Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th July, 1887.
I, SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge, New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer and Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a construction of Coffer dams such that the component
parts can be used repeatedly, thus securing greater economy than obtains where
chiefly timber is employed in such a way that much of it is rendered unsuitable for
re-use for the same purpose.
For the construction of a Coffer-dam according to my invention piles are employed
made of suitable plate metal in two or more parts of semicircular or other cross
section with longitudinal flanges by which they are bolted together, strips of wood or
boards being interposed at the longitudinal joints of the said parts; the bolts for
holding the parts together may either pass outside or through the strips or boards,
the spaces between the flanges or parts are equal to the thickness of the said wooden
strips or boards and form vertical grooves at the sides of the piles. The feet of the
piles are formed with serrations for enabling them to enter the ground easily, as in
the case of an ordinary wooden pile with a metallic shoe.
Such piles having been driven into the ground at suitable and regular distances
apart are braced together by tie rods attached to their flanges or other convenient
parts, shields of corrugated metallic plates with plain edges are inserted into the
beforementioned vertical grooves formed by the flanges of the piles, the lowermost
one being forced down so that its lower edge enters the ground.
In cases where the ground is moderately soft or muddy the weight of the shield
will suffice to cause it to sink deep enough to make a water tight joint at that part.
Near the top edge of the lowermost plate or portion of the shield and also near each
edge of other or following plates or portions of the shield, angle iron or steel is
secured thereto, pierced at intervals for the reception of bolts for securely fixing one
section of shield to another, and which at the same time add to the rigidity of the
shield, enabling it the better to resist the pressure of water; and in order to make
D. 031

page_text: the horizontal joint between one section or plate of the shield and another, a doubly
grooved strip of wood is interposed between them, the upper edge of the lower section
or plate entering one of the grooves and the lower edge of the upper section or plate
entering the top groove; the sections or plates are drawn tightly together by the
bolts above referred to and a perfectly water tight joint can thus be made. Other
plates or sections of shield are added and similarly joined till the required height is
attained.
Piles for the angles of the dam are provided, they receive the plates or sections of
shield towards the shore or land and for this purpose are made with flanges at about
right angles to the other flanges above referred to; these and other piles such as
above described are driven at the shore or land side and filled in between with plates
or sections of shield to complete the dam.
Each part or plate of the shield is made with horizontal corrugations and with plain
vertical edges that take into the vertical grooves between the flanges of the piles, the
plates or sections can be made either straight or curved in the direction of the
corrugations; when in the latter form they are fixed with their convex sides outward
so as to better resist the pressure of the water. When the parts are in position the
vertical joints between the sides of the plates or shields and the piles are made
water-tight by the introduction of strips of wood (say of pine) between one flange of
each pile and the part of the plate or shield situate between such flange and its fellow;
these strips will expand on becoming saturated with water and in this way and by
tightening the flange bolts good and sufficiently water-tight joints can be made.-
The hollow metallic piles are intended to be filled with concrete or other suitable
substance to give weight and additional strength thereto. After the dam has been
put together and the joints have been made as above described, water may be pumped
from the enclosure thus formed, leaving it free for any required operation to be
performed therein as usual.
A dam constructed in accordance with this invention may be readily removed, the
flange bolts of the various piles being slackened and the bolts which connect one plate
or section of the shield to another removed when the said plates or sections can be
taken out of their grooves, the piles be withdrawn in the usual manner and the whole
be stored away till again required.
Dated this 11th dox of Santamber 1985

page_text: I, SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer and Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention retates to a construction of Coffer dams such that the component
parts can be used repeatedly, thus securing greater economy than obtains where
timber is largely employed, much of which is rendered unsuitable for re-use for the
same purpose.
In constructing a Coffer dam according to my invention, piles are employed made
of suitable plate metal in one or more parts (of semicircular or other cross section)
and provided with longitudinal flanges by which they are bolted together, strips of
wood or boards being interposed at the longitudinal joints of the said parts.
The bolts for holding the parts together may either pass outside or through the
strips or boards. The feet of the piles are formed with projections to enter the
ground easily.
Such piles having been driven into the ground at suitable and regular distances
apart and braced together by tie rods or bolts attached to their flanges or other
convenient parts, the plain edges of shields formed of corrugated metallic plates are
inserted into the vertical grooves formed by the flanges of the piles, the lowermost
shield being forced down so that its lower edge enters the ground.
Where the ground is moderately soft or muddy, the weight of the shield will
suffice to cause it sink deep enough to make a water tight joint at that part. Near
the top edge of the lowermost plate or portion of shield and also near each upper and
lower edges of other or following plates or portions of the shield, angle iron or steel is
secured, pierced at intervals for the reception of bolts for securely fixing one section
of shield to another, which at the same time add to the rigidity of the shield and
enable it the better to resist the pressure of water.
In order to make the horizontal joint between one section or plate of the shield and
another, a doubly grooved strip of wood is interposed between them, the upper edge
of the lower section or plate entering one of the grooves, and the lower edge of an
upper section or plate entering the top groove; the sections or plates are drawn
tightly together by the bolts above referred to, and a perfectly water tight joint can
thus be made. Other plates or sections of shield are added and similarly jointed until
the required height is attained,

page_text: A pile for an angle of a dam and which receives the plates or sections of shield
between it and the shore or land has flanges at about right angles to the other flanges
above referred to; these and other piles such as above described are driven at the
shore or land side and in other required positions and filled in with plates or sections
of shield to complete the dam. Each plate forming the shield is made with horizontal
corrugations and with plain vertical edges that take into the vertical grooves between
the flanges of the piles; the plates or sections can be made either straight or curved
in the direction of the corrugations; when in the latter form they are fixed with their
convex sides outward so as to better resist the pressure of the water.
When the parts
are in position, the vertical joints between the sides of the plates or shields and the
piles are made water tight by the introduction of strips of wood, (for example, pine)
between one flange of each pile and the part of the plate or shield situate between
such flange and its fellow; these strips will expand on becoming saturated with
water, and in this way and by tightening the flange bolts, good and sufficiently water-
tight joints can be made.
The hollow metallic piles are or may be filled with concrete or other suitable
substance to give weight and additional strength to them. After the dam has been
put together and the joints have been made as above described, water may be pumped
from the enclosure thus formed, leaving it free for any required operation to be
performed therein as usual.
A dam constructed in accordance with this invention may be readily removed, the
flange bolts of the various piles being slackened and the bolts which connect one plate
or section of the shield to another removed, when the said plates or sections can be
taken out of their grooves, the piles be withdrawn in the usual manner and the whole
be stored away until again required.
In the annexed drawings similar letters refer to corresponding parts wherever they
occur.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation, at line 1, 1, of Fig. 3, of a coffer dam according to
my invention. Fig. 2, is a vertical section, at line 2, 2, of Fig. 3, of the corrugated
plates or shields. Fig. 3, shews in plan one end and a portion of the side of a
metallic coffer dam. a, b, c, are hollow metallic piles, constructed in parts with
longitudinal flutes or corrugations and with flanges by which the said parts are bolted
together, the bottoms have pointed projections that can easily penetrate the ground;
d, are corrugated plates or shields, curved or buckled in the direction of the corruga-
tions in order to present convex surfaces to the water outside the dam; these plates
have plain vertical edges d', which take between the vertical flanges of the piles.
Between the flanges at the sides of each pile, strips of wood e, are interposed, the
arrangement being such that, when the flanges of the piles are drawn together by the
bolts, the edges of the shield plates will be also embraced, and the wooden strips
becoming saturated with water, water tight joints will be secured.
The pile a, is shewn to be driven into an embankment, but where a dam has to be
constructed against a quay wall, a pile of a modified cross section (say for example,
semicircular) may be employed. In such case the pile is driven close to the wall, and
is anchored thereto, suitable packing being interposed between the pile and the
wall.
Such pile is provided with longitudinal flanges as above referred to, for the
admission of the wooden strips and the edges of the shield plates. 9, and 1, are
horizontal and diagonal tie bolts for determining and holding the piles in position
relatively to each other. i, are metallic angle pieces near the top and bottom edges
of the shield plates by which, and the bolts j, one shield plate is secured to another.
k, is a strip of wood grooved on the lower and upper sides for admitting the upper
edge of one plate and the lower edge of another as shewn in Figs. 1, and 2; on the
said plates being drawn tightly towards each other by the bolts j, perfectly water
tight joints are obtained.
Fig. 4, shews in plan a modified form of shield plate having plain vertical edges
and horizontal corrugations. In this arrangement the plate is straight or unbuckled.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. My improved metallic piles for coffer dams substantially as described and shewn.
2. In the construction of coffer dams, the use in conjunction with metallic piles,
having flanges, of corrugated metallic plates or shields, (straight or curved,) ribs or
angle pieces and bolts for drawing them together, a doubly grooved strip of wood
applied at the horizontal joints in such a manner as to produce a water tight joint,
substantially as described and shewn.
3. Coffer dams as described and shewn.
4. My improved metallic piles for coffer dams for use in conjunction with corru-
gated metallic plates or shields or with wooden shields.
5. The improved corrugated metallic plates or shields for coffer dams, for use in
conjunction with my improved metallic piles or with ordinary wooden piles.
Dated this day of eune 100.
Witness:
THOS. E. CRAVEN, C.E., Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
24, Victoria Chambers, Leeds.
SAMSON FOX.