1846.} 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



187 



triin to liny convenient part, and is worked by mpans of a winch or handle, 

 so that by drawing the weight along the lever a a' to the opposite end to 

 that where the weight is shown, the end a of the lever a a' would be pressed 

 down when the breaks d d will be brought into action by the arrangement 

 of levers shown in the diagram which w'll be understood without further 

 description. Another part of this invention consists in facing that part of 

 the break which comes in contact with the wheel, with a casing or covering 

 of wood, having a number of conical holes which are to be filled witli chalk 

 or a mixture of sand gravel, asphalt, or other attritive material. The inven- 

 tor also proposes to attach to the back of the break a vessel containing a 

 liquid for tiie purpose of keeping the break moist, and carrying off the heat. 



) 



Fig. 2. 



JUNCTION OF THE BROAD AND NARKOW GAUGES. 



The following is a descripliou of a plan patented by Messrs. Austin and 

 Quick, for obviating the difficulties of diversity of gauges. It consists 

 merely in the application of additional sets of wheels to each axle of the 

 carriages, so that the same carriages may travel with equal facility both 

 on the broad and narrow gauges, and pass from one to the other without 

 stoppage or inconvenience of any kind. Fig. 1 is a section of a wagon, 

 P'S- !• and fig. 2 of a carriage provided with the double 



sets of wheels. The locomotives of course would 

 not require the proposed alteration, as each line 

 would possess its own establishment of engiues 

 which would be changed at the break of gauge. 

 On lines of uniform gauges a similar change of 

 engines usually takes place every forty or fifiy 

 miles, without the least inconvenience to the pas- 

 sengers. 



The carriages employed for the purpose 

 would be of narrow gauge dimensions, the 

 axles being lengthened sufficiently to receive 

 the additional wheels. The axle bearings 

 would be most conveniently situated between 

 the wheels on either side, the grease or lubri- 

 cating box being so placed as to be readily 

 accessible between the spokes of the outer 

 wheels. As the steps of the narrow gauge 

 carriages now project invariably beyond liie 

 broad gauge dimensions ; the additional 

 wheels would involve no alteration whatever of bridges, tunnels, or even 

 tiie station platforms of the narrow gauge lines. The only alteration re- 

 quired, throughout the works, for the uninterrupted passage of these car- 

 riage>, would be an addition to the rails, at the crossings, to sidings, to 

 allow the flanges of the wheels that are not travelling on the rails to pass 

 through. It would be necessary at crossings to make two openings instead 

 of one in each rail which is crossed, so that both sets of wheels might. 

 At the junction of the gauges nothing more is requisite than that the sets 

 of rails should overlap for a few feet. Fig. 3 represents the means of pass- 



c4 



h 



ing from gauge to the other. 



Fig. i. 



=^ 



The inventors calculate that the al- 

 teration of the crossings would at the 

 utmost not exceed 25/. each, so that 

 ' the cost on this head for a long line of 

 railway would not amount to 1000/. 

 In the case of a wheel breaking or a 

 train getting off the rails, additional 

 security would result from the extra 

 wheels, as tending to preserve the car- 

 riages from upsetting and preventing their running entirely off the railway. 

 The proposed invention has certainly the merit of simplicity, and it is to 

 be regretted that the Gauge Commissioners had not the opportunity of ex- 

 amining it. It is certainly much superior to the plan of shifting carriages 

 from frames with narrow gauge wheels to frames with broad gauge wheels ; 

 an operation which must always produce delay besides lessening the se- 

 curity of the carriages. The telescopic axles are also liable to the objec- 

 tion of insecurity. The only danger from the new plan would arise from 

 the accidental olistruction of the additional set of wheels by obstacles which 

 did not lie across the rails. The additional dead w-eight would also be an 

 objection of some importance. We can scarcely regard the invention as 

 anyibing but a temporary expedient, but we are inclined to consider it 

 much superior to those which have been hitherto proposed. The double 

 wheels would only be required for those carriages which were intended for 

 through traffic. 



The Nelson Monument is once more in progress towards completion, the 

 brickla3ers are at work forming the foundations for the Sights of steps and 

 stooe bases. 



DAMPNESS IN BUILDINGS. 



ITS CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES, AND THE MEANS OP PREVENTtNG IT. 



(Translated from the Magazin PitloresqueJ* 



Dampness penetrates into the lowest floor of buildings either from the 

 soil itself or by means of the foundation v, nils ; it frequently arises also 

 from rain beating on the surface of the exterior walls. 



The influence of the difl'erent causes of dampness varies according to the 

 nature of the soil or climate, the aspect in which the houses are built, the 

 materials employed in their construction, md the different modes of coQ- 

 struction. To get rid of humidity in the lowest story, it is ordinarily sup- 

 posed, that all that is required is to elevate the foundations within the 

 building above the level of the external soil ; but if no other precautions 

 were employed, this super-elevation would not diminish the dampness 

 which rises from the earth itself, and that from the walls would be very 

 imperfectly remedied, supposing the buildings constructed without cellars. 



Among the numerous bad consequences of dampness we must reckon as 

 the principal its unhealthiness, and its destructive efl'ect on almost every 

 thing subjected to its action ; it causes plaster to fall, ceilings and floors to 

 decay, paint to peel off, paper to become rotten : furniture, pictures and 

 books are rapidly injured by it, and even the materi:.ls of the walls them- 

 selves undergo a gradual alteration which diminishes (ueir solidity. 



A constant moisture is not however nece';;arily destructive to buildings 

 built of stone : stones laid in the ground although constantly immersed ia 

 water, will remain uninjured ; although this will not be the case where 

 the stone is exposed by turns to dryness, moisture and frost. 



It is a common expression that damp always rises : and it might thence 

 be supposed that moisture, in order to affect a hygrometric body, must 

 come from below it, whereas in reality moisture is also diffused down- 

 wards, horizontally, and in every other direction. Now the materials 

 ordinarily employed in building, wood, brick, rubble, and stone of every 

 kind, including even marble and granite, ; re more or less hygrometric; 

 that is to say, if carefully weighed after having been immersed in water, 

 are found to be heavier than they were when completely dry.^ It is there- 

 fore clear that the opposition which the nature of the materials offers to 

 the progress of moisture is much less than is commonly supposed, 



Inefficacy of the ordinary remedies. 



Till lately attention has been confined to the means of remedying damp- 

 ness in buildings after they have been constructed ; precautions have seldom 

 been taken to prevent it in the first instance. Recourse is generally had 

 to cements, plasters, and paint, applied to the interior surfaces of the walls 

 so as to substitute by means of a body supposed to be impermeable, a dry 

 surface for one more or less humid. Without desiring to analyse the 

 qualities of the plasters usually employed, we do not hesitate to say that 

 these various compositions, not only do not prevent, but do not even 

 diminish, the real cause of the evil. The luoisture which has penetrated 

 through the walls is an agent of which the operation is continuous, and 

 cannot be stopped. Its action cannot be diminished except by the action 

 of air. The pretended hydrofuge cements merely disguise the evil for a 

 certain period ; they are even liable in many cases to the grave ohjectioQ 

 of diminishing the chances of absorption, and instead of helping to dry the 

 building, tend to retain its moisture. 



It is then the first cause of the evil which must be attacked. The only 

 useful means are those which prevent the moisture from penetrating into 

 the walls of the building, for when once it has entered them it is almost 

 impossible to remove it. 



Means of preventing dampness in the construction of buildings. 

 With respect to the dampness arising from the soil, the best means of 

 preventing it is by interposing at a certain height some impermeable sub- 

 stance which will prevent the moisture passing beyond it. The only sub. 

 stances of this kind are lead, bituminous or resiuous cements, and certain 

 kinds of mortar.' 



The interposition of a plate of lead or a layer of some bituminous sub- 

 stance in the thickuess of the wall has been already tried with success, 

 and is found to stop the progress of the moisture absorbed by the lower 



« Tills paper I? an abstract of an Essay for which tlie Brst prize was aivarderi by tlie 

 Society "U'i':ncouiagement pour I'iodustrie natiwiale." The aullior o» the priie eM»y 

 is M. Vandoyer, government arctlitect. 



s From eiporicnenls made on llie powers of absorption of different liinda of stone, It 

 appears thai a (ubic metre of marble will lioirt SJ piuls of water. A metre laSlt. 3ia. 



3 The nature of ihe mortars best adapted to resist vaaiaiaie is explained In M. Viat'Jt 

 worli. See tlie C. K. and A. Journal fur februwy last. 



