IM- PROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS' SLEEPING BERTHS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS' SLEEPING BERTHS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Dana Parks, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
Sealed the 27th February 1880, and dated the 1st January 1880.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1880.
..
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. “IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS'
SLEEPING BERTHS." A communication from abroad by Dana Parks, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to ships' sleeping berths, and comprises various improve-
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1880.
..
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS'
SLEEPING BERTHS." A communication from abroad by Dana Parks, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to ships' sleeping berths, and comprises various improve-
ments hereinafter described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section shewing a berth embodying all of the features
of the said Invention in the best form known to me.
Figure 2 is a plan showing one end of the berth body and its connections, also
the slide and guide ways hereinafter described.
Figure 3 is a side view of the parts shewn in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional view shewing one form of stop to prevent undue motion
of the rope by which the berth body is supported.
Figure 5 shows an end view and a side view of the best form of trunnion for the
purpose of this Invention.
Figure 6 is a sectional view shewing one form of stop to prevent the tipping of
the berth body on the axis of the trunnions when desired.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
The berth proper or body A may be of any approved construction, and is sup-
ported at each end by a wire rope B, which passes over pulleys C, C². This

page_text: suspending or supporting arrangement is the main feature of the said Invention,
and prevents the motion of the vessel from tipping the berth either lengthwise or
cross-wise, but if the wire rope be secured directly to the berth the full advantage
will not be obtained; and a second part of the said Invention consists in connecting
the berth body with the wire rope by means of two trunnions, each mounted on a
slide, one slide being at either end of the rope. These slides are marked D, D¹, and
the trunnions d, d. To obtain the best results the trunnions should be very much
larger than is required for strength merely. It has been found that for an ordinary
two-foot berth the trunnions should be about eight inches in diameter, and about
fifteen inches in diameter for an ordinary double berth, which is nearly four feet
wide. If the trunnions are made much smaller than this the berth body will be
over sensitive, that is to say, it will tip more than is desirable on the axis of the
trunnions whenever the weight of the occupant is thrown on one side of the berth ;
this will not be the case if the trunnions are large.
;
The slides are free to move vertically, but are prevented from moving sidewise by
the guide-ways f, f, this arrangement being provided to prevent the tipping of the
berth on an axis across it. To this end also the outer surfaces of the slides should
preferably be made curved, as shewn, and anti-friction rolls g, g, arranged between
the guide-ways f; f, upon which the curved surface of the slide impinges, as shewn.
This arrangement in connection with the rope B and pulleys C, CL, permits the
berth to remain horizontal when the vessel pitches, that is to say, when it becomes
inclined lengthwise to the horizon. A stop of some sort is desirable to prevent the
berth body from being tipped accidentally too much lengthwise; this stop may be
applied to the rope, as indicated, in Figure 4., Its sole purpose is to prevent the
motion of the berth in an upward or downward direction, except within the proper
limits, a few inches being sufficient to meet the extreme requirements from the
pitching of the vessel.
The rolling of the vessel, that is to say, that motion of the vessel which inclines
its deck laterally to the horizon, does not alter the horizontal position of the berth,
because the berth swings on the axes of the trunnions, as will be clearly understood
without further description. As the trunnions are large it is desirable to use anti-
friction rolls in their peripheries, as illustrated in Figure 5.
A stop can readily be applied to prevent the tipping of the berth body on the
axes of the trunnions (when a person is getting in and out of the berth for example);
this is shewn in detail in Figure 6. h represents a set-screw passing through the
cap covering the bearing formed in the berth body to receive the trunnion, and
entering a slot in the end of the trunnion..
It is obvious that a variety of modifications of that form of the said Invention
above described may be made without changing the principle of the same.
For
example, the trunnions may be made to project from either end of the berth body,
and enter bearings in the slides. The slides may have a lengthwise slot, and a
single guide-way may enter this slot, instead of the slide moving between two
guide-ways, as shewn, and in this case the anti-friction rollers may be mounted in
the slide instead of in the guide ways, as shewn.
I prefer to use a wire rope about a quarter of an inch in diameter, but any rope
of the proper strength will serve for the purposes of this Invention, or a chain
may be used if the pulleys be adapted for it; or a scale beam may be employed, its
ends being each connected with one of the supporting. trunnions, and the beam
jointed at its middle, to a pendent from the ceiling of the state-room.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A berth body hung at the ends by a single rope or its equivalent, passing
over pulleys, substantially as herein described...
Second. The slides and trunnions supported by a rope or chain and pulleys, in
combination with the guide-ways, for the purpose above specified.].

page_text: Third. The slides having the curved surfaces, as shewn in the Drawing, in com-
bination with the guide-ways and the anti-friction rolls or other abutment for
preventing undue end wise motion of the berth, as above described.
Fourth. A berth body supported at the ends on trunnions, when the trunnions
are so supported that they can move up and down but not sidewise, substantially
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. ROB. LAKE. (LA)
ROB“.