CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE INTERIORS OF TRADING OR PASSENGER SHIPS, IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHOW CASES OR STANDS TO BE ADAPTED THERETO, AND IN THE MEANS OF RAISING AND LOWERING THE SAME
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by Robert Collins, David Longsdon,
and James William Murray at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 21st April 1875.
We, ROBERT COLLINS, of 160, Barnsbury Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman; DAVID LONGSDON, of Stanstead Lane, Forest
Hill, in the County of Kent, Gentleman; and JAMES WILLIAM MURRAY,
of 5, Water Lane, in the City of London, Shipping Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE INTERIORS OF TRADING OR PASSENGER SHIPS, IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHOW CASES OR STANDS TO BE ADAPTED THERETO, AND IN THE
MEANS OF RAISING AND LOWERING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates chiefly to the construction and arrangement of
the interiors of trading ships, and of show cases or stands to be therein
contained, and has for its object the adaptation of such interior spaces
or of the spar decks to the reception and exhibition or display. of
merchandize, works of art, or any manufactured or other articles of
commerce. To effect this object we prefer to construct ships of greater
height than usual between the spar and main decks, or between the

page_text: other decks in the case of large ships, and when practicable with very
large port holes and with overhead lights. We then provide and fix
show cases or stands, by preference arranging one stand or series of
stands or cases in or about the central part of these saloons, with a clear
gangway around them or it, and we place other show cases or stands
between the port holes, or all along the sides of the saloons. These cases
or stands we construct in such manner as to be air and water-tight, and
so as to protect the goods therein deposited from injury by the motion of
the ship; or we so support the cases as will permit of their adjusting
themselves to the movements of the vessel.
In some instances we partially or entirely surround these cases or
stands with partitions, so as to form offices or shops for the transaction
of business in private.
We also construct the interiors of trading ships when required with
lifts or boists for the raising and lowering of some of these cases or
stands or parts of them from one deck to another, and to facilitate this
we place such cases on wheels, and provide rails or grooved plates on
which they may be moved readily on to or off the hoists or lifts, or to
their respective places. These rails or plates also serve for the temporary
removal of some of the cases to afford room for hatchways. The hoists ?
or lifts we operate by hydraulic, or steam, or hand power.
In some instances we make these cases of circular form, and fit them
with small wheels or rollers arranged to rest upon a spiral or helical rail
which carries the weight of the case, and causes it to ascend or descend
when the case is made to rotate on its axis; or the case may be made of 2
any form, and be shifted on to a circular platform made to ascend or
descend by means of this spiral or helical rail.