IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF ROOFS OF BUILDINGS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARCHES OF BRIDGES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of
No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier,
Paris, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF ROOFS OF BUILDINGS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARCHES OF BRIDGES."-A communication.
Sealed the 10th March 1857, and dated the 3rd October 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontainemoreau at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 3rd October 1856.
I, PETER ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of No. 4, South Street,.
Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF ROOFS OF BUILDINGS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ARCHES OF BRIDGES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
These improvements consist in constructing the roofs of buildings with
timber or iron framing, arranged in a similar manner to the stones of the arch
of a bridge. This system or method is also applicable to the construction of
iron bridges. The improved roof is composed of a number of iron or wooden
frames connected together by diagonal cross. pieces, the whole being firmly
secured by bolts and nuts or other means. These diagonally braced frames,
forming the voussoirs of the arch or roof, are also connected together at their

page_text: sides and at the intrados or profile of the arch by iron or other metallic plates
bolted to the framework. The roof or arch is further supplied with horizontal
-or other suitably placed iron tie rods, bolted or otherwise fixed to the springing
of the arch for connecting the principal rafters together when they are employed.
In iron bridges the voussoirs are constructed of iron frames with diagonal cross
pieces bolted firmly together, and supported by vertical iron tie bars to a hori
zontal iron frame. The arch is fixed to and rests upon angular iron abutments
strengthened by cross pieces, the whole being supported on stone or other
foundations. The above-described roofs and arches may be formed of an
elliptical or other suitable shape, and be modified according to circumstances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 3rd April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL, COME, I, PETER
ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINEMOREAU, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Patent Agent,, send greeting.
•
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Peter, Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, Her special license that I, the
said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontainemoreau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROOFS OF BUILDINGS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES," communicated to me by a foreigner
residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter
Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, by an instrument in writing under
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
my

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in a method of constructing the
roofs, vaults, and other parts of buildings, and the arches of bridges, with
timber or iron framing, arranged in a similar manner to the stones or voussoirs
of the arch of a bridge.
The improved roof or arch is composed of a number of iron or wooden
frames strengthened by diagonal cross pieces, firmly secured together by bolts
and nuts or other means. These diagonally braced frames, forming the voussoirs
of the arch or roof, are also connected together at their sides and at the intrados
or profile of the arch by iron or other metallic plates bolted to the frame-
work. The roof or arch is further supplied with horizontal or other suitably
placed iron tie rods, bolted or otherwise fixed to the springing of the arch for
strengthening it. In iron bridges the voussoirs are constructed of iron frames
with diagonal cross pieces, and the frames are bolted firmly together and sup
ported by vertical iron suspension bars to a fixed horizontal iron frame. The
arch is fixed to and rests upon angular iron abutments strengthened by cross
pieces, the whole being supported on stone or other foundations. The above-
described roofs and arches may be of an elliptical or other suitable shape, and
modified according to circumstances.
In order that the Invention may be better understood, I will now refer to
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a front
detail view of a single frame morticed together, and Figure 2 a perspective
view of the several parts. This frame is composed of two horizontal pieces A,
formed with tennons, and morticed to the two uprights B, which may be con-
tinued upwards to support the rafters H of the roof, as shewn in Figure 4.
The frame is strengthened by diagonal brace pieces C fitted to the sides of the
uprights, as shewn in Figure 1, so as to sustain lateral pressure. The method
of uniting two or more frames together is represented in detail in Figure 3;
they are united by bolts D, and to secure more firmly together the uprights B,
their joints are strengthened by iron plates E, fixed to the framing by screw
bolts F. When roofs and arches of large span are required, and which have
to sustain heavy weights, a continuous iron bar G should be bolted to the
framing. These frames may be formed wholly of cast or wrought iron.
Figure 4 is the front view of a roof constructed with the improved framing,

page_text: 2
strengthened by horizontal and vertical tie or tension rods F, G, and the
uprights B are strengthened by struts I and diagonal braces J. This system
enables arches to be constructed of much larger-span than has been hitherto
attained.
Figure 5 represents a modification of the system of constructing the arches
and arched roofs shewn in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a front view of the arch of a
bridge or roof: To give to the frames greater support. I connect: the two halves
of the roof or arch together by iron tie rods H, fixed by rings I to the intrados
and spring of the arch; these rods are united to a main stay or tie rod J. The
arch is further strengthened by horizontal and vertical-tie rods K, L, if the
span of the arch is large; this semi-elliptical arch may be from thirty to one
hundred yards in length. The frames or voussoirs of an arch or roof one
hundred yards long should be about eight feet high by six feet and a half wide;
the uprights should be thirteen feet long; the horizontal pieces six and a half
feet long and the diagonal pieces eight feet long. Upon the top of the arch
is placed a covering of zinc, bitumen, slate, &c.
Figure 7. represents a portion of an iron bridge, the frames or voussoirs of
which are formed of wrought or cast iron, and strengthened by diagonal or other
formed brace pieces M, N, bolted together, also by vertical suspension rods O
fixed to a horizontal frame P. The arch may have a span of one hundred and
fifty yards without having any other support than the abutments, one of which
is shewn at Q. The arch may be in the form of an arc of a circle, elliptical, or
of any other suitable shape.
Vaults and other parts of buildings to which this system is applicable may
be constructed in a similar manner to that herein-before described.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to
me, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is; the construction of roofs, vaults, and other parts of
buildings and arches of bridges with a peculiar form of, framing, as- herein-
before described; and represented in the annexed Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said -Peter Armand'le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of April,
in the year of our Lord 'One thousand eight'hundred and fifty-seven.
L DE FONTAINEMOREAU. (L.S.)