Improvements in Sleeping and Analogous Berths, Cots and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sleeping and Analogous Berths, Cots and the
like.
I, WILLIAM JOHN FIELDHOUSE, of 12, Stephenson Street, in the City of Birming-
ham, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention has reference to sleeping and analogous berths, cots and the like,
and has for its object, to provide an improved construction of sleeping berths or
cots, which are preferably arranged in tiers of two, three or more high and designed
for use on board ship, in railway and like carriages, and for similar uses.
According to my invention in connection with a three-high block or series of
sleeping berths, I propose to support the mattress framings or bed bottoms one
above another by means of suspension springs from a series of upright pillars or
stanchions erected upon a floor and suitably braced by longitudinal and crossing
stavs.
Tlius, I take a series of pillars or stanchions preferably of stout metallic tubing
and step the foot ends of the same within sockets secured to a floor and arrange
them to comprehend a rectangular space within which the berth or cot frames are
hung or slung. The said stanchions are stayed both crosswise and longitudinal by
braces or members, detachably secured by cottaring or otherwise, so as to admit
of the elements of the whole structure being dis-assembled and stowed away into
a small compass when the beds or berths are not required for use.
The stanchions or corner pillars are provided on their inner sides with series of
lugs, eyes or equivalent arranged in sets of four and in parallel planes with each
set coming one above the other, and from these lugs or the like, the mattress frames
of the berths or cots are suspended at their corners by means of stout coiled or
spiral springs, the said mattress frames being of any suitable construction and
provided with suitable eyes with which the lower ends of the suspension springs
are engaged.
Or instead of connecting the suspension springs directly to the berth or mattress
framing, the several pairs of springs coming at each end may be connected to cross
bars or rods made from stout metal, and with each of these couplings coming in the
same plane and being arranged to support a mattress frame, which rests upon
the said bars at the ends. These bars have also stops or shoulders formed upon or
attached to them, for preventing the lateral shifting of the mattress frames out of
their assigned positions.
The stanchions and also the longitudinal and lateral stays may be made of angle
metal, in which case the foot sockets of the said stanchions may be of a corre-
sponding inside shape.

page_text: Improvements in Sleeping and Analogous Berths, Cots and the
like.
I, WILLIAM JOHN FIELDHOUSE, of 12, Stephenson Street, in the City of Birming-
ham, Iron founder, 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:
This invention has reference to sleeping and analogous berths, cots and the like,
and has for its object, to provide an improved construction of sleeping berths or
cots, which are preferably arranged in tiers of two, three or more high and designed
for use on board ship, in railway and like carriages, and for similar uses.
According to my invention in connection with a three-high block or series of
sleeping berths, I propose to support the mattress framings or bed bottoms one
above another by means of suspension springs from a series of upright pillars or
stanchions erected upon a floor and suitably braced by longitudinal and crossing
stays.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation, partly in
section, a berth framing or structure provided with means for suspending a three-
high series of berth bottoms and so constructed and arranged in accordance with my
improvements as to admit of being readily taken down when not required and of
being easily erected for use.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the said berth framing, with parts thereof in
section.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of Figure 2 upon the dotted line *.
Figure 4 is an elevation upon an enlarged scale showing the connections of one
of the suspension springs.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing
the method of attaching the ends of the longitudinal stay members to the corner
pillars or uprights.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I take a series of pillars or stan-
chions a, preferably made from stout angle metal, and step the foot ends a', of
the same within sockets b, secured to a floor and arrange them to form corner
pillars comprehending a rectangular space within which the berth or cot bottoms
are hung or slung. The said corner stanchions are stayed both by, longitudinal
stays or bracing members d, and transverse members e, the former being detachably
secured by taper ends d, thereof being passed through holes a², in suitably
strengthened parts a³, of the corner pillars and there held by preferably taper
cotter pins such as f, by the driving home of which the connection between the said
parts is made perfectly rigid; this also admits of the elements of the whole structure
being dis-assembled and stowed away into a small compass when the beds or berths
are not required for use. The upper ends of each pair of corner pillars may also
be braced together by detachable and preferably curved bridge stays such as e³,
and which as in the arrangement shown, may be secured by the taper cotters which
connect the upper stays d, to the corners.
The stanchions or corner pillars are preferably provided on their inner sides with
series of lugs or eyes such as g, arranged in horizontal planes in sets of four with
the whole of the sets being parallel and each coming one above the other, and from
these lugs or the like, the mattress frames of the berths or cots are suspended at
their corners by means of stout coiled or spiral springs h, the upper ends h¹, of

page_text: which take through or are connected with the eyed lugs y, whilst the lower ends h²,
may be similarly connected with eyed parts, such as ', of suspended carrier bars i,
upon which the berth bottoms or mattress frames rest or are supported, which
said frames may be of any suitable construction, and are provided, if required, with
lee rails or other accessory parts common to ordinary berths.
The berth supporting cross bars, to which the several pairs of springs coming at
each end of the structure are connected may be made from stout rod metal, and in
order to provide for the efficient supporting of the mattress or berth bottom each
of these bars may have stops or shoulders such as 2, formed upon or attached to
them for preventing the lateral shifting of the mattress frames out of their assigned
positions.
The stanchions and also the longitudinal and lateral stays may be made of angle
metal, or from tubing of any suitable section and in every case the foot sockets of
the said stanchions may be of a corresponding inside shape.
As a modification, the carrier end bars for supporting a berth bottom or mattress
frame may be dispensed with, and the lower ends of the suspension springs may be
engaged with, or detachably connected directly to, the corners or other parts of
the frame to be slung.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said' in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First: In sleeping and analogous berths, cots or the like, slinging the berth
bottoms or mattress frames, or carriers for such bottoms or frames, from spring
organized hangers, suspended from suitable supports, substantially as herein
described and set forth.
Secondly: A framing or enclosure for supporting a series of spring slung berths
as referred to in the preceding claim, consisting of corner pillars braced by
detachably connected longitudinal and transverse stays, substantially as herein
described and set forth.
Cl 1
t
1000
WILLIAM JOHN FIELDHOUSE.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.