200 



BALLOON FRAMES. 



of any one individual. It has been tested so well as to leave no doubt of its 

 superiority ; its recommendation is its continued use througliout tlie west, and 

 those portions of our country where its principles are understood. Properly 

 constructed, and with timber adapted to its purposes, it will stand securely 

 against the fury of the elements, and answer every purpose that an old fashioned 

 timber frame is calculated to fulfil. 



There is no limit in size or weight to be sustained that the balloon frame is 

 not capable of being used for, and is equally apjdicable to the same extent as 

 the old style of frame ; but the timbers of a barn 50 by 80 must be of a 

 diif'^rent character than those of a dwelling house IG by 24. 



The timbers of a balloon frame are so arranged and fastened that many of 

 them perform a double duty. The floor beams, ceiling joists, plates, lining, 

 etc., all becomo ties, and do duty in the direction of their fibre. 



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A 



B IC 



FijC. 1— Floor Plan. 



Fis:. 2 — Elevation Section — manner of 

 nailing — A. corner stud, 4 by 4 — B. joist, 

 5by3— C. 2by4. 



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M 



Fig. 3 — Upper 



edge ol'joist — 



"E. stud. 



By reference to fig. 1, we see the arrangement of studs and joists, each joist 

 being brought by the side of the stud, and both are nailed diagonally, or toed 

 to the sill and to each other. The spikes that are driven through the joist are 

 pointed not only downwards, but towards the centre of the build- 

 ing, so that they form a claw for each joist at its end, the 

 manner of nailing being shown in tigs 2 and 3. The singje nail, 

 like the single strand of a cable, is comparatively weak, but ia 

 numbers there is strength. 



The sills for a b:tlloon frame may be as thin as will give a 

 hold to the nail, the main object being to give the studding and 

 joists a broad bearing on the masonry. The entrance to the 

 Lating Observatory in this city, was built in balloon style with- 

 out sills. If the building is to be erected on piers, as ia often 

 done with barns and outbuildings, then the sills should be heavy. 

 Sills on a full foundation are spliced by being halved and spiked together as 

 shown. 



Fig. 4 is the side elevation, showing the ends of the joists and their position. 

 The strip, 1 by 4, on which the joists of the 2d floor rest," is notched into the 

 studding as eiiown in fig. 5, end elevation, but for small buildings tliis does 

 not require to be let in — the plate, 1 by 4, is nailed to top of studding in the 

 manner siiown. The arrangement of joists by changing to opposite sides of 

 studding both ways from center, is not generally practiced, but is recommended 

 as an improvemenf, as, when the flooring is nailed to upper side of the joist, 

 and the ceiling joists or strips nailed to lower side, there is no possible chance 

 for the building to spread endways, as the studs bear against the joists both 

 ways from centre. The floor joists being toed and clawed with suitable nails 

 and spikes, all lateral or sideway tlirusts is in the direction of their fibre. 



If the joists are 2 by 9, each joist will bear a practical tensile strain of 17 

 tons. In theory the compressible and tensile strength of timber are considered 

 equal. The neutral axis of a beam exposed to a cross strain is said to be in 

 the centre, the fibres above being compressed, and those below being separated 



