IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, AND VIADUCTS OVER ROADS,
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Frank Smith, of Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Architect and Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, AND VIADUCTS OVER ROADS,
Vac
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Frank Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th November 1881.
JAMES FRANK SMITH, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Architect and Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, AND
VIADUCTS OVER ROADS, WATERCOURSES, RIVERS, AND ESTUARIES OR STRAITS,
WITHOUT THE NECESSITY FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS, PIERS, OR ABUTMENTS."
This Invention has for its object the building or construction of bridges, aqueducts,
and viaducts of iron or steel, or a combination of both, in such a manner as
to dispense with the formation or building of the usual foundations, piers, or
abutments.
The Invention consists in forming cylinders of iron or steel, or a combination of
both materials, of suitable diameter and length, and sinking them so as to lie in the
bed of the river with their axes parallel to the stream, one half or thereabouts
being under water and the other half above the water. The upper parts of the
cylinders may be connected together by suitable girders so as to form the roadway,
and the spandrels and haunches of the arches may be filled in with concrete, rubbish,
earth, cinders, or other suitable matter, and may be faced with stone or ornamented
in any way. The cylinders do not necessarily lie close together, their distance
apart being varied to suit the particular circumstances of the case.
For crossing
a deep and narrow gulf one cylinder only of large diameter will be sometimes
sufficient.
For carrying aqueducts and viaducts across valleys the same system of con-
struction is adopted, the cylinders then resting only on the earth, rock, or bed of
the valley

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Frank Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th May 1882.
JAMES FRANK SMITH, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Architect and Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, AND
VIADUCTS OVER ROADS, WATER-COURSES, RIVERS, AND ESTUARIES OR STRAITS,
WITHOUT THE NECESSITY FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS, PIERS, OR ABUTMENTS."
This Invention has for its object the building or construction of bridges,
aqueducts, and viaducts of iron or steel, or a combination of both, in such a manner
as to dispense with the formation or building of the usual foundations, piers, or
abutments.
The Invention consists in forming cylinders of iron or steel, or a combination of
both materials, of suitable diameter and length, and sinking them so as to lie in the
bed of the river with their axes parallel to the stream, one half or thereabouts being
under water and the other half above the water. The upper parts of the cylinders
may be connected together by suitable girders so as to form the roadway, and the
-spandrels-and-haunches-of-the-arches-may-be filled-in-with-concrete, rubbish, earth,
cinders, or other suitable matter, and may be faced with stone or ornamented in
any way. The cylinders do not necessarily lie close together, their distance apart
being varied to suit the particular circumstances of the case. For crossing a deep
and narrow gulf one cylinder only of large diameter will be sometimes sufficient.
For carrying aqueducts and viaducts across valleys the same system of con-
struction is adopted, the cylinders then resting only on the earth, rock, or bed of
the valley.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings are attached
hereto, of which the following is a description:-Fig. 1 shows the method of con-
structing a railway bridge over an estuary or strait, A being the iron or steel cylinder
formed of plates rivetted to rolled iron or steel ribs in the manner shown. This
cylinder rests in the middle of the stream; but where the stream is too wide for one
cylinder alone, two or more may be placed close together, as seen in Fig. 2, which is also
adapted for vehicular and foot traffic. In each case the upper part of the cylinders
carry the girders B, on which the railway or roadway and foot walks are formed
and paved in the usual way, the spandrels C being filled in solid with any suitable
material. The balustrading or parapet may also be made of any suitable material
and design. Fig. 3 exhibits a bridge constructed with a single cylinder, and is
suitable for crossing canals or streams where a footway or towing path is required
to be formed. The manner in which this foot way or towing path is bracketted or
made within the cylinder is shown at D. This arrangement may be also used for
forming roadways or streets under railways, the lower part of the cylinder being
sunk beneath the level of the ground.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details or arrangements that I have described or referred to, as variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of this
Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is, the

page_text: construction and application of cylinders and girders, made as herein described and
shown on the Drawings, so as to obviate the necessity for building foundations,
piers, or abutments, as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Frank Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES FRANK SMITH. (L.S.)