Flooring, table-top, &c.

Application filed September 20,1902. Serial No. 124,126. (No model.)

To all ivhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Samuel Fisher, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flooring, Table-Tops, &c., of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tile or like blocks, a series of which are matched together to form floors, tops for various articles of furniture, and other similar purposes.

My invention relates to the formation of the tile or block, and in constructing a floor or the like with my improved tile or block each tile or block laid is of the same construction, the blocks being so constructed as to interlock with each other, each block being identical in shape.

My invention therefore has for its object the dispensing with blocks of different shapes, thus enabling me to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more durable floor or the like, since the blocks or tile when matched together are firmly interlocked.

My invention will be hereinafter more specifically described and then particularly pointed out in the appended claim, and in describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and wherein like numerals of reference will be employed to designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a detail perspective view showing a series of tile or blocks constructed according to my invention interlocked together. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one of the tiles or blocks partially broken away.

In laying a floor with my improved tile or in constructing a top for a piece of furniture or in any other manner producing a solid surface the method is best shown in Fig. 1, wherein it will be observed that I place the tile or blocks 1 so that their respective ends match with the respective sides of the tile or blocks 2. The tile or blocks, as stated, are identical in construction and are each formed with parallel side ribs 4 4 and end ribs 3. The block or tile is substantially rectangular in outline, and when laid, as in Fig. 1, the groove 4' between the vertical parallel side ribs 4 receives the ends of the adjacent block on each side thereof, while the vertical end 55 ribs 3 engage in the grooves between the side ribs of the adjacent two tiles. Thus in laying the floor or the like it will be observed that the blocks are laid alternately side and endwise, and to produce effects in tiling each 60 alternate block may be of different style, as, in effect,shown in Fig. 1. Each block being identical in construction,it is extremely cheap, and in practice a composition of material or wood may be employed. Attention is di- 65 rected specifically to the fact that the blocks or tile being each identical in construction no specific matching is required—that is, no particular side or end of the block is required for matching with the adjacent block, either 70 side of each block matching perfectly with either end of an adjacent block.

Desirable effects, it will be observed, are easily obtainable either by the use of two different colors or by the employment of a 75 plurality of colors in the blocks.

Where constructed of wood, the tile are formed from a long strip of material. This is run through a mortising or tenoning machine to cut the grooves therein, as seen in 80 Fig. 2. Then the blocks or tile are cut off into the proper sizes. Where made of a composition,the tile or blocks may be molded in the desired sizes.