An Improved System of Concrete Construction.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved System of Concrete Construction.
I, GEORGE MAXWELL, of No. 8 Brickworks Square, Consett, in the County of
Durham, Stone Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
The introduction and application of a method of constructing buildings to be
used for storage, residential or other purposes, which will considerably reduce the
cost of their construction, and at the same time greatly facilitate their erection and
improve their sanitary condition.
The improvements above enumerated are effected by the employment of moulded
concrete blocks made of such a size as to be readily and easily handled, the shape
of the said blocks being so made and arranged, as to form when properly laid a
perfectly bonded and coherent mass.
The concrete blocks employed in the way beforementioned, are made with
perforations arranged in such a manner, that when the blocks are placed in position,
the said perforations will form a series of continuous vertical channels or chambers
open at the top to the interior of the building. The channels so formed will ensure
a perfectly dry interier, by preventing the passage of any moisture or dampness
from without.
These channels may also be utilized for the reception or housing of gas and water
pipes, wires for electric lighting, bells or other purposes.
The internal face of the concrete blocks is treated in such a manner as to permitt
of a considerable reduction in the ammount and cost of plastering the interior
surfaces of the walls.
Dated this 19th day of December 1899
GEORGE MAXWELL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved System of Concrete Construction.
I, GEORGE MAXWELL of No. 8 Brickworks Square, Consett, in the County of
Durham, Stone Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object the introduction and application of an improved
method of constructing buildings to be used for storage, residential or other purposes
which will considerably reduce the cost of their construction and at the same time
greatly facilitate their erection and improve their sanitary condition.
According to the method usually adopted of building cavity walls, the cavity is
obtained by forming two distinct walls bonded together at various intervals by stone
or brick tie blocks or iron wall ties so that much time and care is expended in
forming such a cavity thereby very materially increasing the cost of such a wall,
also the strength of such a wall is much impaired by the manner of forming said
cavity.
My improvements consist in the use of perforated blocks of concrete, moulded
under pressure into such size and shape as to be readily and quickly handled and
built into position. The bottom bed of blocks requiring only to be dipped into a
shallow pan or tub of liquid cement and set into position, no spreading of beds with
trowel being necessary, and by before mentioned perforations we secure a cavity
wall of much different and firmer construction than any method hitherto adopted,
as each block is pierced with one or more perforations of such size and shape as to
form when placed in position a perfect system of cavity wall, by said perforations
being always twice the length of the partition dividing them, so that there is

page_text: always half the perforation lengthwise forming a series of vertical channels, or
chambers the whole height of wall and opening under the roof to the interior of the
building and so permitting the escape of whatever moisture may penetrate the
external surface of wall.
The size of these perforations are such as to afford a convenient and safe method
of housing all wires for electric lighting or bell purposes, being cheaper and quicker
than the present method of inserting tin tubes or such like means of conveyance
into the walls or under the plaster, also for the safe housing of all water pipes up
to two inches external diameter (the cavities being 2" x 4") also by said cavities we
provide the safest and most complete means of placing gas pipes out of reach of
danger from being injured by nailing or fixing up carpenter work to any of the
walls, and by said cavities any possible escape of gas from pipes in the walls will be
safely carried straight up to the roof of building.
I also claim for this system of perforated concrete building blocks, a perfectly
dry interior face of wall, also the system of rebated joints in which the outer or
external blocks are moulded, forms in conjunction with the plain internal blocks a
perfect system of bonding and thus rendering a wall proof against the penetration
of cold air or moisture.
Also by the system of compression in moulding those blocks the face is of so close
à grain or texture and so perfect in form that the interior face of wall may be
formed so perfectly as to require no more than a finishing coat of plaster in good
work, and for ordinary cottage work the plastering may be entirely dispensed with.
The manner of applying this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in
which
Fig. 1. 18 a pavation showing the complete system of arranging the
blocks to obtain results above enumerated, as will be s
med hy a
⚫combination of Fig. 2. and Fig. 3.
Fig. 2 is an illustration of outside block having three perforations. The rear or
internal face is divided into three unequal parts, viz.: four, five, and six inches.
The tail piece forming a rebated joint into which fits the smaller block Fig. 3,
which is made equal to the four and six inches rebates also to twice the length of
the tail piece so that by simply turning the outer block upside down the whole
bond of the wall is altered as may be seen in illustration of internal face of wall
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4, and Fig. 5, is an illustration showing the method of using plain blocks as
in Fig. 3, for building partition walls and gables, the perforation in Fig. 3, is. longer
than in Fig. 2. In those walls also we have a simple, quickly formed, and effective
cavity wall.
In describing the moulds for those concrete blocks, like letters.in. the description
refer to like letters upon the drawing A shows the mould for Fig. 2, with plugs
fixed in position for forming the three perforations, B is the cover for A, with
champhering strip attached and pierced. for plugs as shown in A.
C and D is a similar arrangement for moulding Fig. 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim to be novel and therefore claim to be my invention is ;-
The moulding of perforated concrete building blocks of such a size and shape as
to be easily handled and rapidly placed in position so as to rapidly form a cavity
wall superior and stronger than any of the systems, now in, use, also by the perfect
formation of said blocks and method of setting the same a great reduction, in the
time of erecting a building is effected and by the great, saving in the amount of
plastering as previously stated, the cost of buildings will be. very materially reduced.
Dated this 25th day of Februar 1902
GEORGE MAXWELL.