IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF MARINE ST UCTURES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Auckland Léopold Pedro Cochrane, of
the City of Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Captain in
the Royal Navy, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF MARINE ST UCTURES."
Sealed the 3rd September 1869, and dated the 4th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Auckland
Leopold Pedro Cochrane at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with his Petition on the 4th March 1869.
I, ARTHUR AUCKLAND LEOPOLD, PEDRO COCHRANE, of the City of
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Navy,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINE STRUCTURES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the forming and protection of the foundations
of sea and river walls, embankments, piers, breakwaters, and bridges,
and for the better security and preservation of sea and river beaches
by the formation of durable and efficient foreshores and facings thereto.
Price 8d.]

page_text: It is further applicable to the construction of tanks and reservoirs for
the collection and storeage of water, sewage, and the like.
And my improvements consist in the preparation and application of
concrete blocks of gravel or stone chippings, lime, sand, and bitumen,
which I combine and incorporate together and cast, mould, or otherwise
form into suitable masses or blocks as may be found most applicable for
the object in view, both as regards size and weight. These blocks having
been deposited with or without a base or bed of bituminous concrete in.
the situation intended I unite them together so as to form one entire and
compact mass by pouring into or otherwise filling up the joints or
interstices with a bituminous cement composed of bitumen, sand, and
lime, generally in suitable proportions and rendered sufficiently plastic
by the admixture of gas tar together with the application of heat so
as to enable the cement to be poured or run into and fill up the joints.
And I further propose to employ a suitable bituminous cement for the
purpose of uniting together the stones of ordinary masonry or of existing
facings of foreshores, beaches, and similar structures, and thus prevent
the water from percolating through the joints of such stonework to the
substratuin.
I further propose to protect such facings or foreshores from the
injurious hydraulic pressure or action of the sea or river whether they
be constructed of ordinary stone or blocks of bituminous concrete, and
this I effect by constructing longitudinal transverse or diagonal sleeper
walls of similar material to that employed for the facing, or of bituminous
concrete as shall be found most suitable, extending the same downwards
into the soil in trenches formed previously in the existing beach or
foreshore, by which means the under surface of such facings becomes
divided into a series of separate spaces, which not only has the effect of
uniting the whole facing into one solid mass imparting great strength
to it and enabling it to resist the action of the sea upon its upper surface,
but by intercepting the blow of the sea upon the foot of the facing
obviates in a great degree the tendency to undermine it and prevents
the sea from lifting and breaking through it and the consequent washing
away of the shingle and sand of the foreshore itself. These bituminous
concrete walls represent in a permanent manner the ordinary manner
of forming the defence with wooden piling, but which from its rapid
decay permits the rupture and destruction of the facing by allowing
a movement of the materials to take place and thus disturbing its con

page_text: tinuity. And as it is desirable that the surfaces of the blocks of concrete
or stone employed in the construction of marine structures, or the
joints of existing masonry should be prepared for the reception of the
bituminous I propose to heat the same sufficiently to dry the surfaces
and cause the adhesion of the cement by means of a portable furnace
fitted with a suitable blower and jet pipe. It being also desirable
that the joints or interstices of the blocks should be cleared of any
water that may have lodged or accumulated therein in order that the
heat applied may be effective and the adhesion of the bituminous
cement effected with certainty, and also that the foreshore sleeper wall'
trenches may be readily emptied of water previously to the heating
and application of the cement or concrete, I employ a suitable tube
in which a steam jet is inserted by which the water is discharged
therefrom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro Cochrane in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
AUCKLAND LEOPOLD PEDRO COCHRANE, of the City of Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, 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 successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro
Cochrane, Her special licence that I, the said Arthur Auckland Leopold
Pedro Cochrane, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro Cochrane, 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINE STRUCTURES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro

page_text: Cochrane, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro
Cochrane, 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
My Invention has reference to the protection of the foundations of
sea and river walls, embankments, piers, breakwaters, and bridges,
and for the better security and preservation of sea and river beaches
by the formation of durable and efficient foreshores and facings thereto.
It is further applicable to the construction of tanks and reservoirs for
the collection of water, sewage, and other liquids or fluids.
And my improvements consist in the preparation of concrete blocks
of gravel or stone chippings, lime, sand, and bitumen, which I combine
and' incorporate together and cast, mould, or otherwise form into suitable
masses or blocks as may be found most applicable for the object in
view both as regards size and weight. These blocks having been
deposited with or without a base or bed of bituminous concrete in the
situation intended I unite them together so as to form one entire
and compact mass by pouring into or otherwise filling up the joints
or interstices with a bituminous cement composed of bitumen, sand
and lime in suitable proportions and rendered sufliciently plastic by
the admixture of gas tar together with the application of heat so as to
enable the cement to be poured or run into and fill up the joints.
And I further propose to employ a suitable bituminous cement for
the purpose of uniting together the stones of ordinary masonry or of
existing facings of foreshores, beaches, and similar structures, and thus
prevent the water from percolating through the joints of such stonework
to the substratum.
I further propose to protect such facings or foreshores from the
injurious hydraulic action of the sea or river, whether they be constructed
of ordinary stone or blocks of bituminous concrete, and this I effect by

page_text: constructing longitudinal transverse or diagonal sleeper walls of similar
material to that employed for the facing or of bituminous concrete as
shall be found most suitable, extending the same downwards into the
soil in trenches previously formed in the existing beach or foreshore, by
which means the under surface of such facings becomes divided into a
series of separate spaces, which has the effect of uniting the whole facing
into one solid mass, imparting great strength to it, enabling it to resist
the action of the sea upon the upper surface, and by intercepting the
blow of the sea upon the foreshore obviates the tendency to lift and
undermine it, and prevents the sea from breaking though it and the
consequent washing away of the foreshore itself. The bituminous
concrete walls represent in a permanent manner the ordinary mode
of construction which wooden piling is intended to subserve, but which
by decay of the piling permits the destruction of the facing by allowing
a movement of the material and thus disturbing its continuity. As it
is desirable that the surfaces of the blocks of concrete or stone employed
in the construction of marine structures or the joints of existing masonry
should be prepared for the reception of the bituminous cement, I propose
to heat the same sufficiently to dry the surfaces and make them warm
enough to cause the adhesion of the cement by means of a portable
furnace fitted with a suitable blower and jet pipe. It being desirable
that the joints or interstices of the blocks or stones should be cleared of
any water that may have lodged or accumulated therein in order that
the adhesion of the bituminous cement may be effected with certainty, and
also that the sleeper wall trenches of foreshores may be emptied of water
previous to the application of the bituminous concrete or cement, I
employ for such purpose a suitable pipe in which is inserted a steam jet
for the purpose of discharging the water therefrom.
And in order that the same may be more fully understood I shall more
particularly describe the mode I employ of carrying the said Invention
into effect.
At first with respect to the bituminous blocks and concrete. The
respective quantities of the ingredients must be regulated in a manner
most suitable to the object in view. For river walls where the hydraulic
action is more moderate the quantity of bitumen may be a minimum,
but for sea walls the proportion of bitumen must be increased so as to
render the sctructure capable of withstanding the more violent action of
the sea and the constant and severe battering action of the shiugle.

page_text: In the former case if the bitumen constitute about th to th of
the whole mass by weight it will be found to be sufficient in most
cases, but for the latter 'oth to th will be necessary to give it
sufficient tenacity to resist the battering action of the shingle, the sand
and shingle or stone chippings being in about equal quantities. For
the bituminous cement to be used for uniting stone or concrete blocks
together a rather richer composition will be requisite in order to give it
the required degree of fluidity, which may be assisted by using a small
quantity of coal tar. The quantity of bitumen may with advantage be
extended to about th of the whole mass.
In most cases either for concrete blocks or concrete broken shingle or
balast will be found preferable to smooth stones, and for the like reason
good sharp sand will be preferable to other and finer sand for the cement.
The cement will be improved by the admixture of a small quantity of
lime, which has the effect of hardening the mass by absorbing the free
oily portions of the bitumen and thus conduce to the more rapid drying
and setting of the mass; it will also have a tendency to swell the mass
at the moment of setting. As much sand should be used as will stiffen
it without impairing its fluidity and preventing it from pervading
freely all parts of the joints; chalk may be employed in a pounded
state instead of lime as giving great toughness and hardness to the
composition.
The proposed employment of bituminous concrete blocks or concrete
for walls constructed "en pisé" is altogether independent of their
design, as the material is simply proposed as a substitute for stone, brick,
or wood piling as now used, and is therefore totally irrespective of form,
that element being entirely one of resistance to force whatever material
may be employed. The form of a foreshore also is dependent upon the
strength and direction of the prevailing currents on any coast as well as
upon the size and character of the shingle which is cast up by the sea,
but whatever may be the best form to resist such forces the resisting
power will be greatly increased by the adoption of a tenacious material
which from its plastic character neutralizes in a great degree the con-
cussive effects and action of the sea and shingle, while it is not subject
to the pulverizing and solvent results which commonly attend the use of
mortar and cements, it being found that even Portland cement yields to
the continued attacks of such forces in the most exposed situations in a
few months. In preparing these compositions which require a con-

page_text: siderable heat for their proper incorporation it is necessary to take great
care that when a naked fire is employed to heat the cauldron in which
the bitumen is melted the cauldron should be so set as to prevent
the bitumen from being carbonized or overheated, which would deprive
it of its special adhesive quality and therefore render it unfitted for the
intended object.
For heating the joints or surfaces of stone or concrete blocks when
necessary I propose to employ a portable furnace made of sheet iron and
lined with fire-clay or fire-bricks or loam, which may be charged with
coke (to avoid smoke) and supplied with a blast from a rotatory blower
as being most convenient for the purpose, I direct the blast of hot air
from the furnace into the joints or on to the surfaces of the blocks by
means of a pipe and nozzle and thus prepare them for the better re-
ception or application of the bituminous cement.
In preparing a beach or foreshore to receive the facing for its pro-
tection it is necessary to cut trenches for the insertion or the reception
of the longitudinal transverse or diagonal sleeper walls, and it may be
found that at the depth required there may be an accumulation of water
which I propose to get rid of by means of a syphon tube having a steam
jet inserted in it so as to draw up the water and discharge it into a shoot,
thence to be disposed of in the most convenient manner.
As these appliances are in themselves of ordinary use a minute
description of them is unnecessary, but the accompanying Diagrams will
simply shew their application to the intended purpose.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a furnace with blower for discharging warm air
into the joints or on to the surfaces of stonework or of concrete blocks.
Figure 2 shews the application of a steam jet in a syphon tube to
trenches or joints of stone or other work to get rid of the water lodging
therein or thereon.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a section and plau of the proposed mode
of protecting foreshore facings so as to prevent their being disturbed
by the action of the sea, and will be sufficiently obvious without further
description.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
general mode of applying my improvements, I wish it to be understood

page_text: that I do not confine myself to the precise details as herein described so
long as the general character and main features of my Invention are
retained, as they may be varied to suit the numerous applications of the
proposed system but; what I claim is,-
The use and application of bituminous concrete blocks, of bituminous
concrete, and of bituminous cement for the joints of stonework, or
bituminous concrete blocks, as herein described, when applied to sea
and river walls, embankments, piers, breakwaters, bridges, sea and river
beaches, and their foreshores and facings, and to tanks and reservoirs,
as herein described, whereby a more permanent mode of construction
is obtained and hence greater security and economy ensured in such
marine structures.
I also claim the use and application of the apparatus herein described
for heating the joints and surfaces of stone and bituminous concrete
blocks and of the apparatus for discharging the accumulated water
therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro
Cochrane, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine.
ARTHUR A. L. P. COCHRANE. (L.B.)