IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARCHITECTURAL TREATMENT OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Payne, of Westminster, Architect, for the
Invention of" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARCHITECTURAL TREATMENT OF CONCRETE
BUILDINGS, AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 30th September 1876, and dated the 7th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Payne at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1876.
"
ALEXANDER PAYNE, of Westminster, Architect. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARCHI-
TECTURAL TREATMENT OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
The object of my Invention is to simplify and render more sightly every class
of building done in concrete.
First, by moulding the concrete walls, roofs, arches, or other structure in a
skeleton framework of wood, iron, or other suitable material of ornamental design
or otherwise, which framework is to form an integral part of the structure, and may
take the form of a series of uprights or trelliswork on the inside and outside of the
wall, vault, or other structure to support the moulding boards or centering, and
would remain embedded in the concrete when the latter are removed.
Secondly, by forming in the moulding boards panels or centering for moulding con-
crete structures, noveable dies, patterns, or types by which a variety of patterns,
incised designs, or lettering may be imprinted into the surface of a concrete wall, vault,
roof, or other structure, in short by adapting the principle of the printing press to a
concrete moulding apparatus; or the patterns or dies may wholly or in part be
made of tiles, mosaic, terra cotta, or other decorative material, and be so arranged
that they can be left embedded in the surface of the concrete wall when the
moulding boards are removed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Payne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1876.
ALEXANDER PAYNE, of 4, Storey's Gate, St. James Park, in the City of Westminster,
Architect. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARCHITECTURAL TREATMENT OF CONCRETE
BUILDINGS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
The object of my Invention is to simplify, render more slightly, and develope the
architectural treatment of every class of building done in concrete.
First, by moulding the concrete walls, roofs, arches or other structure in a skeleton
framework of wood, iron or other suitable material of ornamental design or other-
wise, which framework is to form an integral part of the structure, and may take
the form of a series of uprights or trellis work on the inside and outside of the wall,
vault, &c., to support the moulding boards or centering, and would remain embedded
in the concrete when the latter are removed. Or in other words to form or frame
the walls, piers, columns, or other suitable parts of the structure as so many boxes
or caissons of open work filled in with concrete, such open work to form an integral
part of the design. Thus to give a simple example :-Suppose a wall required with
a window in it, and let Fig. 1 be the plan, and Fig. 2 the elevation of it on plate 1,
I frame an openwork skeleton box of wood, iron, or other suitable material (shewn
on one side of the Figure in wood, and the other in iron), I attach moulding plates
to this skeleton to hold in the concrete, which are removed when the latter is
set, leaving the framework embedded in the concrete. In the illustration the
iron uprights are shaped thus
in section to show two edges with tiles
clasped between; but they can be made of L or T iron, or any other suitable
section.
It is obvious that the front of the box can be framed after the model of the open
timber work of the middle ages or other suitable design. In Figs. 3ª and 3b I give
suggestions for an ornamental front to the box, in wood or metal respectively,
with the concrete surfaces filled in between and ornamented with stucco deco-
rations.
I either form the whole building in this way as a skeleton, and then fill up with
concrete, or parts may be made as separate boxes, and afterwards joined together,
or the boxes can be filled up with concrete before being permanently fixed up in the
building.
It will be readily seen that this principle can be adapted to almost all the
various structural parts of a building, such as walls, columns, piers, roofs, floors,
girders, &c., &c., and can be used alone or in conjunction with other and
the ordinary systems of building, and any suitable kind of material can be
used both for the skeleton framing and for the composition of the concrete
filling in.
The skeleton framework can be either completely bedded in the concrete or can
be left flush with it; or the moulding plates can be grooved on to the uprights so
that the concrete is slightly set back from the face of the framework to allow space
for filling up the panels between the framework with a covering of plaster, cement,
decorated stucco, or other material.
The second part of my Invention has reference to the ornamental treatment of
surfaces of concrete. I attach to the moulding boards, plates, or centering for
moulding concrete structures, moveable dies, patterns or type, by which a variety
of patterns, incised designs, or lettering may be imprinted into the surface of a
concrete wall, vault, roof, or other structure. In short, I adapt the principle of
the printing press to a concrete moulding apparatus.
The ornamental dies may be made to slide in grooves in the moulding plates, as
shewn in Fig. 4 (where a, a, a, show three of the sliding dies; b, the elevation of the

page_text: moulding board: c, a section of the moulding board shewing projections to form
grooves, and d, a section of the sliding dies) or in a slot, as shewn in Fig. 5 (where
a, a, show the dies; b an elevation of the moulding boards with slots, ca
section of the board with dies and the screw by which they are fixed up tight.
The head of the screw can also slide backwards and forwards in the die to ensure
meeting with the opening of the slot in all cases); or they may be simply screwed
on or attached in any other suitable or convenient way to the moulding boards, and
the dies or type may be made of wood, metal, plaster, or any other suitable material
or composition.
"
By another adaption of this principle I arrange the patterns or dies so that they
can be left embedded in the surface of the concrete as ornamental features when
the moulding boards are removed. This method is shewn in Fig. 6. The patterns
or dies are here suitably made in tile, terra cotta, marble, glass, or other decorative
material. I form the moulding boards so as to clasp the tiles or decorative
plaques" by a removeable piece. The tiles are built up in the frame, and the
concrete is thrown in behind; when set the removeable piece is released by screws
or other method, the moulding boards can then be taken away, leaving the tiles or
"plaques" embedded in the wall. (At a, in Fig. 6, the tile is shewn fixed to the
moulding board by means of the removeable piece and screw; at bit is shewn
released from the moulding board and embedded in the wall; at c an elevation is
shown of tiles bedded in this manner at regular intervals in a concrete wall lined
round with stucco. I also bevel these tiles, as shewn, so as to form a key for the
filling in, which would usually be of cement or decorated stucco; but it is clear that
a great variety of patterns may be formed on this principle, and if desired, instead
of cementing between the embedded "plaques" which form the key, other tiles or
"plaques" or slabs of marble or compressed concrete, or even plates of metal may
be inserted so as to cover the wall with a veneer of decorative materials firmly
secured to it by the embedded parts.
In Plate 2 I have shewn the adaptation of the before-mentioned principles to a
vault and colonade to be constructed of iron and concrete. In this design I pro-
pose to frame the whole in a skeleton of light iron sufliciently strong to carry a
centering and moulding plates of wood or other material. This light iron would be
left in to form a permanent part of the structure, as shown. The columns and the
spaces between the ribs of the vault would be filled up with concrete by moulds
fixed on the centerings; these spaces could be panelled to any design so as both to
render them ornamental and increase their lightness. The other ornaments on
capitals and bases, &c. are proposed to be done in sgraffito. I propose to tie in the
vaults by a series of concentric rings to prevent any tendency to spread and to
obviate the necessity for buttresses on the principle patented by me in August 1874
(No. 2786.)
On Plate 2 the light skeleton iron framework is shewn at a, a, a, a, and the
column and vault completed with stucco decorations added at b, b.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention for "Improvements in the
Architectural Treatment of Concrete Buildings, and in Appliances connected
therewith," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim―
First. The forming concrete structures in a permanent framework or series of
open work boxes which support the moulding boards and form an integral and
ornamental part of the design of the structure.
Secondly. Ornamenting concrete surfaces by moveable ornamental dies attached
to the moulding boards, and thus printing the surfaces of the wall in any required
pattern, substantially as set forth herein.
Thirdly. Decorating concrete surfaces by tiles or slabs of various materials so
shaped that they can be built up with the moulding plates and be left embedded

page_text: in the surfaces of the wall either by themselves or to form a key for other
decorations.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Payne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
ALEXANDER PAYNE. (L.S.)