IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SUSPENDING and Con; TROLLING THE MOTION OF BERTHS, CABINS, SOFAS, TABLES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES IN SHIPS OR IN TRAVELLING CARRIAGES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon
and Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, South-
ampton Buildings, London, and 18, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SUSPENDING and Con;
TROLLING THE MOTION OF BERTHS, CABINS, SOFAS, TABLES, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES IN SHIPS OR IN TRAVELLING CARRIAGES."-A communication
from abroad by Thomas Pownal Ford and Thomas Scott Dick, both
of the City of Brooklyn, State of New York, United States of
America, Gentlemen.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st June 1875.
..I, WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-
5 Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SUSPENDING AND

page_text: •
The cross beam D is centered to the bulkheads E, thus forming a
support for the carriage of the berth that will allow it to oscillate either
longitudinally or transversely. The guide frames F are each connected by
joints or hinges with hangers or brackets G secured to the under side of
the berth by means of two connecting rods f, f, and also to one of the
cross beams at ƒ³. This construction compels the berth to maintain a
level as the motion of the vessel oscillates the carrier frame longitudinally.
H is a hand lever for locking the berth when desired to prevent its lateral
or longitudinal sway or swing. It is connected at its lower and shorter
arm to a compound system of levers for operating the friction bolts I, I,
and is locked to the desired position by being brought into engagement
with one of the teeth of the ratchet K on the arm L attached to the
carrier frame C.
The compound system of levers shown consists of a lever m directly'
connected with lever H at one end, and at its other end to a swivel n, to
each end of which one of the slide bolts I, I, is connected, the bolts
being arranged to play through suitable guides, and provided at their
ends with friction pads, which when the bolts are forced outwards press
against the bulkheads E and lock it. This construction relieves or frees
the berth itself from all strain in the process of locking.
The same principle and method of maintaining an equilibrium as
above described for a berth it is evident may be applied to other things,
as, for instance, to a cabin, sofa, chair, table, platform, car, and other
similar articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,'
filed by the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 11th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers,
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue,
Gaillon, Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year,
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said William Morgan-Brown, Her special
license that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Morgan-
Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Ohannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SUSPENDING AND CONTROLLING THE MOTION OF
BERTHS, CABINS, SOFAS, TABLES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES IN SHIPS OR IN
TRAVELLING CARRIAGES," a communication to me from abroad by Thomas
Pownal Ford and Thomas Scott Dick, both of the City of Brooklyn,
State of New York, United States of America, Gentlemen, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:—
The object of this Invention is to limit and control the motion of the
berth, and so to carry it by an oscillating frame and axle connected to
an oscillating cross beam that it shall have free motion within certain
predetermined limits, and that the equilibrium of the berth shall always
be maintained while the vessel moves or sways laterally or longitudinally,
any change or tendency to change from a horizontal level of the vessel
being met and compensated for by the weight of the berth in suspension;
and to effect these ends the Invention consists in supporting or carrying
the berth on a cross axle at such point in its length as will balance
evenly when the berth is occupied, or at about four inches nearer the
head than to the foot end of the full sized berth. This axle is centred in
and carried by a frame or rods, and is made to oscillate longitudinally
by means of suspension rods, which are connected to an oscillating
cross beam centered to the bulkhead, the proper angle longitudinally

page_text: being maintained by guide frames jointed at their upper ends to the
cross beam near its centre, and at the lower end jointed to the under side
of the berth by two connecting rods, and made to oscillate free from the
carrier frame, and by this means compelling the berth to maintain a
5 level longitudinally at all points within the limits of its action. The
lateral motion is obtained from the centres of suspension, and may be
limited by shackle or stop at any point.
r
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a longitudinal
elevation, and Figure 2 a transverse section of a berth constructed in
accordance with the Invention.
Referring to Figure 1 the berth is carried on the axle by the carrier
framo O, which is connected with cross beam D by means of the
suspension rods d, d. The axle B it will be seen is not placed centrally
of the berth or of the frame C, but nearer to one of their ends than to
the other, and the lowest point of the berth is also correspondingly at
one side of its centre. This peculiarity of construction adapts the
berth to the preponderance of weight in the upper part of the human
body, and permits it to balance evenly in the direction of its length
when occupied. The cross beam D is centered to the bulkheads E, thus
forming a support for the carriage of the berth that will allow it to
oscillate either longitudinally or transversely. The guide frames F are
each connected by joints or hinges with hangers or brackets G secured
to the under side of the berth by means of two connecting rods ƒ,ƒ, and
also to one of the cross beams at f¹. This construction compels the
berth to maintain a level as the motion of the vessel oscillates the
carrier frame longitudinally. H is a hand lever for locking the berth
when desired to prevent its lateral or longitudinal sway or swing. It is
connected at its lower and shorter arm to a compound system of levers
for operating the friction bolts I, I, and is locked to the desired position
by being brought into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet K
on the arm L attached to the carrier frame O.
The compound system of levers shown consists of a lever m directly
connected with lever H at one end, and at its other end to a swivel n,
to each end of which one of the slide bolts I, I, is connected, theso
bolts being arranged to play through suitable guides, and provided at
their ends with friction pads, which when the bolts are forced outward
press against the bulkheads E and lock the carriage frame. This con-

page_text: struction relieves or frees the berth itself from all strain in the process
of locking.
The same principle and method of maintaining an equilibrium as
above described for a berth it is evident may be applied to other things,
as, for instance, to a cabin, sofa, chair, table, platform, car, and other 5
similar articles.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would
have it understood that what I claim is,-
First. The berth, carried and balanced on an oscillating axle B at or 1
near the centre of its length, in combination with the frame carriage C,
suspension rods d, d, oscillating cross beams D, and guide frames F, un-
attached to the carriage and jointed at the top to the cross beam D, and
by a double connection rod to the under side of the berth at G, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In a swinging berth the means of locking and controlling
the movements of the carriage frame between the bulkheads consisting
of bolts I, I, combined with a system of levers, substantially as described,
operated by a hand lever H and ratchet, or its equivalent, substantially
as and for the purpose above set forth.
1
2
Third. The described method of compensating in a suspended and
self-balancing berth for the preponderance of weight in the upper part
of the human body by supporting the berth at a point in its length
more or less removed from its centre, such point of support being
located beneath the lowest point of the berth, substantially as set 2
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in