[Bell Historians] Steelwork into masonary

[Andrew Wilby]

I was wondering if it might be possible to create a "British Standards" 
standard for securing bell-frames into tower walls?

I have looked at the BS website but not seen anything to indicate how 
you would go about it.

If there were such a standard it would be useful to refer to those 
architects and structural engineer who try to re-invent the wheel and 
possibly save much argument.

I had considerable trouble with the  New York based Structural Engineer 
to the Trinity project who didn't want the bell-frame to touch the walls 
at all if he could help it.

He thought that he should design the bell-frame in the first place. 
After being coaxed away from that notion he wanted to know all the maths 
involved in the design and insisted on minimising the number of holes in 
the wall to the extent of compromising the basic design and no double 
pockets so that the main beams had to be spliced in situ. A complete and 
unnecessary dogs breakfast that ultimately ended up with two extra beams 
and 24 chem-bolts into the walls. Don't mention the extra expense... but 
in New York the Structural Engineer seems to be god and the Architect 
reluctant to blow his nose without his permission.

At present every scheme is at risk of being dealt with as if it is a 
first and the accumulated wisdom of the last 100 years is sometimes 
difficult to bring to bear on the situation.

If there was a BS 5040 or something to which we could refer the 
Architects etc. it would help a lot?

How do you create one? Is there a show stopper here?

Perhaps this is a task for the Towers & Belfries Committee to 
co-ordinate with the Bell-hanging industry?

Andrew