IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL STONE IN SHAPES AND SIZES TO FORM THE STONEWORK OF ANY BUILDING, AND IN APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Pierre Barbier, of Suresnes, in the Republic of France,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL
STONE IN SHAPES AND SIZES TO FORM THE STONEWORK OF ANY BUILDING, AND
IN APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE."
Scaled the 20th March 1877, and dated the 30th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Pierre Barbier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September 1876.
<
JEAN PIERRE BARBIER, of Suresnes, in the Republic of France. IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL STONE IN SHAPES AND SIZES TO FORM THE
STONEWORK OF ANY BUILDING, AND IN APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN SUCH MANU-
FACTURE."
Twenty years practical experience as a contractor for masonry has permitted me
to verify daily all the difficulties, and especially the expense, attending the execution
of the stonework in the erection of a building of any kind, whether simply a private
house or a public or religious edifice, and the idea of simplifying, in the fullest
acceptation of the word, the building, in so far as regards the masonry, has been the
constant subject of my researches. To attain this end two difficulties were to be
overcome; the first and the principal was to find a means of having uniform blocks
of different sizes, the other to have a cheap conglomerate not only imitating stone
but also having its hardness and durability.
I have been fortunate enough to realize this problem, the title of which itself sums
up, so to say, the principle of my Invention, which I desire it to be clearly under-
stood consists in the idea of moulds suitable for forming with any conglomerate not
misshapen blocks, but an artificial stone imitating stone itself. These moulds,
infinitely variable, according to the requirements of the building to be constructed,
are however of caliber or size corresponding from one measurement to another as
will be herein-after shown. These moulds may not only produce the stone properly
so called, but also all the ornamentations or accessaries of the masonry. They
may be made of wood, iron, steel, or any suitable metal or material, according to
the nature of the work to be executed and the purpose of the building under
construction.

page_text: I give to these moulds shapes corresponding with the destination of the factitious
or artificial stones, which are to issue from them and enter into the construction of
a given edifice, that is to say, which may serve as arch stones or key stones for
openings of doors or windows, semicircular, elliptical, or ogee; or again, to furnish
plain or ornamental casings for openings for carriage entrances or ordinary doorways,
moulds of various shapes, and having sunken or raised mouldings to correspond with
the various patterns required by the plans of a front wall having indented lines,
sunken or raised reveals with keys and arrangements ornamented or not, cases and
fillets, cornices, entablatures, pilasters, columns, flutings, ornamented keys, the whole
as required and according to the details and working drawings given by the architect
for edifice, building, or house of any kind.
It will be evident that I cannot here enumerate all the architectonic terms
designating the pieces and parts composing the main work of each variety of
edifice.
I will therefore resume by saying that the moulds will be made in such a manner
and in such variety that the blocks issuing therefrom will permit the materials to
be carried to the place of building prepared and dressed ready to be put in place as
may be required for each part and every detail of the edifice, according to the style
and the plans given, whether for facade, section, detail and special draughts,
and that without cutting, chipping, turning from side to side, recutting, rough
casting or coating, &c., in short without producing the waste known as rubbish or
rubble.
In the construction-of-ordinary_walls, whether solid or pierced_with_openings,
I use blocks, all having one fixed base, one unique and invariable scale, which
will be 0m, 14-0.22. These blocks may be optionally 0-22 x 0.16 x 0.19 × 0.24 ×
0.28 × 0.30 × 0.34 x 0.40 x 0.50. By the aid of the combination, the co-ordination,
and the relation to each other of these various figured dimensions given to a
series of blocks, it will be easy to raise foundation walls, party and partition walls
of houses and rooms, even front walls of any given and different thickness, adding
thereto the thickness of any joint, say 0m 0.1. These various scales permit the
builder at the same time to follow all the laws and requirements of any regular plan
and always without cutting, dressing, or recutting.
My original idea of the moulds, which is the basis of my Invention, led me
consequently to seek a combination of conglomerate which by the aid of my moulds
would simulate stone. This conglomerate is composed of ordinary cement of the
locality and English or Portland cement, of fat lime, hydraulic lime, river sand and
stones, flint or rock, or waste of quarries, according to the soil and the locality in
which the conglomerate is made.
To obtain 100 blocks or bricks of our conglomerate, having for size 0m 22 × 0,
14 x 0.16, I mix of―
Portland cement
First quality ordinary cement of the locality
Second quality
"
د"
-
-
16 kil. 667
16
"
-
16
667 100 blocks
667
of
"
Hydraulic lime
30
0.22 x
Fat or quicklime
30
0.14 x
River sand
There will be added as aforesaid a few stones of
any kind
Ото
266
0.16
Ome
320
I mix this mortar by the aid of an ordinary mixer or pugmill, into which I throw
3

page_text: and a second layer of mortar is thrown upon them filling the said moulds to the top
This last layer of mortar will be spread level with the trowel. The whole will then
be left to dry slowly in the open air.
Before and after each filling of my moulds they are primed with a coating of soft
soap diluted and beaten in water. My blocks may be made by hand labour by the
aid of hydraulic or other machinery or by steam by means of a compressing machine.
Thus by the aid of my process, mode of operation, and combination, the various and
numerous parts composing the stone dressing of the body of a given building of any
kind are brought to the spot possessing all the shapes, arrangements, and dressing,
which may be particular to each of them, so that all the dissimilar and numerous
pieces which enter into the building of the various foundation walls, buttresses,
partitions, front and dividing walls, if required, of any kind of building, awaiting
only the workınan who is to lower or raise them to put them into their respective
positions, in short, the various plans being given to me, facades, sections, details, and
working drawings of the edifice or house, whether plain or richly ornamented, I
am enabled aided by a conglomerate which is the consequence or complement of my
Invention, the formula of which is mine and has been above given, and to which I
give by means of special moulds the multifarious shapes which may be required for
the dressing of the various blocks which are to compose the foundation, party
partition, and front walls and buttresses or props, with pilasters, columns, openings,
arched or not, or ogee, hanging key, mullions, etc., mouldings, cornices, entablature,
and every subject of interior or exterior ornainentation, as may be demanded by the
plans, facades, details, and working drawings or patterns.
From these details it will be readily understood that by the simple fact of my
moulds, the dimensions of which are infinitely variable, I put into execution my
idea of simplifying the construction of masonry, and that I thereby obtain great
economy as I do away with,-
1°. As regards hewn stone, with all the cost of sawing, of the cutting of the beds,
joints' faces, the facing straight, circular, or curved, with their numerous estimates,
increased value, &c., &c.
2º. As regards rough stone, all the cost of scappling, of dressing, and all the
estimates and increased value for production and facings upon given measurements,
making flush, &c., &c.
3°. As regards brick, with all the expense hitherto attending the shaping (or
breaking) to suit the length and thickness of the walls, breadth of the piers,
pannels, &c., the keying of vaulted or arched roofs, arches for iron floors, as well as
the various increased values.
4°. All the expense of turning the stone, of recutting, hollowing or grooving, of
rough hewing, and of plastering or finishing off.
5. The cost of removing the rubbish or rubble, as I produce none.
For this simplification of the actual labour in the masonry work, which is my
first dominant idea and in which I claim the exclusive property, may be further
alded the saving in the building by,—
1°. The low cost price of my conglomerate which is much less than that ofbrick.
2°. The elimination of all the expenses above enumerated, and consequent
reduction of labour and workmanship.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Jean Pierre Barbier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th March
1877.
JEAN PIERRE BARBIER, of Suresnes, in the Republic of France. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL STONE IN SHAPES AND SIZES TO FORM
THE STONEWORK OF ANY BUILDING, AND IN APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE."

page_text: Twenty years practical experience as a contractor for masonry has permitted me
to verify daily all the difficulties, and especially the expense, attending the execution
of the stonework in a building of any kind, whether simply a private house or a
public or a religious edifice, and the idea of simplifying, in the fullest acceptation of
the word, the building, in so far as regards the masonry, has been the constant subject
of my researches. To attain this end two difficulties were to be overcome, the first
and the principal was to find a means of having uniform blocks of different sizes,
the other to have a cheap conglomerate, not only imitating stone, but also having
its hardness and durability.
I have been fortunate enough to realize this problem, the title of which itself
sums up, so to say, the principle of my Invention, which I desire it to be clearly
understood, consists in the idea of moulds suitable for forming with any con-
glomerate, not mishapen blocks, but an artificial stone imitating stone itself.
These moulds infinitely variable, according to the requirement of the building to be
constructed, are however of caliber or size corresponding from one measurement to
another, as will be herein-after shown. These moulds may not only produce the
stone properly so called, but also all the ornamentations or accessories of the masonry.
They may be made of wood, iron, steel, or any suitable metal or material, according
to the nature of the work to be executed and the purpose of the building under
construction.
I give to these moulds shapes corresponding with the destination of the factitious
or artificial stones which are to issue from them and enter into the construction of a
given edifice, that is to say, which may serve as archstones or keystones for arches
for doorways or windows, semicircular, elliptical, or ogee, or again-to-furnish plain
or ornamental casings for arches for carriage entrances or ordinary doorways, moulds
of various shapes, and having sunken or raised mouldings to correspond with the
various patterns required by the plans of a front wall having indented lines, sunken
or raised, reveals or scutcheons with keys and arrangements, ornamented or not,
cases and fillets, cornices, entablatures, pilasters, columns, flutings, ornamental keys,
the whole as required and according to the details and working Drawings given
by the architect for edifice building or house of any kind.
It will be evident that I cannot here enumerate all the architectonic terms
designating the pieces and parts composing the main work of each variety of
edifice.
I will therefore resume by saying that the moulds will be made in such a manner
and in such variety that the blocks issuing therefrom will permit the materials to
be carried to the place of building prepared and dressed ready to be put in place, as
may be required for each part and every detail of the edifice, according to the
style and the plans given, whether for facade section, detail, and special draughts,
and that without cutting, clipping, turning from side to side, recutting, rough
casting or coating, in short, without producing the waste known as rubbish or rubble.
In the construction of ordinary walls, whether solid or pierced with openings, I
use blocks, all having one fixed base, one invariable scale which will be 0m, 14-0.22.
These blocks may be optionally 0·22 × 0·16 x 0.19 × 0.24 × 0.28 × 0.30 × 0.34
× 0.40 x 0.50. By the aid of the combination, the co-ordination, and the
relation to each other of these various figured dimensions given to a series of
blocks it will be easy to raise foundation walls and partition walls of houses and
rooms, even front walls of any given and different thickness, adding thereto the
thickness of any joint, say 0m 0·1. These various scales permit the builder at the
same time to follow all the laws and requirements of any regular plan, and always
without cutting, dressing, or recutting.
My original idea of moulds, which is the basis of my Invention, led me con-
sequently to seek a combination of conglomerate, which by the aid of my
moulds would simulate stone. This conglomerate is composed of ordinary cement
of the locality and English or Portland cement, of fat lime, hydraulic lime, river
sand, and stones, flint, or rock, or waste of quarries, according to the soil and the
locality in which the conglomerato is made.

page_text: any kind
Ome 320
I mix this mortar by the aid of an ordinary mixer or pugmill, into which I throw
the three several qualities of cement, the two different kinds of lime, and the river
sand first roughly mixed with the shovel, the stones will be reserved for another
operation.
Directly the mortar issues from the mixer a first layer will be thrown into the
moulds to about one-third of their depth, a certain quantity of stones will then be
thrown in, an equal quantity to each mould, up to 0m 320 for one hundred moulds
of blocks having the dimensions of Ome 22 × 0.14 × 0.16. These stones fill the
moulds to about two-thirds their depth. They are then sufficiently rammed down
and a second layer of mortar is thrown upon them, filling the said moulds to the
top. This last layer of mortar will be spread level with the trowel, the whole will
then be left to dry slowly in the open air.
Before and after each filling of my moulds they are primed with a coating of soft
soap diluted and beaten in water. My blocks may be made by hand labour by the
aid of hydraulic or other machinery or by steam by means of a compressing machine.
Thus by the aid of my process, mode of operation, and combination, the various and
numerous parts composing the stone dressing of the body of a given building of
any kind are brought to the spot, possessing all the shapes, arrangements, and
dressing which may be particular to each of them, so that all the dissimilar and
numerous pieces which enter into the building, of the various foundation walls,
buttress, partitions, front, and dividing walls, if required, of any kind of building,.
await only the workman who is to lower or raise, then to put them into their
respective positions, in short, the various plans being given to me, facades, sections,
details, and working drawings of the edifice or house, whether plain or richly
ornamented, I am (aided by a conglomerate, which is the consequence or comple-
ment of my Invention, the formula of which is mine, and has been above given,
and to which I give by means of special moulds the multifarious shapes which may
be required for the dressing of the various blocks) enabled to execute the foundation,
party partition, and front walls, and buttresses or props with pilasters, columns,
openings, arched or not, ogee, hanging keys, mullions, mouldings, cornices entab-
lature, and every subject of interior or exterior ornamentation as may be demanded
by the plans, facades, details, and working drawings or patterns.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, illustrating my system of building,―
Plate 1 represents a dome or arched roof, circular on plan, upon a square base,
and having a star, rib, or tracery beneath; A, section; B, sectional plan; C, first
voussoir; D, second voussoir; E, keystone; F, counter keystone.
Plate 2. Doorways.-A, A, elevation of doorways with flat or segmental and
semicircular arches; B, section of A¹; C, first voussoir; D, second voussoir; E, key;
F, arching of inner vault; G, template or guage for first stone; H, templates for
second stone; I, template for third stone; J, section of semicircular doorway;
K, first voussoir; L, second voussoir.
Plate 3. A, front of a dwelling house, showing the ensemble of a work in artificial
stone as well as the details of moulding cornices and ornamentations; B, section of
a wall of 0.34; C, section of a wall of 0.40; D, section of a wall of 0.50; E, detail.
of a pier x of a building; F, G, section of the work forming a window opening or
reveal; H, sectional plan of a wall showing relative position of two courses of the
work, the dotted lines representing the lower and the full lines the upper course,

page_text: From these details it will be readily understood that by the simple facts of my
moulds, the dimensions of which are infinitely variable, I put into execution my
idea of simplifying the construction of masonry, and that I thereby obtain great
economy, as I do away with,—
Firstly. As regards hewn stone, with all the costs of sawing, of the cutting of the
beds, joints, faces, the facing, straight, circular, or curved, with their numerous
'estimates, increased value.
Secondly. As regards rough stone, all the costs of scappling, dressing, and all
the estimates and increased value for production and facings upon given measure-
ment, making flush, &c.
Thirdly. As regards brick, with all the expense hitherto attending the shaping (or
breaking) to suit the length and thickness of the walls, breadth of the piers, pannels,
etcetera, the keying of vaulted or arched roofs, arches for iron floors, as well as the
various increased values.
Fourthly. All the expense of turning the stone, of recutting, hollowing, or
grooving, of rough hewing, and of plastering, or finishing off.
Fifthly. The cost of removing the rubbish or rubble, as I produce none.
To this simplification of the actual labour in the masonry work, which is my
first dominant idea, and in which I claim the exclusive property may be further
added the saving in the building by,-
10. The low cost price of my conglomerate, which is much less than that of brick.
20. The elimination of all the expenses above enumerated, and consequently
reduction of labour and workmanship.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is or may be performed, I claim as secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,-
The manufacture of blocks simulating stone by means of moulds or apparatuses
analogous to and consequent upon the methods and formulas set forth and for the
purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Pierre Barbier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witnesses,
POUPRE,
G. B. GIRARD.
JEAN PIERRE BARBIER. (L.S.)