IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND LIGHTS, GROUND LIGHTS, AND SASH BARS FOR HORTICULTURAL AND BUILDING PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Barns, of the City of Bristol, Ironmonger,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND LIGHTS, GROUND LIGHTS,
AND SASH BARS FOR HORTICULTURAL AND BUILDING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 30th July 1878 and dated the 31st January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Barns at the
1
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st January 1878.
WILLIAM JOHN BARNS, of the City of Bristol, Ironmonger.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN HAND LIGHTS, GROUND LIGHTS, AND SASH BARS FOR HORTICULTURAL AND
BUILDING PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object to so construct hand lights, ground lights, and sash
bars, that the glass may be secured therein without the use of putty. To this end
the bars of which the frame is composed are made of zinc rolled to a proper section;
that is, with two longitudinal side flanges; to which are adapted movable spring
clips made of metal, and provided with a groove or rebate to receive the edges of the
glass.
Should a piece of glass be broken and it be required to introduce a fresh piece, it
will only be necessary to raise or lift the edges of one of the rebates and after
removing the broken piece drop the edge of the fresh sheet of glass on to the hori-
zontal part of the rebate and then depress the lifted part of the rebate, when the
glass will be properly secured in place.
5.
Instead of having loose clips to hold in the glass as above mentioned, the clips
may be formed in one piece with the bar or rib by turning up the horizontal flange
of the bar, so as form an overhanging clip. By thus forming the bar and clips in
one, piece, the liability to lose the clips is avoided, but should one of these fixed
clips become broken it may be necessary to use a loose clip for that part of the
damaged bar.
,
The sash bars for cucumber frames or ground lights are also made of rolled sheet
zinc, and are made hollow so as to form gutters for carrying off any water that may

page_text: drip from the sides of the glass. In this case the edges of the glass rest upon a
shoulder formed by the top of the gutter, and a rebate is formed by bending into a
horizontal position the upper edges of the vertical sides of the bar. The opening
between these two vertical sides may be covered in by means of a longitudinal
cap piece.
These sash bars may be used singly of any convenient lengths, and although
somewhat different in cross section from the bars which are used with the loose
clips to form hand lights or frames, they are the same in principle of construction,
and may be used either side uppermost, so that the glass may be introduced and
secured in place from the under side if the sash bars are used to construct the roof
of a conservatory or greenhouse.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William John Barns in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
July 1878.
WILLIAM JOHN BARNS, of Stapleton Road, in the City of Bristol, Ironmonger.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND LIGHTS, GROUND LIGHTS, AND SASH BARS FOR HORTI-
CULTURAL AND BUILDING PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object to so construct hand lights, ground lights, and
sash bars, that the glass may be secured therein without the use of putty. To this
end the bars of which the frame is composed are made of zinc or iron rolled to a
proper section, that is, with two longitudinal side flanges, to which are adapted
movable spring clips made of metal and provided with a groove or rebate to receive
the edges of the glass.
Should a piece of glass be broken and it be required to introduce a fresh piece, it
will only be necessary to raise or lift the edges of one of the rebates, and after
removing the broken piece drop the edge of the fresh sheet of glass onto the horizontal
part of the rebate, and then depress the lifted part of the rebate, when the glass will
be properly secured in place.
Instead of having loose clips to hold in the glass as above mentioned, the clips
may be formed in one piece with the bar or rib by turning up the horizontal flange
of the bar so as to form an overhanging clip. By thus forming the bar and clips
in one piece, the liability to lose the clips is avoided, but should one of these fixed
clips become broken it may be necessary to use a loose clip for that part of the
damaged bar.
The sash bars for cucumber frames or ground lights are also made of rolled sheet
zino or iron, and are made hollow so as to form gutters for carrying off any water
that may drip from the sides of the glass. In this case the edges of the glass rest
upon a shoulder formed by the top of the gutter, and a rebate is formed by bending
into a horizontal position the upper edges of the vertical sides of the bar. The
opening between these two vertical sides may be covered in by means of a longitudinal
cap piece.

page_text: These sash bars may be used singly of any convenient lengths, and although some-
what different in cross section from the bars which are used with the loose clips to
form hand lights or frames, they are the same in principle of construction, and may
be used either side uppermost, so that the glass may be introduced and secured in
place from the underside if the sash bars are used to construct the roof of a
conservatory or greenhouse.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a
plan view of the upper part or cover of a hand light; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; and
Fig. 4 a plan view of the lower or vertical sides of the same. These parts may be
either made separate, as shewn in the Drawing, or they may be permanently
connected together.
The lower part of the frame, or that shewn at Figures 3 and 4 may either be
made in the form of a metal glazed frame, as shewn in the Drawing and herein-
after more particularly described, or it may if desired consist of simple unglazed
box or casing made of metal or wood and of the required shape and dimensions.
The glazed cover, Figures 1 and 2, is composed of a square metal frame a, from the
four corners of which rise the inclined bars b, b, which terminate at the apex where
there is a handle c whereby the cover may be lifted when required. The spaces
between the inclined bars b, b, are subdivided by the shorter bars d, d.
In order that the construction of the several parts a, b, and d may be more clearly
understood, I have shewn these parts in section and drawn upon an enlarged scale.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of the frame a; Fig. 6 is a similar view of the inclined
bars b; and Figs. 7 a cross section of the flat intermediate division bars d, d.
It will be seen that the square frame a which is made of zinc or thin sheet iron
is provided with a vertical flange a', Fig. 5, so as to fit inside the vertical sides e, e,
Figures 3 and 4, of the lower part of the hand frame or light, or if desired the part a, a,
may be permanently attached by screws or otherwise to this lower part of the hand
frame or light.
To the upper flange of the square frame a, Figures 1 and 2, is adapted a series of
thin metal clips a², Fig. 5, which are supported on the flange and receive the lower
edge of the sheet of glass f. The metal ribs which form the inclined bars b, b. are
of a different form and are shewn at 61 in the detached sectional view, Fig. 6. The
metal clips a² for connecting the sheet of glass to the metal ribs are of the same
form as those shewn at Fig. 5. The same observations equally apply to the division
bars d, as shewn in the detached sectional view, Fig. 7.
If it be desired to glaze the lower part or vertical sides e, e, Figures 3 and 4, of
the hand light, I construct this part of four angle pieces g, g, shewn detached in
sectional plan at Fig. 8. The four angle pieces are soldered or rivetted to the top
and bottom bars e¹, c, so as (with the intermediate division bars d, d, Fig. 3) to
form a skeleton frame as shewn in the Figure. The glass is held in place by means
of clips, as in the other cases, and for the convenience of putting in the glass the clips
are made of a flexible metal, such as lead, zinc, or brass, so that the flanges may be
bent back when required.
Fig. 10 is a side elevation, and Fig. 11 a plan view of an octagonal light con-
structed on the same principle as the rectangular light shewn at Figures 1 and 2,
the principal difference being that the upper ends of the inclined bars b, b, are
soldered or otherwise secured to a conical piece which forms the apex of the light.
Figures 12 and 13, and Figures 14 and 15 are two other modifications which will
be found applicable for lights of a similar description. In all these cases the hori
zontal bottom bar a and the inclined ribs b may be constructed on the plans shewn
at Figures 5 and 6, as will be seen by reference to the detached sectional views,
Figures 16, 17, and 18, in which Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the inclined bar b, and
Figures 17 and 18 sections of the horizontal bottom bar a which is provided with
clips to receive the lower edge of the glass f.
Figs. 19 and 20 are sectional views of other modes of forming the inclined
bars b, b, the object being to dispense with the use of clips. In these instances

page_text: the edges of the bar b itself are bent up and form flanges to receive the edges of
the glass, and gutters are also formed to collect the water and carry it off.
This mode of constructing the ribs or bars of flexible metal, so as to admit of
dispensing with the clips may be adopted for constructing other parts of the
metal frames of hand lights, ground lights, and sash bars for horticultural and
building purposes.
In Sheet II., I have shewn my Invention as adapted to ground lights and
cucumber or melon frames, or to the sash lights of greenhouses, graperies, or
conservatories. .
Fig. 21 is a side view or sectional elevation of a cucumber or melon frame; Fig. 22
is a plan view of the same.
It will be understood that for sashes for the above purposes division bars of a
much stiffer or stronger kind than for hand lights are required, and provision must
be made to prevent leakage of water into the interior of the structure. I obtain
great strength and rigidity by making these sash bars hollow and of a curved section,
as shewn at Fig. 23, which is a sectional view of one of the bars drawn upon an
enlarged scale. In this instance, as in Figures 19 and 20, there are no separate clips
the grooves to receive the edges of the glass being formed by bending back into a
horizontal position the upper edges of the vertical sides of the gutter bar h. The
edges of the glass rest on the shoulders of the gutter bar h, as shewn at Fig. 24, and
the glass is then secured by bending back the vertical edges of the gutter bar into
the position shewn at Fig. 23. The opening between the vertical parts of the bar h
is covered in by ineans of a longitudinal cap piece i, shewn detached at Fig. 25. To
introduce this cap piece into its place, the vertical edges thereof are pressed, together
and inserted in the groove of the lower part or gutter bar h, in which it will be
held by the spring of the vertical sides, as shewn at Fig. 23.
Fig. 26 is a sectional view of another form of gutter bar adapted to a cucumber
frame. In this instance as in the former the bar is formed of two parts h and i.
Fig. 27 is a cross section of the gutter bar h detached, and Fig. 28 is a plan of the
same, in which it will be seen that at intervals throughout its length the vertical
flanges are cut away and gaps or openings h¹ are left for the purpose of admitting
the horizontal flanges of the bar i, which is shewn in section at Fig. 29; Fig. 30 is
a plan of the underside of this bar shewing the horizontal flanges cut away at
certain parts as at i¹ leaving only portions of the flanges which are to be inserted in
the gaps or openings h¹ of the gutter bar h.
When the two parts h and i are brought together by the introduction of the
flanges into the gaps or openings h¹, the parts are secured by pushing the bar i
longitudinally in the gutter bar, and then holding it in place by means of a small
plug, or in any other convenient manner.
The casing or box of the frame is by preference made of corrugated iron properly
galvanized. The corners of this frame are made by bending up one of the ends of
the corrugated, plate at right angles and rivetting the two parts together, as shewn
in the detached plan view, Fig. 31.
Fig. 32 is a vertical section of one of the sides of the box or frame, on the upper
edge of which is formed a shoulder or rebate by bending a strip of zinc or iron into 4
the proper shape, as shewn at j in Fig. 32. This shoulder or rebate is intended to
receive the wooden sides of the glazed sash, as shewn in the Figure.
The box may be lined with a piece of wood k which will stiffen the sides and
serve to support the shoulder piece j, and also will act as a non-conductor of heat
which will be prevented from radiating through the sides.
Fig. 33 is a sectional view of one of the ends of the box or frame.
The lower edges of the corrugated sides and ends are provided with a shoe which
rests on the ground.
Having now described my Invention and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters 5
Patent as aforesaid,-
Constructing the frames of hand lights of rolled or bent metal bars, so combined

page_text: and arranged that in combination with suitable supporting clips the glass may be
secured therein without the use of putty, as above set forth.
I also claim constructing the bars of hand lights, ground lights, and sashes, in the
manner shown in Figures 19, 20, 23, and 26, so that the glass may be held in the
frames without the use of separate clips.
I further claim constructing the bars of sashes for horticultural and building
purposes in the manner and for the purposes set forth in reference to the several
Figures in Sheet II.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Barns, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. J. BARNS. (L.S.)