IMPROVED GLAZED SHELTER WALL AND FRAME FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN MONRO of New Barnet in the County of Herts, Horticulturist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED GLAZED SHELTER
WALL AND FRAME FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a combined or convertible glass shelter wall and pit or
glass house for the growing, ripening, and protection from frost of fruit trees and
other plants and the Invention has for its object to afford the protection necessary
for the rearing of the trees or plants without intercepting the sunshine so that
plants may be reared equally well on both sides.
To this end my Invention consists in a glazed structure which allows the
sunshine to pass through it and fall on the plants at both sides whereby the desired
protection is obtained besides the beneficial effect of being under glass. This
structure is composed of a vertical longitudinal frame of wood or iron of any
desired height or length and constructed of longitudinal bars and upright bars or
posts suitably framed together and erected by being fixed in or resting on the
ground and suitably stayed by means of wire guys strained in various directions
from the ends of the frame. The spaces between the upright bars or posts are
filled in with panes of glass slipped into grooves in the posts and through slots in
the upper and intermediate longitudinal bars of the frame so that the glass may
be readily removed from the upper portion of the frame when it is desired to
adapt the structure to another purpose as hereinafter described. This main frame
is constructed with return end frames at right angles to the main frame and
projecting a certain distance on either side thereof to protect the trees and plants
from the wind, these end frames being similarly constructed and glazed. Upon
the top of the main frame is fixed a coping constructed of glass panes slipped into
grooved bars fixed across the top of the frame, said coping projecting a suitable
distance from either side of the main frame and serving to prevent drip and protect
from frost the fruit trees or other plants trained against the glass shelter wall.
In combination with the above described structure are portable roof frames
made in sections of suitable dimensions and having grooved sash bars for the
reception of the panes of glass, which frames are furnished with hooks whereby
they may be hooked onto wires strained and supported along the shelter wall

page_text: whereby the said frames may be supported at a suitable. height against the shelter
wall from which they extend outwards and in a downwardly inclined direction for
a sufficient distance to form a roof to protect the plants to be grown beneath.
The outer edges of these frames would be supported by posts or otherwise at a
suitable height from the ground and when placed low down to form a pit may rest
on boards set edgewise so as to enclose the space beneath the frames. These
frames may be applied to one or both sides of the shelter wall and at the same
or different heights as required, and may extend along the whole or any portion of
its length.
The glass being held in grooves without putty may be removed from the shelter 1
wall or the upper part thereof and inserted in the bars of the roof frames.
1002
I, JOHN MONRO, of New Barnet, in the County of Herts, Horticulturist, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVED GLAZED SHELTER
WALL AND FRAME FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES," and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My Invention relates to a combined or convertible glass shelter wall and pit or
glass house for the growing, ripening and protection from frost of fruit trees and
other plants and the Invention has for its object to afford the protection necessary
for the rearing of the trees or plants without intercepting the sunshine so that the
plants may be reared equally well on both sides of the shelter.
To this end my Invention consists in a glazed structure which allows the
sunshine to pass through it and fall on the plants at both sides whereby the
desired protection is obtained and in addition the beneficial effect due to the plants
being under glass. This structure is composed of a vertical longitudinal frame
of wood or iron of any desired height or length and constructed of upright bars
or posts suitably framed together and erected by being fixed in or resting on
the ground and suitably stayed by means of wire guys strained in various
directions from the ends of the frame. The spaces between the upright bars or
posts are filled in with panes of glass slipped into grooves in the posts so that the
glass may be readily removed from the upper portion of the frame when it is
desired to adapt the structure to another purpose as hereinafter described. This
main frame is constructed with return end frames at right angles to the main
frame and projecting a certain distance from either face thereof to protect the trees
and plants from the wind, these end frames being similarly constructed and glazed.
Upon the top of the main frame is fixed a coping constructed of glass panes
slipped into grooved bars fixed across the top of the frame, said coping projecting

page_text: a suitable distance from either side of the main frame and serving to prevent drip
and protect from frost the fruit trees or other plants trained against the glass
shelter wall.
In combination with the above described structure are portable roof frames
made in sections of suitable dimensions and having grooved sash bars for the
reception of the panes of glass, which frames are furnished with hooks whereby
they may be hooked on to wires strained and supported along the shelter wall
whereby the said frames may be supported at a suitable height against the shelter
wall from which they extend outwards and in a downwardly inclined direction for
a sufficient distance to form a roof to protect the plants to be grown beneath.
The outer edges of these frames would be supported by posts or otherwise at a
suitable height from the ground and when placed low down to form a pit may rest
on boards set edgewise so as to enclose the space beneath the frames. These
frames may be applied to one or both sides of the shelter wall and at the same or
different heights as required, and may extend along the whole or any portion of
its length.
The glass being held in grooves without putty may be removed from the shelter
wall or the upper part thereof and inserted in the bars of the roof frames.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, wherein,
Figure 1 is a cross section of the shelter wall combined with portable roof
frames and Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a front view and plan of the same.
Figure 4 is a cross section through the shelter wall alone and Figure 5 is a front
view of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures which it
should be observed are not drawn to any particular scale, the dimensions and
proportions of the various parts being capable of considerable variation according
to circumstances.
The shelter wall is constructed of a sill A resting on the ground and uprights or
posts B framed therewith. The end posts may be continued downwards and
embedded in the ground and have wires a strained between them and fastened to
the intermediate posts to hold the latter in position. The posts B have longitudinal
grooves b in which the glass C is received and horizontal cross bars or cap pieces D
fixed on top of them and grooved like the posts to receive horizontal panes of
glass c to form a coping. E are end frames hinged or otherwise attached to one or
both ends of the shelter wall to protect the plants from side winds. If one pair
only is used they would be transferred from one end of the wall to the other
according to the direction of the wind. These end frames are also grooved to
receive panes of glass e which may be removed therefrom when desired.
Fare roof frames shown as occupying different positions in figures 1, 2 and 3,
that on the left in figure 1 being arranged for medium sized plants for which
purpose it is placed in an inclined position against the shelter wall, whilst that on
the right is arranged in a nearly horizontal position and at a suitable height for
larger plants. In either case the inner edges of the roof frames next the shelter
wall are supported by hooks engaging with eyes on the posts B or other equivalent
fastenings, whilst the outer edges either rest directly on the ground as at the left
hand of figure 1 or on wires stretched between posts or other supports the frames
being connected to the wires by hooks or equivalent fastenings as on the right of
figure 1. In either case these enclosing or roof frames would be constructed in
lengthis or sections of a size convenient for handling, and may or may not be such
that a number of them placed side by side would together enclose the whole length
of the shelter wall. Or the roof fraines may be arranged nearer the ground as
shown at the right hand side of figure 1 and rest nt their outer edges on a sill
piece fenclosing the space beneath the frame and forming a pit suitable for forcing
purposes. The panes of glass in these roof frames are also held in place by being
slid into grooves in the frames so as to be interchangeable with the remainder the
dimensions of the various frames being made to correspond.

page_text: In figures 1, 2, 3, the upper panes of glass are supposed to have been removed
and inserted in the cap pieces D to form a coping whilst in figures 4 and they
are replaced in the posts B and I would have it understood that either arrangement
or position of the glass may be used as required according to circumstances this
interchangeability of the glass in the different frames enabling the various
requirements of the shelter to be fulfilled with a less quantity of glass and adding
to the portability of the whole. I do not however limit myself to this arrangement
as the glass might be permanently fixed in the frames although with less
advantage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1 A translucent shelter wall composed of longitudinal and transverse or end
frames, glazed and constructed substantially as herein shown and described for the
purposes specified.
2nd The combination with the glass shelter wall of a glass coping substantially
as shown and described.
3rd The combination with the glass shelter wall, as herein described, of glazed
roof frames adapted to be applied in connection with the shelter wall and its end
frames substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.