80
and number ofmen required.
Glaring thetransept roof.
Glazing the naveroof.
Construction ofglazing-machines ;
How used.
Quantity of workdone.
Eapid suppl y ofsmall castings.
Celerity withwhich the paint-ing of the naveroof wasexeeuted.
of ribs from the ground to the level of the lead flat, but the previous prepara-tions involved a much longer space of time. Eleven men worked at each crab,and about 16 were employed on the lead flat, to guide the ribs in their ascent,and see to the safe condition of the shear legs and tackle. Considering thedangerous nature of this performance, it must be regarded as a most gratifyingcircumstance, that the whole operation was accomplished without any untowardoccurrence.
No sooner had the skeleton of the transept-roof been completed than the workof glazing commenced. For a considerable portion of the height of the curve,ladders and temporary scaffolds enabled the workmen to proceed with theirlabours ; but in order to complete the upper part, an ingenious box was con-structed, moving on wheels in the line of the gutters. This box was lowereddown from the lead-flat at the summit to any portion of the roof.
The glazing of the nave roof presented formidable difficulties, from the greatextent of work to be got through in so short a space of time. The ingenuity ofthe contractors was, however, brought to bear upon the subject, and provisionswere made by them for the simultaneous glazing of large areas, entirely indepen-dent of variations of weather. 76 machines were constructed, each capable ofaccommodating two glaziers; these machines consisted of a stage of deal about8 feet square, with an opening in its centre sufficiently large to admit of boxes ofglass, and supplies of sash-bars, putty, &c., being hoisted through it. - Thestage rested on four small wheels, travelling in the Paxton gutters, and spanneda width consisting of one ridge and two sloping sides. In bad weather theworkmen were covered by an awning of canvas, stretched over hoops for theirprotection.
In working, the men sat at the end of the platform next to whatever work hadbeen last done; from which they pushed the stage backward sufficiently far toallow them to insert a pane of glass, and as soon as that was completed theymoved again far enough to allow of the insertion of another. In this mannereach stage travelled uninterruptedly from the transept to the east and west endsof the building. The dexterity acquired by the men in working the machineswas very remarkable. By means of them 80 men in one week put in upwards of18,000 panes of glass, being not less than 62,600 feet superficial. The greatestnumber of panes inserted by a man in one day was 108, being 367 feet 6 inchesof glazing. A somewhat similar machine has been constructed for the purpose ofeffecting any repairs that may be necessary in the finished roof, with the differ-ence that its wheels travel upon the ridges instead of in the gutters, and that ofcourse there is no aperture for the purpose of hoisting.
Taking into, account the innumerable quantity of small castings requisite andthe extreme rapidity with which they had to be supplied, tlieir quality and clean-ness is truly remarkable; and the fact of their having all issued from one foundry,that of the contractors at Smethwick , proves the great facility with which workof that nature can be executed in' England.
Among the later operations connected with the completion of the work, themost remarkable for the celerity with which it was conducted, was the ornamentalpainting of the nave roof. Iron straps, attached to the trusses, supported anumber of scaffold-poles, on which a perfect cloud of boards was laid, and asmany as between 400 to 500 painters, by these means, worked their way, withextreme rapidity, from one end of the building to the other.