Improvements in Berths and Seats for Ships and Railway Cars.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Berths and Seats for Ships and Railway Cars.
I, JAMES GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE of 2 Clyde Terrace Bevois Hill, Southampton
in the County of Hampshire Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
.
The object is to so fit an ordinary berth or seat that when desired for sleeping or
reclining, the berth or seat can be instantly raised upon springs and again lowered for
a seat only, and especially in the case of Railway Cars the same car can be utilized to
the best advantage for both day and night service.
The general arrangement is as follows:-
The bed or cushion is placed upon a frame across which are stretched longitudinally
wires of silicium bronze, or similar metal. If preferred a wire woven or similar
construction may be substituted.
Underneath this frame is the lifting apparatus. This consists of two spring battens
laying exactly under the two longitudinal sides of the frame. The spring battens are
held and operated by flat metal connecting strips placed exactly under the springs and
connected in the middle by cam plates with curved slots which when turned horizontally
shorten or lengthen the connecting strips thus raising or lowering the spring battons
with the frame and bed or cushion.
"
"arch on each side.
When raised the spring battens form an
The two sides operate simultaneously, the cam plates being connected by rods.
The raising or lowering is effected by a key or lever fitting or connected to one
of the cam plates. The whole arrangement may be fitted upon a skeleton frame
so that it may be readily removed and hinges can be fixed upon one side of the
frame to turn it up or down.
This frame is fitted with an elastic medium packing or springs to lesson the vibrations
from the ship or car.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Berths and Seats for Ships and Railway Cars.
I JAMES GEORGE WILLOOX ALDRIDGE of 2 Clyde Terrace Bevois Hill, Southampton
in the County of Hampshire, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention for improvements in Borths and seats for ships and
railway cars is to provide a berth or seat that can readily be lowered and supported
upon springs or raised and released from the springs as required, and that are hinged
upon one side so as to turn up the berth out of the way or to form the back of the
lower berth, thus utilising the space apportioned for this purpose to the best
advantage.
In the accompanying sheets of drawings Fig. 1 is a front sectional elevation of a
berth or seat shown in its lowered position and supported upon springs constructed
according to my invention, and
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the berth or seat in its raised position and
released from the springs.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan with a portion of the upper frame removed, and Fig. 4 is a sectional
end elevation of the same.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged drawing of the cam plato and connections for actuating the
springs and Fig. 6 is a section of the same.
The cushion or bedding of the berth held with straps if required is supported upon
a rectangular frame A. B.
The longitudinal sides A of the frame are made of wood and are stiffened by a
lee-board and moulding on the back and front respectively.
The ends B of the frame are made of channel pieces or solid wood fitted to the
sides A and wires C of silicium bronze or other suitable material are stretched
longitudinally across the frame and are tightened separately by nuts Das shown
or simultaneously by a roller or eccentric. Cross wires or short springs E cross the
bed frame to assist in maintaining the longitudinal wires C parallel.
The sides A are grooved underneath to receive spring battens F the grooves
being deepest at the middle and dying out at each end. Each end of each
spring F is received in a shoe or stirrup G on the flat strips H placed exactly
under the spring and upon a rectangular frame I of the same size as the
frame A. B.
On each side of the skeleton frame I, the adjacent ends of the strips terminate
in studs or rollers J working in the curved slots K in the can plates L, so that
by rotating the cam plates, the strips H are drawn towards each other, thus
shortening the horizontal length of the spring battens F and forcing them to
form an arch or bow and to support the frame A. B. with the bed or cushion as
in Fig. 1.
The cam plates L on each side of the frame I are connected by rods M so as
to be operated simultaneously.
When the berth is in the position shewn in Fig. 1 it is mainly supported on the
middle portion of the spring battens F and in order to steady the end motion, the
outer ends N of side rods O, connected to the rods M and pivotted at P upon the upper
side of the frame I pass under spring pins Q and thus limit any longitudinal oscillation
as in Fig. 3.
Leather straps R are also secured to the frame A. B. and to the frame I at the points
to maintain the level of the bed when supported upon the springs.
The front cam plate L has a projecting stud S Fig. 5 or socket so that a key or lever
may be fitted for turning it to operate the berth. The cam plates may be operated by
worm or other gearing.
Underneath the skeleton frame is a similar set of springs T, strips V with shoes U,
to the springs F, strips H and shoes G, the arrangement however being inverted so
that when the springs F support the berth the springs T lie flat under the frame I, but
when the springs F lie in the grooves in the frame A. B. the springs T bend downwards
and raise the skeleton frame I.
The springs T are actuated separately or simultaneously with the springs F by a
second set of cams W and connections on the same axis as the cams L.
When used for a seat the apparatus is in position as shown in Fig. 2 but when
required for sleeping the skeleton frame I is lowered and the bed frame A. B. raised
and supported upon the springs and brushes X fixed to the underside of the frame I
to break the continuity of the vibrations and is at a lower level than when used as a
seat as shewn in Fig. 1.
The supporting lovers Y. for the frame I, corresponding to spring pins Q, are
actuated by the movement of the two frames assisting the working and support the
frame I at two points as in Fig. 4.
When fixed seats or built bunks in day cars and ocean going steamers are fitted, the
bed frame may be supported upon the springs F fixed to the skeleton frame, the raising
and lowering mechanism being dispensed with.
For short seats the apparatus can be fitted to each seat and a sliding frame or bearers

page_text: used to connect the two adjacent seats and form a bed similar to the present
arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Baid
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. The arrangement of springs and rotating mechanism between a bed or seat frame
and a skeleton frame by means of which the bed or seat frame can either be made to rest
directly upon the skeleton frame or be raised and supported upon the springs
substantially as described.
2. The arrangement of springs and mechanism supporting a skeleton frame itself
supporting a bed or seat frame by means of which the skeleton frame can either be
raised and supported upon the springs or be lowered on to the floor or other support
substantially as described.
3. The arrangement of springs and operating mechanism by means of which a bed
or seat frame can either be raised from a skeleton frame and supported upon the springs
simultaneously with the lowering of the skeleton frame on to the floor or other support or
be lowered directly on to the raised skeleton frame which is simultaneously raised from
the floor or other support upon springs substantially as described.
4. Supporting a frame carrying a bed or seat by spring battens upon a skeleton
frame supported upon brushes substantially as described.
5. The construction of the berths and seats substantially as described, with reference
to the drawings.
1
1000
J. G. W. ALDRIDGE.