Improvements in Ships' and other Berths.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan.,
1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' and other Berths.
I EDWARD LAWSON, of Charlotte Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Bedstead Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to ships' and other berths which can be turned or folded
up out of the way when not in use and has special reference to mounting the
half lee rail at the front of the berth in such manner that the said rail can be
folded down upon the mattrass when not in use and can also be readily removed
from the berth when necessary and can be applied to either end of the berth.
According to my invention I affix a socket or block to the front rail or bar of
the berth midway between the two ends thereof and upon the said socket or block
I form a lug projecting upwards and perforated with a hole whose axis is horizontal
and parallel with the front rail of the berth. At each ond or corner of the front
rail I form a similar lug similarly perforated.
At each end of the half lee rail I form a lug or boss below the half lee rail and
in each lug or boss I fix a horizontal pin projecting from one side only of the lug or
boss. Viewed from the front both the pins project in the same direction that is to
say both the pins project to the right or both to the left according to the position
of the half lee rail at the time.
Supposing the half lee rail to be about to be applied to the left hand end of the
berth the pins project towards the left; the extreme left hand pin is inserted into the
hole in the left hand corner and the right hand pin into the hole in the central lug.
The half lee rail is then slid end ways to the left as far as it will go and a nut is
screwed upon the end of the right hand pin which is screwed externally and is made
long enough to project through the central lug for that purpose.
The half lee rail can then bo rotated or folded upon the axis of the said pins, the
latter rotating within the fixed lugs. When folded down upon the mattrass the half
lee rail is out of the way and the berth can be folded up in the manner well
understood.
When the berth is unfolded or turned down and the half lee rail is turned into an
upright position the latter is firmly held in that position in the following manner.
At each end of the berth and attached to or forming part of the corner lug or boss I
provide a pillar to the upper part of which I affix a pin carrying a rotating catch
actuated by means of a thumb piece projecting therefrom. The axis of the catch is
horizontal and is at right angles to the axis of the folding half lee rail. To one end
of the half lee rail I attach a projecting tongue which when the rail is unfolded and
turned into a vertical position engages in a recess in the pillar in such a manner that
when the catch is rotated the tongue is securely held and the lee rail becomes firmly
fixed in its vertical position. When the half lee rail is placed at the left hand end
of the berth the tongue engages with the left hand catch. When the half lee rail is
reversed and placed at the right hand end of the berth the tongue engages with the
right hand catch. To reverse the lee rail it is only necessary to remove the nut,
withdraw the half lee rail end ways, turn it end for end, enter the pins into the
corresponding holes and replace the nut.
Dated 1
1000
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Ships' and other Berths.
I, EDWARD LAWSON of Charlotte Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Bedstead Manufacturer, 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 :-
--
My invention relates to ships' and other berths which can be turned or folded up
out of the way when not in use and has special reference to mounting the half-lee rail
at the front of the berth in such a manner that the said rail can be folded down upon
the mattress when not in use, and can also be readily removed from the berth when
necessary, and can be applied to either end of the berth.
According to my invention which is illustrated in the annexed drawings, I affix to
the front rail or bar b of the berth,-see Figure 1, midway between the two ends
thereof, a socket or block a, and upon this socket or block I form a lug e projecting
upwards and perforated with a hole whose axis is horizontal and parallel with the front
rail of the berth. At each end or corner d of the front rail I form a similar lug c
similarly perforated.
At each end of the half lee rail g I form a lug or boss e below the half lee rail, and
in each lug or boss I fix a horizontal pin f projecting from one side only of the lug or
boss. Viewed from the front both the pins ff project in the same direction, that is to
say both the pins project to the right or both to the left, according to the position of
the half lee rail at the time.
Supposing the half lee rail to be about to be applied to the left hand end of the
berth, as is shown in the drawing, the pins project towards the left; the extreme left
hand pin is inserted into the hole in the lug c in the left hand corner, and the right
hand pin into the hole in the central lug. The half lee rail is then slid endways to
the left as far as it will go, and a nut g is screwed upon the end of the right hand pin,
which is screw-threaded externally, and is made long enough to project through the
central lug c for that purpose.
The half lee rail can then be rotated or folded upon the axis of the said pins ff, the
latter rotating within the fixed lugs cc. When folded down upon the mattress the
half lee rail is out of the way and the berth can be folded up in the manner well
understood.
Figure 2 illustrates a modification in which the hole in the lug c is screw-threaded
so as to form a nut to the pin f, which is correspondingly screw threaded. By
rotating this screw pin by means of its head f¹ it can be screwed into the lug c and
unscrewed therefrom without becoming detached; the nut g shown in Figure 1
becomes unnecessary. The head f¹ is rivetted on the end of the screw fafter this has
been passed through the lug or boss e on the lee rail.
When the berth is unfolded or turned down into position for use and the half loo
rail is turned into an upright position, the latter is firmly held in that position in
the following manner. At each end of the berth and attached to or forming part of
the corner lug or boss I provide a pillar to the upper part of which I affix a pin i
carrying a rotating catch & actuated by means of a thumb piece / projecting therefrom.
The axis of the catch is horizontal and is at right angles to the axis of the folding
half lee rail g. To one end of the half lee rail I attach a projecting tongue m (shown
in dots) which, when the rail is unfolded and turned into a vertical position, engages
in a recess in the pillar h, and when the catch is rotated the tongue m is securely
held and the lee rail q becomes firmly fixed in its vertical position. When the half lee
rail is placed at the left hand end of the berth (as in Figure 1) the tongue engages
with the left hand catch. When the half lee rail is reversed and placed at the right
hand end of the berth the tongue engages with the right hand catch. To reverse the
half lee rail it is only necessary to remove the nut g, withdraw the half lee rail
endways, turn it end for end, enter the pins ff into the corresponding holes and
replace the nut g.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a turn up berth, the combination of one central and two end. lugs or bosses
upon the front rail, of two lugs or bosses at the respective ends of the half lee rail,
and of two pins for connecting the lugs or bosses of the half lee rail respectively to
the central lug or boss upon the front rail and to the one or the other of the end lugs
or bosses upon the same, whereby the half lee rail can be rotated or folded upon the
said pins as an axis, and can also be applied to either end of the berth, substantially
as set forth.
2. In combination with a half lee rail mounted as referred to in Claim 1, a rotating
catch on a pillar of the berth frame, and a tongue on the half lee rail, whereby the
half lee rail is secured when the berth is in position for use, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of September 1889
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.