US1204743A - Method and article of decoration for walls and other surfaces. - Google Patents

Description

1.1.61]. CAROW.

METHOD AND ARTICLE OF DECORATION FOR WALLS AND OTHER SURFACES.

APPLICATION: FILED MAR-6,1914.

1,204,743. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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077/6 Ja'Z 2'21 0 Car/"a W 1 uuuuuu '5 PETERS ca PHOYO u'mn wAsmNu-mm n c nrr earns PAEN JOHN J. CAROW AND JULIUS CAROW, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

METHOD AND ARTICLE OF DECORATION FOR WALLS AND OTHER SURFACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1a, 1916.

Application filed March 6, 1914. Serial No. 822,922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JoHN J. CARow-and JULIUS CARow, citizens of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District 'of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Articles of Decoration for WValls and other Surfaces, of which the following is a specification.

The invention provides a desirable decorative device, an efficient and economical method of producing it, and an effective method and means particularly suitable for applying it to walls and other surfaces.

The invention has for an important object to give an article on the order of a glazed colored tile, but which does not require to be baked, and is especially suitable for mosaic work where segments of irregular form are required, although equally applicable in regular forms.

It is an important aim to enable the production of a tile device having variegated colors merging and blended in an artistic manner. This method is particularly applicable to the imitation of marbles of various characters as to veining and shading, although other beautiful effects distinct from marble are obtainable. A valuable end accomplished is in enabling the production of a multi-colored tile or mosaic the veining and blending of the colors in which may be distinguished in local areas of the tile or segments of the mosaic. That is to say, in one part of a tile or on one segment a marbled effect such as is familiarin present imitations where varicolored fluid or plastic pigments are poured or pressed upon a flat surface before or after a mixing by stirring; and in another part of the tile or another segment peculiar flares of color or blended colors, or merging of mutually adjacent bodies of colors, may be produced.

It is another advantage of the invention thata mosaic of variegated character but with a dominant tone of any character suitable to its situation may be readily produced in a simplemanner. While the production of a dominant tone in a marbled design has of course been possible, we claim to have simplified the methodv of its attainment, and to have eliminated much ofthe uncertainty involved in prior methods, as well as reducing the length of time in manipulations required.

In addition, our invention enables the mounting f the s gments or tiles produced 'these'to specially form the glass so thatfa cement may readily obtain a hold thereon, or other peculiar method adopted for their securement. We are enabled to utilize ordinary plate or window glass, scrap 'glass bemg particularly desirable for mosaic segments, and the segments or tiles made by our method may be secured in place with ordinary stock cementing materials of low cost and by simple operations.

It is another advantage of our invention that no special or expensive equipment is required for its practice, although it is possible that machinery could be produced to facilitate it. The low cost of the article and its use will thus be apparent.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear, some of which will be apparent from the following descriptionand from the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragment of a surface decorated in accordance with our invention, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a surface having the tiling initially applied, Fig. 3 is a similar view of the completed decoration, ,Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional view of a segment, Fig. 5 shows one method for the initial application of color, Fig. 6 shows a further means for the application of color, Fig. 7 shows a method for producing certain effects, Fig. 8 illustrates one means for the characterization of the segments.

In the present form of our invention we obtain scrap glass of irregular shapes, the larger pieces of which, for the best effects, should not have an area on one side of more than nine inches, and some of which should be very much smaller. This glass should be free of any opaque substances on its surfaces of an undesirable character. A number of the fragments 10 are laid upon a suitable table or other support, and small daubs '10 of various oil colors are put upon their upper surfaces. This may be done by squeezing tubes 11 containing the desired colors while their mouths are presented against the fragments, or the'colors may be put on by means of brushes, sticks or other devices. These may be termed the character colors, since, as will appear, they will largely determine the characteristics of the product. For producing certain effects, the fragments hav ing the daubed colors may next be sprinkled with dry pulverized pigment of some desired color or successively with dry pigments 12 of different colors, as shown in Fig. 6. If different colors are used in dry form, it will be appreciated that they may be very readily blended, and by proper proportioning any desired dominant tones may be produced in the resulting decorative unit under the manipulations to be described. The colors are next treated by being subjeotedto-the action of a rubbing means having an irregular movement, which may consist of a suitable pad operated by the hand, or even the finger end of the operator, as shown in Fig. 8, pressure being applied to a suflicient degree to produce the eifect desired. It is found that the pressure exerted, has a material effect upon the result in producing harmonious and attractive appearance in the product. The siftingof colors may be dispensed with and the daubed colors rubbed on with the result of producing a characterization different from that resulting when the sifted pigment is used. I

here the sifting of the dry colors is omitted local areas of different colors are formed on each segment, the edges of the different bodies of color merging to some extent, a seriesof flares and whirls being produced having soft lines. Where the color is sifted on, lines or veins are formed between the bodies of daubed color, in places, with broader areas of blended color formed by the merging of the sifted pigment with the daubed pigment, in others. It is desirable that the daubed color be fairly thick, al-

though modifications of effects may be produced by having it thinned out to some extent; As a further means of varying the effects obtainable, we also at times spray turpentine 13 or other suitable solvent upon the colors as in Fig. 7 either with or without the sifted color, but preferably with the sifted color, and usually before it is put on. The turpentine has the efiect of causing the dry color to run into the adjacent portions of other colors in a lace-like Way under the mixing effect produced by the rubbing above described, and .partly through the permeating effect of the turpentine. After the segments have been given their desired characterization, they are set aside and allowed to dry, and then given a coat 14c of paint of some desirable color, usually white, and preferably so for light designs. Where a design of a dominant dark tone is sought, a neutral or black paint may be used. Where a Wainscot or frieze is to be produced, it will be found for the backing desirable in many cases to provide a number of rectangular piece? 15 for forming the border, as shown in The segments formed as described may be mounted upon any desired surface, such as Wood, plaster, brick, cement, or paper. In the case of wood and paper, a coating of linseed oil is preferably first given the surface, and upon the other surfaces linseed oil 18 may also be used if desired. The backing coat of paint it having been allowed to dry, and the wall or other surface of the support to be decorated being in the proper condition, the segments are selected according to their desirability for local application, a piece of putty of suitable size is pressed upon the back of each as it is taken, or two or more small pieces 16 of putty applied at suitably spaced points inwardly of the edges of the segments, after which the segment is pressed into the desired position. with respect to the supporting surface, the putty being slightly flattened out thereagainst but not caused to fill the entire space under the segment nor to extrude between the edges of mutually adjacent segments. In this way the pieces are held with great security, especially if the supporting surface be painted. lVhen a considerable area has been thus covered a moderately thick mixture of plaster of Paris, or other cementitious material is spread over the mosaic, and worked into the joints between the segments sufficiently to fill them and to spread slightly thereunder in contact with the supporting surface, somewhat as shown at 17 in Fig. 3. This method of application is peculiarly desirable with our invention, the putty taking a strong hold upon the painted sides of the segments where ordinary cements would not,

and when dry it is next to impossible to separate them without damage. An experimental panel of the mosaic has been submitted to an age test extending over several years, and the segments are so firmly fixed that they cannot be removed without breaking, the above method of fixation having been employed. The use of the oil upon wood or other surfaces before applying the segments also makes an extremely intimate connection between the putty and such surfaces. Where a surface is involved upon which it is not desirable to use the linseed oil, and upon which the putty will not hold satisfactorily, but a Portland cement or like cement would hold, lumps of putty may be applied on the backs of the segments so as to project beyond their edges, and'their application proceeded with as above described. In this waythe putty, to which the segments are secured satisfactorily, is locked against the supporting surface by the cement worked between the joints.

It may be found possible to use other material than putty for the initial securement. and any material having the quality of great adhesiveness to the colors on the segments or the backing coat, possessing the necessary plasticity, and a slow setting quality, may be termed putty-like for the purpose of designation in our claims. The advantages of the particular process of application are numerous, but consist partly in the fact that the slow setting of the putty gives the worker opportunity to'cover a large area in a satisfactory manner, and the use of small lumps of the initial securing material makes it easier to bring all the segments into a common plane than where their backs are entirely coated, or where a continuous coating is applied to the supporting surface into which the tiles are pressed. Also the use of the lumps of small area as compared to the size of the segments, leaves considerable air spaces between the segments and the supporting surface, making a wall so covered an efiicient insulation of heat and sound. Further, the advantages of the slow setting securing material are obtained together with those of the quick-setting Portland cement or plaster of Paris, whereby damage to the completed mosaic is minimized. This is of great importance, as in the erection of buildings a mosaic of this kind would be liable to contact of workmen and objects of various kinds immediately succeeding its completion, and without a quicksetting support the work would often be damaged by slight causes.

The Portland cement is not very efficient as an adhesive, as is well known, but excels as a foundation to resist crushing, for which putty-like materials are not well suited although efficient as adhesives for making segments secure against lifting out of their setting. Thus, the liability of loosening is minimized while the advantages of the firm foundation afforded by Portland cement or the like is retained, by the method outlined. Also, a considerable saving of material is effected by our method. Where putty-like materials have been used for securing decorative segments, owing to its slight efliciency in resisting crushing, a large amount of material must be used, and usually the entire back of the segment must be coated therewith, or a continuous coating applied to the supporting surface into which the segments are forced. Where Portland cement or the like alone is used, it is also customary to give the supporting surface, a coating of the cement, into which the tiling or other decorative segments are forced. By our method, the principal support of the segments is at the edges, and an open space is left thereunder, instead of a continuous body of the securing or supporting material. The greater ease with which our segments may be adjusted in the desired positions on the supporting surface, as compared to the time required where they are embedded in a continuous coating of supporting material, results in a large saving in time and effort.

In. the mosaic segment shown in Fig. 1 a border .2 i shown comprising three hori zontal courses of rectangular segments 15 arranged to break joints, the upper and lower courses comprising oblong pieces, while the middle course is made up of squares or at least broader pieces. These may be colored with plain colors, that are sufficiently distinct from the general tone of the body of the mosaic, as for example, the upper and lower courses are daubed with a dark blue, in the rubbing of which (which is desirable, as in the case of mixed colors) the color is thinned in parts so that a white backing will cause a slight mottling to appear, while the middle course is daubed with a pale yellow predominantly and in a lesser degree with green or blue, the rubbing of which will produce pale flares and whorls of green. With this border the predominant tone of the body of the mosaic should be green, with possibly a verging to yellow, and the latter is preferably to be made salient. lVith these colors small quantities of other colors such as red and brown may be intermingled, and of the predominant colors, a number of shades may be used on each segment.

As one method of fixing the predominant tone of the complete work, we at timesas a preliminary to the characterization of the segmentsgive all a thin coat of paint of the desired color, after which the daubing and other desired steps are proceeded with, the rubbing causing the daubed colors to work through the preliminary coat. When the joint filling 17 has been applied, the surface of the mosaic is cleaned thoroughly, preferably before the filling has completely set, as the cleaning is then easier, and the segments are sufficiently stable in position.

The colored pigments which we have used in practice for daubing the fragments, have been oil colors, as before stated, but it may be found possible to use pigments mixed with some other suitable adhesive liquid, although. thus far, we have been unable to find anything satisfactory in equal degree in the various essentials. The backing coat may be omitted also, in some cases.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of applying segments to walls, consisting in applying a plastic adhesive material individually to the segments,

on limited areas thereof stopping short of' the edges a distance presenting the segments to the surface to be decorated with the adhesive interposed, adjusting the segments in positions desired, leaving a space between each segment and the supporting surface, and applying a filling material such as hydraulic cement, to close the spaces between the segments, and engage the supporting areas of the backs of the segments, presenting the segments to a surface to be decorated, with said material interposed, adjusting the segments in the final positions desired and applying a filling such as hydraulic cement so as to close the spaces between the segments and contacting with said surface, and spreading under the segments.

3. The method of applying decorative segnients to a wall or the like consisting in applying to the under sides of the segments small portions of a putty-like material,

pressing the segments toward the supportlng surface for engagement of the said material therewith so as to leave a space be- 15 tween the segments and supporting surface, and pressing a plastic of the nature of hydraulic cement between the segments and against the supporting surface.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto 20 set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

7 JOHN J. CAROVV. JULIUS CAROXV.

VVitness'es:

J. M. MAso ALFRED B. DENT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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