IMPROVEMENTS IN SWINGING OR SELF LEVELLING BERTHS INTENDED ESPECIALLY FOR USE ON STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice of 55 & 56 Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents for an
Invention of "
IMPROVEMENTS IN SWINGING OR SELF LEVELLING BERTHS
INTENDED ESPECIALLY FOR USE ON STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS и communi-
cated to him from abroad by Albion Pierce Bickmore and Edward Babcock
Pendleton both of Hyde Park, County of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts
United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1883.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 & 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents. IMPROVEMENTS IN SWINGING
OR SELF LEVELLING BERTHS INTENDED ESPECIALLY FOR USE ON STEAM AND
SAILING VESSELS 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
This invention relates to an improvement in swinging or self levelling berths
intended especially for use on steam and sailing vessels The invention is applicable
to double or upper and lower berths and its object is to provide an upper and
lower berth suspended from a common support so as to have a simultaneous
movement in one direction with supporting frame and separate movement laterally
independent of the frame one of the berths being placed above and one below the
common point of support and balanced in that position
The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the devices
necessary to carry out this object and further in a peculiar canopy or curtain for
shutting off the berths from observation either together or separately A bracket
is firmly secured to the side of the state room and projecting therefrom at right
angles To this bracket is rigidly attached the upper chamber or socket of the
universal joint

page_text: The chamber is rounded internally and at the bottom has an annular groove
. adapted to contain a row of anti-friction balls. Loose within this case is a segment
of a sphere to which is attached a rod, the lower curved surface of the segment
bearing on the balls and the rod projecting out through an opening in the bottom
of the chamber
This opening may be of any size in order to permit free movement of the
segment within the case and to prevent the possibility of cramping Suspended
from the chamber and bracket described by means of the connecting rod is a
precisely similar socket or chamber having a corresponding annular groove and
row of balls This chamber is held in reverse position by a segment similar to that
before described attached to the rod so that either a rotary or oscillatory motion
will be permitted the chamber The second or lower chamber has a plain or flat
lower surface and to this is rigidly secured the frame to which the swinging berths
are attached
This frame consists of a plate secured to the lower chamber, a pair of upwardly
bent arms, a similar pair extending downward, and suitable braces to give
additional strength The ends of the upper arms are hooked and from these
hooks is suspended the upper berth by a pair of eyes This permits of a free lateral
swing to the berth The lower berth is suspended from hooks on the lower arms
below the joint Elastic cords may be provided if desired for steadying the berth.
It will be noted that both berths are suspended from a common intermediate point
by a common frame or support and that by virtue of their position they balance
one another while they are permitted an universal movement by the joint This is
the distinguishing feature of this invention The second part of the invention
relates to a canopy or curtain for enveloping the berths and preventing the
occupants from observing the movement of the stateroom
A frame composed of light metallic rods is secured to the upper ends of the upper
ȧrms and these rods are bent outwardly so that the canopy may hang vertically
and clear the upper berth A horizontal rod connects the upper arms near their
lower end. The canopy is secured to the rear side of the lower berth and is
supported on the frame so as to hang down in front it being divided in front so as
to permit it to be withdrawn toward each side The lower curtain slides on rings
on a rod and is centrally divided While the present invention is described as used
for sloping berths for passengers it is equally applicable to stock pens as to berths
with slight modifications, an upper and lower pen being hung from a single
universally jointed support and arranged so as to counterbalance each other

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Philip Middleton Justice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1883.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 & 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents IMPROVEMENTS IN SWINGING
OB SELF LEVELLING BERTHS INTENDED ESPECIALLY FOR USE ON STEAM AND
SAILING VESSELS 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
This Invention relates to an improvement in swinging or self levelling berths
intended especially for use on steam and sailing vessels. The invention is applicable
to double or upper and lower berths and its object is to provide an upper and
lower berth suspended from a common support so as to have a simultaneous
movement in one direction with supporting frame and separate movement laterally
independent of the frame, one of the berths being placed above and one below the
common point of support and balanced in that position
The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the devices
necessary to carry out this object, and further in a peculiar canopy or curtain for
shutting off the berths from observation either together or separately In the
accompanying drawings forming part of this specification
Figure 1. represents a perspective view of the interior of a state room containing
an upper and lower berth constructed in accordance with this invention
Figure 2. represents a vertical section through the universal joint
Figure 3 a horizontal section on line x. x
and
Figure 4 a view representing the curtain or canopy
In these drawings A represents a bracket firmly screwed to the side of the state
room and projecting therefrom at right angles To this bracket is rigidly attached
the upper chamber or socket B of the universal joint The chamber is rounded
internally and at the bottom has an annular groove adapted to contain a row of
anti-friction balls 1 as shown
Loose within this case is a segment of a sphere D to which is attached a rod,
the lower curved surface of the segment bearing on the balls and the rod projecting
out through an opening in the bottom of the chamber B This opening may be of
any size in order to permit free movement of the segment within the case and to
prevent the possibility of cramping Suspended from the chamber and bracket
described by means of the connecting rod 2 is a precisely similar socket or
chamber D¹ having a corresponding annular groove and row of balls
This chamber is held in reverse position by a segment E similar to that before
described, attached to the rod 2 so that either a rotary or oscillatory motion will
be permitted the chamber The second or lower chamber D¹ has a plane or flat
lower surface and to this is rigidly secured the frame to which the swinging berths
are attached
This frame is represented at F and consists of a plate 4 secured to the lower
chamber D¹, a pair of upwardly bent arms 5.6, a similar pair. 7. 8 extending downward
and suitable braces as at 9 to give additional strength The ends of the upper arms
5. 6. are hooked as shown and from these hooks is suspended the upper berth by a
pair of eyes. This permits a free lateral swing to the berth The lower berth is
uspended from hooks 11. 12 on the lower arms 7. 8 below the joint Elastic
cords 13. 14 may be provided if desired for steadying the berth. It will be noted
hat both berths are suspended from a common intermediate point by a common

page_text: frame or support and that by virtue of their position they balance one another
while they are permitted an universal movement by the joint This is the
distinguishing feature of this invention The second part of this invention relates
to a canopy or curtain for enveloping the berths and preventing the occupants from
observing the movement of the stateroom
A frame composed of light metallic rods 20. 21 is secured to the upper ends of
the arms 5. 6 and these rods are bent outwardly so that the canopy may hang
vertically and clear the upper berth. A horizontal rod 22 connects the upper
arms 5. 6 near their lower end. The canopy is secured to the rear side of the
lower berth at points marked x. x. and is supported on the frame so as to hang
down in front, it being divided in front so as to permit it to be withdrawn toward
each side The lower curtain slides on rings on the rod 22 and is centrally divided
While the present invention is described as used for sleeping berths for passengers
it is equally applicable to stock pens as to berths with slight modifications an
upper and lower pen being hung from a single universally jointed support and
arranged so as to counterbalance each other
Having thus described the invention as communicated to me from abroad by my
foreign correspondents What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is
1 The combination with a fixed bracket and universally jointed support
carried thereby, of a suspended frame carrying an upper and a lower berth, said
bracket being between the said upper and lower berths substantially as described
2nd A supporting frame having upward and downwardly projecting arms, a berth
pivoted upon the upper arms and a second berth pivoted upon the lower arms, and
a bracket intermediate between said berths fixed to a suitable support and suitable
flexible connections between the frame carrying the arms and said bracket substan-
tially as described
3rd The combination with the cases or sockets containing the connected spherical
segments and the ball bearings, of the frame attached to the lower socket and
composed of upwardly elevated arms supporting a swinging upper. berth, and
downwardly projecting arms supporting a similar lower berth all as described and
set forth
4th The herein before described general arrangement of parts forming the
improvements in swinging or self levelling berths in combination with the canopy
frame or support all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Philip Middleton Justice have hereunto set my
hand and seal this sixth day of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of
HENRY B HATCHWELL
55 Chancery Lane
London W.C
PHILIP M. JUSTICE (L.S.)