AN IMPROVED IRON CON- STRUCTION FOR THE ERECTION OF BUILDINGS, MACHINERY, AND BEDSTEADS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Lloyd, of West Gate, Grantham, in the
County of Lincoln, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED IRON CON-
STRUCTION FOR THE ERECTION OF BUILDINGS, MACHINERY, AND BEDSTEADS.”
Sealed the 27th May 1873, and dated the 3rd December 1872.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Lloyd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd December 1872.
I, EDWIN LLOYD, of West Gate, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED IRON
CONSTRUCTION FOR THE ERECTION OF BUILDINGS, MACHINERY, AND BEDSTEADS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the combination of two or more flat angled
or other sectioned bars trussed together at intervals by iron bosses or
studs, which can be made to carry or support other useful framework,

page_text: bolted or rivetted through and fixed in a vertical, inclined, or horizontal
position so arranged in buildings as to form standards, girders, purlins,
sash bar, bearer, or rafter; in machinery framework and supports; and
in iron bedsteads the sides and ends.
In the erection of transportable dwellings with felt or other non-
conductor incased between two plates of metal forming panels or tiles
for the sides, ends, partitions, and roofs.
The standards or main frames are formed of two strips or bars of
wrought metal with connections or trusses between them at intervals to
hold the bars firmly in position. The connections or trusses have lugs
or other projections upon them for carrying partitions, shelves, or sash
frames of a fixed or of a swing or hinged character.
The bottoms of the upright bars have shoes rivetted or bolted to them
to rest upon solid foundations, or the shoes may be caused to enter the
ground to prevent vibrations.
The frames formed as above described are very strong and light in
weight, and obviate the use of angle iron, which has always been more
or less objectionable on account of the difficulty of fixing other pieces to
them, there being only one surface for the pieces to be fastened upon;
whereas according to my Invention a double bearing is obtained without
weakening the uprights.
The same trussed bars or frames are available by varying the shape of
the truss pieces for many useful purposes, and spaces can be formed at
the sides for the reception of panels, panes of glass, or other material;
or the trusses may form holdfasts to the laths or sacking of bedsteads,
portable dwellings, greenhouses, signalmen's huts, supporting machinery,
or other purposes.
If panels are fitted I prefer that they be formed of say two plates of
iron with a tissue of felt between them, the edges of one plate being
burred or folded over the other before being slid into the grooves between
the two bars.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Lloyd in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
LLOYD, of West Gate, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Lloyd, Her special licence
that I, the said Edwin Lloyd, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Lloyd, 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 "AN IMPROVED IRON CON-
STRUCTION FOR THE ERECTION OF BUILDINGS, MACHINERY, AND BEDSTEADS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Lloyd,
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 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Lloyd, 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 the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the combination of two or more flat angled
or other sectioned bars trussed together at intervals by iron bosses or
studs, which can be made to carry or support other useful framework,
bolted or rivetted through and fixed in a vertical, inclined, or horizontal
position, so arranged in buildings as to form standards, girders, purlins,

page_text: sash bars, bearers, or rafters; in machinery the framework and supports;
and in iron bedsteads the supports, sides, and ends.
In the erection of transportable dwellings panels can be formed by
encasing felt or other non-conductor between two plates of metal; and
these panels may be used for the walls, partitions, and roofs.
The standards or main frames are constructed of two strips or bars of
wrought metal with connections or trusses between them at intervals to
hold the bars firmly in position. The connections or trusses have lugs
or other projections upon them for carrying partitions, shelves, or sash
frames of a fixed or of a swing or hinged character.
The bottoms of the upright bars have shoes rivetted or bolted to them
to rest upon solid foundations, or the shoes may be caused to enter the
ground to prevent vibrations.
The frames formed as above described are very strong and light in
weight, and obviate the use of angle iron, which has always been more
or less objectionable on account of the difficulty of fixing other pieces to
them, there being only one surface for the pieces to be fastened upon;
whereas according to my Invention a double bearing is obtained without
weakening the uprights.
The same trussed bars or frames are available by varying the shape of
the truss pieces for many useful purposes, and spaces can be formed at
the sides for the reception of panels, panes of glass, or other material;
or the trusses may form holdfasts to the laths or sacking of bedsteads,
portable dwellings, greenhouses, signalmen's huts, supporting machinery,
or other purposes.
If panels are fitted I prefer that they be formed of say two plates of
iron with a tissue of felt between them, the edges of one plate being
burred or folded over the other before being slid into the grooves between
the two bars.
My Invention will be well understood by reference to the accom-
paning Drawings, and the following detailed description:-
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 show some of the various sections in which
I can form my iron constructions. In all of these Figures, except
Figure 3 and Figure 6, two bars either of flat, angle, gutter, or other
shaped metal A are bolted or held together by means of connecting bolts

page_text: or rivets, the trusses B of any desirable shape being placed between the
bars, while in Figure 3 four flat bars of metal are similarly held together.
The thickness, shape, and number of these bars and of the trusses or
connections uniting them are regulated by the purpose to which they
are to be applied, and according as more or less strength may be required
of them.
Figure 7 shows in section a portion of a greenhouse formed from my
iron constructions. In this case the side wall C is composed of several
of them placed in an upright position, and supported upon shoes D
(shown séparately in Figure 7) solidly rivetted to the uprights, and
which rest upon or are embedded in the ground. The roof E is formed
from others of the iron constructions placed at an angle with the first,
to which they are rivetted by angular connecting pieces F, somewhat
similar to those shown separately in Figures 7b, 7°. As many glazed
sashes as may be necessary to fill the spaces left between the iron con-
structions are slid into the grooves or spaces formed between their two bars,
and thus the walls and roof are completed. Lugs or projections G, H, as
before referred to, are made upon the trusses of the upright constructions
forming the side wall C, by means of which the table I and the shelf K
are supported, and it is evident that as many of these can be made as
may be desired. L and M are ventilating flaps hinged in any desirable
position for the admission of air.
Figures 8 to 11 show a form of my iron construction, which is
especially applicable for telegraph, lamp, or signal posts, or as a column.
for supporting buildings. In this form a number, say eight, of iron
bars A are united together by means of a truss B of peculiar con-
struction, shown clearly in Figures 9, 10, and 11, in which Figure 9 is
a sectional plan through the line x, y; Figure 10 is a vertical section;
and Figure 11 a plan view of the lower part of the post. This truss
consists of two rings a and B, the inner one of which is solid, and formed
with notches c, in which the bars A find a lodgment, and in which
they are held firmly by the outer ring passed over the bars to jam them
tightly together, forming thereby a column or support of great strength.
Beneath the lower truss the bars extend for some distance and spread
outwards, as seen in Figure 7, so as to form a large base or support.
The bottom ends of the bars are turned inwards, so as to become feet
upon which the column can rest. Ordinarily the space beneath the
lower truss is embedded in the ground, as shown in the Figure, but this

page_text: need not necessarily be done, as by the outward curve taken by the
lower part of the bars a large base giving great support to the column
is obtained, which will be sufficient for many temporary purposes at
least.
Figure 12, Sheet 2, shows my iron construction as applied to bed-
steads. In this case the supports, sides, and ends of the bedstead are
all of my iron constructions A and the trusses or connections B are
formed with a pin at their tops, which projects above the edges of the
bars of which the iron constructions are formed, and over these pins the
laths of the bedstead are placed so as to be firmly held. The supports,
sides, and ends of the bedstead formed of different iron constructions
are connected together by angular pieces similar to those mentioned
with regard to the greenhouse described with reference to Figure 7,
examples of which are shown separately at Figures 7b, 7°. The other
parts of the bedstead are as usual.
Figure 13, Sheet 2, shows my iron construction as applied to the
erection of machinery. In this case a crane is formed from three iron
constructions A, A, A, which are constructed precisely as before
described with the trusses or connections B, and this Figure explains
itself so clearly that further mention is unnecessary.
It will be evident from the above example that the Invention is
applicable to the framework of almost all species of machinery.
Figure 14, Sheet 2, shows the form of panel which I prefer to employ
in the construction of the walls and partitions of buildings when made
of a framework of my iron constructions. It consists of two plates N, O,
with a tissue of felt P between one of the two plates N, their end and
side having its end and side edges burred or folded over the other plate O.
These panels are slid into the grooves formed by the bars of the iron
construction, and as many are used as may be necessary to completely
fill in the skeleton or framing of the structure.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,--
Firstly. The combination of two or more strips or bars of iron with
connections or trusses between so as to form iron constructions which
will serve as the framework for buildings, machinery, and bedsteads,
substantially as described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Secondly. The construction of a post or column for use as a telegraph
lamp post or signal post, or for the support of structures, as described
and shown with reference to Figures 8 to 11 of the accompanying
Drawings.
And, thirdly. The construction of the panels for filling up the
framework of structures formed with my iron constructions, as
described and shown with reference to Figure 14 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Lloyd, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 31st day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-three.