IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE HOUSES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Richard Cottam, of 1A, Sussex Terrace,
Hyde Park Gardens, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Sealed the 16th January 1854, and dated the 18th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Richard
Cottam at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th November 1853.
I, HENRY RICHARD COTTAM, of 1A, Sussex Terrace, Hyde Park
Gardens, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE HOUSES" to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of portable houses
in such manner that the parts which are to be principally of metal
may go together and be fixed more readily than heretofore, and require
little skill or judgement in putting up. For this purpose the uprights
which are to be of iron are to have projections thereon, with dovetail
or suitable openings to receive the horizontal rails, and the plates or

page_text: covering are to be suspended at their upper ends or edges, and fixed at
their lower ends or edges by screws, turnbuckles, bolts or wedges, or
the uprights may be of wood and have like joints of metal fixed thereto;
and such joints may also be applied to the outsides of the buildings to
receive and sustain parts of balconies.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Richard Cottam in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
HENRY RICHARD COTTAM, of 1^, Sussex Terrace, Hyde Park Gardens,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her, most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight, hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Richard Cottam, Her
special licence, that I, the said Henry Richard Cottam, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Richard
Cottam, 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 OF PORTABLE HOUSES,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Richard Cottam, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE that 1, the said Henry Richard Cottam, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):--
This Invention has for its object the construction of portable houses
in such manner that the parts (which are to be principally of metal)
may go together and be fixed more readily than heretofore, and require
little skill or judgement in putting up. For this purpose the uprights,
which are to be of iron, are to have projections thereon with dovetail
or suitable openings to receive the horizontal rails, and the plates or
coverings are to be suspended at their upper ends or edges, and fixed
at their lower ends or edges by screws, turnbuckles, bolts or wedges,
or the uprights may be of wood and have like joints of metal fixed
thereto; and such joints may also be applied to the outsides of the
buildings to receive and sustain parts of balconies.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to explain the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shows at Figures 1 and 2, a plan and side view of
framing, which will serve to explain the method of construction which
I prefer, but the shape may be varied: A, A, A, A, the angle iron
uprights, with cast iron socket dovetails cast on the ends; B, B, B, B,
the foundation pieces, with male dovetails cast on; C, C, C, C, the top
connecting pieces, made after the same manner.
The method of fixing the corrugated or other plates is equally simple,
they being made in pieces by preference of 4 ft. x 7 ft., so as easily
to be adjusted by hand. The plates are punched with holes suitable
for common wood screws, the angle iron framing being likewise punched
with slotted holes S, S, S, S, and fitted with wood strips E, E, as shown
in Figures 3 and 4, at E, E. The mode of fastening the plates is by
putting them up against the framing and screwing them to it by means
of common screws inserted through the plates, and then passing through
the slotted holes in the angle iron framing into the wood strips, which
when they are screwed up will firmly fix the whole together. Wood
strips and wood screws are likewise to be used for putting together
the roof and vertical joints, or other means may be resorted to for
fixing the plates.

page_text: The foundation plates B, are screwed down to the wooden found-
ation pieces to fix the whole. The vertical joints are made by closing
by rivets or screws into wood, as usual, or in any other convenient
manner. Figures 5 and 6, show the manner of using uprights and
horizontal parts of the framing of a house of wood, using like sockets
and dovetails fixed to the wood.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that,
although I prefer the form of sockets and the male parts or dovetails
which fix into the same, I do not confine myself thereto, as the same
may be varied. What I claim is, the application of iron sockets
and dovetail joints for the putting together portable houses.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Richard Cottam, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
HENRY RICHARD COTTAM. (L.S.)