IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF WALLS AND IN MATERIALS THEREFOR, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lockwood, of St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WALLS AND IN MATERIALS THEREFOR, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO
OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 28th August 1877, and dated the 26th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lockwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March 1877.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, of St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND IN MATERIALS THEREFOR
PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of walls, and
in materials therefor, partly applicable to other purposes, and is mainly designed to
produce concrete walls (for dwelling houses or other structures) of great strength,
compactness, and ability to resist water and damp, by the use of blocks capable of
being quickly made in simple apparatus.
I mould the concrete for building ordinary walls into blocks or slabs of L shape
(in cross section).
By preference I make the blocks or slabs about 18 ins. long × 9 ins. deep, and
1 in. thick, with the flange projecting about 3 inches.
The blocks are bedded in cement, flange down, and placed in line end to end
on each side of the wall, so that the flanges project inwardly. Rubble, stones, brick-
bats, or other suitable debris are then inserted in the space intervening between the
two lines of blocks; liquid cement or "grouting" is afterwards run in so as to cement
or bind the whole together. Another line of blocks or slabs is then put in position
on the top of the others, to be filled in with stones and liquid cement as before.
For returning corners, I form at one end of the block, and at right angles perpen-
dicularly thereto, another flange of the width required and similar to that on the
lower side of the blocks described above.
The improved blocks or slabs, having a lower projecting flange, may be made in a
variety of forms to meet building requirements. Thus they may be made to answer
DC71

page_text: the purpose of window and door heads, rustic corners, cornices, reveals, bay window
jambs, heads and sills, chimney pieces, or other similar articles.
Window heads or other long blocks requiring strength are made to enclose a bar
of iron running horizontally of the upright portion.
Suitable patterns or ornaments may be moulded on the exteriors of the blocks.
The above described blocks may be made of fireproof composition, which I form
as follows: It is usual in the manufacture of concrete (to mix with pulverized
stones, ashes, or other similar substances, a certain quantity of Portland cement,
water then being added, and the whole stirred together until the desired consistency
for using is attained. To render the mixture fireproof I add fire-clay in the
proportion of one part fire-clay to two parts Portland cement; I mix the two
well together before mixing with the pulverized stone, ashes, or other similar
substances.
In moulding the concrete slabs with projecting flanges, I by preference proceed as
follows: A loose board, the size and shape of the outer surface of the slab to be
moulded, is laid on a flat bench against an upright piece running along that side of
the bench furthest from the operator, and designed to form the bottom side of the
flange. Against the remaining sides of the loose board, side pieces of wood of
sufficient depth to determine the thickness of the slab are placed on edge, and these
are pressed against the loose flat board by means of fastening cams fixed to the
bench; concrete is then filled in level with the top of the side pieces, and a second
flat board is then placed over and pressed down upon the concrete, thus forming the
upright portion of the slab. On the back edge of the second flat board, and at
right angles thereto, is an upright piece, between which and the upright piece
running along the back of the bench, concrete is filled and pressed in, thus forming
the flange and completing the slab.. The top picce is then removed, the cams are
made to release the side pieces, and the loose board having the slab upon it, is
removed for drying.
A number of loose boards, similar to that last mentioned, is employed, upon which
the slabs, after being moulded, remain until dry.
By altering the width of the side picces and making the top piece to suit the
altered conditions (which in practice is a very simple matter) various arrangements
of flanged slabs or blocks may be formed or moulded.
Guide pegs or clips to keep the respective parts in position are employed as
circunstances require.
It will readily be understood that the interior of the mould may easily be formed
so as to leave the impression of suitable patterns or ornaments on the exterior of
the blocks.
I do not confine myself to the use of the fireproof composition for making the
improved slabs or blocks as described, according to the first part of my Invention,
which may be made of various well-known mixtures, and also of mixtures the
composition of which may be such as to allow of a polished surface being made
thereupon, so as to imitate marble, granite, or other similar substances.
I would also observe that the improved fireproof composition herein-above
described may be employed for various other purposes where a fireproof lining or
material is required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Lockwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
September 1877.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, of St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND IN MATERIALS THEREFOR,
PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
'
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of walls and

page_text: in materials therefor, partly applicable to other purposes, and is mainly designed to
produce concrete walls (for dwelling houses and other structures) of great strength,
compactness, and ability to resist water and damp, by the use of blocks capable of
being quickly made in simple apparatus.
I mould the concrete for building ordinary walls into blocks or slabs of L shape
in cross section.
By preference, I make the blocks or slabs about 18 inches long × 9 inches
deep, and 1 inch thick, with the flange projecting about 3 inches (see Figs. 2, 0,
& 7).
The blocks are bedded in cement, flange down (see Figs. 10 & 11), so that the
flanges project inwardly. Rubble, stones, brickbats, or other suitable débris are then
inserted in the space intervening between the two lines of blocks; liquid cement or
"grouting" is afterwards run in so as to cement or bind the whole together.
Another line of blocks or slabs is then put in position on the top of the others and
filled in with stones and liquid cement as before. For returning corners I form at
one end of the block, and at right angles perpendicularly thereto, another flange of
the width required (see Figs. 8 & 9), and similar to that on the lower side of the
blocks described above.
The blocks or slabs, having a lower projecting flange, may be made in a variety
of forms to meet building requirements. Thus they may be made to answer the
purpose of window and door heads, rustic corners, cornices, reveals, bay window
jambs, heads and sills, chimney pieces, etc. (see Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
& 16).
Window heads n (Figs. 10 & 11), or other long blocks requiring strength are
made to enclose a bar or bars of iron o running horizontally of the upright portion
(see Fig. 11).
Suitable patterns or devices may be moulded on the exteriors of the blocks.
The above described blocks may be made of fire-proof composition, which I form
as follows:-I mix fire-clay with Portland cement in the proportion of one part of
fire-clay to two parts of Portland cement. I use this mixture in lieu of using the
Portland cement alone as ordinarily practised, that is to say, having mixed the fire-
clay and Portland cement together, I then mix them with pulverized stones, ashes,
et cetera, adding water and stirring the whole together until the desired con-
sistency for using is attained.
My method of moulding the concrete blocks with projecting flanges is as
follows: A loose board a (Figs. 1 & 2) the size and shape of the outer surface of the
slab to be moulded, is laid on a flat bench b against an upright piece c running along
that side of the bench furthest from the operator, and designed to form the bottom
side of the flange. Against the remaining sides of the loose board a, side pieces d,
of wood of sufficient depth to determine the thickness of the slab, are placed on
edge, and these are pressed against the loose flat board a by means of swivelling
fastening pieces or cams e, c, fixed to the bench; concrete is then filled in level
with the top of the side pieces d, thus forming the upright portion of the slab
(Figs. 2, 6, & 7); fis an upright piece, between which and the upright piece c,
running along the back of the bench b, concrete is filled and pressed in to form the
flange g, thus completing the slab or block. The piece is then removed, the
several pieces or cams e, e, are caused to release the side pieces d, d, and the loose
board a, having the slab upon it (see Fig. 2) is removed for drying.
By substituting deeper side pieces d and using a core block, reveal blocks may be
made.
Numbers of loose boards, similar to that shewn at a, are employed, so that each
slab or block, after being moulded, may remain on its board until dry.
By altering the width of the side pieces d and making the top piece f to suit the
altered conditions (which in practice is a very simple matter), various arrangements
of flanged slabs or blocks may be formed or moulded.
Guide pegs or clips, such as are shewn at h, h¹, Figs. 1 & 3, to keep the respective
parts in position are employed as circumstances require.

page_text: It will be readily understood that the interior of the mould may easily be formed
60 as to leave the impression of suitable patterns or ornaments on the exteriors of
the blocks.
Fig. 3 represents a view of empty case and frame for moulding slabs for a
returning corner, one of which is shewn on a loose board at Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is a plan
of the same with the concrete filled in.
In Figs. 3 & 5, i, i, are the case sides held together by the removable frame j and
clamps or clips h. At the bottom of the case is the loose board a (Fig. 4), upon
which is placed the flange core k. After forming the flange, the core box is then
inserted (as shewn at Fig. 5) and concrete filled in, thus forming the side m of the
slab (see Fig. 4). The frame j and 'clamps h¹ being loosed, the core box land case
sides can be removed, and the slab or angle block will remain on the loose board a,
as shewn in Fig. 4.
I do not confine myself to the use of the fireproof composition for making the
slabs or blocks, as described according to the first part of my Invention, which may
be made of various well-known mixtures, the composition of which may be such as
to allow of a polished surface being made thereupon, so as to imitate granite,
marble, etc.
I would also observe that the improved fireproof composition herein-above
described may be employed for various other purposes where a fireproof lining or
material is required.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and explained the mode of
carrying it into practical effect, I would have it understood that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is as follows :-
1. The constructing walls as herein-before described with reference to the accom-
panying Drawings.
2. The method herein-before described and shewn of moulding the flanged
blocks.
3. The manufacture of the improved fireproof composition above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lockwood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD. (L.s.)
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD. (L.S.)