IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HURDLES, CONTINUOUS AND OTHER FENCING, METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES, GRATINGS, AND OTHER LIKE STRUCTURES."AL
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sheldon, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HURDLES, CONTINUOUS AND OTHER FENCING, METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES,
GRATINGS, AND OTHER LIKE STRUCTURES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sheldon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd February 1881.
JOHN SHELDON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HURDLES, CONTINUOUS
AND OTHER FENCING, METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES, GRATINGS, AND OTHER LIKE
STRUCTURES,"
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in forming and
connecting together the metallic bars of which hurdles, continuous and other
fencing, metallic window frames, gratings, and other like structures are formed, by
which improvements the manufacture of the said structures is simplified, the
putting together and taking to pieces of the same facilitated, and their transit
rendered convenient in places where the transit of the said structures, as ordinarily
made, would be difficult or impossible.
In making a hurdle or grating; or structure made of plain bars, according to my
Invention, I proceed as follows:-At each part of the several bars where they have
to cross each other I cut away a portion of the bar, so as to form a recess in the
bar extending preferably half way across it, and having a breadth equal to the
thickness of the bars employed. In connecting the bars together the edges of the
bars from which portions have been cut away are presented to each other
crossing at right angles, or at any other angle as may be required.
They are then made to engage with one another by introducing the uncutaway
part of one bar into the cutaway part of the other, the uncutaway part of the one
exactly filling up the cutaway part of the other. When a hurdle or like fit
has been built up in the way described the parts may be secured together by a.
loop or wire passed round and fixed upon anyone of the crossings of the bars. So
long as this loop remains in its place the structure remains strong and rigid, and

page_text: on its removal the parts can be immediately separated and packed parallel for
removal to a distance or for being stowed away. Where, as in window frames, the
opposite edges of the bars are dissimilar, the back or inner part being plain and
the front or outer part ornamental, the cutaway parts are made in one bar at the
front edge and in the crossing bar at the back edge, the ornamental part of each
bar being so cutaway at the crossing that when the two bars are engaged together
the parts at the junction shall firmly abut against one another and form a
symmetrical junction.
The abutting of the said parts gives great rigidity to the structure. The bars
connected, according to my Invention, may cross each other at a right angle or at
any other angle; the bars may be straight or curved, and either plain or
ornamental; and when the structure to be made renders it desirable or convenient
two or more of the parallel bars may be made from one long continuous bar by
folding or bending it at the proper places.
My Invention, besides being applicable to hurdles, continuous and other fencing,
metallic window frames, and gratings, is also applicable to various structures of a
like kind, such, for example, as railway parapet guards, kennels, and aviaries.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Sheldon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th July
1881.
JOHN SHELDON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HURDLES, CONTINUOUS
AND OTHER FENCING, METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES, GRATINGS, AND OTHER LIKE
STRUCTURES."
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in forming and
connecting together the metallic bars of which hurdles, continuous and other
fencing, metallic window frames, gratings, and other like structures are formed,
by which improvements the manufacture of the said structures is simplified, the
putting together and taking to pieces of the same facilitated, and their transit
rendered convenient in places where the transit of the said structures, as ordinarily
made, would be difficult or impossible.
In making a hurdle or grating, or structure made of plain bars, according to my
Invention, I proceed as follows:-At each part of the several bars where they have
to cross each other I cut away a portion of the bar, so as to form a recess in the bar
extending preferably half way across it, and having a breadth equal to the
thickness of the bars employed. In connecting the bars together the edges of the
bars from which portions have been cut away are presented to each other, crossing
at right angles or at any other angle as may be required.
They are then made to engage with one another by introducing the uncutaway
part of one bar into the cutaway part of the other, the uncutaway part of the one
exactly filling up the cutaway part of the other. When a hurdle or like structure
has been built up in the way described the parts may be secured together by a loop.
or wire passed round and fixed upon any one of the crossings of the bars. So long
as this loop remains in its place the structure remains strong and rigid, and on its
removal the parts can be immediately separated and packed parallel for removal to
a distance or for being stowed away. Where, as in window frames, the opposite
edges of the bars are dissimilar, the back or inner part being plain and the front
or outer part ornamental, the cutaway parts are made in one bar at the front edge
and in the crossing bar at the back edge, the ornamental part of each bar being so
cutaway at the crossing that when the two bars are engaged together the parts
at the junction shall firmly abut against one another and form a symmetrical.
junction.
The abutting of the said parts gives great rigidity to the structure. The bars
connected according to my Invention may cross each other at a right angle or at
any other angle; the bars may be straight or curved, and either plain or orna-
mental, and when the structure to be made renders it desirable or convenient two
or more of the parallel bars may be. made from one long continuous bar by folding
or bending it at the proper places.
My Invention besides being applicable to hurdles, continuous and other fencing,
metallic window frames, and gratings, is also applicable to various structures of a
like kind, such, for example, as railway parapet guards, kennels, and aviaries.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the.
manner in which my Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, Figure 2 in plan, Figure 3 in end elevation,
and Figure 4 in cross section, a hurdle or continuous fencing made according to my
Invention from plain or flat bars; Figures 5 and 6 represent two of the vertical

page_text: bars, and Figure 7 represents one of the horizontal bars of the hurdle or fencing;
Figures 8 and 9 represent in section and plan respectively a portion of the hurdle
or fencing drawn to a larger scale.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, and 9.
a, a, are the vertical bars, and b, b, are the horizontal bars of the hurdle, the said
bars a, a, and b, b, being secured together where they cross, according to my
Invention. In each of the upright bars a, a, and at one edge thereof, a series of
recesses c, c, is made, the said recesses extending about half way across the bar
(see Figures 5 and 6), and having a breadth equal to the thickness of the bars
employed. In each of the horizontal bars b, b, of the hurdle similar cross
recesses d, d, are made, as best seen in Figure 7. The recesses d, d, in the hori-
zontal bars are not made in one edge of the bar but in opposite edges, a recess in
one edge alternating with a recess in the opposite edge, as will be understood by
an examination of Figure 7.
In connecting the bars a, a, and b, b, together the recessed edges c, c, of the
upright bars a, a, are presented to the recessed edges d, d, of the horizontal
bars b, b, and the said bars a, a, and b, b, are made to engage with one another by
introducing the uncutaway parts of the vertical bars into the cut away parts of
the horizontal bars, the uncut away part of one bár exactly filling up the cut away
part of the other bar (see Figure 8).
In this way the hurdle or continuous fencing may be built up, the interlocked or
engaged bars a, a, and b, b, crossing one another at right angles, as represented; or
the said bars may cross each other at any other required angle.
The engaged or interlocked bars a, a, and b, b, are secured together by a loop or
wire e passed around and fixed upon the bars where they cross, in the manner
represented in the Drawing. Or the loops may be fixed upon alternate crossings
of the bars, or upon such of the bars only as may be deemed necessary, instead of
upon each crossings of the bars.
By means of the said loops e, e, the interlocked parts of the hurdle or fencing are 3
held firmly together.
When it is required to separate the parts of the hurdle the loops e, e, are removed,-
when the several bars a, a, and b, b, may be separated and packed parallel for
removal, or for being stowed away.
Figure 10 represents in side elevation and Figure 11 in end elevation, partly in
cross section, a hurdle or continuous fencing made of angle or Ţ bars instead of
flat or plain bars, the several bars being secured together where they cross by
wedges instead of loops.
Figure 12 represents a side elevation of one of the joints of the hurdle, and
Figure 13 a plan, partly in section, of the same, drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 14 represents a portion of one of the horizontal bars of the hurdle drawn
to the same scale as Figures 12 and 13.
a, a, are the vortical T shaped bars, and b, b, are the horizontal T shaped bars,
the said bars a, a, and b, b, having recesses made in their edges of the kind best
seen in Figure 14; that is to say, the cross recess f in one bar, into which the 4
uncut away part of the other bar enters, has at its front a cut away part g, into
which the web of the other bar fits (see Figure 13), and the back of the said cross
recess is furnished with a slot h, through which the wedge i passes (see
Figures 12, 13). The T shaped bars a and b of the hurdle, Figures 10 and 11, are
engaged together in the manner described with respect to the hurdle made of plain 5
bars, and the interlocked or engaged bars are secured together at the crossings by
the wedges i, i. The plain bars of the hurdle first described may be secured
together after they have been interlocked by wedges instead of by loops. In this
case the recesses in the plain bars are provided with cross holes, similar to that
represented in Figure 14, for the wedges to pass through, as represented in 5
Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18, Figure 15 representing a section, Figure 16 a plan of

page_text: the plain crossing bars a, b, and the wedge i, and Figure 17 a portion of one of the
slotted vertical or upright bars a, and Figure 18 a portion of one of the slotted
horizontal bars b.
In order to make a barbed hurdle or continuous fencing I combine with the
joints of the hurdle or fencing barbs in the manner represented in side elevation
in Figure, 19, and in plan in Figure 20, and cross section drawn to larger scale in
Figure 15. One of the barbs and its wedge piece, drawn to a larger scale, is shown
separately in Figure 21. The barbs are marked k, k, in the Drawing. Each barb
consists of a doubled or folded strip of sheet metal having a loop or eye at its
folded end, and points at the other end. In the said barb is a slot 7. The slot of
the barb is engaged with the crossing bars of the hurdle in the manner seen in
Figure 15, and the barb is secured in its place by the wedge piece m passed through
the looped end of the said barb.
Figure 22 represents an elevation of a window frame made according to my
Invention; Figure 23 represents in side elevation, and Figure 24 in front elevation,
a portion of the same drawn to a larger scale; Figure 25 represents a cross section
of one of the sash bars.
The vertical and horizontal sash bars a, b, of the window are recessed in the
manner before described with respect to the bars of hurdles, and are interlocked
where they cross in the same way. The several vertical and horizontal sash bars
are secured in the frame c, which may be made of wood or of metal.
In connecting the sash bars a, b, together, the wedges at the crossings of the
bars may be dispensed with, as the several bars are held in their interlocked
positions by the frame c, but for greater security the wedges may be used as
illustrated in Figure 26.
The said Figure 26 represents in horizontal section, and Figure 27 in plan, the
joint of the sash bars of a window frame having an ornamental figure; Figure 28
represents elevations of one of the bars, and Figure 29 a cross section of the
In this case the opposite edges of the sash bars a, b, are dissimilar, the
back or inner part d of each bar being plain, and the front or outer part e of each
bar being ornamental.
same.
The cut away parts are made in one bar at the front edge e, and in the other bar
at the back edge d. The sides of the cut away parts of the bars are inclined at f
(see Figures 26 and 28) so that when the two bars are engaged together the parts
at the junction abut against one another (see Figure 26) and form a symmetrical
junction. The abutting of the inclined parts of the bars gives great rigidity to the
structure. The holes for the wedges i to pass through, when wedges are used, are
made in the plain back parts d, d, of the sash bars.
In applying my Invention to gratings, railway parapet guards, kennels, and
aviaries, and other like structures, I construct, combine, and fix the parts,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings with respect to hurdles, continuous fencing, and window frames.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
The improvements in the manufacture of hurdles, continuous and other fencing,
metallic window frames, gratings, and other like structures, herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making in the bars
to be connected together recesses extending preferably about half way across them
and connecting the said bars together, so as to build up the structure by introducing
the uncut away parts of one bar into the cut away parts of the other bar so that
they interlock, and securing the interlocked bars in their places by links or wedges
passed around or through them where they cross, or by the frames in which the
crossing bars are held in making window frames and other like structures,
substantially as described and illustrated; also the combination with hurdles or
continuous or other fencing made according to my Invention of barbs, as described

page_text: and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, for converting the hurdles or
fencing into barbed hurdles or fencing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sheldon, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty third day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
sight hundred and eighty-one.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT.
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
JOHN SHELDON. (L.S.)