IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TENTS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO MILITARY PURPOSES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS EQUALLY APPLICABLE TO TEMPORARY BUILDINGS GENERALLY
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ebenezer William Hughes, of No. 22, Parliament
Street, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TENTS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO
MILITARY PURPOSES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS EQUALLY APPLICABLE TO
TEMPORARY BUILDINGS GENERALLY."
Sealed the 12th April 1861, and dated the 20th October 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ebenezer William Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th October 1860.
I, EBENEZER WILLIAM HUGHES, of No. 22, Parliament Street, in the County,
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TENTS PARTICULARLY. ADAPTED
TO MILITARY PURPOSES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS EQUALLY. APPLICABLE TO
TEMPORARY BUILDINGS GENERALLY," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a simple and efficient mode of erecting rigid
circular or other shaped double-cased tents, and other buildings with or with-
out reversible sides and roofs without scaffolding, and to be constructed of iron
or any other metal, either in the sheet or corrugated, either separately or com-
bined with other material. I propose placing on a level piece of ground
(without any preparation) hollow foundation pieces with their edges down-
wards; and upon these pieces are to be erected and fastened standards or pillars
composed of angle pieces fastened together vertically and transversely to pieces

page_text: running through the middle of the said standards or pillars, leaving spaces or
openings between the angle pieces longitudinally. I propose making the door
frames, window frames, or architraves of a trough form, either ornamental or
plain; the sides, partitions, and doors of the buildings to be hollow, consisting of
two casings forming a space or cavity between for the circulation of air or pre-
vention of sound, or both; where either or both casings are plain, corrugated,
or otherwise formed, then felt pieces, or washers, or washers composed of pieces
of any other non-conducting material, may be inserted between said casings at
all points of contact to prevent the conduction of heat or sound, or both. I
also propose forming the double coverings to the roofs hollow, and consisting
of two casings, leaving a space or cavity between for the circulation of air, and
within the said spaces or cavities hollow or solid purlins or distance pieces are
to be introduced, keeping the external and internal casings asunder; these so
called hollow purlins are to be used generally throughout these structures as
principal rafters, joists, girders, beams, uprights, supports, and the like. Also in
the construction of bridges or solid purlins or distance pieces (where deemed
preferable), may be inserted between the said casings to connect the external and
internal casings together before being hoisted, so as to slide entire portions of
the roofs within the top and bottom flanges of principal rafters; and where
either or both casings are plain, corrugated, or otherwise formed, then felt
pieces or washers, or washers or pieces of any other non-conducting material,
are to be inserted between the said casings at all points of contact with the
hollow or solid purlins or distance pieces to prevent the conduction of heat or
sound, or both, as before described. The top ends of principals are to have
swivel joints connected to a ring if the buildings are circular, and to a ridge
piece if the buildings are otherwise shaped, so that the principals can be
connected previous to being hoisted.
Hollow sliding rolls are to be drawn along (and clipping) the upper flanges
of principal rafters to protect the rafters from the heat of the sun; also to act
as flashings or joint covers to prevent the access of rain within the buildings."
In circular tents or other circular buildings for the economy of space I
propose placing folding tapering bedsteads, all converging towards the centre
of the building; these bedsteads when folded form seats for the inmates, and
thus occupy a comparatively small space within the building.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ebenezer William Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th April 1861..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EBENEZER
WILLIAM HUGHES, of No. 22, Parliament Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Ebenezer William Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Ebenezer
William Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Ebenezer William Hughes, my executors, administrators, and
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TENTS PARTICULARLY
ADAPTED TO MILITARY PURPOSES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS EQUALLY APPLICABLE
TO TEMPORARY BUILDINGS GENERALLY," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Ebenezer William Hughes, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ebenezer William Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of a simple and efficient mode of constructing and
erecting rigid, circular, or other shaped double-cased tents and other buildings,
with or without reversible sides and roofs, dispensing with scaffolding, and to
be constructed of iron or any other metal or materials, either in the sheet or
corrugated, either separately or combined with other material.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the accompanying Sheets of

page_text: illustrative Drawings, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively as follows, similar letters denoting corresponding parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Upon referring to Sheet 1 it will be seen that the standards or pillars,
Figures 1 and 2, which support the entire building, have hollow base plates a, a,
made separately from the uprights on account of shipment and portability, and
released from and connected to the uprights forming pillars; these uprights
are to be constructed with angle pieces 6, 6, secured to a piece or pieces c, c,
running through the upright forming an opening or openings between the
angle pieces longitudinally for the reception of tongues, herein after described;
Figs. 3 and 4 shew principal rafters in roof, which (in section) are composed
of two pieces d, d, having felt or any other such like non-conducting ma-
terial e, e, (Figs. 13 and 14, Sheet 3.) inserted between the whole length, so
as to prevent the heat of the sun being conducted from the upper flanges
which are outside the building to the lower flanges which are within. This
flange may be curved, as shewn at h, Figs. 13 and 14, Sheet 3, forming a
trough to prevent rain getting access within the building, by being discharged
outside at the lower extremity of principal rafters. The upper ends of prin-
cipal rafters are to be connected to an apex ring f, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, Sheet 1,
when the buildings are circular, and to a horizontal ridge piece where other-
wise formed by means of swivel joints.
The covering or roof of such structures are to be double-cased with cavities
for the free circulation of air between, and so arranged as to admit of the
internal casings, where required, exchanging places with the external casings
when impaired by the action of the weather by merely withdrawing entire por-
tions of the roof and reversing them, as the hollow or solid purlins are within
the cavities and connected with the double casing only, as at Fig. 5, Sheet 1,
Fig. 11, Sheet 2, and Fig. 13, Sheet 3; thus the conduction of heat so objec-
tionable with regard to metal structures is entirely obviated, the heat having
no means of communication, and where either or both casings are plain, corru-
gated, or otherwise formed, then felt pieces or washers, or washers or pieces
of any other non-conducting material, are to be inserted between the different
points of support and contact, so as to prevent the conduction of heat, whether
the purlins are hollow, solid, or otherwise..
The casings forming the external sides or enclosure are also double, and are
kept apart by means of a tongue or distance piece g, Figs. 2 and 6, Sheet 1,
projecting from the ends of casings so as to fit into grooves of standards or
pillars; these tongues are to have a plain uniform surface throughout on the

page_text: outsides, but to follow the wave on the inside where corrugated materials arè
used, thereby permitting the heated air engendered within the cavities from
the heat of the sun acting on the external casing to escape outwardly, also
to prevent the said heated air getting access within the building; but with
regard to the double partitions within the buildings separating the different
compartiments, the tongue must be waved on both sides where corrugated
materials are used so as to subdue sound, also to prevent fire where non-com-
bustible materials are used in the construction, passing from one compart-
ment to another; and where either or both casings are plain, corrugated, or
otherwise formed, then felt pieces or washers, or washers or pieces of any other
non-conducting material, are to be inserted between the different points of
connection or contact. Where the introduction of glass in the roof is desirablé
I use rough plate glass, and secure it in the frames by means of springs z, z,
Fig. 14, Sheet 3, beneath the upper flanges of principal rafters.
Hollow sliding rolls are used to draw along and clip the upper flange of
rafters, Fig. 9, Sheet 1 (Fig. 8 shewing the roll partly bent), to protect the
rafters from the heat of the sun, also to act as flashing or joint covers
to prevent the access of rain within the building, as shewn at Fig. 13,
Sheet 8.
.
J
The doors and window frames may be made hollow by forming them of
malleable metal, and making the door sheets about three inches larger than
requisite, and bending the edges one-and-a-half inches down at right angles
to the door face, and the two plates secured together by springs, rivets, or
bolts. The window frames may, in like manner, be also made hollow.
Taper bedsteads are intended to be used, especially where the building is
of a circular form, to economise space, and which when not in use as bedsteads
may be so folded as to form seats, the mattress and clothes being rolled
up; against which the foot of the bedstead rests, thus forming a back to
the seat.
A method, amongst others, of facilitating the erection of the before-described
buildings, but more especially adapted to circular structures. When a level
plot of ground has been fixed upon as the site where the tent is to be erected,
a wrought-iron rod, say, four feet long, having a shoulder at or about the
middle of its length, is to be driven into the ground, its upper end having a
male screw cut upon it for the purpose of securing a moveable circular disc
of hard wood, about 12 inches diameter, by means of a female screw beneath
the upper surface of this disc, being truly divided transversely into twenty-six
equal portions, by means of grooves or sight lines corresponding with the
number of standards.. But before securing the disc on the rod referred to,

page_text: .
the ring of a tape measure is to be slid on the rod, passing over the male screw
so as to rest upon the shoulder, the shoulder being left about twelve inches
above the ground, preventing the tape ring falling, and allowing the tape to
be moved freely round, avoiding grass or other obstacles. The standards can
then be placed as follows:-One man takes the tape line in hand, with
17 feet 6 inches as a radius to determine the circumference line of the tent
and distance of standards from the centre, their distance apart being deter-
mined by another man looking through the grooves or sight lines on the
disc, while each standard is being vertically placed by two men in their true
position. The disc, and rod can then be taken up and dispensed with, and
the same position occupied by a pole for the purpose of hoisting, this pole
being provided with a similar but larger base plate than those on the bottom
of standards. A moveable pulley wheel is connected with the top of the pole,
so as to be raised or lowered to meet its several requirements, also a cross
rest secured to the pole about 3 feet 6 inches from the ground, upon which
the apex ring is to rest, so as to enable the men to connect the thirteen
principals with the ring (before being hoisted) by means of swivel joints, but
the apex ring should be placed previously round the pole, the top of which
is to be made secure to the ground by ropes, the usual means adopted for
'securing canvas tents; but the inclination of these ropes must not be less than
1 to 1, so as to clear and not interfere with the erection of the tent. The
whole can then be raised, and the lower ends of the thirteen principals tem-
porarily held by one bolt to each standard. The corrugated sides and window
frames are to be supported by means of a rope passing beneath them, and
then fixed by slightly withdrawing every alternate or unoccupied standard, and
.then replaced in their true position, but previous to their removal for this
purpose the circumference of base plates to be clearly marked upon the
ground; so as to ensure this, the bolts connecting the outer rings and
the lower ends of the thirteen principals are to be then made secure to the
standards and the ring midway between the apex and the circumference of
roof upon which the upper ends of the thirteen half principals rest are to be
secured.
The tie rods connecting the lower extremities of the principal struts together
are to be fastened by means of split cotters or hooks and eyes, as shewn at
Fig. 10, Sheet 2. The thirteen half principals can then be raised, the upper
ends resting upon middle ring Fig. 7, Sheet 1, and their lower ends connected
with the other thirteen intermediate standards by the same means as before
described. The hoisting rope and pulley wheel can then be released, lowered,
and employed in drawing up the double roof covering, which must be put

page_text: together entire before being hoisted, and to render their transit to their
destination easy, they run upon a moveable roller temporarily connected by
clips to the lower flanges of principals, which can be removed and replaced
instantly. The hollow rolls can now be drawn up by the same means.
The rough plate glass in roof is fixed by springs, as shewn at z, Fig. 14,
Sheet 8, and the ventilator secured to the apex ring when the hoisting pole
can be withdrawn through the doorway.
At any time the tent may require painting, the roof and sides can be
withdrawn, taken to pieces, and coated inside and out with oil paint,
also the entire framework, and the whole put together the same day by the
occupants.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of "Improvements
in the Construction of Tents, particularly adapted to Military Purposes, part'
of which Invention is equally applicable to Temporary Buildings generally,"
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark, in
conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details herein
described and shewn in the accompanying Sheets of illustrative Drawings, as
many slight modifications and variations may be made therein without in any
way departing from the principle of my Invention; but what I claim as of
my Invention, intended to be secured to me by the herein in part recited
Letters Patent, is the method of constructing and erecting rigid double-cased
tents and other buildings in the manner herein described and shewn in the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ebenezer William Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
EBENEZER WILLIAM HUGHES. (L.B.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.