IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, SEA WALLS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR FOUNDATIONS OF STRUCTURES WHICH LIE PARTIALLY OR ENTIRELY UNDER WATER
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, of Bury Street,
St. James, in the County of Middlesex, Master of Arts, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, SEA WALLS, AND
OTHER STRUCTURES OR FOUNDATIONS OF STRUCTURES WHICH LIE PARTIALLY OR
ENTIRELY UNDER WATER."
Sealed the 13th June 1856, and dated the 18th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Robert Augustus
. Glover at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th December 1855.
I, FREDERICK ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Bury Street, St James, in the
County of Middlesex, Master of Arts, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, SEA WALLS,
AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR FOUNDATIONS OF STRUCTURES WHICH LIE PARTIALLY OR
ENTIRELY UNDER WATER," to be as follows:―
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing the foundations of the said
structures, either with or without the other parts of the same, by so forming a
framework of timber or iron, or other material, and so anchoring or fixing the
same, as to collect and retain. the shifting sand or material carried by the
movement of the water in the particular, situation in which any such structure
is being erected.

page_text: Secondly, in constructing the said structures, by forming them as above set
forth, and by adding lime, or cement, or concrete materials, either to assist in
the retention and solidification of the said shifting sand or material, or else
partially or entirely, instead of the same.
The manner in which I intend carrying my Invention into effect is to
anchor or fix a number of pieces of framework in the desired positions, and
to bolt or connect them together or otherwise; and when necessary, in order to
obtain a sufficient height of structure, to place or fix additional framework on
to and above the first framework, the additional framework to be filled up and
rendered solid as before; and further, to continue such additional layers or
stages of framework fixed on to and above each other, and filled as before,
until the requisite altitude is obtained.
Although I have above described my improved structures as constructed so
as to constitute one solid mass throughout, it is to be understood that the
framework to be used may be made so as to leave one or more hollow chambers
or spaces, which will not become filled up with the shifting sand or other
natural or artificial materials; and in accordance herewith, I intend the con-
struction of sub-aqueous roadways, passages, or other tunnels, in which cases
tubes of timber, or of either wrought or cast iron, or of all of them combined,
may conveniently be employed to constitute a portion of the said framework.
This will be found a convenient method of forming communication across non-
navigable streams, and also navigable streams or channels, where the erection
of such structures will not too greatly diminish the required depth of water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Robert Augustus. Glover in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Bury Street, Saint James, in the County of
Middlesex, Master of Arts, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, Her special licence, that I, the said
Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, my executors,

page_text: LIE
administrators, and assigns, should at 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREAKWATERS, SEA
WALLS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR FOUNDATIONS OF STRUCTURES WHICH
PARTIALLY OR ENTIRELY UNDER WATER," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, my executors or admi-.
nistrators, 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 Frederick Robert Augustus Glover,.
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing the foundations of the said
structures, either with or without the other parts of the same, by so forming a
framework of timber or iron, or other material, and so anchoring or fixing the
same, as to collect and retain the shifting sand or material carried by the
movement of the water in the particular situation in which any such structure
is being erected.
:
Secondly, in constructing the said structures, by forming them as above set
forth, and by adding lime, or cement, or concrete materials, either to assist in
the retention and solidification of the said shifting sand or material, or else
partially or entirely, instead of the same.
1
The manner in which the first part of my said Invention is to be performed
is as follows: In order to construct the foundations of breakwaters, sea walls,
or other structures in situations where the Invention is applicable, namely,
where the natural bed of the sea or stream is composed of a shifting or
moveable sand, I fix a number of pieces of framework in the desired positions
by means of anchors, or by weighting them with ballast; and in order to ensure
a firm and sound structure, I bolt or connect the said separate pieces of frame-
work together. The combined framework thus set up serves gradually to
collect the sands and other foreign matters held in suspension or moved about
by the waves, and to enclose and retain them, the deposit continually increasing
until the framework is filled and a compact mass has been produced, on which
any required superstructure may be erected; and the said superstructure may

page_text: be either of timber, masonry, brickwork, or any approved material; or the
structure itself may in some cases be entirely compléted by the use of my
Invention.
When necessary, in order to obtain a sufficient height of: structure' or of
foundation for any required structure; I fix additional framework on to. 'and
above the first framework, the additional framework "to be filled up and
rendered solid as before; and further, I continue such additional layers.:or
stages of framework fixed on to and above each 'other; and filled as before, until
the requisite altitude is obtained...
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1.shews. a plan of one of the:frames
to be placed upon the sand or bed; it is made of ordinary beams of timber;
about eight inches to a foot square in thickness, connected by tie pieces b, b.
Figure 2 shews, in section, a number of frames placed one 'upon another: The
superposed frames gradually diminish in width, from bottoni to top, so as to
give a suitable slope or inclination to the face of the work, as sliewn in the
Drawing; the distance: between the cross pieces is about 60, to 40 times the
thickness of the wood, which: are the proportions I prefer. The longitudinal
beams a are connected by the tie pieces and rods.b, b, which are arranged so
that those of the first and fifth frames are united by any suitable means, and
the same is the case for the second and sixth frames,. and for the third and
seventh frames, and so on, It will be observed that the longitudinal beams on
the side Z, towards the sea, are presented in an inclined. position to the action
of the waves, and are supported in a notch made in the cross beams of the
frames beneath them. The arrangement 'représented is adapted more par-
ticularly for the erection of a sea wall along a coast; but when more than one
side is presented to the action. of the waves, I prefer that all the sides so
presented should have the beams a presented in a similarly inclined position.
Although I have above described my improved structure as constructed so
as to constitute one solid mass throughout, it is to be understood that the
framework to be used may be made. so as to leave., one or more hollow
chambers or spaces, which will not become, filled up with the shifting sand or
other natural or artificial materials; and in accordance herewith, I intend the
construction of sub-aqueous roadways, passages, or other tunnels, in which
cases tubes of timber, or of either wrought or 'cast iron, or of all of them
combined, may be conveniently employed to constitute a portion' of the said
framework. This will be found a convenient method of forming communi-
cation across non-navigable streams, and also navigable streams or channels,
where the erection of such structures will not too greatly diminish the required
depth of water. An illustration of this modification of the construction is

page_text: represented in the Figure 3 of the Drawing, Q being a chamber or space
within the structure, which may be converted into a sub-aqueous roadway or
other purpose.
Although, in the foregoing description, and in the Figures of the Drawing,
wood has been described and represented as the material of construction more
particularly employed, it is to be understood that iron or any suitable material
may be substituted, the shape of the individual pieces or parts of the structure
being adapted to the nature of the particular material employed.
The manner in which the second part of my said Invention is to be
performed is as follows, that is to say:-I construct the framework in the
manner before described, and gradually add to the sand or materials collected
a quantity of lime, cement, or any approved concrete material, such addition
being made from time to time during the process of collection, and so as to
assist in and expedite the solidification of the mass. The best cement or
material I am acquainted with is Italian puzzuolana, but good hydraulic lime
may be substituted. The quantity will vary according to circumstances; but
when the waves are very rough, I prefer to use more of this cement, so as to
expedite the solidification as much as possible.
possible. Broken stone or sharp gravel
may also be added with advantage, and, in fact, concrete materials may be
entirely substituted instead of the natural sand which might be collected;
also, blocks of beton, or artificial stone, or natural stone may be advantageously
employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
FREDK DA
CLOVER
FREDK D A CLOVER
(L.B.)