Improved Frame or Partition for Supporting Library Shelves and for like purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Frame or Partition for Supporting Library Shelves and for
like purposes.
We, WILLIAM HERMAN WINSLOW and FRANCIS AXEL WINSLOW, both citizens
of the United States of America, and both residing at 366, Carrol Avenue,
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, U.S.A., Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in building con-
structions and more especially to that class of building construction adapted for
use in libraries and the like, where neatness, strength and durability are
required. To such end it consists in a light; simple and substantial frame-work
containing certain novel features of construction, a description of which will be
found in the following specification and the essential features thereof definitely
pointed out in the claims appended hereto.
The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings furnished herewith by
means of five figures, of which, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my construction;
Figure 2 is an end elevation partly broken away; Figure 3 is a vertical cross-
section in line 3-3, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal sec-
tion through the device, certain portions being broken away to enable the view
to be made as large as possible upon the sheet and Figure is a horizontal section
in line 5-5, of Figure 4. Figures 2 to 5 inclusive are upon a larger scale than
Figure I in order to more clearly illustrate the invention.
In these views, A, A1, A2, A, A, represent uprights or supporting members
resting upon a suitable foundation and preferably bolted thereto. B, B1, B2, are
horizontal members adapted to hold the uprights together and at proper distances
from each other. The frame thus formed is braced by a truss, C, extending
diagonally from the middle of the frame to the angles made by the up-
rights, A, A, and horizontal members, B, B2. This truss is adjustable for the
purpose of truing up the frame and bracing it against longitudinal strain.
The different members of the frame are shown as of peculiar construction and
I will now proceed to describe each separately. The uprights are each composed
of a bar or supporting web, a, see Figures 4 and 5, slit at the bottom and the two
ends bent at right angles to the main portions in opposite directions to form
feet, a', adapted to be screwed or bolted to the floor. Upon both faces of the
uprights, A1, A2, and upon the inner faces of the uprights, A, are provided clamp
bars, a, preferably narrower than the web, a, spaced apart therefrom slightly
and secured thereto in any suitable manner. These bars are adapted to support
shelf brackets, seen in Figure 3, provided with suitable clamping means for
adjustably securing them to the clamp bars. The clamp bars not only form a
supporting means for the brackets but also stiffen the uprights thereby in-
creasing the rigidity of the structure.
The horizontal members consist of tubes, b, extending between the webs, a,
ie-rods, 1, passing through the tubes and webs, and nuts, b³, upon the ends of

page_text: the tie-rods. By tightening up these nuts a rigid frame is formed, but in order
to give it still greater rigidity I provide the frame with a truss, C, which con-
sists of four diagonally extending tubes or rods, C. Upon the ends of these tubes
are secured crotches, c, c, adapted to engage the frame work at the inter-sections
made by the members, A¹, A, B, B2, and A2, B¹. The crotches, c, are, however,
provided with screws, 2, the ends of which rest against the web of the up-
right, A2, and by adjusting these screws the various parts of the truss may be
moved longitudinally along the horizontal member, B¹, until the frame is ad-
justed in nerfect alignment and rigidly braced.
It should be noticed that the different parts of this construction are simple and
cheap, thus lessening the cost and at the same time simplifying the structure.
our said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1: In a building construction for library shelving or the like, the combina-
tion with uprights each comprising a main supporting web and clamp bars
secured thereto, of horizontal connecting members comprising tubes extending
from upright to unright, tie-rods passing through the same and connecting them
together and braces extending between diagonally opposite angles of the struc-
ture and provided with adjusting screws adapted to vary the length of the
diagonals and thereby true up and brace the structure; substantially as
described.
.
A building construction for library shelving or the like comprising
webs, a, clam bars, a², secured thereto, tubes extending between the webs, tie-
rods passing through the tubes and webs and connecting the parts together,
diagonal braces extending diagonally from approximately the middle of the
centre web, crotches in the ends of said diagonal braces engaging the tubes and
webs and set screws in the inner crotches bearing against the central web; sub-
stantially as described.
3: A building construction comprising uprights, A, A1, A2, horizontal con-
necting bars, B. B1, B2, a truss extending from approximately the centre of the
frame and to the upper and lower horizontal member thereof and set screws
threaded in said truss and engaging the upright, A2, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.