IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GLASS HOUSES FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES."
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Crauston, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF GLASS HOUSES FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cranston at
the Office. of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th May 1869.
I, JAMES CRANSTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GLASS HOUSES FOR HORTICULTURAL
PURPOSES," to be-as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention refers to the construction and arrangement of these
houses in such manner as to combine within one system of framing a
greenhouse or conservatory with forcing pits.
In erections of this description of the ordinary kind there must of
necessity be a certain amount of waste room or shallow space near to
the floor along the sides or ends which cannot be utilized. By this

page_text: Invention I propose to form these parts into forcing pits opening from
the outside of the building, and divided off from the main structure by
suitable means, such, for instance, as stepped shelving running around
or along the sides of the main building, to which the forcing pits so
formed act as huttresses. By this arrangement I obtain a combination
of conservatory or greenhouse with forcing pits constructed with one and
the same framework, thus increasing the stability of the structure and
dispensing with the ordinary brick foundations. The forcing pits may
be heated by the same arrangement or apparatus which is employed for
the heating of the main building, and the risers of the stepped shelving
dividing the forcing pits from the main building being suitably open or
perforated for the purpose of conveying the heat from one part to the
other afford also the means of admitting fresh air. One form of theso
buildings is shewn thus, (a, a,) being the forcing pits.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Cranston in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 26th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CRANSTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Architect, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Cranston, Her special license that
I, the said James Cranston, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Cranston, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF GLASS HOUSES FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES," upon tho
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Cranston, 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 I, the said James Cranston, 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, reference being had to the Drawings here-
uuto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
My Invention refers to the construction and arrangement of glass
houses for horticultural purposes in such manner as to combine within
one system of framing a greenhouse or conservatory with forcing
pits.
In crcctions of this description of the ordinary kind there must of
necessity be a certain amount of waste room or shallow space near to tho
floor along the sides or ends which cannot be utilized. By this
Invention I propose to form these parts into forcing pits opening from
the outside of the building, and divided off from the main structure by
suitable means, such, for instance, as stepped shelving running around
or along the sides of the main building, to which the forcing pits so
formed act as buttresses.
Referring to the Drawings Figure 1 is a view of one form of my
improved glass houses, Figure 2 being a ground plan of same to a
reduced scale.
(A) are the forcing pits arranged on each side so as to utilize the
waste room or shallow space before mentioned, and constructed with one
and the same framework as the main structure, thus increasing the
strength and stability of the building, and dispensing, if required, with
the ordinary brick foundations. (B) are the stages or stepped shelving
running around or along the sides of the greenhouse or conservatory, to
which the forcing pits (A) formed as described act as buttresses; the
risers of the stages or stepped shelving (B) may be suitably open or

page_text: perforated for the purpose of conveying heat from one part to the other;
the pathway (C), Figure 2, may also be provided with suitable openings
or perforations, and by these means the same arrangement or apparatus
may be employed for heating the whole building; the openings or
perforations will also serve for the purpose of admitting and distributing
fresh air from one part to the other as desired.
By the construction of glass houses as described I obtain a com-
bination of conservatory or greenhouse with forcing pits formed in one
framework, and capable of being readily removed and re-crected if desired,
all the parts being screwed together by preference.
I have described my improvements as applied to a glass house having
a span roof, but they are equally applicable to other forms, such as lean-
to and half-span buildings.
I claim the arrangement and construction of glass houses for horti-
cultural purposes in such manner as to combine within one system of
framing a greenhouse or conservatory with forcing pits, substantially in
manner as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cranston, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
ninc.