IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCRETE BUILDING, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE- WITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harding, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid
Lothian, North Britain, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONCRETE BUILDING, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH."
Sealed the 13th June 1876, and dated the 8th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harding at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1876.
HENRY HARDING, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCRETE BUILDING, AND IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in building houses, walls, or other
structures of concrete, consists in apparatus whereby the erecting of such structures
is simplified, and the cost diminished.
In building wooden or other panels or standards are set up in the usual manner,
and beamed or held together vertically by means of an arrangement of thimbles
or cups and cotters or keys, which binding or fastening constitutes the Invention.
The fastenings are employed at any desired distance apart throughout the height
of the panels or standards, and each such fastening consists of a metal plate, at or
near the centre of which a hole or opening is made. Towards the edges or at other
suitable parts of the plate other holes are formed, through which rods pass, the said
rods also passing through the inner and outer panels or standards. Besides passing
through the metal plate and the panels or standards the rods project at their ends
through holes made in metal straps attached by screws or equivalent means to
horizontal bars or beams extending between and affording support to each vertical
panel or standard. Slots are made in the ends of the rods projecting through the
metal straps, and over the slotted portion at each end of the rods a correspondingly
slotted thimble or cup is placed, with its inner end resting against the metal plate
or strap. A cotter or key is passed or driven through the slots in the rods and
thimbles or cups, by which means the inner and outer panels or standards are
firmly and securely retained in position vertically and relatively with each other. A
rod similarly formed and fixed passes through the hole or opening herein-befere
referred to as made at or near the centre of the metal plate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Henry Harding in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 1st July
1876.
HENRY HARDING, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCRETE BUILDING, AND IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in building houses, walls, or
other structures of concrete, consists in apparatus whereby the erecting of such
structures is simplified, and the cost diminished.
In building wooden or other panels, standards or frames are set up in the usual
manner, and beamed or bound together vertically by means of an arrangement of
thimbles and cotters or keys, which binding or fastening constitutes my
Invention.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a front view of part
of a framing constructed and fastened in accordance with my Invention, and
embracing concrete walls in course of erection; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; and
Figure 3, a front view drawn to an enlarged scale of a portion of one of the upright
or vertical beams A of the framing, shewing the arrangement of the thimbles,
cotters, plates, and straps which constitute the coupling or binding of the framing;
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the upright on the line l, m, Figure 3.
The standards or uprights A are placed at any desired distance apart, as are also
the horizontal beams B, to which and to the said uprights A the panels O are secured
in any approved manner. At the places where the uprights or standards A meet
the horizontal beams B metal plates a are fastened on, and preferably countersunk
into the uprights or standards A, and from these plates thimbles or pins b, furnished
with vertical slots, project outwards. Metal straps c, secured to the horizontal
beams B, have their inner ends passed over the thimbles or pins b, as shewn on the
Drawings, and cotters or keys d being driven into the slots formed in the thimbles b
the straps c are thus forced against the face of the plate a, and the beams A and B
are thereby held in their positions relatively with each other. Flat bars D extending
transversely across the top and under sides of the portion of wall in course of
construction unite the uprights or standards A at the inner and outer sides of the
wall, and in the ends of the said bars which project through the standards A and
plate a slots are made, through which cotters or keys e are driven, thereby binding
the standards together. The frame or apparatus is thus completed, and the concrete
is deposited in the space contained between the sides of the frame, wherein it is
allowed to "set or dry, which being accomplished the cotters or keys e securing
the transverse bars D are removed, and the bars D withdrawn to permit of the
frame or apparatus being raised bodily up to the top of the completed section of
wall, and a new portion is then commenced and completed, as before. In order to
further stiffen the panels C transverse bars E are arranged between them, and
fastened with cotters f, as seen at Figures 1 and 2. These are also removed on the
completion of a section of wall previous to raising or shifting the frame. It will be
seen that the frame may be composed vertically of more than one division of
panels, and the distance between the horizontal beams B may be regulated as
desired.
"
The simplicity of the arrangement of the frame renders it capable of being readily
shifted, while its rigidity preserves the form of the wall or house in course of
erection, whereby efficiency and economy are effected.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-

page_text: tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrangement and con-
struction of frame shewn on the appended Drawings, wherein the several parts are
held together by the means or apparatus herein-before described, and the employment
of the said frame in concrete building, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harding, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
HENRY HARDING. (L.B.)