Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-03-16
ANOTHER MEMPHIS INvENTION.
The Cock and Heath Patent for Connty
JaiIs-What It IL and How It Ia
Sought After.
AUsefuI Invention Likely 10 Result in
an Increased Trade for Memphis, Etc.


known and highly-respectable citizens
OF Memphis, who expect 10 manufacture
county jails, as occasion may require,
and ultimately bring very large
amount of trade to the city. MT.COOk is
an eminent architect, whose skill, cul-
ture and intelligence have long since Sc
cured for him a high place in his profess
sion. Mr.. Heath is q member Of the
firm of Randall & Heath, whose foundry
and machine shops are among the lead
ing and most enterprising factories OF
our city. The principal objects of the
invention for which these gentlemen
have been granted a patent are for econ
omy and facility OF construction, the Sc
curity of the prison or Jail, and the ready
ease with which such can be erected in
any part of the United States. The Sc
curity of the jail-cell is at once attained,
and in q most economical manner,
by dispensing with wrought iron
and using cast iron altogether.
To describe the invention so as to give
our readers q comprehensive idea Of its
excellence, is by no means an easy task,
as nothing short Of cut or diagram
could fully convey the information. In
the first place, the invention consists in
making the lining or easements OF
strong cells entirely OF csst-irOn plates,
forming the top, bottom and sides OF
each cell. In order to avoid IS far as
possible rivetting or bOlting, the plates
of which we speak are united by lap, or
tongue-and-gIoove joints. Brick work
or stone masonry, such as are used in
the construction of other buildings, sup
port the metallic-plate cells. The un-
doubted security Of a strong wooden,
brick or stone building with such iron
cells can be readily seen, for it would be
an impossible task to construct prison
better calculated to keep within its in
closure a desperate man. In this re-
spect the invention cOmmends itself to
public consideration, and not only
would its introduction subserve the pur-
poses of Jail utility and security, but
apply with equa! propriety to pen
itentiaries, wOrkhOuses and all man
ner of prisons where criminals
and bad men have to be confined or held
to await the operations OF the law. The
second feature of the invention consists
in the peculiarly constructed cast-iron
window-frame and SASH The damp
gloom of Jail cells, breathing disease and
death, would be no longer a just cause
of complaint among the public and
reproach to civilized communities were
security and light combined in the con-
structiou of prisons. 1t is generally con-
ceded that windows in prisons too often
afford means of escape, and hence the
inse curity of an aperture in the wall
causes them to be made too small to sup
ply the necessary light. The cOnse-
quence is that emaciatiOn and disease
befall the prisoner, and as yet no reme-
DIV was offered for this seeming, yet
necessary, hardship to prisoners, until
the invention Of Messrs. Cook and Heaf a
gave plan whereby the difficulty hitE-
erto experienced, and of which We speak,
may be removed, and that, too, without
additional expense; in fact, for much
less than is usually incurred in the con-
struction of prisons. The peculiarly
constructed manner of this fea-
ture we speak of is in the
fact that each sash is held in position by
grooves in the window-frame, and con-
sist of single solid casting, with geo.
metrical perforations to admit sir and
light. By means of these perfOratiOns,
sufficient air and light are admitted, and
vet the required security is had; for 1t
were hardly possible for prisoner to
force his way through such window
sash as this. Similar to this is the third
feature in the improvement respecting
the character of the doors and door
frames, which are of cast-iron. Each
door consists of a single casting, with
perfOrations made in the process of its
manufacture. The utility and cOnVen-
fence Of this are too apparent to be dis
cussed. The fourth feature OF the in
yention consists in the method of con-
structing prisons or jsils with the strong
cells above described. The process of
construction consists in first placing the
iron work in proper position, and then
encasing it with wooden bulkheading.
After completing the bulkheading, the
stone or brick walls are built up against
it, thereby forming and COM
pleting from within, but outward
fy as it were, the compound
walls of the cells. Thus it Is seen that
first the bulkheadiDg and second the
masonry are built, and that the building
progresses from the interior to the eX-
| terror and not as is usually the case, by
first building the cells and then lining
| them with metal. In order to break
out the iron work of one of these cells,
the wall on the outside must be torn
down, next the bulkheading and then
| the plates. This would be impossible,
| hence the Importance which this In
vention Justly claims, and to
which it is entitled. Owing to
the continuity of its structure
the wooden bulkheading adds very
greatly to the strength and security OF
the walls, while the solidity OF the
woodwork precludes danger from fire.
| In this connection we would state that
the points of the cast-iron cell-lining dc
not depend on any rivets or other fasten'
ings, and those bolts which are en-
pIoyed to unite the plates of adjoining
cells are SO situated as to be inaccessible
! by the use of the most flexible
and minute saws in the hands o.
an inmate. The escape from prison
are most frequently made by cutting the
wrought.iron bars of the grstings, anC
the murder of keepers is most frequent
" accomplished by means OF bars cut Ol
wrested from the gratings. Iron door
and windows, cast with oritices for tht
admission of air and light, meet thes'
| objections in perfect manner. Pos
sessing the peculiar advantages of hard
ness they preclude cutting by ordinary
means. They do not bend, and hence
their homogenity prevents any displace
ment of parts. At the same time they
| ADMIT OF q variety Oi u6BJSu ~ as W COI
form in external appearance with diff
ferent architectural exteriOrs, and t.
give or withhold freedom Of view. Il
addition to the above advantages, thes
doors and windows, both in their manu-
facture and in their application, ar
cheap, and, in fact, cost less than thOs
ordinarily used. Economy, durability
security, and an easy methol
Of construction, are the princi
pal features accomplished by thi
improvement, the practical advantage
and superior merits Of which cannot b
doubted. Messrs. Cook & Heath hav
contracted TO build jails ct Trenton
Ripley, Covington, Brownsville, Boil
var, Tennessee; Sardis, Senatobia, ant
Friars Point, Mississippi; and also q
; Seguin, Texas. Gentlemen who under
stand and appreciate iron work an
have opportunities of testing the pract
csbility of the.patent, unanimously IL
dorse this improvement. Its geners
introduction is q question Of time only
The benefits it offers cannot remain ig
nored. Health, security, and law wi
: acknowledge its Importance, while col
; siderations OF economy will induce i
adoption. Certainly no invention IN tn
|, land more adequately attained the ol
: ject for which il was invented, or con
! plies more faithfully with the expects
tions Of the public than this Of Messr
: Cook & Heath. The model will be
view at Randall, Heath q Livermore