Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Portable Tents, Hospitals, and like Structures:
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Portable
Tents, Hospitals, and like Structures:
I, EDWARD LYON BERTHON, of Romsey, Hants, Master of Arts, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For the purpose of this invention, I make double screens in wood, or canvas,
or a combination to form the side walls which are in sections, and prepared to fit
with an air tight, or cushion joint, the upper part of each section being provided
with a glass sash for giving light to the interior.
The upper part or roof is also in section of double, or single canvas stretched to
frames to lodge on, or against bearers affixed to the uprights of the walls. The
upper sections can be secured by buttons, or other suitable means and ordinary
ventilating apertures made. 1 prefer that the bottom parts of the walls be formed
of flaps for the admission of air which can be broken up, or the draught be modified,
the air passing up between the double walls and the two skins of the roof to the
ventilators at the apex.
The flooring is in sections of fixed sizes, as well as the side walls, and upper or
roof sections, so that a tent of any length can be made by using the required
number of sections, and I make the ends of suitable angles, so that should a small
tent only be required, the two ends alone may be used.
The floorings are in a piece with their battens and above the bottom level of the
tent, so that there is free ventilation under the floor, any section of which can be
removed from the outside or inside for cleaning, repairs, or otherwise without
disturbing the other parts.
D
L
10L 1
11003
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Edward Lyon Berthon.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Portable
Tents, Hospitals, and like Structures.
I, EDWARD LYON BERTHON, of Romsey, Hants, Master of Arts, 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 :-
For the purpose of this invention, I make double screens in wood or canvas, or
a combination to form the side walls which are in sections and prepared to fit with
an air tight or cushion joint the upper part of each section being provided with a
glass sash for giving light to the interior.
The upper part or roof is also in section of double or single canvas stretched to
frames to lodge on or against bearers affixed to the uprights of the walls. The
upper sections can be secured by buttons or other suitable means and ordinary
ventilating apertures made. I prefer that the bottom parts of the walls be formed
with flaps for the admission of air which can be broken up, or the draught be
modified, the air passing up between the double walls and the two skins of the root
to the ventilator at the apex.

page_text: The flooring is in sections of fixed sizes as well as the side walls and upper or
roof sections, so that a tent of any length can be made by using the required number
of sections and I make the ends of suitable angles, so that should a small tent only
be required the two ends alone may be used.
The floorings are in a piece with their battens and above the bottom level of
the tent, so that there is free ventilation under the floor, any section of which can
be removed from the outside or inside for cleaning, repairs, or otherwise without
disturbing the other parts.
My invention will be well understood from an inspection of the annexed
drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a tent and showing one half of wooden match
boarding in sections, and one half of canvas covered frames also in sections.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a wooden walled tent.
Figure 3 a plan view of the sectional flooring.
Figure 4 an elevation of a series of section canvas covered frames so connected as
to be opened out or spread to constitute one half of the tent.
Figure 5 is an elevation of one lower section and one upper or roof section
folded for transport, and having a fixed joint pin.
Figures 6 and 7 are similar views of lower and upper section with a draw pin,
or it may be a thimble or screw button joint.
Figure 8 shows one of the section seam covering strips, and Figure 9 a plan
indicating the position such a cover strip occupies when in place.
Figure 10 represents the half tents shown at Figure 1 set apart and with
intervening sections fitted in to form a long tent, and which can be extended in
length by increasing the number of intervening sections to any extent.
Figure 11 is a plan of a portion of the sectional boarded flooring for a
long tent.
Figure 12 is a view of the ridge with the slats or strips of the roof section
hooked on.
Figure 13 shows one of the glazed sashes with suspension pins.
Figure 14 is a view of a tubular ridge pipe through which the stack pipe of a
heating stove can be passed and be held clear of wood and canvas. This ridge
pipe has two arms, one for resting on the ridge or be supported by it, and the
other for the attachment of the mid-rib of the roof section and forming a centre
around which the united roof canvas sections can be spread.
Figures 15 and 16 are views to show the method I prefer to adopt for connecting
the uprights of the intermediate sections of the longer tent and of the meeting faces
of the circular tent.
A, A, are side posts of the lower section frame and B, B, are posts of the roofing
section frames joined to fold, as at Figure 5, and be opened out or expanded, as at
Figure 2, cach side post having a rib or feather C as abutment strips against which
the boarded sections D, D, as side walls can fit and be secured as seen at the
left hand of Figure 1, or of canvas as seen on the right hand of the same figure.
The side wall sections are double with an air space DI between, the lower boards
being hinged to serve as flaps capable of being opened as shown for the admission
of air.
The upper or roof sections are similarly made (i.e. double) with an air space
between and fit in place in and between the frames B, B, the upper ends of said
frames B being hooked to the ridge E as at Figure 12, or secured in some
other way.
The side wall sections may have a boarded exterior and a boarded liner D², or it
may have a canvas liner, or both faces may be of canvas, said liners being stopped
just below or level with the lower edges of the glazed sashes F, F, which fit in and
form the top of the side walls.
The sashes F, F, are hung from their lower edges to fall inwards for, when open,
a fresh supply of air to pass up in the roof sections, the upper ends of which are
left with openings as at Figure 12, or by the openings left at the upper ends of the

page_text: cone formed by the closeness of the roof sections at the ends of the tent, as at
Figure 10.
The roofing frames B, B, for the tent end can be articulated, as at Figure 4, and
can be in conjunction with a pipe G by the arms H, H, for closing up, as at
Figure 4, or be opened or spread outwardly to form a cone roofing frame for the
reception of the sections I, I.
The meeting seams of the sections and frames are covered in, air and rain tight,
by strips or fillets J, J, capable of being slid over studs K, K, to lock them in
close contact.
The meeting ends of the circular tents Figures 1 and 2 are connected by
staples L, L, passed through slots M of bars B and secured by pins, as are also
the roof posts B, B, and the uprights A of the intermediates of the longer tent
there being a strip N similarly sectioned and lying upon the intermediate uprights
for distancing them and for giving them rigidity.
This system of locking the intermediate sections will be found of importance
where doorways or other openings have to be formed.
The flooring is of corresponding shape to the tent and is in sections P, P, P, as
at Figures 3 and 11, the latter having a central section or sections Q. These
sections are composed of ordinary floor boards secured as sections by battens which
keep the boards above the level of the ground and where one or more stoves are
fitted in the tent, apertures can be made under where the stove or stoves stand
for the passage of air to become heated before distribution into the chamber or
structure, the stove pipe or uptake for the smoke and vapour being led up and
through the pipe G.
The tents herein described are specially suitable as temporary hospitals, for
religious and other meetings, for ball and garden parties or other gatherings, the
floor boards in sections being easily removable for cleansing, or other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvements in portable tents, hospitals, and like structures as and in
the manner described and substantially as shown by the annexed drawings.
2. The method or arrangement of frames and double sections for walls and
for roofs of portable tents and the like, as set forth.
3. The described method of and appliances for connecting frames and sectioned
walls and roofs, articulated or other, to a stove guard pipe G and as represented in
the drawings.
The 10th dow of bantam han 1904
Pho 104
Of Septembe
has 1904
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Edward Lyon Berthon.