Improvements in Self-levelling Berths for Ships and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
[Communicated from abroad by BRIGGS SHIPS' BERTH COMPANY, a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Maine, and located at Portland, in
the State of Maine, United States of America.]
Improvements in Self-levelling Berths for Ships and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates more especially to means whereby a ships' berth is
prevented from swinging with each motion of the occupant, it being perfectly free
however, to swing with every motion of the ship, and this invention consists in
such an arrangement of a heavy pendulum or governor, under and in connection
with a swinging berth that the leverage which the governor will exert on
the berth will be greater than the leverage exerted by the berth on the
governor.
Two forms of this invention are shown in the drawings. The preferred form
is shown in Fig. 1 which is a cross section of the berth, all the casings being
removed so that the parts may be seen, Fig. 2 being a side elevation;
Fig. 3 is a cross section of a berth also embodying this invention in a somewhat
modified form.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line x Fig. 3 showing the relation between the
parts of the framework.
The berth itself consists of two side portions marked A and a head and foot
portion marked A. Upon the side portions are mounted a set of friction rolls a
Over them runs a
placed in a radius representing the length of the mattress.
cord or strap al connected at each end to the extremities of the mattress holder A*
at a², which hangs from these straps. By this means the mattress is allowed a
slight motion to compensate for the pitching of the ship. The mattress holder
also carries a weight A to keep the parts on their bearings.
The parts which compensate for the rolling of the ship, as shown in Fig. 1,
are as follows:-The head and foot of the berth are each carried by a support B
mounted on a stud b suitably attached to the upright C (generally a portion of the
state room wall or bulkhead). Upon this same stud and permanently connected to
the berth is a gear D. A yoke E in the form of a segment is also pivotally
mounted upon the support C above the berth. In this form of the invention it is
provided with gear teeth and is so located that a pinion F will engage with it and
the upper periphery of the gear D. Thus every motion of the berth will cause a
corresponding movement of the yoke E through the gear D and pinion F.
It.
A second yoke or segment G is pivoted below the berth to the support C.
also is provided with gear teeth as shown, and is so placed with relation to the
gear D that a pinion H engages with it and the gear D. This yoke G carries the
heavily weighted governor J, which hangs considerably below its axis as shown.
The yoke E and the berth support B are connected by means of a rod K and the
yoke E is connected to the yoke G by means of the connecting rod L. The points
of connection of the rod K with the berth support B and yoke E are at the same
relative distances from the axes of those two parts, and the points of connection.
:

page_text: of the rod L with the ˜yoke E and yoke G are at the same relative distances from
the axes of those two yokes. Thus these parts will all have the same relative
motion to each other about their various axes.
The governor is hung well below its axis, the farther the better within the limits
of the dimensions of the state room, as the farther its center of gravity is below
its axis the longer its arm of the bell crank lever will be and consequently the
greater will be its control over the movements of the berth. The purpose of this
construction is to cause the governor to roll the berth by means of the connecting
rods -L and K and the various gears, whatever be the position of the occupant,
and at the same time prevent it from being moved by the occupant because of his
inability to get sufficient leverage to overcome the tendency of the governor J to
remain in vertical position.
Another mode of embodying this invention is shown in Fig. 3, in which the head
and foot of the berth Aare supported by straps B' from a stud b, the governor J
acting upon it to control it through a yoke G¹, the rod L, yoke E¹ and connecting
rod K. This berth embodies the same peculiarities, so far as the control of the
governor over the berth itself is concerned, that are embodied in the berth shown
in Fig. 1. It will also be apparent to any one skilled in the art, that this invention
may be embodied in other ways than that shown.
It is best to use the same mechanism at each end of the berth, arranging it in
exactly the same way at both ends, the connecting rods K being in both cases on
the left of the axis. looking from the center of the berth toward each end and the
connecting rods-L being on the right of said axis, or rice versa. Thus when 'the
ship rolls the berth will always be controlled by the combined action of the 'two
governors. This construction is indicated in Fig. 2.
This berth is hung well below its pivot and will swing without unnecessary
friction and so will be fully controlled by its governor. The segment G and
pinion H may be used without the segment E and its pinions and connecting rods,
if desired.
It is desirable that berths of this kind, while they oscillate in relation to the
ship to maintain a horizontal position as the ship rolls, be given a lateral movement
in addition to their oscillating movement.
In Fig. 4 is a cross section of a berth, showing in elevation a mechanism for
accomplishing this purpose;
Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the central line of the berth as shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 being a diagram indicating the operation of the parts. The construction
at each end of the berth is the same.
A, A are the sides of the berth which in this case, may set into sockets N'
attached to the head of the berth A. Each head of the berth is hung by a
pivot b to a vertical lever B2 pivoted directly to the bulkhead or preferably to a
frame or support C attached thereto as shown. To the upper part of the frame C,
a yoke Eis pivoted at e¹. This yoke has a vertical arm e extending downward
below the pivot e¹ and having at its lower end a pin e2, which slides in a slot B³
formed in the upper end of the lever B². The connecting rod K is intended to
connect one arm of the yoke E with the head A' of the berth. The other end
of the yoke is connected by connecting rod L to the horizontal arm of the bell
crank M, the vertical arm of which carries the weight or governor (not shown) by
which the oscillating movements of the berth about its longitudinal axis, are
controlled.
It is evident that the operation of this berth is the same as in the cases first
above described, except in the following particulars.
When the governor swings and moves the yoke, the lever e will throw the upper
end of the lever B2 to one side or the other of its normal position and hence
throw the axis of the berth in the opposite direction, as indicated in Fig. 6, the
berth however, at all times keeping its horizontal position, being enabled to
do so by reason of the pivotal connections between it and the connecting rods
and yoke.

page_text: It is evident that other means for operating the lever B2 may be adopted but the
general construction above described is the best for this purpose.
The mattress support consists of a narrow frame formed of slats N running
the length of the berth and connected together by a cross piece N2 at each end.
This frame is suspended from the sides and head and foot of the berth by spiral
springs n, which hang at an angle, as shown, and bring the weight of the occupant
considerably below the center of oscillation of the berth, and so bring the center
of gravity of the berth, when occupied, quite low down without causing interference
with the side wall of the state room, as the berth oscillates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what
claim is:
1st. In a self leveling berth mechanism, the swinging berth pivoted to a fixed
pivot well above its center of gravity, a governor pivoted below it upon an
independent axis and forming the long arm of a bell crank lever and a yoke
mounted above said berth, one end of said yoke being connected with one edge of
said berth, the other end being connected with the short arm of said governor
lever, all as set forth.
2nd. In a self leveling berth mechanism, a hanging berth, a governor swinging
below it upon an independent axis and forming the vertical arm of a bell crank
lever, and mechanism connecting the horizontal arm of said bell crank lever and
said hanging berth, said mechanism consisting of a yoke pivoted above said berth
and forming a lever having arms of substantially equal length and two connecting
rods, one extending from the extremity of one arm of said yoke to said berth and
being pivotally connected therewith, the other extending from the extremity of the
other arm of said yoke to the horizontal arm of said bell crank, as and for the
purposes set forth.
3rd. The self leveling berth above described carrying a gear D, the axes of
said berth and of said gear being coincident, in combination with a geared yoke
or segment. E located above it, the pinion F located to engage therewith and with
said segment E and a weighted geared yoke or segment C located below it
and the pinion H located to engage with said segment and with the pinion D
and connecting rods connecting said segments G and E and the berth, as set
forth.
4th. In a self leveling berth mechanism in combination, a hanging berth
carrying a gear D, the axes of said berth and said gear being coincident, and a
weighted geared segment G located below it and the pinion H located to engage
with said segment and with the pinion D, as set forth.
5th. In a self leveling berth, two governors of the kind described, one located.
at each end of the berth, in combination with two yokes, one located at each
end of the berth and each connected with said berth and with one of said
governors, the connections between each yoke and its governor being upon the
same side of the axis of the berth as the connection between the other yoke and
the berth, as set forth.
6th. The self leveling berth above described having a governor located at each
end thereof and connected thereto in the manner described, one of said governors
being connected with the outer edge of the berth and the other with the inner edge
thereof, as set forth.
7th. In a self leveling berth, two governors of the kind described, one located
at each end of the berth, in combination with two yokes, one located at each
end of the berth and each connected with said berth and with one of said
governors, the connections between each yoke and its governor being upon the
same side of the axis of the berth as the connection between the other yoke and
the berth, as set forth.
8th. In a self leveling berth, mechanism in combination, a berth pivotally hung
from a vertical lever of the first order, and means substantially as described

page_text: whereby the upper end of said lever is oscillated to move the axis of the berth
laterally, in combination with mechanism whereby said berth is oscillated about its
axis, as set forth.
9th. In a self leveling ships' berth, mechanism whereby the berth is moved
laterally while it maintains a horizontal position, said mechanism consisting of a
lever pivoted to a suitable support and pivotally connected at its lower end to the
berth, its upper end being provided with a slot, a yoke piroted above the berth to
said support and having a vertical arm provided at its lower end with a pin located
in said slot, a weighted lever hung below said berth and connections substantially
as described between said governor said yoke and said berth, all as and adapted
for the purposes described.
Dated this 22nd day of Len 1905
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.