IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, PARTITIONS, FLOORS, AND ROOFS OF DWELLING- HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Hornblower, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, PARTITIONS, FLOORS, AND ROOFS OF DWELLING-
HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS.”
Sealed the 23rd April 1872, and dated the 24th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Hornblower at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th October 1871.
I, LEWIS HORNBLOWER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, PARTITIONS, FLOORS, AND ROOFS
OP DWELLING-HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS," to be as follows :-
The object of my Invention is to provide walls, partitions, floors, and
roofs of buildings so constructed that they shall be at once light,
cheap, durable, thoroughly fire-proof, and convenient for ventilating the.
rooms or spaces they enclose.

page_text: For these purposes I employ the materials hereafter named in com-
bination; for walls, partitions, floors, and roofs iron or steel, hollow
earthenware, and concrete cement; and for partitions, under a modi-
fication, iron or stccl metal wire and concrete or cement.
Walls, partitions, floors, and roofs are constructed of sheet iron or
steel, preferably so formed as to represent one-half of a honeycomb cell
cut longitudinally. These lengths of iron or steel are placed paralel close
to aval pipes or other hollow earthenware, and the whole are bound into
a comparatively rigid mass by concrete or cement. The concrete or
cement may be filled into the trough-like side of such length of iron or
steel before it is placed in position. In walls and partitions the iron or
steel lengths are placed in a vertical, in floors in a horizontal, and in
roofs in an angular position. Where great strength is required two of
the said iron or steel lengths are placed back to back and bolted
together so as to form a girder, hollow carthenware, with apertures.
therein for the bolts, being interposed if desired.
Partitions are constructed of half honeycomb iron or steel cells, metal
wire, and concrete or cement, such wire serving to tic the iron or steel.
lengths and at the same time to hold and strengthen the concrete or
cement.
It will be obvious that bricks, flooring boards, or other desired
surfaces may be attached to parts constructed in accordance with my
Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Lewis Hornblower in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 24th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEWIS
HORNBLOWER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Architect, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto me, the said Lewis Hornblower, Her special licence that
I, the said Lewis Hornblower, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Lewis Hornblower, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, PARTITIONS, FLOORS, AND Roors OF DWELLING-HOUSES
AND OTHER BUILDINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Lewis Hornblower, 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 date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Lewis Hornblower, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying two Sheets
of illustrative Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is to provide walls, partitions, floors, and
roofs of buildings at once light, cheap, durable, thoroughly fire-proof,
and convenient for ventilating the rooms or spaces they enclose.
For these purposes I employ the materials hereafter named in com-
bination for walls, partitions, floors, and roofs iron or steel, hollow
carthenware, and concrete or cement; and for partitions, under a modi-
fication, iron or steel metal wire and concrete or cement.
Walls, partitions, floors, and roofs are constructed of sheet iron or
steel, preferably so formed as to represent one-half of a honeycomb cell
cut longitudinally. These lengths of iron or steel are placed parallel or
close to oval pipes or other hollow carthenware, and the whole are
bound into a comparatively rigid mass by concrete or cement. The
concrete or cement may be filled into the trough-like side of each length
of iron or steel before it is placed in position. In walls and partitions

page_text: the iron or steel lengths are placed in a vertical, in floors in a horizontal,
and in roofs in an angular position. Where great strength is required
two of the said iron or steel lengths are placed back to back and bolted
together so as to form a girder, hollow earthenware, with apertures
therein for the bolts, being interposed if desired.
Partitions are constructed of half honeycomb iron or steel cells, metal
wire, and concrete or cement; such wire serving to tie the iron or steel
lengths and at the same time to hold and strengthen the concrete or
cement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section; Fig. 3
a skeleton plan; Fig. 4 another longitudinal section showing supporting
column; Fig. 5 horizontal section of column; and Fig. 6 a vertical
section through base of supporting column, all of a floor constructed and
supported in accordance with my Invention, the same having 30 feet
bearings between walls, columns 20 feet from centre to centre, and being
suitable for warehouses, malt houses, breweries, factories, and other
large buildings in which heavy weights have to be carried. Like letters
denote the same parts in all these views. a arc sheet metal joists or
flitches, placed back to back and secured together by bolts and nuts 6;
chollow fire-clay or earthenware cores, through which the bolts are
passed, and forming with a a composite girder. d, hollow fire-clay
or earthenware tubes, here shown with arched tops and vertical
strengthening webs e. The tubes d are here placed end to end; if
preferred they can be formed with sockets. When placed in position, as
shown in Fig. 3, concrete, marked f, is filled in from the top, a tem-
porary plank or frame being used to prevent it from extending beyond.
the ceiling level. Plaster marked g is afterwards added in any ordinary
manner, the surfaces of the parts forming the skeleton frame being
roughened, ground, or perforated in such manner that the concrete and
plaster, or either of them are or is well keyed. h, supporting metal girder,
protected by the horizontal and vertical earthenware tubes i, embedded
in concrete; the said horizontal protecting tubes being suspended from
the lower flange of the girder by metal carrying picces and rods / and

page_text: the vertical tubes supported over them. 1, metal column carrying
girder h. The base of the column is marked l' and the capital 1. mare
protecting fire-clay or earthenware pipes placed around 7, and embedded
in concrete n.
If desired openings can be left in the ceilings or floors in com-
munication with the spaces in the earthenware tubes employed in the
floor and in like manner the tubes surrounding the columns can be
formed with apertures, either of the said tubes being in communication
with a vertical discharge shaft in the walls or clsewhere. Efficient
ventilation of the rooms or enclosed spaces is thereby ensured. When
necessary hot or cold air can be forced or drawn through the before-
described earthenware tubes and admitted to rooms or spaces at
pleasure.
Fig. 7 is a transverse section, Fig. 8 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 9
á skeleton plan, all of flooring suitable for light warehouses, assembly
rooms, and public halls; rolled transverse girders being used every fifteen
feet. Like letters indicate the same parts in these views. a, metal joists;
b, bolts; c, earthenware cores; d, carthenware tubes, with vertical
strengthening webs e; f, concrete; 9, plaster; h, rolled metal girder;
i, tiles.
Fig. 10 is a transverse section, and Fig 11 a longitudinal section of
a floor suitable for dwelling-houses, offices, and places where from 16 to
18 feet bearings are used without transverse girders. Here a are the
metal joists; b, tie bolts; c, earthenware cores; d, earthenware tubes,
with webs e; f, concrete; g, plaster; i, flooring boards resting on fillets j.
Fig. 12 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 13 a skeleton elevation of walls
constructed in accordance with my Invention. These walls are suitable for
dwelling-houses, more particularly in warm climates. Here a are metal
uprights; b, tie bolts; c, earthenware cores; d, carthenware vertical
tubes roughened on both sides and formed with transverse webs e,
f, concrete; g, plaster. The metal upright forming the angle tie must be
formed with apertures or keying spaces to hold the concrete. In practice
I prefer to fill the said angle piece with concrete. The metal
uprights are shown deeply embedded in a footing of concrete; the
earthenware cores and tubes are also embedded but not so deeply
in the said footing. After erecting the metal uprights and carthenware
cores and tubes the concrete and plaster can be laid on by hand, and
hence the use of heavy framework is dispensed with. Doors and

page_text: windows are formed by omitting portions of the uprights and leaving
spaces to receive the frames, which latter are properly bedded in
concrete.
Fig. 14 is a horizontal section, Fig. 15 a vertical transverse section,
and Fig. 16 a skeleton elevation of a light wall or partition suitable for
cottages, sheds, and other light structures. a, metal uprights; b, tic
bolts; c, series of short lengths of earthenware tubes placed horizontally
and extending from upright to upright; f, concrete; 9, plaster. The
angle metal uprights are by preference formed as shown. i, metal tio
bands secured to uprights. It will be evident that the metal uprights
may be embedded in a concrete footing.
Fig. 17 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 18 a transverse section of a
light fire-proof partition, more especially adapted for dwelling-houses.
a, metal uprights; b, tic bolts; c, metal wires, secured by clips to
uprights a. Woven wire fencing answers well. S, concrete between the.
uprights; 9, plates over the wires c, the meshes of the wires serving as
a key for the plaster; i, metal tie band for foot and head of partition.
Fig. 19 is a transverse section, Fig. 20 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 21
a skeleton plan, all of a light flat roof or floor under my Invention, the
same being suitable up to 12 feet bearings without transverse girders.
a, metal joists formed of angular metal pieces bolted together by bolts.
and nuts; b, c, carthenware cores; d, carthenware tubes with webs e;
f, concrete; 9, plaster. In this modification the sheet metal joists arc
bent outwards towards their bases, and so serve more effectually to retain
the concrete during construction, whilst they form skew backs for the
sides of the arched tubes d.
Fig. 22 is a vertical section showing the junction of wall and roof at
the caves.
Fig. 23 a skeleton plan, Fig. 24 a vertical section showing method of
securing purlin to rafter, and Fig. 25 a vertical section at ridge, all of a
modification of a sloping fire-proof roof suitable for buildings generally
and more particularly for railway and other sheds. Like letters here
indicate equivalent parts in both the roof and wall. a, metal flitches. The
form is best seen in Fig. 23; b, tie bolts; c, carthenware tubes.
extending transversely from a to a f, concrete; g, plaster; h, gutter a
secured to a; i, ceiling joists constructed as shown in Figs. 17 and 18,

page_text: the wirework being attached to the under side so as to receive the
plaster. The purlin j is constructed of metal and concrete.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and par-
ticularized the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details shown and described, as various modi-
fications may be made without departing from the leading features of
my improvements. What I do claim is,-
-
First. The employment in combination of iron or steel, hollow
carthenware, and concreto or cement in the construction of walls,
partitions, floors, and roofs, substantially as set forth.
And, Second. The employment in combination of iron or steel metal
wire and concrete or cement in the construction of partitions, sub-
stantially as set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said Lewis Hornblower, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
LEWIS HORNBLOWER. (L.S.)