Improvements in Ships' and other Berths.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' and other Berths.
I THOMAS KENDRICK of Summer Lane, Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention has reference to berths for ships, hospitals and other places and
consists in constructing the said berths in the ways hereinafter described, whereby
great. simplicity of construction as well as efficiency in use are secured.
I will describe my invention in connection with a ship's berth.
In constructing a berth according to one of my improvements I make the frame
of the sacking in one piece that is without any hinged or other joint, the whole of
the frame being in the same plane. The frame is provided with any desired kind
of sacking. On the underside of each end of the frame and at that part of the
frame near the bulkhead a pendent plate or bracket is made and in the lower edge
of the said plate or bracket two depressions or slots are made. To each side of the
inner sides of the divisions between the berths, a plate is fixed which plate carries
two pins or projections. These pins or projections are at the same distance apart
as the slots in the brackets on the underside of the ends of the frame and are of a
size and shape suitable to take into the said slots. The said pins are not on the
same level the pin near the bulkhead being at a lower level than the other.
The pins described constitute fulcra on which the frame of the sacking turns:
When the said frame is raised into a vertical position its ends rest and turn upon
the pins near the bulkhead. When the frame is depressed it first turns upon these
pins, but when it has turned through an angle of about forty five degrees the
other slots and pins become engaged together and the frame now turns upon these,
the slots and pins on which the frame commenced its downward motion becoming
disengaged. The frame of the sacking having reached a horizontal position its
further descent is prevented either by stops under which the inner ends of the
frame bear, or by stops on the sides of the berth on which the outer ends of the
frame bear. Or the frame of the sacking may be supported in its horizontal position
by legs or other supports. The upper or closed ends of the inner slots on the under-
side of the frame are at right angles to the other part so as to preserve their
engagement with the pins when the frame is raised into a vertical position. When
the frame is raised it performs motions the reverse of those described and when
vertical is at such a distance from the bulkhead as to leave room for the bedding..
The pins described may be carried by brackets on the bulkhead instead of by
plates on the sides of the berth.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1890
W. T. WHITEMAN,.
Agent for the Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' and other Berths.
I THOMAS KENDRICK of Summer Lane Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my 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 has reference to berths for ships, hospitals and other places and
5 consists in constructing the said berths in the way hereinafter described whereby
great simplicity of construction as well as efficiency in use are secured.

page_text: I will describe my invention in connection with a ship's berth.
In constructing a berth according to my improvements I make the frame of the
sacking in one piece, that is, without any hinged or other joint the whole of the
frame being in the same plane. The frame is provided with any desired kind of
sacking. On the underside of each end of the frame and at that part of the frame
near the bulkhead a pendent plate or bracket is made and in the lower edge of the
said plate or bracket two depressions. or slots are made. To each side of the inner
sides of the divisions between the berths, a plate is fixed which plate carries two
pins or projections. These pins or projections are at the same distance apart as the
slots on the underside of the ends of the frame and are of a size and shape suitable
to take into the said slots. The said pins are not on the same level, the pin near the
bulkhead being at a lower level than the other.
The pins described constitute fulcra on which the frame of the sacking turns.
When the said frame is raised into a vertical position its ends rest and turn upon the
pins near the bulkhead. When the frame is depressed it first turns upon these pins
but when it has turned through an angle of about forty five degrees the other slots
and pins become engaged together and the frame now turns upon these the slots and
pins on which the frame commenced its downward motion becoming disengaged.
The frame of the sacking having reached a horizontal position its further descent is
prevented either by stops under which the inner ends of the frame bear or by stops
on the sides of the berth on which the outer ends of the frame bear. Or the frame
of the sacking may be supported in its horizontal position by legs or other supports.
The upper or closed ends of the inner slots on the underside of the frame are at
right angles to the other part so as to preserve their engagement with the pins when
the frame is raised into a vertical position. When the frame is raised it performs
motions the reverse of those described and when vertical is at such a distance from
the bulkhead as to leave room for the bedding;
The pins described may be carried by brackets on the bulkhead instead of by
plates on the divisions between the berths.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in perspective a ship's berth constructed according to
my invention fitted to a bulkhead. Figure 1 representing the frame of the berth
turned down into a horizontal position and Figure 2 showing the same raised into a
vertical position out of use, with the bedding between it and the bulkhead.
Figure 3 represents in perspective, drawn to a larger scale, one of the side
brackets carrying the fulcra pins of the berth and Figure 4 represents in perspective
a portion of the berth frame situated near the bulkhead.
Figure 5 represents a modified construction of the slots in which the fulcra pins
of the berth work as hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
drawing.
a a²; b, b is the berth or sacking frame carrying the sacking c, bedding d and the
lee rail e. The berth frame is without any hinged or other joint and the principal
parts are in the same plane; is the bulkhead and are the divisions between
the berths. In the underside of each end bar of the berth frame and near the
bulkhead, two slots marked respectively and are made (see Figure 4); or the
slots instead of being made in the web of the end bar may be made in a pendent
plate or bracket & rivetted or fixed to the end bar b of the frame as represented in
Figure 5. The acting part of the slot i in each end bar nearest the bulkhead is
horizontal and the other slot h in each end bar is inclined. To each of the divisions g g
between the berths and on the inner side a bracket is affixed. The inner side of
one of these brackets is represented in perspective, drawn to a larger scale, in
Figure 3. On each bracket are two pins or studs or projections m, n which are at
the same distance apart as the slots , in the end bars b, b. These pins, studs or
projections are of a size and shape suitable for the slots h, i to turn upon and leave
in the movement of the berth frame. It will be seen by an examination of Figure 3

page_text: that the two pins or studs m, n on each bracket are not on the same level the
pin n nearest the bulkhead being at a lower level than the other pin m. It will
also be seen by reference to the edge view of Figure 3 that each pin or stud consists
of a cylindrical shank on which the slot of the berth frame works and a nearly
elliptical head which is situated when the pin is engaged with the slot outside the
said slot. The pins m, m and n, n at each end of the berth constitute fulcra on
which the frame a, a² b, b turns the upper pair of pins m, m engaging with the
inclined slots h, h when the berth frame is in its lowered or horizontal position
Figure 1 and the lower pair of pins », n engaging with the horizontal slots ¿ when
the berth frame is in its raised position Figure 2.
When the berth is moved from the raised position Figure 2 into the lowered
position Figure 1 the slots i, i in its end bars rest and turn upon the pins n until
the frame has moved through about an angle of 45 degrees when the said slots i, i
being about to escape from the said pins n n the other slots h, h in the end bars
engage with the other pins m, m and the frame now turns upon the last named pins
in its further motion to its fully lowered position as will be understood by an
examination of the positions of the engaged pairs of slots and pins represented at
the right hand ends of Figures 1 and 2. When the berth frame has reached its
horizontal position the snugs p, p at the ends of the front bars a² of the frame
carrying the lee rail e take into the seats q, q on the divisions 9, g between the berths
and the further descent of the berth is prevented.
Other ways than that I have represented may be used for preventing the descent
of the berth beyond a horizontal position. When the berth is raised it performs
motions the reverse of those described; that is to say, the slots h h being engaged
with the pair of pins m, m the berth frame as it is first raised turns upon the said
pins m, m and the slots h, h afterwards escaping from these pins the other slots i,
engage with and the berth frame turns upon the other pins n, n during its further
motion.
The berth is maintained in its raised position by the engagement of the hook u
with the front rod of the frame.
When the berth frame is vertical it is situated at such a distance from the bulk-
head as to leave only space enough for the bedding as represented in Figure 2,
where the bedding is marked d the said bedding d being supported at bottom upon
the backboard r its ends being jointed at s to the berth frame (see Figure 4) the
said backboard resting in its vertical position against the bulkhead f. As the berth-
frame is raised the jointed backboard r turns inwards or towards the front of the
frame to permit of the descent of the back rod a of the said berthframe. When
the berth is in its lowered position the backboard takes a vertical position its
outward movement beyond a vertical position being prevented by studs or pins on
it engaging with the stops or curved arms t, t (see Figures 1 and 4).
It will be understood from the description hereinbefore given with reference to
th accompanying drawing that about half the angular motion of the berthframe is
performed upon the pair of upper pins and the other half of its motion upon the
lower pair of pins the turning of the berthframe upon the lower pair of pins for
raising it into its vertical position bringing the bedding in close contact with the bulk-
head thereby providing greater space in the cabin than in berths of the ordinary
kind. The additional space thus obtained is of great advantage when as is often
the case the cabin is utilized for the storing of cargo on the return voyage of the
ship.
An important advantage which this improved berth possesses over berths of the
ordinary kind is in the facility with which it can be removed from its bearing upon
the pins, studs or fulcra. When situated at about an angle of 45 degrees the berth
frame may be lifted in an upward direction when both pairs of slots in it leave the
pins or fulcra upon which they work and thus without the removal of any screws
nuts or bolts the berth may be taken away for any required purpose; for example,
for cleaning or repainting or for storing. The improved berth possesses the further
advantage that there are no loose or detachable parts.

page_text: My improvements besides being applicable to ships' berths as described and
represent dare also applicable to berths for hospitals and other places where
berths capable of being turned up into a vertical position are or may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of any invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I claim as my invention of "Improvements in ships' and other berths." :--
Making the sacking or berth frame turn upon two pairs of pins or fulcra carried
by brackets or plates near the back and at each end of the berth frame for slots on
the underside of the ends of the berth frame to engage with, the said pins or fulcra
and slots being so arranged that when the frame is raised or lowered it first turns
upon one pair of the pins and as it escapes from those pins engages with and turns
upon the other pair of pins substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing whereby the berth frame when raised approaches the
bulkhead or other part against which it is raised so closely that the maximum space
of the cabin or place in which the berth is situated is utilized.
Dated the 19th day of June 1891.
THOMAS KENDRICK..