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517,156 · Bruner · "Illuminating-Tile and Method of Constructing Same" · Page 2 Home  > Prism Glass  > Patent Index  > Page 2

517,156: 2 of 5

B represents the area wall, on the top of which is supported the "sidewalk" edge of the illuminating pavement; and C, the inner edge of the street pavement, or of the sidewalk proper, as the case may be, the surface of which is generally flush with the surface of the pavement next to the building.     D indicates bracket hangers by which the inner or "building" ends of the substructure strips indicated by E are supported (see Figs. 2 and 3).     F and F' represent, respectively, the bolts and nuts for securing the bracket hangers D to the strips E.     G and G' represent, respectively, long tie rods embedded, when the pavement is completed, in the, what I will call, main ribs of the pavement, and the nut, or corresponding head portion, on one end of the rods G, for anchoring the brackets D to the pavement.     H represents strips or plates of tin, or similar material, used to place between the blocks or lenses of glass represented by I, to space them apart, as well as to form the bottom of what will constitute a mold for the concrete between the consecutive lenses in the same tier, as hereinafter described.     K represents the concrete of the pavement as a whole; K', the main ribs of the same, which extend from the area wall B to the building, and K'' the short transverse ribs between consecutive lenses I in one tier or row from area wall to building.     It is obvious that the I-beam A might be dispensed with in instances when a ledge or shoulder is formed in the masonry work of the building for supporting the inner edge of the pavement, except in instances, as will appear from the following description, where it is desirable that there should be no obstruction to the free passage of the light transmitted through the pavement, extending below the lower "building" edge of the pavement.     As shown in Fig. 1, the mold or building strips E are formed of a cross-section shown more fully in Fig. 2, the essential features of which are the inclined sides e, preferably with lip-like projections e' along each lower edge, so that, when placed in consecutive order alongside each other, in the manner shown in Fig. 1, to form a supporting structure on which to "lay" the pavement, there will be left a substantially V-shaped opening or trench, with a rounded bottom, into which the concrete of the pavement will run, forming the main ribs K'. The strips E are formed with the slot e'' extending, along their entire length, to a convenient depth from approximately the middle of their under side; and, at or near one end, with the elongated bolt holes e''' for the reception of the bolts F. The upper surface of these strips E is grooved out, as at e'''', so as to form a raised rib along either side edge of the strips on which are supported the glass lenses I, the groove e'''' being formed to accommodate the relative raised portion i formed on the under side of the lenses,

as shown in Fig. 4. By this means, an easy and convenient alignment of the lenses I is effected when placed on the strips E.     Between the lenses I, when placed, preparatory to the pavement being "laid," are placed the thin strips or sheets of metal H, which are of a length just sufficient to span the upper surface of the strips E, and of a width dependent on how far apart it is desired to space the lenses. The functional feature of these strips, while effective to space the lenses apart, is to act as the bottom of the mold between the lenses and prevent the concrete from going into the groove e'''', and, thereby, when the pavement is completed, limiting the depth of the ribs between lenses in the same row from area wall to building, as shown in the sectional view of the pavement in Figs. 1 and 3.     The bracket hangers D are formed, essentially, with a web portion d, which is substantially vertically placed when in use, and two oppositely extending lips or flanges d' and d'' at substantially right angles to the plane of the web portion d-- one, d', along the upper edge of the web portion d and the other along the inner edge of two leg portions D', formed by adapting the web portion of the bracket piece, as a whole, to straddle the strips E. In this manner these lips d'' are inclined at an angle to the vertical side edges of the piece as a whole, corresponding to the inclined sides of the strips E, forming, when several are placed in consecutive order, against each other, as shown in Fig. 1, substantially a V-shaped stirrup for the support of the "building" end of the main ribs K'. The lips d'' are made to extend horizontally along the under edge of the web d, corresponding to the upper surface of the strips E, when the parts are secured together, as hereinafter described, leaving an intermediate space or slot d''' for the reception of the bolt F for securing the strips E to the bracket hangers D, as will hereinafter appear. The vertical distance from the supporting lip d' and the horizontal portion of the lips d'' is decided by the thickness of the glass lenses I which are, of course, in the finished pavement flush with the surface of the pavement, which is preferably flush with the supporting lip d', as shown in Fig. 1. The horizontal portions of the lips d'' are useful not only as means for securing and supporting the building end of the strips E, but, as shown, also act as a support for that edge of the Pavement when completed.     There are formed, in the outside edge of the leg members D' of the bracket hangers, notches d'''' for the reception of the rods G and for supporting that end of the same while the pavement is in course of construction.     I will now describe the method of procedure in making use of the appliances I have already described in building a pavement of the character illustrated, which description will, at the same time, set forth the essential