IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS BY THE SUBSTITUTION OF IMPROVED CONCRETE BLOCKS FOR BRICK, STONE, CONCRETE, OR OTHER MATERIALS ORDINARILY USED FOR SUCH PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lee, of 17, Scott Street, Maidstone, in the County
"
of Kent, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS BY THE SUBSTITUTION OF IMPROVED CONCRETE BLOCKS FOR
BRICK, STONE, CONCRETE, OR OTHER MATERIALS ORDINARILY USED FOR SUCH
PURPOSES"
Sealed the 22nd March 1878, and dated the 18th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lee at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1878.
WILLIAM LEE, of 17, Scott Street, Maidstone, in the County of Kent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS BY THE SUBSTITUTION OF IMPROVED
CONCRETE BLOCKS FOR BRICK, STONE, CONCRETE, OR OTHER MATERIALS ORDINARILY
USED FOR SUCH PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in the construction of
buildings by the substitution of improved concrete blocks for the brick, stone,
concrete, or other materials ordinarily used, such blocks being so prepared that they
form in themselves both the external and internal fair surfaces of an outside wall,
or the two fair surfaces of an inside wall, fit and ready to receive paint, paper, or
any other required covering or decoration without the necessity of any plastering
or stuccoing thereon.
The blocks are made of Portland cement and shingle, clean gravel beach, finely
broken stone or brick rubbish, or any similar hard material, mixed together with a
sufficient quantity of clean sharp sand, and in proportions varied according to the
rougher or smoother surface required for the wall they are to form. They are
applicable to all wallwork, both for the exterior and interior of buildings, and for
basements, party and division walls, chimney breasts, chimney stacks, and all other
parts of a building to which bricks, stone, or concrete are applicable.
The blocks are so formed that as they are built one upon another in the erection
of the wall or building they are connected and securely attached together by the

page_text: pouring in of liquid cement into certain grooves formed in the outer edges of the
blocks, such cement when hardened, which it quickly does, becoming with the
blocks themselves a solid mass and impervious to damp.
The blocks may be radially made with an ornamental surface by preparing the
mould in which they are cast with the required ornament, and by the same kind of
arrangement mouldings for cornices and other decorative features in a building may
be formed, the moulded or cornice blocks being built into and connected with
the blocks of the wallwork in the same way as they themselves are connected
together.
Blocks can be prepared for walls of any desired thickness, and may be made of
any size suitable for the special work for which they are to be used.
Blocks can be prepared for window and door heads, groins of windows and
doorways, angles to bay windows, and for any variety required in building, the
principle of fitting and securing them together being the same in all these cases,
the requisite variation in the form of the blocks being attained by properly
preparing the several moulds in which they are cast.
The plain block for building ordinary walling, when finished, is of the section
shown in the Drawing annexed, two grooves marked a, a, extending round all four
sides of it with a similar groove between them down each end to receive the liquid
cement, which is poured in to connect the blocks together as they are built up, and
four grooves b, b, extending along the top and down one end, and four projections c, c,
extending along the bottom and down the other end of the block, the projections of
one block fitting into the grooves of the next, which in setting are smeared along
with a little fine cement to prevent the escape of the liquid cement upon the
surfaces of the block. A short piece of the outer grooves b, b, in the centre of each
block is filled up and slightly raised above the adjoining surfaces, and the two outer
rounded projections c, c, do not extend quite to the end of the block, so that these
portions at the ends of two adjoining blocks rest on the raised portions in centre of
the block immediately below them, and thereby just keep the edges of the horizontal
joints free, so as to prevent the blocks from binding upon one another; a similar
plain surface occurs at the bottom of the outer grooves at the end, and similarly the
outer raised projections at the end are stopped short at the bottom, so that these
two plain faces come together and keep the vertical joints just free.
The raised portion in the outer grooves is marked in casting accurately in the
centre to facilitate the fixing of the blocks.
The space marked d is partly hollow, the connection being only in the centre and
nt the two ends, but extending from top to bottom of the block; and these
connecting portions project at the bottom marked e, and fit into corresponding
recesses or sinkings at the top marked f; this dovetailing in of these three
steadying feet keeps the blocks in position, and prevents them from moving either
outwards or inwards.
On each side of the centre foot marked e a flat space is left for the convenience
of lifting the block.
"
The castings are made in what is known technically as an open box" formed of
hard close-grained wood, with sides and bottom prepared with the several projections
and indentations requisite to form the blocks of the shape described above, or with
such modification as blocks of special form may require.
The hollow portions d are formed by two large keys passing through the sides of
the box; and the several portions of the box are kept together with a long wedge
passing under the bottom of it, and four wedges at or near the angles.
The faces of the box which come in contact with the cement are kept moistened
with oil as the process of casting is carried on.
The fair face of the block being that resting on the bottom of the box, it is
evident that this face may be cast either quite plain or with rusticated or bird's-
mouthed edges, or with any surface pattern that may be desired, by so preparing
this portion of the box itself.

page_text: In casting the box is filled with cement concrete to somewhat above the surface,
struck off with a straight edge, and either left rough or worked to a fine face, as
may be desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Lee in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th July
1878.
WILLIAM LEE, of 17, Scott Street, Maidstone, in the County of Kent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS BY THE SUBSTITUTION OF IMPROVED
CONCRETE BLOCKS FOR BRICK, STONE, CONCRETE, OR OTHER MATERIALS ORDINARILY
USED FOR SUCH PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in the construction of
buildings by the substitution of improved concrete blocks for the brick, stone,
concrete, or other materials ordinarily used, such blocks being so prepared that they
form in themselves both the external and internal fair surfaces of an outside wall,
or the two fair surfaces of an inside wall, fit and ready to receive paint, paper, or
any other required covering or decoration without the necessity of any plastering
or stuccoing thereon.
The blocks are made of Portland cement and shingle, clean gravel beach, finely
broken stone or brick rubbish, or any similar hard material, mixed together with a
sufficient quantity of clean sharp sand, and in proportions varied according to the
rougher or smoother surface required for the wall they are to form. They are
applicable to all wallwork, both for the exterior and interior of buildings, and for
basement, party and division walls, chimney breasts, chimney stacks, and all other
parts of a building to which bricks, stone, or concrete are applicable.
The blocks are so formed that as they are built one upon another in the erection
of the wall or building they are connected and securely attached together by the
pouring in of liquid cement into certain grooves formed in the outer edges of the
blocks, such cement when hardened, which it quickly does, becoming with the
blocks themselves a solid mass and impervious to damp.
The blocks may be readily made into an ornamental surface by preparing the
mould in which they are cast with the required ornament, and by the same kind of
arrangement mouldings for cornices and other decorative features in a building may
be formed, the moulded or cornice blocks being built into and connected with
the blocks of the wallwork in the same way as they themselves are connected
together.
Blocks can be prepared for walls of any desired thickness, and may be made of
any size suitable for the special work for which they are to be used.
Blocks can be prepared for window and door heads, quoins, reveals of windows
and doorways, angles to bay windows, and for any variety required in building, the
principle of fitting and securing them together being the same in all these cases, the
requisite variation in the form of the blocks being attained by properly preparing
the several moulds in which they are cast,

page_text: °
The plain block for building ordinary walling, when finished, is of the section
shown in the Drawing annexed at Figure 1, two grooves marked a, a, extending
round all four sides of it with a similar groove between them down each end to
receive the liquid cement, which is poured in to connect the blocks together as they
are built up, and four grooves b, b, extending along the top and down one end, and
four projections c, c, extending along the bottom and down the other end of the
block, the projections of one block fitting into the grooves of the next, which in
setting are smeared along with a little fine cement to prevent the escape of the
liquid cement upon the surfaces of the block. A short piece of the outer
grooves b, b, in the centre of each block is filled up and slightly raised above the
adjoining surfaces, and the two outer projections c, c, do not extend quite to the end
of the block, so that these portions at the ends of two adjoining blocks rest on the
raised portions in centre of the block immediately below them, and thereby just
keep the edges of the horizontal joints free, so as to prevent the blocks from binding
upon one another; a similar plain surface occurs at the bottom of the outer grooves
at the end, and similarly the outer raised projections at the end are stopped short
at the bottom, so that these two plain faces come together and keep the vertical
joints just free.
The raised portion in the outer grooves is marked in casting accurately in the
centre to facilitate the fixing of the blocks.
The space marked d is partly hollow, the connection being only in the centre and
at the two ends, but extending from top to bottom of the block; and these
connecting portions project at the bottom marked e, and fit into corresponding
recesses or sinkings at the top marked f; this dovetailing in of these three
steadying feet keeps the blocks in position, and prevents them from moving either
outwards or inwards.
On each side of the centre foot marked e a flat space is left for the convenience
of lifting the block.
The castings are made in what is known technically as an "open box" formed, it
may be, of hard close-grained wood, but preferably of metal, with sides and bottom
prepared with the several projections and indentations requisite to form the blocks
of the shape described above, or with such modifications as blocks of special form
may require.
The hollow portions d are formed by two large keys passing through the sides of
the box; and the several portions of the box are kept together with a long wedge
passing under the bottom of it, and four wedges at or near the angles.
The faces of the box which come in contact with the cement are kept moistened
with oil as the process of casting is carried on.
The fair face of the block being that resting on the bottom of the box, it is
evident that this face may be cast either quite plain or with rusticated or bird's-
mouthed edges, or with any surface pattern that may be desired, by so preparing
this portion of the box itself. .
In casting the box is filled with cement concrete to somewhat above the surface,
struck off with a straight edge, and either left rough or worked to a fine face, as
may be desired.
The form of the block may be varied to some extent without departing from my
Invention.
Thus Figure 2 is a plan of the top of a block used for walling, and of an angular
block fitted to it, as used for the quoin of a building.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the centre of one of the ordinary
blocks.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of an ordinary block on the line marked X, Y,
on Figure 2.
A, A, are hollow spaces in the blocks, which, when they are used in building,
form continuous vacant spaces between the inner and outer faces of the wall,
whereby the walls are kept dry and facilities are given for ventilation, as openings
t

page_text: can be left and ventilators introduced into them either from the outer surface or
from the inner, or room surface wherever considered desirable.
B, B, are grooves along the top, the bottom, and the ends of the blocks, and are
formed with splayed or bevilled surfaces, as shown, so that when the blocks are
placed in position in building the several projections fit into the recessed portions,
leaving a vacant space (marked e on Figure 1) to be filled in with liquid cement,
which is poured in from above, thus connecting the several blocks together in a
most secure and perfect manner.
C, C, are projections on the under side formed with bevilled edges, which, when
the blocks are built up, fit into corresponding indentations or sinkings in the upper
surface, marked D, D.
E, E, are slight projections on the upper surface, which prevent the blocks, when
placed one upon the other, from quite touching or binding upon the outer edge.
F, F, are bevilled recesses running along the top and one end of the block.
G, G, are corresponding projections at the bottom and other end of the block.
These are smeared with cement putty in building the blocks together, and any
redundency is forced into the larger grooves.
What I claim is the construction of buildings with concrete blocks having a fair
face on both sides, and interlocking parts ensuring their fitting truly and squarely
together, such blocks being locked together by pouring liquid cement between them
after they are set into grooves formed in the blocks to receive it, all substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lee, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM LEE. (L.S.)