IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR BLOCKS USEFUL FOR THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS AND BUILDINGS OF VARIOUS KINDS, THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS FORMING PART OF THE SAID INVENTION
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Cowdery, of Exmouth, in the County
of Devon, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BRICKS OR BLOCKS USEFUL FOR THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS AND
BUILDINGS OF VARIOUS KINDS, THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS FORMING
PART OF THE SAID INVENTION."
Sealed the 4th November 1873, and dated the 9th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Cowdery at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th May 1873.
I, GEORGE COWDERY, of Exmouth, in the County of Devon, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR BLOCKS USEFUL FOR THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
KILNS AND BUILDINGS OF VARIOUS KINDS, THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS
forming Part of the said InventTION," to be as follows :—
I form with clay or brick carth hollow bricks or blocks, which I
term terra ashlar builders. These I make of any suitable size, say,

page_text: 2 feet 3 inches long, 9 inches deep, and 14 inches wide, and in plan
海 whereby I reduce the weight of 14" brickwork about
thus
two-thirds.
In order to properly dry and burn these blocks I construct drying
rooms and kiln or ovens, the drying rooms deriving.their heat from the
kiln, which I prefer to construct in a circular form having continuous or
ring form burning chamber or chambers and a drying room outside of the
kiln, but heated therefrom (usually from the burning chamber), the
heat passing with the smoke beneath the floor of the drying room, and
escaping up the chimney situate at the end of the drying room. The
central space encompassed by the ring formed or continuous burning
chamber is occupied by a drying chamber or room which is also con-
nected to the outer drying room by pipes or ducts in communication
with the fluo for conveying heat to said outer drying room.
In erecting buildings with these blocks air should be admitted near
the surface of the ground, say, by perforating in the plinth, and free
circulation is obtained between the walls of blocks having its outlet
round each flue on the top of chimney, and as there will be only about
1 inch in thickness of blocks at back of fire-place, the air circulating
between the building blocks becomes warmed, and makes its exit round
cach flue on the top of the chimney, and as there will be only about
1 inch in.thickness of the blocks at the back of the fire-place, the air
circulating between the building blocks becomes warmed and makes its
exit round each flue, as before-named, carrying the smoke clear of the
flue, thereby preventing down draught.
When my improved construction is adopted, in the event of adjoining
premises being on fire, the partition wall would become heated, but as
fresh air is admitted at the bottom of the building it would rapidly carry
off the heated air, thereby preventing contact.
· For greater safety I would recommend the use of revolving iron
shutters to all windows, as also the kyanizing of all timbers used in
buildings, by which means fire from within would not spread.
Although I have described my Invention as a whole, details can be
used separately, for instance, for plinths, quoins, string courses, window
and door heads, and jambs, cornices, garden walls, and so ferth; and the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Cowdery in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 8th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
COWDERY, of Exmouth, in the County of Devon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
givo and grant unto me, the said George Cowdery, Her special licence
that I, the said George Cowdery, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Cowdery, my exccutors,
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 " IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR BLOCKS USEFUL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
KILNS AND BUILDINGS OF VARIOUS KINDS, THE IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS
FORMING PART OF THE SAID INVENTION," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Cowdery, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 George Cowdery, 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 form with clay or brick carth hollow bricks or blocks, which I term

page_text: three inches long, nine inches deep, and fourteen inches wide, whereby
I reduce the weight of fourteen inch brickwork about two-thirds.
In order to properly dry and burn these blocks I construct drying
rooms, and kiln, or ovens, the drying rooms deriving their heat from
the kiln, which I prefer to construct in a circular form, having a con-
tinuous or ring form burning chamber or chambers and a drying room
outside of the kiln, but heated therefrom (usually from the burning
chambers), the heat passing with the smoke beneath the floor of the
drying room, and escaping up the chimney situate at the end of the
drying room. The central space encompassed by the ring formed or 1
continuous burning chamber is occupied by a drying chamber or room,
which is also connected to the outer drying room by pipes or ducts in
communication with the fluc, for conveying heat to said outer drying
room.
On works that do not require the outside drying room a modification
of the kiln is necessary, the smoke chamber is dispensed with, and a flue
formed direct from each burning chamber.
In erecting buildings with my blocks air should be admitted near the
surface of the ground, say, by perforations in the plinth, and free cir-
culation is obtained between the walls of blocks, having its outlet round
cach fluo on the top of chimney, and as there will be only about one
and a quarter inches in thickness of blocks at back of fire-place the air
circulating between the building blocks becomes warmed, and makes its
exit round each fluc, as before named, carrying the smoke clear of
flue, thereby preventing down draught.
When my improved construction is adopted in buildings other than
kilns, and so forth, in the event of adjoining premises being on fire, the
partition wall would become heated, but as fresh air is admitted at the
bottom of the building it would rapidly carry off the heated air, thereby
proventing contact.
For greater safety I would recommend the use of revolving iron
shutters to all windows, as also the kyanizing of all timbers used in
buildings, by which means fire from within would not spread.
Although I have described my Invention as a whole, it will be evident
that parts can be used separately, for instance, for plinths, quoins, string
courses, window and door heads, and jambs, cornices, garden walls, and

page_text: so forth; and the drying rooms and burning kilns can be also used for
pottery, common brick-making, lime, and so forth.
The foregoing statements particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and indicate in what manner the same is
to be performed or put in practice, and in further compliance with the
condition in the said Letters Patent contained I will now further and
particularly describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice by referring to the Drawings
are theme Dunnanda

page_text: provements in the Manufacture of Bricks or Blocks useful for the
Improved Construction of Kilns and Buildings of various Kinds, the
Improved Construction of Kilns forming Part of the said Invention," as
herein before described, in which Invention the construction of kilns in
manner herein-before described, and the use and adoption of the terra
ashlar builders as hercin-before described are particular and important
points.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Cowdery, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
HUGH LEONARD,
St. Mary Church,
N'. Torquay.
GEO. COWDERY. (L.S.)