IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE FITTED IN OR TO VESSELS FOR PREVENTING SICKNESS AT SEA
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Gardner, of 31, Abchurch Lanc, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE FITTED
IN OR TO VESSELS FOR PREVENTING SICKNESS AT SEA."
ealed the 13th April 1877, and dated the 19th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Gardner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th October 1876.
FREDERICK GARDNER, of 31, Abchurch Lane, in the City of London. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE FITTED IN OR TO VESSELS FOR PREVENTING
SICKNESS AT SEA."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to be fitted in or to vessels
for preventing sickness at sea, and consists in fitting columns or uprights upon the
deck (above or below) or upon or connected with the frame of a vessel, which
supports are connected at top, and provided with a cup or its equivalent, in which
a ball or sphere or hemisphere is free to swing to preserve equilibrium by one or
more bars from the ball.
The bottom of the bar for the purposes of my Invention I provide with a frame-
work, and with seats or a platform upon which persons may sit or stand and serve
as the means for preserving a vertical position of the bar at all times notwith-
standing any rolling, pitching, or other motion of the ship or vessel in or to which
my apparatus is fitted.
The bar may have a framework fitted above the ball in which other persons may
be seated or luggage may be placed therein, as desired.
Another framework may in some cases be fitted directly under the sphere between
it and the lower framework, which framework can be furnished to serve as a cabin
for the comfort of the passengers.
I use rollers, if necessary, to cause the sphere to play more freely in the socket
piece, or I control their action by pressure of the lower part of the socket which is
attached to the upper part of the socket by means of a screw joint. By tightening
this screw I press the ball in the socket, in the inside of which is a stuffing of india-
rubber or other substance in the form of a ring or otherwise which will impede the
action of the one within the other when necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th April
1877.
FREDERICK GARDNER, of 31, Abchurch Lane, in the City of London, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE FITTED IN OR TO VESSELS FOR PREVENTING
SICKNESS AT SEA."
The object of my Invention is to suspend a platform or cradle in such a manner
from some fixed part of a ship or sea going vessel that it shall always maintain
its horizontal position even when the vessel is rocking or rolling. To this end
the platform or cradle (which may be made of such a size as to accommodate two,
four, or more passengers at the same time) is suspended from a vertical rod or shaft,
the upper end of which is provided with a universal joint or a ball-and-socket joint
which will move or yield as the vessel pitches or rolls. The socket of this joint
may be secured either to the ceiling beams of the cabin or to a fixed framework
which is firmly secured to the floor of the cabin or deck of the ship. The suspended
platform or cradle is provided with seats or couches, on which the passengers may
either sit or recline, and the vertical suspending rod or shaft may, if desired, be sur-
rounded by a table for the use of the passengers.
If desired, the vertical suspending rod or shaft may be made adjustable in the
ball-and-socket joint so that it may be raised or lowered therein in order to shorten
or lengthen it as may be required. This adjustment may be provided for by
screwing the upper part of the vertical suspending rod or shaft, and causing it to
pass through a female screw or nut tapped in a hole made in the ball. The vertical
suspending rod or shaft passes up through the ball-and-socket or universal joint,
and carries at its upper end a platform, on which may be placed the passengers'
luggage or any weight that will act as a counterpoise to the platform or cradle
below.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of the
apparatus complete; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.
The platform a, a, may consist of a framework made of wood or other suitable
material, on which seats or couches b, b, are placed, as shewn in the Drawing. It is
secured in any convenient manner (such as by bolts or otherwise) to the base plate
of the pendant column or vertical suspending rod or shaft c, the upper part of
which is screwed and passes through a nut or female screw tapped in the ball d of the
ball-and-socket or universal joint which is firmly secured by bolts to the roof of the
cabin. At the upper end of the vertical rod or shaft c is a platforin or table e,
(which may be either rigidly and permanently attached to the vertical rod c, or it
may be made capable of being moved up or down thereon, and secured at any
desired altitude by means of a key or cottar or otherwise. As a considerable
weight of luggage may be placed on this table or platform above the point of
suspension it will act as a counterpoise or check on any oscillations which the
platform a, a, below may have a tendency to make when the vessel pitches or rolls,
and by this means the platform or cradle on which the passengers are resting will
be kept steady.
. If it be desired to place the apparatus on deck or in some situation where it
cannot be conveniently suspended from some fixed part of the vessel, as shewn
in the Drawing, it may be suspended from a strong framing erected on and secured
to the deck, and consisting of two or more uprights or columns to support a cross
head to carry the ball-and-socket or universal joint. The other parts of the
apparatus will be precisely the same as the arrangement shewn in the Drawings and
above-described. It will sometimes be found objectionable for the upper part of
the suspending rod or shaft to pass up through the roof of the cabin, as shewn in
the Drawing, and it will be sometimes found convenient to construct the apparatus
in such a manner that it may be erected in a cabin temporarily, so that when not
required it may be removed. In such cases the upper platform or table e need not
be so large, as luggage could not be conveniently placed thereon, the requisite

page_text: counterpoise is then obtained by placing on the table e heavy weights which will
occupy but little space, and securing them thereon in such a manner that they will
not be liable to be thrown off by the motion of the vessel.
Having now described my improvements, and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent, as aforesaid, the apparatus herein shewn and described, consisting of a
platform or cradle (to receive seats or couches for the accommodation of passengers)
attached to the lower part of a vertical rod or shaft suspended from a ball-and-
socket or universal joint secured to any convenient stationary or fixed part of the
vessel, such vertical suspending rod or shaft being provided at its upper end with a
platform or table to receive weights or heavy bodies which will act as a counterpoise
or check to keep the lower platform steady, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Gardner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
T. GARDNER. (L.S.