1830.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



449 



horizontally, and when the rod e is depressed to stand vertically, or 

 the apparatus may he formed double so as to work both telegraph and 

 the lamp at once, whether by day or night. 



Hydrostatic Chair. 



Fig. 6, Section. 



Fig. 7, Front View. 





This apparatus consists of a seat to destroy tlie vibration of the 

 railway carriages shown in figures 6 and 7, this consists of the outer 

 case C, formed with a double bottom, dividing it into two parts, the 

 upper in which the seat floats, and the under forming a receptacle for 

 the superfluous water, the inner case or box. B, has a space all round 

 it of about an inch clear, and the top of the outer case, and the bottom 

 of the inner floating b(jx is bound round with a loose hemp gasket or 

 other suitable packing to prevent the sides of the cases from touching 

 and to act as guides for the seat, the seat is raised by a person pump- 

 ing up the water from the lower or waste box D, by means of the syringe 

 D, the seat is lowered by the cocky', being opened by the wire or string 

 g, and allowing the water to flow out into the waste box ; the waste 

 pipe 1, is placed as high as it is proper the water should rise in the 

 upper box witliout overflowing, so that the water returns by it to tlie 

 waste box. The cases or boxes may be made of any suitable materials, 

 hut I consider sheet-iron the best. Figure G is a section and side 

 view, and figure 7 a front view. A, is the seat formed in the same 

 way as a chair or other seat ; A, is the suction-pipe of the syringe, and 

 the line n denotes the floor of the carriage. 



Wheel adapted for the Common Road or Railway. 



Fig. ?, Side Vie v. Fig. 9, Cross Section. 



My next improved machinery and apparatus is a wheel adapted to 

 run upon the common road or upon the rails of a railway. 



Figure 8 is a side view, and figure 9 a cross section of the wheel, 

 the wheel is formed as shown, as if the conical railway wheel were 

 placed outside of the common wheel ; if the wheel be formed of wood 

 the felloes should be broad enough to take both tires, the outside tire 

 may be the same as that used for a railway wheel, and tlie road tire 

 the same as usual. I consider H inch sufficient ditfijrence in the radius 

 of the two wheels ; the best mode to fijj. the spokes will be as shown, 

 alternately to cross them; the n.ive would be best of cast iron in the 

 usual way. The only part of the wheel which I claim as my invention 

 being the form of the rmg, any usual method may be used, and any 

 material employed ; the best mode to form the ring will be to make 

 the wheel in the usual way and then shrink the railway tire b, b, upon 

 it, then when this is turned in the lathe and the edge likewise, tlie 

 road tire c, c', may be shrunk on afterwards in the usual way ; or the 

 tire iron may l)e rolled to the entire shape, and the wheel put to- 

 gether upon the usual railway system. D is the nave, t the axle, and 

 y the spokes. 



TILGHMAN'S RAILWAY BAR. 



The nature of the improvement consists in so forming the bar that 

 there shall be a reducticm of the height usually given to the f r.iil 

 between its head and the base on which it rests ; thereby diminishing 

 the leverage of the rail, while its strength and capability of being 

 firmly secured to the cross-tie, are provided for by the addition of a 

 rib directly under the centre of the base, which rib may be made 

 plain, trapezoidal, or with a lower web. 



To fasten the rail, the lower rib is inserted in the cross-ties, and 

 wedged securely to its place, wliere it is supported conjointly upon 

 the ordinary base, and the under part of the lower web. A chair, or 

 flat plate of iron, is inserted" immediately under the upper base or 

 support, to receive which, notches are made in the ends of the bars, so 

 that when two of them are put together, these notches form a mortice 

 through which the chair is to be inserted. The chair is affixed to 

 the cross ties by spikes or screws. 



The Committee having tested the strength of the improved trape- 

 zoidal rail, weight 48 fbs. per yard, by the rules laid down liy Pro- 

 fessor Barlow in his account of " Experiments on the transverse 

 strength and other properties of malleable iron, with reference to its 

 uses fur railway bars," feel satisfied it will sustain a weight of from 

 six to seven tons without injury, (the supports being 33 inches apart,) 

 or about 7o ])er cent, more than the most approved rail of similar 

 weight now in use. 



With reference to leverage, the improved rail is decidedly prefe- 

 rable to the J rail, the distance between the upper surface and sup- 

 port being consideraljly less, and as its entire depth is greater than 

 that of any other rail known to the Committee, (and may be increased 

 at a slight expense, without changing the position of the main support 

 or increasing the leverage,) it consequently follows, as the depth 

 governs the deflexion, that the improved rail is much the most stiff 

 and rigid. 



In point of economy, the Committee are of opinion that the improved 

 trapezoidal rail will be found less expensive than the x rail. The 

 plan suggested for connecting the bars, and attaching them to the sills, 

 they conceive permanent and simple. — JoarnoA of the Fraiiklm In- 

 istiiute. 



POINTING THE STONE WORK OF A CHURCH STEEPLE. 



Sir — When 1 was building the Parsonage House at Waltham, 

 Leicestershire, I had an opportunity of obtaining from the Register 

 the following account for pointing, in 165i!, the steeple or spire of the 

 parish church, and which I have much pleasure in sending to your 

 widely circulating journal, because it gives so minutely the materials 

 formerly used, as well as the ex])ence incurred, in that important but 

 much neglected branch of work, " pointing." 



" Paid the steeple pointer for jiointing the steeple 

 Item for two days' work more .... 



Item for smithy dust ...... 



Item for eggs ....... 



Item for nine strikes of lime ..... 



Item for two strikes of malt ..... 



Item spent when we paid the poiater 



Item ])aid for a mare hired for the pointer 



Item for the steeple pointer's man .... 



Item for fetcliing the lime ..... 



The Church, which is built of stone, stands on a very elevated situ- 

 ation, and is exposed to every wind that blows. 



I am, .Sir, 

 36, Guildford Street, Your obedient servant, 



Nov. loth, 1839. Charles Over. 



Railway Points. — We have during the past week been shown the models 

 of railway points or switches which appear to possess important advantages 

 over any at present in use. The ingenious inventor is a mechanic now re- 

 siding in this town, and who was for soaie time employed on the London and 

 ISirmingliam KaUway, where his attention was directed to the suliject. As 

 far as we are eiiahlcd to judge from the models, the invention will effect all 

 that is desired ; as, were the plan adopted, it appears that by no possibility 

 could an accident occur in cousciiuence of the negligence of tlie party to 

 whose care tiie points were entrusted. We allude to the invention in the 

 liope of drawing to it tlie attention of engineers and otiiers engaged in the 

 formation of railways ; and we shall have pleasure in giving tlie address of 

 the party suggesting the improvement to any gentleman who may apply to 

 us for that purpose. It is to he lioped that the inventor, should his plan he 

 found to possess the advantages he claims for it, will be rewarded for his in- 

 genuity and perseverance. — Midlmul Ojunties Herald. 



2 Q 2 



