Improvements relating to the Opening and Closing of Greenhouse Lights and other Hinged Swinging Frames.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
Improvements relating to the Opening and Closing of Greenhouse
Lights and other Hinged Swinging Frames.
We ARTHUR FREDERICK WILLIAM MORGAN, of Melrose Villas, Uxbridge, in
the County of Middlesex, Horticultural Builder, and JOSEPH EDWARD LOWE of
The Nurseries, Uxbridge, aforesaid, Nurseryman, 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, which relates to the opening and closing of greenhouse lights
and other hinged swinging frames, comprises certain improvements on the means
heretofore in use for the purpose of simultaneously opening or closing the side or
top lights of a greenhouse. As will be understood from the subjoined description,
the invention which forms the subject of this application for a Patent, may be used
for opening or closing greenhouse lights or other hinged swinging frames, and
whether they are arranged singly or are arranged in series side by side in the same
geometrical plane.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is longitudinal vertical section of part of a greenhouse shewing our
invention fitted to the top lights thereof.
Figure 2 is a section on the line X X of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of part of a greenhouse with the top removed, shewing our
invention adapted to the side lights thereof.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the rod A and its connections; Figure 5 is a section
on the line Y Y of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a detail view, and Figure 7 is a diagram referring to the method.
heretofore in use.
In the first six figures of the drawings, the same letters of reference are used to
indicate the same or corresponding parts.
By the method usually adopted for simultaneously opening or closing the top or
side lights of a greenhouse; the top or side lights on one side of the building are
linked to a horizontal rod which is supported in suitable bearings, and to which
endwise motion can be imparted by any suitable mechanisın. All the links are
parallel to each other and are inclined to the horizontal rod in such manner that in.
opening the lights the endwise travel of the rod will cause the links to assume a
direction at right angles to the rod. It follows therefore that in opening the lights,
the distance through which each will be caused to travel will be equal to the
difference between the lengths of the perpendicular and the hypotenuse of a right
angled triangle, of which the link forms the hypotenuse, the distance between the
rod and the frame when closed, forms the perpendicular and the horizontal distance
travelled by the rod forms the base. This will be clearly understood by referring
to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings which is a diagram shewing this
arrangement. ab represents the link, a being its point of connection to the light,
and 6 its point of connection to the horizontal rod bc, and 6 b' represents the distance
through which the rod bc must travel to bring the link ab at right angles to the
rod bc. When in this position the point 6 will be at 6' and the point a at a¹ and
the distance (a b'—a b') a¹a will be the distance through which the light has been
caused to travel. From this it will be seen that if the light is required to travel
through an appreciably longer distance, either the link a b must make a much
smaller angle with the rod bc, in which case the link will be too flat and will tend
to become jammed to the rod; or the distance a b' must be greater, i.e. the rod bc
must be located further. away from the lights, in which case it will take up a

page_text: considerable amount of additional space in the interior of the greenhouse. It will
also be apparent that, as the motion around a pivot is circular and the end of the
link is, by reason of its connection to the rod 6 c, constrained to move in a straight
line; the pivot a will be considerably strained and the frames of the lights will
thereby be racked or strained out of shape.
Now, by our invention,, we cause the rod to move in a circular path and towards
or away from the lights, so that the latter travel through a considerable distance
without taking up additional space in the greenhouse, and at the same time, we
reduce to a minimum, the tendency of the frames to rack or strain out of shape.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, É E are brackets firmly secured to the rafters F.
To each bracket is pivotted at D, a double radial arm C, the lower ends of which
are pivotted at B to the horizontal rod A, preferably by means of a bolt passing
completely through the rod as shewn in Figure 2. The pivots D are thus fixed
centres of motion and if the rod A is moved endways the radial arms C will carry it
always parallel to itself through a circular path in a vertical plane. L is the link,
one end of which is pivotted on the top of the rod A and the other end on the lower
bar G of the light or hinged swinging frame.
The pivots of the link L are made somewhat loose so as to allow for the small
amount of side play occasioned by the lower ends of the lights travelling in a
circular path around fixed hinges.
H is a chain or band wound on a drum J and with its end passed over a pulley K,
and secured to the rod A at M. The pulley K and drum Jare carried by rafter
or other fixed supports O, the drum J being provided with a worm and wheel, and
with a suitable handle P or other winding and check gear. If now the drum is
rotated in the direction of the arrow shewn thereon in Figure 1, the chain or band H
will be wound on to the drum and the rod A, radial arms C, and links L will assume
the positions shewn by the dotted lines and the light or frame will be raised. By
reversely rotating the drum the rod will be moved in the opposite direction, and
the lights or frame thereby closed. It will be seen that when the lights are
completely shut as shewn in Figure 1 the radial arms C are inclined backwards
away from the vertical line, this is done for the purpose of assisting the opening of
the lights, as, when the gear on the winding drum Jis released, the weight of the
rod A will assist in starting the opening of the lights.
Figures 3 to 6 shew the manner in which our invention is adapted to the side
lights of a green house. Here the rod A requires to be carried parallel to itself
through a circular path in a horizontal plane, and for this purpose it is pivotted on
the ends of horizontal radial arms C¹, one of which is shewn detached and on an
enlarged scale in Figure 6. C2 is a strengthening rib and D is the centre of motion
of the radial arm as before. We might actuate the rod A by pulleys and tackle
similar to that shewn in Figures 1 and 2, and arranged in a horizontal plane, but
as that would be inconvenient we have connected the end of the rod A by means of
the coupling links Q and Q to a short rod S on which is secured or formed, a rack
with which gears a worm T on a spindle U carried in suitable bearings and actuated
by a wheel W situated outside the greenhouse if so desired. It will be understood
that with the worm gear, no ratchet and pawl or other check gear will be required
and the short rod S being traversed endways in the direction of the arrow Z,
between suitable guides R, will cause the coupling links Q, rod A, radial arms Ci
and links L to assume the positious shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 3.
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. For opening and closing greenhouse lights and other hinged swinging frames,
linking the lights or frames to a horizontal rod pivotted to the ends of parallel
radial arms having each a fixed centre of motion on a bracket secured to a rafter or
other support whereby when end ways motion is imparted thereto, or when the radial
arms are moved, the horizontal rod is caused to travel parallel to itself in a circular

page_text: path towards or away from the lights or frames according to the direction of the
initial motion substantially as described.
2. For opening and closing greenhouse lights and other hinged swinging frames
which are linked to a horizontal rod, means such as herein described for supporting
said horizontal rod and causing it to travel in a circular path parallel to itself when
endways motion is imparted to it, said means comprising parallel radial arms, each
having a centre of motion fixed in space, and pivotted or otherwise jointed to the
horizontal rod substantially as hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in Figures 1
to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3. Our improvements relating to the opening or closing of greenhouse lights and
other hinged swinging frames, consisting of linking the lights or frames to a
horizontal rod, supporting such rod on parallel radial arms, each having a fixed
centre of motion, with means for imparting endways motion to said horizontal rod,
all combined so as to operate substantially in the manner described and shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, or in Figures 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
ג.
1000
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.