248 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[August, 



throueVi the cast iron cnps and corresponding knuckles, fixed to the 

 piles wliich support the extreme end of the permanent way, and thus 

 forming a hinge on wliich it rises and fills; these piles are strength- 

 ened sidewavs by means of struts, so as to enable the structure to 

 resist the strain consequent thereon ; the other end of the platform, 

 which rests on the barge, is furnished with rollers, which traverse 

 rails placed in a recess formed in the side thereof, so as to bring the 

 surface of tlie platform on a level with the deck. The flooring of 

 this structure is supported from the beams by joists wliich, with other 

 transverse fastenings, connect the whole firmly together, and it is sur- 

 mounted bv a railing as in other similar erections. Fiers intended for 

 heavier tniflic, he constructs in a manner very similar to the foregoing, 

 but with the several parts of a proportionate strength ; but in many 

 cases where the rise and fall of the tide is too gre.it to admit of the 

 whole of the inclination being thrown on one moveable platform, he, 

 therefore, makrs use of an intermediate floating barge, protected by 

 buttresses; this arrangement avoids ilie necessity of having the plat- 

 form of any extraordinary length, when any great height is to be 

 attained. Instead, also, of the rollers at the end of the platform 

 bearing directly on the floating barge, it rests on a frame which is 

 supported by a strong shaft laid horizontally in the direclion of its 

 length; this admits of a rocking motion, and, consequently, prevents 

 any strain from twisting or alTecting the perm ment pier, to which the 

 other end is aflixed. In piers constructed for every description of 

 heavy goods, in place of supporting it on piles, it is erected on a 

 base of solid masonry, supporting cast iron pillars, on the top of 

 which the longitudinal beams are placed, and the whole is finished 

 in a manner proportionably strong for the accommodation of wagons 

 and other vehicles; the platform of this pier also rests on an 

 apparatus, the same as before described, for the purpose of counter- 

 acting the rolling of the barge from the action of the waves. 

 The fioating-harge of this 

 pier, supposing it to be erect- 

 ed where it will be subjected 

 to the action of the sea, is 

 constructed with open-ended 

 tubes passing through from 

 side to side, as also (rom the 

 deck to the bottom ; this not 

 only materially strengthens 

 the barge, but allows the sea 

 to break through and thereby 

 partially avoids its effect. 

 Having described the natare 

 of his invention as regards 

 piers, he states that he is 

 aware they have before been 

 erected where the communica- 

 tion has been effected by 

 means of a platform, rising 

 and falling with the tide, but 

 what he claims is the [lecuiar 

 construction of low-water 

 piers, adapted for all kinds of 

 traffic, and for the accommo- 

 dation of all classrs of vessels 

 ill loading or delivering^jas- 

 sengers or goods of all kinds, 

 at any state of the tide, with- 

 out the intervention of stairs 

 between the fixed and floating 

 piers, and which | jcr forms 

 proper ro;idways for carriages, carls, wagons, or other vehicles, even 

 of the heavii'st description, coming to or going from such vessels 

 lying alongside the floating-piers; and when sui'h piers are to be 

 adapted for ferrys, the flu.aing-piers may be made of such a height 

 that their decks will be level with the deck of the steamer or other 

 vessel used for the ferry, so that any carriage or vehicle may drive 

 down the pier, and on board such steamer or vessel, without disen- 

 gaging the horses, and which piers are constructed in the peculiar 

 manner herein shown. The second part of this invention relates to 

 the construction of a floating breakwater, for the protection of ship- 

 ping in harbours, bays, estuaries, or other inlets of the sea. Fig. 2, 

 represents a transverse vertical section of this breakwater, and fig. 3, 

 an elevation of the Siime ; it consists of a cylindrical caisson a, ol iron, 

 which being rendertd water-tight forms the buoyant part on which 

 the whole structure is supported ; b, l>, 6, is a frame-work made of 

 iron, attached to the caisson ; on this frame-work a number of planks, 

 c, c, f, are fixed longitudinally, which as the sea breaks through ren- 

 ders it comparatively smooth on the inside. The caisson a, has a 



Fig. 3. 



number of tubes, d, d, through it, bith vertically and horizontally ; 

 these tubes allow the sea to break through, and consequently lessen 

 the efiect tliereon, and likewise (end considerably to strengthen it; 

 at the lower part of the frame-work a ballast-chamber is placed, which 

 has the requisite quantity dropped through vertical tubes, d, d ; several 

 of these breakwaters maybe connected together by the joints e, e, 

 according to the entry of the harbour ; the whole is secured by the 

 chainsyi/", to a suitable anchorage in the position most desirable for 

 obtainuig the desired effect. He does notclaim the invention of float- 

 ing breakwaters of iron, or other material ; but what he claims is the 

 forming of fljating breakwaters in the peciliar manner represented in 

 the drawing, and as hereinbefore described. 



RAILWAY WHEELS AND BREAKS. 

 Henry Grafton, of Holborn-hill, engineer, for " Improremenls in 

 railway wheils and apparalits connecltd milh railway carriages." — 

 Granted January 16; Enrolled July IG, 1S47. 



The improvements relate, firstly, to llie 

 formation of wheels for railway carriages, to 

 adapt them for running on different gauges. 

 The annexed engraving shows the construc- 

 tion of the wheel with two flangt s or railway 

 tyres. In place of spokes, the inventor pro- 

 poses to have two dished plates formed of 

 corrugated iron, wliich are made by pressing 

 the plate in a mould ; the centre to be rivetted 

 to the nave and the outer rim to the tyre 

 and a cylinder of sufficient width to receive 

 the two tyres — the distance regulated ac- 

 cording to the dirt'crent gauges. 



Ihe second improvemtnt is for a rail- 

 way-break, consisting of a metal band placed 

 between the two tyres, which by a lever is 

 made to press upon the periphery of the 

 wheel between the tvro flanges. 



