Valley-gutter for greenhouses.

Application filed June 21,1902. Serial Ko. 112,656. (So model.) 'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John Lloyd Dillon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and 5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valley-Gutters for Greenhouses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to valley-gutters for io greenhouses; and the principal object of the same is to provide an efficient means for gathering the water of condensation which accumulates upon the inner surface of the sashes forming the roofs of greenhouses and 15 similar structures, as well as the rain-water that may fall on the exterior of said sashes.

Other objects will become apparent upon further description of the invention.

The invention primarily consists of a val20 ley-gutter of a particular form composed of a combination of materials that will resist corrosion and decay, the improved device being of integral structure within certain lengths and capable of having nails or other fasten25 ings driven thereinto with the same holding power or resistance as is resident in wood.

The invention further consists of the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereto inafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through the eaves of two greenhouses and the improved valley-gutter which is applied in operative position there35 to. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of the improved valley-gutter. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the improved valley-gutter, showing a connecting-clip of preferred form applied thereto 40 over the joint formed by contiguous ends of sections of the gutter.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numerall designates the improved valley-gutter, which is composed, preferably, of a mixture of sawdust,.Portland cement, and coal-ashes in proper proportions. The gutter is molded or otherwise shaped and is formed 50 with a main way 2, having upstanding slightly outwardly inclined side guards 3, provided with upper inverted-V-shaped edges

4, the inclined members of said edges being disposed at such an angle as to form tight joints with the lower glass plates or panes 5 55 of the sashes 6, of which the roofs of the greenhouses are made up. The formation of these tight joints and the outward inclination of the side guards 3 insure the flow of water from the upper surface of the sash or panes 60 of the latter into the way 2 without liability of the water seeping or leaking through the joints formed between the upper edges of the sides guards 3 and the lower panes a.

The improved device also has supplemental 65 walls 7 at opposite sides which extend upwardly at a slight outward incline, and between the same and the side guards 3 auxiliary side ways 8. are formed and located inwardly beyond the points of juncture of 70 the upper edges of the said guards with the lower panes 4 and are adapted to receive the water of condensation that accumulates on the inner surface of the sash and runs downwardly through the said upper edges of the 75 side guards and from the latter falls into the ways 8. The outer inclined members of the upper edges of the said guards facilitate the direction of the water of condensation from the inner sides of the sash into the ways 8, 80 and in the extreme event that the water from the exterior leaks through the joint between the panes 5 and the upper edges of the side guards 3 said water will also be directed into the ways 8. 85

To strengthen the improved gutter, a sheetmetal or^- other analogous reinforce 9 is inserted therein and extends longitudinally thereof, said reinforce having upwardly-projecting side flanges 10, 'partially extending 90 through the side guards 3, thereby reinforcing the gutter to such an extent as to cause it to withstand considerable weight-pressure and serve to support the eaves of adjacent greenhouses. As additional means of strengthen- 95 ing the gutter iron or other metal bars 10^aare disposed in the gutter adjacent to the inner bottom portions of the ears 8 and prevent breakage of the latter, and extending upwardly through the supplemental walls 7 are 100 similarly-shaped reinforcing metallic plates 10^b, the bars 10^a and plates 10^b extending full length of the several sections of the gutter and by their locations obstructing any tend

728,089 ency toward fracture of the parts engaged thereby.

To hold the gutter up in place, uprights 11 will be employed and arranged at suitable 5 intervals, and it is obvious that it will be more expeditious to construct the improved gutter in certain lengths or sections. By this means a differentiation in the length of greenhouses can be more readily accomro modated without material waste in the use of the improved gutter, and in arranging the sections in operative position the conterminous ends of the same are closely disposed, as indicated by Fig. 3, and the terminals of 15 the contiguous sections are connected by broad metallic clips 12, having ears 13 at opposite sides through which bolts 14, embedded in the gutter, are passed and have securing-nuts bearing against the said ears. The 20 bars 10^a are welded to the heads of the bolts before the said bars and bolts are placed in position in the gutter, and a reliable rigid support or connection is thus provided for the bolt, as well as an additional reinforce through 25 the use of the bars. The opposite ends of the clips are also formed with upturned flanges 16, conforming in contour and closely bearing against the outer surfaces of the supplemental walls 7, and thereby also serve as braces for 30 the latter. By using the broad connectingelips 12 the jointsof the gutter are prevented from leaking, and in some instances, if desired, a suitable filling or waterproof substance may be interposed between the con35 terminous ends of the several lengths or sections. Extending downwardly from the center of each clip are securing-flanges 17 to embrace and be secured to the opposite sides of the uprights 11 to hold the gutter in place. 40 It will be understood that it is proposed to make the uprights either of wood, iron, or composition and of either solid or hollow form.

The integral construction of the parts of each length or section of the gutter is a ma45 terial advantage in disposing the improved device in operative relation to the eaves of greenhouses and also economical from a manufacturing standpoint. The composition of materials of which the gutter is made up 50 obstructs corrosion and decay, and the improved device is therefore rendered more durable.

It will be seen that the supplemental walls 7 do not extend upwardly as high as the side 55 guards 3, but the vertical extent of said walls may be varied, and, furthermore, changes in the dimensions, proportions, and minor details maybe resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.