IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Drake, of No. 6, Sibella Road, Clapham, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 9th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Drake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July 1877.
CHARLES DRAKE, of No. 6, Sibella Road, Clapham, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
IN
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of concrete
buildings and in apparatus employed therein.
One part of this Invention relates to a new form of standard or upright com-
bined with a new form of fastener for attaching the horizontal panels or plates to the
said standards or uprights.
The standard consists of an upright of wood or other material, having fixed upon
its outer surface a thin plate of iron in which are holes, and the fasteners fastened
to the panels consist of iron key-like catches, which passing into the holes of the
standards and dropping down become at once fixed, or the catches may be turned
after entering the holes.
The new form of standard and fastener is more simple and easy in working, costs
much less, and by avoiding the use of bolts, screws, or detached pins or wedges,
such as have been hitherto used for such purposes, enables the setting, moving, and
resetting of concrete building apparatus to be performed in much less time than
hitherto.
Another part of this Invention relates to facing monolithic concrete walls with
thin slabs or tiles composed of terra cotta or other clay ware, or of concrete having
roughneses, indents, or projections made at their inner faces, whereby they are held
and fixed by and to the concrete of the walls without requiring any inner tie bars
or cross pieces. These facings are placed and kept in position to form the mould in
which the concrete wall is cast by the aid of a framework of upright and cross bars
[Price 6d.1

page_text: of wood or iron, which is independent of any ties through or fastenings into
the walls, and may be set upon the ground and continued upward, stage after
stage.
The framing on either side of the wall may be braced or fixed in position
independently of the framing for the opposite side of the wall; or the two may be
held together by clamps or bolts at their upper parts above and clear of the walling,
but I avoid having fastenings through or into the wall.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Drake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th January
1878.
IN
CHARLES DRAKE, of No. 6, Sibella Road, Clapham, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.”
THE
.
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of concrete
buildings and in apparatus employed therein.
One part of this Invention relates to a new form of standard or upright combined
with a new form of fastener for attaching the horizontal panels or plates to the said
standards or uprights.
The standard consists of an upright of wood, having fixed upon its surface a thin
plate of iron in which are holes, and the fasteners fastened to the panels consist of
iron key-like catches, which passing into the holes of the standards and dropping
down become at once fixed, or the catches may be turned after entering the holes.
The new form of standard and fastener is more simple and easy in working, costs
much less, and by avoiding the use of bolts, screws, or detached pins or wedges,
such as have been hitherto used for such purposes, enables the setting, moving, and
resetting of concrete building apparatus to be performed in much less time than
hitherto.
Another part of this Invention relates to facing monolithic concrete walls with
thin slabs or tiles composed of terra cotta or other clay ware, or of concrete having
roughnesses, indents. or projections made at their inner faces, whereby they are held
and fixed by and to the concrete of the walls without requiring any inner tie bars
or cross pieces. These facings are placed and kept in position to form the mould in
which the concrete wall is cast by the aid of a framework of upright and cross
bars of wood or iron, which is independent of any ties through or fastenings into
the walls, and may be set upon the grouud and continued upward stage after
stage.
The framing on either side of the wall may be braced or fixed in position inde-
pendently of the framing for the opposite side of the wall, or the two may be
held together by clamps or bolts at their upper parts, above and clear of the
walling, but I avoid having fastenings through or into the wall.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: A, A, are the uprights; they are erected at suitable distances apart along both
faces of the wall which is to be constructed. The peculiarity of these uprights is that
they are faced and strengthened with thin plates of iron perforated. with holes to
receive the fasteners of the panels.
*
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 show portions of the upright and of one of the fasteners,
full size Figure 4 is an horizontal section of part of the upright with the fastener
in plan; Figure 5 is an elevation of the same parts; Figure 6 is a vertical section
on the line 1, 1, in Figure 4; and Figure 7 is an horizontal section on the line 2, 2,
in Figure 6. The body of the upright is of wood, and it is grooved from end to end
to receive the heads of the fasteners. It is also bored through at intervals. for the
passage of the bolts B, B.
For the purpose of attaching the perforated iron plate to the face of the upright
wood screws are employed. The bolts B, B, serve to connect the uprights at the
front of the wall to those at the back; they are withdrawn after the concrete of
which the wall is formed has set. C, C, are the panels, consisting of long wooden
frames boarded over, and at the four corners of each panel the fasteners D, D, are
fixed. The fastenings, as will be seen, have heads adapted to enter the holes
in the iron plate of the upright, and the heads are notched on the under side
so that having entered the hole to the full distance they allow the panel to drop down,
and so the fasteners catch upon the edge of the plate forming part of the upright.
Sometimes, in lieu of allowing the panel to drop down a short distance after the
head of the fastener has entered the hole in the upright, as already described, I
arrange the head of the upright so that it can be turned round after it has entered
the hole, and in this case both the head and the hole to receive it are made of an
oval form. This arrangement is clearly shown by the Figures 8 and 9, Figure 8
being an elevation, and Figure 9 a vertical transverse section on the line 3, 3, in
Figure 8.
Another modification consists in applying the iron plates to the two side faces of
the uprights, and the holes in the plates are then slotted out to the edge to allow
the heads of the fasteners (which are somewhat modified in form) to enter. Figure 10
is a side elevation of a portion of the upright made according to this arrangement;
Figure 11 is a section of the same taken on the line 4, 4, in Figure 10; and Figure 12
is a section taken on the line 5, 5, in the same Figure. In Figures 11 and 12
portions of the panel are also seen; the fastening appears in all these Figures. The
fastenings shown in Figures 1 to 7 may also be employed in connection with
iron uprights of a T form section, such as the Figures 13 and 14 indicate,
the iron being perforated to receive the heads of the fasteners.
Figure 15 is an horizontal section, and Figure 16 is an elevation, showing the
arrangement which I adopt when the concrete wall is to be faced with slabs or tiles.
The uprights A, A, are erected in the same way as for a wall wholly of concrete,
except that they are not connected through the wall by bolts B, B, the use of these
bolts being confined to the parts of the uprights extending above the work. These
bolts are removed as the wall is brought up to their level. At the back of the wall
panels are used, as is usual, but at the front of the wall the panels are replaced by
simple bars, which, whilst they support the slabs or tiles, allow the joints between
them to be seen, so that the workman may be able to ensure that a good face is
obtained. E, E, are the slabs or tiles; they have dovetailed grooves at the back
which the concrete enters, and by setting therein it attaches the slab or tile securely
to the rest of the mass; F, F, are the supporting bars; they are trussed to stiffen
them, and at their ends they are provided with fasteners, by which they are con-
nected with the uprights in the same way as the panels. The slabs or tiles are set
up against the bars before the concrete is filled in, and care is taken in this process
not to displace them; or should any displacement take place it is rectified at the
time; G, G, are uprights erected behind the bars; they may be temporarily attached
to them by screws or otherwise, and they are held together immediately above the
top of the work by a bolt G¹.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my improvements
in the construction of concrete buildings and in apparatus employed therein,-
First. The construction of the uprights of wood faced with thin iron, perforated
to receive the fasteners of the panels or supporting bars, substantially as described.
Second. The method of connecting the panels or supporting bars to the uprights
by key-like catches either dropping to their places or rotating, substantially as
described.
Third. The method of producing monolithic concrete walls faced with slabs or
tiles by supporting the said slabs or tiles in their places until the concrete is filled
in behind them by means of uprights and cross bars, leaving the joints between the
slabs or tiles visible and accessible for adjustment, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Drake, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
CHARLES DRAKE. (L.S.)