Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1887
Specification Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
I, DAVID GROVE of No. 24 Friedrich Strasse Berlin, Germany, Sanitary Engineer,
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:-
My invention relates to improvements in portable buildings, which can be readily
erected and taken down and can also be easily packed and transported as the walls
and roof are composed of single, fireproof and fully insulated light plates or sheets,
which, preferably, consist of wooden frames covered on the outside with galvanised
corrugated sheet iron and on the inside with waterproof canvas or other suitable
material.
Although my present invention can be employed in portable buildings of all kinds,
I have represented the application of my improvements to a portable military hospital
barrack, which is to provide accommodation for 16 or more or less, sick beds with
sufficient space for the attendant or sick nurse's bed, and also the necessary sanitary
closets and an operating table.
The dimensions of the improved barrack are such that each bed has an area of 4.05
square meters and space for 14 cubic meters of air.
The most essential features of my improvements in portable buildings and hospital
barracks are the novel constructions, hereinafter more particularly referred to, which
admit of an extremely easy transportation, ready and rapid erection and dismounting
or folding of the same and more especially the manner of connecting the side walls
with the roof, whereby I am enabled to cover a space equal to 75 square meters
without the necessity of an intermediate roof support. As aforementioned, the side
walls and the roof are formed of single, independent plates or sheets, which possess
the great advantage of being very light, fire proof and insulated to stand the effects
of the weather.
The accompanying drawings represent various details of the improvements as
applied to military barracks.
Figure 1 is partly a central_longitudinal section and partly a side view of a
barrack.

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan and Figure 3 a cross section thereof.
The further figures of the said drawings relate to details of the constructions of the
wood and iron connections or fastenings, as also the side walls and roof plates,
viz :-
Figure 4 represents the connection or fastenings as also the side walls with the
upper cross beams of the main rafter and the roof plates.
Figure 5 shows the upper connections of the roof plates with the main rafter and
the side braces in a vertical position to the incline of the roof.
Figure 6 is a top view of the connection represented in Figure 4 with the roof plate
omitted.
Figure 7 is a side view of the connection shown in Figure 5.
Figure S is a modification of the connection shown in Figure 3.
Figure 9 represents a like connection with inclined overlapping edge and
consequently covered joint, on an enlarged scale.
Figure 10 is the side view of a modification of the attachment represented in
Figure 4.
Figure 11 is a top view of the same.
Figure 12 is the elevation of a length of wall plate without window, Figure 13 a
horizontal section and Fig. 14 a vertical section of the same.
Figure 15 is an elevation of the inner side of one of the roofing plates, Figure 16
a cross section and Figure 17 a longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 18 is a vertical section of the upper part of a wall plate and the parts for
receiving the roofing plate.
Figure 19 is a view of the inner surface of the Fig. 18.
Figure 20 is an elevation of the inner surface of a wall plate with window.
Figure 21 is a cross section and Figure 22 a longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 23 is an elevation of the hooks for connecting the wall plates, in half natural
size. Figure 24 is an end view of Figure 23.
Figure 25 is a side view of the connection of the lower ends of the wall plates with
fundamental beams.
Figure 26 is a vertical section of Figure 25.
Figure 27 is a section on the line -, Figure 29, of a modified connection of the
roof plates.
Figure 28 is a modification of the ridge beam in section on the line y-y of
Figure 29.
Figure 29 is a top view of Figure 27 & 28, on a reduced scale.
Figure 30 represents a modified connection or fastening of the roof plates to the
ridge beam.
Figure 31 is a top view of the improved flooring, which can be folded for transport
and Figure 32 a section of the same.
The connection of the plates or parts forming the building, in this case a hospital
barrack, is effected without the employment of screws, by means of hooks and eyes
and hinges which enable the ready and rapid 'erection and dismounting of the said
field hospital.
After the site where the hospital barrack is to be erected has been determined,
suitable blocks of wood are let into the corners and in the direction of the walls
about 3 meters apart, according to the dimensions of the plan, the floor beams laid on
the same.
The said floor beams are composed of a series of beams connected by suitable
hinges, the corner parts, consist, for instance, of two parts, the sides of three or
more parts connected together by means of suitable hinges so that the same can be
folded up said beams b being exteriorly provided with a rabbet into which the
wall plate or plates c fit, and on their upper surface with an angle iron d which
fits into a metal piece or sheet iron eye e, Figure 13, of one of the wall plates.
'The number of said eyes e corresponds with the number of wall plates, that is, there
is one eye to each wall plate.
These wall plates are composed, preferably, of wooden frames c³, having cross

page_text: bars c², which are covered exteriorly with galvanised corrugated sheet steel cand
provided interiorly with a sheathing of watertight canvas or its equivalent. The
corrugations of the sheet metal are filled out with insulating material c³, such as
fossil meal, cork or other bad conductors of heat, to such an extent, as to leave an air
space of about three quarters of an inch or two centimeters between the said insulation
and the interior canvas lining or covering.
The separate wall plates care fastened to each other by means of hooks and eyes,
for which purpose each wall plate has an iron hook cat one end and a corresponding
eye or socket c' at the other, into which said socket c' the hook e of the adjacent plato
fits or catches.
A further connection of the parts is attained by means of the latch or hook.c
(Figure 23 and 24) which is provided at its free end with a ring or its equivalent for
facilitating the operation of the same and is inserted behind the lug c fixed to the
adjoining plate c.
Suitable lugs el are attached to the top rail c' of each plate which serve to receive
the angle iron f, the vertical side of which is recessed so as to receive the lugs e',
whilst the upper side, which receives the lugs of the roof plates is slanted to such a
degree as to correspond with the slope of the roof. In order to effectively cover the
joints between the walleplates as well as the joints between the wall plates and the
floor beams & suitable strips of sheet metal g and g' are appropriately attached to each
plate c.
The principal connections of the walls is effected by the cross beams h h which are
arranged in pairs about three meters apart so that the main rafter i can pass between
said beams. These beams are provided at their ends with suitable iron or metal
plates to which a strong iron hook h¹ is attached which fits into a corresponding eye h³
with which each wall plate is provided.
The main rafter i is provided at the bottom with hooks are either connected
directly with the side walls which carry corresponding eyes or sockets s (Figure 4), or
hook into the eyes of specially arranged parts which cover the inner joint of the
wall plates and reach up to the foot of the main rafter i. (Figures 10 and 11.)
This arrangement of the parts has the further advantage of permitting their
use or employment as supports for providing another inner sheathing, and the space
between the same can be readily filled up with isolating or non-conducting material
such as fossil meal etc.
The upper part of the main rafter fits into the attachment piece which is fastened
to the angle iron e, said angle iron also carries an attachment piece (provided with a
nose or projection) to retain or hold the braces m.
These latter are connected to the cross beams by means of hinges m¹ and can be
folded when the barrack is dismounted or taken down.
The roof plates o, represented in Figures 15 and 17, consist of wooden frames o¹
having cross rails o² and constructed in the same manner as the wall plates; both
sides of said frame being covered with waterproof canvas, as shown by dotted lines in
Figure 16 and 17, and the joints of these plates being made to fit tightly by means
of the application at the edges of an ordinary angle iron o³ or by means of the
ightened angle iron of having a rebate into which the vertical side of the angle iron
f the adjoining roof plate is set. The connection of the roof and wall plates is
ffected by means of the lug o' which fits over the inclined portion of the angle iron ƒ,
Figure 18).
The construction of the ridge, shown in Figure 5, is such that the roof plates do not
each to the edge of the ridge, but, by the application of angle irons, leave sufficient
pace for a roof or ridge supporter, whose projections enter into corresponding holes
the angle irons. By the insertion of rubber strips between the joints, the necessary
ghtening is secured. In Fig. 9, the ridge construction is such that the roof plates
one side overlap those of the other at the angle equivalent to the slope of the roof
nd consequently cover the joint; the plates are connected on both sides by means of
e lugs of which fit over one side of the angle iron attached to the adjoining
ate.

page_text: With reference to the windowss it must be here remarked that the upper parts s¹,
of said windows are made to swing (Figure 20 and 22) the sashes of said upper parts
being constructed of T shaped frames, which are held by the inclined projecting
piece or parts. These swinging sashes serve to promote a lively circulation of air
when judiciously opened and the ventilation is furthermore enhanced by the
ventilating shafts & in the roof; a number of these shafts t can be connected with the
stove pipes of the heating apparatus.
As regards the construction of the floors, it may be remarked that the space between
the flooring beams is preferably filled with dry sand, and covered with lath-matting
which said matting may subsequently be covered with linoleum or any other similar
floor covering. In this manner, long, clumsy parts are avoided and the erecting and
dismounting of the barracks is easily effected.
The following improvements in the roofs, flooring and wainscotting of portable
buildings are to be considered as modifications of the aforedescribed constructions and
are in no way to detract from the value of the said invention in its entirety but,
conjointly with the foregoing, are to constitute a description for the claims of which ĺ
desire to secure Letters Patent.
According to these modifications, the connection of the roof plates, shown in
Figures 28, is effected by means of the angle iron a, the rebate of which is lined with
a strip of felt b, against which, when the roof plates are forced together the free edge c
of a V formed iron piece presses; this V shaped iron piece is fastened to the
longitudinal frame of the previously adjusted adjacent roof plate the gutter or groove
of said iron piece is bent in such a manner that the elasticity produced by the pressure
of the edge serves to rigidly tighten the joints as well as to give the necessary play
in laying or adjusting the said plates.
The ridge covering shown in Figure 29, is constructed as follows:-The upper
cross beams of the roof plates are provided with rebate angle irons f, which serve as
guides for the elastic angle irons of the ridge cap or covering h. The ridge cap or
covering itself consists of single, corrugated strips of suitable metal corresponding
in length to the width of the roof plates. When the ridge cap is forced into position
the elasticity of the sides of the said ridge cap is exerted in such a manner that an absolute
tight connection or fastening is effected.
The connection or fastening shown in Figure 30 is made so that the pocket like
recesses at the ends of the frame e of the roof plates are slid over a conically shaped
bent hook fastened to the ridge beam and by subsequently forcing the roof plates in
the direction of the hook the said plate is pressed tightly against the said ridge
beam.
The flooring and wainscotting consists of single straps laths etc., connected in such
a manner as to easily be folded up and reduced or increased in length as occasion
may require. The fastening or connection of each floor beam is effected by means of
hooks and eyes, which form hinges, as shown in Figures 31 and 32.
In this manner a hinged surface is formed which facilitates the folding of the
connected flooring and wainscotting as well as the ready transportation of the same
and also ensures an absolutely tight joining of the same when the building or barrack
is erected. This construction also possesses the advantage that the durability of the
several parts is not affected or impaired by reason of dirt moisture and that the
different dimensions as to length etc., are capable of being reduced or increased with
little or no trouble in consequence of the adaptability of the said flooring and
wainscotting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that
what I claim is:-
1. In the construction of portable buildings, such as hospital barracks, the arrange-
ment whereby the separate wall and roof plate connections are effected without the
use of any interior-central support or removable screw-fastenings, said connections or
fastenings being made by means of the hooks c and eyes c' whilst the floor beams are

page_text: hinged to each other so as to form a folding frame, substantially as described in the
foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. The construction of the wall plates c of wooden frames sheathed exteriorly
with galvanised corrugated sheet steel and provided with a sheathing of water proof
canvas e, by means of which and the non-conducting filling of fossil meal, and
the space left between said filling and the interior canvas sheathing, a complete
insulation against the influence of changes of temperature, is provided, substantially
as described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. In the construction of portable buildings or barracks, making the floor of
folding lathwork, which is placed directly upon the layer of sand and can be subse-
quently covered with matting, linoleum or other suitable material, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawing.
4. The application and employment of hooks and eyes or staples and sockets in the
construction of folding floors and wainscotting for portable buildings, barracks, etc.,
substantially as described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
5. The application arrangement and employment of an elastic groove to form a
weather-tight connection of the roof plates, which said grooved piece or part presses
with its free end in a rebate in the adjoining roof plate said plate being lined with
felt or other suitable material, substantially as described in the foregoing specification
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
6. In the construction of a tight connection or fastening in the ridge beam of
portable buildings or barracks, the application of an elastic cap or covering / in
connection with hooking angle irons g, by means of which the ridge cap h is pressed
tightly on to the roof plates, substantially as described in the foregoing specification
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
7. In the construction of portable buildings or barracks, the application of pocket
like recesses and conically shaped hooks, to effect the pressure of the roof plates against
the ridge plates, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
8. In the construction of portable buildings barracks etc., the application arrange-
ment and employment of a folding flooring, consisting in connecting a number of
floor beams by means of hinges formed by suitable hooks and eyes, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
9. The general construction, application and employment in portable buildings,
hospital barracks etc., of the several parts constituting my invention, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of September 1887.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Associate Agent.

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