IMPROVE- MENTS IN CONSTRUCTING CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Drake, of 17, Renfrew Road, Ken-
nington, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONSTRUCTING CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS USED
THEREIN."
Sealed the 26th June 1868, and dated the 25th April 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Drake at
the Office, of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th April 1868.
I, CHARLES DRAKE, of 17, Renfrew Road, Kennington, in the County
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS USED.
THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing
concrete buildings and in apparatus used therein. In constructing
concrete buildings I erect wrought-iron upright bars on either side of

page_text: the wall which is being erected, the edge of the bar being towards the
wall, and I connect the bars together by metal straps passing through
slotted holes in the bars and secured by pins passed through them.
There are several pin holes in each strap, so that it may be adapted to
a wall of any thickness. These uprights are in this way set up in
pairs, one on either side of the wall at convenient distances along the
wall, and between them are placed flanged plates of iron enamelled or
glazed on the face which is next the wall. The plates are fixed to the
uprights by bolts passed through the flanges of the two adjacent plates
at the top and bottom, and also through the upright which is between
them. The uprights may be the full height of the wall with bolt
holes through them at intervals from top to bottom, the intervals
corresponding with the distance between the bolt holes in the flanged
plates, so that as the wall progresses by the filling in of concrete and
other suitable material between the plates at the front and back of the
wall these plates may be shifted progressively further and further up
the wall. Usually, however, I do not make the iron uprights the full
height, but as the wall progresses I shift them upwards in the same
way as, the plates, that is to say, when the uppermost strap which holds
the pair of uprights together becomes built into, the wall I remove the
uprights leaving the strap in the wall, and I then replace the, uprights
on the strap in the wall, so that the strap now passes through a lower
strap hole or slot of each upright, and the uprights are then secured
by pins as before. The distance between the strap holes or slots in the
uprights is the same as the distance between the bolt holes for the plates.
To form the corner or angle of the wall I set up a pair of uprights
on each side of the corner or angle, and fix between them flanged
plates bent to the angle required. In a similar way a curved corner or
wall may be produced. To carry the scaffolding. I employ iron brackets
which are attached to the uprights, the upper and lower ends of the
bracket are forked and embrace the upright and bolts. pass through
the bracket and upright. In some cases I employ no separate uprights,
but use panels or frames covered with glazed iron flanged at the edges.
These frames are then set up in the manner already described in, respect
to the uprights, and they are similarly shifted upwards as the work
progresses. These frames come in contact with each other laterally,
so as themselves to form a complete mould for the wall. To carry the
scaffold in this case an iron bar is passed through one of the strap

page_text: holes in the wall, and from its ends supports pass down and are connected
with the strap below.
In constructing chimney shafts and similar constructions I employ
two sheets of metal which are bent round to a cylindrical form. They
are placed concentrically, and one forms the outer and the other the
inner surface of the circular wall. They are shifted upwards as the
work progresses in the same way as the frames already described. When
the chimney has to be built of a taper form the outer plate is bent
to a corresponding form, and as the work progresses its edges are made
to overlap more and more so as to decrease the diameter to the extent
required.
Square or polygonal chimney storks I construct with plates bent to
the angle of the square or polygon; these are set up on the outside
and inside of the structure and held by through bolts or ties. These
angle plates overlap each other, and the amount of overlap is increased
gradually as the structure increases in height.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Drake in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DRAKE, of 17, Renfrew Road, Kennington, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-cight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Drake, 'Her special licence.
that I, the said Charles Drake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Drake, my executors,
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
CONSTRUCTING CONCRETE BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN,” upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Drake, 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 Charles Drake, 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.
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing
concrete buildings, and in apparatus used therein. In constructing
concrete buildings I erect wrought-iron upright bars on either side
of the wall which is being erected, and I connect the bars together
by metal straps passing through slotted holes in the bars and secured
by pins passed through them. There are several-pin holes in each
strap, so that it may be adapted to a wall of any thickness. These
uprights are in this way set up in pairs, one on either side of the
wall at convenient distances along the wall, and between them are
placed flanged plates of iron. The plates are fixed to the uprights by
bolts. The uprights may be of the full height of the wall with bolt
holes through them at intervals from top to bottom, the intervals
corresponding with the distance between the bolt holes in the flanged
plates, so that as the wall progresses by the filling in of concrete and
other suitable material between the plates at the front and back of the
wall, these plates may be shifted progressively further and further up
the wall. Usually, however, I do not make the iron uprights the full
height, but as the wall progresses I shift them upwards in the same
way as the plates, that is to say, when the uppermost strap which holds
the pair of uprights together becomes built into the wall I remove the
uprights leaving the strap in the wall, and I then replace the uprights
on the strap in the wall, so that the strap now passes through a lower
strap hole or slot of each upright, and the uprights are then secured by
pins as before. The distance between the strap holes or slots in the
uprights is the same as the distance between the bolt holes for the plates.
To form the corner or angle of the wall I set up a pair of uprights on
each side of the corner or angle, and fix between them flanged plates

page_text: bent to the angle required. In a similar way a curved corner or wall
may be produced. To carry the scaffolding I employ iron brackets
which are attached to the uprights, the upper and lower ends of the
bracket are forked, and embrace the upright, and bolts pass through
the bracket and upright..
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section of uprights and frames constructed
in this manner and set up for building a concrete wall; Figure 2 is
an elevation of some of the parts shewn in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a
vertical section taken at the line 1, 1, Figure 1.
a, a, are the iron uprights as shown in the Drawings, and as I
prefer they are rolled of a trough-like form, and are by preference
about ten feet long; b, b, are the flanged iron plates, I make them by
preference from eight to ten feet long, and two feet two inches high;
each of them is formed with a rectangular frame of angle iron to which
is rivetted a thin iron plate, a transverse section of one of the flanged
plates is shown at Figure 4 and a portion of a back view of the same at
Figure 5; dande are the angle plates for forming the corner or angle
of a wall; f is a plate only a few inches long, which is used in
connection with the angle plates to, adjust them, to the size required
when as in the Drawing, Figure 1,,the thicknesses. of the walls meeting
at the angle are different; g are metal straps for connecting the
uprights: The uprights a-liave bolt holes formed through their flanges
at distances of two feet apart from end to end, and the bolt holes in the
two flanges of each upright are opposite to each other. In between
the flanges also the uprights have slotted holes formed in them for
the passage of the straps g, and these holes are also two feet apart.
Angle pieces a¹, a', are fixed on either side of each slotted hole and
they are perforated for the passage of a pin. The flanged plates b
d; e, and f; have two bolt holes in each end and these holes are
also two feet apart, these plates may be glazed, or enamelled on the
face, but I find. it. sufficient to paint them well with good oil paint..
The straps g:are of a length exceeding the thickness, of the wall, and.
they have a number of pin holes in them as.is shown. Similar straps g
are employed, to tie together the flanged, plates.at, distances of from
three to four, feet apart.
In constructing a wall the uprights are truly set up in their places,.
and at starting they are supported by temporary struts. The flanged.
plates are bolted to them, the straps are put in and iron pins are dropped

page_text: into the pin holes, so as to tie the front and back uprights and the
flanged plates together at a distance apart equal to the thickness of
the wall required. Great care is taken to set the work truly straight
and upright at the commencement, as it is difficult to correct any errors
which are here made, and very easy to continue the work truly from
a correct commencement. The uprights and frames having been thus
erected they form a trough-like mould somewhat more than two feet
deep, and corresponding in form to the plan of the building to be
erected. This mould is then filled with the concrete and rough materials.
of which the building is to be formed, a good concrete made with Portland
cement and fragments of well burnt clay is very suitable, but any good.
concrete may be used. The mould being full and the concrete set
as it will be by the next day, the flanged plates are unbolted from the
uprights, and, replaced two feet higher up and so another trough-like
mould is produced directly over the first, and this is filled in a similar
manner and so the work goes on until a scaffolding is required for the
workmen, to fill in the materials into the mould. To construct the
scaffolding iron brackets b, b, are fixed to the uprights, they have
eyes at the ends of their two limbs or arms and these eyes are two feet
apart, they enter between the flanges of the uprights and are held
by long bolts passing through them and also through the flanges.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 3 the same bolt holes in the
uprights being used both for the plates and the scaffold brackets, the
scaffold cannot be brought up nearer than four feet from the top of
the flanged plates; if this be considered objectionable it may be avoided
by having separate bolt holes in the uprights for the upper limb or
arm of the scaffold bracket, as is shown at Figure 3*. When the work
has thus been carried to the top of the uprights the pins are driven
out from the straps 9, 9, and the uprights are removed and replaced
higher up on the straps which remain in the wall.
Figure 6 is a transverse section, Figure 7 is a portion of a back
view, and Figure 8 an edge view of a compound or adjustable plate
which I use to work irregular lengths, it is in fact two plates, one of
them being a little larger than the other, and the end angled iron of
one of them is removed so that they can slide the one over the other
as is shown; a number of bolt holes are formed in the top and bottom
angle irons of one of the frames, and there is a slotted bolt hole in
the top and in the bottom of the other frame; by this means the

page_text: compound plate can be adjusted to any length which may DC
required.
Figure 9 shows in plan the arrangement I adopt for increasing the.
thickness of a wall in any part of its length as to receive the recesses
for fire-places and to give, sufficient thickness for flues, or it may be for
forming piers or buttresses; 1, 1, are these angled plates. I make them
usually with a flat iron frame and of a depth corresponding with that of
the other plates, they are bent to a double angle as is shown, and along
the top and bottom edges a number of bolt holes are formed so that
an ordinary angle plate m of suitable length may be fixed to them at
any desired distance from the face of the wall. The recess for a fire-
place I form by means of a core n built into the wall and afterwards
withdrawn, a wooden box or case of suitable size and form may be
employed for this purpose. The flues I form by means of a sheet
iron core such as is shown at Figures 10 and 11; it is made in two parts
fitting together with an inclined joint, so that when the concrete is filled
in around the core one part will move freely longitudinally on the
other, so that although the core is of the same diameter at each end,
its parts will readily separate. A similar core may be used in forming
concrete culverts. When it is desired to form a buttress by means of
the plates 1, l, they are employed in a similar manner, except that the
plates n are put in at the required slope and are made specially of a
suitable height and with the required distance between the bolt holes.
All the parts which come in contact with the concrete should be well
lubricated with soap or grease, and when the apparatus is in constant
use it will require little other protection; where this is not the casc
as before mentioned, it should be painted or better still have a vitreous
surface given to it.
Figure 11* shows another way of connecting the plates to the uprights
by pins in place of bolts. In some cases I employ no separate uprights
but use panels or frames covered with iron flanged at the edges, these
frames are then set up in the manner already. described in respect to
the uprights, and they are similarly shifted upwards as the work pro-
gresses; these frames come in contact with each other laterally so as
themselves to form a complete mould for the wall. To carry the
scaffold in this case an iron bar is passed through one of the strap
holes in the wall, and from its ends supports pass down. and are con-
nected with the strap below.

page_text: Figure 12 is. a plan of a portion of a building in the construction
of which such frames are being employed. They are rectangular wooden
frames (or it may be iron) covered with sheet iron, and they are con-
nected together side by side either by hinge joints, as is shown in part
of the Figure or by through bolts as is shewn in other parts. Straps
passing through the wall are used as before.
Figure 13 shows the way in. which a scaffold may be erected. As
shown in the Drawing the frames are of small size, and such frames
are, convenient when the structure is small as for a partition wall or
a cottage on one floor, but for larger structures there would be some
difficulty in keeping the work true with such frames. For large buildings
where the walls exceed two feet in thickness I employ such frames
but of a height of, say ten feet, they are set up to form a trough-like
mould into which the workmen deposit the materials. When by several
days work this mould has been filled the frames are shifted upwards
on the straps so as to project, say six feet above the finished work,
leaving four feet at the lower end of each frame firmly fixed to the
wall.
Figures 14 and 15 illustrate the application of the system to angles
and curves.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,―
First. The construction and use of, in erecting concrete buildings,
apparatus consisting of flanged iron plates supported by iron uprights
secured against the face of the wall, such plates being capable of being
shifted upwards step by step upon the uprights, and of being locked
to them in the several positions by bolts or pins passing through
holes in the uprights and in the flanges of the plates.
I also claim the construction and use of angle plates to form the
angles or corners of walls as described.
I also claim the use to connect the front and back plates and uprights
of metal straps with pin holes in them at various distances so that
the length may be adjusted to the thickness of the wall required, such
straps passing through holes prepared for them in the uprights and
plates as described.

page_text: I also claim the combining scaffold brackets with the uprights as
described.
I also claim the construction and use in erecting concrete buildings
of apparatus consisting of frames connected or bolted directly the one
to the other and tied together by straps passing through the wall,
such frames being capable of being shifted upwards step by step upon
the straps which are built into the wall.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Drake, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.