THE CONSTRUCTION OF VIADUCTS, BRIDGES, LINTELS, BEAMS, GIRDERS, AND OTHER HORIZONTAL STRUCTURES AND SUPPORTS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Alexander De Fabeck, of
No. 6, Portland Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-
tion of "THE CONSTRUCTION OF VIADUCTS, BRIDGES, LINTELS, BEAMS,
GIRDERS, AND OTHER HORIZONTAL STRUCTURES AND SUPPORTS."
Sealed the 27th January 1854, and dated the 19th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William
Alexander De Fabeck at the Office of the Connnissioners of
Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th August 1853.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM ALEXANDER DE FABECK, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "THE CONSTRUCTION OF VIADUCTS,
BRIDGES, LINTELS, BEAMS, GIRDERS, AND OTHER HORIZONTAL STRUCTURES
AND SUPPORTS " to be as follows:-
To supersede the necessity or use of arches in certain cases,
and to obtain strength and economy in the construction of horizon-
tal structures and supports by means of putting or fitting together
numerous triangular parts composed of iron, wood, stone, or other

page_text: substances, so as to form a rigid horizontal beam, lintel, girder, or
other support, as the case may be. The mode of construction is as
follows: The lintel, beam, girder, or other horizontal structure or
support is to be composed of a double row or series of triangular parts,
every other of such triangular parts in each row or scries being in-
verted, so that such triangular parts may be fitted together, as shewn
in diagram No 1, at the foot hereof, and the triangular parts of one row
or series being arranged in inverse order to those of the other row or
series, so that the apexes of the several triangular parts of each row or
series fall on, or near the centres of, and be firmly bolted, screwed, or
otherwise fixed or fastened to, the bases of the corresponding triangular
parts of the other row or series, as shewn in diagram No 2, in which one
row or series is drawn in black ink, and the other row or series is drawn
in red ink. In this diagram, for the purpose of better illustrating the
construction, the several triangular parts are represented as skeleton or.
hollow triangles, but whether they are hollow or solid must depend upon
the nature of the material used in the construction. The two rows or
series of triangular parts, as well as the several triangular parts of cach
row or series, are to be fixed or fastened together by such means and in
such manner as may be found expedient or necessary, according to the
nature of the material used. The ends of the beam, lintel, girder, or
other horizontal structure or support thus constructed being supported
as shewn in diagram N° 2, it will be sufficiently rigid to sustain a great
weight, with, however, a certain advantageous elasticity, and may be
applied to all purposes for which horizontal support is required. The
method of construction may be varied (the principle, however, remaining
the same) by cutting away the apexes of the various triangular parts, as
shown in diagram No 3, or, in other words, substituting quadrangular
parts for triangular. In this case the same result will be obtained
with, however, a diminution of strength.