IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, AND IN PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES APPERTAINING THERETO
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Percy Holt, of Royal Insurance Buildgs.,
Leeds, in the County of York, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, AND IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Percy Holt
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th March 1875.
I, HENRY PERCY HOLT, of Royal Insurance Buildgs., Leeds, in the
County of York, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for 'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING
BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES APPERTAINING THERETO," to be
as
follows:-
:-
"

page_text: stonc, either in plain or ornamental work. These cells extend from top
to bottom of the walls of the building, and in some cases where great
strength is required those at the coins, or one here and there in the
walls, are filled in solid with concrete; cach block has mortices or
tenons which fit into each other at every joint. The blocks are some-
times cast with pockets for housing the floor and roof timbers and
mouldings on to form the internal cornices in the rooms. Special
shaped blocks aro cast to form chimney brests, flucs, and gathers, also
ventilating flues, reveals, coins, junctions for cross walls and external
moulds, blockings, cornices, gathers, and fall pipes. The material used
is cement, or any similar compound, mixed with any suitable aggregato
or matrix.
Secondly. The moulds aro so mado and adjusted by means of wedges,
cottars, or otherwise, that when the concrete or other casting material
is sufficiently set the block can be easily withdrawn without destroying
the vermiculated or other ornamental work on them, and so neatly taken
out as to require no further finishing. The moulds have cores through
them longitudinally, which leave holes for lifting the blocks into position
on their beds in the wall.
Thirdly. The use of a screw placed just above the suspending sling
tackle to lower the blocks gradually on to their beds, by which means
the operator can lower the block on to its bed without any other
labor.
Fourthly. The use of shears having a movable platform capable of
being raised or lowered by gearing, from which the blocks can be
bedded in their respective positions, and any hoisting or traversing work
performed by men on this platform without additional scaffolding.
Fifthly. An arrangement of overhead gearing and windlass drum on
the sheer legs worked by an endless rope from the the platform above
named to slacken or tighten the guy ropes for the purpose of sheering
or tailing over without unfastening the anchorages of the same, or in
lieu of this the top sheave is made to traverse for the same purpose.
Sixthly. An arrangement of windlass drum and handles, which can
bo worked from the movable platform above named, having a pawl and
ratchet to prevent untwining, except when required; also an additional
drum held up against the rope on the windlass drum by a weight or
spring to keep the rope close in contact. The rope has a tail end, to

page_text: which a horse can be attached when required in such a manner that
when the horse stops the pawl and ratchet immediately take the load
and sustain the same in that position until lowered by the screw arrange-
ment before named.
The seventh part of this Invention consists in the uso of H section
cast-iron piers, with pockets formed by flanges, which are used to bolt
cach pier together, on which the ends of the floor girders rest and are
secured thereto, and flanges are also formed up each side, to which the
windows are secured; the spaces (between the piers) or parapets and
cills under the windows, which extend from pier to pier (and havo heads
cambered and extending up to the soffit of the arched flooring) are filled
in or formed of concrete or other blocks of suitable material cast to
suit, and are likewise secured to the same flanges on the piers as the
windows. The pier foundations are likewise cast and constructed on the
cellular principle, as before, and usually are separated from each other,
as no foundations are required under the windows.
The apparatus before named for casting, hoisting, and fixing, is
likewise used for this purpose. The construction is more particularly
applicable for manufacturing premises, and for this purpose I construct
the engine bed in the same manner as before named, the wall boxes
for the separate second motion shafts being in some cases secured in
the bed.
_SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Percy Holt in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
PERCY HOLT, of Royal Insurance Buildings, Leeds, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Henry Percy Holt, Her special licence that I, the
said Henry Percy Holt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: taken out as to require no further finishing, either internally or
externally. The moulds have cores through them longitudinally, which
leave holes for lifting the blocks into position on their beds in the
wall.
Thirdly. The use of a screw placed just above the suspending sling
tackle to lower the blocks gradually on to their beds, by which means
the operator can lower the block on to its bed without any other labor
or appliance.
Fourthly. The use of sheers having a moveable platform capable of
being raised or lowered by gearing, from which the blocks can be
bedded in their respective positions, and any hoisting or traversing work
performed by men on this platform or from below without additional
scaffolding. In lieu of the sheers before named I sometimes use a
platform raised by means of levers of the first order after the manner of
"lazy tongs;" these may be arranged single, as shewn in Figures 4, 5,
and 6, or double or triple, as in Figures 7, 8, and 9; these arrangements
require no guy ropes, but are braced together by chains diagonally from
corner to corner of the frames to insure stability. The lower platform
runs on wheels for traversing the faces of the building, and may be
moved by manual, animal, or steam power, the same applying to the
crane for hoisting the blocks. In Figures 4, 5, and 6, the traversing and
hoisting are effected by steam power, and the elevating upper platform
by hand.
Fifthly. An arrangement of overhead gearing and windlass drum on
the sheer legs worked by an endless rope from the platform above
named to slacken or tighten the guy ropes for the purpose of sheering
or tailing over without unfastening the anchorages of the same, or in
licu of this the top sheave is made to traverse or radiate for the same
purpose.
Sixthly. An arrangement of windlass drum and handles, which can
be worked from the moveable platform above named, having a pall and
ratchet to prevent untwining, lowering, or running down, except when
required; also an additional pulley held up against the rope on the
windlass drum by a weight or spring to keep the rope close in contact.
This rope has a tail end, to which a horse can or may be attached in
such a manner that when the horse stops the pall and ratchet immc-
diately take the load and sustain the same in that position until lowered

page_text: by the screw arrangement before mamed. In some cases this is per-
formed by steam power, as in Figures 4, 5, and 6.
The seventh part of this Invention consists in the use of H section
cast-iron piers with pockets formed by flanges, which are used to bolt
cach pier together, on which the ends of the floor girders rest, and are
secured thereto; and flanges are also formed up each side, to which the
windows are secured; the spaces (between the piers) or parapets and
cills under the windows, which extend from pier to pier (and have heads
extending up to the soffit of the flooring) are filled in or formed of
concrete or other blocks of suitable material cast to suit, and are likewise
secured to the same flanges on the piers as the windows. The pier
foundations are likewise cast and constructed on the cellular principle,
as before, and usually are separated from each other, as no foundations
are required under the windows.
The apparatus before named for casting, hoisting, and fixing, is
likewise used for this purpose. This construction is more particularly
applicable for manufacturing premises, and for this purpose I construct
the engine bed for the separate second motion shafts being in some cases
secured in the hed

page_text: Having now described, and particularly ascertained and shewn the
nature of the said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may
be used or carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details which I have shewn,
described, or referred to, as many modifications and variations may be
made therefrom without, deviating from the principles or main features
of the said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
out mait Letters Patant is
Having now described, and particularly ascertained and shewn the
nature of the said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may
be used or carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details which I have shewn,
described, or referred to, as many modifications and variations may be
made therefrom without, deviating from the principles or main features
of the said Invention; but 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,
CLAIMS.
Firstly. The improved method of moulding cellular concreto blocks,
which require no further finishing internally or externally, and the
building apparatus for this purpose, substantially as described and set
forth in tho Drawings.
Secondly. The improved fire-proof composite structure of cast-iron
piers combined with concrete panels, as before described.
Thirdly. Forming the window heads flush with the soffit of flooring in
order that heat may escape in case of fire, as before described.
Fourthly. Pillar in lieu of continuous foundations, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Percy Holt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.