.

354
TIIKORV OF ARCIIITECTURE, Bor.K- ir
crtl't-t on the rigidity of roiies, except in slightly increasing the resistance when tlie pressure
was small.
1340. The friction and rigidity of ropes was supposed by Amontons and Desajndiers to
vary as the diameter as the curvature and as the tension. By Coulomb the power of the
diameter expressing the rigidity was found generally to be 1
"
or 1 -8, never less than 1

1,
and that a constant quantity nuist be supposed as added to the weight. Wet ropes, if small,
are more flexible than such as are dry, and tarred ones stiller by about one sixth, and in
cold weather somewhat more. After rest, the stiffness of ro])es increases. A rojjc of three
strands, each having two yarns 12.^ lines in circumference, whose weight was 125 grains,
being bent upon an axis 4 inches in diameter, required a constant force of one pound
(
French)
and - of the weight to overcome its rigidity. The same rope tarred, required one iifth
of a pound and one fiftieth of the weight. When the strands were of fine yarns, the cir-
cumference 20 lines, and the weight 347 grains, the rigidity was equal to half a pound and
of the weight to move it. With strands of 10 yarns, and a circumference of 28 lines,
and a weight of 680 grains to 6 inches, the rigidity of the untarred rope was 2 lbs. and

! of the wt4ght, and the tarred rope of

3-3
lbs. and
-
of the weight. Experi-
ments which confirmed the above were made on a roller moving on a horizontal jdane,
while a rope was coiled com])letely round it, whence an allowance must be made for the
friction of the roller on the plane, which varies as its weight and inversely as its diameter.
With a roller of guaiacum or lignum vita;,
3'6'
inches in diameter, moving on oaic. It was
-j^j
o( the weight ; for a roller of elin,
|
more.
1 341. lliis subject has, we conceive, been pursued as far as is necessary for the architect
;
seeing that his further investigation of it, should necessity arise, may be accomi)lished by
reference to the works of Amontons, Bultinger, Parent, Euler, Bossut, and Coulomb,
upon whom we have drawn for the information here given. We shall therefore con-
clude these remarks by subjoining some of the practical results which experiments on
animal power afford, extracted from the celebrated Dr. Thomas Young's Natural Philoso-
phy, vol. ii.
1342. In comparing the values of the force of moving powers, it is usual to assume an
unit, which is considered as the mean effect of the labour of an active man working to the
greatest advantage; this on a moderate calcidation will be found sufficient to raise 10 lbs.
to the height of 10 feet in one second for 10 hours in a day ; or 100 lbs. 1 foot in a second,
that is 36,000 feet in a day, or 3,600,000 lbs. 1 foot in a day. The following exhibits a
tabular view of the immediate force of men, without deduction for friction. Such a day's
work is the measuring unit in the third column of the table.
Operative. Force. Continuance. Day's W<':k.
A man weighing 1 33 lbs. French ascended 62 feet
French by steps in 34 seconds, but was com-
pletely exhausted. Amontons. . . -
2-8
34 sec.
A sawyer made 200 strokes of 1 8 French inches each
in 145 seconds, with a force of 25 lbs. French.
He could not have continued more tluui 3 mi-
nutes. Amontons. . . - -
6-0
145 sec.
A man can raise 60 French lbs. 1 French foot in
1 second for 8 hours a day. Beriiouilli. 0-69
8 hours
0-552
A man of ordinary strength can turn a winch with a
force of 30 lbs., and with a velocity of
3.^
feet in
I second for 10 hours a day. Bekayiiliers.
1-05
10 hours 105
Two men working at a windlass, with handles at
right angles, can raise 70 lbs. more easily than 1
can raise 30 lbs. Desar/uliers. . - -
1-22
\M2
A man can exert a force of 40 lbs. for a whole day
with the assistance of a fly, when the motion is
pretty (juick, at about 4 or 5 feet in a second.
Desagulitrs. But it appears doubtful whether
the force is 40 or 20 lbs.
... 2-00 2-00
For
a
short time, a man may exert a force of 80 lbs.
with a fly when the motion is pretty quick. De-
snguliers. - . - - - 3 00 1 sec.
A man going up stairs ascends 14 metres
(35
"43
feet)
in 1 minute. Coulomb.
...
11 82 1 min.