Chap III. MASONRY.

587
1925. To tie in
asbliTing to the brick
wall, cramps are used,
either of cast iron,
wrought iron, copper,
or bronze. The two
latter are of course the
iiest ; the two former
exfoliating by air an(
damp, and sj)litting the
stone, unless perfectly
Fig. cicr.
secured. During the restora-
tions at Cologne Cathedral, the
Fig. 618s.
^
Fig. Gist.
cornice (above the 55 feet high windows) is 3 feet 7 inches high, and in order to connect
the stone.s, iron hooks were put hot into the holes, which were then filled up and surrounded
with asphalte. By this proceeding the iron is for ever preserved from oxidation
;
it has
proved itself the best system, because the applications of mortar, gypsum, sulphur and
lead, have all failed. On the exterior, bronze surrounded with lead has been used, which
has hitherto proved satisfactory. Cramps are also now set in Portland cement.
1 926. Nothing to perplex will occur in carrying up stairs which are supported by a wall
at both ends, because the inner ends of the steps may either terminate in a solid jieu-il, or
be tailed into a wall surrounding an open newel. Where elegance is not required, and
where the newel does not exceed 2 feet 6 inches, the ends of the steps may be conveniently
su|)ported by a solid pillar
;
but when the newel is thicker, a thin wall surrounding the
newel would be cheaper. In stairs to basement stories, where geometrical stairs are u.sed
above, the steps next to the newel are generally supported upon a dwarf wall.
1927. In geometrical stairs, the outer end of each step is fixed in the wall, and one of
the edges of every step supported by the edge of the step below, and formed with j'>if(/h'd
joints, so that no step can descend in the inclined direction of the plane nor in a vertical
direction
;
the sally of every joint forms an exterior obtuse angle on the lower part of the
ujiper step, called a back rebate, and that on the upper part of the lower step cf course an
interior one, and the joint formed of these sallies is called ajoc/gle, which may be level from
the face of the risers to about one inch within the joint. Thus the plane of the tread of
each step is continued one inch within the surface of each riser ; the lower part of the joint
is a narrow surface, perpendicular to the inclined direction or soffit of the stair at the end
next to the newel.
1928. With most sorts of stone the thickness of every step at the thinnest place need not
exceed 2 inclies for steps of 4 feet in length ; that is, measuring from the interior angle of
every step perpendicular to the rake. The thickness of steps at the interior angle should
be proportioned to their length ; but allowing that the thickness of the steps at each of
the interior angles is sufhclent at 2 inches, then will the thickness of them at the interior
angles be half the number of inches that the length of the steps is in feet ; for instance,
a step 5 feet long would be
2i
inches at that place.
1 929. The stone platforms of geometrical stairs, that is, the landings, half pares, and
quarter paces, are constructed of one or more stones, as they can be procured of sufficient
size. When the platform consists of two or more stones, the first of them is laid on the
last step that is set, and one end tailed in and wedged into the wall ; the next stone is joggled
or rebated into the one just set, and the end also fixed into the wall, as that and the \yie-
ceding steps also are; and every stone in succession, till the platform is completed. When
another flight of steps is required, the last or uppermost platform becomes the spring stone
for the first step of it, whose joint is to be joggled, as well as that of each succeeding stej),
similarly to those of the first flight. The principle upon which stone geometrical stairs
are constructed is, that every body must be supported by three points placed out of a
straight line ; and therefore, that if two edges of a body in different directions be secured
to another body, the two bodies will be immoveable in respect to each other. This last
ca.se occurs in the geometrical staircase, one end of each stair stone being tailed into the