US1641872A - Composite wire lath - Google Patents

Description

1,641,872 Sept- 6,1927- R. J. souTHwELL COMPOSITE WIRE LATH Filed July 30, 1926 Patented Sept. f 6, 1927.

UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND J. SOUTHWELL, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WICKWIRE SPENCER STEEL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

comrosrrn WEEE LATE.

` Application filed July 30, 1926. Serial No. 125,860.

This invention relates to a Wire lath such as is largely used in` building construction as a support for plaster or cement.

It is the general objectof my invention t`o provide a construction in which ordinary woven wire fabric may be made available for such purposes, b combining the wire fabric with a suita le backing sheet of tough paper or other similarv sheet material,

U and by firmly securing the backing sheet to the wire fabric.

A further object is to provide improved stifening andv supporting means for the composite lath, by which the Wire fabric and hacking sheet'will be definitely spaced from a rsupporting structure, and at the same time the composite lath will be rendered more rigid and better available for the purposes defined.

With these and 'other objects in view, my invention further consists in certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Preferred forms of ythe invention are shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of my improved composite wire lath;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3`is a partial rear view, showing the means for securing the parts together;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but 35 showing the use of a different shape of wire mesh;

Fig. showing a modified construction to be dei scribed;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view, indicating the way in which my improved latiris to be used;

Fior. 7 is a sectional plan view, taken along the lme 7-7 in Fig. 6; and

-Fig. 8 is a sectlonal view of a further modication.

Referring to the drawings, my improved composite Wire lath comprises a layer of Wire fabric 10, which may be of the hexagonal mesh shown in' Fig. 1 or of the square mesh shown at 11 in Fig. 4.

The Wires of either orm of fabric may be twisted together, as indicated in Fig. 1, or may be formed by securing the wires to 5 is a. view similar to Fig. 2 but` f thereby.

each other by welding or galvanizing, as

shown in Fig. 4'or by any other common method.

.A backingsheet 12 of strong p'aper or other similar fibrous material is placed directly against the back of the wire fabric 10. Stiffening ribs or elements 13 are placed at intervals` against the back of the paper 12, extending from edge to edge of the Wire fabric, and preferably of the substantially V-shaped form indicated in Fig. 2, the open edges of the V abutting the rear face of the backing 12.

The stiifening elements 13 are preferably secured in place by suitable fastening devices. such as clips or bands 14. as indicated in the drawings. Each of these clips may comprise a strip of sheet metal which embraces one of the stiifening elements 13 and which has its free ends projecting through the backing 12 and clamped about certain elements of the Wiren fabric 10 or l1.

The parts are thus permanently secured to form a unitary structure which is preferably made up in the form of square or rectangular sheets, ready to be applied to a building structure diagrammatically indicated at 16 (Fig. 7

The composite sheet will cover a certain number of standard spaces between the studs or supports 16 and is preferably wide enough to overlap to the edges of the studs at each side of the sheet. The other dimension of the sheet may be anything desired, but I have found it convenient to make the sheets of not too great length. The sheets are commonly secured by nails or staples driven through the stiffening elements 13.

W'hen my improved lath is thus secured to a supporting structure, the backing sheet and wire fabric are definitely spaced from the supporting structure by the stifening elements 13thus providing a predetermined space back of the composite lath.

When the plaster or cement is thereafter applied to such a vcomposite lath, the paper or backing will be forced rearward slightly away from the wire fabric and sufficiently to permit the plaster to firmly engage the fabric and to be permanently 'supported At the same time, however, the backing sheet prevents the forcing of an unnecessary amount of plaster or cement through the screen, thus economizing plaster and preventing the formation of a layer of plaster of unnecessary thickness.

In Fig. 2 I have indicated the sheet 12 of paper or fibrous material as being folded into the V-shaped stiffening element 13, thus providing apocket 18 to receive a portion of plaster and form an additional tie between the laster and the lath.

While this construction is desirable, it is not indispensable and I may also use the construction shown in Fig. 5, in which the sheet 12 extends straight across the opening of the stiilening element 13, this latter construction being somewhat easier to manufacture and being sufciently effective for geneial purposes.

The dimensions of the wire fabric may be somewhat widely varied, but I have found that either square or hexagonal mesh, with openings of a width of onealf inch or more furnishes a very satisfactory foundation for the support of plaster or cement.

I may also locate the stiffeners 20 between the wire fabric and the pa er backing, as shown in Fig. 8, thus providing 'a definite furring space for the plaster or cement. In this case I preferably provide a second U- shaped stiffening member 23 at the back of the paper backing 22 and .secure the arts together by clips 24 encircling both stif'fening members 2() and 23 and also portions of the backing 22 and wire fabric 21.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to he limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is 1. A composite wire lath having, in combination. a sheet of wire fabric, a layer of fibrous sheet material disposed adjacent and immediately in rear of said wire fabric, a plurality of substantially- V-shaped metal stiffeninor strips having their open sides forwardl tdisposed and abutting the back of said brous material, and means to secure said stiffening elements, said fibrous material and said wire fabric permanently together to form a unitary structure.

impara 2. A composite wire lathv having, in combination, a sheet of wire fabric, a layer of fibrous sheet material disposed at the back of said wire fabric, a plurality of substantially V-shaped metal stiffening strips having their open sides forwardly disposed and abutting the back of said fibrous material, and clips encirclino said strips and extending throufrh said fibrous material and said wire fabric to firmly secure said parts together, said stiffening strips adapted to definitely space said fibrous material from a supporting structure.

3. A composite wire lath having, in combination, a sheet of wire fabric, a layer of fibrous sheet material disposed at the back of said Wire fabric, a plurality of substantially V-shaped metal stiffening strips having their open sides forwardly disposed and abutting the back of said fibrous material, and clips encirclinfr said strips and extending throuh said ibrous material and said wire fabric to firmly secure said parts together, said fibrous material being depressed within said V-shaped strips to form pockets effective to receive portions of the plaster or cement applied thereto.

4. A composite wire lath having, in combination, a sheet of wire fabric, a layer of fibrous sheet material disposed at the back of said wire fabric and spaced therefrom, a plurality of substantially V-sha ed inner metal stifl'ening strips positione between said wire fabric and said fibrous material, and having their open sides forwardly disposed and abutting the back of said wire fabric, a plurality of lU-shaped outer stiffening members secured at the rear of said fibrous material and each adjacent to one of said V-shaped stifl'ening strips, and clips each encircling an inner and an outer stiffening strip and portions of said fibrous material and of said wire fabric and securing all of said parts together.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

RAYMOND J. SOUTHWELL.

Images