OTHER BUILDINGS OR ERECTIONS OR STRUCTURES, AND APPLIANCES FOR HEATING THE SAME
Year: 1870

page_text: OTHER BUILDINGS OR ERECTIONS OR STRUCTURES, AND
APPLIANCES FOR HEATING THE SAME," to be as follows:
IN THE MEANS AND
My Invention consists, first, in a mode of glazing buildings or
structures with the sides of the glass overlapping each other, and having
the sides bent or turned up or otherwise so arranged as not to require 5
sash bars or other bearers from the top part thereof downwards, and
neither putty nor paint is required. The same construction and arrange-
ment will also apply to the uprights of horticultural or other structures
and to windows.
Secondly, I employ glass plain or with the sides bent or turned up, 1
or glass of other shape for the Invention. I employ a cement which I
specially prepare for uniting glass.
Also I employ clips of a pecular form made of brass or other metal
or malleable substance for keeping the glass in its proper position when
fixed.
Also I manufacture slabs of concrete in cement, plain, panelled, per-
forated, or otherwise, and strengthened with wood, T iron, iron netting,
perforated zinc, or other malleable material, for shelving, flooring,
or walling horticultural and other buildings, and I also employ a cham-
bered plant pot through which air passes by glass or other tubes. The
roofs of such structures are water-tight & the materials durable while
dispensing with a large portion of material now used. There is less
cost and more facility of reparation when the glass becomes broken.
I produce a plain or panelled shelf, floor, or wall, perforated or other-
wise, for moistening the atmosphere to allow the heated air to circulate
freely amongst the plants and through the house.
The cement I employ will render the joints of the glass water-tight,
and the pots I use for growth of plants will admit of the air circulating
amongst the roots of the plants as well as around the sides of the pots.
I render the slabs waterproof by coatings of liquid glass or other
agent, and make them plain, corrugated, panelled, or perforated and of
one or more colours, if desired.
The slabs herein-before mentioned are formed of cement concrete,
strengthened with T iron, which passes through them at, say, a foot or
eighteen inches apart, and they are connected together by a coarse
network of wire or perforated zinc, their strength may be increased

page_text: in proportion to the strength of the material or materials employed.
Any kind of cement may be used, but I prefer the use of Portland
cement.
The "
clips" herein mentioned are composed of brass or other
malleable material. Each of them is, for example, say, an inch or more
in width, and bent into the form substantially of the letter S, one end
of which recesses and holds the glass and the other clips the purlin, or
the clips may be jointed with the part which retains the glass to fasten
on with a screw, and when to fasten perpendicular glass they may be
made to fasten into the wood or iron with a screw.
The pot herein-before mentioned which I employ has a moveable
and slightly convex bottom above which is a chamber surrounded by
the soil in the pot, the warm air passing through the chamber and
heating the soil containing the roots on its way.
5 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Port Ayres in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 31st December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PORT AYRES, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
O Consulting Landscape Gardener and Horticultural Architect, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Port Ayres, Her special licence that I, the
said William Port Ayres, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Port Ayres, 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
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF HORTICULTURAL AND OTHER BUILDINGS

page_text: brdings.
The advantages of my Invention are numerous and may be said to
consist in making the roofs of buildings or structures water-tight, using
materials to insure them being of the most durable nature, while
dispensing with a large portion of the materials now used. There is
also less cost, and more facility of reparation when the glass becomes
broken.
In carrying out my Invention I am enabled to produce a plain or
panelled shelf, floor, or wall, perforated or otherwise, for moistening the
atmosphere so as to allow the heated air to circulate freely amongst the
plants and through the house. I give to the erections or structures
superior neatness as well as afford facility of manufacture with much
cheapness.
The cement I employ in this Invention will render the joints of the
glass perfectly water-tight, and the pots I use for the growth of plants
will admit of the air circulating amongst the roots of the plants as
well as around the sides of the pots.
In further carrying out my Invention I render the slabs which I
manufacture or produce waterproof by the employment of coating
whether of liquid glass or other waterproofing agent or agents, and these
slabs I make plain or corrugated, panelled, or perforated, and either
plain or of divers colours.
The slabs herein-before mentioned are formed of cement concrete,
strengthened with T iron, which passes through them at, say, a foot or
eighteen inches apart, and it is connected together by a coarse network
of wire or perforated zinc, the strength of which may be increased in
proportion to the strength of the material or materials employed. Any
kind of cement may be used, but I prefer the use of Portland cement.
The clips herein mentioned are composed of brass or other malleable
material. Each of them is, for example, say, an inch or more in width
and bent into the form substantially of the letter S, one end of which
receives and holds the glass and the other clips the purlin, or the clips
may be jointed with the part which retains the glass to fasten on with
a screw, and when used to fasten perpendicular glass they may be made
to fasten into the wood or iron with a screw.
The pot herein-before mentioned which I employ has a moveable
and slightly convex bottom, above which is a chamber surrounde

page_text: by the soil in the pot, the warm air passing through the chamber and
heating the soil containing the roots on its way.
Having thus set forth the nature of my said Invention I now proceed
reference to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures 5
more fully to describe the manner of performing the same with
marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a hothouse shewing two methods
of constructing the same, the left side shews for example a nine-inch
brick wall supporting the side standards and boxes which receive the
lower ends of the rafters hereafter referred to.
10
Figure 2 is a side view, shewing two bays of a hothouse baving a
nine-inch wall next the ground. The right side of Figure 1 shews the
wall, constructed in this instance of iron standards and cement slabs,
which wall supports the side standards and boxes before referred to, but
it must be clearly understood I may make the house of wood or other 15
convenient material, and Figure 3 is a side view, shewing two bays of a
hothouse thus constructed. Figure 18 shews in plan a hothouse con-
structed as partly seen in side view at Figure 3.
I construct a hothouse, or greenhouse, or other structure, according
to one modification, as follows:-Say, brick walls A, nine inches thick or
thicker when required, are built upon suitable foundations, the length
of the walls being determined by the length of the house required.
These walls are parallel to each other, and are bevelled on the top to
receive wall plates B, as seen at the left of Figure 1 and at Figures 2
and 12. Upon the wall plates are placed main standards C, an enlarged 2
view of one such standard is shown in side view at Figure 12, the
distance between each pair of standards forming one bay in the length
of the house. These standards have a box D at the upper end on the
inside, cast with and forming part of them, this box is hollow on the
top side and receives the lower end of a rafter E formed of T iron, and
securely held in the box by two clamping plates F and screws and nuts.
The screw heads may stand above the clamping plates, as seen at the
right of Figure 11, which is a full-sized sectional view of the T iron
rafter clamped in the upper box hereafter referred to, or the screw head
Figure 11, where the glass is liable to lie close to the clamping plate.
The rafters are placed in pairs, one from each side of the house opposite

page_text: to each other, the upper ends of each pair lie in the boxes, which are
cast with and form part of a ridge piece G, Figure 8, the rafters being
securely clamped in the boxes by plates F and screws and nuts in the
same manner as the lower ends of the rafters. The upper end of this
5 ridge piece has recesses cast in or on each side of it to receive the ends of
the louvre boards or plates H on each side of the centre and other recesses
are on each side thereof to receive the ends of ridge boards or plates M,
capped with a ridge mould N screwed to the plates. Below the louvre
plates are other plates I which turn down at each end, by which they
are secured to the ridge pieces; the inner edges of these plates are
bevelled to receive the bevelled edges of a valve plate K furnished with
a lever at one end, to which a rod is attached, by means of which the
valve is closed, as seen at Figure 8, or opened in the direction shown
by the arrows and dotted lines. The outer edges of the plates I receive
the upper edges of the top sheets of glass which cover the rafters, the
lower edges of these sheets lying upon the top of the purlin bars P, they
are prevented from slipping over the same by being secured to the purlin
bar by clips which lie in recesses on the top of the bar, a recess is also
formed in the top edge of the bar, in which recess a stud on the lower
side of the clip R falls and is secured in the purlin by a pin on the
under side, as shewn in Figure 9, which represents the purlin bar P in
section, and portion of a rafter E in the side view. The lower portion
of the ridge piece G may form an ornamental perforated spandril
between the boxes, the central portion of the spandril may project
below the level of the boxes, and form a bearing for a rod or pipe, over
which the training wires O may be passed or secured to it, the other
end of the wires being secured to a pipe or rod passed through holes
in the upper end of the main standards, as seen at Figure 12. The
purlin bars P are secured to the rafters E by a recessed projection on
the under side at each end, and are each connected to the next adjoining
bar by a screw or pin passed through a stud at each end above the
rafter E, as seen at Figures 9 and 10, or the pin and studs may b
dispensed with and the recessed projections may be made of the lengt
or form seen at the left of Figure 10, and a screw may be passed from
the under side through the projection into the rafters. Above the purlin
and the sheets of glass they support, over each rafter, is placed a
ornamental perforated rail Q; the perforations may be of any require
pattern that will not interrupt the straight run of the top bead, whic

page_text: will act as a guide rail, on which blinds, when blinds are used, may be
I insert the sheets of glass forming the sides of the
raised or
house above the wall plate in frames of cast metal or wrought iron
galvanized, and, by preference, of the shape shewn in section, Figure 13,
securing the glass therein by clips which are bent round the inside of 5
the frame and the edges of the glass, as shewn; such frames S, seen at
Figures 2 and 3, are secured to the wall plate and bed of the standards
at their lower ends and to the front of the facia strip carried by the top
of the standards; at their upper ends the frames S' have sheets of glass
inserted in them in the same manner as the frames S. The frames §¹ 1
are somewhat longer than the frames S, and they have at the top pro-
jections bevelled on their under side, so as to slide upon the bevelled
top edge of the frames S, as seen at Figure 12, by which means every
other frame may be opened to the right or left by sliding it upon the
next adjoining frame S.
1
Instead of four panes to form the width of one bay in the length of
a house I sometimes employ three, five, or other number of panes, every
other pane being made capable of sliding. In houses which have the
whole of the side frames fixed I pass the upper edge of each pane into
a recess in the lower edge of a facia strip or plate, and the lower edge 2
rests against a rabbet or moulding on the wall plate, and thus I secure
the panes by clamps, each of which has a stem which drops into a hole
in the wall plate. Such clamp with a portion of wall plate, is shewn
at Figure 14; the clamp on its outer face may be plain or ornamental,
and embossed or pierced.
In a second modification instead of the brickwork wall to carry the
main standards above described I sometimes prefer a wall, partition, or
support constructed as follows:-Upon a stone or other secure foundation
I bolt down a requisite number of cast-iron standards U, which are
recessed on each edge to receive the edges of plain or panelled concrete
blocks T; the tops of these blocks and the tops of the standards are
level and receive the wall plates and standards referred to in
modification. One or more of the plain or panelled slabs in each bay
may be perforated in the centre of its length or elsewhere, and have a
perforated or ornamental plato secured in such perforation in the course
of manufacturing the slab. This arrangement is shewn in front view at
Figure 4, and in section at Figure 5. I provide the back of such slabs
my
first

page_text: which face the interior of a house so constructed with a pair of hit-and-
miss plates V, see Figure 6, the plate next the concrete slab is secured
thereto, and the other plate slides upon studs projecting from the fixed
plate, the sliding plate opening or closing the perforations as it is
5 moved to or fro endwise by a short lever attached to a rod which passes
through holes in projecting studs cast on the standards U, one move-
ment of such rod opening or closing the ventilators on one side of the
house. The concrete slabs may be made of any suitable cement, but I
prefer the use of Portland cement.
I employ concrete slabs for the shelving, flooring, or walling of
horticultural or other buildings, which slabs I strengthen with T iron
laid in the direction of its length or width, and also with iron netting,
shown by dotted lines in Figures 19 and 20, Figure 19 shewing in
section one half the width of a slab the full size, and Figure 20 shewing
a slab in plan; both Figures shew the recessed panels for holding water
when required, and also perforations for the passage of hot or cold air.
The hot air is supplied or radiates from the heating pipes Y, and the
cold air from the cold air drain X, as seen at Figure 1. Instead of iron
netting I sometimes employ perforated plates of zinc or other malleable
material for strengthening the concrete cement slabs.
In connection with the perforated recessed slabs I employ a chambered
plant pot, which with a portion of perforated slab is shewn in section
at Figure 7. This pot has a moveable and slightly convex bottom, above
which is a chamber formed by inverting smaller pots over each other,
the upper pot being provided with one or more glass or other tubes;
the chamber is surrounded by the soil and roots of the plant, the warm
air passing through the chamber heats on its way the soil containing
the roots.
Figure 15 represents the method I employ for securing four panes of
glass in an upright cast or wrought metal frame. A is the glass; B is
the frame, which is formed with a groove in its sides and bottom, a
rabbet being left at the top. The two lower panes are held clear of the
lower groove, and have one side of each inserted in the side grooves o
the frame, the other edge of both panes being then brought togethe
they are both lowered into the bottom groove, the two top panes ar
then placed in the side grooves of the frame, the inner edges of th
top panes being brought together their lower edges will rest on the to

page_text: edges of the lower panes, a bead being then secured to the top of the
frame the outer edges will be firmly secured and a small portion of the
corners of the four panes in the centre being cut away a clip boss is
placed over the corners, and a screw is passed through it and screwed
into the cross bar of the frame, shewn by the dotted lines, or it may be 5
supplied with a nut or rivetted at the back thereof, thereby securing the
four panes in the frame. I glaze windows lying at an inclination or
skylights in the same way, with three, four, or other number of panes.
Or I secure one sheet of glass in such manner that it will form a
skylight, as shewn in section at Figures 16 and 17. In Figure 16 A is 1
the glass; B, a wood frame, where wood is used, and D, one or more
clips on each side of the pane, which are bent down on the inside of
the frame, and lie in recesses on the top edge of the frame, and are then
bent round the edge of the glass, so as to clip it fast previously to
placing the sheet of glass in position. The inner ends of the clips may 1
be nailed or otherwise secured to the inside of the frame.
Figure 17 is a skylight constructed as the last described, but having
sides formed partly of perforated slabs or sheets of metal C for the
purpose of ventilation.
The clips herein-before mentioned are composed of brass or other 2
metal or malleable substance; each of them, for example, is, say, an inch
in width, and bent into the form required; or they may be cast rigid of
the required form, and may be jointed or hinged so that they may be
placed to clip the glass, and the other part may be turned up, down, or
sidewise and then be screwed or nailed to the frame, purlin, spar, or
rafter. The cement I employ at the edges of the glass, where such
edges lie over each other or butt together, or lie in a groove, or on a
rabbet, is composed of marine glue and a solution of india-rubber.
Instead of bringing the edges of glass together to form a joint I some-
times employ sheets of glass having their sides slightly turned up, such
turned-up sides overlapping each other.
The plain panelled perforated shelf, floor, or wall slabs as above
described I coat with liquid glass or other waterproofing agent or
agents.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,

page_text: First. Constructing and arranging horticultural and other buildings,
erections, or structures, substantially as described.
Second. The employment of perforated slabs for the more equable
distribution of hot air, having slabs with sunk panels to contain water for
moistening the atmosphere.
Third. For the employment of a chambered plant pot for heating the
soil containing the roots of plants, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Port Ayres, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
WILLIAM PORT AYRES. (L.S.)