Especially for Use on Steam and Sailing Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: Especially for Use on Steam and Sailing Vessels.
I PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Albion Pierce Bickmore
and Edward Babcock Pendleton both of Hyde Park County of Norfolk State of
Massachusetts United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention is an improvement in swinging or self levelling berths for
passenger craft of all kinds, and is an improvement upon that described in the
Specification of Letters Patent No 2068 dated 24th April 1883.
In the present invention I have had in view, first, to reduce the space occupied
by the supporting frame between the upper and lower berths; Second, to simplify
the framework supporting the berths; Third, to combine the berths, their sup-
porting frame and the canopy with enclosing curtains with the supporting arm on
which they are pivoted, so that a complete enclosed room is made, all movable on
the pivot, no movement of parts being visible to the occupants of the berths in a
rough sea. Such a room may be set in any convenient space, as between decks;
Fourth, to prevent the jar of the machinery from affecting the occupants of the
berths, when these berths are used on steam ships; Fifth, to combine the berths or
berth boards or frames with the supporting frames in such a manner that they are
better steadied and made more secure and convenient to get into or out of, without
interfering with their easy pendulum movement in relation to the ship; and sixth
to provide for limited lateral movement of the bed or mattress within the berth
frame.
The details of construction for accomplishing these objects are fully set forth
hereinafter and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,
-
Figure 1.is a perspective view of-the end supporting frames with the outer berth
frames or boards which may be provided with any suitable bottom, the figure also
including the canopy frame and supporting bar and arm.

page_text: Figure 2 is an end view partly in section showing the inner or moveable berths
or beds, the devices for steadying them and the canopy and curtains.
Figures 3 and 4 show details of construction.
In the drawings, A represents the lower, and B the upper berth, both fixed to
end frames C, C. Each of these frames consist of a strong central vertical bar f, and
side bars g, g, with connecting cross pieces made straight or convex for the special
purpose hereinafter described. These end frames thus connected by the berths or
berth frames, are also connected by the main supporting bar D, which is bolted at
each end, to one of the central bars-f.-This bar. occupies less space than the separate
frames described in the specification before referred to. It is placed as close as
possible to the upper berth and for this purpose it is made with an offset at the
centre to give room for the end of the supporting arm E. The main supporting
bar D connected to the frames in the manner described, sustains the whole
structure, and is itself suspended from the arm E by devices such as were described
in said prior specification or by any other suitable to the purpose, which requires
that the whole suspended structure shall have free and easy movement in all
'directions, necessary to the maintaining of the berths in horizontal positions during
the pitching or rolling.movement of the ship.
In the improved form of the berth structure herein shown I have made the
berths or berth frames rigid with the frame as shown in figure 1, and when the
whole structure of the berth is fixed to the frames, I depend for the horizontal
position of the berths upon the pivotal suspension of the main bar.
But I have provided also (mainly for smaller crafts) an inside moveable bed
support within the berth frame. These inner frames or bed supports are shown
at b, and c. in figure 2, They are arranged to leave some space between their
edges and the inner surfaces of the berth boards m, and n, so that there is room for
lateral rocking movement of the bed within the side boards m, and n, of the berth.
To secure this rocking motion of the bed I fix to or form upon the end cross
bars of the inner or lower bed frame a segmental rack bar o, which meshes into a
reversely curved segmental rack on the upper end of the lever O pivoted on the
end frames, and having a weight on the lower end. The bed frame may be guided
and supported on small trucks or rollers as p, which run on tracks on the cross
bars qwhich are curved to conform to the movement of the bed frame thereon.
The weight gives steadiness of movement to the parts, and when the inner movable
bed is used, or the whole berth or bed be fixed to the frames the occupant can get
into or out of the berth without causing it to tip as it would when suspended.
The arm E extends laterally to the wall and is provided with a suitable flange on
its outer end for attachment to the wall or side of the ship. I do not limit myself
to any special form of such arm or to the special means shown for attaching it to
the side walls, deck or other part of the ship. In cases where the berth can be
supported on the side of the ship a flange; on the end of the arm is sufficient to
hold the arm and support the whole structure of the berths. But I have shown
provision for holding the arm, when the same is to be fixed to a wall less stable
and solid than the side of the ship. In this the arm E is formed with or fixed to
an iron standard H, the foot h, of which rests on the floor. The standard is flat or
thin and extends upwards to give as much surface as possible, for holding it against
the wall, while the foot rests upon the deck or floor.
Underneath or back of this standard or flange I place a rubber or other yielding
elastic packing k, which protects the occupants of the berths from the jarring caused
by the machinery, when the berths are used on board steam crafts.
It is well known that persons susceptible to seasickness are affected by the
appearance of motion in surrounding objects as well as by the motion itself. In
order to shut out from the occupants of the berths the sight of all surrounding
parts which partake of the motion of the ship, I have provided a canopy and
curtain S entirely surrounding and covering the berths and supporting frames. To
support this canopy a frame 7, is set on posts 8, fixed to the end frames of the
berths. This frame r extends forward to overhang the front side of the berths

page_text: and leave ample space between the berths and the curtains suspended from the
front edge of the frame. These curtains cover and enclose when drawn together,
the whole structure and the occupants of the berth are suspended and enclosed free
from sight and feeling of motion of the ship. For greater privacy of the upper
and lower berths, inner special curtains t, are provided for each berth.
With this construction also the berth is made complete for placing in any
position as for example, between decks, on ships in place of ordinary berths.
The frames may be made of castings or plain forgings and rods with cast
connections, but these are mere details of construction to which I do not limit
myself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The upper and lower berths fixed to the end frames combined with a main
supporting bar between the berths, and an arm fixed to a partition, side, or a part
of the ship and with pivotal connections between the supporting bars and the arm,
substantially as described.
2. In combination with the upper and lower berths fixed to the end frames,
a cross bar D formed with an offset, and suspended from the fixed arm E, all
substantially as described.
3. In combination with the berths fixed to the end frames, and with the main
bar D, the arm E fixed to the ship with interposed packings substantially as
described.
4. The berths fixed to the frame and rigidly connected to a main supporting
bar pivoted on an arm fixed to the ship, in combination with a canopy supported
on the franes substantially as described.
5. The berths fixed to the frames and rigidly connected to a main supporting
bar pivoted to an arm fixed to the ship, in combination with the canopy supported
on the frames, and curtains surrounding the berths and frames all substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
. 6. The berths fixed to the frames and rigidly connected to a main supporting
bar, pivoted on an arm fixed to the ship, in combination with a canopy supported
on the frames and extended to project to the front of the berths, and supporting
curtains surrounding the berths and frames whereby a complete room is provided
all substantially as described.
7. In combination with the berths fixed to the end frames and with the main
supporting bar pivoted on the arm fixed to the ship the inner movable or rocking
bed adapted to rock independently of the berth all substantially as described.
8. In combination with the berth fixed to the end frames and with the main
supporting bar pivoted on an arm fixed to the ship, an inner laterally rocking bed,
a segmental rack on the end of the frames of said bed, a weighted rack secured to
the frames and engaging with the first, the curved cross bar and anti friction
supports, substantially as described.
•