AN IMPROVED METHOD OF FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR BUILDINGS BY THE USE OF ARCHES FORMED OF CONCRETE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Colton Dennett, of Nottingham, in the
County of Nottingham, Builder, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR BUILDINGS BY THE USE OF ARCHES
FORMED OF CONCRETE."
Sealed the 18th November 1863, and dated the 13th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Colton Dennett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th August 1863.
I, CHARLES COLTON DENNETT, of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR BUILDINGS BY THE USE OF ARCHES FORMED
OF CONCRETE," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the adaptation of arches formed or made of
concrete to the construction of buildings or parts of buildings, as herein-after
described; the object being to render such buildings fireproof, combined with
great strength, durability, and economy in cost of construction.
The concrete of which these arches are made is composed of sulphate or
carbonate of lime, together with broken calcined cinders, bricks, or other
porous material in such proportions as may be found suitable for the particular
purpose to which the arch may be applied, and laminated either with wood or
iron. The precise proportions cannot be given, as they will differ according to
the greater or less strength required to be given to the arch.

page_text: These concrete arches will be found available for many purposes, such as
(amongst others) for shelves and benches for pantries and larders, or ale
cellars, trimmer arches under hearthstones; when used for the latter purpose,
the top or upper surface of the arch is finished smooth, and can thus be used
as a hearthstone. A great advantage in using these arches is economy of space,
as one of these can be used where there is not sufficient space for a brick arch;
also for ceilings under roofs, springing from wall to wall up to twenty-five feet
in width, and not requiring to be more than four inches in thickness.
These arches can also be applied as floors for cottages, the top surface being
polished, and when used in this form acts as both ceiling and floor in one mass
resting on the walls.
This Invention will be found a strong supporting medium in the construction
of foundations for heavy buildings in soft and boggy situations, the soil being
made to act as centres for the arches, which arches may bo sprung from
concrete piers at intervals, or from the top of timber piles.
These arches are also applicable for bridges and viaducts, in forming groins
for churches, and other Gothic constructions, and for floors of malt rooms. It
is obvious when used for floors a great saving is effected in the height of tho
building.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Colton Dennett in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
COLTON DENNETT, of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham, Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Colton Dennett, Her special licence that 1, the said Charles
Colton Dennett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Charles Colton Dennett, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN

page_text: IMPROVED METHOD OF FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR BUILDINGS BY THE USE OF
ARCHES FORMED OF CONCRETE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Colton Dennett, 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 Charles Colton Dennett, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
An improved method of fireproof construction for buildings by the use of
arches formed of concrete, which consists in the adaptation of arches formed
or made of concrete to the construction of buildings or parts of building, as
herein-after described; the object being to render such buildings fireproof,
combined with great strength, durability, and economy in cost of construction.
The concrete of which these arches are made is composed of sulphate or
carbonate of lime, together with broken calcined cinders, bricks, or other
porous material in such proportions as may be found suitable for the particular
purpose to which the arch may be applied, and laminated with either wood or
iron. The precise proportions cannot be given, as they will differ according to
the greater or less strength required to be given to the arch.
These concrete arches will be found available for many purposes, such as
(amongst others) for shelves and benches for pantries and larders, or ale
cellars, trimmer arches under hearthstones; when used for the latter purpose,
the top or upper surface of the arch is finished smooth, and can thus be used
as a hearthstone. A great advantage in using these arches is economy of
space, as one of these can be used where there is not sufficient space for a
brick arch.
These arches can also be applied as floors for cottages, the top surface being
polished, and when used in this form acts as both ceiling and floor in one mass,
and are at least 20 per cent. cheaper than any other construction of cottage
floor and ceiling; they are comparatively decay-proof as well as fire-proof, more
rigid than ordinary floors, and in a sanitary point of view they have another
great advantage, being a non-conductor of heat, as well as there being no
harbour for vermin, as is the case with other constructions.
For churches, music halls, or large public buildings, as well as private
houses, these arches will be found to be of the greatest use in forming fire-

page_text: proof ceilings, as they can be turned in any shape of groin, dome, circle, or
waggon head, and to any length, width, or height, formed with raised or sunk
panels at pleasure, or left smooth for painting and decorating, and having little
or no lateral pressure.
They are also adaptable for floors of mills, warehouses, factories, malt rooms,
or any other kind of building, and can either be finished, as for cottages, with
polished face, or left rough, and finished with brick, tile, wood, or stone floors
laid on same, the under side being finished either in an arched shape, or as a
flat ceiling.
This Invention will be found a strong supporting medium in the construction
of foundations for heavy buildings in soft or boggy situations, the soil being
made to act as centres for the arches, which arches may be sprung from
concrete piers at intervals, or from the top of timber piles.
For bridges or viaducts this Invention is also applicable, and in this case,
as also in the last-named, the concrete is made with hydraulic materials.
This material may also be used with economy in forming dormer or lantern
lights, as it can be used for the sides as well as top, and has the advantage of
being in one solid piece, and for any sort of skew or arches over recesses; this
Invention will be found to be applied more readily than brick arches, and quite
equal in strength.
For ventilating purposes these arches are particularly adapted, as either
pipes can be inserted or flues formed in the material in any direction; also as
a cheap sound-proof construction, either for floors or partitions, this material
can be used with great advantage.
No. 1 Drawing. A shews a construction of fire-proof ceiling, which can be
turned in one span, as shewn, or in several smaller spans, and supported by
iron stirrups from roof; ordinary ceiling joists and plastered ceiling may be
also added underneath if required to have a flat ceiling, and in case of fire the
Invention would entirely prevent the fire getting into the roof.
B shews the cheapest construction of cottage floor and ceiling in one mass,
with a single 9-inch or 11-inch deal, with two pieces of light scantling nailed
on, so as to form springing pieces; in this case the construction would be fire-
proof on the upper surface, and is much stronger than the ordinary con-
struction of floors.
C shews the same construction of cottage floor and ceiling with cast or
wrought iron beam, and in this case they are entirely fire-proof.
D shews similar construction to last, for large rooms, such as warehouses,
mills, or any other large floor supported with cast or wrought iron longitudinal
and transverse girders supported with cast-iron columns, the thickness and rise

page_text: of arch being subject to the required weight to be carried; wood, brick, tile,
or stone floors may be laid on same to form upper surface. Flat ceilings can
also be formed under same by the introduction of ceiling joists, as is shewn on
Drawing No. 3, details A, B, and C, or the arched shape can be retained, and
simply set with the same material as the last coat of ordinary plastered
ceilings. Ventilating pipes can be inserted in the haunches, or flues may be
formed at pleasure.
No. 2 Drawing shews the Invention used in the shape of a groined ceiling
(and finished on top with joists and boarded floor) springing from carved
corbles turned on centres to an average thickness of six inches, the length,
width, or height being no object; it is obvious, therefore, that they may be
used in all cases when groins, dormers, or waggon-headed ceilings or roofs aro
required, and being so completely in one mass or shell, have little or no lateral
pressure.
No. 8 Drawing shews the Invention used as a fire-proof construction for
private residences, formed with wrougla-iron flitches and angle iron screwed
on to form the springers of arches finished with boarded floor and flat ceiling.
A, B, C, and D, shew details of construction.
No. 4 Drawing shews the arches used as a fire-proof construction as on
No. 3 Drawing, supported with wrought-iron flitches and stirrups supporting
light cast or wrought girders, finished as before with wood floor above and
flat ceiling under.
set
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Colton Dennett, have hereunto
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
CHARLES COLTON DENNETT.
L.S.)