Improvements in the Construction of Metal Buildings, Ships, and other like Structures.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Metal Buildings, Ships, and
other like Structures.
We JOSEPH VINCENT LAGUESSE and ALFRED PHILIPPE ERNEST MARIE
DUPONT-LIXON both of Grivegnée in the Kingdom of Belgium Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the construction of metal buildings ships boats or vessels
or structures in which relatively thin plates or sheets of corrugated or other iron,
steel, copper, zinc, or other metal are attached to a skeleton or frame work
composed of angle iron as hereinafter described.
In carrying out this invention the angle irons forming the framework which may
be of TIL U or other suitable form in transverse section are provided with
openings or slots in the web for the reception of the keys or wedges employed to
attach an outer skin or sheathing of thin metal as hereinafter explained. The
angle irons are also provided in certain cases with longitudinal grooves or channels
in the inner side of the flange and the edges of the sheets are pressed into these
grooves in order to make a more secure joint.
In order to attach a covering of sheet iron to a framework composed of Tiron
for example the edges of the sheets are bent so as to lie snugly in the grooves in
the flanges and are preferably turned inwards so as to abut against the web or
stem of the T. The head of the T being arranged on the outside of the wall or
side of the structure the edges of the sheets are secured between the inner sides of
the webs and longitudinal bars or narrow plates of metal placed on the inner side
of the sheets. The longitudinal bars are tightened up against the edges of the
sheets by means of wedges or a gib and cottar arrangement inserted in the
openings or slots in the web of the angle iron or rib. The toes or projecting parts
of the gibs are bevelled or inclined so as to exert an additional wedging action on
the plates. In order to form a double or hollow wall longitudinal strips or battens
are attached to the ribs by means of pins passed through the projecting parts of
gibs placed at the back of the wedges and through the web of the rib. Boarding
panelling or other lining material is then screwed or otherwise attached to these
battens and may be varnished painted or otherwise decorated. Air may be caused
to circulate in these hollow walls by means of a suitable arrangement of inlet and
outlet valves and shafts or chimneys arranged at the corners of the structure for
example.
Where greater strength is required it is preferred to employ angle iron of I shape
in section and the grooves or channels under the webs are dispensed with. The
edges of the sheets are secured by means of longitudinal strips and gibs and cottars
passed through the web of the angle iron as hereinbefore described and wooden
battens are secured between a gib at the back of the cottar and the inner flanges
of the angle iron which are perforated for the passage of screws or bolts by which
the lining material is secured to the battens.
According to another arrangement this lining may be attached by means of bolts
or screws simply engaging with the inner flanges of the ribs.
The angles of the structure are closed by means of plates or sheets bent at a
corresponding angle or curved the edges of these plates or sheets being attached
to the ribs in the same way as the sheets forming the other parts of the walls.
The heads or flanges of the angle irons which project outside the sheets may be
flat or may be ornamented with a beading or otherwise.
This system of construction may be employed with advantage in the construc-
tion of boats or vessels made in sections or requiring to be taken to pieces the
parts being connected by means of wedges requiring little or no skill in their

page_text: manipulation. The sides or edges of the wooden strips or batteus when such are
employed are preferably protected with a plate or strip of metal at the parts where
they jam against the ends of the jibs.
Houses or buildings constructed according to this invention can be covered with
a roof of one or more spans and the materials may be protected from rust or
atmospheric influence by painting galvanizing or other suitable treatment. The
parts of the skeleton or framework are connected together by an arrangement of
keys or wedges or by rivets pins or bolts combined with wedges or cottars inserted
in the ends or otherwise and as all the wedges or fastenings are arranged in the
interior of the structure it is impossible to tamper with or disturb them from the
outside.
Dated this 30th day of Tule 1801
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Metal Buildings, Ships, and
other like Structures.
We JOSEPH VINCENT LAGUESSE, and ALFRED PHILIPPE ERNEST MARIE
DUPONT-LIXON both of Grivegnée in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers,
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:-
Our invention relates to the construction of metal buildings, ships boats, or
vessels or structures in which relatively thin plates or sheets of corrugated or other
iron, steel, copper, zinc or other metal are attached to a skeleton or framework
composed of angle irons as hereinafter described.
In carrying out this invention the angle irons forming the framework which may
be of TILU or other suitable form in transverse section are provided with
openings or slots in the web for the reception of keys or wedges employed_to
attach an outer skin or sheathing of thin metal as hereinafter explained. The
angle irons are also provided in certain cases with longitudinal grooves or channels
on the inner side of the flange and the edges of the sheets are pressed into these
grooves in order to make a more secure joint.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the accompanying drawings the same letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 shews an arrangement in which angle irons of T cross section are
employed and Figures 2 and 3 modifications in which angle irons of I section are
used.
In order to attach a covering of sheet iron to a frame work composed of T iron A
as in Figure 1 the edges of the sheets t t are bent so as to lie snugly in grooves a
formed in the flanges of the angle iron A and are preferably turned inwards so as
to abut against the web or stem of the said angle iron. The head of the angle
iron A which may be formed externally flat or otherwise is arranged on the
ontside of the wall or side of the structure; the edges of the sheets t t' are secured
between the inner sides of the web of the angle iron A and longitudinal bars or
narrow plates of metal P are placed on the inner side of the said sheets. The
longitudinal bars P are tightened up against the edges of the sheets t t¹ by means
of wedges or the device shewn in the drawings consisting of gibs C₁ C₁ and a
cottar C inserted in openings or slots formed in the web of the angle iron or rib A
may be employed. The toes or projecting parts d of the gib C₁ and the adjacent
parts c of the plates P are bevelled or inclined so as to exert an additional wedging
action and tight fitting between the parts forming the joint.

page_text: In order to form a double or hollow wall longitudinal strips or battens B are
attached to the angle irons or ribs A by means of pins passed through the
projecting parts d' of the gibs C placed at the back of the cottars C and through
the web of the angle iron or rib A. Boarding panelling or other lining material H
is then screwed or otherwise attached to the strips or battens B and may be
varnished painted or otherwise decorated. Air may be caused to circulate in these
hollow walls by means of a suitable arrangement of inlet and outlet valves and
shafts or chimneys arranged at the corners of the structure for example.
Where greater strength is required it is preferred to employ angle iron of
I shape in cross section and the grooves or channels under the flanges are in such
cases dispensed with. This arrangement of construction is shewn in Figure 2.
The edges of the sheets tt' are secured by means of the longitudinal strips P and
gibs C and C and cottars C the strips and gibs having bevelled or inclined
adjacent parts c and d. The strips P and gibs C₁ are passed through the
web of the angle iron A as hereinbefore described and wooden battens B are
secured between a gib C" at the back of the cottar C. The inner flanges of the
angle irons A are perforated for the passage of screws h by which the lining
material H is secured to the battens B.
According to another arrangement this lining may be attached by means of
bolts or screws simply engaging with the inner flanges of the angle irons or ribs :
in this case the strip or batten B is dispensed with and the parts d' of the gib Cu
are enlarged so as to bear against the web of the angle iron A.
Figure 3 shews an arrangement for closing the angles of a structure with
sheets or plates. These angles are closed by means of the plates or sheets t t¹ bent
at a corresponding angle or curved, the edges of these plates or sheets being
attached to the angle irons or ribs A in the same way as the sheets forming the
other parts of the walls and as herein before described with reference to Figures 1
and 2. The heads or flanges of the angle irons or ribs A which project outside
the sheets t t may be flat or may be ornamented with a beading or otherwise as
shewn in Figures 1. 2. 3. The sides or edges of the wooden strips or battens B
when such are employed are preferably protected with plates or strips of metal e
at the parts where they jam against the ends of the gibs.
This system of construction may be employed with advantage in the construction
of boats or vessels made in sections or requiring to be taken to pieces the parts
being connected by means of wedges requiring little or no skill in their
manipulation.
The
Houses or buildings constructed according to this invention can be covered with
a roof of one or more spans and the materials may be protected from rust or
atmospheric influence by painting galvanising or other suitable treatment.
parts of the skeleton or framework are connected together by an arrangement of
keys or wedges or by rivets, pins or bolts combined with wedges or cottars inserted
in the ends or otherwise and as all the wedges or fastenings are arranged in the
interior of the structure it is impossible to tamper with or disturb them from the
outside.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In the construction of metal buildings vessels ships or other structures in
which thin plates or sheets of corrugated or other metal are attached to a skeleton
or framework composed of angle irons of TIUL or other section connecting
together these parts by means of gibs and cottars with longitudinal bars or plates
substantially as herein before described.
2. In the construction of metal buildings vessels ships or other structures the
use of angle irons of T cross section provided with channels or grooves a for con-
necting the parts together and preventing leakage substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. In the construction of metal buildings vessels ships or other structures
attaching the inner wall or lining to the said structure by means of battens and
screws or by screws alone substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting improvements in the
construction of metal buildings ships and other like structures substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of Mar 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.