IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS BERTHS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS BERTHS a communication to him from
abroad by George Orlando Smith of Boston-United States
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1883.
IN
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS
SHIPS BERTHS," a communication to me from abroad by George Orlando Smith of
Boston United States,
The invention relates to self levelling ships berths and consists essentially of the
following elements, an inner section, or berth pivoted to the sides of a middle
section, a middle section pivoted in its ends to the ends of the outer section, the
latter being pivoted in its ends to the cabin walls.
The invention further consists of stationary supporting brackets having pro-
jections or fulcra and eccentric cam projections in combination with links and
adjustable sliding blocks adapted to yield and move in slots or recesses in the ends
of the outer section of the berth with an outwardly projecting edge or flange
adapted to operate a lever pivoted to the outer section to cause the berth to be
locked by pressure on said flange or edge-The various parts are of metal or of
metal and wood combined.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th November 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, " IMPROVEMENTS IN
SHIPS BERTHS," a communication to me from abroad by George Orlando Smith, of
Boston, United States,
This invention relates to improvements in self levelling ships berths and it is
carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings where
Fig 1 represents a plan view and Fig 2 represents a side elevation of the improved
berth; Fig 3 represents a longitudinal section on the line A-B shown in Fig 1;
Fig 4 represents a cross-section on the line C-D shown in Fig 1; Fig 5 represents
a cross section on the line E-F also shown in Fig 1 with the inner section or
berth shown as removed. Fig 6 represents a similar section with the inner section,
its end piece and links shown as removed; Fig 7 represents a partial longitudinal
section on the line G-H shown in Fig 6; and Fig 8 represents an end view of one
of the berth supporting brackets. Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever
they occur on the different parts of the drawings.
In ships berths of the self-levelling kind it is desirable that the berth should not
be too sensitive to the rolling motions of the vessel as by being over sensitive to
said motions the berth will oscillate further than its level position and thus be
objectionable rather than advantageous. It is also desirable in such berths that its
lateral adjustment in relation to the rolling motion of the ship shall be as inde-
pendent as possible from its longitudinal adjustment in relation to the fore and aft
motion of the vessel.
Another desirable feature in ships berths of this kind is to automatically lock it
in any desirable position when going in or out of the berth, and with these objects
in view I carry out the invention as follows :—
a, a', a' are the cabin walls as usual. b represents the inner section or berth
proper with its spring wire mattrass b' or other suitable bottom as may be desired.
The berth b is hung at c' c¹ to the short links c c the upper ends of which are
hinged at cc to the insides of the middle section d d as shown. To each of the
fulcra c¹ is hinged the upper end of the inclined linke having a slot hole e' in
its lower end that embraces the stud or set screw e secured to the sides of the
inner section, b, as shown in Fig. 3 and 4 by which arrangement the berth or inner
section is normally supported and made to swing on the lower fulcra c¹ c¹ until
the fore and aft motion of the vessel increases sufficiently to bring the stud or set
screw to the upper or lower ends of the slot hole e¹ in the link e when a
triangular support for the berth is obtained consisting of pins or screws c¹, cll
and on each side of the berth b, in which condition the berth is made to
rock on the upper fulcra c" c" to compensate for the fore and aft motion of the
vessel.
The middle section sides d, d are made of thin metal and secured firmly to the
thin metal end pieces d', d' which are jointed loosely to the respective metal end
pieces f,f of the outer section f¹ f¹ by means of a pair of diagonal or cross links g g
in each end of the berth as shown in Fig 5. Said links g g are hinged in their
lower ends to the respective middle section ends d' d¹ by means of the fulcrum
pins or screws g' g' and in their upper ends to the respective outer section ff by
means of the fulcrum pins or screws g", gl, by which arrangement the middle
section and its suspended berth or inner section 6 may move in a lateral direction
independently of the outer section and to a certain extent act as retarding means

page_text: in an opposite direction to the lateral motion of the outer section, and thus to aid
in keeping the berth as level as possible and preventing it from being rocked too
far laterally by the sudden rolling of the vessel as well as compensate for and yield
automatically to changes in position of the occupant-h h are the brackets secured
to the inner walls of the cabin a' a' as shown; each of such brackets has a circular
projection or fulcrum h¹ adapted to fit into a corresponding circular perforation in
the upper part of each outer section end f, and said projections h², serve as
fulcra on which the outer section of the berth may swing in a lateral direction, but
to prevent the berth from rocking too easily and to swing too far in a lateral
direction, I provide each of the circular projections or fulcra h' with an eccentric
crank pin or cam-projection " (shown in Fig 8) to which the inclined links i, i are
hinged as shown in Fig 6, the lower ends of said links being hinged by means of
pins or screws ¹, i¹ to the adjustable blocks k, k which are movable in the slotted
perforations or recesses f", " in the outer section ends fand provided with the
compressible springs ffs as shown in Fig 6 by which arrangement the berth is
prevented from rocking too far or too easily on its fulcra h², h¹ by the rolling
motion of the vessel, and by this means sudden jerks and concussions of the berth
is prevented during the roll of the vessel in quick and short seas.
1, 1, 1, 1 are anti-friction rollers located between the inner and middle sections as
shown in Figs 1 and 3, in journals either on the outside of inner section or inside
of outer section as may be desirable. Similar anti-frictional rollers m, m are
located between the end pieces of the outer and middle sections as shown in Figs 3
and 6, and n, n are similar rollers located between the outside of the end pieces for
the outer sections and the inside of the cabin walls as shown so as to prevent
frictional resistance of the different parts.
The locking device for securing the berth rigidly to the cabin when a passenger
desires to go in or out of the berth is made as follows:-
On the inside of the outer section f' is arranged the locking bar o which is
movable in the guides o¹ o' secured to the section f' and is normally held in an
unlocked position by means of the spring o" secured to section f¹ and having its
lower end resting in a groove or recess in the locking bar o as shown in Fig 7.
To the cabin wall a' is secured the notched locking plate p in the notches of
which the outer end of the locking bar o is adapted to lock.
q is a lever inovable on the fulcrum pin q' secured to outer section f' and having
its lower can shaped end q" laying loosely in contact with the inner end of the
locking bar o as shown.
The middle section d is provided with an outwardly curved edge du that
ordinarily projects and lays over the upper edge of the outer section side f' without
touching it and in such a manner as to rest loosely on the upper end of the locking
lever q as shown in Fig 2 and it will thus be seen that when a downward pressure
is brought to bear on the curved edge d" by the occupant pressing down on it by
going out or into the berth the lever q is turned on its fulcrum q' causing its lower
end q to force the locking bar o into any of the notches on the stationary locking
plate p and thus to hold the berth secured to the cabin wall as long as the pressure
is continued on the flange or edge d"; as soon as such pressure is relieved, the
locking bar o is withdrawn from the notched plate p by the influence of the
spring o" and the berth is then instantly made self-levelling as heretofore
described.
The top of the flange or edge d" may be covered or suitably upholstered so as to
be out of sight and at the same time be soft and elastic for the comfort of the
occupant when pressing or resting on said part for the purposes as set forth.
Having thus fully described the nature construction and operation of this
invention I wish to secure by letters patent and claim :-
1. The self-levelling ships berth, as described, consisting essentially of the following
elements, an inner section, or berth pivoted to the sides of a middle section, a
middle section pivoted in its ends to the ends of the outer section, the latter
being pivoted in its ends to the cabin walls as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: In a ship's berth the inner section pivoted at its sides to the middle section and
the latter jointed in its ends to the ends of an outer section by means of
diagonal links as and for the purpose set forth.
In a ship's berth the stationary supporting brackets h, h, having projections or
fulcra h¹¹ and eccentric cam projections h", " in combination with the links
i, i, and adjustable sliding blocks k, k, adapted to yield and move in slots or
recesses in the ends of the outer section of the berth as set forth.
In a ship's berth an inner section pivoted to the middle section the latter having
an outwardly projecting edge or flange adapted to operate a lever pivoted to
the outer section to cause the berth to be locked by pressure on said flange or
edge as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my hand
seal this 26th day of November A.D. 1883.