AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF FACING FOR BRICK BUILDINGS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Follett, of Radnor Terrace, Bird-in-Bush
Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Builder, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF FACING FOR BRICK BUILDINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Follett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st July 1869.
I, GEORGE FOLLETT, of Radnor Terrace, Bird-in-Bush Road, Peckham,
in the County of Surrey, Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF FACING FOR BRICK BUILDINGS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed to prevent the brickwork of houses.
absorbing moisture at those parts which are exposed to the atmosphere..
The methods ordinarily adopted for effecting that object have been to
coat or cover the surface of the bricks with slates or compo..
Now this Invention consists in moulding terra cotta, stoneware, or
other suitable plastic waterproof material into slabs of convenient size

page_text: and shape, and working the said slabs in with the brickwork in the
construction of brick buildings, somewhat after the manner of working
facing bricks. I propose to make the aforesaid slabs of such shape that
the edge of one slab when placed on that of another slab shall rest
against a projecting piece flush with the back of the slabs when
superposed by these means any water that might accidentally enter
at the joints of the slabs is prevented from entering the brickwork.
If desirable the face of each slab may be glazed:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Follett in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FOLLETT, of Radnor Terrace, Bird-in-Bush Road, Peckham, in the County
of Surrey, Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Follett, Her special licence that
I, the said George Follett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Follet, 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 "AN IMPROVED WATERPROOP FACING FOR
BRICK BUILDINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Follett, 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 Invention,
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 George Follett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of my Invention is the prevention of the brickwork of
houses letting through water or damp or absorbing moisture at those
parts exposed to the effects of weather and the atmosphere. Hitherto
the attempts by others to effect the above objects have generally been
confined to the coating or covering the surface of the bricks with slates
or compo, and have not been directed to providing a facing which
can be readily built up with or built in or to and form part of the
structure.
Now my Invention consists in moulding or forming terra cotta, stone-
ware, or suitable plastic waterproof material into slabs of convenient size
and form for enabling the said slabs to be worked in with or to the brick-
work in the construction of brick buildings, somewhat after the manner
of facing bricks, as will be seen by inspection of the accompanying
illustrative Drawings. These slabs should (as I prefer) be made of such.
form that the front edge of one slab when placed on that of another slab
shall rest in a groove or rebate, so that the front or exterior surfaces of
the slabs when superposed shall form a flush surface, the back or interior
surfaces of such slabs being formed with projecting parts which are
worked into the brickwork, as illustrated by the accompanying Drawings;
by which means any water which may accidentally enter at the joints of
the slabs is prevented by the rebating above described from entering the
brickwork and rendering the wall wet or damp. If found desirable
the face of each slab may be glazed or enamelled and ornamented.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, elevation of part of a brick wall faced by the application of my
Invention thereto; Fig. 2, elevation and end view of one of the facing
slabs constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 3, end elevation of
same; Fig. 4, elevation of part of a brick wall with the modified form
of slab (which I sometimes use for old buildings) applied thereto; Fig. 5,
clevation and end view of such a modified facing slab detached; Fig. 6,
end view of same.
In said Figures A denotes the slabs; B, B, the brickwork; c, the rebate;
d, the projecting portion at the back or interior of the slab which is to
be built in with aud to hold on to the brickwork. This portion for new
work I prefer should be hollow, as shown by the Drawings, and be made

page_text: of the size of 21 inches projection into the wall, and 2
inches deep or
high, so that such projecting portion shall just fill the space of a quarter
of an ordinary brick. The sizes of the slabs as I prefer to use them are
cach fourteen inches by six inches so that such slabs may be worked
with two courses of brickwork. When applying the slabs to old
buildings sometimes use iron cramps for the better securing of the
same to the brickwork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
objects of my said Invention, and in what manner the same can be
carried out in practice, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
or limit myself to the exact forms shown by the Drawings, or the
particular sizes which I have stated that I prefer to use; but I claim
the "Improved Waterproof Facing for Brick Buildings," substantially
as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Follett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
GEORGE FOLLETT. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Clerk to the
Inventors' Patent Right Association Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross,
Patentees' Agents.