IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE HOUSES AND BUILDINGS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tillett, of Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
HOUSES AND BUILDINGS."
Sealed the Sth September 1853, and dated the 8th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tillett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th June 1853.
I, GEORGE TILLETT, of Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE HOUSES AND BUILDINGS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of applying metal tubes for the uprights
combined with metal rails in order to construct the skeleton framing,
which is then to be covered with metal, wood, or other material, exter-
nally and internally. The tubular uprights are made with slots, to
receive the ends of the metal rails, and the metal rails where they enter
the tubes are notched to enter each other, by which great strength, with
lightness of structure, will be obtained, accompanied by a ready means
of putting the framework together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Tillett in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 8th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE TILLETT, of Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most, Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Tillett, Her special licence
that I, the said George Tillett, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Tillett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE HOUSES AND BUILDINGS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Tillett, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tillett, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of applying metal tubes for the uprights,
combined with metal rails, in order to construct the skeleton framing,
which is then to be covered with metal, wood, or other material, exter-
nally and internally. The tubular uprights are made with slots, to
receive the ends of the metal rails, and the metal rails where they enter

page_text: with lightness of structure, will be obtained, accompanied by a ready
means of putting the framework together.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is carried into effect, I will now give a more detailed
account thereof, and refer to the accompanying Drawing, in the various
Figures of which the same letters in all instances indicate similar
parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a plan, Figure 2, a longitudinal section, and Figure 3,
a transverse section, of a portable house or building constructed accord-
ing to my Invention. The other figures show details of the various
parts upon an enlarged scale. a, a, are the tubular uprights, in each of
which, at either end, are two openings a', a', to receive the ends of side
and end rails b, c; or there may be any number of intermediate
openings a', al, to receive rails b, c, according to the dimensions of the
building to be constructed. I prefer that the rails b, c, should be flat,
but this may be varied.
'
Figure 4, shows several views of part of a tubular post a, and rail b; the
tubular post or upright a, is made of sheet metal, having two slots or
openings a', a', formed therein, suitable for receiving the ends of the rails
b, c, at right angles to each other; b, b, are the side rails; and c, o, the
end rails.
The plan in Fig. 6, shews how the two ends of the rails b, c, lock
into each other after they have been passed through their respective
openings or slots in the hollow uprights a, and the notched ends b¹, c',
being pressed into each other, make all fast; the notched portions 62, c²,
clip the metal post as is shown.
Figure 5, shows two rails placed and held together suitable for
forming gable ends to carry roofs of portable houses or buildings ac-
cording to my Invention, in which two rails d, d, are placed at right
angles and notched to receive the notch of the rail e, at right angles to
the plane of the frame b, b, by which the parts b, b, and c, become
firmly held together.

page_text: Figure 6, shows another mode of forming frames for carrying roofs of
portable houses or buildings, in which the ends of the frames d, d, instead
of being placed perpendicularly, as at Figure 5, are placed at an angle;
it will be seen that the frames b, and c, are further held together by the
notches formed in the ends of the frames d, d, such notches being
bevilled at an angle of 45°, to cause them to fit on to the rails b, c,
correctly. The frames d, d, are connected together at top by the rail e,
being notched into them.
Figure 7, shows two views of a mode of covering such frames with
plates of metal; the rails b, c, for this purpose are perforated to receive
studs attached to the plates f, f; the plates are also connected to each
other at their sides in a similar manner, so that each plate f, will at
one side be provided with perforations, and at its opposite with studs, by
which to attach it to its next plate.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is, the combination of parts herein described for making portable houses
and buildings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tillett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
GEORGE TILLETT. (L.S.)