An Improved Gear for Raising and Lowering Ventilators of Glass Houses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left. 15th Mar. 1893-Accepted. 6th May. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Gear for Raising and Lowering Ventilators of Glass
Houses.
WILLIAM JAMES HARRIS, 4 Fortescue Villas, Lincoln Road, Ponders End,
Fitter JAMES STONE, 1 Westbury Villas, Lincoln Road, Ponders End, Fitter, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
We construct of iron, a gear by means of which one man can easily raise or
lower any number of ventilators at one time.
We make, by useing gas tubeing, a travelling rod, which we fix to the bars by
means of screw pulleys, so that the rod can work easily to and fro. Connected
with the rod is a clip, made by bending in the ccutre a piece of flat iron; we now
get a piece of flat iron, with a hole through each end, which we call the lever, this
we connect to the centre of the bottom rail of the ventilators by means of a screw
eye, the other end to the clip by means of a small bolt.
Dated this 16th day of May 1892.
WILLIAM JAMES HARRIS.
JAMES STONE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Gear for Raising and Lowering Ventilators of Glass
Houses.
We, WILLIAM JAMES HARRIS of 4 Fortescue Villas, Lincoln Road, Ponders
End, in the County of Middlesex, Fitter, and JAMES STONE, of 1 Westbury
Villas, also in Lincoln Road, aforesaid, Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to an improved gear for raising and lowering the
ventilators of glass-houses, such as are employed for the artificial propagation of
grapes, cucumbers, tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, flowers etc., and more
generally known as greenhouses.
This kind of glass or greenhouse when in use by large growers, may contain
as many as twenty or thirty or more hinged lights or ventilators, and in order
that a given degree of temperature may be maintained in such houses, with as
little variation as possible, it often occurs, in consequence of the sudden change
of temperature peculiar to this climate-that the said ventilators may require to
be quickly raised or lowered in order to effect this, and the only means hitherto
employed for performing the said raising and lowering has been, either by that
of a separate lifting arrangement for each light or ventilator, (which occasioned
great waste of time and labor) or where means has been provided for raising
these in multiple, a much greater power was needed to effect this than was always
at hand or available, but by the method and means employed by us, and con-
stituting the subject of our invention, we are enabled to raise or lower the whole
of the lights or ventilators upon either side of the house, or between any two
houses, irrespective of their number, by the simple operation of a lever at one
end of said house, capable of being manipulated by a lad, hence the object of
our invention.
In order that our invention and the manner of its operation may be clearly
understood we have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of the inside of a glass or greenhouse,

page_text: showing a three light ventilator in a closed position, to which has been fitted our
improved gearing, as we prefer to arrange it in connection with such ventilators.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a two light ventilator fitted with our improved
gearing, which differs slightly from that shewn in Fig. 1, for reasons to be herein-
after explained.
Fig. 3 is a repetition of Fig. 1 with the ventilator open, Fig. 4 being a similar
view to Fig. 3 but pertaining to Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is an end view of Figs. 1 or 2 as either would appear if viewed from left
to right while Fig. 6 is a similar view in relation to Figs. 3 and 4.
Figs. 7 and 8 are side and front elevation respectively of the form of pulley we
construct and employ in connection with the gear shewn in the previous views.
Figs. 9 and 10 Sheet 2 are enlarged views of the said gearing as employed in
Figs. 1 and and 2 and 4 respectively.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the clip we employ for connecting the levers with
the horizontal bar, and shewn in position more particularly by Figs. 9 and 10.
Fig. 12 is an end view of part of said house shewing the manner in which we
prefer to arrange the lever for operating the said gear, for opening and closing the
ventilators, without the need of entering the house for that purpose.
Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken across the gutter of the roofs of two such
houses, when one gutter is arranged to carry off the rain from both, also showing
the manner in which we employ our said gear for ventilating both houses simul-
taneously.
Fig. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the manner in which we arrange the
gear to operate in connection with Fig. 13...
Fig. 15 is a front and side elevation respectively of a modification of Figs. 7
and 8 as we construct them for use in connection with Figs. 13 and 14, while
Fig. 16 shows an alternative method of constructing the same.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same or like parts
throughout the several views.
It is in all cases desirable that our said improved gearing should be connected
to the bottom rail of the ventilator, and centrally of its length, in order to avoid
side strain upon the hinges, and to afford greater stability against heavy winds
when the ventilator is open, consequently a slight modification of the gear
employed with a two light ventilator, is necessary for operating a three light
ventilator, as hereinafter explained.
In carrying our invention into effect in so far as regards the roof ventilation
shewn by Figs. 1 to 6, we connect by screws or the like to the inside of the frame
work of the roof, at suitable intervals, and horizontally level with each other, the
pulley brackets A, Figs 7 and 8, in or about the positions shewn by Figs. 1 to 5,
the frames of which are arranged in such a manner that the connecting lugs thereof
are at an angle corresponding to that of the roof, relatively to the wheel bearing
portion of same, so that when said lugs are connected to the sloping roof the pulley
wheel remains perfectly vertical, and these we employ in such numbers as to carry
a horizontal rod B, of the same length or thereabouts as that of the said house, so
that this, resting upon the grooved wheels, may be free to ride to and fro thereon
and therein, as shewn by Figs. 7 and 8, and in position by Figs. 1 to 4. The said
rod B may be flat, circular or square in cross section, solid or hollow in one piece,
or in sections connected by any suitable means, but we prefer to use short lengths
of small bore gas barrel, connected together by screw sockets or unions, to form
the rod B, and to one end of this we connect a short length of chain or cord C,
which passes therefrom over a pulley D, situated at the end of the house from
which it is intended the ventilators shall be operated upon, and depending from D.
upon the outer side of the house, the said chain C is connected to a pivotted
lever E, (see Figs. 1 to 4 Sheet 1, and Fig. 12 Sheet 2).
Referring to the three light ventilator F Figs. 1 and 3, we screw or other-
wise connect to the bottom bar an eye G, which we prefer shall be elongated
as shewn at Fig. 6 to accommodate the circular travel of F when raised, and to

page_text: this we link one end of a flat metallic jointed lever H, the opposite end being
connected to the horizontal bar of the roof forming the lower part of the opening
of said ventilator. The said lever in this method is bent or curved at a, to provide
a clearance for the intervening bar of the roof when the light is open as at Fig. 3.
Upon the rod B, in a suitable position near each ventilator, we place one of the
clips I, shewn enlarged at Fig. 11, the bolt and nut of which serves the dual
purpose of closing the jaws of same so that the circular portion may grip the
rod B, and for connecting to I one end of a rod or wire K, whose opposite end is
connected to the jointed lever H.
Referring to the two light ventilator Figs. 2 and 4, the gearing and its attach-
ments are the same as in the method just described, the only difference being, that
the curve a in the jointed lever H is dispensed with, for the reason, that no
intervening bar occurs in this form of ventilator when open, therefore the said
curve is not necessary, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4.
In the case of the gutter ventilation Figs. 13 and 14, Sheet 2, we construct
pullies Las at Fig. 15, and these we fix at suitable intervals upon the gutter
board M, situated at the same side as that at which the ventilator N opens, or we
may construct these as at L¹ Fig. 16, which we fix upon the lower edges of both
gutter boards, as shewn by the dotted outline thereof Fig. 14, the wheel of which
may be either elevated as shewn, or depending in the opposite direction as may be
most convenient. A similar rod or barrel B passes along and through these
pulleys, provided at one end with a chain C pulley D and lever E in the same
manner as that previously described when referring to the ventilators F. The
gutter ventilator N extends the whole length of the houses, and is usually made in
short lengths or sections, and to the centre of the length of each of these, at the
under surface of the opening side, we pivotally connect one end of a metallic rod O,
the opposite end being connected to a clip I upon the rod B, in the same manner
as that described when referring to Figs. 1 and 2. The arrows in Fig. 13 show the
manner in which the heated air escapes from both houses when the ventilator N is
raised.
From the foregoing description and by reference to the drawings it will be under-
stood, that if the lever E is depressed a pull would be exerted upon the chain C,
and consequently upon the rod B and its clips I, and if this be in the direction of
the arrows Figs. 3 and 4, the said clips taking with them the rods K, would impart
a like pull upon the jointed levers H, thereby removing the whole of these from
their normal position as at Figs. 1 and 2 to that shewn by Figs. 3 and 4, or any
desired degree of such movement, by which the whole of the ventilators F would
be simultaneously raised a like distance, such regulation of the opening of the
ventilators F being governed by studs b, with which the lever E would be caused
to engage, as shewn at Fig. 12.
The same operation applies equally with regard to the gutter ventilators, that is
to say, if B be pulled in the direction of the arrow Fig. 14, the rods O would raise
the whole of the ventilators N simultaneously, and it is scarcely necessary to say
that, in each case, when the lever E is released the weight of the ventilators alone
is sufficient to return them to their normal or closed position.
It may be necessary at certain seasons, or under certain atmospheric conditions,
that only a portion of said ventilators, and not the whole of them upon either side
of the house, should be raised simultaneously, and to accommodate this we may
arrange that the rods K and O may be easily detached from the clips I, so that
only those ventilators F or N required to be opened would be operated upon
when E was depressed.
In cases where we employ flat or square iron for the rod B as before mentioned,
we may dispense with the clips I, and in lieu thereof form holes in B with which
the rods K and O would be caused to engage, by the means of hooks or their
equivalents.
It will be further understood from the foregoing description that, by extending
the length of, or compounding the lever E, any number of ventilators may be

page_text: manipulated by the power or strength of a child, and it is obvious that the
arrangement of the gearing described in connection with the ventilators F, can be
employed in like manner upon ventilators upon either or both sides of the house,
and if desired with both levers E at the same end of the house, this being attained
by reversing at the opposite side of the house the position of attachment of the
lever H upon the horizontal bar of the roof, and the position of the clips I upon
the rod B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1st. In an improved system for raising and lowering the ventilators of glass-
houses or greenhouses the employment of the herein described gearing, and the
several parts and modifications constituting the same, connected, combined and
operating substantially as herein described and shown.
2nd. In an improved system for raising and lowering simultaneously any number
of ventilators in glasshouses or greenhouses, the construction and use of the herein
described gearing, consisting of a circular or rectangular, solid or tubular rod B, in
one piece or in joined sections, borne by pulleys A, and provided with clips or
their equivalents I, connected thereto and to one end of a rod or wire K, the
opposite end being pivotally connected to a jointed lever H, with or without a
bend a, one end of which is pivotally connected by a loop G, to the lower rail of
the ventilator F, the opposite end to the horizontal rail of the roof, the whole
operating by the horizontal movement of B, occasioned by the depression of a
lever E, exerting a pull upon a chain or its equivalent C, passing over a pulley D,
and connected to B, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and
shewn by the appended drawings.
3rd. In an improved system for ventilating glasshouses and greenhouses, the
herein described method and means of raising and lowering the gutter ventilators
of same, by the employment of a rod B, borne by pulleys L or L', and connected
by clips I or their equivalents to rods O, linked to any number of ventilators N,
operated by a chain C, and lever E, substantially as herein described and shewn
by the accompanying drawings.
4th. In combination, the construction and use of grooved pulleys arranged in
frames, substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 7, 8, 15 and 16 of the
annexed drawings.
Dated this 15th day of March 1802
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.