G'JS THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE. Book II.

into a house, to shut oft' tlic supply for repair.s, or in anticipation of a frost. Some wrought
iron pijjes are lined and coatnl with hydravilie mortar
;
others are P(e/^e(^ in the interior.
These latter have been found, both for gas and water purposes, absolutely incorrodible;
in the former case preventing thegreat loss from leakage, and in the latter ease convening
tlie water in perfect purity. For a high service hot water supply, a galvanized wrought
iron hot water cistern, with man hole screwed down, is supplied. It is usually 2 feet
6 inches long, 2 fett wide, and 18 inches deep. Cast iron pipes are naturally very porous
;
so much so, that water when very forcibly compressed, as by an hydraulic machine, will
make its way through the thick cast iron cyliiider in a sort of perspiration on the exter :al
surface. Oxidation, to a certain extent, .will close the pores of the metal, and prevent this
escape of water or of gas
;
and it is recommended that all new gas pipes be pi'ove i with a
solution of sal ammoniac, which being forced into the body of the metal effectually
oxidises it, and to a great extent cures the evil. Patent welded wrought iron tubes and
fittings, and malleable ii'on fittings, are made for gas, or low pressure steam, and c;ist iruii
pipes for water, of from
^
to 4 inch bores : such pipes are also made for high pressure steam
or water, and proved to a pressure of 200 lbs. per square inch. The ordinary gas pipa
is proved to 7o lbs. on the s-juare inch.
2223r. Gufta Percha. On account of the injurious effects of water on lead cisterns and
piping, this material has been recommended as a substitute for it in both cases, since its
general introduction about 1849. But it is uncertain whether the material can be guaran-
teed as a lining; and some soils appear to affect it when buried underground. It is als3
attacked by a fungus. Experiments made at the Birmingham Water Works, on the
strength of gutta percha, showed, that tubes made
f
inch diameter and
^
inch thick,
attached to the iron main, and subjected for tAvo months to a pressure of 200 feet head of
water, were not in the slightest degree deteriorated. They were afterwards subjected to a
proof of 337 lbs. per square inch. The material being slightly elastic, the tubes expanded,
but recovered their former size on the pressure being withdrawn. At Stirling,
H
inch
tubing bore a pressure of about 450 feet, without the slightest injury, whilst the same pres-
sure ujjon strong leather' hose scattered the rivets in all directions. A vulcanised
fibre
is
a new substitute for leather, rubber, gutta percha, &c., for packing hot or cold water
taps, valves, washers, &c.
2223s. Pipes to cisterns are supplied with ball cocks and valves, both round way and
square way, of various forms and sizes, too numerous to be here described. The
'
Brock-
ley
"
patent ball valve, of Wood Brothers of Brockley, is an improvement consisting of
the usual ball turning on a pivot fixed to the fccrew. "The spherical form of the seating,
and the cup into which it works, have been designed to prevent the collection of grit.
The rubber envelope at the end of the seating fitting into the opening through which tho
water flows is specially made, and is durable as there is no cutting edge to destioy it;
they only require to be stretched on." For sinks, or the usual supply taps, bib-cocks
having a
"
X
key," or a
'
spanner" or other key, are required
;
these are of different
makes, and often produce a recoil.
"
Screw-downs
"
or
"
valves
"
are used where the high
pressure system is adopted, the
"
T
key
"
then screws down the valve. A
"
stop-cock
"
or "valve
"
is used to shut off the water in a length of pipe, as the service from the main
pipe, as above noticed, and likewise for reducing the pressure of the water on the
"
screw-
down
"
valves in a constant service. This system is described in Cresy, Encyclopcc'dia,
pages 1655-57. Stidder's patent hydraulic ball valve is intended to resist the highest
possible pressure ; the greater the pressure the more secure from leakage.
2223f. Lavatories are fitted up with an apparatus for supplying the basin with hot and
cold water, and for taking off the waste. Baths are supplied from a boiler either placed
at the back of a kitchen range, or set in the fireplace of the bath room, or of an adjoining
chamber. They are also heated by a gas boiler called
"
Geiser," or other name, fixed'
close to or on the bath, having a flow and return pipe; or by ranges of lights under the
bath itself. A five-feet bath is said to be heated to lOO'' in half an hour by gas, at a
small cost. A bath generally contains about 60 gallons of water, and requires about 20
gallons of boiling water to heat it. Ewart's lightning geyser gives a hot bath in five
minutes. Shanks's new instantaneous gas water heater. Doultou and Co.'s Lambeth
patent water heater.
2223<. The bath itself is sometimes formed of marble, cast iron enamelled, opalized
glass, glazfid earthenware, and glazed po colain tiles (Rufford's), the weight of which is
7 cwt. The Farnley porcelain bath, of fireclay and enamelled, is reduced in weight to
4.J
cwt. ; they are made of four shapes, from 60 inches to 74 inches in length. Zinc, lead,-
copper, galvanized iron, and slate all require a coating of light-coloured paint, so as to
render easily apparent any want of purity of the water. A patent stamped tinned steel
bath is designed to obviate the disadvantages of cast iron; it does not chill tho water,