IMPROVEMENT IN DESIGN FOR MAKING & SETTING (IN WATER) CEMENT CONCRETE BLOCKS
Year: 1885

page_text: Cement Concrete Blocks.
THOMAS HUNTER Ship Broker 4 Mount Stuart Square Cardiff and JAMES GILLIS
BROWN, Civil Engineer 2 Lindsay Road, Sunderland do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for THE IMPROVEMENT IN DESIGN FOR MAKING & SETTING (IN
WATER) CEMENT CONCRETE BLOCKS to be as follows:-
.
The difficulty of bedding concrete Blocks under water is overcome by forming
grooves in blocks to receive clay which is depressed by corresponding fillets or.
beads, cast on blocks (in the under side of upper blocks) which when laid form a
secure air & water tight joint protecting a chamber from which the water is
pumped through a pipe (cast in block) and the concrete filled in through a pipe
(cast in block) so lengthened as to reach above the water level by lengths of pipe
to "ship & unship" as required. This method is suitable for foundations under
water-Bridge, Quay, Dock & Pier works or any other work where the bedding
material is endangered by water.
:3
REFERENCE TO PLAN.
A Pocket or Groove in upper Bed of Block to receive clay of the section of
common Bricks from machine,
B. Fillet or bead on underside of block to fit the above: by depressing the clay
in groove secures a water and air tight joint.
Č Chambers to receive concrete after the water has been pumped out.
,
D Channels cast in block to receive the Lewis chains for lifting and setting_
blocks.
•
E Pipe cast in block having screw ends to receive covers to protect screw
threads, covers to be removed when ready for setting and the suction pipe fitted
on & attached to pump.
I
F Pipe cast in block having the screw end at top protected as above when ready
for & suspended for setting sufficient lengths of pipe to be screwed on to reach
above the water level for pouring in concrete.
G Nose pipe under block.

page_text: .
Cement Concrete Blocks.
THOMAS HUNTER, Ship broker 4 Mount Stuart Square Cardiff and JAMES GILLIS
BROWN, Civil Engineer 2 Lindsay Road Sunderland do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for THE IMPROVEMENT IN DESIGN FOR MAKING & SETTING (IN
WATER) CEMENT CONCRETE BLOCKS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The difficulty of bedding concrete blocks under water is overcome by forming
grooves in blocks to receive clay or other unctuous matter which is depressed by
corresponding fillets or beads cast on blocks (in the under side of upper blocks)
which when laid form a secure air and water tight joint protecting a chamber from
which the water is pumped through a pipe (cast in block) and the bedding concrete
is filled in through a pipe (cast in block) so lengthened as to reach above the water.
level by lengths of pipe to "ship and unship" as required. This method is suitable
for foundations under water Bridge, Quay, Dock, Piers, Lighthouses or any other
work where the bedding material is endangered by water.
TERMS USED IN SPECIFICATION.
The term "we" means Thomas Hunter Ship broker, Cardiff and James Gillis
Brown, Civil Engineer, Sunderland.
The term "
Concrete" means the material composing the blocks; "bedding
Concrete" the material passed, into the cells after the block is laid in position and
"grout" the material of a finer description to flow freely into interstices.
The term "Cells" means the chambers or receptacles for receiving the bedding
Concrete in upper and under bed of blocks.
The terms "Concrete & suction pipe" means the pipes cast in blocks communi-
cating with upper and under cells.
The terms "ship & unship" means the fitting temporarily together of sufficient
.lengths of pipes or hose to reach from the block when laid to the required height
above the water level.
The term "diver" means a workman in a diving dress, fit with the necessary
apparatus and appliances for working under water.
The terms "clay or other unctuous matter" means clay, as prepared for making
bricks, white lead, Red lead, asphaltum Tallow, Lard, or similar matter of a
tenacious and yielding description capable of excluding air & water in the required
position.
The term "Lewis" chains means the usual necessary provision for 'slinging and
lifting blocks by the crane.
REFERENCE TO PLAN.
1. Mould for concrete blocks with pipe fittings &c.
2. Underside of block when made.
3. Upper side of block when made.
4. Cross section shewing mode of laying and setting blocks (unde

page_text: DIOCKS
Co receive clay or owner ԱՄԵՆԱՄԱՆ
matter of the section of common bricks unburnt from machine.
B. Fillets or beads on underside of blocks to fit the above, with provision for
displacement by depressing the clay or other unctuous matter in groove secures
a water and air tight joint.
C. Cells or chambers to receive bedding concrete after the water has been
pumped out.
D. Channels cast in blocks to receive the "Lewis" chains for lifting and setting
blocks.
E. Water pipe cast in block having screw ends to receive caps or covers to
protect screw threads; when ready for setting screw caps or covers to be removed
and suction hose pipe fitted on and attached to pump.
F. Filling concrete pipe cast in block having screw ends to receive caps or covers
to protect screw threads-when ready for setting screw caps or covers to be removed
and sufficient lengths of pipes attached to reach above the water level for filling
in bedding concrete.
the
In making the timber moulds or cases for casting the cement concrete blocks the
following provisions are necessary viz: The moulds to have bottom, two ends, two
sides and cover (in two parts) smooth on the internal faces and truly squared;
proportion being the width to equal half the length of block-the whole when put
together to be properly fitted with iron bars, bolts and binders and firmly secured
together; and the iron fittings to be so contrived as to be readily taken off when
the concrete block is sufficiently set. Four wood boxes to be made of the size or shap
required for cells or chambers, made with slightly bevilled sides and made perfectly
smooth outside for drawing out of mould These boxes to be a little deeper than
required for making cells, so as to rest below floor of mould and stand up above
the cover to have hinged covers or lids with fastenings. The bottoms to be
pierced for concrete and suction pipes with counter-sunk holes-bevil pieces to be
made to fit sides of boxes, secured to sides of boxes by thumb screws on the inside
of boxes when dove-tailed joints are required in cells.
Before setting the boxes in their proper position of the mould the concrete and
suction pipes (which are to be cast or fit with screw collars and screw caps or
covers to the pipes) to be fitted into bottoms of boxes, the collars being outside to
fit counter-sunk holes and the screw caps or covers inside the boxes-all screwed
home and tight at joints of holes in boxes.
On the floor or bottom of mould or case a depressed or sunk groove with side
beads to be made at a fixed offset all round the cell boxes to form a raised fillet
or bead on bottom of concrete block with proper spaces on each side for the
displacement of clay or other unctuous matter forming air and water tight joint.
In cases where granite, stone or other facing is required, the side or end of
block mould to be left off and the face walled up and concrete filled in behind the
walled face of mould as required.
Provision must also be made for "Lewis" chains in the centre of case or mould,
by resting on the front and back edges of top, a cross piece carrying squared and
fitted timbers forming an angle, which must be so placed in mould with due regard
to equilibrium as the block when suspended from crane by the chains (passing
through the channel so formed) may be even and level for setting.
The timbers forming chain channel to be so contrived as to be easily withdrawn
after the concrete is sufficiently set. The lids or covers of moulds or cases will thus
be divided and placed on each side of cross piece and fit over the boxes with pipes
after the concrete is filled up to the required level-on the underside of lids or
covers a raised fillet of wood, the size of an unburnt clay brick, in cross section, to
be fixed at a regular offset all round the cell boxes to correspond with the groove
on the floor or underside of mould, being meant to receive the clay when blocks
are cast; care being taken to soap all surfaces to prevent concrete adhering to
mould.

page_text: The bottom of a block when cast has the cells for receiving the bedding concrete
and all round the cells are fillets or beads projecting from the face of block, with
provision for the displacement of clay or other unctuous matter. Such fillets or
beads could also be inserted or cast in block of some other material.
The screw ends of concrete and suction pipes are also seen projecting from the
bottom of cells. When necessary the screw ends of pipes, cast in blocks; can be
protected by screw caps or covers; when the blocks are stacked for seasoning, care
must be taken to rest the blocks on cross timbers to protect the projecting fillets or
beads on bottom of blocks.
The top of a block when cast has the cells for receiving the bedding concrete
and all round cells are grooves or sinkings for clay (unburnt bricks) or other
unctuous matter. The screw ends of concrete and suction pipes are also seen
projecting from the bottom of cells.
.
The concrete blocks when set or laid in position should be as far as possible.
"header and stretcher" and the stretchers or longitudinal blocks to be half lapped,
each way, binding the whole together; square blocks being required to enable the
joints to be well broken with the oblong blocks-when the blocks are ready for
setting, and are lifted by crane, a nose pipe to be fixed on bottom of suction pipe,
sufficiently long, to touch the bottom of cell in under block, (which may be of an
inexpensive kind, such as a piece of canvas hose tied on the threads of suction pipe
end) The screw caps are then placed on the upper ends of pipes in block, to keep
out sand or other debris-or if convenient the suction pipe from pump can be at
once attached and the lenthening pipes, with hopper head, screwed on to the pipes
cast in block before lowering on to bed under water level. This however will be
best done by a diver, who will be required to clear the beds and cells before setting
blocks in position-who would, after the block is set, remove the caps and adjust
the suction hose and concrete pipes. The screw caps or covers having loops for
ropes, as well as the lengthening pipes for concrete, can be readily drawn up or
lowered as required.
After the water has been pumped out of cells and pipes the requisite quantity
of bedding concrete is to be filled into the hopper head and if necessary a plunger
used to pound to a solid mass the bedding concrete. Both the suction pipe and
concrete pipe to be kept attached to block, above the water level, until the bedding
concrete is set.
Great care must be observed in ascertaining the quantity of bedding concrete
for each cell so that the level of the bedding concrete may not be higher than the
centre of block being set: lest the concrete and suction pipes attached should get
fastened by the setting of bedding concrete.
The same results are also secured by using only one pipe in each cell of block
through which the suction hose pipe from pump is lowered into the cells through
the blocks and withdrawn when the water is pumped out and all ready for the
bedding concrete.
In cases where it would be an advantage to set several courses of blocks one
over the other, before filling in the bedding concrete; this single pipe would be
placed in the centre of cells, so that the pipes for concrete would be always over
each other, through which a sufficient length of suction hose pipe could be passed
to reach the bottom of the bed required to be pumped out: and then the filling
concrete would be passed through hopper head and lengthening pipes after the
suction hose pipe had been withdrawn. The size and shape of cells or blocks may
be varied, together with the form of grooves and fillets; provided the objects
sought are not thereby frustrated.
Vertical jointing of blocks in sea works are unnecessary: open joints being
better adapted for withstanding the force of sea breakers by allowing the
compressed air to escape through-thereby reducing the force of the blow; where
however it is deemed necessary to keep out the water entirely we place in concrete
blocks additional clay grooves with fitting fillets near the face of horizontal and
vertical joints into which clay or other unctuous matter is secured and after the
•

page_text: works are raised above the water level, the joints are pumped out and cement
grout filled in. To accomplish this a well is provided in blocks at the lowest level
of the works, from which a pipe is carried up to surface above water level, for
introducing suction hose pipe from pump: after the water has been pumped and
suction hose pipe withdrawn the cement grout is poured until the whole of the
spaces are filled up solid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. By our improved design for making cement concrete Blocks we provide a
reliable air and water tight joint all round the cells made in beds of blocks for the
reception of bedding concrete the same being formed by grooves cast in blocks to
receive clay or other unctuous matter which is depressed by the upper block forcing
fillets or beads cast on for the purpose, with proper spaces for displacement of clay
or other unctuous matter and thereby securing a close compact air and water tight
joint.
2. We provide an effectual and ready means for clearing water from the cells
made in beds of blocks for the reception of bedding concrete--the same being
accomplished by attaching lengths of suction hose pipe from a pump to the screw
pipe cast in concrete block for the purpose; and pumping out the cell for receiving
the bedding concrete or by passing the suction hose pipe through the pipe provided
for conveying bedding concrete to cell: a special water pipe, cast in block, can be
dispensed with.
3. We also provide means by which there can be attached to screw pipes cast in
blocks sufficient lengths of pipe to reach above the water level, fit with hopper
head, through which the bedding concrete is passed into cells, and when the
bedding concrete is set, such lengths of pipe can be "unshipped" by the diver and
secured with ropes ready for use again-The concrete block having been properly
"bedded" under water.
4. We also provide for grouting the whole of the joints under water, in addition,
by having clay grooves and fitting fillets at faces of outside blocks, excluding the
water from joints, which enables the water to be pumped out from a well at the
lowest level and cement grout passed into the pipe provided for this purpose.