IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ERECTION OF BUILDINGS USED FOR HORTICULTURAL OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN "
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Goode Messenger, of the Midland Steam
Works, Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Hydraulic
Engineer, Valve Manufacturer, and Horticultural Builder, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ERECTION
OF BUILDINGS USED FOR HORTICULTURAL OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES, AND IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Goode
Messenger at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 4th July 1868.
I, THOMAS GOODE MESSENGER, of the Midland Steam Works,
Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Hydraulic Engineer, Valve
Manufacturer, and Horticultural Builder, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
ERECTION OF BUILDINGS USED FOR HORTICULTURAL OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES,
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in part in the construction and arrangement
of a number of glazed lights of equal or unequal widths fixed on one
or more sides of a conservatory or other building used for horticultural
[Price 8d.]

page_text: or other similar purposes, and hung in such manner that the whole or
any number of them on the same side may be opened at one and the
same time any required distance. These lights may run the entire
length of the building, and may open from one end to the other end
thereof, the object being to admit fresh air into every portion of the
building or erection in either small or large quantities.
This construction and arrangement will produce an effect never before
obtained, and by making the structure of narrow lights I am enable
to make the outline almost any shape, and give it a very graceful
and ornamental appearance without the use of bent glass, and at a
very small additional cost over that of a perfectly straight and plain
structure.
The machinery or apparatus which I employ in carrying out my
Invention consists of screws and toothed wheels and worms, or their
equivalent, for the purpose of opening and closing the lights before
mentioned. The wheels or worms employed, or their equivalent, by
acting upon a screw and travelling nut move a rod, to which are fixed
arms to move the lights, and are fixed upon a rod to which is attached
a grooved wheel, in which runs an endless band or chain worked by a
second wheel and handle fixed in any convenient part of the building
to be ventilated; or the motion may be given by a rod or countershaft,
to which is attached a worm and handle to act upon the worms and
wheels, and upon the screws and arms, or their equivalent, before
mentioned, for moving the light or lights required to be opened or closed;
or motion may be given direct by means of a handle fixed in the place
of the grooved wheel before mentioned, or otherwise, according to the
requirements of the situation.
The skeleton of the structure may be formed by fixing upon a stone,
iron, wood, or other sill, or an iron or wood, or wood and iron com-
bined rafter, bent to any required form if desired to be of an ornamental
character, or it may be constructed of straight pieces of wood or iron
firmly joined together in such manner that in the whole they have the
form required. To these rafters are secured the iron brackets, bearers,
or supports for the ventilating apparatus, or for strengthening or for
training purposes, or for ornament.
The ends of the house or structure are constructed either plain or
ornamental, and are usually fitted in with fast lights, but may be fitted
with moveable lights if desired.

page_text: If the building or structure is required to be perfectly plain, whether
in form or lean-to span or semi-span roofed structure consisting of
upright sides and straight roof, it is formed by fixing iron or other
bracket-headed "muntins" upon sills, as before mentioned, upon which
"muntins" rest a small wood or other longitudinal plate, and also the
feet of the wood, iron, or other rafters forming the roof. To these iron
or other muntins are secured or cast on, so as to form part of same, the
required brackets, bearers, or supports for ventilating or other apparatus
as before mentioned. The ventilating apparatus in this case would be
so arranged as to open the upright front light, and a similar one at the
apex of roof opening the entire length of building at once, and either
together or separately, as may be desired; or the upright light and the
whole of the roofing may be made to open in a circular manner.
Although this Invention is intended primarily for the construction or
ventilation of horticultural buildings, it may in many instances be
employed with advantage for other similar buildings or structures.
Many advantages are embraced in this Invention, and amongst them
may be mentioned, these buildings may be erected in any required
form, and without the use of bent glass; their extreme lightness of
construction combined with much strength and durability; that plants
may be exposed to the atmosphere of the open air when desired, or pure
air be admitted in any required quantity and at many points, thus giving
thorough and complete ventilation, with novelty of construction and
great variety of design, all being attainable at small cost. The
buildings may be glazed either with or without employing putty,
as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Goode Messenger in the Great Seal Patent.
Office on the 4th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GOODE MESSENGER, of the Midland Steam Works, Loughborough,
in the County of Leicester, Hydraulic Engineer, Valve Manufacturer,
and Horticultural Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-

page_text: second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Goode Messenger, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Goode Messenger, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Goode
Messenger, my executors, administrators, 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, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ERECTION Or
BUILDINGS USED FOR HORTICULTURAL OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES, AND IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Goode Messenger, 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 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 Thomas Goode Messenger, 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
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in part in the construction and arrangement of
a number of glazed lights of equal or unequal widths fixed on one or
more sides of a conservatory or other building used for horticultural or
other similar purposes, such lights being hung in such manner that the
whole of them (or any number of them) on the same side may be opened
at one and the same time any required distance. These lights may run
the entire length of the building, and may open from one end to the
other end thereof, the object being to admit fresh air into every portion
of the building or erection in either small or large quantities.
This construction and arrangement will produce an effect not previously
obtained; and by making the structure with narrow lights I am enabled
to make the outline of almost any shape, and give it a very graceful and
ornamental appearance without the use of bent glass, and at a very small
additional cost over that of a perfectly straight and plain structure.

page_text: The machinery or apparatus which I employ in carrying out my
Invention consists of screws and toothed wheels and worms, or their
equivalent, for the purpose of opening and closing the lights before men-
tioned. The wheels or worms employed, or their equivalent, by acting
upon a screw and travelling nut move a rod, to which are fixed arms
to move the lights, and the worm and toothed wheel are fixed upon a
rod, to which is attached a grooved wheel, in the groove of which runs
an endless band or chain worked by a second wheel and a handle fixed
in any convenient part of the building to be ventilated; or the motion
may be given by a rod or countershaft, to which is attached a worm and
handle to act upon the worms and upon the wheels and screws and
arms, or their equivalent, before mentioned, for moving the light or lights
required to be opened or closed; or motion may be given direct by means
of a handle fixed in the place of the grooved wheel before mentioned, or
otherwise, according to the requirements of the situation.
The skeleton of the structure may be formed by fixing upon a stone,
iron, wood, or other sill, or an iron or wood, er wood and iron combined
rafter bent to any required form, if desired to be of an ornamental
character; or it may be constructed of straight pieces of wood or iron
firmly joined together in such manner that in the whole the rafters
have the form required. To these rafters are secured the iron brackets,
bearers, or supports used for carrying out the ventilating apparatus, or
for strengthening or for training purposes, or for ornamental purposes.
The ends of the house or structure are constructed either plain or
ornamental, and are usually filled in with fast lights, but they may be
filled with moveable lights if desired.
If the building or structure is required to be perfectly plain, whether
in form a lean-to span or semi-span roofed structure consisting of
upright sides and straight roof, it is formed by fixing iron or other
bracket-headed muntins upon sill, as before mentioned, upon which
muntins rests a small wood or other longitudinal plate, and also the feet
of the wood, iron, or other rafters forming the roof. To these iron or
other muntins are secured or cast on, so as to form part of same, the
required brackets, bearers, or supports for the ventilating or other appa-
ratus, as before mentioned. The ventilating apparatus in this case
would be so arranged as to open the upright front light, and a similar
one at the apex of the roof the entire length of the building at once
and either together or separately, as may be desired; or the upright

page_text: Figure 7 exhibits a portion of a curved roof with rafter and sliding rod
and carrier with arm, screw toothed wheel, and travelling nut.
Figure 8 gives a front view of the sliding rod and carriers with screw
worm and travelling nut, and also the wheel and chain.
A represents a sill; B, the rafters; C, the ventilating lights; D, the
ridge and cap; F, the carriers for the sliding rod; G, the sliding rod;
H, the moving arms working in joints I, I, I, I, the joints; J, the screw ;
K, the travelling nut; L, the toothed wheel and worm; M, the wheels
acted upon by a chain to propel the screws; N, the bearers for the screw
and worm rods; O, the iron saddle; P, the king rod; R, the tension
rod; S, the iron muutins; T, the bracket for straining the wires; U, the
lug to carry the ventilating light; V, the brackets to receive the tension
rods and the thrust principals with the feet of the rafters; W, the
longitudinal plate; X, a wheel and handle for acting upon the wheel M.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The construction, arrangement, and employment of lights in
and for buildings used for horticultural or other similar purposes,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The arrangement and combination of machinery or apparatus,
substantially as herein-before described.
Third. The mode of constructing horticultural and other similar
buildings, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Goode Messenger, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
THOMAS GOODE MESSENGER. (L.S.)