Piers, and Breakwaters.
Year: 1886

page_text: Piers, and Breakwaters.
We HENRY SYED SMART COPLAND and JAMES CHARLES GILMOUR of No. 42 Old
Broad Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "IмMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF
HARBOURS, PIERS AND BREAKWATERS, to be as follows:-
We construct or erect a Viaduct or Bridge to a certain distance from the shore,
land, quay or wharf according to any suitable open system of construction, similar
for instance, to that usually adopted for Promenade Piers, and of sufficient strength
for the traffic, so as to allow of the free passage of the water, and sand, mud or
shingle forming the bed of the sea, river or lake beneath the platform of such
Viaduct or Bridge; thus obviating the silting up of the Foreshore of the said sea,
river or lake. At the further end of the said Viaduct or Bridge, we construct a
Breakwater or Harbour, so as to enclose a sheltered area of such form and extent
as may appear to be most suitable for the requirements of the trade & traffic, and
the amount & character of the shipping to be accommodated, and in such depth of
water as may be necessary.
We form the harbour by constructing Piers or Breakwaters, which are run out
right and left from the far or seaward end of the before-mentioned, Viaduct or
Bridge, in suitable directions, being such that, if continued they would overlap, one
or more entrances being left at such point or points as the direction of the tides,
currents, and prevailing winds would indicate as being the most suitable for the
entrance or exit of vessels. The provision for more than one such entrance would
necessitate the construction of a detached Breakwater or Breakwaters in addition
The
to the two before-mentioned diverging and enclosing Piers or Breakwaters.
directions of the heads of such enclosing Piers or Breakwaters, wherever they form
an entrance, are not necessarily in exact continuation of the general direction, but
in certain cases they may be turned inwards or outwards, as may be desirable.
We construct the whole or part of the length of such enclosing Piers or Break-
waters, also in some cases a portion of the connecting Viaduct or Bridge, for the
whole or part of their respective widths and to such a depth below low water as
will sufficiently secure the enclosed Harbour and such outside landing places as
may be desired, from the disturbing influences of the waves, solidly in masonry,

page_text: concrete, rubble or other suitable material or materials. An open system of piles,
walings, strutts and bracings being adopted for such portion or portions of the said
width below the roadway platforms or Quays as are not built in the above solid
manner, or the whole width of such Piers or Breakwaters may be formed of such
an open system of construction in whole or in part, and faced with close or open
planking or other light protection. We erect the solid portion of the structure
upon an open system of construction formed by the use of Iron Piles or cylinders
(which may be filled with brickwork, masonry, concrete or other suitable substance)
in order to admit of the free action and passage of the tidal or other currents,
thereby preventing the enclosed Harbour from being silted up, and obviating the
risk of the formation of banks round the said Harbour and in the neighbouring
channels, or otherwise affecting the existing banks, channels or coasts. The inner
sides of these Breakwater or Harbour Piers may be constructed to form Landing
Quays, and such portion or portions of the outer sides as might be advisable may
be extended in width or otherwise constructed to allow of steamers and other
vessels landing goods and passengers without necessarily entering the enclosed
Harbour, or for other purposes.
We also apply our system of construction of the Harbour Piers to the construction
of Isolated Breakwaters, Fishing Harbours, and Harbours of Refuge.

page_text: Improvements in the Formation and Construction of Harbours,
Piers, and Breakwaters.
We HENRY SYED SMART COPLAND, and JAMES CHARLES GILMOUR, of 42 Old
Broad Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in an improved form and construction of piers and
break waters so as to form non-siltable harbours. The general features of the
construction and arrangement are shewn in the accompanying drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a general plan of our preferred method of arranging such works on
shores, of which a long stretch is not available for the use of vessels.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation along the side of such works.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections on an enlarged scale through one of the
diverging arms or piers showing some alternative constructions suitable for the
latter.
Like letters indicate like or corresponding parts.
We construct or erect a viaduct or bridge A to a certain distance from the shore,
land, quay or wharf represented at H-according to any suitable system of con-
struction, similar for instance to that usually adopted for promenade piers and of
sufficient strength for the traffic, so as to allow of the free passage of the water and
sand, mud or shingle forming the bed of the sea, river or lake beneath the platform
of such viaduct or bridge; thus obviating the silting up of the foreshore of the
said sea, river or lake. At the further end of the said viaduct or bridge or at some
other convenient part thereof we construct a breakwater or harbour, so as to
enclose a sheltered area D of such form and extent as may appear to be most
suitable for the requirements of the trade and traffic, and the amount and character
of the shipping to be accommodated and in such depth of water as may be
necessary We form the harbour by constructing piers or breakwaters K at or
near the far or seaward end of the before mentioned viaduct or bridge, in suitable
positions, one or more entrances E being left at such point or points as the
direction of the tides, currents and prevailing winds would indicate as being the
most suitable for the entrance or exit of vessels. The provision for more than one
such entrance would necessitate the construction of a detached breakwater or
break waters in addition to the before mentioned enclosing piers or breakwaters.
The directions of the heads of such enclosing piers or breakwaters wherever they
form an entrance are not necessarily in exact continuation of the general direction,
but in certain cases they may be turned inwards or outwards as may be desired.
We construct the whole or part of the length of such enclosing piers or break-
water, also in some cases the whole or a portion of the connecting viaduct or
bridge, for the whole or part of their respective widths and to such a depth below
low water as will sufficiently secure the enclosed harbour and such outside landing
places as may be desired, from the disturbing influences of the waves, solidly in
masonry, concrete, rubble or other suitable material or materials as shown at N―
An open system M of piles, walings, strutts and bracings being adopted for such

page_text: portion or portions of the said widths below the roadway-platforms or quays as
are not built in the above solid manner as shown in Fig. 5, or the whole width of
such piers or breakwaters may be formed of such an open system of construction
in whole or in part, and faced with close or open planking or other light protection.
We may erect the solid portion of the structure upon an open system of construction
formed by the use of iron or other piles or supports F or G of cylindrical or other
suitable form (which may be filled with brickwork, masonry, concrete or other
suitable substance) in order to admit of the free action and passage (P) of the tidal
or other currents, thereby preventing the enclosed harbour from being silted up,
and obviating the risk of the formation of banks round the said harbour and in
the neighbouring channels, or otherwise affecting the existing banks channels or
coasts. The sides of these breakwater or harbour piers may be constructed to
form landing quays, and may be extended in width or otherwise constructed to
allow of steamers and other vessels landing goods and passengers or for other
purposes. A space similar to that shown at C may if required be arranged at any
convenient part in the harbour, for use as a graving dock.
We also apply our system of construction of the harbour piers to the construction
of isolated breakwaters, fishing harbours, harbours of refuge and such like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
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'
1. A viaduct or bridge combined with a harbour or breakwater connected
therewith formed substantially as described.
2. The system of constructing breakwaters and harbours having openings P for
the free action of the tidal and other currents under solid superstructure N.
3. The system of constructing breakwaters or harbours isolated or combined, as
in Claim 1, with a series of piles or supports F, G of cylindrical or other con-
venient form erected to a certain level, combined with a solid superstructure N.
4. The system of constructing breakwaters and harbours-isolated or combined
as in Claim 1 with a series of piles or supports F or G erected to a certain level,
and a solid superstructure N thereto, combined with an open framing M supporting
an extension of the platform or quay.
Dated this Oth day of October 1886