Improvements in the Construction of Jointed Stays Employed in Operating the Hinged Lights or other Ventilators used in Greenhouses and in other Situations, and in the Construction Generally of Light Lever Arms.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th July, 1891-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Jointed Stays Employed in
Operating the Hinged Lights or other Ventilators used in
Greenhouses and in other Situations, and in the Construction
Generally of Light Lever Arms.
I, HERBERT HENRY GREEN, of Gothic Works, Herrick Street, Wolverhampton
in the County of Stafford, Odd Work Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
:―
This invention relates to jointed stays, for hinged greenhouse lights and other
purposes, in which an arm is fixed upon a bar by which it is moved axially and is
connected at its outer end with a bar or rod which is jointed to the light or
analogous part to be operated; but is applicable also to the construction generally
of light lever arms.
Such stays are usually made, for convenience of manufacture, of malleable cast
iron, and are consequently very liable to break at the joints; and when they are
made in wrought iron or steel for the sake of additional strength, as is sometimes
the case, they are expensive in manufacture being of the same construction as when
made of malleable cast iron, such construction not admitting, when wrought iron or
steel is the metal employed, of such economy in manufacture as the market
demands.
Now, the chief object of this invention is an improved construction of the stays
which admits of their being made in wrought iron or steel at a great reduction in
cost compared with their manufacture in such metals when the ordinary con-
struction is adopted.
According to this invention, the arm or part which is fixed to the longitudinal
tube or bar by which the axial motion is imparted to such arm, is made from
a shallow strip of wrought iron or steel, which may be a plain flat bar, or
more conveniently half round or of analogous shape in section. The two ends of
the length of bar to form an arm are first pressed out to give the desired shape in
side elevation of the outer end of the completed arm, each end being in fact formed
as an eye of which the hole is punched at a separate operation. Holes also
for rivets are or may be punched along the bar in position as required for the
purpose hereinafter described. The bar is then doubled back on itself, so as to
bring the shaped ends facing one another, and so as to leave a large loop or eye for
The
passing over the longitudinal tube or bar to which the arm is to be fixed.
main length of the doubled bar is then riveted together, or is welded and riveted, or
is simply welded (in which case the rivet holes are not needed); and the bar is
twisted a quarter turn so as to cause the major axis of the section to be at right
angles (when the arm is in use) to the axis of the tube or bar to which the arm is
fixed, and thus secure the maximum of strength. The forming of the large loop or
eye leaves a V-shaped key-way in the root, and the arin is fixed by means
of a V-shaped or triangular key which is driven in such key-way and against the
longitudinal tube or bar. The key-way may, however, be formed rectangular in
shape, if desired. The eyes at the outer end of the arm are opened out to form a
jawed end for receiving the inner end of the connecting bar which connects the arm
with the hinged light or other ventilator to be operated. This connecting bar is
formed at its inner end with an eye which passes within the jaw of the arm, and
with an elongated projection which, when the ventilator is fully open; forms a stop
by bearing against the upper edge of the arm; and thus the effect of the usual rule
joint is obtained with greatly reduced cost of manufacture, as the jawed end

page_text: of the arm is quite plain instead of being shaped, as in the ordinary construction, to
form a portion of a rule joint.
Light lever arms for other purposes may, of course, be constructed in the manner
above described with reference to the arm of the jointed stay bar.
Dated this 6th day of October 1890.
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Jointed Stays Employed in
Operating the Hinged Lights or other Ventilators used in
Greenhouses and in other Situations, and in the Construction
Generally of Light Lever Arms.
I, HERBERT HENRY GREEN, of Gothic Works, Herrick Street, Wolverhampton
in the County of Stafford, Odd Work Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to jointed stays, for hinged lights and other ventilators
used in greenhouses and in other situations, in which an arm is fixed upon a bar by
which it is moved axially and is connected at its outer end with a bar or rod which
is jointed to the light or analogous part to be operated; but is applicable also to the
construction generally of light lever arms.
Such stays are usually made, for convenience in manufacture, of malleable cast
iron, and are consequently very liable to break at the joints; and when they are
made in wrought iron or steel for the sake of additional strength, as is sometimes
the case, they are expensive in manufacture being of the same construction as when
made of malleable cast iron, such construction not admitting, when wrought iron
or steel is the metal employed, of such economy in manufacture as the market
demands.
Now, the chief object of this invention is an improved construction of the stays
which admits of their being made in wrought iron or steel at a great reduction
in cost compared with their manufacture in such metals when the ordinary con-
struction is adopted.
In order that this invention may be clearly understood I will proceed to describe
it with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which the several views will be
explained as they are referred to in the description.
The arm or part which is to be fixed to the longitudinal tube or bar by which
the axial motion is imparted thereto is made from a shallow or comparatively thin
strip of wrought iron or steel, which may be a plain flat bar, or more conveniently
half round in section as shewn at Figure 1, or of analogous shape. The two ends
of the length of bar to form an arm are first pressed out to give the desired shape
in side elevation of the outer end of the completed arm, each end being in fact
formed as an eye of which the hole is punched at a separate operation. A side
elevation of the length of bar A, with the ends a shaped and punched as described,
is shown by Figure 2. Holes also for rivets are or may be punched through the
bar, for the purpose hereinafter described. The bar A is next heated at its
middle and doubled back on itself as shewn in edge view Figure 3, so as to bring
the shaped ends facing one another, and so as to leave a large circular loop or eye c
for passing over and fitting around the longitudinal tube or bar to which the arin is
to be fixed when in use. The straight portion of the double bar is then screwed up
in a vice, or otherwise firmly held in position, so as to leave a short portion of such
length and also the circula loop projecting. A mandril or round bar is passed
through the loop which is then twisted a quarter turn, so as to bring the axis of the
hole at the outer end of the arm, to receive the joint pin, parallel with the axis of
the eye c and, consequently, when the arm is fixed upon the longitudinal tube or

page_text: bar by which it is to be operated the major axis of the section of the arm will be at
right angles to the axis of the tube or bar on which the arm is fixed, and thus the
maximum of strength be secured. A completely formed arm A is shewn, in side
elevation by Figure 4, and in plan by Figure 5, both views shewing also the
connection of the connecting bar B therewith which connects the arm with the
hinged light or other ventilator to be operated. The loop is twisted whilst the metal
is still hot from the doubling operation, or if necessary the portion where the twist
is to occur is re-heated. The doubled bar has its sides riveted together by
rivets d, or the sides may be welded together and riveted, or simply welded (in
which case the rivet holes are not needed), but in any case the ends a must be left
open-jointed, if the outer end of the arm is required to be jawed, to admit of their
being subsequently opened out. The forming of the circular loop or eye c leaves
a V-shaped key-way in the root, and the arm is fixed upon the longitudinal tube
or bar by which it is to be operated by means of a V-shaped or triangular key
which is driven in such key-way and against the longitudinal tube or bar.
The
key-way may, however, be formed rectangular in shape, if desired. The eyes a at
the outer end of the arm may be opened out from one another to form a jawed end,
as indicated by broken lines Figure 3, and as shewn in edge view Figure 5,
for receiving the inner end of the connecting bar B. This connecting bar is,
in such case, formed at its inner end with an eye ƒ which passes within the jaw of
the arm, and with an elongated projection j which, when the ventilator is fully
opened, forms a stop by bearing against the upper edge of the arm as clearly
shewn in Figure 4; and thus the effect of the usual rule joint is obtained with
greatly reduced cost of manufacture, as the jawed end of the arm A is quite
plain, instead of being shaped, as in the ordinary construction, to form a portion of
a rule joint. The improved method of constructing the arm A and forming the jaw
at its outer end, admits consequently of the connecting bar B being conveniently
made in wrought iron or steel, as the formation of its inner end is greatly simplified
over that required for the usual rule joint. Figure 6 shews a side elevation of the
outer end of the arm A and of the inner end of the connecting bar B, at an angle
with one another due to the ventilator being closed or partially closed. One
side of the jaw of the arm is shewn cut away, so as to expose the eyes of
the rod B.
Instead of forming the jawed end upon the arm, and the projection j upon the
connecting bar, the outer end of the arm may be formed plain together with
a projection, and the connecting bar be formed jawed to receive the plain
end of the arm; in this case the projection j forms a stop by coming in contact
with the connecting bar.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate, in side elevation and plan, respectively, a modifica-
tion of the invention in which the eye c of the arm is formed in malleable cast
iron, or as a solid forging, and in which the sides of the main length of the
arm are riveted to a shank of the eye c. In this modification the two sides of
the arm A are, of course, formed separately, and being fixed to the eye in the
manner described no twisting of the bar is needed to bring the axis of the eye
parallel with the axis of the hole at the outer end of the arm. The two sides of
the main length of the bar may be riveted or welded, or riveted and welded, to
one another.
In the illustration they are shewn to be held together merely by a
single rivet d near their outer ends in addition to their being riveted to the shank
of the eye c.
Light lever arms for other purposes may be constructed according to the
improved methods above described with reference to the arm of the jointed
stay bar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1 A light lever arm for use as part of a jointed stay employed in onerating a

page_text: hinged light or other ventilator, or for use for other purpose, constructed of a length
of wrought iron or steel doubled over and twisted, substantially as described for the
purpose set forth.
a
2. A light lever arm for use as part of a jointed stay employed in operating
hinged light or other ventilator, or for use for other purpose, constructed of
two lengths of iron or steel bar of a flat or comparatively shallow section riveted or
similarly connected to a shank formed with a malleable cast iron or solid forged
eye; substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
3. A light lever arm for use as part of a jointed stay employed in
operating a hinged light or other ventilator, or for use for other purpose, having
a jaw formed at its outer end, by simply opening out unjointed ends of a doubled
over bar or of a pair of bars forming the sides of such arm, substantially as
described.
4. Light lever arms for use in jointed stays employed in operating hinged lights
or other ventilators, or for other purposes, constructed substantially in the manner
described and illustrated (according to two modifications) by the drawings herewith,
for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of July 1891
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.