Improvements in the Formation of Wall and other Surfaces of Brick or other Suitable Building Materials, for the Advan- tageous Reflection of Light therefrom, and for Economy of Cost in Respect of Facing Bricks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Formation of Wall and other Surfaces of
Brick or other Suitable Building Materials, for the Advan-
tageous Reflection of Light therefrom, and for Economy of Cost
in Respect of Facing Bricks.
1, ROBERT KERR, of 22 Old Burlington Street, London, W., Professor of Building
Construction and Architecture at King's College, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object Improvements in the formation of wall and other
surfaces of brick, or other suitable building materials for the advantageous reflection
of light therefrom, and for economy of cost in respect of facing bricks.
In carrying my invention into practical effect, I form bricks specially, so that the
surface which is to be exposed to the light when constituting the face of a wall, or
other like structure in any building, is not a plain face, or a smooth, flat surface, but
is grooved or fluted, or reeded, corrugated or rippled, or hollowed or rounded, or
moulded or indented, or made or modelled uneven or rough in any other way, for the
purpose, or with the effect of advantageously concentrating or distributing, or other-
wise directing or disposing the reflection of light from the exposed face or surface of
the wall or other like structure or surface entirely or partially as required or
desired.
.
I also for the same purpose and with the same effect, specially form or construct
superficially in the manner hereinbefore described, the exposed face of any wall or
surface, or any covering thereof when composed of any other material than bricks,
namely of terracotta, or stone or slate, or artificial stone or concrete or tiles, earthen-
ware or pottery, glass, slag, metal or cement or any other material or materials of
corresponding character or service.
For the same purpose, or with the same effect as herein before described, I form
bricks with their exposed surface or surfaces, in whole or in part, specially inclined or
canted, or tilted, and also fix, or set or build ordinary plain bricks, so that their
exposed surfaces are specially inclined, canted, or tilted, and for the purpose herein-
before described, I cover the exposed surface of the said bricks so specially formed; or
any of the other materials so specially formed for the face of a wall or other surface,
with enamel or glaze or paint or colour or I may employ them without being glazed,
painted or coloured.
In order to economise the cost of facing bricks when specially formed as and for
the purposes herein before described I make such bricks of the following special sizes
or thereabouts respectively namely headers 4 by 4 by 3 inches; stretchers 9 by 2
by 3 inches, and 44 by 21 by 3 inches; headers 4 by 4 by 6 inches, and stretchers 9
by more expensive material used for facing the wall is materially reduced in thickness
or depth, whilst it can still be effectually bonded into the ordinary brick backing of
the wall; and for the like purpose of economy generally, I make facing bricks of all
kinds with the usual plain surfaces, but of the said special sizes respectively.
Dated this Ofth day of June 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Formation of Wall and other Surfaces of
Brick or other Suitable Building Materials, for the Advan-
tageous Reflection of Light therefrom, and for Economy of Cost
in Respect of Facing Bricks.
I, ROBERT KERR of 22 Old Burlington Street in the County of Middlesex,
Architect and Professor of Building construction, 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, reference being had to the
accompanying sheet of drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon that is
to say :-
This invention has for its object improvements in the formation of wall and other
surfaces of brick or other suitable building materials for the advantageous reflection
of light therefrom, and for economy of cost in respect of facing bricks.
In carrying my invention into practical effect I mould, press, or otherwise con-
veniently form enamelled or glazed bricks specially, so that the glazed or enamelled
surface thereof which is to be exposed to the light, when constituting the outside or
inside face of a wall, vault or ceiling or roof or other like structure or piece of
construction in or on any building, is not a plain surface or a sinooth flat surface,
but is corrugated or wrinkled, that is to say, grooved or fluted or reeded or rippled or
hollowed or rounded or moulded or indented or made or modelled uneven or rough in
any other way, for the purpose or with the effect of increasing the reflecting surface,
or advantageously concentrating or distributing or directing diverting or disposing
the reflection of light from the exposed face or surface of the wall, vault, ceiling, roof
or other like structure or piece of construction entirely or partially as may be deemed
requisite or desirable.
For the same purposes, and with the same effects 1 also specially form or construct
after any of the nodes herein before described, the exposed face of any wall or other
structure or piece of construction herein before described, or of any covering thereof,
when composed not of the said enamelled or glazed bricks but of any other material,
namely of ordinary brick or terracotta, or stone or slate or artificial stone or concrete
or tiles or earthenware or pottery or glass or slag or metal or cement or any other
material or materials of corresponding utility or service.
For the same purposes or with the same effects as hereinbefore described, I also
form bricks with exposed surface or surfaces in whole or in part specially
inclined or canted or tilted and also fix or set or build ordinary rectangular bricks so
that their exposed surfaces shall be specially inclined canted or tilted and also for the
purposes hereinbefore described, I cover the exposed surface of the said bricks so
specially formed or built, or of any of the other materials so specially formed for the
face of a wall or other structure or piece of construction, with enamel or glaze or
paint or colour, or I employ them without being glazed, painted or coloured.
In order to economise the cost of facing bricks when specially formed as and for
the purposes herein before described, I make such bricks of the following special sizes
or thereabouts respectively namely headers 4 x 4 × 3 inches, stretchers 9 × 2 ×
3 inches and 4 × 2 × 3 inches, headers 4×4 × 6 inches, and stretchers 9 × 2 ×
6 inches, whereby the more expensive material used for facing the wall is materially
reduced in thickness, or depth, whilst it can still be bounded into the ordinary brick
backing of the wall, and also for the like purpose of economy generally, I make
facing bricks of all kinds with the usual plain surface but of the said special sizes
respectively.
In order that the nature of my said invention of the corrugated surface for
enamelled or glazed bricks may be more clearly understood, and the advantages
gained by its use rendered more apparent I now proceed to explain by the aid of the

page_text: accompanying diagrams some of the modes in which it may be brought into practical
use and whereby the area of reflecting surface is increased and the light reflected
therefrom is distributed generally or is directed or disposed so as to give it a special
inclination at pleasure, either horizontally or vertically at any required angle.
Figures 1 and 2 represent a form of bricks in two patterns (vertical and horizontal
respectively) designed for the special direction of the reflected light towards a
particular quarter, or for its concentration upon a particular point (such as a window)
chiefly in interior courts. Both of these patterns can of course be used either in the
position shown, or reversed, so as to direct the light either up or down, or right or
left as desired. By the use of these patterns as compared with plain bricks, an extra
reflecting surface of about 20 per cent. is also obtained.
Figures 3 and 4 represent two other patterns of bricks (vertical and horizontal
respectively) designed for increasing and generally dispersing the light in various
situations where the directing of the light towards a particular quarter, or the con-
centration of it on a particular point may not be so much in question as in the previous
case (Figures 1 and 2). By the use of these patterns as compared with plain bricks,
an extra reflecting surface of about 14 per cent. is also obtained.
Figures 5 and 6 represent two other patterns (vertical and horizontal respectively)
designed for the same purpose as Figures 3 and 4 and these will be found beneficial
and useful in all situations. They will also produce an ornamental effect worth
considering in many cases. The extra reflecting surface obtained by their use is
about 50 per cent.
Figures 7 and 8 represent two other patterns (vertical and horizontal respectively)
designed for the same purposes as the last, and possessing an extra reflecting surface
of about 43 per cent. as compared with plain bricks.
Figures 9 and 10 represent two other patterns (vertical and horizontal respectively)
applicable for the same purposes as in the case of Figures 3 to 8. By their use an
extra reflecting surface of 17 per cent. is also obtained.
In all cases it is to be understood that the intervals of the surface division or
corrugation as well as the angles of inclination of the same may be at pleasure varied
to any extent of increase or of decrease from what is represented on the diagrams.
before mentioned; this being illustrated by the further Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Besides the patterns represented or indicated by the several Figures above-
mentioned the same effects by way of modifying the reflection of light may be
produced by breaking up corrugating or wrinkling the ordinary plain or smooth.
surface of enamelled or glazed bricks in any other way whatever regularly or
irregularly in pursuance of the general principle that the area of reflecting surface-
becomes always increased thereby and the reflection of the light designedly distributed
and directed as above mentioned.
Enamelled or glazed bricks are not the only materials by means of which the effects
above described may be produced but wall surfaces and others of any of the other
materials hereinbefore referred to may be formed on the same principles of corru-.
gation as above described and illustrated for the same purposes and with the same
effects, including the ornamental modelling or moulding of wall surfaces and others
when designed for the purposes above described as regards the more advantageous
reflection of light therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to state that
I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details and arrangements shown in the
accompanying diagrams as the same may be modified at pleasure without departing.
from the nature of my said invention, neither do I claim as of my invention the mere
use of reflecting surfaces, either for the concentration, direction, or diffusion of light,.
as this is not novel, nor do I claim as of my invention the use of bricks, tiles, blocks,
or other portions, parts or materials used for building purposes as this is not new,.

page_text: nor do I claim the use of glazed bricks, tiles or other such surfaces as these have
been used before, but what I do elaim as of my invention is
The formation of bricks, tiles, and wall, and other surfaces, in the manner, and
for the purposes herein before described, and as illustrated by the accompanying
dragrams..