Jamesway hut
Encyclopedia
Jamesway hut is portable and easy-to-assemble hut
, designed for arctic
weather conditions. This version of the Quonset hut
was created by James Manufacturing Company of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
. A Jamesway hut had wooden ribs and an insulated fabric covering for the Army Air Corps. Insulated blankets in 4 feet (1.2 m) were made with glass fiber insulation faced with flame-proof muslin
and enclosed in plastic-treated cotton
that was water-, vermin-, and fire-proof. The hardware (nails, fasteners, and connecting bars) was the only metal component. The whole package weighed 1200 pounds (544.3 kg) for a 16 feet (4.9 m). Its wooden packing crate
s were designed for reuse as the hut floor
.
The storage/floor sections, each 4 ft. by 8 ft.(1.2m by 2.4m) were made from plywood and insulated with R-7 fiberglass insulation, which provided a portable, warm and cleanable floor. The wooden arches holding up the roof were attached to the floor sections with steel fittings and wing nuts, and were strong enough hold a winters snow. The arches, the key to the design, were curved glue laminated wooden 6 inch (18 cm.) beams on 4 foot (1.2 m) centers that folded in quarters on steel hinges and removable pins.
The Hut became famous for providing portable warmth and shelter for the U.S Armed forces when the Japanese invaded the far Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and, as some have argued, without the portable Jamesway Hut the Alaskan Highway could not have been built.
Hut (dwelling)
A hut is a small and crude shelter, usually used for dwelling. Its design favors local techniques and materials to allow for swift and inexpensive construction.-Modern use:...
, designed for arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
weather conditions. This version of the Quonset hut
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
was created by James Manufacturing Company of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Fort Atkinson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the Rock River, a few miles upstream from Lake Koshkonong. In 1996, Money Magazine named Fort Atkinson "One of America's Hottest Little Boomtowns." The population was 11,621 at the 2000 census.- History :Fort...
. A Jamesway hut had wooden ribs and an insulated fabric covering for the Army Air Corps. Insulated blankets in 4 feet (1.2 m) were made with glass fiber insulation faced with flame-proof muslin
Muslin
Muslin |sewing patterns]], such as for clothing, curtains, or upholstery. Because air moves easily through muslin, muslin clothing is suitable for hot, dry climates.- Etymology and history :...
and enclosed in plastic-treated cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
that was water-, vermin-, and fire-proof. The hardware (nails, fasteners, and connecting bars) was the only metal component. The whole package weighed 1200 pounds (544.3 kg) for a 16 feet (4.9 m). Its wooden packing crate
Crate
A crate is a large shipping container, often made of wood, typically used to transport large, heavy or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure, with or without sheathing. For a wooden container to be a crate, all six of its sides must be put in place to result in the rated strength...
s were designed for reuse as the hut floor
Floor
A floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
.
The storage/floor sections, each 4 ft. by 8 ft.(1.2m by 2.4m) were made from plywood and insulated with R-7 fiberglass insulation, which provided a portable, warm and cleanable floor. The wooden arches holding up the roof were attached to the floor sections with steel fittings and wing nuts, and were strong enough hold a winters snow. The arches, the key to the design, were curved glue laminated wooden 6 inch (18 cm.) beams on 4 foot (1.2 m) centers that folded in quarters on steel hinges and removable pins.
The Hut became famous for providing portable warmth and shelter for the U.S Armed forces when the Japanese invaded the far Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and, as some have argued, without the portable Jamesway Hut the Alaskan Highway could not have been built.