IMPROVEMENTS IN EQUI- LIBRIUM BERTHS OR CABINS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS." LIBRIUM BERTHS OR CABINS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Black, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EQUI-
LIBRIUM BERTHS OR CABINS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
LIBRIUM BERTHS OR CABINS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
Sealed the 27th June 1873, and dated the 13th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas. Black at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th March 1873.
I, THOMAS BLACK, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
EQUILIBRIUM BERTHS OR CABINS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as follows:-
The main object of the said Invention is to render sea voyages less
unpleasant by providing a berth or cabin which does not partake of the
pitching and rolling motions of the vessel. For this purpose I construct
a berth or cabin free to oscilate on trunnions placed transversely to
counteract the pitching motion of the vessel. To counteract the rolling
motion I secure the bearings for the transverse trunnions on a frame-
work surrounding but not touching the said berth or cabin, the said

page_text: framework being free to oscilate on trunnions placed longitudinally. By
constructing berths or cabins in this manner both the pitching and
rolling motions of a navigable vessel are counteracted.
The means of egress from and ingress to a cabin constructed in
accordance with this Invention is by a passage formed directly over one
or both of the internal transverse trunnions, thence around one or both
sides of the oscilating framework, and finally directly over one or both
of the longitudinal trunnions to the fixed deck of the vessel. Weights
are secured to the under side of the berths or cabins to give greater
stability thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Black in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BLACK, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Black, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Black, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Black, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
EQUILIBRIUM BERTHS OR CABINS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Black, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly 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

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Black, 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, reference being had to the accompanying two Sheets
of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
The main object of the said Invention is to render sea voyages less
unpleasant by providing a berth or cabin which does not partake of the
pitching and rolling motions of the vessel. For this purpose I construct
a berth or cabin free to oscilate on trunnions placed transversely to
counteract the pitching motion of the vessel. To counteract the rolling
motion I secure the bearings for the transverse trunnions on a frame-
work surrounding but not touching the said berth or cabin, the said
framework being free to oscilate on trunnions placed longitudinally.
By constructing berths or cabins in this manner both the pitching and
rolling motions of a navigable vessel are counteracted.
The means of egress from and ingress to a cabin constructed in
accordance with this Invention is by a passage formed directly over one
or both of the internal transverse trunnions, thence around one or both
sides of the oscillating framework, and finally directly over one or both
of the longitudinal trunnions to the fixed deck of the vessel. Weights
are secured to the under side of the berths or cabins to give greater
1:1:2thout

page_text: portions of a ship are drawn in. In these views like letters denote the
same parts.
A is the cabin proper carried on longitudinal trunnions a, a¹, resting
on bearings in the framework B. The said trunnions allow the cabin
so to swing or oscilate as to counteract the rolling motion. b, b¹, are
transverse trunnions resting on stationary framework c, such trunnions
serving to counteract pitching. The entrance to the said cabin is over a
way formed directly above one or both of the transverse trunnions b, b¹,
thence around the passage d between A and B and over the trunnions
, a¹. The modification shown has a passage all the way round between
A and B. It will be evident however that a passage from a to b would
answer. e are weights attached to the under side of the cabin to ensure
stability.
It will be obvious that a berth suitable for one or more passengers can
be constructed after the manner of the above described cabin and also
after the arrangements of parts hereafter described.
Sheet 2, Fig. 4, is a transverse section, and Fig. 5 a longitudinal
section of a portion of a ship with a cabin constructed in accordance
with my Invention in position. This modification has semicircular
stability weights e¹ attached to the bottom, and has also weights in-
directly connected by cords or flexible agents. Here A is the cabin
proper; B, oscilating framework surrounding A; a, a¹, longitudinal
trunnions; 6, 6¹, transverse trunnions; c, supporting framework; d,
passage to A; f, cords or flexible agents, four of which are secured to A
and four to B; e, weights moving in the guiding wells g formed in or
secured to the ship h.
Sheet 2, Fig. 6, is a transverse section, Fig. 7 a longitudinal section,
and Fig. 8 a horizontal section (Figs. 7 and 8 are drawn to a less scale
than Fig. 6) of a cabin under my Invention, such cabin having two
floors one over the other. Here A is the cabin proper with floors a² and
a3; B, surrounding framework; a, a', longitudinal trunnions; b, b',
transverse trunnions; c, supporting framework; d, passage leading from
the deck of the ship to A; &, stairway from a² to a³; f, cords or flexible
agents; e³, stability weights; g, wells; h, ship.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and particu-
larized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry my
improvements into practice, I would have it understood that what I

page_text: claim is, the combinations and arrangements of parts substantially as
described for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Black, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool
THOMAS BLACK. (L.S.)