IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS, ARCHES, BRIDGES, COFFERDAMS, WHARF WALLS, AND SUCH LIKE STRUCTURES, AND IN THE FLOORS AND ROOFS OF BUILDINGS, AND FLOORS IN OTHER SITUATIONS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Parr and Alfred Strong, both of College Hill,
Cannon Street, in the City of London, Architects and Surveyors, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS, ARCHES,
BRIDGES, COFFERDAMS, WHARF WALLS, AND SUCH LIKE STRUCTURES, AND IN
THE FLOORS AND ROOFS OF BUILDINGS, AND FLOORS IN OTHER SITUATIONS."
Sealed the 28th April 1868, and dated the 2nd November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Parr and Alfred
Strong at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 2nd November 1867.
We, SAMUEL PARR and ALFRED STRONG, both of College Hill, Cannon
Street, in the City of London, Architects and Surveyors, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS, ARCHES, BRIDGES, COPFERDAMS, WHARP WALLS, AND SUCH LIKE
STRUCTURES, AND IN THE FLOORS AND ROOPS OF BUILDINGS, AND FLOORS IN OTHER
SITUATIONS," to be as follows:-
The object and intention of these improvements is to cover or enclose,
divide or floor buildings and open spaces with materials of different kinds
combined together in a novel manner for ensuring strength and economy in

page_text: the construction and for rendering them fireproof, and further to construct
arches, and bridges, and such like structures of greater strength with less
materials than at present used.
The following are examples of the means we propose to employ for effecting
the above objects :-
As regards walls, we lay tubes of metal, burnt clay, or terra cotta of any
form, but principally hexagonal, horizontally across the thickness of the wall.
We fill the tubes either partially or entirely with concrete composed of cement,
or lime and ballast, flints, broken brick, burnt clay, or broken pottery in
varying proportions. We unite the tubes with cement or mortar, and further
strengthen where necessary with metallic bands, rods, and dowels of various
materials. We bond in where required with blocks of stone or artificial
stone, as quoins, labels, jambs, plinths, or other architectural members. We
form on or affix to the outer or inner ends of the tubes surfaces composed
of concrete, cement, flints, broken stones, tiles, terra cotta, plaster, or other
material, uniting them with the concrete inside each tube where required.
We construct floors by means of similar tubes similarly filled, but we place
them vertically upon a temporary surface of level or arched form uniting them
all with cement and strengthening with iron girders, bands, rods, and dowels,
as before mentioned. Where the tubes are not to be filled with concrete we
partially or altogether fill them with sand, and then form a surface with
cement concrete to the thickness required, floating the upper face.
remove the temporary surface or centre allowing the sand to fall out.
We form ceilings in the same manner as described for the inner or outer
surfaces of walls.
We next
As regards roofs we construct a centre on the most approved rib of metal
or wood where required. and form a surface with boarding to the desired shape
of the roof, covered with sheet metal if required. Upon these centres we
arrange and dispose tubes as before mentioned, uniting them with cement and
strengthening with metallic bands, rods, clamps, and dowels of various
descriptions, and form the outer and inner surfaces as described for floors and
walls; or we cover the ends of the tubes with an earthenware or metal
cover, and run cement or asphalte between the covers and so unite them
altogether.
We construct iron trusses to carry walls or floors over wide spaces with iron
bolts and diagonal ties, in the manner of lattic girders or king and queen post
principals.
We construct piers or posts in a similar manner, but placed vertically
instead of horizontally.

page_text: We form staircases wtih tubes of similar description, but of special shapes
as needed, and unite them with metal bands, rods, and dowels, as before
mentioned.
All the above modes of construction we propose also to apply to the erection
of bridges, copperdams, and wharf walls.