IMPROVEMENTS FOR COUNTERACTING DAMP IN BUILDINGS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew George Hutchinson, of West Derby, in
the County of Lancaster, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
FOR COUNTERACTING DAMP IN BUILDINGS."
Sealed the 15th September 1859, and dated the 17th March 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew George Hutchinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th March 1859.
I, ANDREW GEORGE HUTCHINSON, of West Derby, in the County of Lan-
caster, Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS FOR COUNTERACTING DAMP IN BUILDINGS," to be as follows
(that is to say):
This Invention has for its object the construction of the outer walls of
buildings in such a manner that the damp to which the exterior is exposed
will not be communicated to the inner surface thereof through the "headers"
or "bond bricks," or "ties," as is now the case, and which advantage may be
attained at a trifling cost.
To construct, according to this Invention, what is termed a "nine-inch "
brick wall, the outer row and inner row of "stretchers" are laid a short
distance (say from half an inch to an inch) apart from each other, as usually
practised in the construction of cavity walls; but in place of using bricks as
received from the kiln for forming the "headers" or "bond bricks". for ticing
the wall, as now practised, and which form the vehicle through which the
damp is conveyed from the outer to the inner surface of the wall, the bricks
to be used as "headers" or "bond bricks" in the construction of these
improved walls are for about one-half their length coated with asphalte or
other suitable composition which is impervious to damp. The composition

page_text: may be applied to the "headers" or "bond bricks" by means of a brush, or
the ends of the bricks may be immersed in the solution to the required
distance, and which dipping may be repeated as often as may be deemed
desirable, by which arrangement the ends of the bricks so treated are enclosed in
a waterproof covering, and when built into the wall, are placed with the coated
ends in contact with the inner "stretchers," thus combining the outer and
inner portions of the wall without forming a vehicle for the external damp to
strike to the inner portion of the wall.
When this Invention is applied to lining walls, the coated ends of the
"tio bricks" or "bond stones" are built into tho outer wall, and the uncoated
ends into the internal lining walls.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew George Hutchinson in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 16th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
GEORGE HUTCHINSON, of West Derby, in the County of Lancaster, Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-uine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Andrew George Hutchinson, Her special licence that I, the said Andrew
George Hutchinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Andrew George Hutchinson, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS FOR COUNTERACTING DAMP IN BUILDINGS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Andrew George Hutchinson, 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 late of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew George Hutchinson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):-
This my said Invention has for its object the construction of the outer
walls of buildings in such a manner that the damp to which the exterior is
exposed will not be communicated to the inner surface thereof through the
"headers" or "bond bricks," or "tics," as is now the case, and which advan-
tage I attain at a trifling cost.
To construct, according to my Invention, what is termed a "nine-inch "
brick wall, I lay the outer and inner rows of "stretchers," viz., the bricks
which are laid longitudinally with the surface of the wall, a short distance (say
from half an inch to an inch) apart from each other, as usually practised in
the construction of cavity walls; but in place of using bricks as received from
the kiln, or stone in its natural state, for forming the "headers" or "bond
bricks," (viz., the bricks or stone which are placed transversely) for tieing the
wall, as now practised, and which form the vehicle through which the damp is
conveyed from the outer to the inner surface of the wall, the bricks or stones
used as "headers" or "bond bricks" in the construction of these improved
walls for about one-half their length I coat with asphalte, or other suitable
composition which is impervious to damp; or fire glazed or partially glazed
bricks may be used. The proofing composition may be applied to the
"headers" or "bond bricks" either before, during, or after burning, by means
of a brush, or the ends of the bricks or stones may be immersed in the solu-
tion to the required distance, and which dipping I repeat as often as may be
deemed desirable; by which arrangement the ends of the bricks or stones so
treated are enclosed in a waterproof covering, and when built into the wall
are placed with the coated ends in contact with the inner "stretchers," thus
combining the outer and inner portions of the wall without forming a vehiclo
for the external damp to strike to the inner portion of the wall.
When I apply this Invention to lining walls, the coated ends of the "tic
bricks" or "bond stones" I build into the outer wall, and the uncoated ends
into the internal lining walls.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto annexed sectional Drawings, showing the mode of applying
the same to walls of various thicknesses, drawn to a scale of one and a half
inches to the foot, like letters and figures marked thereon having reference to
similar parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a ten and a half inch cavity wall, built

page_text: with my improved "header." or "bond bricks," the proofed ends of which are
built into the inner skin of the wall. It will be observed that the "bond
bricks" do not come flush with the outside of the "stretchers" of the inner
portion of the wall, the object being to allow of a greater body of plaster being
placed over the ends of the "bond bricks," and thereby guard against the
possibility of the asphalte or other proofing used staining the outer surface of
the plaster.
Figure 2 shows a sectional elevation of a fifteen-inch cavity wall constructed
with the waterproof ends of my improved "header bricks" built into the outer
portion of the cavity wall.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of a stone wall with a brick lining constructed
with the proofed ends of the improved "bond bricks" built into the outer
portion of the wall.
A is the improved "headers" or "bond brick," the dark portion being
intended to denote the waterproof coating thereon; B, the "stretcher" bricks;
C, freestone.
Having now fully described and ascertained the naturo of this my, said
Invention, and how I believe it may be best put into practise, I wish it to bo
cleared understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details or dimen-
sions herein-beforo described and set forth, as it will be readily seen by those
practised in the art, that the same may be considerably varied without
departing from the Invention; but what I do claim is, the use in the con-
struction of the outer walls of buildings of "bond bricks," "headers," and
bond stones," which are previously rendered non-conductors of damp at ono
end, and for any required distance down the sides thereof, by the application
of any suitable damp-proof material or materials, substantially and in the
manner herein-before described, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew George Hutchinson, have here-
unto set my hand and affixed my seal, this Fifteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
ANDREW GEORGE (L.S.) HUTCHINSON.
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.