Untitled record

Application filed February21,1889. Serial No, 300,723. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, George L. Harvey, a citizen of the United States, residing· in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Houses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to houses xvhich are so constructed that they may be readily taken io doxvn and transported from place to place, and which are adapted to serve for .summerhouses, as temporary headquarters for contractors, surveyors, and similar purposes; and my invention consists in the improved 15 constructions,adaptations, combinations, and • arrangements hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lisa perspective view 'showing the skeleton of a 20 house (one end complete) built according to my method and containing my improvements; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the side walls and roof extended and ready to be secured in position for use. Fig. 3 shows the samh 25 parts represented in Fig. 2 partially folded:

Fig. 4 shows the same parts completely folded and ready for transportation. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the end wall of the house. Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of 30 the interior side sections. Fig. 7 is a similar viexv of one of the end side sections. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of an end roof-section; Fig. 9 is a transverse section through the cap ·. of the roof structure. Fig. 10 shoxvs a turn35 buckle which I use in my construction. Fig;

shows a tie-rod, a central section thereof broken away. Fig. 12 shows a washer for said tie-rod. Figs. 13 and 14 show two forms : of battened joints which I employ in joining 40 the sections together to form the structure;

and Figs. 15 and 16 show side, roof, and floor sections hinged together, the first showing the parts partially and the second completely folded.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to construct the side walls,( the roof, and the floor of the house in sections of convenient width and to hinge the floor-sections and roofsections to the side sections, the roof por50 tions projecting in .the usual manner to provide eaves, and being hinged together at their meeting ends in such a manner that they may be collapsed or folded xvith their outsides in contact, so as to rest between the side sections. The end sections I prefer to 55 construct in suitable widths, xvhich may be hinged together or secured by any suitable joint.

The foundations of the building I prefer to construct of side and end sills having suit- 60 able cross-sills to support the floor-sections, the side sills being provided xvith mortises to recei ve the ends of braces secured to the side sections, and to anchor or tie the upper portion of the structure together by means of 65 tie-rods running longitudinally of the building, and braces for the roof-sections extended transversely to the tie-rods.

I have also provided a peculiar construction of saddle-boards for the roof, and have 70 devised special forms of joints for the sections.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows two sections each comprising side-xvall and roof portions hinged together, as above described, 75 one of the sections being an interior portion of the building and the other being adapted to form the ends of the side walls and roof.

A A represent side-xvall portions, and B B roof portions joined to the former by means 80 of hinges D.

E E are side sillshaving mortises etherein, framed with the end sills F and cross-sills G.

H is a tie-rod, of which three may conveniently be used, one at the apex of the roof 85 and one at each of the angles thereof with . the side walls. These tie-rods H, Fig. 11, are preferably provided at one end with an eye h and at the other with a head H', and the stem of rod II passes through a suitable ap- 90 erture in the end wall and projects to nearly the length of the building, and another rod of like construction projecting from the opposite end xvall of the building, and the two rods maybe connected together by means of 95 the turn-buckle J, having the hooks j, as shown in Fig. 10. These tie-rods are drawn together by the turn-buckle, thus clamping tightly the various sections of the building together. Each of the side and roof portions of the 100 building will, as before stated, be constructed in sections, and each section may be composed

414,976 of a plurality of timbers a, provided with tongues and grooves, and end timbers b, which will have one plain edge. These timbers may be secured to cleats A', as many as necessary, 5 the lower cleat being adapted to rest on the sills E. Each of the side sections are provided toward their lower ends with the feet or braces K, the free ends of which are adapted to enter the mortises e of the sills E.

io L represents tie-rods for the roof, the ends of which may be bent at right angles and adapted to enter keepers I, secured to the roof structure.

The strips or cleats to which the timbers of 15 the roof-sections are secured will be so arranged as to clear the cleats of the side-wall . sections when folded together, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

By referring to the detail figures, 5 to 8, in20 elusive, it will be seen that I have made special provision for forming tight joints at the angles of the structure, whereby also the parts are prevented from movement upon each other. In Fig. 5 the end wall is shown 25 complete, the end timbers b having a batten b' secured flatwise upon their edges, so as to form the recess x, which will receive the projecting end of the timber b of the end side section shown in Fig. 7, while in Fig. 8 is 30 shown a detail of the roof structure at the end, wherein battens are so arranged as to provide a recess y to receive the ends of the vertical timbers of the end section, whereby the roof is firmly anchored to said end sec35 tions.

To prevent leaking at the apex of the roof, I prefer to employ the saddle-board M, which may be adapted to bestride the apex of the roof, and it may have the finish or molding 40 m thereon. A cavity or recess M' is formed on the interior of this saddle-board M just over the apex of the roof, and a spring-clamp 0 is secured in the recess M', its arms being adapted to embrace the knuckle of the hinges 45 D, which secure the roof-sections together, whereby the saddle-board is conveniently secured in place.

In Fig. 13 I have shown a joint for the sections composing the walls of the structure 50 wherein the opposing faces of the timbers a, which are intended to be brought into contact, are cut at reverse angles to each other, and a groove is formed in one of the timbers, in which is seated a tongue p' of a bat55 ten P, the other edge of said batten being nailed or otherwise secured to the timber of the adjoining section. In Fig. 14 the same construction is used, except that the tongue p’ is omitted and a piece of flexible rubber, 60 doubled, if desired, and indicated at q in said figure, is placed in the groove, the latter being secured to cover the rubber, the free edge of which will be pressed outwardly against the lower face of the batten.

In Figs. 15 and 16 I have shown floor-sections R, which will be of the same width as the side and roof sections and will have their lower ends hinged to the former, so as to fold up against them for transportation. These floor-sections will be of such length as to ex- 70 tend half the width of the building when unfolded.

In erecting a building constructed according to my invention it will be found expedient to first place the sills and cross-timbers 75 and then erect thereon one or more of the hinged roof and side sections, as indicated in Fig. 1. The end walls or one of them may then be erected, and then the interior formed by adding the sections one at a time. The 80 tie-rods L support the sections and prevent their collapse until the keepers are secured in place. When all of the sections are set up, the rods II are put in place, and the tightening up of these tie-rods by means of the turn- 85 buckles operates to draw the upper portion of the structure tightly together, closing all the joints, and thus providing a strong, compact, and well-built house at small expense, and one which is easily taken apart and trans- 90 ported from place to place, as before described.