Year: 1897

page_text: I, HENRI TAVERNIER, of 31 Rue de l'Hotel-de-Ville, Lyon, in the Republic of
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
My invention has, for its object, the provision of metallic joints in masonry,
and particularly in those structures which are subjected to great strain, or heavy
pressure. Said invention consists, to this end, in filling the space, or spaces, here-
tofore occupied by mortar or cement with a suitable metal, or metallic alloy, which
inserted in said spaces or in so much of them as may be necessary in a state of
.fusion.
It is well known that the interposition of mortar in the joints of masonry has the
effect of diminishing the pressure which can be supported. On the other hand,
when using a metal or any suitable alloy in masonry joints where great pressure
must be resisted it is possible by the use of my invention to increase the resisting
power of a structure of masonry to a very considerable degree, so greatly, indeed,
as to render it the equivalent of a monolith of the same dimensions.
In order that the invention may be fully understood by others, I will now
describe the same in detail, reference being made for this purpose, to the accom-
panying drawing, in which:-
Figure 1 is an elevation of an arch in which the joints are filled in accordance
with my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view, showing the intrados of said arch.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detail views showing different methods of retaining the
fused metal until it is set.
In said drawings the joints which must sustain the greatest pressure are indicated
by the reference letter a. These joints are filled with metal or a metallic alloy,
in a melted condition, as denoted by the black lines in Figures 1, 2 and 3. As
'the joint tt, are subjected to slight pressure only they may be filled with mortar,
in order to avoid unnecessary expense.
After laying the stones A upon the support provided for them, the open
spaces a a, are closed on all sides, with the exception of the open upper side, by an
iron plate c secured to the three faces of the stone by a tie-rod d. It will be
convenient to employ a suitable pouring device, such as Figure 3, by which the
joint can be quickly filled with metal or an alloy. Care should be taken to
CD •

page_text: preserve the three sides of the joint closed, as in Figure 5, until the fused metal
shall have been cooled and become set and hard.
The use of metallic joints in structures of masonry of any kind will present great
advantages. Among other beneficial results of this employment we may mention
the fact that it enables masonry to bear a greater pressure by far than that which
it is ordinarily made to bear, and when the bearing surfaces of the masonry are
properly arranged it will afford a very strong connection of the parts between which
the metallic joints are formed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The method described of strengthening structures of masonry, which consist in
filling the joints between stones with fused metal or a fused metallic alloy, and
cooling the same until it sets.
Dated this or day 1 Day
1000
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.