AN IMPROVED GLASS ORCHARD OR GREENHOUSE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis and Charles
Portway, both of Chelmsford, in the County of Essex, Horticultural
Engineers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED GLASS ORCHARD OR
GREENHOUSE."
Sealed the 6th January 1874, and dated the 14th July 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hungate
Preston Dennis and Charles Portway at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 14th July
1873.
We, THOMAS HUNGATE PRESTON DENNIS, and CHARLES PORTWAY,
both of Chelmsford, in the County of Essex, Horticultural Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED GLASS
ORCHARD OR GREENHOUSE," to be as follows:-
G
The object of our Invention is a glass orchard or greenhouse built,
formed, or constructed of wood, iron, or any other material with glazed
lights (by preference) at the sides.

page_text: The form of roof will be understood by the term ridge and furrow,
having water gutters running longitudinally the length of each furrow.
The water gutters with light wood or iron bars tying one to another
transversely constitute the chief framework or constructional part of
the roof. The whole is supported upon pillars of wood, iron, or other
material.
Attached and hinged to either side of the gutters before described are
lights or sashes, which meet in a ridge centrally between each pair of
longitudinal gutters.
Lever, screw, or other opening apparatus is affixed to each roof light
or sash, and when put in motion causes the top or ridge end of such
lights or sashes to part from each other in an upward and outward line
until they assume a vertical position. It will be seen by this arrangement
that the entire ground space can be kept covered in a weather-tight
manner, or at will exposed to the uninterrupted action of the elements,
and become in every way a practically open garden orchard, as the case
may be, entirely free from the possibility of any rain drip.
Any portion may be readily fitted with glazed or other partitions for
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis and Charles
Portway in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th January
1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
HUNGATE PRESTON DENNIS, and Charles Portway, both of Chelmsford,
in the County of Essex, Horticultural Engineers, send greeting.
J
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord 3
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis and Charles Portway,.'-

page_text: Her special licence that we, the said Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis
and Charles Portway, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such·
others as we, the said Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis and Charles.
Portway, our 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 "AN,
IMPROVED GLASS ORCHARD OR GREENHOUSE," upon the condition (amongst -
others) that we, the said Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis and Charles.
Portway, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what.
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
I NOW KNOW YẺ, that we, the said Thomas Hungate Preston Dennis
and Charles Portway, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed; to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of our Invention is a glass orchard or greenhouse built,
formed, or constructed of wood, iron, or any other material with glazed
lights (by preference) at the sides.
in
The form of roof will be understood by the term ridge and furrow,i
having water gutters running longitudinally the length of each furrow.
The water gutters with light wood or iron bars tying one to another
transversely constitute the chief framework or constructional part of i
the roof. The whole is supported upon pillars of wood, iron, or other
material.
Attached and hinged to either side of the gutters before described are
lights or sashes which meet in a ridge centrally between each pair of
longitudinal gutters.
Lever, screw, or other opening apparatus is affixed to each roof light
or sash, and when put in motion causes the top or ridge end of such
lights or sashes to part from each other in an upward and outward line'-
until they assume a vertical position. It will be seen by this arrangement
that the entire ground space can be kept covered in a weather-tight c

page_text: more on each side of the roof, and affixing or hingeing such lights to
longitudinal bearers herein-before referred to.
We wish it to be clearly understood that we do not confine ourselves
to one or either of the shapes or forms herein described, but we distinctly
lay claim to the improvement of raising one or more of the roof lights or
sashes in an upward and outward line or direction until it assumes a
vertical position, and when so placed to obviate the fatal objection of
rain drip.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Hungate Prescott Dennis
and Charles Portway, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.