IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON STRUCTURES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Taylor Bellhouse, of the firm of
"E. T. Bellhouse & Co.," of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
IRON STRUCTURES."
Sealed the 21st June 1853, and dated the 10th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Taylor
Bellhouse at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 10th March 1853.
I, EDWARD TAYLOR BELLHOUSE, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON STRUCTURES" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in a particular form of column, or vertical
support, used in the building or construction of corrugated iron build-
ings. These columns have longitudinal ribs on their sides, these ribs
being formed in a peculiar way, curved or undulated, to suit the ends
of corrugated sheets forming the sides and ends of the erection. The
plates may be attached to the columns by bolting or rivetting them to
the ribs herein-before described; the ribs are, of course, cast on to the

page_text: columns at various angles to each other, or diametrically opposite,
according to the shape of the building to be constructed.
The column is also made to serve as a downspout, to convey water
from the gutter.
The inner edge of gutter, and the rafters and cross pieces, may be
similarly fitted with ribs, to which the plates forming the building are
bolted or rivetted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse. in the Great Seal
Patent Office. on the 10th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWARD TAYLOR BELLHOUSE. of the firm of E. T. Bellhouse and
Company," of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as 1, the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN IRON STRUCTURES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that, the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to a particular form of column, pilaster,
or vertical support used in the building or construction of corrugated
iron buildings; the sides of these pilasters or columns consists of lon-
gitudinal ribs, curved or undulated, to suit the ends of corrugated
sheets forming the sides and ends of the erection; the plates being
attached to the columns by bolting or rivetting them to these ribs.
The ribs are cast on to the columns at various angles to each other, or
diametrically opposite, according to the shape of the building to be
constructed; the column, or pilaster, may also serve as a downspout,
to convey water from the gutter. The inner edge of the gutter, and
the rafters and cross pieces, may be similarly fitted with ribs, to which
the plates forming the building are bolted or rivetted.
Figure 1, on my Sheet of Drawings is a complete front elevation of
one plan of house, erected according to my improvements. Figure 2,
is a corresponding end elevation of the same, at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the house on
a larger scale, shewing the upper and lower pilasters, or supporting
pillars, in elevation. Figure 4, is an enlarged side elevation, looking
from the interior of the structure of a side or end pilaster or column,
with portions of the corrugated iron walls of the building fitted thereto.
Figure 5, is a horizontal section of the same details; and Figure 6, is
an elevation of an angle or corner pilaster, forming also the descent
pipe for the roof water. Figure 7, is a horizontal section of the
pilaster corresponding. The example of building which I have de-
lineated in my Drawings, is one of two stories or flats, and with apart-
ments on each side of the entrance doorway. A rectangular timber
base frame A, is first laid down on the intended site of the building;
and upon this frame, as a base, are erected the back, front, and inter
mediate pillars or pilasters B, and the four corner or angular pillars C.

page_text: The whole of these pillars are of cast-iron, and they are all bolted down
by their base flanges D, upon their timber base A, in the usual manner.
Each of the pillars for the straight portions of the house walls, as
marked B, is cast with two opposite flanges or holding strips E, the
inner holding faces of which are in the diametrical plane of the pillar's
cross section. These flanges run from top to bottom of the pillars,
and they are quite plain on their external and visible faces, but
internally they are cast with a transverse undulating flange F, shaped
to the pitch and general contour of the corrugations in the sheets of
iron G, forming the panel walls of the building. As these undulations
on the transverse edge flanges run vertically up and down the pillars,
the wall sheets G, are necessarily arranged with their lines of corrugation
running horizontally. Each sheet is secured in its position, and firmly
held to its undulating flanges by bolts or rivets II, passed through
holes formed in the depressions of each undulation. The ends or
vertical corrugated edges of the sheets of metal abut against suit-
able square faced strips J, cast on the pillars, so that a firm abut-
ment is formed on every side. The corner or angle pillars C,
of the building, are each cast with two undulating holding flange
pieces K, precisely like those already described, except that they
are disposed at a right angle to each other, to suit the rectan-
gular directions of the sheets forming the corners of the house; and
these corner pillars are open at their tops, to admit the roof-water
from the caves gutter L, and convey it down to a suitable drain in the
foundation, through the base pipe L'. The metal sheets are bolted or
rivetted to each other at their contiguous edges in horizontal lines, to
form unbroken walls, whilst at the base they are secured to the timber
framing by cast-iron angles pieces M, bolted down upon the timber, and
having vertical ribs, to which the bottom edges of the sheets are bolted
or rivetted. Similarly, the upper horizontal edges of the wall-sheeting
are bolted or rivetted to vertical flanges cast on the lower side of the
gutters L. The view, Figure 3, shews how the floor beams, gutters, and
roof principals are supported upon the pillars. The outer ends of the
roof principals are curved down as at N, and bolted down to the top
flanges O, of the pillars, whilst a tension rod or truss P, is rivetted to the

page_text: bend to take off the outward thrust. The gutter L, is also carried upon
the tops of the pillars, where it has a safe and broad bearing. To carry
the flooring, a suitable box piece Q, is cast on the inner side of each
pillar, at the height intended, and in these boxes the ends of the beams
R, are placed so as to form a firm support for the flooring boards S.
The base flooring boards T, are laid in the usual way, upon joists or
otherwise. By this system of construction a very firm structure is
secured, whilst all the joints of the metal plates are rendered perfectly
tight by the new and superior mode of facing the contact surfaces
together.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or
restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had
occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made there-
from without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is-
The system or mode of constructing the pilasters, columns, or vertical
supports, rafters, gutters, and cross pieces of iron buildings, with one or
more flanges, undulating or straight, cast longitudinally along their sides
at any required angle with or diametrically opposite to each other, for the
purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Taylor Bellhouse, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three
EDW T. BELLHOUSE. (L.S.)
EDW T. BELLHOUSE. (L.S.)