Improvements in the Construction of Horticultural and other Buildings, and Applicable also for Tanks.
Year: 1889

page_text: ate of Application, 29th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Horticultural and other
Buildings, and Applicable also for Tanks.
1. DUNCAN MCKELLAR of 28 Ladbroke Grove Road, North Kensington in the
county of Middlesex, Florist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
I purpose using for the main supports of these buildings, hollow cast iron
columns.
For rectangular structures four patterns are necessary.
For the corners as fig. 1.
for the walls fig. 2 for door posts fig. 4. and for crossing and dividing into compart-
ments as fig. 3. see illustrations. The length and width of a building being given, set
up a column at each of the four corners fig. 1. and two columns, for the door posts
fig. 4. being placed in position range along the front line of the building at regular
distances columns fig. 2 with the grooved sides outwards and the same number along
the back line of front wall alternately with the front columns, but with the grooves
reversed. All the columns are to be firmly set and level, and the grooves of columns
fig. 2. placed so that they will coincide with the grooves of the corner columns and
those of the door posts. The distances between the columns being previously
ascertained by the length of the material being either iron, wood or slate, used to
form the sides of walls.
For horticultural buildings columns of different lengths are required, long ones
for walls and short ones fig. 3. for staging. In the long columns fig. 2. a slot is
cast as shewn on one side to the level of the short columns, which are cast with a
dovetailed opening to receive iron cross bars (fig. 6 letter F.) which serve for ties
and as supports to the staging.
When the short columns are firmly set up to form the front line of the stage.
they should stand opposite to the columns in front wall, the cross bars can then be
placed in position, one end being dropped into the dovetail of the short columns the
other into the slot of long columns and being placed at regular distances beside
carrying the stage act as tie rods to the walls. To complete the staging two strong
angle iron bars are laid along see fig. letter F. one on each side and secured
to the columns by small bolts or screws holes being made for that purpose. A rod
of T iron H is also laid along centre of cross bars in a groove as shewn, fig. 6, H.
The stage is now ready for covering either with stone slabs, slate, boards or laths
these being covered with cement.
When the columns forming the walls are placed the plates of iron, wood or
whatever is used to make the casing are let into the grooves of the front and back
lines, level throughout filling and ramming the space between with mould, sand or
other material at hand, up to the point where the cross bars of the staging
necessitates the plates or boards being cut to allow them to pass through. Complete
the wall to the top of the column finishing exactly at the top. In ramming up ties
may be neccessary as fig. 8.
Roof. To make this portable without damage to the material I propose when a
long building is to be erected to divide it into convenient lengths, according to size
and weight of the material used. If one part is described and how it is connected it
will serve for all.
To join two pieces of wall plate, a broad piece of Ṭ iron four feet in length with the
web cut half away from the centre to the points and tapered off as shown fig. 9. with
holes drilled for screws is required.
The ridgeboard should be made of two boards bolted together continuously the
joints overlanting and made so as to be easily datoshad

page_text: The sash bars to carry glass, are made in the usual way, and being cut to the
proper length and bevilled at both ends to suit the slope of roof a screw is inserted
through the bars into wall plate and one into the ridge board, care being taken that
it does not go through or into the second board, a bar of angle iron laid in at
bottom of sash bars, these being cut to receive it, and the angle iron having holes
drilled opposite each sash bar for screws, secures them, the angle iron is also screwed
to wall plate. This arrangement of angle iron at top of sash bars secures them to
the ridge board outside.
Ventilation. To make provision for bottom air, an air chamber should be made
the whole length of the building passing beyond the limits of one or both ends and
then turned to one side clear of the entrance. The sides of the chamber can be
secured by using short columns as fig. 4 and a single plate on each side. Lengths of
angle iron are to be placed on the top of columns and fixed as described for the
staging. Iron or burnt clay pipes may be used by laying them along the centre of
the chamber with T pieces placed at short intervals, the openings turned right and
left, the ends to finish outside with an elbow or bend having its mouth horizontally
placed so as to be suitable for a lid or cover.
The space over the pipes and between the columns being covered with an iron
grating or wooden trellis, to allow the bottom air to circulate freely. The covers can
be arranged to admit a greater or less supply of air as required.
To facilitate the escape of heated or vitiated air sliding sashes on the outside of
roof are used, which work as follows.
An iron rod I (of gas barrel) the length of the house and secured close to the
ridge having a lateral movement forwards and backwards on pullies and attached by
chains to the sashes which are hung in pairs allowing one sash to slide down while
the same movement raises the other see illustration fig. 10. on reversing the
movement the sashes return to their original position, the one sash counter-
balancing the other. This is done by means of a lever handle in a quadrant and
can be arranged to stop at any point
Tanks for water can be economically constructed with the cast columns used in
these buildings, cement being used to fill the spaces between the plates forming
the walls and tie rods attached to the tops of columns prevent any bulging
see fig. 7.
To prevent the rain water that falls on the glass above the air openings passing
through, a piece of angle lead or zince having holes drilled opposite the centre of each
pane of glass in the ventilator with a nipple of about 2" long soldered in, is fixed to
the roof, the nipples extending over the opening, a similar angle piece is fixed below
ventilator with holes exactly opposite nipples, a piece of tule (compo) sufficiently
long to pass over the nipples and extend a couple of inches down the pane below will
carry the water off on to the glass, see fig. 11.
28th October 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Horticultural and other
Buildings, and Applicable also for Tanks.
I, DUNCAN MCKELLAR of 28 Ladbroke Grove Road North Kensington in the
county of Middlesex Florist 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 relates to certain improvements in the construction of horticultural
and other buildings such construction being also applicable for tanks.
In carrying out my invention I purpose using for the main supports of these
buildings hollow cast iron columns, and in the following particular description
reference will be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the figures and
letters marked thereon.

page_text: In the construction of rectangular buildings I find it convenient to use four
patterns. These are shown in Figs. 1, 1, 1, 2 and 3. A is the corner column,
B wall column C door post, and D (Figs. 2, 22) for dividing into compartments or
for erecting stagings.
The length and width of a building being given I set up a column A at each
of the four corners, and two columns C for the door posts being placed in position
I range along the front line of the building at regular distances columns B with
the grooved sides outwards and the same number along the back line of front
wall alternately with the front columns but with the grooves reversed. All the
columns are to be firmly set and level and the grooves of columns B placed so
that they will coincide with the grooves of the corner columns and those of the
door posts. The distances between the columns having been previously ascertained
by the length of the material a used to form the sides of the walls-this may be
eitber iron, wood or slate.
For horticultural buildings, columns of different lengths are required, long ones
for walls and short ones for dividing into compartments or for staging. In the
long columns B (Fig. 2) a slot is cast as shown Fig. 3 to the level of the
short columns D which are cast with a dove-tailed slot c (sco Fig. 2") to receive
iron cross bars d which serve for ties and as supports to the stage. These
columns are placed opposite the columns B in the front wall the cross bar d
can then be placed in position one end in the slot of column D the other into
the slot of columns B and being placed at regular intervals they act as tie rods
to the walls besides carrying the stage. To complete the staging two strong angle
iron bars ce are laid along one on each side and secured to the columns by bolts
or screws,
holes being made for that purpose; a rod of T iron is also laid
along the centre of cross bars d in a groove as shown. The stage is now ready
for covering either with stone slabs, boards, or laths these being covered with
cement.
When the columns forming the walls are placed in position the plates a of iron,
wood, or whatever is used to make the casing are let into the grooves of the
front and back lines of columns filling and ramming the space between with
mould, sand, or other material at hand, up to the point where the cross bars of
the staging necessitates the plates or boards being cut to allow them to pass through;
I then complete the wall to the top of the columns finishing exactly at the top.
In ramming up I sometimes find it useful to employ the ties Figs. 4 and 4
to prevent the plates bulging.
Roof. To make this portable without damage to the material I propose when
a long building is to be erected to divide it into convenient lengths according to
size and weight of materials used. If one part is described and how it is con-
nected it will serve for all. To join two pieces of wall plate I use a broad piece
of iron of convenient length with the web cut away as shown Figs. 5 5
and with holes in its top surface for screws. A saw cut is made in the ends of
the pieces to be joined into which I place the web and then screw together as
will be understood.
The ridge boards should be made of two boards bolted together continuously,
the joints overlapping and made so as to be easily detached.
The sash bars to carry glass are made in the usual way and being cut to the
proper length and bevilled at both ends to suit the slope of roof, a screw is
inserted through the bars into the wall plate and one into the ridge board care
being taken that it does not go into the second board.
A bar of angle iron is laid in at the bottom of the sash bars which are cut to
receive it, and the angle iron is drilled opposite each sash bar for screws and
thus secures them; the angle iron is also screwed to the wall plate. This arrange-
ment of angle iron at top of sash bar secures them to the ridge board outside.
Ventilation. To make provisions for bottom air an air chamber is made the
whole length of the building and passing beyond the limits of one or both ends and
then turned to one side clear of the entrance. The sides of the chamber can be

page_text: secured by using short columns and a single plate on each side. Lengths of angle
iron being placed on top of the columns and fixed as described for the staging. I may
also secure the sides of the chamber by making the columns D longer and by
casting or rivetting a bracket d' on a level with the floring as a support of the
grating. Iron or burnt clay pipes may be used by laying them along the centre
of the chamber with T pieces placed at short intervals, the openings turned right
and left, the ends to finish outside with an elbow or bend having its mouth
horizontally placed so as to be suitable for a lid or cover. The space over the
pipes and between the columns is covered with an iron grating or wooden trellis
to allow the bottom air to circulate freely. The covers can be arranged to admit a
greater or less supply of air as required.
To facilitate the escape of heated or vitiated air sliding sashes on the outside of
roof are used Fig. 6, which work as follows: An iron rod k of gas barrel of the
length of the house is secured close to the ridge and having a lateral movement
forwards and backwards on pullies and attached to the sashes (which are hung in
pairs) by chains or cords in manner as shown so as to allow one sash to slide down
whilst the same movement raises the other, and on reversing the movement the sashes
return to their original position the one sash counterbalancing the other. The lateral
movement to bark may be effected by means of a lever handle operating a quadrant
and can be arranged to stop at any point.
Tanks for water see Fig. 7 can be economically constructed with the columns
used in these buildings, cement being used to fill the spaces between the plates
forming the walls and tie rods m attached to the top of the columns prevent any
bulging.
To prevent the rain water that falls on the glass above the air openings passing
through employ the means shown in Fig. 8. A piece of angle lead n with holes
drilled opposite the centre of each pane of glass is fixed to the roof, in each of
the holes I solder a nipple as shown in dotted lines which extend over the opening,
a similar piece of angle is fixed below the ventilator with holes opposite the nipples
and a piece of tube p (compo) sufficiently long to pass over the nipples and extend a
couple of inches down the pane below the ventilator will carry the water off onto the
glass.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. In the construction of horticultural and other buildings the columns or
main supports constructed as herein described and shown in the drawings.
Secondly. The construction of horticultural and other buildings substantially as
herein described.
Thirdly. The construction of water tanks as herein described with reference to
Fig. 7 of the drawings.
Fourthly. The means for carrying off rain water over the ventilating openings
substantially as herein described and shown Fig. 8 of the drawings.
D
DUNCAN MCKELLAR,
28, Ladbroke Grove Road, North Kensington.