IMPROVEMENTS IN RICK COVERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO COVERS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Jones, of Rowley Regis, in the County of
Worcester, Manager of the Works, of the Firm of T. P. Jones and Company,
of Rowley Regis, aforesaid, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RICK
COVERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO COVERS FOR OTHER
PURPOSES"
Sealed the 30th April 1880, and dated the 5th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Jones at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th November 1879.
THOMAS JONES, of Rowley Regis, in the County of Worcester, Manager of the
"IM-
Works, of the Firm of T. P. Jones and Company, of Rowley Regis, aforesaid.
PROVEMENTS IN RICK COVERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO
COVERS FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein after described
of the parts of rick covers and appliances connected therewith, the objects of my
said improvements being to dispense with the ordinary thatching of ricks, and the
use of rick sheets during the building of ricks. Although covers constructed
according to my Invention are especially useful for covering ricks, yet they may
also be used for covering carts and wagons, and for various other purposes.
According to my Invention I make the rick cover of a framing of angle iron
having the general figure of the roof of a building, the said framing being covered,
by preference, with corrugated sheets of galvanized iron, but other strong and
durable metal or material may be used. At each of the gable ends of the cover
are eyes or loops, each pair of which is capable of sliding upon a pair of vertical
guide rods, stationed at the place where the rick is to be built. I make these pairs
of guide rods, by preference, of lengths of wrought iron tubing connected together
by screwing, the bottoms of the said guide rods being fixed in socket plates con-
nected to foundation blocks of wood, stone, or brickwork let into the ground.
Each pair of guide rods is connected together at top by a cross head and a screwed
tie rod. The cover is suspended at the required height on the guide rods by
ineans of chains attached to the ends of the ridge or summit of the cover.
These

page_text: chains pass over pulleys carried by the cross heads of the pairs of guide rods, and
are conducted to the ground where they are secured by loops at their ends, being
hooked upon stakes driven into the ground; or the said chains may be otherwise
fastened. By drawing in or paying out these chains the cover can be raised or
lowered on the guide rods so as to adjust it to the height of the rick to be covered,
the said cover being guided in its rising and falling motion by the loops at its
corners sliding upon the guide rods.
Covers constructed according to my Invention are not only useful for covering
ricks when built, but also for covering them while they are being built, and when
they have been partly cut, as the covers can be readily adjusted by the means
before described to suit the height of the ricks. When not used as covers for ricks,
my Invention may be used as shelters for carts and wagons, and for various
purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
April 1880.
THOMAS JONES, of Rowley Regis, in the County of Worcester, Manager of the
Works, of the Firm of T. P. Jones and Company, of Rowley Regis, aforesaid.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RICK COVERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO
COVERS FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein after described
of the parts of rick covers and appliances connected therewith, the objects of my
said improvements being to dispense with the ordinary thatching of ricks and the
use of rick sheets during the building of ricks.
Although covers constructed according to my Invention are especially useful for
covering ricks, yet they may also be used for covering carts and wagons, and for
various other purposes.
According to my Invention I make the rick cover of a framing of angle iron
having the general figure of the roof of a building, the said framing being covered,
by preference, with corrugated sheets of galvanized iron, but other strong and
durable metal or material may be used. At each of the gable ends of the cover
are eyes or loops, each pair of which is capable of sliding upon a pair of vertical
guide rods stationed at the place where the rick is to be built. I make these pairs
of guide rods, by preference, of wrought iron tubing connected together by screwing,
the bottoms of the said guide rods being fixed in socket plates or otherwise con-
nected to foundation blocks of wood, stone, or brickwork let into the ground.
Each pair of guide rods is connected together at top by a cross head and a screwed
tie rod. The cover is suspended at the required height on the guide rods by
means of chains attached to the ends of the ridge or summit of the cover.
chains pass over pulleys carried by the cross heads of the pairs of guide rods, and
are conducted to the ground where they are secured by loops at their ends, being
hooked upon stakes driven into the ground; or the said chains may be otherwise
fastened; or differential pulleys and endless chains may be used. By drawing in
or paying out these chains the cover can be raised or lowered on the guide rods, so
as to adjust it to the height of the rick to be covered, the said cover being guided
in its rising and falling motion by the loops or eyes at its corners sliding upon the
guide rods.
These
I will now describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which my Invention may be performed.
The accompanying Drawing represents in perspective a rick or other cover made
according to my Invention. The rick cover is marked a, b, and has a roof like
figure, that is, it consists of a framing of angle bars to which corrugated sheets of
galvanized iron are affixed; or instead of sheet iron, other strong and durable
metal or material may be used. At each end of the cover a, b, is a pair of vertical
guide rods c, c, made by preference of lengths of wrought iron tubing screwed
together; the said guide rods may however be made of cast iron or other material.
The said guide rods o, c, c, c, are tied or bound together at top by the horizontal tie
rods d, d, and supported by the oblique stay rods e, e. The two rods of which
each pair of guide rods c, c, is composed are connected together at top by the cross
head or angular head piece f, and the said guide rods are fixed to the wooden or
other foundation g by the plates and wedges at h, as represented. At each of the
gable ends of the cover a, b, is a pair of eyes or loops i, i, which are capable of
sliding upon and being guided by the vertical rods c, c.
The cover a, b, is suspended at the required height by means of the chains k, k
passing over the pulleys m, n, m, n. I prefer to use at each end of the framing of
the rick cover a pair of differential pulleys, such as those known in commerce as

page_text: Weston's differential pulleys or other pulleys in which an endless chain is employed
by which the weight is retained in the position to which it has been raised or
lowered. The top pulley m is suspended to the summit of the cross head f, while
the under pulley or snatch block n is connected to a bar at the ridge or summit of
the cover a, b.
By drawing in or paying out the chains k, k, by means of the loops 1, l, the
cover a, b, can be raised or lowered on the guide rods c, c, c, c, the cover being
guided in its motion by the loops or eyes i, i, sliding upon the said guide rods.
Instead of the differential pulleys m, n, represented, ordinary pulleys and single
chains or ropes may be employed for raising or lowering the cover a, b. In this
case the ends of the chains or ropes may be conducted to the ground, and hooked
or otherwise fastened to the ground. Or the cover may be suspended by chains
or ropes passing over pulleys, and having counterbalance weights.
Covers constructed according to my Invention are not only useful for covering
ricks when built, but also for covering them while they are being built, and when
they have been partly cut, as the covers can be readily adjusted by the means
before described and illustrated to suit the height of the ricks.
When not used as covers for ricks, my Invention may be used as shelters for
carts and wagons, and for various purposes.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention, the improvements in rick and other covers, herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making the said
covers of a roof like framing composed of angle bars or other bars, and corrugated
or other sheets of galvanized iron or other material, the said cover being provided
with eyes or loops at its ends sliding upon vertical guide rods at the ends of the
cover, the said cover being suspended and adjusted at the required height by means
of pulleys and chains or ropes, or chains or ropes and counterbalance weights,
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Jones, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
THOMAS KENDRICK,
Stourbridge.
THOMAS JONES. (L.S.)