IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF COLUMNS AND OTHER ARCHITEC- TURAL SUPPORTS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF FIRE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of. Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF COLUMNS AND OTHER ARCHITEC-
TURAL SUPPORTS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF FIRE." A communication from abroad by William
Henry Drake and Peter Bonnet Wight, both of Chicago, Illinois, United States
of America..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents ou the 27th June 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Southampton Buildings, London.
COLUMNS AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL SUPPORTS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE
PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF FIRE." [A communication
from abroad by William Henry Drake and Peter Bonnet Wight, both of Chicago,
Illinois, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to the protection of iron columns or posts against the
effects of fire and the effect of water on heated iron columns or posts in burning
buildings, and its object is to provide columns or other architectural supports for
buildings which shall have the combined advantages of terra cotta, concrete cement
blocks, and other non-conducting substances, and wood with iron for withstanding
fire and the effects of water on heated iron.
The said Invention comprises an iron column or post for building, provided with
flanges, ribs, or studs, between which are placed gores of concrete, terra cotta, wood,
or other suitable non-conducting substance, and secured in place by novel means,
the parts being united as to form a solid column or post.
The fire-proof gores of terra cotta, concrete blocks, or other non-conducting
material form an annular exterior stage, which grouted and filled with cement or
plaster, Portland or Keene's cement, or plaster of Paris, forming an exterior finish.

page_text: The stage on which the column stands may have a moulded base of cement, or a
base consisting of an iron shell over the cement or plaster of Paris.
When wood gores are employed they are first secured in place, and the spaces
between them and the column or post are filled with grouting by pouring the latter
in at the top of the column to take the place of the plaster, making the column or
post compact and solid.
To fasten the gores to the column their margins adjoining the angles of the
segments and the radial lines thereof are formed to slope inwards, facing each other
so that channels or recesses are formed over the flanges with enlarged interior bases
to hold in place the cement used to protect the said flanges.
To hold the gores to the column screw bolts with threads on both ends thereof
are tapped into the edges of the flanges, and buttons or nuts are turned down some
little distance from the surface or exterior of the column to hold the gores solidly to
the said column. The countersinks over these buttons are then filled with grouting
or cement, and the exterior is then plastered and ornamented or provided with
an iron shell base, as above described, or both, as circumstances may require, so that
the column is fully protected, and presents an artistic appearance.
When it is desired to protect columns not originally constructed to receive these
improved protecting materials, flanges or short studs may be secured to them to
support gores of non-conducting material by means of the screws and buttons, and
the channels over the said flanges or studs are filled, as above described, except
where the exterior of the columns or posts are of wood, in which case battens are
to be secured over the channels to hold the cement in place over the buttons till it
sets or hardens.
Any number of flanges may be employed, the gores being formed to fill the inter-
spaces between them.
By the means above described iron columus or posts are so protected as to with-
stand the effects of fire in burning buildings, or the effects of water on heated iron,
whereby large portions of a building may be saved that would be destroyed if naked
iron columns were used.
The aforesaid gores may be formed in sections before being attached to the
column, or may be formed in full lengths, or they may be moulded on the iron
columns between the flanges, and continuous strips may be employed instead of
sections of buttons, the said strips forming a continuous flange on both sides of the
aforesaid flanges, and being secured by screws or other suitable means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
December 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
COLUMNS AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL SUPPORTS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE
PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF FIRE." A communication
from abroad by William Henry Drake and Peter Bonnet Wight, both of Chicago,
Illinois, United States of America.
This Invention relates to the protection of iron columns or posts against the
effects of fire and the action of water on heated iron columns or posts in burning
buildings, and its object is to provide columns or other architectural supports for
buildings which shall have the combined advantages of terra cotta, concrete cement
blocks, and other non-conducting substances, and wood with iron for withstanding
fire and the effects of water on heated iron.
The said Invention comprises an iron column or post for building, provided with
flanges, ribs, or sturls, between which are placed gores of concrete, terra cotta, wood,
or other suitable non-conducting substance, and secured in place by novel means,
the parts being so united as to form a solid column or post.
In the accompanying Drawing,―
Figure 1 is a horizontal section of an iron column protected according to this
Invention.
Figure 2 represents a column erected on the plan shewn in Figure 1, and showing
the same in five stages of progress. Stage A* represents an iron column provided
with flanges, and some of the gores in place on it. Stage B* represents the same
with the proof gores of terra cotta, concrete blocks, or other non-conducting material,
forming an annular exterior. Stage C* represents the same grouted and filled with
cement or plaster. Stage D* represents the same plastered with Portland or other
cement, or plaster of Paris, forming an exterior finish. Stage E* represents the
same, with the addition of a moulded base of cement, or a base consisting of an iron
shell over the cement or plaster of Paris.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of a large cast-iron column provided with six
flanges, and protected with blocks of concrete or terra cotta, and plastered on its
exterior.
Figure 4 is a plan or horizontal section of a compound wrought-iron column pro-
tected in the same manner as the column shewn in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section of a cast or wrought iron post, also protected in the same
manner as the column shewn in Figure 3.
Figure 6 shews a cast or wrought iron post protected with gores of wood grouted
over the flanges, and the grout held in place till dry by battens.
Figure 7 shows a cast or wrought iron column or post protected in the same
manner as the column shewn in Figure 6, and square in horizontal section.
Figure 8 is herein-after described.
A, Figures 1 and 2, is a hollow cast-iron column provided with four flanges F.
The exterior of the column and flanges Fare plastered at H, and gores B made of
terra cotta, concrete blocks, wood, or other non-conducting material are placed in
the inter-spaces between the flanges F, as shewn in the Drawing, and united with
plaster H of proper consistency.
When wood gores are employed they are first secured in place, and the spaces
between them and the column or post are filled with grouting by pouring the latter
in at the top of the column to take the place of the plaster H, making the column
or post compact and solid.
To fasten the gores B to the column their margins adjoining the angles of the
segments and the radial lines thereof are formed to slope inward at M, M, facing to

page_text: each other, so that channels or recesses are formed over the flanges F, with enlarged
interior bases to hold in place the cement used to protect said flanges.
To hold the gores to the column, bolts with screw threads on both ends thereof are
tapped into the edges of the flanges, and buttons or nuts K of a width somewhat
greater than the thickness of the flanges are turned down a slight distance from the
surface or exterior of the column to hold the gores solidly to the said column. The
countersinks over these buttons are then filled with grouting or cement, and the
exterior is plastered, as in Figure 2 at D*, and ornamented or provided with an
iron shell base, as at E*, Figure 2, or both, as circumstances may require, so that
the column is fully protected, and presents an artistic appearance.
When it is desired to protect columns not originally constructed to receive my
improved protecting material, flanges or short studs O (see Figure 8) may be secured
to them to support gores of non-conducting material by means of the screws and
buttons, and the channels over said flanges or studs are to be filled in the same
manner as herein-before described, except where the exterior of the columns or posts
are to be of wood, as in Figures 6 and 7, in which case battens N are to be secured
over the channels to hold the cement in place over the buttons till it sets or hardens.
Any number of flanges may be employed, the gores being formed to fill the inter
spaces between them.
By the means above described iron columns or posts are so protected as to enable
them to withstand the effects of fire in burning buildings, or the effects of water on
heated iron, whereby large portions of a building may be saved that would be
destroyed if naked iron columns were used.
The aforesaid gores may be formed in sections before being attached to the
column or be formed in full lengths, or they may be moulded on the iron columns
between the flanges, and continuous strips may be employed instead of sections of
buttons, the said strips forming a continuous flange on both sides of the flanges F,
and being secured by screws or other suitable means.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The iron column or post provided with flanges in combination with gores,
as above specified.
•
Second. An iron column or post provided with flanges or studs in combination
with the gores and cement filling, as above set forth.
Third. The buttons in combination with the gores, flanges, and cement filling, as
above specified.
Fourth. The combination in a compound column of the flanges, the gores, and
the exterior casing, as above set forth.
Fifth. An iron post or column, with the flanges, the grouting or plaster, the gores,
the cement, and the iron base, as above specified,
:
:
•
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WM ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)