IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONSERVATORIES, GLASSHOUSES, AND STRUCTURES IN WHICH CAPABILITY OF CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION MAY BE DESIRED
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Scott Burn and Edward
Samuel Eyland at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th October 1868.
We, ROBERT SCOTT BURN, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Architect, and EDWARD SAMUEL EYLAND, of Bristol, Architect, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONSERVATORIES, GLASSHOUSES, AND STRUCTURES IN WHICH
CAPABILITY OF CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION MAY BE DESIRED," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to obtain light and ventilation, one
or both, for all plants and other things cultivated in glass houses of
various descriptions, or for persons and animals housed in the above-
mentioned or other structures, as, for instance, buildings in which
animals of the farm are confined, by means of the total removal at will
of all obstructions to the same in the form of glazed coverings, sash
bars, or otherwise. This is effected either by removing bodily the whole
of the covering portion of house by the expanding system, thus leaving
the plants free and wholly exposed to the action of light and air, or by

page_text: the system of shifting entirely away the front covering glass by means
of sliding sashes on wheels running in guiding grooves or otherwise.
An expanded conservatory with canvas is contrived to be extended by
shifting one half of it to the required position by means of a sliding
bearer fitted with small wheels running in a grooved base. Longitudinal
purlin bars are then placed between a meeting bar and a standard arch
in centre, over which canvas can be strained to form a marquee. The
standard arch is a permanent fixture and carries a drip roll covering
the joint of the meeting bar and keeping the wet from entering the
same.
For a cruciform expanding conservatory we have moveable trans-
cepts running on sliding bearer and grooved base to any position
required; it has a permanently fixed building in centre provided on
four sides with arched, drip rolls accurately fitting and covering the
meeting bar and joint to exclude wet.
For a small conservatory with permanently fixed sides and ends we
fit the same with a moveable roof in two or more positions as convenient,
running on wheels in grooves on the wall plate; this is extended at
the ends and carried on small columns so as to support the parts of
roofs when extended; the side sashes are made to open outward in the
ordinary way.
In a greenhouse with flush sashes the whole or portions of the front glass
can be shifted and entirely removed from the plants by running them along
by means of wheels and curved grooves in the sill to the required position
provided in the end space. The sashes would be first pulled by hand
in an upright position and then run along the particular groove allotted
to each, terminating at the spaces at the end. A small portion of the
glass is a fixture and carried by iron brackets inserted in the wall with a
ridge piece and hinged roll to fall back when the front glass is shifted,
and to fall over and close the joint when same is replaced. A green-
house can be fitted with overlapping or telescope saslics moved as
desired by means of small wheels running in parallel grooves at top and
bottom. The expanding roof when for large areas can be moved in
parts or sections by small wheels running in grooves formed in the
gutter plates or girders, these being supported by columns at intervals.
The circular expanding conservatory is extended by means of wheels
running on rails or grooves and is provided with rack-rail pinion with

page_text: holes in same for hand spikes; this method of moving the parts is not
absolutely necessary to the system as other mechanical arrangements
might conveniently be employed.
The small expanding forcing frames are fitted with sliding bearers,
runners, and grooved cast-iron bases, by which means they can be
readily opened and closed; the sectional form of these would be
determined by the situation and nature of the plants to be cultivated
in them.