IMPROVE- MENTS IN METALLIC STRUCTURES SUITABLE FOR BARRACKS, HOSPITALS, AMBULANCES, WORKSHOPS, RAILWAY STATIONS, AND OTHER BUILDINGS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN METALLIC STRUCTURES SUITABLE FOR BARRACKS, HOSPITALS,
AMBULANCES, WORKSHOPS, RAILWAY STATIONS, AND OTHER BUILDINGS."
A communication from abroad by La Société Nouvelle de Constructions
(Systéme Tollet), of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th August 1881.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC STRUCTURES SUITABLE
FOR BARRACKS, HOSPITALS, AMBULANCES, WORKSHOPS, RAILWAY STATIONS, AND
OTHER BUILDINGS. [A communication from abroad by La Société Nouvelle de
Constructions (Systéme Tollet), of Paris, France.]
These improvements have reference to a system of construction for buildings for
which Letters Patent were granted to C. H. Tollet, dated 10th May, 1878,
No. 1877, consisting mainly in the use as framing for the structure of metal ribs
of gothic or ogival form, connected at their base by cross ties or girders formning
the floor of the building.
According to the present improvements instead of forming the said structures.
with single curved ribs, as there described, two concentric ribs employed,
leaving a certain space between them which when the sides are filled in with
brick-work or other material forms a continuous air space throughout the building;
or in other words, the inner ribs, with their enclosure or "filling in" of brick-
work or other material, are enclosed at a short distance by an outer structure or
shell consisting of the outer ribs with their enclosure or "filling in." The two
shells are however not independent of each other, the outer ribs being fixed to the
inner ones by ties, stays, or struts. The connection at bottom may either be
effected by the cross girders forming the floor, which are in that case made to pass
through to the outer ribs, or the cross girders may stop at the inner ribs, to which
Prine Gd1

page_text: they are fixed, and the two ribs may be connected together by separate pieces.
Or, again, the ribs may rest upon and be fixed by angle irons to two H-shaped
longitudinal girders, and these girders may be fixed together by ties. When the
cross girders are carried through as first described, the ribs (which are of double
flanged section) are either continued down to the bottom thereof, resting on longi-
tudinal girders, and secured to the cross girders by bolts passing through distance
pieces, or the ribs rest upon the tops of the cross. girders, being either provided
with cast iron shoes that are bolted to the latter, or the spaces between the flanges
of the ribs and girders are filled in with packing pieces so as to produce flush
surfaces, and the two are then secured together by flat fish plates. The tying
together of the inner and outer ribs at their upper parts is either effected by flat
tie plates, the inner flanges of the two ribs being cut through to allow the tie
plates to lie close against their webs, or the tie plates are forged so as to fit round
the flanges of the ribs instead of cutting these through. The joints in the ribs
themselves are either made as simple butt joints, connected by fish plates, or they
are cut so that the flanges of the one length overlap the joint of the webs.
The upper or roof part of the structure may be formed with overhanging eaves,
in which case the outer ribs have corresponding branch pieces secured to them
either by angle irons or by fish plates.
In the before mentioned air space between the inner and outer shell of the building
any suitable means may be provided for promoting a circulation of the air therein
so as to prevent any accumulation of foul air or gases, such as by introducing
occasionally lighted torches therein, the fumes from which will at the same time
have an antiseptic effect. To promote such circulation it is preferred to provide the
inner surfaces of the "filling in" with a smooth coating of cement or other sub-
stance, presenting little or no obstruction to the air currents.
By the above described improved construction of buildings of the class referred
to with distinct inner and outer shells, the advantages are obtained, firstly, of
combining great lightness with rigidity and strength of structure; secondly, of
economy in construction; thirdly, of obtaining free circulation of air throughout
the double shell; and, fourthly, affording effectual protection against external heat
in summer and cold in winter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th February 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC. STRUCTURES SUITABLE
FOR BARRACKS, HOSPITALS, AMBULANCES, WORKSHOPS, RAILWAYS STATIONS, AND
OTHER BUILDINGS." A communication from abroad by La Société Nouvelle de
Constructions (Systéme Tollet), of Paris, France.
These improvements have reference to a system of construction for buildings,
for which Letters Patent were granted to Č. H. Tollet dated 10th May, 1878,
No. 1877, consisting mainly in the use as framing for the structure of metal ribs
of gothic or ogival form, connected at their base by cross ties or girders forming the
floor of the building.
According to the present improvements instead of forming the said structures
with single curved ribs, as there described, two concentric ribs are employed,
leaving a certain space between them, which when the sides are filled in with
brick-work or other material forms a continuous air space throughout the building,
or in other words, the inner ribs with their enclosure or "filling in" of brick-work
or other material are enclosed at a short distance by an outer structure or shell
consisting of the outer ribs with their enclosure or filling in. The two shells
are however not independent of each other, the outer ribs being fixed to the inner
ones by tie stays or struts. The connection at bottom may either be effected by
the cross girders formning the floor, which are in that case made to pass through to
the outer ribs, or the cross girders may stop at the inner ribs, to which they are
fixed, and the two ribs may be connected together by separate pieces. Or, again,
the ribs may rest upon and be fixed by angle irons to two H-shaped longitudinal
girders, and these girders may be fixed together by ties. When the cross girders
are carried through, as first described, the ribs (which are of double flanged section)
are either continued down to the bottom thereof, resting on longitudinal girders,
and secured to the cross girders by bolts passing through distance pieces, or the
ribs rest upon the tops of the cross girders, being either provided with cast iron
shoes that are bolted to the latter, or the spaces between the flanges of the ribs
and girders are filled in with packing pieces so as to produce flush surfaces, and the
two are then secured together by flat fish plates. The tying together of the inner
and outer ribs at their upper parts is either effected by flat tie plates, the inner
flanges of the two ribs being cut through to allow the tie plates to lie close against
their webs, or the tie plates are forged so as to fit round the flanges of the ribs
instead of cutting these through. The joints in the ribs themselves are either made
as simple butt joints connected by fish plates, or they are out so that the flanges of
the one length overlap the joint of the webs.
The upper or roof part of the structure may be formed with overhanging éaves,
in which case the outer ribs have corresponding branch pieces secured to them
either by angle irons or by fish plates.
In the before mentioned air space between the inner and outer shell of the
building any suitable means may be provided for promoting a circulation of the
air therein, so as to prevent any accumulation of foul air or gases, such as by
introducing occasionally. lighted torches therein, the fumes from which will at the
same time have an antiseptic effect. To promote such circulation it is preferred to
provide the inner surfaces of the "filling in" with a smooth coating of cement or
other substance presenting little or no obstruction to the air currents.
By the above described improved construction of buildings of the class referred

page_text: economy in construction; thirdly, of obtaining free circulation of air throughout
the double shell; and, fourthly, affording effectual protection against external heat
in summer and cold in winter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings shews a transverse section;
Fig. 2 a side elevation; and Fig. 3 a part plan of a metallic structure constructed
according to the above described Invention. The walls of ogival curvature are
formed of double ribs A, A³, maintained a certain distance apart by stays B, while
the lower ends are connected by transverse ties C forming bearers for supporting
the flooring. The several compound ribs are connected to each other in a
longitudinal direction by stays D, and the spaces between the ribs are enclosed by
a filling E (Fig. 3) of masonry, bricks, or other material of variable thickness,
according to the use to which the structure is put, and the climate of the locality
where it is situated. The inner faces of the filling are, by preference, provided
with a smooth coating so as not to impede the circulation of the air through the
enclosed space. The structure may be complemented with projecting eaves F, F¹,
either straight or curved, supported by struts G, G¹. If tiles or slates are
employed as covering, angle iron or other purlines H may be fixed longitudinally
on the ribs. The structure may be carried either on iron bearers as shewn, or on
arches or walls, or on the ground.
On Sheet II. are shown the details of this .construction to an enlarged scale;
Fig. 1 shews a part_cross section; Fig. 2 shews a section on line A, B ; Fig. 3 a
section on line C, D; and Fig. 4 a part plan of the lower part of the double
ribs A, A. Each rib rests on an H-shaped horizontal bearer I, I', which are tied
together by ties J secured by angle irons and screw bolts. The transverse tie K
serving as bearer for the floor is also secured by angle irons and bolts, and is
supported upon a wall or pier M, which may be of sufficient width to support the
entire structure as shown.
In the arrangement shewn in cross section at Fig. 5 and in section on line A, B,
at Fig. 6 this wall M is of less width, the bearers I, I', being placed vertical and
tied together by a frame K' secured by bolts. In this case the transverse tie K
rests upon the bearers I, I, and the ribs A, A1, are secured against the tie by screw
bolts a, a, passing through distance pieces b, b, if necessary.
In the arrangement shewn in elevation at Fig. 7, in section on line A, B, at
Fig. 8 and in plan at Fig. 9 the thickness of the wall M is still further reduced by
arranging the ribs A, A, to be supported on the top of the tie K, which rests with
its end directly upon the wall. The ends of the ribs are secured in cast iron
sockets by bolts c, the sockets being bolted to the tie.
In the arrangement shewn at Figs. 10 and 11 the ribs A, A¹, carried by the
tie K are secured thereto by means of side plates. d, d, and bolts e, e, the spaces
between these and the web of the tie being filled in with packing pieces f, f.
Figs. 12, 13, and 14 shew one mode of tying together the upper parts of the ribs
A, A, by means of plates N fixed against the webs of the ribs by bolts, the flanges
of the ribs being cut away at g to allow of this. The plates N may be formed with
Tends as at Fig. 15, so as to provide shoulders that bear against the flanges of
A, A¹. The separate lengths of which the ribs A, A', are composed are secured
together by fish plates O as at Fig. 16, care being taken to break joint in the
two ribs as shewn. Or the joint may be made as at Figs. 17 and 18, the latter
Figure also shewing the application of the stay bolts D. Figs. 19 and 20 shew
another arrangement of ties D' shaped so as to fit the configuration of the ribs
A, A. Fig. 21 shews the connection of the ribs A, A¹, at the apex or ridge by
means of shaped fish plates h, secured by bolts. H, H, are angle iron purlins for
securing the roof covering. Figs. 22 and 23 shew the connections of the bearers F,

page_text: forming the eaves with the ribs A, the joint being made with angle irons kat
Fig. 22, and with plates at Fig. 23, the flanges of the rib being cut away in the
latter case. Lastly, Fig. 24 shews the mode of supporting the lower end of the
bearer F by a strutt G.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim,-
First. Constructing metallic structures of the kind herein referred to with
a double shell with intervening air space, such double shell being formed by two
concentric sets of ribs, the spaces between which ribs in a longitudinal direction
are filled in with masonry or other material, substantially as herein described.
Second. Constructing the double ribs of H iron, secured together by ties so as
to form no obstacle to the free circulation of air between them, substantially as
herein described.
Third. Providing the inner surfaces of the filling in with a smooth coating so as to
form no impediment to the circulation of the air and to prevent lodgment of dust
and other impurities.
Fourth. The construction of parts constituting a metallic structure with double
shell as herein described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
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