IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEDS FOR THE PROTECTION OP RICKS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Colby of Pantyderi Blaenffos in the County
of Pembroke for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEDS FOR THE
PROTECTION OP RICKS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Colby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th May 1883.
THOMAS COLBY of Pantyderi Blaenffos in the County of Pembroke "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SHEDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF RICKS
This Invention has for its object improvements in sheds for the protection of
ricks.
It has been heretofore usual to thatch ricks to protect them from the weather,
but the cost of thatch is considerable and in a wet season the hay is liable to be
injured before the thatch can be got on.
I provide for the protection of ricks a shed of peculiar construction, so arranged
as to admit of the elevator being freely worked. Along one side of the shed
at convenient distances apart (say 10 feet or more) I erect a line of stout posts
or pillars to carry a roof; they are strutted on the outer side and connected
together near the top to keep them properly spaced by a plank nailed on
horizontally.
Chocks are fixed to the posts at the upper ends to support the wall plates of
the roof, or rather roofs, for the roof is made up of a series of independent sections
each of a width equal to the distance from pillar to pillar.
-
The ends of the wall plates are made cylindrical and they rest in corresponding
recesses in the chocks. Metal pins also project from the ends of the wall plates
into notches in the top of the posts.
The width of the shed from front to back may conveniently be sixteen feet or
more; along the front I erect another row of lighter pillars to support wall plates
along the front of the shed and I arrange these pillars or some of them so that
they may readily be removed for if permanent they would be in the way of the
stacking.

page_text: There are pins at the top of the front pillars entering holes in the front wall
plates which are much lighter than those at the back.
The roof sections are constructed on the wall plates with frames running up to
a ridge and covered with light boarding.
I also fix to the back wall plates strong arms of timber projecting out some
distance at the back. There are two such arms for each section of the roof and
they are tied together near their outer ends by a check rail; they are also braced
to the roof by ties passing from their outer ends nearly to the ridge of the roof
where they are made fast to the frames.
When the rick is to be built the roof sections are raised by pulling upon ropes
attached to the projecting arms and the back wall plate then turns on the chocks
which carry it until the check rail comes down on to the struts of the back
pillars; here it may be lashed. As many of the front pillars as may be
convenient are removed whilst the rick is in building. The roof can be replaced
whenever required.
When the rick has arrived at its full height the roof sections do not at first
come down to the front pillars but rest upon the rick and as the rick settles the
roof descends with it down to the pillars. The intervals between the sections of
the roof are made good by means of moveable covering boards secured by fastenings
on the under side. The roof sections may be covered with galvanized iron and in
this case an arched section may be adopted.
i
Moveable counterweights, may be employed to aid in raising the roof sections. T

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Colby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th November
1883.
THOMAS COLBY of Pantyderi Blaenffos in the County of Pembroke
MENTS IN SHEDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF RICKS
IMPROVE-
This invention has for its object improvements in sheds for the protection of
ricks.
It has been heretofore usual to thatch ricks to protect them from the weather,
but the cost of thatch is considerable and in a wet season the hay is liable to be
injured before the thatch can be got on.
I provide for the protection of ricks a shed of peculiar construction so arranged
as to admit of the elevator being freely worked. Along one side of the shed
at convenient distances apart (say 10 feet or more) I erect a line of stout posts
or pillars to carry a roof, they are strutted on the outer side and connected
together near the top to keep them properly spaced by a plank nailed on
horizontally.
Chocks are fixed to the posts at the upper ends to support the wall plates of the
roof, or rather roofs, for the roof is made up of a series of independent sections each
of a width equal to the distance from pillar to pillar.
The ends of the wall plates are made cylindrical and they rest in corresponding
recesses in the chocks. Metal pins also project from the ends of the wall plates
into notches in the top of the posts.
The width of the shed from front to back may conveniently be sixteen feet or
more; along the front I erect another row of lighter pillars to support wall plates
along the front of the shed and I arrange these pillars or some of them so that
they may readily be removed for if permanent they would be in the way of the
stacking.
There are pins at the top of the front pillars entering holes in the front wall
plates which are much lighter than those at the back.
The roof sections are constructed on the back wall plates with frames running
up to a ridge and covered with light boarding.
I also fix to the back wall plates strong arms of timber projecting out some
distance at the back. There are two such arms for each section of the roof and
they are tied together near their outer ends by a check rail they are also braced to
the roof by ties passing from their outer ends nearly to the ridge of the roof where
they are made fast to the frames.
When the rick is to be built the roof sections are raised by pulling upon ropes
attached to the projecting arms and the back wall plate then turns on the chocks
which carry it until the check rail comes down on to the struts of the back
pillars, here it may be lashed. As many of the front pillars as may be convenient
are removed whilst the rick is in building. The roof can be replaced whenever
required.
When the rick has arrived at its full height the roof sections do not at first
come down to the front pillars but rest upon the rick and as the rick settles the
roof descends with it down to the pillars. The intervals between the sections of
the roof are made good by means of moveable covering boards secured by fastenings
on the under side. The roof sections may be covered with galvanised iron and in.
this case an arched section may be adopted. Moveable counterweights may be
employed to aid in raising the roof sections.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 1 is an end elevation of a section of a shed constructed according to
my invention. Figure 2 is also an end elevation, it shows the position assumed
by the roof when raised; in this figure also the front supports are removed.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the shed; two sections are here shown in one
the roof is in place resting upon the front posts; in the other the roof is raised
and the front support removed
Figures 4 show separately the upper end of one of the back posts with parts
of the back wall plates of two sections.
Figures 5 show similar portions of one of the front posts and wall plates.
Figures 6 show cover strips which may be employed to make good the narrow
intervals between adjacent roof sections.
Figure 7 shows an alternative arrangement for the upper end of the front
pillars.
a. a. are the back posts, b. b. struts or props giving additional firmness to the
back posts. At the ends of the shed I apply additional struts or props to the end
posts both back and front to stiffen the structure longitudinally.
c. c. are planks nailed on to the back posts longitudinally and tying them
together.
d. d. are the bases of the intermediate front posts; they are set permanently in
the ground but the upper part of the post is moveable and is provided with à peg
which is received into a socket or hole in the base d. At the ends of the shed the
front posts are permanent.
e. e. are the movable upper parts of the intermediate front posts.
f. f. are portions of the front wall plate they have holes in them to receive pins
projecting from the upper ends of the front posts as is clearly seen in Figures 5.
In place of making the front wall plates continuous from post to post as is here
shown each post may have a short length of the wall plate permanently fixed to
it as is represented in Figure 7.
g. g. are the roof frames, they are securely fixed at their hinder ends to the back
wall plate and in front their ends are provided with pins g' which drop into
corresponding holes in the front wall plate.
h. h. are the back wall plates; their ends are made cylindrical so that they
may turn upon the chocks a' on the back posts by which they are supported
and pins project from their ends and are received into notches cut in the top of
the post.
i. i. are arms fixed to the back wall plates and projecting rearwards from them.
j. j. are ties connecting the arms i. i. with the frames g. g. and firmly bolted
A block is inserted between the frame and the roofing to receive the
to each.
end of the tie j.
1. l. are the horizontal check rails fixed at the outer ends of the arms and
ties i. and j.
m. m. are the rafters.
n. n. are sheets of galvanised iron with which in this instance the roof is
covered but wood or other light roofing material may be employed.
p. p. are diagonal braces of the roof.
q. q. are diagonal braces to the arms i. i.
The cover strips shown at Figures 6 rest upon the outer sides of the roof
sections they have as will be seen ribs upon them and these enter between the
sections and have turn buttons which when turned rest against the under sides of 5
the adjacent roof sections and so the cover strips are securely held. The ridge is
covered by a metal flap on one of the cover strips, it has a hole in it and a pin on
the other strip engages with it.

page_text: One of the advantages offered by these sheds is that they admit of the free use
of the elevator in stacking.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim :-
First My improvements in sheds for the protection of ricks consisting in
arranging the roof sections to rise by rotating about their supports substantially
as described.
Second-My improved shed for the protection of ricks substantially as
described.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Colby have hereunto set my hand and
seal this fifth day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
THOMAS COLBY. (L.S.)