Patents of Interest to Builders.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 8, 1 April 1920, Page 773

Patents of Interest to Builders.

Reinforced Concrete Floor Construction.—A patent, No. 42,266, has been taken out by H. L. Barraclough, Grosvenor Road, London, S.W. According to this invention, the floor is constructed of a plurality of reinforced concrete inverted T-shaped girders or beams, provided towards the centre with small flanges on the tops of their webs and widening .towards.-, the centre, laid in position contiguously, with a filling of concrete . between the

beams, and with or without inverted pots, filler-blocks, or other void-forming means between them. The girders or beams are cast with reinforcements at the works, the tops or upper parts of their webs bein/jr. made towards the centre with flanges of increasing width towards the centre to take up the extra strain of the- compression at the centre of the flooring. The girders or beams can be all placed in position, and the inverted pots or other void-forming means, when such are used, can be slid

from the ends of the floor between the beams or girders iunder the gradually widening tops or upper parts; or the beams and posts or other void-forming means may be laid down alternately. When all . are in position the spaces between the girders and the pots or void-forming means, and above the pots or void-forming means, are filled with concrete in situ. "If required, the floor may be reinforced, longitudinally between - the girders and the pots or void-forming means. • Casement 'Window Fastener.A patent. No. 40,641, has been taken.out by J. W. L. Wanen, Customs Street, Auckland, which consists of a radial window-stay with

a bar of circular shape which passes through or around the clamp or screw-plate on window-sill, which is held in position by a wing-nut. Casement Window, Etc., Latch.—A patent, No. 42,218, has been taken out by Messrs. Gilberthorne. Miller, Watt, and Elder, of Pitt Street, Sydney, which invention comprises two members, one of which mav be

termed the bolt and the other the latch; the former is attached to the casement or door, and the latter to the inner face of frame. The bolt-member consists of a : plate adapted to be attached to .the casement or door, and

having at one end an elongation or knob to form a handle to operate the casement or door, and at the other end a right-angular projecting finger having one edge curved and the other notched. The latch-member consists of a base-plate adapted to be screwed to the window or door frame, and having a swinging counterbalanced hook pivotally attached thereto.

Walls, Floors, or Roofs, Indicating Movements in.— A patent, No. 42,230, has been taken out by G. D. Hodges, Adelaide Street, Brisbane. ■ This .machine is constructed preferably of suitable metal tubing in two lengths, one capable of telescoping within the other, but kept extended by an internal spring. At both extremities are either pointed shoes or jointed flat plates with spikes, so that the device can be used either vertically, horizontally, or at an angle. On the tube of larger diameter and at a convenient height is provided a box of wood, metal or other suitable material, which is attached to the tube by a set-pin or other means. This box.carries an electric bell, a red electric lamp, and, preferably, a dry-cell battery with the necessary fixed terminals. The contact-maker is adjustable on the smaller tube, and when in place is brought almost in contact with the box

contact on the larger tube. When necessary the shoes can be removed and jointed shoes use in their nlace. Owing to the variation in the height of roofs different lengths of extension pieces are provided, which fit in after removing the top shoe; by this means the mechan-

ism is always handy at a convenient height. The smaller tube is graduated so that the slightest movement can be observed whether the bell rings or not. The battery is preferably of the dry-cell type, with one fixed contact at the back of the box and the other—that operated by the

movement of the smaller tube— in the bottom, and so protected as not to be liable to cause an explosion by sparks. When the adjustable portion of the contact on the smaller tube has 'been fixed, any movement of the floor,.roof, or walls, as the case may be, will cause the closing of the circuit, ring the bell, and light, the lamp. Casement Window Stay.— patent. No. 41,481, has been taken out by Messrs. E. F. Willoughby and E. B. M. Bevill, of Wellington,, which, according to this invention, the stay is composed generally of two main membersa runner-bar that is fastened to the window-

frame in a line parallel with the plane thereof, and a stay-bar that is pivoted at one of its ends by a universal joint to the sash and at the other is pivoted to a sleeve mounted to slide along the runner-bar and adapted to be locked thereto at any point. Constructional Concrete and the lake.A patent, No. 42,411, has been taken out by T. Creedon, of Mt. Eden, Auckland. The post lis made of hard concrete and cast with longitudinal grooves 2 on each face, and these grooves are filled with the breeze or pumice concrete or the like 3 after the cores have been removed from the