IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING GLASS IN GREENHOUSES AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES AND IN WINDOW FRAMES AND SKY LIGHTS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edgar Newton of Hitchin in the County of Herts,
Horticultural Builder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF SECURING GLASS IN GREENHOUSES AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES AND IN
WINDOW FRAMES AND SKY LIGHTS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edgar Newton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1883.
EDGAR NEWTON of Hitchin in the County of Herts, Horticultural Builder
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING GLASS IN GREENHOUSES AND SIMILAR
STRUCTURES AND IN WINDOW FRAMES AND SKYLIGHTS
"
The object of the present invention is to provide a means for fitting glass in
greenhouses and other similar structures, and in sky and other lights, in a more
economical and efficient manner than heretofore.
In carrying out my invention I take thin strips of lead or other suitable metal of
any required length and so double or fold them by milling or otherwise, as to have
in cross section the shape of an inverted T, 1, the vertical part of the T shaped
metal strips being of double thickness, and the horizontal parts or flanges being of
single thickness. These strips are attached, preferably, by copper rivets, nails or
screws to the rafters or frames which are to carry the glass, the double part
forming a ridge along the whole length of the outer side of the metal strips.
The sheets of glass are laid upon the lead covered rafters or frames close up to
the ridge. I then make two transverse cuts in the ridge with any suitable tool say
about half-an-inch apart and I also make a longitudinal cut along the top of the
ridge, joining the two transverse cuts. It will thus be seen that the metal between
these transverse cuts can be bent down upon the edges of the sheets of glass laid on
either side of the ridge, thus holding it securely in place. This cutting and
bending down of the ridge upon the glass can be repeated at intervals along the
whole length of the strips. The ridge may either be cut after the metal strips are
attached to the glass frames, or the cuts may be made before hand as desired.
In applying my invention to the roof of a greenhouse, I attach the metal strips
to the rafters, and secure the glass in the manner above described, but I form small
D

page_text: gutters in the flanges of the metal strips by bending them up, to carry off the
water condensed or otherwise collected under the glass. To attach my metal strips
to T shaped metal rafters if it is inconvenient to use rivets I form the flange extra
wide, and bend them under the T head and back again, so as still to provide a
gutter for the water. The strips can be milled to any desired section, according to
the style of work for which they are needed, thus facilitating their application.
Instead of cutting and bending down the ridge to secure the glass as above
described I may make transverse slots in the ridge and insert therein suitably
shaped keys projecting over the lapped sheets of glass, and fix the same in position
by means of wedges. In this case the ridge may be of single thickness and may be
cast upon the strip if desired. Where extreme lightness is required in glass roofs,
vertical ridges only may be attached to the rafters or the ridges may be made in
one with the rafters, the glass being laid upon the rafters and secured in place by
keys passing through transverse slots in the ridges. Gutters as above described
may be attached to the rafters or may be cast in one with the rafters if they are of
metal.
By my invention I am enabled to secure glass firmly and tightly to its frame
with but small risk of breaking it in fitting, as the cut ridge (which may easily be
bent over with the hand) or the transverse key presses upon a small portion only
of the glass, supported, as it is, from behind by the flange of the metal strip.
My metal strips, can be readily adapted for securing curved or octagonal sheets
of glass, and are exceedingly light and easily manipulated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edgar Newton in the Patent Office on the 22nd April 1884.
EDGAR NEWTON of Hitchin in the County of Herts Horticultural Builder
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING GLASS IN GREENHOUSES AND SIMILAR
STRUCTURES AND IN WINDOW FRAMES AND SKYLIGHTS
The object of the present Invention is to provide a means for fitting glass in
greenhouses and other similar structures and in sky and other lights in a more
economical and efficient manner than heretofore.
In the accompanying drawing I have shewn my invention in two different forms
it being chiefly illustrated in connection with greenhouse roofs.
Fig 1 represents in plan view a portion of a rafter of a Greenhouse roof fitted
with one form of my improved metal clip for holding the glass in place Fig 2 is a
cross section and Fig 3 is a side view of the same.
In these Figures A is a rafter of wood to which is attached the leaden holdfast or
clip B for securing the glass C C in place.
°
The leaden holdfast or clip B is made of thin sheet lead rolled to the section of
Fig 2 which represents a central ridge b formed by doubling the metal on itself,
and bent at right angles thereto on either side thereof are flanges b¹ b¹ recessed
near the edge to form gutters 63 63. The rolled lead is made fast to the rafter by
copper nails or their equivalent driven through the flanges. To form tongues for
bending over onto and clipping the glass where the panes lap the one over the
other and where the glass beds upon the flanges of the rolled metal, the ridge b is
slit vertically and longitudinally at intervals. The tongues 6s thus formed extend
beyond the overlapping edge of the glass as shewn at Fig: 1 for the purpose of
being bent to serve as a shoulder for the overlapping glass to rest against as shewn
in the side elevation Fig: 3. The gutters 62 are intended to receive and carry
away any moisture that may condense or otherwise collect upon the undersurface
of the glass.
The side edges of the glass which are carried by the frame of the roof in
contradistinction to the rafters will be also held fast by clips 63 but in this case
only half the section of lead of Fig 2 will be required as represented by the
sectional view Fig 3 This remark also applies when window panes are to be
attached by lead to their frames according to my invention, the flange of the lead
being secured by copper nails to the frame and the ridge or vertical portion being
bent down in whole or in part upon the glass.
Figures 4 and 5 shew in side view and cross section a portion of the rafter of a
greenhouse roof fitted according to a modification of my invention.
In this example the lead attachment B is made either of rolled or cast metal the
ridge b being of a single thickness. Transverse wedge shaped slots of a taper form
are made in this ridge as at b¹ to receive wedges c and clips c¹ for clipping the grass
at its overlapped parts.
The form of these clips and wedges is shewn at Figures 6
The clips are made of strips of sheet lead with one edge bent over at right
angles to form a shoulder or support for the upper pane and the wedges are
grooved longitudinally on their upper face for the upper edge of the slots of the
ridge to interlock therewith The clip is first inserted in the slot and caused
to overlap the glass at opposite sides of the slotted ridge The wedge is then
inserted endwise and tightened up by driving it downwards towards the contracted
end of the slot until the requisite pressure for holding the glass in place is imparted
to the clip c¹-The wedge may be made of galvanised cast iron, and by inserting a
wooden key between it and the upper end of the slot the wedge may be held

page_text: firmly in place. This key is not however essential to the securing of the glass in
place. The wedge may if preferred be made by doubling a strip of elastic sheet
metal upon itself. In this case the elasticity of the metal will render the
employment of a key unnecessary
In Fig 7 I have shewn my Invention as applied to a metal rafter such as it will
be convenient to use when the greenhouse roof is provided with transverse
supports. A is a rafter made by preference of zinc and secured to transverse
supports A by metallic hooks a this rafter is formed with turned up edges which
by clipping the lead gutters 6ª will avoid the necessity for rivetting the clipping
piece B to the rafter.
In Figure 7 the construction of clipping piece first described is shewn but that
illustrated at Figures 4 and 5 may be similarly employed with metal rafters.
From the foregoing it will be understood that I am enabled to secure glass
firmly and tightly to its framework with but small risk of breaking it in fitting
as the clipping tongues or pieces press only upon those portions of the glass
which are supported from behind by the flanges of the lead. This system of
clipping will serve equally well for securing in place curved glass or octagonial
pieces as flat rectangular panes.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
mode of securing glass in Greenhouses and similar structures and in window frames
and skylights" and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim:
First The mode of securing glass in place as described with. reference to
Figures 1. 2. 3. and 3ª of the drawing.
Secondly: The mode of securing glass in place as described with reference to
Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Edgar Newton have hereunto set my hand and
seal the nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
FDCAR NEWTON