Improvements in Garden Frames and Frames for other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Garden Frames and Frames for other Purposes.
I WILLIAM HARRIS of No. 176 Bristol Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Joiner and Horticultural Builder do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to
be as follows:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in joining or con-
necting together the sides and ends of garden frames and frames for other purposes
whereby the parts of the said frames can he readily put together for use and detached
for storage or transit the joining or connecting together being effected without the use
of loose bolts screws or other fastenings.
The garden frames to which my invention is applicable are among others melon
frames cucumber frames hand light frames and plant protecting frames.
My invention may also be applied to frames for various purposes such for
example as frames for the rearing of chickens commonly called chicken runs and
the like..
I will describe my invention as applied to a garden frame to which it is particularly
applicable.
My invention consists principally of a compound joint constructed substantially as
hereinafter described situated at the inner side and near the vertical edges of the sides
and ends of the frame.
To the inner side of each of the parts constituting the front and back ends of the
frame and near the vertical edges of the said ends I fix a vertical plate carrying
two three or more blocks in each of which blocks a dovetail seat or recess in the same
line is made the open side of the dovetail seat or recess being outwards or presented to
the sides of the frame to be fastened to the said front and back ends. The bottom of
each of the plates carrying the last named or she parts of the compound joint is
furnished with a foot on which the frame is supported. To the inner side of each of
the parts constituting the sides of the frame and near the vertical edges thereof plates
are fixed each plate carrying two three or more conical or dovetail blocks or the he
parts of the joint the said blocks being at the same distance apart as and of a size
proper to fit in the dovetail seats or recesses near the edges of the front and back
ends of the frame.
In fastening one of the loose sides of the frame to one of the loose ends of the frame
each dovetail block of the compound he joint is brought over the corresponding dovetail
seat of the compound she joint and the several dovetail blocks engaged by a sliding
motion with the several dovetail seats.
The two parts are thereby joined or fastened together the wedging or tightening
action of the compound dovetail connection drawing the edges of the said two parts
closely into contact. The other loose side and loose end of the frame are joined or
fastened together in a similar manner and a garden frame is formed the said frame
being completed by the addition of a top light as usual.
For the purpose of locking or preventing the separation of the joints after the sides
and ends have been connected together I use an automatic catch jointed or pivoted to
each of the plates carrying the dovetail seats or recesses. This pivoted catch has
motion in a vertical plane and its bottom end is made broad and weighted so that
when at liberty to move the said broad weighted end passes over the top of one of
the dovetail blocks and prevents that block and the blocks carried by the same plate
from being lifted from their dovetail seats. Before introducing the he dovetails into
the she dovetails of the compound joint the locking catch is turned aside so as to
remove its weighted end from over the she dovetail and after the two parts of the

page_text: frame have been joined or fastened together the said catch is loosed when it automati-
cally takes the locking position described and prevents the separation of the two parts
of the compound joint.
Although I prefer to use dovetail blocks and seats as described yet parallel blocks
and seats may be employed with nearly the same effect.
Dated this 27th day of April 1889.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Garden Frames and Frames for other Purposes.
I WILLIAM HARRIS of No. 176 Bristol Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Joiner and Horticultural Builder do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in joining or con-
necting together the sides and ends of garden frames and frames for other purposes,
whereby the parts of the said frames can be readily put together for use and detached
for storage or transit the joining or connecting together being effected without the use
of loose bolts screws or other fastenings.
The garden frames to which my invention is applicable are, among others, melon
frames cucumber frames, band light frames and plant protecting frames.
My invention may also be applied to frames for various purposes such for example
as frames for the rearing of chickens, commonly called chicken runs, and the like.
I will describe my invention as applied to a garden frame to which it is particularly
applicable.
My invention consists principally of a compound joint constructed substantially
as hereinafter described situated at the inner side and near the vertical edges of the
sides and ends of the frame.
To the inner side of each of the parts constituting the front and back ends of
the frame and near the vertical edges of the said ends, I fix a vertical plate carrying
two three, or more blocks in each of which blocks a dovetail seat or recess, in the
same line, is made, the open side of each dovetail seat or recess being outwards or
presented to the sides of the frame to be fastened to the said front and back ends.
The bottom of each of the plates carrying the last named or she part of the compound
joint is furnished with a foot on which the frame is supported. To the inner side
of each of the parts constituting the sides of the frame and near the vertical edges
thereof plates are fixed, each plate carrying two, three, or more conical or dovetail
blocks or the he parts of the joint, the said blocks being at the same distance apart
as and of a size proper to fit in the dovetail seats or recesses near the edges of the
front and back ends of the frame.
In fastening the edge of one of the loose sides of the frame to the edge of one
of the loose ends of the frame each dovetail block of the compound he joint is
brought over the corresponding dovetail seat of the compound she joint and the
several dovetail blocks engaged by a sliding motion with the several dovetail seats.
The two parts are thereby joined or fastened together the wedging or tightening
action of the compound dovetail connection drawing the edges of the said two parts
closely into contact. The other edges of the loose sides and loose ends of the frame
are joined or fastened together in a similar manner and a garden frame is formed the
said frame being completed by the addition of a top light as usual.
For the purpose of locking or preventing the separation of the joints after the sides
and ends have been connected together I use an automatic catch jointed or pivotted to
each of the plates carrying the dovetail seats or recesses as hereinafter particularly
described.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation and Figure 2
in plan, a garden frame, the loose sides and ends of which are joined or connected
together by compound joints according to my invention; Figure 3 represents an
inside elevation. Figure 4 a section and Figure 5 a plan of one of the front compound
joints and portions of the garden frame drawn to a larger scale: Figure 6 represents
the two parts of the said joint, detached or separated.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
a is the front loose end and b the back loose end of the garden frame and c, c
are the loose sides of the said frame. Near each of the vertical edges of the front
end a of the frame and on the inner side thereof a vertical plate d is bolted, the said
plate carrying two she dovetail blocks e, e; in each of which blocks a dovetail seat or
recess is made in the same line, the open sides of the said seats or recesses in the
she dovetail blocks being outwards or presented to the sides c, c of the frame.
The vertical edges of the loose back end 6 of the frame are provided with similar
plates d and she dovetail blocks e, e excepting that three she dovetail blocks are used
on each plate instead of two. It will be seen that the dovetail seats or recesses in the
several she blocks of each plate are in the same line and that the bottom of each
plate d constitutes a foot d² on which the garden frame is supported.
To the inner face of the vertical edges of each of the sides c, c of the frame,
plates f,fare bolted, each of the plates f, fat the front end of the garden frame
carrying two he dovetail blocks marked g, g, and each of the plates f, at the back
end of the garden frame carrying three he dovetail blocks marked g, g, the said
he dovetail blocks 9, 9 being at the same distance apart as and of a size proper to fit
in the she dovetail blocks e, e on the plates d, d.
To fasten the loose sides c, c to the loose ends a, b of the garden frame, the he
dovetail blocks g, g on one part are brought over the corresponding she dovetail
blocks e, e on the other part and the several he dovetails are engaged by a sliding
motion with the several she dovetail blocks as represented in the drawings. The sides
and ends c, c, and a, b are thereby joined or fastened together, the wedging or
tightening action of the dovetail connections drawing the edges of the sides and
ends c, c and a, b of the frame into close contact.
The junctions of the sides and ends of the frames are much strengthened by the
application to them of the compound joints constituting my invention.
The automatic catches for locking or preventing the separation of the joints of the
frame are marked h, h. Each of the said catches is pivotted at 12 above the top of
the she dovetail block e on each of the plates d situated at the front end a of the frame
but the catches may if thought desirable be combined with the plates & fixed on the
back end of the frame. The catch is slightly inclined from the joint end and has
motion in a vertical plane. Its bottom end is expanded and so weighted that when
the catch is at liberty to move its broad bottom end passes over the top of one of
the he dovetail blocks g (see Figures 2 and 4) and prevents that block and the
blocks carried by the same plate from being lifted from their dovetail seats, as well
as the blocks at the opposite end of the side of the frame. Before introducing the he
dovetail blocks g, into the she dovetail blocks e, e of the compound joint the locking
catch his turned aside as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 so as to remove its
weighted end from over the she dovetail block. After the parts of the frame have
been joined or fastened together by the engagement of their he and she dovetail
blocks the catches h are loosed when they automatically take the locking positions
represented and prevent the two parts of the compound joint from separating until
the parts of the frame are required to be detached for storage or transit.
Although I prefer to use dovetail blocks and seats or recesses as described and
illustrated yet parallel blocks and seats or recesses may be employed with nearly the
same effect.
I apply my invention to frames other than garden frames substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described and illustrated with respect to a garden frame.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that 1
claim as my invention of "Improvements in garden frames and frames for other
purposes":-
:
First Joining or connecting together the loose sides and loose ends of garden
frames and other frames by means of compound he and she joints situated at the inner
side and near the vertical edges of the said sides and ends of the frame the said
compound joints being constructed combined and used substantially as hereinb: fore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly-The combination with the compound he and she joints claimed in the
first claim of the automatic catches described and illustrated for locking or preventing
the separation of the said he and she joints as before described.
Dated this Fourth day of January 1890.
WILLIAM HARRIS.