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317,077 · Belcher · "Mosaic of Glass and Lead Glazing" · Page 1 Home  > Prism Glass  > Patent Index  > Page 1

317,077: 1 of 3

Patents: 179 of 530	UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY F. BELCHER, OF IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY.	Henry F. Belcher 2 of 20
MOSAIC OF GLASS AND LEAD GLAZING. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,077, dated May 5, 1885. Application filed September 1, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:     Be it known that I, HENRY F. BELCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Irvington, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mosaics of Glass and Lead Glazing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.     This invention relates to certain improvements in mineral mosaics and the process of manufacturing the same, set forth in a patent granted to me August 12, 1884, No. 303,359, the object being to secure to the mosaic an improved appearance, increased strength and durability, and to more uniformly perfect frame-work.     This invention consists in the improved mosaic and the process of manufacturing the same, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally be embodied in the clauses of the claims.     Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures, Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of a mold employed in the improved process. Fig. 2 is a section of the mold taken through line x; and Fig. 3 is a section taken through line y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan of a mold, showing certain arrangements hereinafter set forth. Fig. 5 is a plan of a skeleton frame employed in forming the complete mosaic; and Fig. 6 is a section taken through line z, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a completed mosaic with projecting jewels.     In carrying out the invention, I arrange the glass or mineral plates A of the mosaic on a suitable table or support in separated relations to each other, so that channels or passages will be formed around and between them. Over said channels or passages and connecting said plates is laid a strip or strips of thin sheet metal, preferably of brass, the edges of which may slightly overlap said plates, as in Fig. 4 and 6. Over said plates and metallic channel-coverings is pressed a gummed or adhesive sheet of asbestus or other suitable material, which binds said parts together.

In this condition the sheet of asbestus, with the mineral and metallic parts adhering thereto, is turned over, the said parts remaining, however, in the same relation to each other, so that the channels or passages are again brought to view. These are again in like manner covered with metallic pieces or strips, or with a single piece formed as illustrated in Fig. 5, and then with an adhesive sheet of asbestus, The metallic covering may be omitted from one side, should I desire to have on one side of the mosaic the cast-metal core of the frame-work exposed to view. The parts thus described are then placed in a suitable mold or placed in a clamp, turned edgewise, and then passages filled with molten metal, which, hardening, forms a core between the edges of the glass, and, uniting with the sheet-metal coverings, holds the same in position. Said sheet metal in overlapping the plates holds the same more firmly in position.     To cause the molten metal to remain in a perfect state of liquefaction and to flow freely in and through the passages between the parts thus described, even though the said passages be extremely narrow, when it is desired to produce fine "lead-lines," and to hold the asbestus more evenly and perfectly against the sides of the said parts, and furthermore, to facilitate the process of casting, I prepare the mold substantially as follows: Said mold is composed of duplicate parts, Figs. 2 and 3, with a chamber between, into which molten metal, which may be termed "back metal," is poured before the metal intended for the frame of the mosaic is run into the channels between the glass plates. This back metal raises the temperature of the different parts of the mold and the inclosed glass to a uniformly high degree of temperature, whereby the glass is prevented from breaking when the frame metal is subsequently poured, and also prevents said frame metal from prematurely cooling. Said back metal, as will be obvious, enters all the inequalities of the asbestus backing to the glass, caused by the unequal thicknesses of the pieces of said glass and the metallic coverings lying against the sides of said glass, and pressing against the said metal and glass pieces prevents the frame metal from separating the