A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OF " SHORING OR SUPPORTING BUILDINGS IN COURSE OF ALTERATION AND OF INSERTING BEAMS OR GIRDERS USED IN SUCH ALTERATIONS AND IN APPLIANCES USED THEREFOR.
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Slater and Robert Pollock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1882.
JAMES SLATER and ROBERT POLLOCK both of Edinburgh in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OF
"
SHORING OR
SUPPORTING BUILDINGS IN COURSE OF ALTERATION AND OF INSERTING BEAMS
OR GIRDERS USED IN SUCH ALTERATIONS AND IN APPLIANCES USED THEREFOR.
This Invention relates to a new or improved mode of "shoring" up or supporting
the superstructure in dwelling houses or other buildings whilst parts of the structure
beneath are removed for purposes of alteration or repair and to a new or improved
mode of inserting the girders or beams to support the superstructure.
In such circumstances it has hitherto been customary to support the superstructure
on horizontal wooden or other beams passed at intervals through apertures made
at right angles to the line of elevation of the building and to carry these beams on
vertical or inclined wooden supports passing downwards to the pavement or cellarage.
With this method of "shoring" up whilst it interferes with the flooring and
apartments inside the building and with the footway or pavement it not unfrequently
happens that the lower ends of the vertical or inclined supports, not resting on a
solid basis, the superstructure becomes racked.
Under this Invention a series of rectangular or other shaped holes is cut in a line
along the elevation of the wall to be altered and into these holes boxes are inserted
their inner ends, which are closed, being flush or nearly so with the inner side of
the wall whilst their outer open ends project beyond the outer side of the wall.
These boxes are constructed of a flat plate of metal laid evenly on the bottom of
the hole and another plate laid on the top of the first, the second plate having an
upright flanch or projection at its inner end. The top of the box is similarly formed
whilst the inner end is closed by a flat plate and a channel iron, or by a channel
ron only, bolted to the upright Blanches on the horizontal plates.
The boxes have open sides and "dumb screw or other vertical supports are
nserted into them to assist in shoring up the superstructure until the girders are
nserted.
"
When all the boles in the wall have been so filled up the masonry between each
ole (being the parts at which the alteration is to be inade) is cleared out and iron

page_text: or other beams or girders are inserted between the boxes at right angles to the
length of the boxes and parallel to the length of the wall.
Before these beams or girders are inserted the dumb screw or vertical support is
moved outwards and the girder is passed in between it and the closed end of the
box then the screws or supports are moved further outwards and another girder
inserted and so on according to the number of beams or girders used which being
effected the superstructure is thoroughly "shored" up or supported without tendency
to racking or sinking in any part.
In cases where the alteration entails the whole of the lower part of the wall being
taken out as for example in altering the ground floor of a dwelling house into shops
the boxes are supported on vertical iron or other beams whose lower ends rest on
the solid foundation of the building these being put in place before the part of the
wall to be altered is cleared out.