IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOLLOW WALLS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Tutte, of 102, West Street, Fareham, in
the County of Hants, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOLLOW WALLS."
Sealed the 9th October 1869, and dated the 30th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Tutte at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th April 1869.
I, EDWIN TUTTE, of 102, West Street, Fareham, in the County of
Hants, Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOLLOW WALLS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of
hollow walls. By constructing walls hollow or with an air space
between the two faces they are rendered impervious to moisture, and
if the two sides of the wall are properly tied together a stronger and

page_text: better wall can be made than would be obtained if the same materials
were arranged to form a solid wall.
According to my Invention I employ to tie the double wall together
wall ties consisting of thin plates, usually of cast iron, of a width slightly
excceding the thickness of a brick, and of a length sufficient to extend
across the air space in the wall and to enter the brickwork on either side.
The wall ties are perforated or corrugated at either end so that the
mortar may hold to them firmly. As the wall is being built they are
introduced at distances apart into the vertical joints, and their width
being as before mentioned somewhat more than the thickness of a brick,
the lower edge of each wall tie then rests on the course below it, whilst
the course above it bears upon its upper edge, thus the wall ties become
fixed very securely in the brickwork and great strength is given to the
structure. The under side of each tie is notched or made concave so
that water may not be able to run along it from one side of the wall 1
to the other. In place of making the wall ties of cast iron they may be
made of slate or other material and with or without notches.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Tutte in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
TUTTE, of 102, West Street, Fareham, in the County of Hants, Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc.
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Tutte, Her special
licence that I, the said Edwin Tutte, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Tutte, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOLLOW WALLS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edwin Tutte, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Tutte, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction
of hollow walls. By constructing walls hollow or with an air space
between the two faces they are rendered impervious to moisture, and if
the two sides of the wall are properly tied together a stronger and better
wall can be made than would be obtained if the same materials were
arranged to form a solid wall.
According to my Invention I employ to tie the double wall together
wall tics consisting of thin plates, usually of slate or cast iron, and
generally of a width slightly exceeding the thickness of a brick, and of
a length sufficient to extend across the air space in the wall and to enter
the brickwork on either side. The wall ties may be perforated at either
end so that the mortar may hold to them firmly. As the wall is being
built they are introduced at distances apart into the vertical joints and
their width being, by preference, as before mentioned somewhat more
than the thickness of a brick, the lower edge of each wall tie then rests
on the course below it, whilst the course above it bears upon its upper
edge, thus the wall ties become fixed very securely in the brickwork and
great strength is given to the structure. The under side of each tic is
notched or made concave so that water may not be able to run along it.
from one side of the wall to the other. The small thickness of the wall
ties effectually prevents the lodgement of mortar droppings which other-
wise would conduct moisture across the air space from the outer to the
inner portion of the wall. In place of making the wall ties of slate

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section of a wall built according to my Invention
with wall ties consisting of flat plates built into the vertical joints of the
wall; Figure 2 shows one of the wall ties, it may be made of any strong
material which will not rapidly decay, cast or wrought iron, slate, and
zinc are very suitable materials. The wall ties are made with notches
on their lower edges to prevent water from flowing along them. The
width of the wall tie is made slightly greater than the thickness of a
brick, so that it may bear on the bricks above and below it, and so be
very firmly held in the wall; the length of the tie is such as to admit of
its passing across the cavity in the wall and being firmly imbedded in
the brickwork on either side. The thickness of the wall tie is only such
as is requisite for strength, and its ends may be perforated to cause the
mortar to obtain a firmer hold. The wall may receive any suitable
coping at the top. Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the wall shown at
Figure 1.
A still lighter wall than that shown at Figure 1 may similarly be
built, but with the bricks laid on edge in place of on flat, as is shown
at Figure 4, the dimensions of the wall ties being varied accordingly.
Thicker walls may also be built when required, the additional thickness
being given on either or both sides of the cavity.
Although it is desirable that the width of the wall ties should be such
that the pressure of the courses should come upon them, still walls may
be constructed according to my Invention in which the wall ties are
narrower than the courses.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is, the constructing hollow walls with wall ties consisting of thin
plates of iron or other suitable material built into the vertical joints of

page_text: the wall, and there firmly held by the mortar or by the pressure of the
courses upon them, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Tutte, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
EDWIN TUTTE. (L.S.)