IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAINTAINING A LEVEL SURFACE OR LEVEL SURFACES UPON OR IN CONNECTION WITH BODIES SUBJECT TO A ROCKING MOTION
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sayers, of No. 6, Prospect Place,
Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, Carpenter and Ship Joiner,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAINTAINING A
LEVEL SURFACE OR LEVEL SURFACES UPON OR IN CONNECTION WITH
BODIES SUBJECT TO A ROCKING MOTION."
Sealed the 29th January 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sayers at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st October 1852.
I, JOHN SAYERS, of No. 6, Prospect Place, Poplar, in the County
of Middlesex, Carpenter and Ship Joiner, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention of "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAINTAINING A
LEVEL SURFACE OR LEVEL SURFACES UPON OR IN CONNECTION WITH BODIES
SUBJECT TO A ROCKING MOTION" to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the enabling a surface or surfaces
requiring to be used for sustaining articles liable to be overturned or
displaced by a tilting motion to preserve their level or horizontality,
notwithstanding such tilting motion being communicated to the body

page_text: with which those surfaces are connected (as for instance) in case of
tables or sideboards in ships. I construct them in such manner that
dishes or other vessels containing liquid may be securely sustained,
notwithstanding the ordinary table or sideboard partaking of the
peculiar motion of the ship.
This I effect by placing above the ordinary table or sideboard a
series of small tables or shelves, sustained by the table or sideboard, and
so connected with suitable apparatus underneath the table or sideboard
as that the level of the small tables or shelves may be maintained,
notwithstanding the motion of the ship being communicated to the
ordinary table or sideboard.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Sayers, in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 26th March 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN SAYERS, of No. 6, Prospect Place, Poplar, in the County of
Middlesex, Carpenter and Ship Joiner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Sayers, Her special licence
that I, the said John Sayers, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Sayers, 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
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED ÅR-
RANGEMENTS FOR MAINTAINING A LEVEL SURFACE OR LEVEL SURFACES
UPON OR IN CONNECTION WITH BODIES SUBJECT TO A ROCKING MOTION."
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Sayers, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly

page_text: 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 John Sayers, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, and the drawings therein referred to, that is to say:
My Invention has for its object the enabling a surface or surfaces
requiring to be used for sustaining articles liable to be overturned or
displaced by a tilting motion, to preserve their level or horizontality,
notwithstanding such tilting motion being communicated to the body
with which those surfaces are connected, (as for instance) in case of
tables or sideboards in ships. I propose to construct them in such
manner that by means of the arrangements herein-after described, a
table or series of tables, a shelf or series of shelves, may be provided
in connection with an ordinary table or sideboard, upon which dishes or
open vessels containing liquid may rest securely, notwithstanding the
peculiar motion of the ship.
This effect by placing above the ordinary table or sideboard a
series of small tables or shelves, so connected with suitable apparatus
underneatli as that the level of the small tables or shelves may be
maintained.
That the manner of performing this may be fully understood, I will
proceed to describe the drawings hereto annexed.
Drawing No. 1, is a perspective view of a fore and aft dining table,
with the shelves attached.
Drawing No. 2, is a transverse section; A, is the shelf; B, B, the
metal uprights to support the shelf in the centre, being attached to the
shelf, and passing through the top of the table on to the sway beam C;
D, is the metal hinge or upright to support the shelf at each end, being
attached to the table top, and connected to the shelf by a bolt or pin;
F, is the metal or wood frame to support the weight; G, is the
suspension cross, to the centre of which is attached the sway beam and
weight. H, is the connecting rods working on centres 1, 2, 3.
.
Drawing No. 3, represents a fore and aft section; A, the shelf; B,

page_text: the metal uprights which are attached to the shelf, and pass through
the top of the table on to C, the sway beam as shown in drawing
No. 2; D, the hinge or upright supporting end of shelf, being attached
to the table top, and connected to shelf by bolt E; F, the frame; G,
the suspension cross, to suspend sway beam and weight.
Drawing No. 4, is a perspective view of athwart ship dining table,
with shelves attached.
Drawing No. 5, is a transverse section; A, the shelf; B, B, the metal
uprights to support the shelf in the centre, being attached to the shelf,
and passing through the top of the table on to C, the sway beam; D,
the suspension cross, fixed to the underside of the table top, to which is
attached the sway beam and weight; E, the metal hinge or upright to
support ends of shelf, being attached to table top, and connected to the
shelf by bolt or pin; E, the connecting rods connecting the sway beams
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Drawing No. 6, is a fore and aft section; A, the shelf; B, the metal
uprights to support the shelf in the centre, being attached to the shelf
by centres, and passing, through the table top on to C, the sway beam;
D, the metal uprights to support the ends of the shelf, being attached
to the shelf by centres, and pass through the top of the table on to the
arm of the sway beam C, and connected thereto by pins, thereby giving
double action to the shelf or tables; F, is a section of the suspension
cross, to which is attached the sway beam and weight.
Drawing No. 7, is a perspective view of sideboard.
Drawing No. 8, is the sections of the same. A, the shelf; B, the
metal uprights to support the shelf at back; C, sway beam; D,
suspension cross; E, metal hinge or upright; F, connecting rods; G,
the weight; H, bolt or pin for shelf to work in.
Drawing No. 9, sections and ground plans; D, metal hinge or
uprights to support the end of shelves; C, elevation and ground
plan of sway beam; G, suspension cross; E, bolt to connect shelf to
hinge or upright D; B, metal upright to support shelf in the centre;
H, connecting rods.
Drawing No. 10, is a ground plan of fore and aft and thwart ship
table tops.
The arrangements herein-before described and referred to may be

page_text: modified according to the peculiar circumstances of each case; but I
claim as my Invention the combining and arranging shelves, and appa-
ratus connected therewith, in such manner as to preserve their level, as
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sayers, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOHN SAYERS. (L.S.)
Signed and Sealed in the presence of
GEO. BROWN, Sol., 21, Finsbury Place.
EDWD. DAVIES, his Clerk.