IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF FIRE, AND IN THE MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN AND THEREFOR
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Allen, of No. 14, Worship Street, in the
.
Parish of Saint Leonard, Shoreditch, in the County of Middlesex, Builder,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS FOR
THE PREVENTION OF FIRE, AND IN THE MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
AND THEREFOR
"
Sealed the 22nd July 1862, and dated the 30th January 1862.
1.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Allen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th January 1862.
I, MATTHEW ALLEN, of No. 14, Worship Street, in the Parish of Saint
Leonard, Shoreditch, in the County of Middlesex, Builder, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF FIRE, AND IN THE MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN AND THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
I. I
T.
32
.31
This Invention consists in constructing private houses, public buildings, and
other structures in a new and improved manner, and in the application of a
material I not hitherto employed in combination therein and therefor, that is to
say, I propose to construct staircases in such a manner, as to economise the
space they usually occupy, and to render the same fire-proof by insulating
them from every internal portion of the building of which they form a part.
This I propose to accomplish by arranging the stairs in a semicircular or other

page_text: recess in the outer wall of a building, and extending from the foundation to
the roof, and having no openings whatever on its inner side, but to be pro-
vided, where necessary, with openings or doorways on its outer face leading
to balconies fixed at the level of each of the upper floors, which are both to
be formed of incombustible materials; by these means each floor or flat is
made totally distinct from and independent of that one below or above it,
so far as regards any internal communication therewith or therefrom.
The improved material, herein-before referred to, consists in the com-
bination of cinders, slags, coke, culm, clinkers, or other calcined substances
of similar character thereto, and possessing an irregular, uneven, or porous
surface with Portland or other cement in the proportion of about one part
thereof to about three parts of any of the other substances, the whole being
mixed together with sufficient water to bring it to any requisite consistence;
and in order to prevent this material from adhering to the surfaces or
moulds on or in which it is to be temporarily sustained, the said surfaces
or moulds are to be faced or lined with zinc or other suitable metal. This
improved combined material can be used with advantage in the construction
of floors, roofs, steps, slabs, lintels, and the like, and they may be
strengthened by the addition of iron placed therein and arranged edgewise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthew Allen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
ALLEN, of No. 14, Worship Street, in the Parish of Saint Leonard, Shore-
ditch, in the County of Middlesex, Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Matthew Allen, Her special licence that I, the said Matthew
Allen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Matthew Allen, 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 IMPROVE

page_text: MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF FIRE, AND IN
THE MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN AND THEREFOR," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Matthew Allen, my executors.or admi,
nistrators, 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 Matthew Allen, 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:-
I propose to construct buildings in a new and improved manner by econo-
mising the space which the staircases usually occupy, and to render them
fireproof by dividing or insulating the staircases from the building of which
they form a part. This I propose to accomplish by arranging the stairs (which
are to be made of incombustible materials) in a recess forined in the outer
wall of a building, which recess is to extend from the foundation to the roof,
and have no opening whatever on its inner side, but is to be provided, where
necessary, , with openings or doorways on its outer face leading to balconies
(which are also to be formed of incombustible materials), fixed at the level of
and giving access to each of the floors or flats of the building. By means of
this arrangement of staircase and balconies each floor or flat will be rendered
totally distinct from and independent of that one below or above it, so far as
regards any internal communication therewith or therefrom.
My Invention also consists in obtaining and forming a new material for
building purposes by the combination of cinders, slags, coke, culm, clinkers,
or other calcined substances of similar character thereto, possessing an
irregular uneven or porous surface, with Portland or other cement in the
proportion of about one part thereof to about three parts of any of the other
substances, the whole being mixed together with sufficient water to bring it to
a requisite consistence, so as to enable it to be placed or poured into moulds
for the purpose of giving it any desired shape or form. These moulds are to
be faced with zinc or any other suitable metal, which will prevent the adhe-
sion of the material thereto while it is setting. This material is to be used
for the making of walls, floors, roofs, steps, slabs, lintels, chimney-pieces, and
the like, and these are to be strengthened, where necessary, by placing iron
bars or ribs therein edgewise.

page_text: Having now described the nature and manuer of using my said Invention,
I desire it to be understood that the features of novelty which I claim, are,-
Firstly, the making of the staircase or staircases leading to the different
floors of buildings, in the manner herein-before described, so as to preserve a
perfectly free and safe passage to and from any of the floors of the structure
in case of fire.
Secondly, the combination of the materials, in the manner herein-before
described, for the making of walls, floors, roofs, stairs, slabs, lintels, chimney-
pieces, or any other parts of buildings.
Thirdly, the casting or moulding the said combined materials in moulds
faced with zinc or other suitable metal.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Allen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
MATTHEW ALLEN.
(L.S.)