AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE STRUCTURES, SPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR FIELD HOSPITALS AND SUCH LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: RE
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE
STRUCTURES, SPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR FIELD HOSPITALS AND SUCH LIKE PURPOSES
to be as follows :—
"
According to the present invention portable structures, suitable for ambulances
and other purposes are constructed as follows:-
Upon a continuous sill of trough or other shaped iron are fixed, at suitable
distances apart, opposite ribs of semi-ogival form and of I section, meeting at a
longitudinal T-iron ridge piece at top, to which they are secured by angle iron
connecting pieces and screw bolts or keys. The sill extends in semicircular form
beyond the last ogival rib at cach end, and upon such semicircular part are fixed
other ogival ribs, extending towards and attached to the main ribs, and thus acting
as stays thereto, and forming a semi-circular extension of the structure.
The ribs are tied together at one or more intermediate points of their height by
horizontal longitudinal tio bars, and also by transverse tie rods. The end ribs of
the structure have uprights of T or H iron fixed within them, suitably stayed,
serving as framework for doors.
The sill is fixed to the ground by means of hooked spikes. The outer surface of
the ribs is enclosed by a covering of canvas or other fabric which, at top, is passed
over a wooden ridge piece fixed to the T iron ridge, and at bottom is either secured
to the sill by suitable fastenings, or it may be extended some distance away from
the ribs and secured by tent pegs driven into the ground, or it may be raised and
supported on poles, so as to form a covered way or verandah outside the ribs. The
semi-circular ends are also enclosed in a similar manner, the covering being made
to stop short at a point below the apex of the last main rib, thus leaving a triangular
end space or gable which is enclosed by a window or hinged flap of net work for
ventilation.

page_text: The wooden ridge piece is extended so as to overhang the outer main ribs, and is
enlarged at that point so as to form suitable openings on each side thereof under
the canvas covering for the egress of air.
The inner surface of the ribbed structure is also enclosed by a canvas or other
covering by preference rendered uninflammable, which is secured in the following
manner.
To the inner flanges of the ribs are secured rings at suitable distances apart,
and rings are also secured at at corresponding positions to the inner covering; a
rope attached at one end to the upper end of the rib is passed alternately through
a ring of the rib and a ring of the covering, the lower end of the rope being fixed
to the sill. The top part of the inner covering is not carried right up to the
underside of the ridge piece, but passes horizontally across from one side to the
other at a certain distance below is, thus forming an enclosed space below the
ridge which communicates with the spaces existing all round the structure between
the inner and outer coverings, and also with the before mentioned openings at the
ends of the ridge. By this means, air entering the said spaces between tho
coverings at bottom will pass up into the longitudinal space under the ridge and
escape thence through the end openings, thus affording a perfect ventilation of the
enclosed space, and keeping the structure cool in summer.
In cases where warmth is required, the inner covering of the structure may be
formed of wire netting coated with cement or plaster, and if necessary provided
with an inner covering of felt or bitumenized paper.
The ladders employed in erecting the structure are afterwards attached hori-
zontally at a suitable height against the ribs, so as to serve as shelves.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.

page_text: 1, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declaro
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE
STRUCTURES SPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR FIELD HOSPITALS AND SUCH LIKE PURPOSES
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
According to the present invention, portable structures suitable for field hospitals
and such like purposes, are constructed as I will describe referring to the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a transverse section, Fig. 3 an end view,
Fig. 4a plan and Fig. 5 a perspective view of a structure according to this
invention suitable for temporary occupation as hospital or otherwise. The other
figures 6 to 15 inclusive shew on a larger scale details of the construction as will
now be explained.
A sill S of angle iron, as shewn at Figs. 7, 14 and 15, has bolted or otherwise
secured to it arch bars A of H section, which at the crown of the arch are fixed to
ridge bars B of T section as shewn at Figs. 9 and 10. At each end of the framing
are two half arch bars C of H section which, at the bottom are fixed to the
semicircular sweep S¹ of the sill, and at the top are secured to the end arch bar A¹,
as shewn at Figs. 11 and 12, close to a tie Z. The bars C, whilst they add length
to the interior, serve to stay the structure giving it great firmness. An angle iron
rib H H¹, about midway in the height, ties together the arch bars A, A¹ and C, as
shewn at Fig. 13, and diagonals R farther secure the bars C to the rib H¹. Cross
sills S tie together the lower ends of the bars A'.
Ladders a, which accompany the structure and are used for its erection, are
suspended overhead to serve as shelves.
A suitable fabric D (which may be rendered incombustible) forming the external
covering rests at the top on a wooden beam M which is placed on the ridge bars B
preventing contact of the fabric with the metal. The beam M extends a little
beyond the frames A¹ being turned up at each end so that there is passage for
ventilation under the whole length of the covering fabric and out at the ends. The
lower edge of the covering fabric D may be attached to the ground by cords and
tent pegs, or it may be extended outwards and supported on diagonals forming a
verandah on either or both sides, as shewn in Fig. 2 on one side. Fig. 7 shews a
mode of attaching it to the sill S thereby dispensing with tent pegs. Loops of
cord attached to the covering are secured to the sill by buttons z.
At the straight
parts of the sill the loops x may be passed through the holes of the sill and held by
passing through the loops tent pegs or the wooden poles which serve for diagonals
of the verandah. The interior lining E may in this case be partly rolled up as
shewn in Fig. 2. This lining is attached by S hooks to the bars A as shewn at
Fig. 6, by passing through the 8 hooks cords which also pass through successive
rings sewn on the lining E. The lining can thus be made to hang at greater or

page_text: less distance from the external covering D, giving a greater or less air space
between the two. The two side linings are connected at the top by porous fabric F
which allows passage of air for ventilation.
Instead of using fabrics for covering and lining, wood or galvanised metal sheets,
linoleum or other suitable materials may be fixed on the framing. The internal
lining may consist of metal network, coated with cement or with lime and clay, or
covered by pitched felt or paper, which should be limewhited. An entrance may
be provided at one end, as shewn at M' Fig. 1, and windows or wire network
allowing free passage of air as at f. Stove pipes are arranged to pass out by the
ventilation openings at g, the bends of these pipes being covered by non conducting
material, or preferably by an external bend i enclosing a layer of air as shewn
at Fig. 8.
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 in respect of portable structures, is
1. The construction of the framework consisting of angle iron sills S to which
are fixed arch bars A A' of H section secured at the top to ridge bars B of
T section on which rests a wooden beam M to carry the external covering fabric so
as to form a passage for ventilation, substantially as herein described.
2. In combination with the framework referred to in the preceding claim, the
semicircular sills S₁.and cross silla S with the end arch bars C and rib H H¹,
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
3. Attaching the interior lining fabric by rings to cords held by S hooks to the
arch bars, so that the air space between the lining and the external covering can be
varied.
4. Attaching the exterior covering to the sill by cord loops secured by buttons, or
by tent pegs or verandah diagonals.
5. Suspending as shelves the ladders used for erection of the structure.
6. In combination with the bend of the stove pipe the external bend i
enclosing a layer of air to reduce conduction of heat.
7. The structural details described and shewn by the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of January 1885.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.