In this method of building, the stone is moulded upon the wall. The moulds travel on a track which is attached to an elevated scaffold. They are 12 inches in height; and as rapidly as each course is completed, the scaffold is simply raised 12 inches, which operation also raises the track and moulds, and a new course is started. This same movement is repeated until a story is erected, when the joists are placed, and the en tire apparatus is raised to that floor and a new story added; consequently the same apparatus is sufficient to build any number of stories in height.
Between each 12-inch course and its adjacent courses, the walls are tied together with steel ties which reinforce and strengthen the walls, lengthwise and crosswise, thus making the en tire walls one complete network of steel rein forcement.
The walls being monolithic throughout the building, they are not affected by fire, acids, gases, water, climatic changes, etc. Window and door sills are moulded any size or length, wher ever they come in the structure, and at once become a part of the one solid stone which the building is when completed.
The entire work being done upon the walls, special moulds can be used on the outside, mak ing floral or any other artistic designs one may desire. While the stone is green, it can be marked off representing block work or stone in any length. The natural concrete is always more beautiful and lasting than any imitations of other work and material.
The process of constructing a wall was as fol lows: First a platform of 2-inch lumber was laid across steel beams about 4 feet apart, these beams being supported by jacks. The platform was about 3 feet from the ground, and lay inside the limits of the proposed building. Four-inch boards were set up on the four sides to complete the form. On the platform were placed the win
dow-frames and the reinforced concrete cornice, which was moulded in 6-foot sections, 3 feet wide. In this case, special ornamental window caps were required, and these were cast sepa rately and placed in their proper positions on the platform. Then concrete made of one part cement, one and one-half to two parts sand, and four parts crushed stone, was poured upon the platform. After about 2 inches of concrete had been laid, twisted steel rods for reinforcements were placed in both directions, 6 inches apart, and the balance of the concrete was poured on. The wall was made 4 inches thick. As a facing, a cement mixture of one part white cement to one and one-half parts white sand was laid on the surface.
The work was allowed to stand forty-eight hours to give the material time to solidify, when preparations for lifting the wall to its perma nent position were made. This was a compara tively simple task, most of the power being fur nished by a 5-horsepower engine. It was con nected by belting with the shaft under the plat form operating the jack-screws, and slowly the wall was tilted into position. The platform sup ports were so placed that the foot of the wall swung to its position on the foundation at pre cisely the right line; and when the wall had as sumed a vertical position, every line was plumb. Five or six wood props braced to the window frames held the wall in position, and the plat form was taken away from the back, and swung about for the construction of the next wall, at right angles to the first. This operation was repeated until all the walls were up. The rein forcing rods were set to protrude at the edges of the walls; and when all the walls were in posi tion the rods interlocked at the corners of the structure. They were twisted together, and an 8-inch board, the only falsework used in the con struction, was placed inside the corner. Here concrete was poured in, a joint made on the outside corner, and the two walls thus bound together.
Apparently this system could be utilized in constructing walls of large dimensions, provided the adjustable framework for supporting the wall is of sufficient strength to give equal resist ance to all portions of the load while being raised..