and in Couplings or Junctions therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 10th Jan., 1887
Complete Accepted, 10th Mar.. 1888
like, and in Couplings or Junctions therefor.
I, FREDERICK SAGE of 80 to 84 Grays Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex
Shop Fitter do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
the
This invention is especially designed to facilitate the erection of framings upon
roofs of buildings to support signs, large letters, and the like, and 1 will describe it as
applied for that purpose although its application is by no means confined to that
purpose only.
In erecting the framing for large signs or letters upon the roofs of buildings in the
usual manner an expensive and dangerous scaffolding has to be built up and taken
down again, and the framing has to be fitted on the ground the parts numbered
taken apart and fitted up again in their proper place; this expense and fitting together
can be avoided by the use of my present invention.
The coupling or junction piece may be preferably made in cast or stamped metal
it is generally divided so that the two halves can be bolted together and for the
purpose above specified I prefer to make it in the form of a cross adapted to receive
four rods or tubes though it may be made as a T piece or simple angle or with more
than four branches if required.
I prefer to make these sign frames of gas pipe and have found great difficulty in
erecting a frame divided into spaces to receive the letters with the ordinary gas
couplings where the tubes are screwed into the couplings. I have tried right and
left screw threads but without success and have at last invented the form of coupling
here described.
I prefer to make a hole through the centre of the cross for a strong bolt which
unites the two parts and other holes may be made in such of the arms as may require
it; lugs are provided for the tie rods or stays.
upon
In erecting the framing I first secure to the roof the footplates into which I place the
upright tubes and the top of these uprights they are only of the same height
as the divisions of the framing or at the requisite height upon them if long lengths
are used, I place the couplings and secure then with bolts and nuts. The couplings
being in two pieces no difficulty is experienced in inserting the horizontal cross tubes

page_text: which hitherto have presented great difficulties, and the first part or section of the
framing is complete when the stay rods or wires are fixed. In the ordinary course it
would now be necessary to erect the scaffolding to enable the men to fix the upper
portions of the frame but I use no scaffolding and proceed as follows.
Upon each upright I fix a pair of common wooden clamps screwed together and
embracing the vertical tube and upon these 1 place the boards upon which the men
stand the stays which have been fixed rendering this perfectly safe. I now add on
the next vertical lengths (unless the long lengths have been used) and place the
couplings and cross tubes in position as before and put on a fresh lot of stays if
needed I then fix a fresh lot of clamps and hoards and proceed in this manner until
the framing is as high as necessary. The arms of the crosses at the top and ends
are useful to hold ornamental plugs or stops. The signs or letters are hung from the
horizontal rails in any convenient manner so as to swing freely in the wind; or can
he fixed to the framing. The boards and clamps are removed when done with and
can be easily replaced at any time when required for painting or repairs. The couplings
can be shaped to suit the shape of the rods whether those happen to be of round,
square or other section and hollow or solid. For fencing the bolts might be replaced
by straight or taper pins rivetted to keep them in.
COFF LEIE SIECITATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Framework, Fences, and the
like, and in Couplings or Junctions therefor.
I, FREDERICK SAGE of 80 to 84 Grays Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Shopfitter, 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 is especially designed to facilitate the erection of framings to support
large letters, signs and the like upon the roofs of buildings, where it is extremely
difficult to erect the usual scaffolding; it is however manifest that the same methods
may be employed for erecting similar framework upon the ground.
In erecting the framing for large signs or letters upon the roofs of buildings in the
usual manner expensive and dangerous scaffolding has to be built up and taken down
again this expense can be avoided by the use of my present invention.
The frames are preferably made of gas-pipe (but the word pipe hereinafter must be
taken to include any other suitable rail or spar,) and I have found great difficulty in
erecting a frame, divided into spaces to receive. the letters, with the ordinary gas
couplings where the tubes are screwed into the couplings. I have tried right and
left screw threads but without success and have at last invented the form of coupling
hereinafter described.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a portion of
a frame constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is an end view thereof,
Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end views of the improved coupling, Figs. 5 and 6 are
similar views of a modified construction thereof and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are two
elevations, and plan of the devices which I employ during the process of erection in
place of the ordinary scaffolding, Figs. 10 and 11 are details of straps for suspending.
letters.
In erecting the framework I first secure to the roof the footsteps or base sockets A
into which I step the upright tubes A' and upon the top of these uprights (if they
are only of the same height as the divisions of the framing or at the required height
upon them if long lengths are used) I place the couplings or junction pieces B which
may be made in cast metal preferably in the form of a cross-head divided into two
halves fig. 3 showing an elevation of one half and fig. 4 showing the two halves
placed together. The branches receive the vertical parts of the frame and the
branches the horizontal portions the last named branches being strengthened by
ribs through which pass the bolts 3 for holding the two parts of the coupling.
The couplings may be made in the form of T pieces or as simple angles or elbows or
they may have more than four branches according to the particular purpose for which
they are designed. The number of bolt holes and the positions thereof may also be
varied according to requirement. Lugs are provide where necessary for the
attachment of wire tension ropes or stays similar stays being attached to suitable
ear sockets (or boldfasts fixed to other parts of the frame or building or whatover
the framing is fixed upon the whole being tightened by means of bolts passing
through cramp frames in which they are secured by nuts el.
The couplings B being in two pieces no difficulty is experienced in inserting the
horizontal cross tubes A which hitherto have presented great difficulties and this
being effected and the stays fixed the first part of the frame is complete. In the
ordinary course of construction it would now be necessary to erect the scaffolding to
enable the men to fix the upper portions A³, A of the frame but instead of so doing
I proceed as follows:-
Upon each upright A' I fix a pair of common wooden clamps D, figures 7, 8 and 9,
which are grooved to receive the upright and fastened together by bolts d bearing
against metal plates d placed upon each clamp. Upon the clamps thus secured 1
place the boards E (which extend from the clamps upon one upright to those upon
the other upright and may be nailed or otherwise secured to both) upon which the men
can stand, the stays Crendering this perfectly safe. I now add on the next vertical
lengths A³ (unless long lengths have been used in the first instance) and place the
couplings B and cross tubes A in position as before and apply such extra stays as are
needed. 1 then, if it is desired to carry the frame still higher, fix fresh clamps D and
boards E upon the uprights A³ and proceed in this manner until the framing is
completed. The arms of the coupling crosses B at the top and ends are used to hold
ornamented plugs or "finials" F. The larger letters may be suspended to horizontal
pipes such as A by means of brackets G having two parallel borings, one for
the passage of the pipes to which the bracket is fixed by set screw and the
other to receive a bolt gl which passes through the straps g and is secured by a nut y³.
The lower half of the hole in the brackets G and H are preferably bushed with brass
or white metal to prevent the bolt g' sticking or rusting in. The straps g² are fixed
one on each side of the letter and are bent over to the extent of half the thickness
thereof so as to be in the same plane as the centre of the bolt gl and thus cause the
letter to hang vertically. The smaller letters are hung in a somewhat similar manner
but instead of supporting them on tubes such as A¹ I prefer to employ bars of angle
iron H bolted to suitable car-sockets H. The upper opening through the bracket H²
is of the same section as the web of the angle iron and the set screw g may be
dispensed with.
When the letters are hung the boards E and clamps D can be removed and can bo
replaced at any time when required for painting or repairs.
Instead of the split coupling B shown and described in reference to figures 1, 2, 3,

page_text: and 4 I may employ the modification thereof shown in figures 5 and 6 which is of a
more solid construction the vertical branches being ordinary screwed couplings
formed entire the horizontal branches only being forined in two parts and in
order to facilitate the fixing of the horizontal parts of the frame which rest upon the
lower or solid portions of the coupling the upper and loose portion being placed in
position after the tube is laid in and secured by a bolt which passes through both
parts of the coupling and the tube holding all firm together. The horizontal branches
may be screwed or threaded as well as the vertical branches if desirable. In this
form of coupling the loose portion is only called upon to resist the upward. strain of
the tube which is very slight the lower portion resisting the lateral and downward
strain which, being solid or integral with. the central portion it is more adapted to do.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In the construction of framework such as described connecting the different
sections by means of split couplings or crosses formed in two similar balves and held
together by bolts or rivets passing also through the tubes of the frame substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In the construction of framework such as described the use of couplings or
junction pieces having one or more branches split for a part of their length to
facilitate the insertion of the tubes such split or divided portions being afterwards
secured by means of bolts or rivets substantially as described and illustrated in
figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The method of constructing framework such as described without the use of
scaffold poles by means of clamps such as D secured to vertical portions of the
framework for the purpose of supporting the platform boards E substantially as
described and illustrated in figures 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The complete fraine for supporting signs, large letters and the like constructed
substantially as described and indicated in figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
5. The method substantially as specified of erecting framework such as described
without the use of scaffold poles.
6. The method of erecting a framing of the nature described without the use of
scaffolding by securing upon the framing itself the platform upon which the workmen
stand when erecting the succeeding portions or sections thereof.
Dated this 5th day of January 1888.
FREDERICK SAGE.