IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCKS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANU- FACTURE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carrington Sellars, of Birkenhead, in the County
of Chester, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCKS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANU-
FACTURE."
Sealed the 6th October 1877, and dated the 9th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carrington Sellars at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1877.
JOHN CARRINGTON SELLARS, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Manu-
facturing Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCKS, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE."
This Invention relates to the production of what I call compound concrete blocks,
that is to say, blocks in which the body is formed of coarse material, and one or
more of the surfaces is or are formed of or faced with a better or finer quality of
material capable of resisting weather influences.
First. To form compound concrete blocks with one or more faces or surfaces of
fine material, as for instance, cement and fine sand, I place the said finer material
on one or more of the sides and ends of the mould by means of filling in, ramming,
or pressing the said material into a space or spaces between the perpendicular ends
and sides of the mould and a division plate or plates. I then remove the said
division plate or plates, and fill in the stones and coarser materials so as to form
a solid cellular or hollow block, faced as mentioned. I prefer that the division plate
or plates should be perforated.
Second. To prevent penetration of water through compound concrete blocks, I
coat the interior surface or surfaces of the facing or facings with cement, whether
the compound blocks are made under the above first head or under the Specification
to British Patent, No. 3824, of the year 1876. Two or more layers of fine material
and cement may be used.
Third. To ensure that the facing or facings of finer material under the above first
head, coated with cement under the second head, shall adhere to the body of the
block when common lime is used to form the filling in, I wash the cement

page_text: with sulphate of zinc, protostupnate of iron, alum, glue, size, gelatine, or gum
solution.
Fourth. To fill and ram or press the fine material into the space or spaces, mentioned
under the above first head, employ a trough or container, from which the fine
material is fed into the said space or spaces, and a rammer or rammers working
through the said trough or troughs, so as to give the required compression.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by tho
said John Carrington Sollars in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
October 1877.
JOHN CARRINGTON SELLARS, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Manu-
facturing Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCKS, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE."
This Invention relates to the production of what I call compound concrete blocks,
that is to say, blocks in which the body is formed of coarse material, and one or
more of the surfaces is or are formed or faced with a better or finer quality of 1
material capable of resisting weather influences.
First. To form compound concrete blocks with one or more faces or surfaces of
fine material, as for instance, cement and fine sand, I place the said finer material
on one or more of the sides and onds of the mould by means of filling in, ramming,
or pressing the said material into a space or spaces between the perpendicular ends
and sides of the moulds and a division plate or plates, I then remove the said
division plate or plates, and fill in the stones and coarser materials so as to form a
solid cellular or liollow block, faced as mentioned. I prefer that the division plate.
or plates should be perforated.
Second. To prevent penetration of water through compound concrete blocks, I
coat the interior surface or surfaces of the facing or facings with cement, whether
the compound blocks are made under the above first head, or under the Specification
to British Patent, No. 3S24, of the year 1876. Two or more layers of fine material
and cement may be used.
Third. To ensure that the facings of fine material under the above first head,
coated with cement under the second head, shall adhere to the body of the
block, when common lime is used to form the filling in, I wash the cement
with sulphate of zinc, protosulphate of iron, alumn, glue, size, gelatine, or gum
solution, or I soak the said blocks in such solutions.
Fourth. To fill and ram or press the fine material into the space or spaces,
mentioned under the above first head, I employ a trough or container from which
the fine material is fed into the said space or spaces, and a rammer or rammers
working through the said trough or troughs, so as to give the required compression.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 3, a transverse
section illustrative of the first part of my Invention.
1 are the sides, and 2 the ends of a setting frame divided into compartments by
the plates or division pieces 3, so as to form several cells or moulds in which to form
my improved building blocks. In the cell or mould a is shown a method in
which the fine grained material, here cement, is formed on each side of the block.
4 is the division plate, made so as to leave the space 5, in which the cement is
filled in; the division plate may be then removed, and the interior or any portion
thereof filled in with coarse concrete, or as desired. b b is a cell or mould in which
the cement or plaster is placed on one end and one side of the block; 6 is the
cement; 7, the filling; c is a cell or mould in which the cement, plaster, or tiles, is or

page_text: are attached at two sides of the blocks; 7 is the filling; & is a cell in which the
material is attached at two sides of the block; 4, 4', are the division plates. The
fine grained material here used is gravel or fine stones filled in between the plates
4 and the sides of the mould; coarse filling concrete is placed between the plates 4',
and concrete or cement is filled in between the division plates 4, 41, so as to join or
connect the coarse filling and the surface of the blocks together. For this purpose
the division plates are made in the form of an open ended grid, as shown at Fig. 4;
e is a cell or mould in which one side only of the block is coated with gravel, tiles,
or the like; 4 is the division plate; f shows a plain cell or mould.
Fig. 5 is a handle or lifter for withdrawing the division plates when the material
to form the block has been placed in position. The division plates are provided
with notches or recesses 8 to allow of holding being obtained thereon, see Figs. 6
and 7. To facilitate the withdrawal of the division plates, and to ensure the
sinoothness of the surface of the finished block, the said division plates, and the
sides and, ends of the blocks are constructed in accordance with British Letters
Patent, No. 1379, of the year 1877, granted to me.
It will be obvious that many forms of blocks, such as mouldings, may be con-
structed under my Invention, by varying the form of the moulds and division
plates.
Fig. 8 shows cornice, block, and spout; 4 is the division plate.
Fig. 9 shows the form of block I prefer to use.
Fig. 10 shows a block surface with tiles.
Fig. 11 shows apparatus for ramming in the material between the division
plates.
Fig. 12 is a plan view.
Fig. 13 is a sectional clevation of apparatus, illustrative of the fourth part of my
Invention.
9 is the trough or container separated into two portions by the division piece 10;
11, 12, are the rammers which are worked up and down by hand or other means.
When the box or container, supplied with the desired material, is placed so that
the opening 13, or openings 13, 14, aro above the spaces to be filled, and the
rammers are worked up and down, the said material passes, and is compressed into
the said space to be filled.
Having now described and illustrated my Invention in such a manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,-
First. Constructing compound concrete blocks by the use of division plates,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The improvements set forth under the second head.
Third. The improvements set forth under the third head.
Fourth. The improved apparatus or appliances constructed and operating
substantially as aud for the purposes set forth under the fourth head.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Carrington Sellars, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. JOHNSON,
Patent Office,
Clayton Square,
Liverpool.
Witness.
JNº. C. SELLARS. (L.S.)