Improved Construction of Fire Proof Iron Buildings.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1888
Specification Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1889
Improved Construction of Fire Proof Iron Buildings..
WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the firm of Horn & Son Patent Agents, 151 Strand
Middlesex (a communication to me from abroad by Edwin John Weston of San
Francisco in the county of San Francisco and State of California United States of
America Gentleman) 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 my invention has reference to certain new and useful Improvements in the
Construction of Iron Buildings and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and
exact description thereof reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to
the letters of reference marked thercon making a part of this specification in which
Figure 1 is an elevation in perspective showing my invention as embodied in a portion
of one side of a structure Fig. 2 a view in perspective on an enlarged scale showing
the combination of the vertical wrought iron uprights of the structure with the hori-
zontal plates for the support of the floor beams and an improved construction of said
plates Fig. 3 a front elevation of a portion of one side of my improved structure
showing a modification in its re-enforcing frames or panels Fig. 4 is a cross section in
line and Fig. 5 a cross section in line y y of Fig. 3 Fig. 6 a cross section on
line of Fig. and Fig. 7 a cross section in line a a of Fig. 2.
My invention relates to a new and useful method of constructing a comparatively
light fire proof framework for buildings wherewith they may be safely erected to great
heights without danger of the falling of the walls by reason of earthquakes or fire and
be built in locations where difficulty exists in finding a suitable foundation for heavy
walls of masonry and any invention is especially adapted to the construction of tall
towers chimneys factories and works of a similar character.
It consists in the combination with uprights formed of I beams of wrought iron of
diagonally-braced frames or open panels of cast iron adapted to fit closely between
the uprights and to be confined by the flanges thereof and also in the combination
with said wrought iron uprights and intermediate cast iron frames of compound
horizontal plates constructed as hereinafter described each of two channel beams
enclosing a longitudinal cast iron re-enforcing plate.
In the accompanying drawings AAA represent rolled wrought iron I beams
mounted, and secured by means of angle irons B B or other appropriate means to

page_text: a foundation plate (which may itself be supported upon a pair of I beams DD
horizontally disposed as shown in figure 1. These wrought iron uprights may be
of a length to extend up. for two or more stories or may be made to reach merely
to the height of a single story.
Where they extend up unbroken heyond the first story an angle or L shaped
heam E of wrought iron is bolted horizontally to and against the face of the
uprights to furnish a support for the floor beams F F of the structure whose ends
resting upon said horizontal beam are properly secured thereto in the customary
manner.
Thus far the structure composed of wrought iron beams is of a character well
known to the art.
The wrought iron uprights if their vertical position be positively maintained
may be safely loaded to from three to five tons weight for each square inch of
their sectional area, and one object of my invention is to stay and brace these
wrought iron uprights in a simple effective and economical manner so as to prevent
any lateral motion or flexure thereof. To accomplish this end I insert between
the uprights A A frames or open panels G G of cast iron formed with diagonal
intersecting liraces m m and which are adapted to fit snugly between the uprights A A
and be confined laterally between the flanges thereof so that by contact with the
web of the beams along their length they will re-enforce them and afford a firm
lateral support thereto.
The bars of the cast iron frames are preferably all flanged as shown in the cross
sections thereof, Figs. 45 and 6 and the upper and lower bars are preferably cast
with a central half circular longitudinal groove n therein (see Fig. 6) so that when
two frames are brought together the opposite bars shall inclose between them a
central longitudinal opening to receive a horizontal bolt or tie rod H by which the
adjacent uprights may be drawn together and firmly tied upon the frames said bolt
being passed through suitable apertures pierced in the web of the upright as shown
in Fig. 1.
In continuing the structure upward above the ends of a tier of uprights A A tho
upper ends of said uprights are connected and tied together horizontally by compound
plates I, I, resting thereon as shown in Fig. 2 and made fast thereto by angle irons
or knees PP bolted to the one and the other.
The compound plates I, I are constructed each of two channel beams T. T.. of
wrought iron fitted together with their flanged edges facing inward and enclosing
between them a central bar or plate K of cast iron (see Figs. 2 and 7) the whole
being united by transverse bolts LL which serve also to secure upon the outer face of
the plate the angle irons or knees P P. The floor joists F F may consist of wrought
iron beams. The ends of these beams resting upon the plates II may fit snugly
between the knees or angle irons PP so as to be confined thereby against lateral
movement as shown in Fig. 2..
The cast iron re-enforcing frames G G may be made single and more or less square
in form with but single intersecting braces mm as shown in Fig. 1 or they may be
extended to comprise two open work panels separated by a central cross bar, t, and
each intersected by the diagonal braces as shown in Fig. 3.
The composite frames thus constructed of wrought iron I beams A', 'A re-enforced
and supported by interposed cast iron flanged frames or panels G. G and united by
transverce Bolts HH, may be closed and made tight by means of metallic netting or lath
werk secured upon one or both sides and plastered with mortar or cement or by a lining
or facing of sheet metal fastened thereon in the usual manner or the framing may be
incased in walls of cement, brick or masonry to which it will afford a firm support.
.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the. nature of my said Inven
tion and in what manner, the same is, to be performed 1. declare that what
claim is :-
1. The combination, in a metallic fraining for elevated structures, of upright
formed of flanged beams of wrought metal, with interposed diagonally braced

page_text: re-enforced frames or panels of cast metal and transverse tie rods, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
2. The combination, in a metallic framing for buildings, of the uprights A, A,
consisting of Hanged wrought iron beams, the interposed re-enforcing panels consist-
ing of diagonally braced frames G, G, of cast Iron, the transverse tie rods H, and the
horizontal plates I, I, each consisting of a pair of channel beams enclosing between
their opposed flanges a longitudinal re-enforcing plate, K, of cast iron, all sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
3. The combination, in a metallic structure, of the wrought iron flanged uprights A, A,
the united horizontal wrought iron channel beams I, I, interposed between the ends of
the vertical uprights the cast iron re-enforcing plate K, interposed between the
channel beams, the metallic knees or angle irons P, P, fitted in the angles formed by
the uprights with the horizontal beams, and the vertical bolts passing through the
angle irons, channel beams, and interposed re-enforcing plate, all substantially in the
manner and for the purpose herein set forth.