Improvements connected with the Construction of Military Huts, Bungalows, Horticultural Houses, and the like
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with the Construction of Military Huts,
Bungalows, Horticultural Houses, and the like.
I, THOMAS LAURIE, of 28 Paternoster Row, in the City of London, Publisher,
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 :-
This invention relates to the method of construction of military huts, bungalows,
horticultural outhouses, or any buildings that may be required for temporary
purposes, such as shepherds cabins, clerk of works offices, greenhouses, or bicycle
sheds and the like, in such a manner that when the various uprights, cross bars,
rafters, ties, and floor pieces have been fitted with the appliances according to my
invention, as hereinafter fully described; they can be easily and securely put
together, or taken apart by an unskilled person without the use of tools, nails,
screws, bolts, or any of the accessories usually adopted to secure the various parts
of a wooden building to each other, and without any ground fixing whatever.
My invention consists in providing the bottom and top ends of the uprights
with metal sole plates, and caps respectively, preferably of malleable iron or steel.
Each sole plate is formed with dove or fan tailed, or other suitable shaped recesses
on opposite sides thereof, and with projecting lugs on the inside face, the former
for the reception of dove or fan tail ends or plugs fitted on the bottom tie bars or
rails, and the latter serving for plugs, upon which the sockets secured to the floor
squares are adapted to it.
The caps are similarly formed with dovetail recesses for the reception of
corresponding dovetail ends of the top tie bars or rails but they each have in
addition, a recess, into which a lug upon the rafter ends fits in such a manner that
when placed in position, the various parts concerned become locked and cannot be
separated the one from the other by any strain that can be brought to bear upon
the structure as a whole, by this means any collapse of the building, such as by
the force of a high wind, is rendered absolutely impossible.
The rafters spring from each side of the structure at any suitable angle and,
meet at the apex of the triangle so formed in which position, they are securely
fixed by a forked piece one prong of which is passed through each rafter.
The sides and roof are filled in with weather boarded frames, which slide down
in grooves cut in the uprights and rafters, suitable provision being made for
windows, doors, and ventilating apertures according to circumstances.
The main features of construction of say, a military but, as hereinbefore
outlined, may be supplemented according to circumstances with diagonal, or
horizontal ties, all being fitted together by means of metal sockets and corre-
spondingly shaped plugs fixed to the ends of the various parts in the manner
hereinafter referred to.
The lengthy, parts, such as the rafters, of a building intended to be transported
from place to place, are fitted with hinges, so that they can be doubled over to
reduce their length for easier carriage.
In order that my invention may be completely understood, I have appended the
accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which like letters are used to denote like
parts throughout the several views, and in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the skeleton of a military hut, with one section
fitted with the weatherboard side and roof panels; Figure 2 being an end elevation
indicating the position of the door, and method of fitting in the uprights of the
gable end.

page_text: Figure 3 is a section on line 3-4, of Figure 1, to more clearly show horizontal
rafter tie bar and flooring supports.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the hut on line 1-2, Figure 1, showing part of
floor squares removed to clearly illustrate arrangement of supports and laths for
excluding draughts.
Figure 5 is a modified arrangement of flooring support.
Figure 6 is a front elevation of one of the intermediate uprights, on a larger
scale, fitted. with sole plate and cap.
Figure 7 top plan of cap.
Figure 8 top plan of sole plate.
Figure 9 side elevation of Figure 6, fitted with rafter ends and showing panel
grooves and flooring lugs.
Figure 10 side elevation of corner upright fitted with sole plate and cap.
Figure 11 plan of corner cap.
Figure 12 top plan of corner sole plate.
Figures 13, 14, and 15 end elevation, side elevation, and plan respectively of
top rail, dovetail or plug ends.
Figures 16 and 17 side elevation and under plan respectively of rafter hinge.
Figure 18 side elevation and top plan of rafter horizontal tie bar end.
Figure 19 view showing part of rafter doubled over.
Figure 20 side elevation and top plan of rafter fork.
Figures 21 and 22 end elevation and plan of bottom rail, dovetail, or plug end.
Figures 23 and 24 plan and side sectional elevation of floor square corner
piece.
Figures 25, 26, and 27 side elevations of floor and lath supports and end of gable
uprights respectively.
The general construction of the hut, as carried out according to my invention,
will be understood upon referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, in which A, A, A, are
the intermediate uprights, fitted with sole plates B and caps C, each being connected
one to the other and to the corner uprights D (also fitted with sole plates and
caps B and C but of different cross section) by top and bottom tie bars or rails E, F,
respectively.
The various uprights A, A, and D, D, are grooved to allow of the side panels G
being slid down between the uprights, after the bottom rails F have been placed
in position being firmly retained in their place by the top rail E, the underside of
which has a groove H, see Figure 3, to fit over the last placed panel G, thereby
preventing the entrance of any draught, dust, or water, as the case may be.
The rafters I, I, 1, rise from the cap C of each upright but if they are too long
to permit of easy transport, they are fitted at about inidway of their length with a
hinge J, Figure 3, so formed, that it serves as a socket into which the ends of the
horizontal tie bar K are secured in the manner hereinafter described, as well as to
permit of the said rafter being doubled over to make it of a length compatible with
easy carriage.
The rafters I, I, I, are likewise provided with grooves L into which fit the roof
panels M lined on the inside with felt, or other suitable non-conductor of heat.
When all the roof panels are in position, a ridge piece N may be used to cover the
interstice between the top panels, the whole being covered and held in position by
the prongs of the fork piece P passing through a hole in the end of the rafter.
The wet is prevented from entering between any of the side or roof panels by the
overlapping of the weather boards as shown in the sectional view, Figure 3.
The rafters forming the gable ends may be grooved upon their under sides, and
the panels, instead of being square, as in the case of the side panels, are shaped to the
angle formed by the gable, the pieces Q, Q, being preferably placed in position in
the grooves cut on the underside of the rafters before the uprights R, R, are fitted
upon the caps C, C.
After the uprights R, R, are fitted in position by first inserting the plug S into a
recess T formed in the top of the caps C in an inclined position, and then moving

page_text: them over to the vertical until the tongues U engage into the grooves V, V, cut on
the undersides of the rafters I, and the grooves W, W, of the uprights R, R, shown
particularly by the sections on same, enclose the before mentioned panels Q, Q.
The adjoining panels X, X, are similarly fitted in position into the grooves V, V,
of the rafters, and corresponding grooves W', W, of the uprights R, R, the longer
uprights Y, Y, are then placed in the manner indicated with reference to the
uprights R, R, with their tongues U, U, engaging the grooves V, V, of the rafters
and the grooves W, W, enclosing the edges of the panels X, X. It now only
remains to fit the panels immediately above the doorway A', aud this I accomplish
in the following manner, that is to say;-The corresponding grooves W', WI, of
the uprights Y, Y, have a strip removed at the top part, to allow of the entry into.
the said grooves of the two panels Z, Z. The stretcher a is then inserted, and it.
has a groove on its underside, to fit over the topmost of the before mentioned
panels Z, Z, the top side of said stretcher bar a being formed with a rebate, as are
also the ends of the rafters between the apex and the uprights Y, Y, thus forming
a flanged recess, into which is fitted, a similarly shaped panel b, which may be.
lowered to act as a ventilator, it being secured in position by buttons or sliding
bolts c.
The particular detail construction of the sole plates and caps, top and bottom.
rail, and rafter ends, as well as the manner in which they are fitted together, will
be better understood upon referring to Figures 6 to 27 inclusive, in which it will
be seen that the intermediate uprights A, A, are fitted with sole plates B formed
with dove or fan tail sockets d, into which fit the similarly shaped plugs e formed
in a piece with the cap f that is secured to the ends of the bottom rail F. It is to
be noticed that the socket d and plug e is smaller than the groove g of the upright A
to allow of the plug e to first enter the groove and be held by the socket. The.
top of the bottom rail is chamfered, and formed with a ridge h, over which the
bottom side panels fit, by this means, the water is effectually shed and prevented
from entering the interior of the hut.
The inside face of the sole plate is made with the upwardly projecting lugs i, i,.
over which, the recesses; of the corner pieces j¹ of the Hoor squares next the sides.
of the hut, are fitted, but all the floor squares between those at the sides rest upon
the lugs i, i, formed upon the supports k. Figure 25. The supports k are placed at.
a suitable distance from each other, said distance being accurately determined by
the laths which are placed in the recesses m, m, of the supports k and sole plates B.
before the floor squares are put upon them. The extra supports are also placed
under the laths and kept in proper position by lugs n, n, screwed to the underside.
of said laths 1, see Fig. 3.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the laths serve to accurately
determine the proper position of the floor supports k, k', as well as cover the
joint of the floor squares to prevent the entry of draught.
In some cases, I may dispense with the floor supports k, k', and use a joist p,.
Figure 5, either in one length, or divided and connected by a hinge at about the
middle, as in the case of the rafters before mentioned. If said joist p is used, it is
formed with fan, dovetail, or T shaped end pieces p' for fitting into similarly
shaped sockets formed on the sole plates in lieu of the lugs i, i, and will thereby
serve to bind the sides of the hut more firmly together, the rebate q, q, formed on
each side, as shown by the section, serving for the reception of the floor squares,.
which in this case, need have no corner pieces.
The sole plates B of the corner uprights have a right angled formation, but the
sockets d agree in every particular with those of the intermediate uprights, and as
only one corner of a floor square is contiguous to the corner sole plate only, one.
lug i is therefore needed.
The caps C of the intermediate uprights and corner uprights are alike in that
they have fan or dove tail sockets,, of a necessarily larger size than the
groove g of the uprights to allow of the entry of the side panels G down the
grooves. Into the said sockets r, r, are fitted the correspondingly shaped plugs 8, s,.

page_text: formed in a piece with a cap t that is securely fixed to the ends of the top rail E.
the top of which is chamfered to receive the eaves of the roof panels which project
slightly beyond to carry the water from the roof away.
The corner caps are of right angled formation, and have upon each outward face,
as have also the intermediate caps, a recess u, into which the part of the end of
the roof rafter I is placed as shown in Figure 9, the rafter heing held in a vertical
position while this is being done, it is then allowed to fall inwardly, turning upon
the lug v, as upon a pivot until the plain surface to rests upon the top of the cap C
and the ear comes into contact with the incline y.
If rafters are placed in position from each side simultaneously, they will meet in
the centre, and can be securely held by inserting the prongs z, z, of the fork P
into the holes 6' in the top end of the rafters, the plate top c¹ from which springs
the handle d' serving to cover the joint of the rafters and prevent the entry of
water.
The hinge joint J of the rafter has a socket f¹, into which the end g' of the
crossbar K can be placed and held by inserting the pin (secured by a chain to
the crossbar) into the hole" of the hinge socket, and of the end g¹.
In most cases, I prefer that all the various parts may be interchangeable, that is
to say, a corner upright may be used for either corner, or an intermediate upright
may be used in any position at the sides or ends, the rafters in any position, and the
floor squares also.
In order that this may be done, all the caps of the intermediate uprights are
made with recesses T, so that they may all be equally of use as end uprights to
receive the gable uprights in the manner before described.
In the case of the corner cups, they are made with two recesses u, u, and
inclines y, y, so that they may be used in a right or left handed corner at will for
the attachment of a rafter end.
All the top and bottom rails are of the same length, and may in some cases, be of
the same size as regards their plugs, and be used indiscriminately either at top or
bottom, but in any case, they may be of the same length, therefore all the side, end,
and roof panels will be of the same size, and may be interchangeable one with the
other. I, I, are diagonal braces fitted into fan tail socket fixed on the under side
of the rafters to prevent any end sagging.
Although I have described the various sockets and plugs as being fan shaped, or
dovetail shape, I do not confine myself to such shapes, as I may without departing
from the peculiar feature of my invention, use equivalent formation, such as
sockets and plugs, or round shaped, such as commonly used for bedsteads.
shape
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Fitting the ends of the various uprights, rafters, tie bars, diagonal or other
braces or parts required for the skeleton of a hut with metal locking sockets, and
correspondingly shaped plugs for the purpose as herein described and substantially
as shown in the drawings.
2. The particular construction and arrangement of the several parts of a wooden
building, whereby the said several parts can be assembled and firmly locked in
their respective positions without the use of nails, bolts, screws etc. as herein
described.
3. Fitting the bottom ends of the rafters with metal plates for locking into the
metal caps of the uprights and cutting holes through the top end of said rafters for
the entry of the prongs of a covered fork, and fitting a socket hinge between said
end metal plate, and pronged fork holes, all for the purposes described, and in the
manner substantially as shown in the annexed drawings.