IMPROVE- IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS, CULVERTS, ARCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLOCKS OF CLAY, POTTERY, AND OTHER SIMILAR WARES SUITABLE TO BE USED IN SUCH CONSTRUCTIONS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah George Jennings, of Holland Street, Black-
friars, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS, CULVERTS, ARCHES, AND OTHER
SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLOCKS OF CLAY, POTTERY,
AND OTHER SIMILAR WARES SUITABLE TO BE USED IN SUCH CONSTRUCTIONS."
Sealed the 15th October 1858, and dated the 17th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah George Jennings at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th April 1858.
I, JOSIAH GEORGE JENNINGS, of Holland Street, Blackfriars, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do. hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS, CULVERTS, ARCHES, AND OTHER
SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLOCKS OF CLAY, POTTERY, AND
OTHER SIMILAR WARES SUITABLE TO BE USED IN SUCH CONSTRUCTIONS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of
sewers, culverts, arches, and other similar structures, and in the manufacture
of blocks of clay, pottery, and other similar wares suitable to be used in such
constructions.

page_text: In the construction of sewers, culverts, and other similar structures I
employ for the lower part of the structure what are known as invert blocks,
similar to those which have hitherto been frequently used in the construction
of sewers otherwise built of brick; these invert blocks on their upper surface
are made to a suitable curve to form the bottom of the sewer, and on their
under surface are usually made flat, to rest on the bottom of the trench in
which the sewer is constructed; for the upper part of the structure above the
invert block, in place of the brickwork heretofore employed, I build on the
invert blocks other blocks of clay, pottery, or other similar ware, which are
made hollow or with longitudinal perforations as invert blocks are now made,
and on one face they are formed to a curvature suitable for the interior face
of the structure of which they are to form a part.
I manufacture blocks such as above described by pressing the clay or
material for forming the blocks through a die, as is now practised in the
manufacture of hollow bricks and invert blocks, and the die is so formed as to
produce longitudinal perforations in the blocks, and also on the upper and
lower edges of the blocks grooves of a semicircular or other form, so arranged
that when the blocks are placed the one on the other in building the structure,
the grooves come together so as to inclose a space, and into this space, in
building the structure, I introduce a clay pipe which just fits it, and so
prevents the possibility of one block sliding on the other; or sometimes I
form the upper and lower edges of the blocks with a series of grooves or
corrugations, so that when in building the structure the edges of two blocks
come together, the corrugations of one block enter those of the other and lock
the two blocks together.
In manufacturing invert blocks to be used with other blocks, as above
described, in place of forming the surfaces of such blocks on which the upper
part of the structure is to rest flat, as heretofore, to receive brickwork, I
make such surfaces of the invert blocks with hollows or projections to lock
with the upper blocks in the same manner as those blocks lock with each
other or otherwise; and in constructing hollow or perforated invert blocks,
whether to be used with brickwork or with other blocks, I make the upper.
surface or wall of the block which forms the interior of the sewer or structure
of greater thickness than the other walls, and in order to lighten the block
and facilitate its burning I make a series of small perforations in this wall,
and arrange these perforations concentrically with the curved surface of the
block; and to facilitate the connecting of the invert blocks together, end to
end, I cut a groove in each end where the small perforations are, and when
laying blocks so constructed I connect them end to end by running cement

page_text: into the grooves between the blocks, and into the small longitudinal per-
forations.
In building arches I employ blocks of clay, pottery, or other ware of the
same description as those which I use for constructing sewers, culverts, and
other similar structures, and made to lock together at their edges by either of
the methods already described. I also manufacture bricks and blocks to lock
together in either of these manners, but which have no curved face like those
before described, and such bricks or blocks I employ in building flat or Roman
arches, also for fire-proof floors and for other purposes. Sometimes, as for.
blocks to be used in the construction of small sewers or culverts, I make the
block thicker at the two edges which lock with other blocks than at the
parts intermediate of these two edges; in this way I get all the stability.
consequent on considerable width of joint, together with the lightness con-
sequent on the smaller thickness of the other parts of the block. In order to
facilitate the introduction of junctions into sewers, culverts, and other similar
structures constructed according to my Invention, or of bricks, as heretofore,
I build into them at suitable distances blocks which when in a green state
have been partially perforated or cut through on both faces, so that when it is
desired to make a junction the centre portion of the block' may easily be broken
away at the points where it was partially perforated or cut through when in
the green state.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah George Jennings in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSIAH
GEORGE JENNINGS, of Holland Street, Blackfriars, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Josiah George Jennings, Her special licence that I, the said Josiah George
Jennings, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Josiah George Jennings, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should.
'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,
at'

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS, CULVERTS, ARCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLOCKS OF CLAY, POTTERY, AND OTHER
SIMILAR WARES SUITABLE TO BE USED IN SUCH CONSTRUCTIONS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Josiah George Jennings, 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 Josiah George Jennings, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say :-
.
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of sewers,
culverts, arches, and other similar structures, and in the manufacture of blocks
of clay, pottery, and other similar wares suitable to be used in such construction.
In the construction of sewers, culverts, and other similar structures, I employ
for the lower part of the structure what are known as invert blocks, similar
to those which have heretofore been frequently used in the construction of
sewers otherwise built of brick; these invert blocks on their upper surface are
made to a suitable curve to form the bottom of the sewer, and on their under
surface are usually made flat to rest on the bottom of the trench in which the
sewer is constructed. For the upper part of the structure above the invert
block in place of the brickwork heretofore employed, I build on the invert
blocks other blocks of clay, pottery, or other similar ware, which are made
hollow or with longitudinal perforations as invert blocks are now made, and on
one face they are formed to a curvature suitable for the interior face of the
structure of which they are to form a part.
•
. I manufacture blocks such as above described by pressing the clay or
material for forming the blocks through a die as is now practised in the
manufacture of hollow bricks and invert blocks, and the die is so formed as
to produce longitudinal perforations in the blocks and also on the upper and
lower edges of the blocks grooves of a semicircular or other form, so arranged
that when the blocks are placed the one on the other in building the structure,
the grooves come together so as to inclose a space, and into this space in
building the structure I introduce a clay pipe, which just fits, and so prevents

page_text: the possibility of one block sliding on the other; or sometimes I form the
upper and lower edges of the blocks with a series of grooves or corrugations,.
so that when in building the structure the edges of two blocks come together
the corrugations of one block enter those of the other, and lock the two.
blocks together.
In manufacturing invert blocks to be used with other blocks as above
described, in place of forming the surfaces of such blocks on which the
upper part of the structure is to rest flat as heretofore, to receive brickwork,
I make such surfaces of the invert blocks with hollows or projections to lock.
with the upper blocks in the same manner as those blocks lock with each
other or otherwise, and in constructing hollow or perforated invert blocks,
whether to be used with brickwork or with other blocks, I make the upper
surface or wall of the block which forms the interior of the sewer or structure
of greater thickness than the other walls, and in order to lighten the block
and facilitate its burning, I make a series of small perforations in this wall,
and arrange these perforations concentrically with the curved surface of the
block, and to facilitate the connecting of the invert blocks together end to end,
I cut a groove in each end where the small perforations are, and when laying
blocks so constructed, I connect them end to end by running cement into the
grooves between the blocks and into the small longitudinal perforations.
In building arches I employ blocks of clay, pottery, or other ware, of the same
description as those which I use for constructing sewers, culverts, and other similar
structures, and made to lock together at their edges by either of the methods
already described. I also manufacture bricks and blocks to lock together in either
of these manners, but which have no curved face like those before described,
and such bricks or blocks I employ in building flat or Roman arches, also for
fire-proof floors and for other purposes. Sometimes as for blocks to be used in
the construction of small sewers or culverts, I make the block thicker at the
two edges which lock with other blocks than at the parts intermediate of these
two edges; in this way I get all the stability consequent on considerable
width of joint, together with the lightness consequent on the smaller thickness"
of the other parts of the block. In order to facilitate the introduction of
junctions into sewers, culverts, and other similar structures constructed,
according to my Invention, or of bricks as heretofore, I build into them at.
suitable distances blocks, which when in a green state have been partially
perforated or cut through on both faces, so that when it is desired to make a
junction, the centre portion of the block may easily be broken away at the
points where it was partially perforated or cut through when in the green
state.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows an invert block, similar in most respects to an ordinary
invert block, but it is formed with several small perforations a, a, a, in the upper
surface, by which means 1 am enabled to get greater strength, and I also when
desired, form the sides and bottom thicker, and produce them with similar smal
holes or passages through the walls or substance of the outer parts.
Figure 2-shows the section of a sewer built partly with brickwork and
partly of an invert block b and two side blocks c, c. These side blocks c, c, and
the invert blocks are made to interlock or lock by means of the surfaces being
similarly undulating as shown at d, or by their having grooves formed at e, e,
to receive a locking tube or filling piece f, and these locking or filling pieces
may be made to enter longitudinally between two or more pairs of the blocks,
so as to aid in binding the work longitudinally.
Figure 3 shows the section of a sewer or drain made wholly with hollow
blocks, which are arranged to interlock or to lock with each other by undulating
surfaces d, d, or by tubes or locking pieces f, f, as above described. The
forms of the undulating or interlocking surfaces d, d, may be varied, and such
is the case in respect to the grooves and locking pieces f, f, and the forms of
the hollow blocks c, c, which form or partly form the sides and upper parts
of a sewer or drain, may be varied, and the forms also of the longitudinal
interior hollow passages through the blocks may be varied. In constructing a
sewer these blocks may be used alone, or they may be used with brickwork or
cement on their exterior surfaces, and they may have cement introduced at
their junctions, and the several blocks may be arranged to break joint;
Figures 6 and 7 show two forms of sewers or drains, wherein like blocks are
used for forming the invert and crown as shown separately at Fig. 5.
I would state that as the object of the Invention is to introduce hollow
blocks not only for the inverts of sewers and drains and arches, but also for
constructing the sides and upper parts, the Invention is not confined to the
precise forms or shapes of blocks shown, so long as the forms or shapes
are such as to admit of their being readily made by expressing clay or
suitable plastic materials through moulding orifices. In some cases I make
the junctions, such as shewn in Figure 6 and Figure 8, or in the crown or other
part of a sewer or drain, as at Figure 4; and in place of a separate block,
when I wish to make provision for openings being made into a sewer or drain,
I cause the blocks to be perforated as shown at e, e, at Figure 8 and at

page_text: Figure 6, so that by blows of a mallet or other instrument an opening may be
readily made through.
Figure 9 shows a series of blocks (made by expressing clay or plastic
materials through dies) suitable for the construction of floors and other like
structures.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah George Jennings, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JOSIAH GEORGE JENNINGS.
(L.S.)
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.