Improvements in Arches for Ceilings and Vaults.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arches for Ceilings and Vaults.
1, GOTTHILF LUDWIG MOECKEL, of Doberan, in the Grand Duchy of
Mecklenburg, in the German Empire, Architect 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 consists in a novel arrangement of the arches for supporting
ceilings and vaults, and the objects of my invention are to construct a vault of wide
span and small height without the employment of supports, and thus to afford a
construction of greater cheapness than those in use hitherto.
I attain my object by employing arches which intersect at a certain height and
are both continued beyond their lines of intersection, without departing from their
original direction and curvature.
These arches may be executed in any form desired. The essential point is that
two intersecting arches should be continued beyond the line of intersection without
a deviation from the regular course of the arch.
My invention will be more readily understood by the aid of the accompanying
drawings, in which :
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of a vault constructed according to my improved
principle, taken on the line a-b of Fig. 3.
Fig. 2 is another sectional elevation taken on the line bc of Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.
The construction shown is only an example and shows the application of my
principle to a vault of octagonal form. In this case I employ two arches d and e
standing at right angles to each other, intersecting at f, and continued in the same
direction beyond fas indicated by g and h. It will be seen that the arches spring
from the ground and that there are no imposts proper. An advantage of my
improved construction is also, that the whole vault supports itself and that no
counter-forts are needed. In consequence thereof and also of the decreased height
of the vault, as compared with those of usual construction, I am enabled to reduce
the cost of constructing a vault covering a given area fully by one third.
The construction may be used for vaults over a triangular, quadrangular, or any
other polygonal space, and will be found especially convenient for churches, first
on account of its cheapness, and then owing to its affording a free space under the
whole vault, uninterrupted by supports, so that the pulpit and the altar may be
easily seen from any place of the church. The arrangement of the seats may also
be easily improved, and the acoustic effect of the vault is an exceedingly good one ;
moreover the lighting of the church is greatly facilitated. Of course the described
arches may be employed to support ceilings as well as vaults.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In the construction of ceilings and vaults: The arches (de), springing from
different points, intersecting at a certain height, and being both continued beyond
the line of intersection, for the purpose as described.
Dated this 9th day of May 1892.
GOTTHILF LUDWIG MOECKEL,
By F. Bosshardt & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.