IMPROVEMENTS IN CAISSONS EMPLOYED IN CONSTRUCTING EMBANKMENT. AND OTHER WALLS, PIERS, BREAK- WATERS, AND OTHER LIKE STRUCTURES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Furness, of Great George Street, West-
minster, Contractor, and Lewis George Moore, of Erith, in the County
of Kent, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAISSONS
EMPLOYED IN CONSTRUCTING EMBANKMENT. AND OTHER WALLS, PIERS, BREAK-
WATERS, AND OTHER LIKE STRUCTURES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Furness and
Lewis George Moore at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 31st August 1864.
We, GEORGE FURNESS, of Great George Street, Westminster, Contractor,
and LEWIS GEORGE MOORE, of Erith, in the County of Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAISSONS
EMPLOYED IN CONSTRUCTING EMBANKMENT AND OTHER WALLS, PIERS, BREAKWATERS,,
AND OTHER LIKE STRUCTURES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in caissons employed in
constructing embankment and other walls, piers, breakwaters, and other like
structures. For these purposes it is preferred to employ caissons of an
elliptical horizontal section, but other forms may be resorted. to when carrying
out our Invention. Each caisson is constructed as heretofore, of a series of
short lengths or rings, which are connected horizontally by flanges and screw
bolts and nuts, as heretofore, but in addition to these horizontal joints each
short length or ring is formed of two halves or parts, which go together by
upright flanges fastened by screw bolts and nuts, so that whilst a caisson

page_text: consists of a series of short lengths or rings connected horizontally together,
as heretofore, the two parts or halves of each short length or ring are con-
nected vertically, so that when a series of caissons have been sunk to a given
depth, and parts of a foundation have been formed therein to the height where
the caissons are to form permanent parts of the work, the inner halves or
parts of the caissons which are above the permanent structure may be
removed, whilst the outer halves or parts are allowed to remain, in order to
present an arched coffer dam, to prevent the water from getting to the interior
whilst the work is being carried up, more or less resting on the foundation or
parts of the foundation formed by and in the lower and permanent parts of
the caissons. In some cases wood or other piles are driven in the angular
spaces where the upright flanges of two neighbouring caissons come together,
in order to give support, and render the junction water-tight, when the inner
halves or parts of the caissons have been removed. The upright flanges may
not only be used for connecting the two parts or halves of a short length,
but they may also be used for connecting the neighbouring caissons together
vertically.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Furness and Lewis George Moore in the Great Seal
,Patent Office on the 28th February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
FURNESS, of Great George Street, Westminster, Contractor, and LEWIS
GEORGE MOORE, of Erith, in the County of Kent, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Furness and Lewis George Moore, Her special licence that we, the
.said George Furness and Lewis George Moore, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Furness and Lewis George
Moore, our 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 CAISSONS
EMPLOYED IN CONSTRUCTING EMBANKMENT, AND OTHER WALLS, PIERS, BREAKWATERS,

page_text: AND OTHER LIKE STRUCTURES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said George Furness and Lewis George Moore, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Palent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Lewis George Moore, on behalf of
myself and the said George Furness, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in caissons employed in
constructing embankment and other walls, piers, breakwaters, and other like
structures. For these purposes it is preferred to employ caissons of an
elliptical horizontal section, but other forms may be resorted to when carrying
out our Invention. Each caisson is constructed, as heretofore, of a series of
short lengths or rings, which are connected horizontally by flanges and screw
bolts and nuts, as heretofore; but in addition to these horizontal joints each
short length or ring is formed of two halves or parts, which go together by
upright flanges fastened by, screw bolts and nuts, so that whilst a caisson
consists of a series of short lengths or rings connected horizontally together,
as heretofore, the two parts or halves of each short length or ring are con-
nected vertically, so that when a series of caissons have been sunk to a given
depth, and parts of a foundation have been formed therein to the beight
where the caissons are to form permanent parts of the work, the inner halves
or parts of the caissons which are above the permanent structure may be
removed; whilst the outer halves or parts are allowed to remain, in order to
present an arched coffer dam to prevent the water from getting to the interior
whilst the work is being carried up, more or less resting on the foundation or
parts of the foundation formed by and in the lower and permanent parts of
the caissons. In some cases wood or other piles are driven in the angular
spaces where the upright flanges of two neighboring caissons come together,
in order to give support, and render the junction water-tight when the inner
halves or parts of the caissons have been removed. The upright flanges may
not only be used for connecting the two parts or halves of a short length, but
they may also be used for connecting the neighboring caissons together
vertically.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, we will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
2
Figure 1 shows a plan of portions of two caissons of an elliptical form,
which have been lowered into position, and have had the upper parts of their
inner halves removed after forming parts of a foundation in their lower parts.
a, a, are the vertical angle-iron frames, and b, b, are the horizontal angle-iron
ribs or frames. In this Figure the mode of applying piles and timber for
rendering the vertical junctions water-tight is also shown. Figure 2 shows
another plan view before the upper halves of the caissons have been removed; 1
Figure 3 shows a transverse section of an embankment wall constructed by
the aid of caissons; Figure 4 shows an elevation, and Figure 5 a plan of the
series of. caissons used in constructing the wall, Figure 3, together with the
piles and timber for closing the vertical joints, and for staying them on
the inner side when the upper halves have been removed, when the upper 1
parts of the work are carried on as in an ordinary coffer dam; Figure 6
'shows a section of a pier and of caissons, and the timber employed in con-
structing the same; Figure 7 shows a plan of a series of elliptical caissons
lowered into position, and suitable for carrying out works, such as are shown 0
in Figure 6, where the concrete foundation is first made in the lower parts of 2
the caissons, and then the upper inner halves are removed, and the outer
halves of the caissons stayed, as is shown; Figure 8 shows a plan of the same
series of caissons as is shown in Figure 6, but in Figure 8 the upper halves of
the caissons have been removed, and the interior stayed, as is shown;
Figure 9 shows.à vertical section of Figure 8.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, we would have it
understood that what we claim is, the mode herein described of constructing
and using caissons.
:
2
In witness whereof, I, the said Lewis George Moore, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of 3
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
LEWIS GEORGE MOORE. (LS.)