IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICKS, STONES, OR OTHER MATERIALS, FOR THE BETTER VENTILATION OF HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS
Year: 1825

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BURRIDGE, of Nelson Square, Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surry,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Ninth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-
five, in the sixth year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Burridge, His especial licence, that I,
the said John Burridge, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others' as I,
tho said John Burridge, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, 'my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICKS, STONES, OR OTHER MATERIALS, FOR THE
BETTER VENTILATION OF HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said John Burridge, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Burridge, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described

page_text: and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):-
It having been proved beyond a doubt that much of the valuable timber
used in the construction of houses and other buildings becomes affected by
premature decay or dry rot for want of proper ventilation, many persons
have attempted to effect that desirable object by various means, but hitherto
without success. Fig. 1 represents a plan of one of my improved bricks, made
of the usual size and proportion, but at each end a, a, a portion of the solid is
removed, by fixing a corresponding piece of wood or metal in the mould in
which the brick is made; an end view is seen below. Fig. 2 has similar
portions at 6, b, removed, but they do not continue all along the end of the
brick, which will be better seen in the end view below; Fig. 3 has a groove c,
formed the whole length of the brick, the depth of which will be seen in the
end view; Fig. 4, d represents a portion removed from the side of a brick
similar to Fig. 1; Fig. 5, e, c, are two grooves formed across the brick'; a side
view of the same is seen below; Fig. 6, f shows a brick with a single groove
across; a side view is seen below; Fig. 7 represents a plan of a brick with the
upper edges bevelled; the depth of the bevels 9, 9, will be seen in the side view
adjoining; Fig. 8 shews a plan of a brick with only two bevels h, h,. formed on
the edges; the end view is seen below. When bricks, stones, or other
materials are made in the manner above shewn, they may be laid in walls so
as to form very convenient apertures to permit the passage of air in any
direction that may be considered most convenient. Fig. 9 represents a
fragment of an eighteen inch wall constructed with common bricks, tho ends
of the joists A, B, being ventilated by means of my improved ventilating
bricks; h, h, h, h, h, represent apertures formed for the admission of air by
placing bricks that have their edges bevelled in the way here shewn, so that.
currents of air may pass freely round the end or bottom of the joist B, and enter
between the floor and cieling. If the opposite end of the joist. be ventilated
in a similar manner, then there will be a passage for air completely through
between the joists which will most effectually prevent any premature decay of
the timber from dry rot. C represents a brick with a single groove formed in
it, which conveys the air to the: apertures formed by the bevels, h, h, h, h,, h,
by which means the end of the joist. or beam A. is perfectly ventilated, and
consequently long kept from decay. The two examples: here: given: will, it. is
conceived, be sufficient to shew that. with bricks, stones, or any other materials.
so formed, the apertures for the admission and passage of air can be so placed
or arranged, that ventilation may be produced in any part of a house or building
as pleasure. When small apertures are considered. sufficient, plain bricks may

page_text: be laid over the grooves or levels herein shewn; but if larger ones are deemed
necessary, then similar ventilating bricks must be laid inverted and exactly
over those already arranged, by which means the apertures will be made double
the size. Fig. 10 represents an end view of Fig. 1 covered with a plain brick;
the inclined part a returns any drops of water that may be forced into the
entrance from without. Fig. 11 shews an end view of two ventilating bricks
laid upon each other so as to cause the current of air that enters to ascend the
aperture, being inclined upwards for that purpose; this form of brick will be seen
in Fig. 2. Fig. 12 shews an end view of two bricks laid together so as to form
a cylindrical aperture; the same kind of brick is seen at Fig. 3. Fig 13, dis
similar to Fig. 4, but it is here covered with a plain brick to form the aperture
for the conveyance of. air. Fig. 14 represents two bricks similar to Fig. 5, laid
together so as to form two apertures. Fig. 15 represents an end view of four
bricks of the same kind, shewn in Fig. 8; when they are combined in the
manner here described, large apertures may be formed capable of admitting
a very considerable supply of fresh air. It will appear evident that with
materials thus formed, apertures for the passage of air may be made in and
through walls of any dimensions, and being conducted round the ends of beams
or timbers in the way before shewn, the decay that is so frequently occasioned
in timber by the want of proper ventilation will be completely prevented, and
that without any increase of expence in the first erection.
And I hereby further declare that although I prefer the method of forming
apertures through walls for the purpose of ventilation by the application of
bricks, stones, or other materials formed as herein described, yet many other
forms of apertures may be made at pleasure without departing from the
principle I have invented. But whatever shaped cavities are adopted, care
must be taken if they are made in moulds that they may be such as can be
conveniently delivered; because when the moulds for making bricks of this
description aro properly made, they may be used with the same facility and
expedition as in the manufacturo of common bricks. And I hereby further
declare that my Invention consists entirely in forming and applying bricks,
stones, or other materials as herein described, by the use of which, in the way
I have explained, the timbers in houses and other buildings will be most
effectually ventilated, and thereby preserved from the premature decay, so
universally complained of.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Burridge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.
JNO (L.S.) BURRIDGE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1825, the aforesaid John Burridge came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.
Inrolled the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.