Improvements in or relating to Fire-proof Buildings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th. Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Fire-proof Buildings.
I, CHARLES GORDON PICKING, of New Southgate, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do solemnly and sincerely declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My said invention refers to improvements in or relating to fire-proof buildings.
In the construction of modern fire-proof buildings, various forms of bricks or
blocks have been employed but none of them, in my opinion, have possessed the
requisite lightness combined with the strength necessary to support a probable
load nor has there been such a bond between adjacent bricks as to give good
results.
Now the object of my invention is to provide hollow bricks or blocks of great
strength combined with lightness, and, which, when employed in the construction
of a floor or wall, will interlock, thereby forming such a perfect bond between the
bricks or blocks that the wall or floor is in effect a continuous fire and sound
resisting slab.
I will now proceed to describe my invention in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings like parts being indicated by similar letters of reference,
and in which :-
Figure 1. is a side elevation of a brick or block constructed according to my
invention and suitable to be employed in the construction of a fire-proof floor.
Figure 2. is an end elevation thereof.
Figure 3. is an underside view thereof.
Figure 4. is a vertical section of a fire-proof floor constructed of bricks or blocks
similar to that represented in the previous figures and taken longitudinally
thereof, and,
Figure 5. is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 1.-1. of
Figure 4.
Figure 6. is a side elevation of a brick or block constructed according to
my invention and suitable to be employed in the construction of a partition wall.
Figures 7. and 8. are respectively plan and end views thereof.
Figure 9. is an elevation of wall constructed of bricks or blocks, such as that
represented in the previous figures.
Figure 10. is a plan thereof, and,
the line 2.-2. of
Figure 11. is a vertical transverse section taken on
Figure 9, but drawn to an enlarged scale for the sake of clearness.
Figures 4., 5., 9. and 10. are drawn to a reduced scale with relation to the other
figures of the drawings, whilst such other figures are assumed to be drawn to about
an equal scale.
Referring to Figures 1. to 5. a. represents the brick or block which is constructed
of any suitable fire resisting material and is formed tubular from end to end
thereof, whilst, for the sake of strength, instead of forming the roof a¹ in one
span springing from the side walls a rising from the floor a' I divide the brick or
block longitudinally by means of a central wall a** and I form the roof in two
arches springing from the side walls a and meeting at the central wall a**.
These bricks or blocks are designed to fit transversely between the main
girders b. of the building and for this purpose their walls a³, a* at their ends are
formed with notches or recesses at adapted to receive the lower flanges 6 of the
girders b. as represented more particularly at Figure 4., the floor as of the brick or
block at each end thereof being extended slightly beyond the body of the brick or
block so that the corresponding extensions of adjacent bricks will meet and
efficiently protect the under surface of the lower flange b¹ of the girder b.

page_text: The bricks or blocks a. are slidden into position upon the lower flanges 1 of the
girder b., and, in order to form a bond between adjacent bricks of the same tier, the
bricks are each formed upon one side with a longitudinal projection or key a
extending from end to end thereof and upon the other side with a corresponding
groove or recess a so that when a number of bricks or blocks a. are placed in
position the projection or key a³ of the one will enter the groove or recess a" of the
next, as represented more particularly at Figure 5, and a perfect bond will thus be
obtained between the entire tier of bricks.
The bricks or blocks a. are provided in the underside of their floor a³ with
longitudinal dovetail grooves as having serrated edges to serve as a key to the
plaster c. of the ceiling.
Generally it will be advisable to fill in the space between the upper surface of
the girders b. and the arches a¹ with concrete of a suitable kind, but, in cases where
an extra light floor is desired, the girders . may be made approximately of the
same depth as the bricks a. and the latter may be lightly covered with fine concrete
or grouting.
In the example of a wall brick and its application given at Figures 6. to 11.,
the shape of the brick a. is necessarily somewhat inodified but the essential features
hereinbefore described with respect to Figures 1. to 5. are retained.
The brick or block a., in this case, is turned on its side and the arches a' described
with respect to the previous figures are dispensed with whilst both faces a³ of the
brick are, in this case, provided with dovetail grooves a** in order to form keys for
the plaster c.
In order to retain the bricks or blocks a. firmly in position, I employ vertical
bars or keys b. which are placed at suitable distances apart equal to the length of
two bricks throughout the wall and I provide a vertical notch or recess a³ at one
end of each brick such recess a having the form of the key b. leaving the opposite
end plain whilst I form the bricks or blocks a. of varying length and arrange them
so that they break joint as indicated at Figures 9. and 10.
By this arrangement, a long brick will always overlap the joint next beneath it
and by reason of its projection a engaging the grooves us of both the lower bricks
a firm bond must be obtained between all the bricks throughout the wall.
By the means hereinbefore described, I am enabled to construct tubular fire and
sound resisting floors and ceilings and partition walls both lighter and of greater
strength than heretofore, without increasing the cost thereof.
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 is :-
:―
1. In a hollow. brick or block to be employed in the construction of the floors of
fire-proof buildings, a projection extending entirely along one side and a
corresponding recess upon the other side, substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
2. The peculiar construction of fire-proof floor herein before shown and described
in respect to Figures 4. and 5.
3. In a hollow brick or block to be employed in the construction of the partition
walls of fire-proof buildings, the combination of a projection extending entirely
along one edge thereof and a corresponding recess upon the other edge and a
vertical recess or notch at one end, substantially as herein shown and described and
for the purpose stated.
4. The peculiar construction of fire-proof wall herein shown and described with
respect to Figures 9., 10. and 11.
Dated this 5th day of November 1892
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.