Improvements in and relating to Roots.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Roots.
I, EDMOND SEE, of 15, Rue d'Amiens, Lille, France, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of roofs and their
supporting beams or girders, and more particularly to those types of roofs of
various forms in cross section which are mainly employed for workshops and
the like buildings and have equal or unequal slopes. Such roofs comprise glazed
portions which have for object to effect as complete a diffusion as possible of
the natural daylight in the various workshops. In these different types of con
struction the roofs extended at first only over short spans say from about 3 to
4 metres from centre to centre.
It was however soon found under these circumstances that such roofs required
for their support too many columns or pillars in the workshops, which columns
or pillars interfered with the convenient arrangement of the machines and other
objects and also with the free passage in the said workshops. For the purpose
of remedying this drawback, roofs were then constructed to comprise a number
of small roofs carried by beams or girders of a span equal to a multiple of the
span of each of the small roofs; this allowed of reducing to a certain extent
the number of the supporting pillars. In general these girders did not have to
carry more than three small roofs; this gave a span for the girders of ten to
eleven metres in the direction at right angles to the roof gutters; the distances
between the pillars in the direction of the gutters being from about 6 to 8 metres
in maximum. It was not possible to go beyond those limits without preju-
dicially affecting the stability of the construction nor without having to employ a
This
metallic framing which would project too much into the workshops.
projection is particularly inconvenient when the workshops are lighted by the
electric are light and especially when the electric lighting is effected by means
of inverted arc lamps, because such projection produces shadows.
Now the chief object of the present invention is to considerably reduce the
number of the supporting pillars and consequently lessen the disadvantages of
the use of a large number of such pillars whilst however affording the following
advantages: First: The employment of girders of great depth without such
presenting any appreciable projection below the ceilings.
Second: To allow of the diffusion of the natural light and of producing by

page_text: means of horizontal ceilings or ceilings which are very slightly inclined to the
horizontal the reflection of artificial light without any direct rays being, lost
through the glazed parts.
I shall now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accom-
panying illustrative drawings in which,--Figure 1 shows in cross section
an isosceles roof constructed in accordance with this invention. Figures 2
and 3 show the same roof respectively in longitudinal section and in plan.
Figure 4 shows the application of this invention to an unsymmetrical shed-
roof, that is to say to a shed-roof in which the gutters are not arranged at equal
distances from the supporting pillars. This arrangement allows of having large
glazed surfaces. Figs. 5 and 6 show this roof respectively in longitudinal sec-
tion and in plan. Figs. 7 and 7 illustrate the application of this invention to
a symmetrical shed roof, that is to say, to a shed roof in which the gutters are
situated at equal distances from the supporting pillars. Figure 7 illustrates a
roof comprising a truss having a horizontal bottom member, and Figure 7 illus-
trates a roof comprising a truss having a rising or inclined bottom member.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a longitudinal section and a plan of one and
the other of these two arrangements.
In these figures, C C C .
are supporting pillars carrying girders A, B,
having a depth proportional to the large spans which it is desired to obtain.
These spans may amount to 20 metres and more in a direction parallel to the
roof gutters.
These girders instead of projecting below the bottom members
of the trusses and consequently below the ceilings which are generally applied
tliereto, are fitted in actual mass or body of the wood work. Upon these girders
are arranged on either side and at suitable distances equal or unequal main
trusses. The ends of these trusses are connected together in pairs by means of
a longitudinal joist or beam H H. The latter whilst serving to stay the
trusses, also acts as a support for the roof gutters. These several parts when
thus connected together constitute a general arrangement having great rigidity.
In a roof constructed and supported according to this invention the top A
of each girder A B may be situated either under the ridging as shown in
Figure 1, or at a certain distance from the ridging under one of the sloping
sides as shown in Figures 4, 7 and 7ª. The upper skylights EF are arranged
in the two sloping sides of the roof (Figure 1), or in one only of these. The
other parts of the roof are covered with tiles, slates, zinc, sheet-metal, tarred
paper, or other materials suitable for this purpose.
The bottom members of the trusses receive the ceilings D D D which are
formed of plaster, slabs or squares of terracotta, cement, etc. wood, pressed cork
or other suitable materials. These lower ceilings D D D may be horizontal or
may have a very slight inclination to the horizontal.
For the purpose of
obtaining also a good diffusion of daylight, vertical or inclined partitions I I
are arranged in such a manner as to limit the zone of access of the rays of day-
light. These partitions form with the roofing and with the ceilings D D D
insulating air spaces. If it be thought advisable, this insulation may be
further completed by means of lower glazed parts provided at G G G practi-
cally in the same plane as the ceilings D 1) ]) so as to provide an insulating
layer of air between the glazed parts. In the drawings, the air spaces between
the ceilings and the roofing are indicated by hatched parts, whilst the air spaces
which are bounded at top and bottom by glazed parts are shown without
hatching.
The present invention realises further from the point of view of artificial
lighting, two important advantages, especially when electric lighting is employed
and more especially when the lighting is effected by means of inverted arc
lamps; First: The suppression of any appreciably projecting parts below the
ceilings and consequently the suppression of cast shadows. 2nd. The possi-
bility of arranging the lamps K in such a manner that they will send rays only

page_text: upon the lower ceilings D D D and not beyond, so that all loss of direct light
through the skylights is thereby avoided, as indicated in Figures 1, 4, 7 and 7".
The herein before described roofs may be constructed of metal, of metal and
wood, of wood, of concrete, or of any other suitable materials, or combinations
of materials.
I, EDMOND SEE, of 15, Rue d'Amiens, Lille, France, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to the construction and arrangements of roofs and their
supporting, beams or girders, and more particularly to those types of roofs of
various forms in cross section which are mainly employed for workshops and
the like buildings and have equal or unequal slopes. Such roofs comprise glazed
portions which have for object to effect as complete a diffusion as possible of
the natural daylight in the various workshops. In these different types of con-
struction the roofs extended at first only over short spans say from 3 to 4 metres
from centre to centre.
It was however soon found under these circumstances that such roofs required
for their support too many columns or pillars in the workshops, which columns
or pillars interfered with the convenient arrangement of the machines and other
objects and also with the free passage in the said workshops. For the purpose
of remedying this drawback, roofs were then constructed to comprise a number
of small roofs carried by beams or girders of a span equal to a multiple of the
span of each of the small roofs; this allowed of reducing to a certain extent
the number of the supporting pillars. In general these girders did not have to
carry more than three small roofs; this gave a span for the girders of ten to
eleven metres in the direction at right angles to the roof gutters; the distances
between the pillars in the direction of the gutters being from about 6 to 8 metres
in maximum. It was not possible to go beyond those limits without preju-
dicially affecting the stability of the construction nor without having to employ
metallic framing which would project too much into the workshops.
This
projection is particularly inconvenient when the workshops are lighted by the
electric arc light and especially when the electric lighting is effected by means
of inverted arc lamps, because such projection produces shadows.
a
Now the chief object of the present invention is to considerably reduce the
number of the supporting pillars and consequently lessen the disadvantages of
the use of a large number of such pillars whilst however affording the following
advantages: First: The employment of girders of great depth without such
presenting any appreciable projection below the ceilings.
Second: To allow of the diffusion of the natural light and of producing by
means of horizontal ceilings or ceilings which are very slightly inclined to the
horizontal the reflection of artificial light without any direct rays being lost
through the glazed parts.
I shall now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the drawings

page_text: left with my Provisional Specification in which, Figure 1 shows in cross section
an isosceles roof constructed in accordance with this invention. Figures 2
and 3 show the same roof respectively in longitudinal section and plan.
Figure 4 shows the application of this invention to an unsymmetrical shed-
roof, that is to say to a shed-roof in which the gutters are not arranged at equal
distances from the supporting pillars. This arrangement allows of having large
glazed surfaces. Figs. 5 and 6 show this roof respectively in longitudinal sec-
tion and in plan. Figs. 7 and 7 illustrate the application of this invention to
a symmetrical shed roof, that is to say, to a shed roof in which the gutters are
situated at equal distances from the supporting pillars. Figure 7 illustrates a
roof comprising a truss having a horizontal bottom member, and Figure 7ª illus-
trates a roof comprising a truss having a rising or inclined bottom member.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a longitudinal section and a plan of one and
the other of these two arrangements.
In these figures, C C C . . are supporting pillars carrying girders A, B,
having a depth proportional to the large spans which it is desired to obtain.
These spans may amount to 20 metres and more in a direction parallel to the
roof gutters.
These girders instead of projecting below the bottom members
of the trusses and consequently below the ceilings which are generally applied
thereto, are fitted in actual mass or body of the wood work. Upon these girders
are arranged on either side and at suitable distances equal or unequal main
trusses. The ends of these trusses are connected together in pairs by means of
a longitudinal joist or beam H H. The latter whilst serving to stay the
trusses, also acts as a support for the roof gutters. These several parts when
thus connected together constitute a general arrangement having great rigidity.
In a roof constructed and supported according to this invention the top A
of each girder A B may be situated either under the ridging as shown in
Figure 1, or at a certain distance from the ridging under one of the sloping
sides as shown in Figures 4, 7 and 7. The upper skylights EF are arranged
in the two sloping sides of the roof (Figure 1), or in one only of these. The
other parts of the roof are covered with tiles, slates, zinc, sheet-metal, tarred
paper, or other materials suitable for this purpose.
The bottom members of the trusses receive the ceilings D D D which are
formed of plaster, slabs or squares of terracotta, cement, etc. wood, pressed cork
or other suitable materials. These lower ceilings I) 1) D may be horizontal or
may have a very slight inclination to the horizontal. For the purpose of
obtaining also a good diffusion of daylight, vertical or inclined partitions I I I
are arranged in such a manner as to limit the zone of access of the rays of day-
light. These partitions form with the roofing and with the ceilings D D D
insulating air spaces. If it be thought advisable, this insulation may be
further completed by means of lower glazed parts provided at G G G practi-
cally in the same plane as the ceilings D 1) D so as to provide an insulating
layer of air between the glazed parts. In the drawings, the air spaces between
the ceilings and the roofing are indicated by hatched parts, whilst the air spaces
which are bounded at top and bottom by glazed parts are shown without
hatching.
;
The present invention realises further from the point of view of artificial
lighting, two important advantages, especially when electric lighting is employed
and more especially when the lighting is effected by means of inverted arc
lamps First: The suppression of any appreciably projecting parts below the
ceilings and consequently the suppression of cast shadows. 2nd. The possi-
bility of arranging the lamps K in such a manner that they will send rays only
upon the lower ceilings D D D and not beyond, so that all loss of direct light
through the skylights is thereby avoided, as indicated in Figures 1, 4, 7 and 7.
The herein before described roofs may be constructed of metal, of metal and
wood, of wood, of concrete, or of any other suitable materials, or combinations
of materials.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. Roofs having wide spans between the columns in the direction of the roof
gutters and characterised by their arrangement of main trusses mounted on
either side on deep main girders of great spans between the pillars, the tops
of the said girders being placed either under the ridge itself (in the case of
isosceles roofs) or at a certain distance from the ridge under one of the sloping
sides (in the case of shed roofs), the ends of the main trusses being connected
together in pairs with interposition of a longitudinal joist serving at the same
time as a stay for the trusses and as a support for the roof gutters, the deep
main girders presenting no appreciable projection below the horizontal ceilings
or ceilings which are very slightly inclined to the horizontal and which are
situated on a level with the bottom members of the trusses, all substantially
as described.
2. Roofs constructed in accordance with Claim 1, and which also as the
result of the horizontal lower ceiling or a ceiling which is very slightly inclined
to the horizontal, and in consequence of the absence of all appreciable projec-
tion below the ceiling, allows of effecting the reflection and the diffusion of
artificial light under the best conditions, substantially as described.
3. Roofs constructed in accordance with Claims 1 and 2, and further charac-
terised by the fact that artificial light is cast only within the limits of the even
lower ceiling which is horizontal or only very slightly inclined to the horizontal,
thereby strictly avoiding all loss of direct light to the outside through the glazed
parts, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 11th day of September 1899
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.