IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OR DESCRIPTIONS OF BUILDINGS.
Year: 1874

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abcl, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN CLASSES
OR DESCRIPTIONS OF BUILDINGS.". -A communication from abroad by
Nicolas Poutiloff, of St. Petersburg, in the Russian Empire, State
Councillor and Manufacturer.
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel
.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th April 1874.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
CERTAIN CASSES OR DESCRIPTIONS OF BUILDINGS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of buildings such as.
smithies, foundries, warehouses, and the like, in an inexpensive and

page_text: durable manner without the use of columns, beams, and other expensive
parts that are requisite for such buildings of present construction.
The Invention consists mainly in constructing such buildings of
arched ribs or principals formed of railway rails secured at their bases,
at or near the ground line, in metal sockets or shoes fixed to a stone or
wood foundation and spanning the entire space to be enclosed without
the use of trussing. These ribs are erected at certain distances apart
and are tied together by longitudinal tie bars, and upon them are then
fixed longitudinal wood or iron purlins carrying a covering either of
sheet metal or of wood, upon which tiles, slates, or bitumenized paper:
are laid.
The lengths of rails (by preference old contractors' rails) for forming
the arched ribs are first curved to the requisite form, with the head of
the rail forming the inner flange of the arch, and the foot forming the
outer flange, and the lengths are then secured together by means of fish:
plates bolted to the sides of their abutting ends, and by another plate
rivetted to the abutting outer flanges.
The sockets or shoes for receiving the ends of the ribs are formed with
recesses of a shape corresponding with the configuration of the rails
which are secured therein by means of screw bolts passing through the
socket and the rails. In some cases the building may be composed of
two or more such before described enclosed spaces side by side, in which
case the ribs of the two adjoining arches are secured in one and the.
same socket formed with two corresponding recesses for receiving the ends
of the two ribs. If the ground is of a firm nature the foundation for
carrying the ribs may consist of separate piers of brick or masonry, but
if the ground is of a loose nature the foundation is by preference formed
of longitudinal wooden bearers extending the ontire length of the
building upon which the sockets are secured.
When the building consists of two or more such enclosed spaces, side
by side, openings are formed between the arched ribs by which a com-
munication is established between the two adjoining spaces, which
openings are roofed in by means of bearers extending from the one arch
to the other to which they are secured. by connecting plates, and upon
these bearers is fixed any suitable roofing.

page_text: For lighting these buildings windows are provided at the sides between
the arched ribs, and a longitudinal raised skylight is constructed at the
crown of the roof which may be provided either with side lights or with
louvres for ventilation. The ends of the building are closed in by
enclosures of wood, iron, or other material, in the upper part of which
are formed windows, while doors are formed in the lower part.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of April, in the year
of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Denton Abel, Her special
license that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Denton
Abel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OR DESCRIPTIONS
OF BUILDINGS," a communication to me from abroad by Nicolas,
Poutiloff, of St. Petersburg, in the Russian Empire, State Councillor.
and Manufacturer, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Denton Abel, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the

page_text: 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 Charles Denton Abel, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheets of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the construction of buildings such as
smithies, foundries, warehouses, and the like, in an inexpensive and
durable manner without the use of columns, beams, and other expensive
parts that are requisite for such buildings of present construction.
The Invention consists mainly in constructing such buildings of
arched ribs or principals formed of railway rails secured at their bases,
at or near the ground line, in motal sockets or shoes fixed to a stone or
wood foundation and spanning the entire space to be enclosed without
the use of trussing. These ribs are erected at certain distances apart
and are tied together by longitudinal tie bars, and upon them are then
fixed longitudinal wood or iron purlins carrying a covering either of
sheet metal or of wood, upon which tiles, slates, or bitumenized paper
are laid.
The length of rails (by preference old contractors' rails) for forming
the arched ribs are first curved to the requisite form with the head of
the rail forming the inner flange of the arch, and the foot forming the
outer flange, and the lengths are then sccured together by means of
fish plates bolted to the sides of their abutting ends, and by another
plate rivetted to the abutting outer flanges.
The sockets or shoes for receiving the ends of the ribs are formed with
recesses of a shape corresponding with the configuration of the rails
which are secured therein by means of screw bolts passing through the
socket and the rails. In some cases the building may be composed of
two or more such before-described enclosed spaces side by side, in which
case the ribs of the two adjoining arches arc secured in one and the
same socket formed with two corresponding recesses for receiving the
ends of the two ribs. If the ground is of a firm nature the foundation

page_text: for carrying the ribs may consist of separate piers of brick or masonry,
but if the ground is of a loose nature the foundation is by preference
formed of longitudinal wooden bearers extending the entire length of
the building upon which the sockets are secured.
When the building cosists of two or more such enclosed spaces, side
by side, openings are formed between the arched ribs by which a com-
munication is established between the two adjoining spaces, which
openings are roofed in by means of bearers extending from the one arch
to the other, to which they are secured by connecting plates, and upon
these bearers is fixed any suitable roofing.
For lighting these buildings windows are provided at the sides between
the arched ribs, and a longitudinal raised skylight is constructed at the
crown of the roof, which may either be provided with side lights or with
louvres for ventilation. The ends of the building are closed in by
enclosures of wood, iron, or other material, in the upper part of which
are formed windows, while doors are formed in the lower part.

page_text: g
secured cast iron shoes 9 by means of foundation bolts f,f. These shoes
have one or two sockets (according as they are intended to receive the
ends, one or two, of the arched ribs), such sockets being of a configuration
corresponding to that of the ribs a. When the ribs have been inserted
in the sockets they are secured therein by bolts h, h.
Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, shew a modified construction of the foundation
to suit loose ground. In this case the shoes g are secured to wooden
bearers 7, 1, extending the whole length of the building. Figs. 10 and 11
shew a double shoe for receiving two contiguous arched ribs, and Figs. 8
and 9 shew a single shoe. The arched ribs are tied together in the
direction of the length of the building by flat longitudinal tie bars i, i,
(Fig. 1) and upon them are fixed longitudinal wood or iron purlins K, K,
for receiving a roofing of sheet metal or wood. If the roofing is to be
of felt, slate, or tiles, the purlins are first covered in with wood. On the
crown of the arch is constructed a longitudinal raised skylight m
provided either with side lights or louvres for ventilation. At the sides
of the building windows n, n, are provided, and at the ends there are
doors o and other windows p. The ends are closed in either with wood,
sheet metal,.or felt. If two such spans are erected closely side by side
in order to obtain a building of greater width, as shewn in Figs. 1° and 1º,
openings are left between the arched ribs to allow of free communication
between the two spans, and the entire space A between the contiguous
ribs is covered in by a roof. To afford additional height this roof is by
preference constructed of simicircular arches B which rest on beams r
that are secured to the ribs a by means of side platest fixed to the 2
beams by bolts s, and clamped round the flange of the ribs, as shews'
at Figs. 12 and 13.
2

page_text: upon stone or wood foundations, substantially as herein described and
shewn on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.