CERTAIN NEW. IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTING OF BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, AND VARIOUS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS, AND WHICH MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1796

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JORDAN, of Oakhill, in the Parish of Shepton Mallett, in the County of
Somerset, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of May, in the thirty-sixth year of His reign,
give and grant unto me, the said James Jordan, His especial licence that I,
the said James Jordan, during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN NEW. IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTING OF BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, AND
VARIOUS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS, AND WHICH MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO
OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso, obliging me, the said James Jordan, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same (rela-
tion being thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Jordan, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described in the
Plan and description thereof hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Jordan, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred and ninety-six.
JAMES JORDAN. (L.3.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Eleventh day of November,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid James Jordan came before our
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written. And also the
Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute in
that case made and provided.
Inrolled the Twenty-first day of November, in the year above written.

page_text: Haber wie wijk vergiske
represents one
'
one
vw
17
a
other whatsoever
may be on one
Wrought Iron
against the
be
such Bridge Aqueduct Top or Covering , were placed over the same by which means, intermediate Peirs will be avoided, the Navigation of Rivers be improved, many causes of obstruction and damage
be removed, and Bridges be constructed and placed in a way likely to preserve them from decay a much greater length of Time, than when they have a connection with the River under them The
materials for such Arch or Arches to which Bridges and other Works are to be suspended on the principles of my Invention may be of the different kinds hereinafter specified ocany,
capable of being used in the construction of the sume and the Form and Strength of the several parts may vary according to the nature, extent and other circumstances belonging to and dependant
upon them. It will likewise appear from the explanations heruinafter given of some of the methods in which my Invention may be applied, that most of the Works erected on the principles thereof,
will not have a lateral, but only a perpendiculur pressure on the Buttresses, Walls, or other end supports, which in many cases will be of great advantage. To explain more fully the nature
of my Invention, and the manner in which the Principles of it may be applied in several Cases, although with many viivictions in the Form and Stungth of the Parts: the Rinciples
being still retained) I have annexed Drawings which the following particulars are intended to elucidate. Fig 1. Represents the elevation, and Fig 2. half the transverse section of a Bridge, without
a Draw Bridge - and with one of the Buttresses unfinished - It may be formed and erected in the following manner : A. shews the Houjontal Rib of the Bridgeway composed of well seasoned
&e second the Roverdring givivre, vorweb vie threw to more thickness / our it may be in more) with Arst Iron Plates solid or hollow, close or open, as wide as
the thickness of the Ribs, the Timbers and the Iron to be bolted together (See A Fig 2) by strong wrought hon Bolts with large Heads and Nuts -- These Ribs
may
be put together on
Land, and be conveyed to their place on the Buttresses, by means of floating Rafts or Vessels, with proper Mechanical or other supports thereon, and by such other powers on the Land, as the nature
of the case may require - These hils are to be completely fixed in their place, and are to be stayed and supported in the middle from the heads of two or more. temporary piles previously driven into the River to
receive them. When both the Ribs are thus placed, they will form the main parts for the Scaffolding, by which much expence will be saved, -B, is one of the Circular Suspending Ribs, composed in this
Bridge ( See B. Fig 2.) of eight Rils of well seasoned Timber, but may be of such number and Scantling, as shingth and convenience may require, and two Ribs of Cast Iron in long longths
(One or both of which may be omitted in small Bridges) the whole bound together, by strong Wrought Iron Bolts, large Arts and Heads - The Timbers are to be of different lengths calculated to
give stingth and Unity to the whole, and to break the heading Soints, between which •may be placed thin plates of Copper or any other metal. The points of the Circular Ribs are to be bound and
connected to the Horizontal Ribs by different Iron Stups and Bolts, as shewn at C. Fig 1. These Ribs may be erected by beginning at the ends, and uniting them successively and progressively towards
the Gown, Scaffolding and supporting the Works from the Stougontal Kits D. D. Fig 1 and 2, shew the suspending Bars of thought Sam or other Metallic Substances with lauge Heads, plaks,
and Nuts. Preparation is to be mude in the different Ribs, to admit these Bars to be passed through from the Top of the Cricular Kits, after which the Plates and Nuts, are to be applied to connect
the circular with the lower Ribs - E Fig 2. is one • of the Griders or Bearers, luping cross wise, about six feet from each other These Ginders are to be received in a Box Mortise at one end, and a Shelley
Mortise at the other, so that they may be fixed or displaced, without affecting the Rits _ They are to be secured to the Ribs, by Iron Shap Bolks passing through the Sides and fastened by small bus
Bolts to the Girders, which will likewise prevent the Ribs from spreading from each other - F. F. Fig. 2. are Bearers laid on the Girders, longitudinally with the Ribs, to be of different lengths to give Shengthe
and to be secured to the Gurders, by Strap Bolts passing through the Bearers. To admit the Removal of the latter, they are to be stapled to one side only of the Girders . C Fiġ 2 Shews the Planks
lauping over the Bearers, and secured to them by cross Iron Plates the plates to be let into the Turface of the Planks next the Soints, that one half the width of the Plate
Plank, and the other half on the other, with Bolts passing through the same, to secure the Planks to the Beavers - On these Planks, Gravel and Ballast may or may not be laid H Frg 2
of the cross Timbers in the brown of the suspending Ribs, these are to be continued down, as low as the Headway for Maggons will admit of, and are to have cross and diagonal Timburs
feamed in between them, to prevent any lateral pressure from injuring the Ribs. They are to be connected to the Ribs by proper Bearings Bolts & I Drig 2 Shews a Footway, which may or
may not be affixed to the Bridge at its Building or which may be affixed at any future time - It consists according to this section of wrought chon Bottom Bars side Bars, and
large and small Brace Bars, of each is to be affixed to every suspending Bar, by the bottom Bar passing on the Top of the Houjontal Rib, and turning up to receive a
Bax, which is to secure it to the suspending Bar, as shown at K- When Footway is intended to be erected, the Cast Iron Plate of the Horizontal hib, should be wider than the
Timbers, to leave a • sufficiency of it, for the side and brace Bars to bear thereon, the side Bar may be further secured to the hib by Staples - Four or more Timber beavers are to
luy longitudinally
over and are to be notched on to the bottom Bars, on these Bearers are to be laid Planks, which are to cross the Bearers and form the Floor, and on or
Front of the outermost Bearer, are to be fixed Posts, secured by the Iron Braces and also at the bottom to the Bars - To these posts, proper Rails and Pannels filled in may
affixed - The Top of the Buthesses may be formed into a double Parapet, for a Footway betwem, or the Passengers may twin off into the Carriage way. Fig: 3 Represents part of a
Bridge on the before described construction in which a Draw Bridge is introduced AA are the Parts of the Bridge to be drawn up B. B. Is an Iron Frame secured to the circular
Rib and to two suspending Bars, for the purpose of distributing the Wights to and preserving the Form of the Arch - The Chains here sheon are of the kind generally used, but such as
are most proper, are on the principle of those, for which the Society for the encouragement of Arts and manufactures, have given a Premium, and which act in the same manner as a
Rape as andern. Rolling With, Site Was Islavicans for nonining
Bellew firing. are the wierdto; and we so princed as to cause the Bridge in rising, to clear the
suspending Chains out of the way of the Masts - The Chams may either be passed through the Hib at I, to wind up the Bridge by a perpendicular direction, in which case proper Machinery
will be affixed on the Bridgeway for that purpose; or the Draw Bridge may be taken up by means of weights moving on the surface of the lower parts of the Circular Ribs and on such parts as may
tend rather to benefit than injuce them, and us the weight of the Draw Bridge will be progressively less on the Chains, as it rises, the increased Velocity and power of the weights may be
corrected by the application of Springs and inclined Planes - various methods may be adopted for taking up and returning the Drow Bridges with Ease and Facility, and by a connection of the
Chains, render the Manual force necessary to be employed, not more than that of one person of each side. As a Counterbalance for the separation of the Bridgeway (if only of one Arch) the Endsofil
are to go the further on the Buttresses, and are to be fastened to Iron Bars, brought up a considerable way in the Buttresses, and connected with Cham Bars laid horizontally in them, for the
purpose of forming additional Binders to the horizontal hits of the Bridgeway - Where from the queat width of the River more than one Arch may be proper, this precaution will not be
necessary as the Houjontal Rib will be continued to receive other additional suspending hibs, as described hereafter in the construction of continued Aqueducts Fig 4. Represents the hansveve
applied - A.A. Fig 4 and 5, shews the Horjontal kib, which is to be put together in
section, and Frig 5 the Elevation of a continued Aqueduct to which the principles of my Invention are
u similar manner to that described for the Bridge but not being liable to so much agitation, nor the support of so great bearings, it may be of smaller scantlings B. B. Fig 4 are the circular sus-
may
pending hits composed of Cast Iron, formed in the following manner; Each Rib-piece is to be cast of a proper length to break the heading Joints, and may appear solid on the Face, or
Cast of
• an open pattern, to give Elegance to the appearance of the whole. One Rib piece is to be laid, and secured to the other, so that the rib may be of two, three, or more pieces in width on
one side of the Suspending Iron, and of the same number on the other side and when combined by bolts and straps to connect them to each other, and for receiving the hanging Irons, will form a double
avicular suspending rib This mode. •be also applied to Bridges and that described for Bridges may be applied to Aqueducts C.C. Fig 4 are the suspending Irons with Heads of a sije sufficient
to cover the Rib and secured at bottom in the same manner as described for the Bridge way. Fig 1. and 2. The Heads are to be secured to recesses in the Top of the Circular Ribs by proper Bolts -
D. Fig 4,
of the cross stays which in this Aqueduct, to give
of the Girders which be put up and united as in the method proposed for the Bridge way Fig 2 - E. Fig 4 Shews one.
it a light appearance, is proposed to be of Cast or Wrought Iron, Cross and diagonal Icons are to to added to answer the purpose mentioned in the description of the Crown of the Bridgeway Frg: 2-
F. Fig 4. represents the Horse and Footpath, but as the method of constructing this path is nearly the same as that described in the explanation of the Footway to the Bridge (See I. Fig 2) no more wee
be observed, than that this being affixed higher, the bottom and Brace Bars, may be connected to the suspending Irons, by Mortises and small Bolts, and the Floor consist of only one thickness of Bearers
laid longitudinally on the hon bottom Bar - The Bottom and sides of this Aqueduct may be of Wood, Store Cast or Mought Iron, Word lined with Sheet Lead Copper or of other Malerials, having the upper parts filled in be
Planks to give them a Bearing against the Suspending Irons, by which means they will be prevented from any accident that a latual pressure might otherwise occasion. For passing Boats and other l'issels an endle
Rope or Chain is to be provided, and vertical and other hollers are to be fixed clear of the Ends of the Aquducks. This Rope or Chain is to lay on the inside and outside of the suspending Irons, and round the
Rollers _ When Boats fea are.
• brought up to the aqueduct, they are to be made fast to that part of the Rope or Chaim next them, and the Force employed to draw them, being taken to the other end of the flath and
fastened to that part of the Rope or Chaim on the outside of the chons, by drawing towards the Boats for the jist of them will pass the Aqueduct (the rest following) in the Time the Force applied is passing the pathway
This method of passing Boats F: may be avoided, by excting the pathway on the inside of the Bars, which s
& may be high enough to permit the Boats V: to pass under it, so that no exka width in the aqueduct will b
necessary on their account Fig 5 Represents part of an Aqueduct which may on the same principle becontinued to any extent, the distance of the puis or supports being increased or decreased-regulan or miegular as
circumstances and utility may require. Being constructed agreeable to the Section. Fig 4, it needs no explanation nly this may be observed, that as the points of the Segmenkabut on each other much of the precaution to be observed in the
construction of a single Arch to prevent a longitudinal Expantion of the Rib, will be rendered unnecessary. And the piers or Supports will not be liable to a lateral, but only to a perpendicular pressure, consequently. The
may be built much smaller than if liable to a lateral pressure, and may be a Frame Work of Tro., or other Materials if thought proper - It will appear from what has been explamed, that Bridges and
Aqueducts may be continued to any length, and extended to any Math, they may be continued if placing such a number of Ribs longitudinally us may be necessary and they may be extended by ada
at such distances as the weight and bearings may require one two or more .
• Ranges of Ribs between the order ones - The principles of my Invention as they are to be applied to the covering in of large Build
mgs may be understood without any drawings to explain them, as similar methods to those proposed for the suspending of Bridges and Aqueducts may be applied, with such variations as the nake
of the Buildings may require. The Ceiling Floor may be suspended by Timbers, instead of Irons connected to the Tie Beams and Suspending Ribs, by Iron Stirrups and Bolts; the Ribs may vary some
what from a Curve, and the Roof over may be of a common Form - The principles of my Invertion being thus explained and illushated, by some of the modes which may be adopted I observ
That as the Invention itself is not subject to any precise form. Seje or Scantling, et must always vary according to the nature, extent and intended service of the Works as well as the kniel of materic
to be used, and which, the Judicious Architect or Engineer will accomodate to local and existing circumstances - I have considered it most proper, not to perplex the explanation with dimensions of the
various parts thinking it quite sufficient to shew the nature and utility of my Invention and the manner in which it may be applied Neither have I explained the good effects and advantages that u
arise from it, by speedy erection, by a saving in expence, by durability by the certain and easy mode of repairing, and various other advantages, because such explanations would not properly.
form a part of the Specification._
is
one
may
may
be