Improvements in the Construction of Awnings for Temporarily Covering Pavements.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct.,
1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Awnings for Temporarily
Covering Pavements.
I, JOHN STARKIE GARDNER, of the firm Starkie Gardner and Company, of 29
Albert Embankment, Lambeth, Surrey, Metal Workers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to temporary Awnings or Porches and is more particularly
applicable to entrances to Theatres, Concert Halls, or other Public Buildings, where
it is desirable to have a temporary covering to the pavements or spaces in front of such
entrances.
The covering consists of a roof, at the edges or eaves of which are fixed brackets
carrying rollers, and these rollers run on two bars or girders, which project from the
building, one near each side of the entrance. The outer ends of these girders are
supported on columns which may conveniently be used as lamp posts, and the inner
These
ends of the girders are prolonged into the hall or lobby of the building.
girders may be horizontal, or they may have a fall towards their outer ends.
The roof is constructed of iron covered with glass, or of any other convenient
materials, and may be of any desired section. It preferably consists of a number of
transverse ribs or sash bars fixed at their outer ends, that is, at the eaves of the
roof to internal longitudinal bars which are parallel to, and near the girders.
These bars are connected by transverse and diagonal horizontal tie rods to ensure
stability.
In those cases, where the width of the pavement or space to be temporarilly covered,
is greater than the available space in the hall or lobby of the building, the roof is
divided in its length into two or more portions, each portion being of similar section
to the portion next it, but slightly smaller, so that when the roof is drawn within the
At each end of the eaves of
building, the various portions slide within one another.
each portion of the roof is fixed a bracket carrying a roller.
The rollers on the largest portion of the roof run on the above mentioned girders,
but the rollers at one end only of each of the other portions of the roof run on the
girders, the rollers at the other end running on the internal longitudinal bars at the
eaves of the portion next it. Thus, when the roof is drawn within the building, each
portion projects beyond the portion next it by so much as is necessary for the rollers
which run on the girders, and when the roof is extended, each portion laps over the
next by so much as is necessary for the rollers which run on the longitudinals, this
lap also prevents leakage of rain between the portions of the roof.
For the purpose of projecting, or of withdrawing the roof, a transverse shaft is placed
in bearings fixed to the front end or gable of that portion which is furthest from the
building when the roof is extended, and it is evident that this may be either the
portion of smallest section, or the portion of largest section. To this shaft are keyed
the two rollers which are at that end of the roof, and the shaft is revolved by means
of a chain wheel and chain at one, or each end of it. Properly disposed stops or
buffers cause each portion of the roof to pull or push (according to the case of the
extension or withdrawal of the roof) the portion next it. If the weight of the roof
is so great that the adhesion of the driven rollers on the girders is not sufficient to
move the roof, a rack is fixed to the girders and a toothed wheel gearing into this rack
is keyed on the shaft.
In those cases where the roof is divided into two portions, the movement is some-
The girders are
times effected from within the building in the following manner.
laid so as to have a fall towards their outer ends, and the roof is provided with cords
or chains attached to a counter-balance weight or weights within the building, and so

page_text: adjusted that the natural tendency is for the roof to assume its extended position.
Each portion of the roof is provided with cords, the cords of the forward portion are
fixed to the front end of that portion, and carried back by suitable pullies to the
balance weights. The cords for the hinder portion are fixed to the building near the
back end of the girders and are carried forward over pullies, which may be on the same
spindle as the forward rollers of the hinder portion, and are carried back by suitable
pullies to the balance weights, to which the cords of the forward portion are fastened.
Power is applied to cause the balance weights to descend by any convenient mechanism.
By this arrangement the hinder portion moves at half the speed of the forward portion
and the weight to be counter-balanced is constant in all positions of the roof.
Where the space to be covered is not wide and where the roof is in one piece, the
girders do not, in some cases, extend to the outer edge of the space, but their outer
ends are either flush with the front of the building, or they project a short distance
beyond the building, and the roof is made sufficiently rigid longitudinally to support
itself as a canti-lever when part of its length is projected beyond the outer ends of the
girders. The back end of the roof is, if necessary, weighted, or it is kept down by
girders, or bars above it. The movement is effected, either by a cross shaft and chain
wheels as before described, fixed to the back end of the roof, or by a cross shaft,
worked by suitable mechanism fixed to the girders or building at a convenient place,
and having keyed to it pinions engaging in racks fixed longitudinally to the roof.
Dated this 19th day of December 1888.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said John Starkie Gardner.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Awnings for Temporarily
Covering Pavements.
I, JOHN STARKIE GARDNER of the firm Starkie Gardner and Company, of 29
Albert Embankment, Lambeth, Surrey, Metal Workers, 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 temporary Awnings, or Porches, and is more particularly
applicable to entrances, to Theatres, Concert Halls, or other Public Buildings where
it is desirable to have a temporary covering to the pavements, or spaces in front of
such entrances.
My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one method of constructing a movable
roof or Awning, according to my invention.
The roof or Awning, is shown fully extended and covering the footway or pavement,
the porch A is of sufficient width to receive the whole of the moving portion B beneath
the fixed portion C. The part B is flat and formed with a fall towards the front, the
sides being filled in with any ornamental or other design D and supported by
longitudinal bars E, Figure 2, one only being shown as the opposite side is in all
respects similar. Brackets F carrying rollers G are fitted to the longitudinal bars E,
said rollers G working upon the lower flange of the girders or channel irons H
projecting from the building at each side of the entrance or porch A, the outer
ends being supported on columns I which may be conveniently used as lamp posts.
A rack J is fixed upon the girders H, into which gears a pinion K keyed, together,
with a chain wheel L upon a transverse shaft M revolving in bearings N attached in
any convenient manner, to the longitudinal bars E. The bars E may be connected
by transverse and diagonal tie rods in the usual manner to ensure stability.
In some cases I dispense with the rack J and pinion K and I key the rollers G
upon the transverse shaft M as shown in Figure 3. The chain P serves for turning
the pinion K when it is required to move the porch or Awning out or in. When
drawn in it occupies the position indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1.

page_text: In those cases where the width of the pavement or space to be temporarily
covered is greater than the available space in the Hall or Lobby of the building, the
roof is divided in its length in two or more portions, see Figures 3, 4 and 5 which
are elevation, plan, and section respectively, each portion being of similar section to
the portion next it but slightly smaller, so that when the whole is drawn into the
building the various portions slide one within the other in the following manner.
The longitudinal bars E to which the transverse iron bars W are attached are divided
into as many portions as is required, to each end of the bars E are attached brackets
carrying rollers Cin a manner similar to that described in reference to Figures 1 and 2.
All the rollers C attached to the largest portion of the roof run on the girders H
and the rollers Cat the front end only of the other portions of the roof, run on
the girders H the binder rollers C² of each portion of the roof run on each of the
longitudinal bars E, see Figure 4, to the front or portion of the roof farthest from
the building the rollers Care keyed, together, with the chain wheels L, to the
transverse shaft M, or I may use a rack and pinion in the manner described with
reference to Figure 1 should it be necessary.
From the foregoing it will be evident that when the roof is drawn within the
porch or building, each portion projects beyond the portion next it by so much as is
necessary for the rollers C running on the girders H and when the roof is extended,
each portion laps over the next by so much as is necessary for the rollers C¹ which
run on the longitudinal bars E. This lap prevents any leakage of rain between the
different sections of roof.
In those cases where the roof is divided into two portions, as in Figure 6, the
movement is sometimes effected from within the building in the following manner.
The girders H are laid so as to have a fall towards their outer ends, and the roof is
provided with cords or chains Q attached to a counterbalance weight or weights R
within the building, and so adjusted that the natural tendency is for the roof to
assume the extended position shown in Figure 6. The cords of the forward portion
are fixed to the front ends S of that portion, and carried back by the pulley T to
the balance weights R the cords for the hinder portion are fixed to the building
at U at back end of the girders H and carried forward over the pullies V which are
on the same spindle as the forward rollers C of the hinder portion, and are carried
back by the pullies T to the balance weights R to which the cords of the forward
portion are fastened. Power is applied to cause the balance weights to descend by
any convenient mechanism. By this arrangement the hinder portion moves at half
the speed of the forward portion and the weight to be counter balanced is constant in
all positions of the roof.
Where the space to be covered is not wide and where the roof is in one piece, the
girders do not in some cases extend to the outer edge of the space, but their outer
ends are either flush with the front of the building, or they project a short distance
beyond the building, and the roof is made sufficiently rigid longitudinally to support
itself as a cantilever when part of its length is projected beyond the outer ends of the
girders. The back end of the roof is, if necessary, weighted, or it is kept down by
girders or bars above it. The movement is effected either by a cross shaft and chain
wheels, as before described, fixed to the back end of the roof, or by a cross shaft
worked by suitable mechanism fixed to the girders or building at a convenient place,
and having keyed to it pinions engaging in racks fixed longitudinally to the roof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
1. The improvements in the construction of movable Awnings for temporarily
covering pavements, and the means for operating same, substantially as herein
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings.
2. The arrangement of divided or telescopic roof, in which each section is provided
with rollers to run in or on the longitudinal supporting bar of the next section of

page_text: the roof, the whole being movable by friction, rack and pulley, or by the
differential gear Q, T and R, substantially as described with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5
and 6 of the annexed drawings.
The 19th day of September 1889
H. GARDNER,
Per R. Core Gardner,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said John Starkie Gardner.