IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND OTHER BUILDINGS, BOTH OF A TEMPORARY OR OF A PERMANENT NATURE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sidebotham, of Blackpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUILDING OR
CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND OTHER BUILDINGS, BOTH OF A TEMPORARY OR
OF A PERMANENT NATURE."
Scaled the 29th December 1876, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and and then And Tune 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sidebotham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd June 1876.
"IM-
JOHN SIDEBOTHAM, of Blackpool, in the County of Lancaster, Architect.
PROVEMENTS IN THE BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND OTHER BUILDINGS,
BOTH OF A TEMPORARY OR OF A PERMANENT NATURE."
In some parts of the country there is an abundance of good rubble stone but none
that will form good bedding material. At these points brick clay is usually scarce,
but if plentiful can be burnt, when, in the form of nodules, technically known as
burnt ballast, it is far superior to rubble for the purposes of my Invention, as
hereafter described. Now my Invention is designed to combine the use of this
rubble or burnt ballast with increased speed, cheapness, strength, and durability of
erection, at the same time producing buildings decidedly superior in appearance
than can be otherwise produced at the same price.. It consists in building the
structure of a framework composed wholly of slabs, made preferably of concrete,
or of slabs and iron or other ties, and filling in the interior with concrete or other
material, such, for instance, as the aforesaid rubble or burnt ballast combined with
clay, earth, concrete, cement, or other material. In temporary structures the slab
framework will act without any filling.
The advantages of building the walls of my slabs rather than of hollow blocks
are that the slabs can be transported in a much smaller bulk, are cheaper of con-
struction, and less damageable in transit. I construct the slabs in such manner
that they shall when in position present a uniform surface on each exterior of the
wall, at the same time interlocking with each other in the most completo manner.
One plan of doing this is as follows:-On the bottom and one end of each slab,
forming the outer surfaces of the walls, I place a flange, extending outward parallel
with the main surface of the slab, but recessed back the thickness of the slab so as
[Price 6d.]

page_text: to form a rebate overlapping on the inner side the next slabs below it and on one
side of it. Also on the back, preferably of each slab, I mould two projecting ridges
parallel to each other, usually in a vertical but for specially purpose sometimes in an
oblique direction. Between these is a dovetail groove. Both sides of the walls are
alike in this respect, care being taken that the two dovetail grooves are exactly
opposite each other, which they always will be, if, as should be the case, all the slabs
(or every alternate) slab are moulded alike. Into these dovetail grooves I slide a
transverse slab with dovetail ends nicely fitting the dovetail grooves, first, a per-
manent erections, plastering, or cementing the groove, so as to hold all tight, or
thin cement can be run into these dovetail tiles binding all tight together. The
various courses are always made, when practicable, to break joint with each other.
The hollow space left between the two sides of the wall can now be filled in with
concrete or other materials, as before specified.
Special tiles, slabs, or blocks, are formed for the sills of windows and doors, and
ornamental designs can, if desirable, be moulded on them.
Sometimes instead of transverse slabs I use iron dowels or clamps, fitting with
dovetails into the grooves, or in place of grooves I mould stout eyes on the backs
of the slabs and connect them with iron bars bent at the end. The said bent ends
being inserted into the said eyes when a partition wall joins a main wall, or a block
over or round some opening is inserted into a building or occasionally in other
positions. I firmly clamp the two together with iron clamps clasping the two slabs
or slab and side of the block where they lie back to back against each other, a
notch is cut out of the slabs or out of those above them to allow of the clamp.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said John Sidebothain in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 29th December 1876.
JOHN SIDEBOTHAM, of Blackpool, in the County of Lancaster, Architect. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND OTHER BUILDINGS,
BOTH OF A TEMPORARY OR OF A PERMANENT NATURE."
In some parts of the country there is an abundance of good rubble stone but
none that will form good bedding material. At these points brick clay is usually
scarce, but if plentiful can be burnt, and when in the form of nodules, technically
known as burnt ballast, it is well adapted for the purposes of my Invention, us
hereafter described. Now my Invention is designed to combine the use of this
rubble or burnt ballast with increased speed, cheapness, strength, and durability
of erection, at the same time producing buildings decidedly superior in appearance
than can be otherwise produced at the same price. It consists in buildsng the
structure of a framework composed wholly of slabs made preferably of concrete, or
of slabs made of clay, or tiles tied with iron or other tics, and filling in the interior
with concrete, cement, or other material, such, for instance, as the aforesaid rubble
or burnt ballast combined with concrete, cement, or other material. In temporary
structures the slab framework will act without any filling.
The advantages of building the walls of my slabs rather than hollow or solid
blocks are that the slabs can be transported in a much smaller bulk, are cheaper
of construction, and less damageable in transit. I construct the slabs in such
manner that they shall, when in position, present a uniform surface on each exterior
of the wall, at the same time interlocking with each other in the most complete
manner. One plan of doing this is shown with slight variation in Fig. 1 to 3.
the bottom and one end of each main slab I place a flange, extending outward
parallel with the main surface of the slab but recessed back the thickness of the
slab so as to form a rebate overlapping on the inner side of the next slab below it
and on one side of it. Also on the back of each slab I mould two projecting ridges
On

page_text: parallel to each other, usually in a vertical but for special purposes sometimes in
an oblique direction, between these is a dovetail groove, both sides of the walls
are alike in this respect, care being taken that the two dovetail grooves are exactly
opposite each other. All the slabs in this respect are moulded alike. Into these
dovetail grooves I slide a transverse slab or tile, with dovetail ends nicely fitting
the dovetail grooves and in permanent erections. I first pluster or cement the
groove, or thin cement can be run into these dovetail ties binding all tight together.
The various courses are always made when practicable to break joint with cach
other. The hollow space left between the two sides of the wall can now be filled
in with concrete or other materials, as before specified.
Special tiles, slabs, or blocks, are formed for the sills of windows and doors and
ornamental designs can, if desirable, be moulded on them.
Sometimes, as in Fig. 4, instead of transverse slabs I use iron dowels or clamps
fitting with dovetails into the grooves, or in place of grooves I mould stout eyes on
the backs of the slabs and connect them with iron bars bent at the end, the said
bent ends being inserted into the said eyes.
EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1, 2, & 3, show an ordinary wall wholly of slabs and concrete filling; A, A,
are the main slabs with overlapping flanges on the bottom and one end; B, grooves,
moulded on their insides to carry transverse slabs D; C is the filling of concrete.
In Fig. 4, E is a metal clamp instead of slab D of Figs. 1, 2, and 3; the fronts of
the slabs are shown ornamentally moulded; this is done by cutting the pattern on
the board forming the mould.
In Fig. 8, instead of the dovetail grooves being on the centre of each slab, they
are shown on the ends of the slabs, the result being precisely the same when
finished. This method saves the use of a core in moulding. In Fig. 6 the same
arrangement is shown but with simple T grooves instead of dovetails; Fig. 5
represents a view of a corner of a building.
Having now described my Invention and the best modes known to me of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood, that while not claiming the use
of concrete walls in the abstract nor yet of walls inade of solid blocks of concrete
or of hollow blocks filled in, I do not limit myself to the precise details herein
described, but what I believe to be new and claim under the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The construction of walls composed of concrete or other slabs, interlocking
with each other both vertically and horizontally in combination with transverse
interlocking slabs, clamps, or other transverse ties, and with or without a concrete
filling.
2nd. The construction of concrete walls substantially as described and shown in
the foregoing Specification and Drawings or any modification thereof, such as walls
made of slabs without overlapping flanges between the horizontal courses when not
required to withstand a heavy side pressure.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sidebotham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,
British & International Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
JOHN SIDEBOTHAM. (L.S.)