IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC SHEET ROOFING OR COVERINGS FOR SHEDS, HOUSES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND IN MACHINERY AND MEANS FOR PREPARING SHAPING. AND FIXING THE SAME.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Campbell and Isaac Summerhill, both of the Firm
of Isaac Summerhill and Company, of Motherwell, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Iron and Tin Plate Manufacturers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC SHEET ROOFING OR COVERINGS FOR SHEDS,
HOUSES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND IN MACHINERY AND MEANS FOR
PREPARING SHAPING. AND FIXING THE SAME.'
"
Sealed the 24th May 1878, and dated the 30th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Campbell and Isaac
Summerhill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th
November 1877.
DAVID CAMPBELL and ISAAC SUMMERHILL, both of the Firm of Isaac Summerhill
and Company, of Motherwell, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Iron and
Tin Plate Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC SHEET ROOFING OR
COVERINGS FOR SHEDS, HOUSES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND IN MACHINERY
AND MEANS FOR PREPARING, SHAPING, AND FIXING THE SAME."
This Invention has for its object the roofing of buildings with a cheaper, more
simple and strong, light, and durable covering of sheets of metal than heretofore, and
it consists in the use of thin rectangular sheet plates of tin, terne, or black sheet
iron, either galvanized or not, of a uniform length and width, rolled longitudinally
through, between a set or pair of improved rollers, with two or more rounded or
V shaped grooves in the one, and correspondingly shaped annular ridges or ribs on
the other, so as to roll longitudinal ribs, preferably, on the upper sides of the plates
to strengthen them in that direction, which would either have the edges folded the
one up and the other down, either before or after being rolled with the ribs by a
separate rolling, pressing, or folding machine, or this might be partially done by
the same rollers which form the ridges, having square or kneeing flanges at their
reverse ends for kneeing the edges up and down respectively, which in any case
would afterwards be folded quite over the plate to form a longitudinal lap joint at

page_text: their opposite ridges, with the adjacent plates when laid down and fitted into each
other in parallel rows, which is done by laying one such row on the top of each
other along the roof, beginning at the lower edge with the lower edge of the second
or cach succeeding row overlapping that of the previous row, over longitudinal laths
ranged at the proper distances apart below these joints, corresponding to the length
of the plates, and previously screwed or otherwise fixed on the main rafters or truss
frames below, so that both rows of plates can be secured to the longitudinal laths by
one set or row of broad-headed nails, either with or without washers of tarred felt
or other equivalent below the heads, or a layer of tarred paper or ashphalto between
the joints, which would prevent the ingress of water or corrosion at the nail
holes.
When ordinary thicknesses of tin or terne plates are used they might by the increased
rigidity given by the ribs and overlapping joints at their sides or edges in the
direction of their length transversely, or up and down the roof, be made as large as
27 inches long by 20 inches wide, and yet be perfectly firm, with only one longitudinal
row of nails along the junction of their ends; but when thicker and stronger plates
are used, with strong nails, they may be made both longer and broader piopor-
tionally, as for black sheet iron or galvanized sheet roofing.
Another improvement consists in dipping or coating the sheets, preferably after
rolling, when made of tin or terne with boiling or hot coal tar or pitch, or a mixtuio
of these with rosin and oil and turpentine or other drying substance, as a varnish;
or zinc or galvanized plates may be so conted for the like purpose. And although
theso improved plate coverings have only been described for roofs, it is to be under-
stood that they are equally applicable for the sides and ends of sheds, workshops,
colonial houses, and similar structures.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Campbell and Isaac Summerhill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th May 1878.
DAVID CAMPBELL and ISAAC SUMMERHILL, both of the Firm of Isaac Summerhill
and Company, of Motherwell, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Iron and
Tin Plate Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC SHEET ROOFING OR
COVERINGS FOR SHEDS, HOUSES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND IN MACHINERY
AND MEANS FOR PREPARING, SHAPING, AND FIXING THE SAME."
"
Our said Invention has for its object the roofing of buildings with a cheaper,
more simple and strong, light, and durable covering of sheets of metal than here-
toforo.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing our said Invention
may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe the several Figures
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings which we have hereunto appended for that
purpose, the same reference letters indicating the same parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shed A, showing the method of applying
thereto our improved system of roofing B, while Figures 2 and 3 are respectively an
edge view and plan of the overlapped plates C as when placed in position.
Referring more fully to these Figures, our said Invention consists in the use of
thin rectangular sheet plates of tin, terne, or black sheet iron C, either galvanized or
not, of a uniform length and width, rolled longitudinally through, between a set or
pair of improved rollers, with two or more rounded or V shaped grooves in the one,
and correspondingly shaped annular ridges or ribs on the other, so ns to roll longi-
tudinal ribs D, preferably on the upper side of the plates C, to strengthen them in
that direction, which would either have the edges c folded the one up and the other
down, either before or after being rolled with the ribs D by a separate rolling,
pressing, or folding machine; or this might be partially done by the same rollers
which form the ridges D, having square or kneeing flanges at their reverse ends for
kneeing the edges c up and down respectively, which in any case would afterwards
be folded quite over the plate C to form a lap joint at their opposite edges c with
the adjacent plates C, C, when laid down and fitted into each other in parallel rows,
as seen in all the Figures, which is done by laying one such row C on the top of
each other longitudidally along the roof, beginning at the lower edge C¹ with the
lower edge of the second or each succeeding row overlapping that of the previous
row, over longitudinal laths or "purlines" E ranged at the proper distance apart
below these joints C², corresponding to the length of the plates, and previously
screwed or otherwise fixed on the "principals" or main rafters, or truss frames F
below, so that both rows of plates C, C, can be secured to the longitudinal laths E
by one set or row of broad-headed nails E¹, either with or without washers of tarred
felt or other equivalent below the heads, or a layer of tarred paper or asphalte
between the joints C, which would prevent the ingress of water or corrosion of the
joints or nail holes.
When ordinary thicknesses of tin or terne plates C, C, are used they might by
the increased rigidity given by the ribs D and overlapping joints at their sides or
edges e in the direction of their length transversely, or up and down the roof, be
made as large as 27 inches long by 20 inches wide, and yet be perfectly firm with
only one longitudinal row of nails E along the junction of the ends; but when
thicker and stronger plates C, C, are used with strong nails, they may be made
both longer and broader proportionally, as for black sheet iron or galvanized sheet
roofing.
Another improvement consists in dipping or coating these new or improved sheets
or plates, preferably after rolling, when made of tin, terne, or black sheet iron, with
boiling or hot coal tar or pitch, or a mixture of these with rosiu, oil, and turpentine
or other drying substance, as a varnish; or zinc or galvanized plates may be so
coated for the like purpose. And although these improved plate coverings have

page_text: only been described for roofs, it is to be understood that they are equally applicable
for the sides and ends of sheds, workshops, colonial houses, and similar structures,
the end seams of the several rows running also in this case longitudinally along the
roof or Rides of the building.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what we consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction and application of tin, terne, or black iron plates C, C,
with longitudinal or transverse strengthening ribs or ridges D, and with up and
down seams of overlap joints at their edges c, all substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described in reference to and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The coating of the plates C, C, with hot coal tar or pitch, or a mixture of
these with rosin, oil, and turpentine, or other drying substance as a varnish, all
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said David Campbell and Isaac Summerhill, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.