts, as shown at h h, fig. 6.

    In the engravings, the illuminating tiles are represented as consisting of a cast-iron plate, in dish form, having perforations in it, covered by glass bulls'-eyes, and the spaces around and between the glass filled with an improved cement.

    The second invention relates to an Improvement in Illuminating Vaults and Area Covers, Letters patent No. 222,871, issued December 23, 1879.

    This improvement is specially designed for illuminating tiles that cover vaults and cellar areas, in which the glass bull's-eye or lenses are set in a dish-shaped cast iron perforated plate, over the perforations, and secured in place by cement or composition, filled into the dish-formed plate so as to come flush with the upper surfaces of the glass lenses. It consists, first, of an improved water-tight joint between the sectional plates or tiles forming the vault or area cover; second, in strengthening the dish-shaped plate by means of a series of ribs, cast integrally therewith on the upper side thereof, running longitudinally and laterally, so as to form a separate cell for each glass lens. Longitudinal ribs, a a¹ a², figs. 1 2 and 3 in cut below, running between the tile rows of illuminating apertures, and short cross-ribs, b, extending from one longitudinal rib to the next, between each pair of apertures.