242 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[July, 



gether, ami n nut is fixed into the cross piece, in which the screw F 

 works ; the toe of the screw works in the fixed cross piece K ; and 

 thus, by turning the screw, the rise or fall in the springs B is produced. 

 A powerful girth passes round the animal as far forwaril as possible, 

 and is fastened to the shafts, as shown, so that when the animal has 

 started the machine by his weight and force, as in starting a load in 

 a cart, the springs or shafts are gradually screwed up, as the \elocity 

 of the animal increases, so as to carry a certain proportion of the 

 horse's or animal's weight, which becomes then transferred to the ma- 

 chine, and the horse w ill take longer steps, and longer springs or leajjs, 

 as in galloping, in the same way as a man upon a velocipede. An}- 

 other suitable method may be adopted to fix or sling the animal than 

 that drawn either by a spring like a coach-spring, fixed to suitable 

 framing, placed over the horse's back with any screw or lever-method 

 to produce the object of relieving the horse of his weight as his ve- 

 locity increases, which is the particular object of this combination. 

 The machine may be made as drawn, or the horse or other animal 

 may be placed in front of the carriage, which is the better method. 



Figure 6 and 7 is a substitution for the crank-motion shown and 

 described in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, in which figures it is necessary that 

 the animal should time the movement of his feet conformably with the 

 position of the cranks, but substituting the ratchet-motion shown — it 

 will be innnaterial whether a long or short step is taken or both feet 

 applied at once, the requisite movement of the driving wheels 

 will be produced; the action is as follows: B is the shaft of the 

 driving wheels, C a ratchet wheel fixed upon it, D the crank or sheave 

 of the ratchet working loose upon the shaft, E the paul taking into the 

 ratchets united by a pin in the usual way to the sheave or crank D, F 

 is the tail of the sheave upon which the comiterbalance A is fixed ; 

 the distance of the weight from the centre of the shaft B, is regulated 

 by the weight of the connecting rod G, and the treadles connected 

 with the fore end of the sheave, and this is kept in its place by the 

 set screws ; the weight of the counterbalance and its leverage must be 

 such as to bring back the treadle the moment the animal has lifted his 

 foot, when the sheave goes back an<l the paul falls into another ratchet, 

 the animal again applies his feet and force to the treadle, and a new 

 impulse is given to the wlieels. Figure 6 is a section, and figure 7 a 

 plan of this contrivance, figures 8, 9, and 10, are three views of a 

 compound variation of the above-described method to produce a 

 rotary motion from a reciprocating one, by which a forward or back- 

 ward motion may be produced by merely changing the pauls from the 

 forward or backward ratchets ; the general construction of the ratchets 

 and sheaves is the same as in the last-described figures, but here two 

 ratchets and sheaves, one right hand and the other left hand, are 

 placed side by side upon the shaft, and the connecting links GG upon 

 opposite sides of the shaft B are coimected with the same treadle, so 

 that by throwing into gear with the ratchets either the left hand or 

 right hand pauls, a forward or backward movement is produced upon 

 the machine, the pauls are coimected by the lever I I, and the jointed 

 rods m m, so that by a simple movement of the lever k the one ratchet 

 is withdrawn and the other thrown into gear, or when the lever k is 

 vertical both pauls are disengaged. 



The apparatus, as shown in the drawing, is ada])ted for the par- 

 ticiUar machine shown in figures 1 and 2, where the action of the 

 animal is a vertical action, to apply it for the modification shown in 

 figures 3 and 4 ; when the action of the animal is horizontal, either 

 the crank or sheave D must be made at right angles to the tail F, so 

 as to allow the counterbalance weight A to act by its gravity, and the 

 horizontal treadles must be coimected at once with the crank or sheave 

 D, or the crank or sheave D must be still vertical as above described, 

 and the connecting rods G connected with the vertical links G'G', as 

 shown in figures 3 and 4, the comiteraction of the treadles may be pro- 

 duced by a spring or other suitable method ; liivewise a change from a 

 forward to a backward motion, and vice versa, may be effected by 

 making both ratchets and sheaves or cranks loose upon the shaft, and 

 placing on each side clutches sliding upon the shaft in the usual way, 

 and throwing the one or the other clutch into gear with the right or 

 left hand ratchet and sheave or crank, as it may be desirable ; the 

 same letters refer to the same parts of the various figures, as each is 

 respectively shown in the drawing. Figure S is a side view and sec- 

 tion ; figure 9 an end view ; and figure 10 a plan of the same. Figures 

 11 and 12 is a modification by which an increased or diminished lever- 

 age may be produced upon the crank or wheels when the machine 

 is either at rest or in motion, so that a longer lever may be anplied 

 when most force is required ; viz. at starting the machine, aua a re- 

 duced leverage and more rapid movement of the wheels when the 

 carriage is in motion. The general form of the ratchets and counter- 

 balance is the same as that before described ; but the crank end is 

 made longer, so that the end of the connecting link G, which is fixed 

 to the crank D in the former cases by a pin-joint, slides along the 



crank, and approaches to or recedes from the centre of the shaft by 

 means of the screw I, and sliding nut K, so that by turning the handle 

 H, the nut K is brought by means of the screw I to the extreme end 

 of the lever D, and the link G then occupies the position shown by 

 the dotted line ; then as the velocity increases, the nut is advanced by 

 the same means towards the centre, the leverage is diminished, and 

 consecjuently the velocity of the wheels is increased by the same move- 

 ment of the animal's feet. Figure 12 is an end view of the lever D, 

 link G, nut K, and screw I. Figure 13 is a modification of the same 

 invention, the only variation being in the form of the lever D, and the 

 sliding nut or apparatus K ; here the lever is a solid lever, and the 

 nut K a hollow socket, sliding along the lever; this is moved forwards 

 or backwards by the handle H: the spring I is formed at its lower end 

 into a bell-crank, and fixed to the stem of the handle by a pin-joint, 

 which, wlien the spring is compressed and brought close to the handle, 

 as it will be when a man grasps the handle and spring in his hand, lifts 

 the latch in the lower end, which latch fits into the notches ;(, »;, h, and 

 the socket and connecting-link may then be advanced or drawn back 

 along the lever; when the spring and handle is let go, the latch falls 

 into the notch when the nut or socket K is held seciurely upon the 

 lever, the variation is thus evidently produced as in the last figure, 

 and the link G made to occupy any position with respect to the lever 

 as may be desired. Figme 14 is an end view of the same figure — 

 le% er D — handle H — spring I — latch M. 



PAPER READ BY W. TITE, ESQ., PRESIDENT OF THE 

 ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY, AT THE LAST SOIREE OF 

 THE SEASON 1S39. 



The Report just read will have comi.aunicated to you the general 

 results of our labours during the present session ; in the interval since 

 November, when I had the honour of accepting the chair of this society, 

 as president, I hope that the suggestions I ventured to make on that 

 occasion have been followed out, and that something has been done in 

 extending its usefulness, and in promoting and advancing the studies 

 of our younger members.* We do not propose to ourselves the mak- 

 ing a display- among the literary societies of Europe, nor the assuming 

 a rank which neither om- numbers nor our influence would justify us in 

 seeking; but we would desire to advance our art by extending informa- 

 tion amongst its individual members, and by liberally including 

 within oiu' naturally limited circle all who have a claim upon us by 

 honourable character and scientific pursuits. Usefulness was always the 

 aim and object of this society. Usefulness will, I hope, be its motto as 

 lone as I have the honour of presiding over it. With this impression, 

 ontiie present occasion, I am rather disposed to consider generally two 

 or three topics of interest to architects, which have arisen during the 

 past year, than to confine my remarks to one subject, or to give to any 

 thing that I may have to communicate the formal character of an 

 essay. 



The first subject I shall refer to, and the one of the greatest impor- 

 tance to architects at the present period, is that of the public compe- 

 titions which have been lately proposed for several large buildings, 

 such as .St. George's Hall at Liverpool, and the Royal Exchange of 

 London. Opportunities such as these are of the greatest value, even 

 nationally ; for placed as England is in the scale of nations, the eyes of 

 the world are upon us, and if we do not avail ourselves of these oppor- 

 tunities to remove the reproaches which have been cast (and often 

 but too truly) upon our national taste, we shall be accused of having 

 retrograded, when our manufacturers, our commerce, and all the other 

 arts of life have advanced, and of being behind our continental neigh- 

 bours in the science and in the practice of architecture. 



Open competitions, such as have been proposed for the Houses of 

 Parliament and the Nelson Monument, and those now proposed for 

 the Royal Exchange and the Hall at Liverpool, otter splendid oppor- 

 tunities, which if fairly ofi'eredto the profession, would, I doubt not, be 

 generally and eagerly embraced. The coiuse taken with the first 

 was on the whole satisfactory : the appointment of the commissioners 

 was a judicious measiu-e, and the world seems generally agreed that 

 the result, (the choice of Mr. Barry's design, and his appointment as 

 architect,) have been fair as reg-ards the competitors, and successful in 

 a national point of view. In the Nelson memorial the course has 

 been manly and straightforward ; and I think public opinion seems to 

 support the committee in their determination that, though the designs 

 chosen to receive the premium had considerable merit, yet it was wise 

 and judicious to give another opportunity to architects and artists, 

 because neither of them seemed to realize the wishes and expectations 

 of the public upon the subject. 



• At the last election of students at the Royal Academy, all the student 

 members of the society (five in mimbcrj who were candidates, were elected. 



