IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS, RETAINING WALLS, BREAKWATERS, ABUTMENTS, LIGHTHOUSES, AND OTHER MASSIVE STRUCTURES REQUIRED TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE OR IMPACT OF WATER, EARTH, OR OTHER MATERIAL."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas, of Bangor, in the County of Carnarvon,
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS,
RETAINING WALLS, BREAKWATERS, ABUTMENTS, LIGHTHOUSES, AND OTHER
MASSIVE STRUCTURES REQUIRED TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE OR IMPACT OF
WATER, EARTH, OR OTHER MATERIAL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1881.
JOHN THOMAS, of Bangor, in the County of Carnarvon. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS, RETAINING WALLS, BREAKWATERS, ABUTMENTS,
LIGHTHOUSES, AND OTHER MASSIVE STRUCTURES REQUIRED TO WITHSTAND THE
PRESSURE OR IMPACT OF WATER, EARTH, OR OTHER MATERIAL"
The object of this Invention is the construction or building in a cheaper and
more expeditions manner than at present adopted by engineers of structures that
require to be heavy to resist the force of the elements, more especially those that
are placed under or are in contact with water, such as quays, docks, harbours,
break waters, slips, lighthouses, bracons, canals, locks, dams, reservoirs, viaducts,
aqueducts, arches, abutments, whether in deep water or on dry land, the foundations
for bridges or other works placed in deep water, on sandy beaches, et cetera, or
forming protection on the sea const or in other positions where water has to be
held in place, such as sea walls and embankments.
In carrying out my Invention I construct an iron casing built watertight and
riveted together, of sheet iron, steel, or other metal, of the thickness required
According to the strength it is to resist. This casing I fill with stone concrete of
lime and Portland or Roman cement in proportion at present well known to
engineers as the nature of the case may be, which can be decided by the engineer
who may use it. This iron casing can be filled in a harbour or some sheltered
place, and sunk down to the depth required with the concrete, then flonted to its
destination, laid down in the manner so appointed, and afterwards filled up to the

page_text: top with the concreto above named, and by the time the iron corrodes the concrete
will be formed into a solid mass like a rock, and will remain so in the same form
as the iron. It will also answer the purpose for all kinds of masonry as well as
concreto.
The above could be adapted to all kinds of work on land, If a largo canal is
required, say, 24 feet deep by 36 feet wide, or any other size, it can be so
constructed without nny cuttings only for good foundations, say, a bed of concrete
3 or 4 feet deep, or more as required, and then lay the iron on flat to form the
bottom and continue the outside to form the abutments of the canal, and then form
the inside of the canal and fill in the abutments with concrete, taking care that
the abutments will be large enough to counterbalance the weight of water inside
the canal.
This Invention is well adapted for a large dam, such as the Vyrnuy dam. It can
be made, I estimate, four times cheaper than with cut freestone, and five times
cheaper than with limestone, and will answer the purpose better than cut stone, as
the beds of the stone are made smooth the force of water will soon move them, but
the concrete would be in one solid mass, as the iron would protect it long enough
until it would be like a solid stono from one end to the other. Thus the works can
be constructed in a good, substantial, and strong manner, and much cheaper than
anything yet introduced to the public.
By using this Invention to form a breakwater in deep water it can be made in
any required lengths, say, one hundred yards, floated over their position and sunk
down jointed one into the other and then bolted together. When finished it would
be one long length, and could be made to resist the greatest power or force of sea
on the English const.
The deposit of the breakwater at Holyhead is over twenty times the deposit this
would require, and would not cost one tenth what that breakwater cost to the
Government; it would answer in this way for all heavy works in the water, and
also outside the water.
The same principle is suitable for making concrete blocks filled in with stone,
ballast, sand, or other material, and run with Portland or Roman cement of lime
concrete rammed tight by hand or other power, cased with iron, steel, or other
metal, and may be used for any of the works previously mentioned. These
blocks can be used independently of the abovo scheme for breakwaters, dams,
et cetera, in long lengths, but may be built up as ordinary ashlaring; the
advantages of using these blocks over ordinary concrete blocks cased with wood
being that they can be used immediately the cases are filled and then sunk into
deep water, ordinary concrete blocks taking from 9 to 12 months to harden before
they can be used in work under water; another advantage being a reduction in
cost of about one half over any ordinary stone work, such as that used in the
construction of the Liverpool and other docks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th May
1882.
JOHN THOMAS, of Bangor, in the County of Carnarvon. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS, RETAINING WALLS, BREAKWATERS, ABUTMENTS,
LIGHTHOUSES, AND OTHER MASSIVE STRUCTURES REQUIRED TO WITHSTAND THE
PRESSURE OR IMPACT OF WATER, EARTH, OR OTHER MATERIAL."
The object of this Invention is the construction or building in a cheaper and
more expeditious manner than heretofore of structures that require to be heavy
and built in large masses so as to resist the force of the elements, such, for instance,
as quays, docks, barbour works, breakwaters, slips, reservoirs, foundations, light-
houses, ventilating shafts for tunnels under water, canals, locks, dams, or
abutments, whether in the water or on dry land, gasometers, tanks, water pipes,
and paving sets, et cetera. The Invention is especially useful for foundations and
other structures in water or upon sandy beaches where the disintegrating power of
water upon fresh concrete has to be resisted,
My Invention consists in protecting masonry or concrete blocks or structures
with a waterproof coating of sheet iron or other metal, stayed sufficiently to retain
its shapo, and of sufficient thickness to withstand corrosion until the concrete has
set and hardened enough to withstand the decomposing effect of the water or other
material pressing or working against it. If a canal be required it can be formed
in concrete, and the surface of the concrete, both that of the waterway itself and
the outer skin of the abutments, can be covered with sheet iron to protect the
concrete from water and wear and tear till thoroughly set. This outer coating to
prevent dislocation from the pressure of the concrete itself before setting should be
well stayed, as set forth in Fig. 3.
Breakwaters can be made in separate large masses with iron conting floated to
the site and sunk, and if one piece be dovetailed or jointed into another the whole
can be made to withstand any possible strain. Retaining walls can be made in a
similar manner, a hollow structure of iron, the shape of the intended retaining wall,
is constructed, placed in position, and then filled with concrete. The iron keeps
the water from washing the lime out of the concrete before it has hardened. In
this way fatlime concretes and concretes or masonry made with slow setting
mortar or cement can be used under water, as each block being encased with iron is
protected from the water and its shape maintained until it has grown hard enough
to withstand anything that is likely to be brought against it.
This Invention is also applicable for many other purposes than those specified
above, and may be used in a variety of ways. It would be very serviceable in
the construction of ventilating shafts for submarine tunnels, and for this purpose I
propose to form a large strong cylinder with a screw point; I should work this
down through the sand or mud until a solid foundation was obtained, and then
upon this raise a structure in the form of a double cylinder, the space between the
outer and inner skin or covering of iron being filled with concrete.
excavation through the rock to the tunnel could then be proceeded with. The
upper part of the structure would rise above high water mark and could be used as
a light house.
The
The Invention may also be used for gasometer tanks of any size. The sheet iron
may be placed in position first, and the concrete afterwards filled in, the necessary
bolts and ties being also inserted.
The various Figures of the Drawings show a few applications of my Invention
by way of examples

page_text: Fig. 1 is a section of a breakwater; Fig. 2, section of sea wall; Fig. 3, section of
ship canal; in these A is the iron casing; B, filling in of concrete or masonry; C, tic
rods or stays to hold the iron casing in position until the concrete sets; D, rubble
or stone foundation for breakwater line; a, high water mark line; y, low water
mark; E, show lines of rails along edge of caual.
Now I am well aware that very strong iron casings, piers, and other structures
have been made before now and filled with masonry or concrete. But these
caissons, iron piers, or structures have been made strong enough to withstand the
extraneous strains unaided, and have been merely supplemented, strengthened, or
their inner surfaces protected by being filled with concrete. Also that massive
iron frame works for foundations of piers of bridges have been gradually sunk into
position while the pier has been built upon them, but I believe that no one up to
the present time has ever forined a concrete block or structure thinly sheathed
with iron to protect it temporarily from water and wear until it has set and
hardened sufficiently.to withstand the same.
I therefore claim as my Invention to bo secured to me under the herein before in
part recited Letters Patent,-
1st. The method of constructing concrete brickwork or masonry blocks or
structures of the character herein before described, consisting in forming them with
a thin sheathing of metal strong enough to withstand the strain of the concrete or
other filling during formation, and sufficiently thick to resist being corroded through
till the concrete or mortar has set sufficiently hard to be able to withstand the
action of the water or other material brought against it.
2nd. The construction of breakwaters, abutments, lighthouses, and other massivo
structures requiring to withstand the pressure or impact of water, earth, or other
material, of concrete protected by a thin sheathing of iron on the sides exposed to
said pressure or impact of water, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomas, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of May, in the year One thousand eight
thundred and eighty two.
TAHY ΜΠΟΥΓΙΑ