IMPROVEME IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS' SLEEPING BERTHS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEME IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS' SLEEPING BERTHS." A com-
munica"
abroad by The Brunswick Berth Company (Incorporated), of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS'
SLEEPING BERTHS." [A communication from abroad by The Brunswick Berth
Company (Incorporated), of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in ships' berths of that class commonly
called self levelling berths, in which the berth is supported at each end on a
trunnion, each of which is suspended, the object being to prevent the berth from
being raised at the head or foot or tipped by the motion of the vessel.
The mode of suspending according to this Invention is as follows, that is to say :-
Two sheaves are securely fastened to the bulkheads or ceiling of the state-room,
one over the head, the other over the foot of the berth; and these trunnions, are
supported by a rope passing over these two pulleys or sheaves so that one trunnion
must rise as the other falls, and vice versa. Two other pulleys are fastened near
the floor below the first two. To the bulkhead nearly midway between the upper
and lower pulleys or sheaves is pivoted on either bulkhead a way, which is free to
swing on this pivot toward and away from the bulkhead; this way is made of
metal and extends slightly below the bottom of the berth; it is steadied at its
lower end by two brackets which are secured to and project from the bulkhead
near to and just above the lower bulkhead sheaves. This way serves as a track
for the rollers of the trunnions. To the lower end of the said way on the left is
fastened a rope or cord made of hemp or wire or other suitable material which
passes from the lower end of said way under the berth, and around the lower

page_text: bulkhead sheave on the right, thence up behind the way on the right to a point. a
few feet below the upper bulkhead sheave where it is spliced or made fast to the
suspending rope. Another rope is spliced to the suspending rope on the left, and
extends down behind the way on the left around the lower bulkhead sheave on
the left, thence across under the berth, and is made fast to the lower end of the
right pivoted way. The arrangement of ropes, ways, trunnions, and bearings is
alike at both ends of the berth.
The berth is supported wholly by the trunnions, one at each end, and is kept
level by turning on an axis substantially coincident with the axes of these
trunnions, the axes of the trunnions being lengthwise of the berth; and so long as
this axis is horizontal or substantially so, the weight of the occupant will keep
the berth plumb from this axis. The arrangement of pivoted ways, and ropes and
sheaves to connect the lower end of the left pivoted way with the base of the left
trunnion, and the lower end of the right pivoted way, and to connect the lower
end of the right pivoted way with the base of the right trunnion and the lower
end of the left pivoted way, so that any tendency of the left trunnion to move
downwards shall move the lower end of the left way away from the bulk-
head, and against the roller on the left trunnion's base, and at the same time move
the lower end of the right way towards the bulkhead, counteracts and prevents the
lowering of one end and the raising of the other end of the berth, and makes it
certain that the suspending rope shall render over its sheaves, thus keeping the
axis of the berth substantially horizontal, regardless of the motion of the vessel.
The trunnions or the short journals which support the head and foot of the
berth may be described as sustained by a rope which passes from the base of
the trunnion over the sheave just above it, thence over the berth and over the
other pulley or sheave and down to the base piece of the trunnion, and the bearings
or boxes for these trunnions are fast, one at the head and the other at the foot of
the berth.
In another form of this Invention the bearings or boxes for the trunnions are
fast to the suspending rope, and the trunnions are fast to the berth.
Should the berth be crosswise of the vessel the tendency of the head and foot.
to rise and fall will be much greater than when the berth is lengthwise of the
vessel. In such berths the horizontal part of the suspending rope may be attached
to a weighted lever, the weight on which tends to keep the lever plumb, and
thereby tends to prevent motion of the berth. The best mode of attaching the
suspending rope to this lever is to fasten it midway between the two sheaves to a
horizontal arm projecting from and fast to the upper end of the lever, the fulcrum
of the lever being between this horizontal arm and the weight covered by the
lever, so that the apparent motion of the weight (for the weight will appear to
move as the vessel rolls, although in reality it always remains plumb) in one
direction will move the suspending rope in the opposite direction.
The principle of this Invention consists in supporting the berth upon axes or
trunnions so that the berth will hang plumb as long as these axes are kept in
substantially one horizontal line; in keeping these axes or trunnions in that line
by suspending one of them at one end and the other at the other end of a rope
passing over proper sheaves or pulleys, and in insuring the proper action of this
suspending rope by additional contrivances, the endwise motion of the berth being
prevented by ways, one opposed to each end of the berth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd July 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS'
SLEEPING BERTHS." A communication from abroad by The Brunswick Berth
Company (Incorporated), of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in ships' berths of that class commonly
called self-levelling berths, and comprises various novel features of form and
construction as hereinafter more fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, shewing-one form of this Invention.
Figure 1a is a side view of a lever and weight, shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 1.
Figure 1b is horizontal section of a portion of *Figure 1.
Figure 2 is an elevation, also partly in section, shewing another form of the said
Invention.
The berth is supported at each end on a trunnion B. The trunnions are
suspended by means of a rope passing over sheaves secured to the ceiling or
bulkheads on the apparatus, shewn in Figure 1, but in the construction shewn in.
Figure 2 the suspending rope may be dispensed with, the weight of the berth and
trunnions being in this case borne by the supports or ways D, D'.
The mode of suspension is as follows:-Two sheaves E, E, are securely fastened
to the bulkheads or ceiling of the state-room, one over the head the other over
the foot of the berth, and the trunnions B are supported by a rope m passing over
these two sheaves, so that one trunnion must rise as the other falls, and vice versa.
In the apparatus shewn in Figure 1 two, other sheaves E¹, E¹, are also used and are
fastened near the floor below the first named two sheaves.
To each bulk head, nearly midway between the upper and lower pulleys or
sheaves, is pivotted at a' a way or guide D, which is free to swing on this pivot a¹
toward and away from the bulk head; this way is formed of metal and extends
below the bottom of the berth A; it is steadied at its lower end by two brackets J,
which are secured to and project from the bulk-head near to and just above the
lower. bulk-head sheaves. This way serves as a track for the rollers of the
trunnions.
To the lower end of the way or guide on the left is fastened a rope or cord d',
made of hemp, wire, or other suitable material, which passes from the lower end of
the said way. under the berth and around the lower bulk-head sheave E' on the
right, thence up behind the way D on the right to a point a few feet below the
upper bulk head sheave E, where it is spliced or made fast to the suspending rope
at x1, Figure 1. Another rope d² is spliced to the suspending rope m at x¹ on the
left and extends down behind the way D on the left around the lower bulk-head
sheave E¹, thence across under the berth, and is made fast to the lower end of the
pivotted way on the right.
The arrangement of ropes, ways, trunnions, and bearings is the same at both
ends of the berth.
The berth A is supported entirely by the trunnions B, one at each end, and is
kept level by turning on an axis substantially. coincident with the axes of these
trunnions, the axes of the trunnions being lengthwise of the berth, and so long as
this axes is horizontal, or substantially so, the weight of the occupant will keep
the berth plumb from the axis. The arrangement of pivotted ways D, D, and

page_text: ropes m, d¹, d³, and sheaves E, E, E¹, E', to connect the lower end of the left
pivotted way with the base of the left trunnion and the lower end of the right
pivotted way, and to connect the lower end of the right pivotted way with the
base of the right trunnion and the lower end of the left pivotted way, so that any
tendency of the left trunnion to move downwards shall move the lower end of the
left way away from the bulk-head and against the roller on the left trunnions base,
and at the same time move the lower end of the right way towards the bulk-head,
counteracts and prevents the lowering of one end and the raising of the other end
of the berth and makes it certain that the suspending rope m will render over its
sheaves, thus keeping the axis of the berth substantially horizontal, regardless of
the motion of the vessel.
The trunnions or the short journals which support the head and foot of the
berth may be sustained by a rope, which passes from the base of the trunnion over
the sheave just above it, thence over the berth and over the other pulley or
sheave, and down to the base piece of the other trunnion; and the bearings or
boxes for these trunnions are fast, one at the head and the other at the foot of the
berth.
In another form of this Invention the bearings or boxes for the trunnions are
fast to the suspending rope, and the trunnions are fast to the berth. 1
The said trunnions may also be so set as to play in grooved wheels, journalled
to the ends of the berth instead of being set in boxes or bearings sunk therein.
Should the berth be crosswise of the vessel the tendency of the head and foot
to rise and fall will be much greater than when the berth is lengthwise of the vessel.
In such berths the horizontal part of the suspending rope m may be attached to
the weighted lever P, shewn in dotted lines in Figure 1 and detached in Figure 1ª ;
the weight W on this lever tends to keep the same plumb, and thereby prevent
motion of the berth. The best mode of attaching the suspending rope to this lever
is to fasten it midway between the two sheaves E, E, to a horizontal arm pro-
jecting from and fast to the upper end of the lever, the fulcrum of the lever being
between this horizontal arm and the weight carried by the lever, so that the
apparent motion of the weight (which will appear to move as the vessel rolls,
although in reality it always remains plumb) in one direction, will move the
suspending rope m in the opposite direction.
The lever bearing the said weight may be formed in one piece; it is generally.
preferable however to make it jointed near the middle at the fulcrum in the
manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 1°. By thus jointing the lever the motion of
the weight is diminished and the friction on the fulcrum bearing is decreased.
In the form of this Invention, shewn in Figure 2 of the Drawing, in which the
suspending rope m may or may not be dispensed with, the arrangement is as
follows: The trunnions B are each provided with a tongue c, which is pivotted
to the adjusting support or way D. To the lower end of this support a link D¹ is
jointed, the other end of the said link being jointed to the block. H, made fast to
the bulk-head. The arrangement of the link is the same at either end of the berth,
and the said links are connected by a cord or rod d of metal, pivotted at either
end in a slot cut in each link; the said rod or cord serves to prevent the spreading
apart of the links farther than the proper distance. This arrangement of the links
D', D, and connecting rod d is substituted in this form of the Invention for the
lower sheaves E¹, E', and cross ropes d', d², Figure 1. The upper ends of the ways
or supports D, D, are pivotted to the bulk-head by passing their ends, through a
slotted roll a which is journalled in brackets b, b, so that the said way or support
is free to move upward or downward as the ends of the berth tend to rise or fall.
A metallic arm h projects from the trunnion, and is fitted with a slot k which
receives the upper end of the adjusting support or way D, the said slot being large
enough lengthwise of the arm to allow a slight movement of the end of the
way D in the slot %, thus allowing a slight movement of the tongue c relatively
to way D. The arrangement of parts is the same at both ends of the berths in all
forms of the Invention.

page_text: In the apparatus shewn in Figure 2 the suspending rope when used passes over
the upper sheaves, and is fastened to the arms h, h, which project from the
base of the trunnions, the dotted lines representing the suspending rope.
The principle of this Invention consists in supporting the berth upon axes or
trunnions, so that the berth will hang plumb as long as these axes are kept in
substantially one horizontal line; and in keeping their axes or trunnions in that
line by means substantially such as above described; the main feature of novelty
being the ways D, D, pivotted to the bulk-head and adapted to move towards and
from the bulk-head as required to keep the long axis of the berth horizontal.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. The ways D, D, pivotted to the bulk-head and arranged in relation to the
berth and trunnions, and adapted to keep the long axis of the berth horizontal,
substantially as described.
Second. The weighted lever P in combination with the rope m of a self levelling.
berth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)