IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKWATERS, SEA WALLS, AND LIKE STRUCTURES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Henry Tuck, of 34, Great George Street,
Westminster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKWATERS,
SEA WALLS, AND LIKE STRUCTURES."
Sealed the 15th November 1859, and dated the 9th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Henry Tuck at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th June 1859.
I, JOSEPH HENRY TUCK, of 34, Great George Street, Westminster, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAK-
WATERS, SEA WALLS, AND LIKE STRUCTURES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breakwaters, sea walls,
and like structures. For these purposes a breakwater is constructed of a
number of blocks of stone, or of other suitable material of like dimensions,
and generally of an oblong rectangular form; the work is, when necessary,
to be raised and constructed to within a few, say 12 feet, of low-water mark,
in the ordinary manner; the formation of the structure is then to be com-
pleted according to my Invention, or where the bottom will admit of it, the
structure is to be wholly according to my Invention.
The first row of blocks is to be laid endwise towards the sea, and by prefer-
ence in an inclined direction from the sea face of the structure towards the
back thereof, in such manner that an angle of each block (constituting

page_text: front lowest row) will be presented to the force of the wave, and the several
blocks constituting the front lowest row of blocks will be laid parallel to each
other, but at a short distance one from the other, so as to leave passages on
either side of each stone for the passage of the water after it has struck
against the angles of the blocks. The blocks in the row next behind the
front row are placed with their ends to butt against the back ends of the
blocks of the first row, and at the same inclination or angle to the face of
the structure as the first row, or the angles may be varied; but they are to be
set a little in advance, so as to extend beyond the sides of the previous blocks,
by which the spaces between the sides of the blocks (and which are by
preference in a diagonal direction from front to back of the work) will be
broken up into steps, and not run directly or in a straight line through the
structure; and in like manner the succeeding rows of blocks are to be laid in
relation to the preceding row of blocks, by which means air and water
passages will be formed in upward directions. The front row of blocks next
above the lowest row of blocks is to be laid on such first front row in such
manner that the angles of the blocks of the second course shall come inter-
mediate or midway between the angles of the blocks of the front first course
of blocks, and the front angles of the blocks of the third course are to be laid
in such manner that they may come above, and in the same line with the
angles of the first row of the first course of blocks, or the angles of such
third course may be placed intermediate of the angles of the first and second
courses, and so on for each course of blocks; the hinder rows of blocks in
each course being laid, in respect to their front rows, in like manner to that
above described in regard to the hinder rows of blocks of the first course.
The several courses, and the several blocks of each course, may be bound or
fastened to each other in any convenient manner; and it is preferred to recess
the upper surface of each block at one edge in such manner that the upper
block laid on two lower ones shall descend into such recess at the edge of one
of the under blocks, and when desired, blocks may be employed towards the
back of the work, more or less to contract the water passages left between
the sides of the blocks above described. When the blocks are not to be
placed inclined to the face of the structure, it is preferred that the fore
ends of the blocks of the front rows should be cut to incline to their sides.
When driving piles for such descriptions of works, each pile is formed with
an iron shoe or point, with a water passage or passages through it communi-
cating with a tube let into the lower end of the pile, or the pile may be
pointed or partially pointed, and be similarly provided with a water passage
or passages.
Up one side of each pile. is formed a recess or groove to

page_text: receive a tube, which is attached by a suitable screw, or other proper
coupling, to a short tube let into the lower end of the pile. During the
driving of the pile, water under pressure is forced through the tube and out
through the water passage or passages in the shoe or end of the pile. By
such means the descent of the pile is greatly facilitated by the rush of the
_water up between the pile and the earth into which it is being driven.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Henry Tuck in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPII
HENRY TUCK, of 34, Great George Street, Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Henry Tuck, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Henry
Tuck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Henry Tuck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREAKWATERS, SEA WALLS, AND LIKE STRUCTURES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Joseph Henry Tuck, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same.
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next.
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Henry Tuck, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what mannèr the same is.
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in breakwaters, sea walls,.
and like structures. For these purposes a breakwater is constructed of a
number of blocks of stone, or of other suitable material of like dimensions,

page_text: and generally of an oblong rectangular form; the work is, when necessary, to
be raised, and constructed to within a few, say 12 feet, of low-water mark,
in the ordinary manner; the formation of the structure is then to be com-
pleted according to my Invention, or, where the bottom will admit of it, the
structure is to be wholly according to my Invention.
The first row of blocks is to be laid endwise towards the sea, and by pre-
ference in an inclined direction, from the sea face of the structure towards the
back thereof, in such manner that an angle of each block (constituting
front lowest row) will be presented to the force of the wave, and the several
blocks constituting the front lowest row of blocks will be laid parallel to each
other, but at a short distance one from the other, so as to leave passages on
either side of each stone for the passage of the water after it has struck against
the angles of the blocks. The blocks in the row next behind the front row
are placed with their ends to butt against the back ends of the blocks of the
first row, and at the same inclination or angle to the face of the structure as the
first row, or the angles may be varied; but they are to be set a little in advance,
so as to extend beyond the sides of the previous blocks, by which the spaces
between the sides of the blocks (and which are, by preference, in a diagonal
direction from front to back of the work) will be broken up into steps, and
not run directly or in a straight line through the structure, and in like manner
the succeeding rows of blocks are to be laid in relation to the preceding row
of blocks, by which means air and water passages will be formed in an upward
direction. The front row of blocks next above the lowest row of blocks is to
be laid on such first front row, in such manner that the angles of the blocks of
the second course shall come intermediate or midway between the angles of the
blocks of the front first course of blocks, and the front angles of the blocks of
the third course are to be laid in such manner that they may come above and
in the same vertical line with the angles of the first row of the first course of
blocks. Or the angles of such third course may be placed intermediate of the
angles of the first and second courses, and so on for each course of blocks, the
hinder rows of blocks in each course being laid, in respect to their front rows,
in like manner to that above described, in regard to the hinder rows of blocks
of the first course. The several courses and the several blocks of each course
may be bound or fastened to each other in any convenient manner, and it is
preferred to recess the upper surface of each block at one edge in such
manner that the upper block laid on two lower ones shall descend into such
recess at the edge of one of the under blocks; and, when desired, blocks may
be employed towards the back of the work, more or less to contract the water
passages left between the sides of the blocks above described. When the

page_text: blocks are not to be placed inclined to the face of the structure, it is preferred
that the fore ends of the blocks of the front rows should be cut to incline to
their sides. When driving piles for such descriptions of works, each pile is
formed with an iron shoe or point, with a water passage or passages through
it communicating with a tube let into the lower end of the pile; or the pile
may be pointed or partially pointed, and be similarly provided with a water
passage or passages. Up one side of each pile is formed a recess or groove
to receive a tube which is attached, by a suitable screw or other proper
coupling, to a short tube let into the lower end of the pile. During the
driving of the pile, water under pressure is forced through the tube and out
through the water passage or passages in the shoe or end of the pile. By
such means the descent of the pile is greatly facilitated by the rush of the
water up between the pile and the earth, into which it is being driven.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a plan of part of a sea wall or of a breakwater, shewing two
courses of blocks of stone, or it may be of moulded blocks; but if other
material than stone is used, care should be taken in moulding the angles with
very strong materials. Figure 2 shews a vertical section taken across a sea
wall, or of a breakwater taken in an inclined direction, corresponding with the
oblique direction in which the several blocks are laid from the sea front to
the back of the structure; and it will be seen that some of the blocks of the
upper course are of less length than the lower ones in order that the work, as
it ascends, may taper, as represented in the section, Figure 2.
'
A, A, A, are the lower front row of stones or blocks, which are set or laid
obliquely to the sea front, there being a space between each two neighbouring
stones or blocks. The sides of the blocks are laid parallel to each other, as is
shewn, and the passages between the stones or blocks are of small section, as
compared with the section of the stones or blocks on either side of such
passages. A', A', A', are the second row of stones or blocks which are laid
with their ends to butt against the hinder ends of the front row of the stones
or blocks in such manner as to form steps as shewn in plan at Figure 1, by
reason of the hinder or second row of stones or blocks being of a like width,
and of their being laid or set in advance of the first row. By this construction
not only will the water passages B, B, B, which are formed diagonally through
the structure not be continued in the same line, but chambers b, b, b, b, of
larger dimensions than the other parts of the water passages, will be obtained;

page_text: and this mode of construction or combination, it may be observed, constitutes
one of the peculiarities of my Invention; and at the same time these chambers
coming one over the other, and in communication one with the other from top
to bottom of the structure, they form air ways, by which the air may readily
get away from the lower passages B, B, and chambers b, b, when a rush of
water into and through the water passages takes place; and this also is
peculiar to my Invention. By reason of the water passages not being in the
same line from front. to back of a structure, the water will in its way through
a passage from front to back, come against and be deflected and broken by
the protruding steps or angles of the hinder rows of stones or blocks in the
chambers b, b, of the several water passages.
I would remark that the angle or degree of obliquity in the laying of the
stones or blocks from front to back of a structure according to my Invention
may be varied, and the sides of the stones or blocks, if preferred, may be set
or laid at right angles to the sea front of the structure, but in all cases the
hinder rows of stones or blocks are to be set beyond the stones or blocks of
the front row, in order to produce steps or projecting angles such as above
described, and in order that the water passages formed between the stones or
blocks may not be in a straight or direct line from front to back of the structure.
And although the Drawing shows the front ends of the front row of stones or
blocks to be square, or at. right angles to the sides of those stones or blocks,
this may be varied by forming the ends into a wedge or other angular shape,
so as not to present so large a plain surface to the action of the waves.
A2, A2, A2, are the stones or blocks of the third row, and their ends, it will be
seen, are laid or set in respect to the second row, in like manner to that in
which the ends of the second row of stones or blocks are laid or set in respect
to the front row of stones or blocks, that is, they are made to step beyond, or
produce projecting angles, as above described, and this, by preference, is to be
the case, whatever number of rows of stones or blocks are used from the front
or sea face of the structure to back of the structure. The upper rows of
stones or blocks, from front to back, are laid or set in like manner to the lowest
row, but in order that the front face may incline from top to bottom, each
front row as it comes higher and higher above the lowest row is set back
from the front, according to the degree or extent it is determined the front
face of the structure shall incline from the top to the bottom. Figure 1 shows,
in plan, two layers of blocks, one above the other, the lower layer being shown
in black lines, whilst the upper layer is shown in red lines, but it will be
understood on inspection of the Drawing, that the manner of laying or setting
the rows of the upper layer of stones or blocks C, C, C, C, C¹, C', and

page_text: C2, C, C², is similar to what has been described in respect to the rows of
stones or blocks A, A, A, A¹, A¹, A¹, and A2, A2, A3, of the first layer of stones
or blocks, but they are set or laid so as to break joint and to cover or roof in
the water passages B, B, B, and partly to cover in the chambers b, b, b, b,
formed in these water passages, still, however, leaving an opening from the
lower chambers b, b, of the lower water passages B, B, into like chambers
formed in the water passages between the sides of the stones or blocks C, C, C,
C', C, C, and C, C2, C, by which not only may air which was previously in
those passages and chambers get away on a rush of water into them, as above
stated, but water may descend from the upper waterways or passages and
chambers down into the lower ones on the receding of a wave. It is preferred
that there should be recesses cut in upper surfaces of the lower rows of stones
or blocks, so that the upper rows of stones or blocks may be placed in such
recesses. I have not thought it necessary to show any means for fixing the
several stones or blocks to each other, as the same may be done by any of
the ordinary and well-known means.
From the above description of my Invention, it will be seen that much
saving in material will result when constructing a breakwater or sea wall, or
like structure, according to my Invention, as compared with a like extent of
solid work. At the same time, although I have shown the water passages to
be open from front to back, they or some of them may be more or less closed
or contracted as they come to the back of the structure; I would state that
I am aware that it is not new to construct sea and other walls and like
structures with water passages passing through or partly through the same,
in a direction from front to back, what is called " pigeon hole" work, and
other forms of passages through brick and stone work having before been
resorted to. I do not therefore claim the making of sea or other walls or
breakwaters, or like structures, with water passages through them. In
order to facilitate the driving of wood piles, it is preferred that they should
be shod as heretofore with iron, producing a wedge or pointed form to the
lower end of the pile, but such iron shoe is not essential, as the pointed
pile, in some cases, may be driven without; down one side or one angle
of each pile a groove is formed to receive a pipe or tube from the upper
to the lower, and the lower end is brought to near the point of the pile. The
shoe when used is perforated (or the water may be forced out from the point
of the pile through the fork of the shoe when the body of the shoe is not
perforated), so that a stream or streams of water under pressure may be caused
to flow out during the time the pile is being driven by the ordinary pile driver
or by a steam hammer or pile driver, or by a pile driver operated by compressed

page_text: air instead of steam. I would state that I am aware that it has been proposed
in hollow iron piles formed with screws or discs at their lower ends to use
water under pressure in order to aid in rotating the piles and their discs or
screws; I mention this in order to state that I make no claim thereto, my
Invention relating only to wood piles driven as above described.
I wish it to be understood that what I claim is the constructing of break-
waters, sea walls, and other like structures by laying or setting the rows of
stones or blocks from front to back, so as to produce steps or projecting angles
producing water and air passages as herein described.
And I also claim the mode herein described of facilitating the driving of
wood piles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henry Tuck, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.