IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, PIERS, AND SEA WALLS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Newton, of No. 5, Montpellier Road, Rye
Lane, Peckham, in the County of Surry, Contractor, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, PIERS, AND SEA
WALLS."
Sealed the 12th September 1862, and dated the 3rd April 1862..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Newton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd April.
1862.
I, JOHN NEWTON, of No. 5, Montpellier Road, Rye Lane, Peckham, in
the County of Surry, Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, PIERS, AND
SEA WALLS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in forming suitable hollow iron or timber casings,
braced or stiffened, as may be required, which are lowered or placed on the
bottom of the sea or beds of rivers, or in any place where such works are
required.. The casings are then bolted, rivetted, or otherwise fixed and secured
together. The further ingress of water is then prevented by means of clay
and sheet lead or other suitable substances placed. round the base of the casings
when sunk.. The water in the casings is then pumped or taken out to enable
workmen to perform any operation, such as putting in concrete,, clay, or any

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
NEWTON, of Number Five, Montpellier Road, Rye Lane, Peckham, in the
County of Surrey, Contractor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, 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 John Newton, Her special licence that I, the said John Newton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, PIERS, AND SEA WALLS,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Newton, 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 John Newton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention consists in forming suitable hollow iron or timber casings,
braced or stiffened, as may be required, which are lowered or placed on the
bottom of the sea or beds of rivers, or in any place where such works are
required. The casings are then bolted, rivetted, or otherwise fixed and secured
together. The further ingress of water is 'then prevented by means of clay

page_text: and sheet lead or other suitable substances placed round the base of the
casings when sunk. The water in the casings is then pumped or taken out.
to enable workmen to perform any operations, such as putting in concrete,
clay, or any other suitable material, thus forming a structure properly adapted
for the purposes to which these improvements are applicable.
My said Invention and the manner in which the same may be carried into
effect, will be thoroughly understood on reference to the accompanying Draw-
ings; the same letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout.
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) is a longitudinal elevation of the casing, shewing a series
of compartments or boxes, fixed or connected together by means of bolts or
rivets, as shewn at Figs. 4 and 5, constructed of wrought-iron plates a, a, and
having a timber roadway b on the top; Fig. 2 shews the method of making
the horizontal joints of the casings; Fig. 3 is a section of the casing on the
line A, B, in Fig. 1, and shews the method of bracing with wrought-iron
diagonal tie bars c, and timber horizontals d; Fig. 4 is a side view, and Fig. 5
a plan, shewing connection of bracing with the casing; Fig. 6 is a section
taken on the same line as Fig. 3, and shews the casing partially filled with
concrete; Fig. 7 shews the mode of connecting the timber roadway to the
top of the casing; Fig. 8 is a plan of the structure, as shewn in elevation at
Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a section, and Fig. 10 an elevation, shewing the method of
connecting the casing plates when made of cast iron; Fig. 11 is a sectional
plan; taken through the line C, D, in Fig. 3.
.
Fig. 12 (Sheet 2) shews a double section of casing used in constructing a
wide pier; Fig. 13 shews the mode of connecting the wrought-iron diagonals
c, c, to the top of the casing a, when a double casing is used, also the connection
of the compartments on the inner side a, a; Fig. 14 is a longitudinal elevation
of one of the casings, shewing a series of compartments when and as used for
a wide pier; Fig. 15 is a half plan and, half sectional plan of Fig. 12; Fig. 16
shews the mode of connecting the diagonal tie bars c, c, and horizontal
timbers d, d, to the casings, and the mode of connecting the casings to each
other when used for a wide pier; Fig. 17 is an end view of the casing shewing
the lower portion of door e fixed in place.
In constructing a breakwater, pier, sea wall, or any other similar structure
according to my said Invention, I prepare suitable casings of cast or wrought
iron platas, bolted or rivetted together to the required form, which may be
that shewn in the Drawings, or any other adapted to the purpose; the casing
or compartment is open at each end, the sides being held in position by
the bracing, one end is then closed with a door, as shewn at e, Fig. 17. The
whole is then conveyed by a suitable travelling crane and lowered into its

page_text: position in the sea or river; the open end is secured to a pier or concrete
embankment at a point from whence the structure is to commence...The
ingress of water can be prevented by. placing clay and sheet lead or other
suitable substances around the base of the 'casing; the water is then pumped
or taken out, and the casing is filled in with concrete or other suitable material;
when the concrete is sufficiently set the door is removed, and a second casing
is lowered and bolted on to the first. The previous operations are then
repeated, and so continued until the required length of pier is constructed,
thus forming in an expeditious manner an economical and durable structure.
In forming a pier or other similar structure of, say, from 20 to 30 feet wide
at top, I use two sets of casings, as shewn on Sheet 2; the inner sides a, a, of
each of these casings are so formed by being bolted together on the outer face
that they can be removed when necessary. When the two lines of piers are
carried to a sufficient distance a suitable door or web is fixed at the end of the
space between the two piers or walls; the water is then taken out, and the
inner casings having been removed the space is filled in with concrete or other
material, and the roadway formed on the top.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine.
myself to the precise forms or details. represented or described; inasmuch
as it is obvious that circumstances will arise which will affect the method
of carrying out the same, but will not at all interfere with the nature or
character of my said Invention; but what I claim in relation thereto is, the
construction of breakwaters, piers, sea walls, or other similar structures by
means of suitable casings similar to those before described, which may
be filled with stone, brick, concrete, or any other material, as may be
required.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Newton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
PERRY F. NURSEY, -
18, Great George Street,
Westminster.
JOHN NEWTON. (L.S.)