IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' BERTHS AND ARRANGEMENT OF SAME; ALSO IN MESS TABLES, SEATS, AND SIMILAR APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH; AND IN ECONOMISING SPACE FOR CARGO AND OTHER PURPOSES ON BOARD SHIP
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Dewar, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' BERTHS AND
ARRANGEMENT OF SAME; ALSO IN MESS TABLES, SEATS, AND SIMILAR
APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH; AND IN ECONOMISING SPACE FOR CARGO
AND OTHER PURPOSES ON BOARD SHIP."
Sealed the 18th September 1874, and dated the 30th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Dewar at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th March 1874.
I, JAMES DEWAR, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS'
BERTHS AND ARRANGEMENT OF SAME; ALSO IN MESS TABLES, SEATS, AND
SIMILAR APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH%; AND IN ECONOMISING SPACE FOR
CARGO AND OTHER PURPOSES ON BOARD SHIP," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates more especially to improvements in berths
made up in "blocks" for the use of emigrants and troops, but it is also
applicable to any class of berth on board ship.

page_text: The following description is illustrative of a double side "block" of
berths suitable for emigrant ships. Generally a double sido "block"
consists of twenty berths, five under berths on each side and five top
berths on each side. In constructing a double side block of berths
of this capacity, I use three studs or bolts having a slot at one end and
a screw thread at the other. These studs are screwed into the deck, in
the case of iron decks, or bolted in the case of wooden decks, or other-
wise fixed in position between the deck beams with their ends having
the slots or holes pointed down. Three staunchions of length sufficient
to reach between decks are hinged by means of bolts to the slots in the
studs, and on the deck below there is provided a socket or step for the
end of each staunchion to ship in. It will thus be seen that tho
staunchions can be lifted out of the socket and turned up underneath
the upper deck when not in use. The staunchions being in position the
berths are constructed in the following manner:-A length of canvas is
used extending from the ship's side to the staunchions for each row of
berths. This canvas is of width suitable to the length of the berths,
say six feet, and each berth is divided off in say two feet widths by
means of a strong wooden or iron lath hemmed in the canvas, and at
cach hem there is a vertical strip of canvas with a corresponding lath
forming the partitions between the berths. The last berth, or the fifth
in a row of five, has the lath loose and not hemmed in the canvas.
This lath is so arranged that it will ship on to a provision on one
staunchion, and can be used as a lever for stretching the structure and
then be fixed in a catch on the other staunchion. The footboards are
composed of a length of timber shipped on to hooks or provisions on the
ship's side, or to hooks or provisions on the staunchions. These foot-
boards are provided with grooves or provisions to receive the ends of the
laths, which project slightly from the canvas and also from the
partitions. The headboards are similarly constructed. Along the head
of the berths there runs a strip of canvas fitted with eyelet holes or
similar provisions, which take on to projections on the partition laths,
leaving a small dip of the canvas at the head of each berth, thus form-
ing a pillow or head rest for cach berth. In cases of midship double
blocks six staunchions are required. In cases of single blocks two
or four staunchions are required, as will be understood.
It will be seen that berths according to this Invention can be erected
at night and rolled up during the day, inasmuch as the canvas lengths

page_text: can be unshipped from the staunchions and foot and head boards and
rolled up and strapped to the ship's side, leaving the space of about ten
feet by six for mess table or other purposes.
In connexion with the berths, as herein-before described, I construct a
mess table and seats which may be arranged in each block by twọ
staunchions and studs, as herein-before described in the case of the
berths. In connexion with theso staunchions is a table or board which
slides up the staunchions and allows them to be folded under the table
and buttoned there. The table when out of use is thus kept under the
upper deck and deck beams. When in use the staunchions fold down,
the table draws down on the staunchions until it comes to a stop pro,
vided at the requisite height from the deck, and thus forms a mess table.
Seats in manner similar may be attached to the sides of the table folding
'under the table when out of usc. It will thus be seen that when the
berths are rolled up and strapped to the ship's side the tables and scats
may be brought down into position for use during the day and at night
the tables and seats can be folded up under the upper deck and thọ
berths erected for sleeping.
Emigrant and troop ships can be easily fitted with these berths at a
small cost and with great advantages, inasmuch as great cleanliness is
insured by the simplicity of the berth by the absence of matrasses and
pillows also better ventilation is insured, and the berths by being
stowed every day are necessarily overhauled and kept clean.
´It is the practice in emigrant ships to erect the block of berths of
timber for the outward or passenger carrying voyage, the return or
cargo carrying voyage requires that the berths be taken down and
stowed as the space is wanted for cargo; but as the timber for crecting
the berths is required for reuse, it is incumbent that the vessel brings
back the timber so that the berths may be re-crected for the next
voyage, but this necessitates the occupation by the timber of a large
share of the cargo carrying capacity of ships. This evil is very much
mitigated by the use of my Invention, as the space occupied by the
material for constructing the berths will be of little or no moment.
: All classes of passenger berths can be constructed according to this
Invention. It is applicable to general 'tween deck berths, saloon berths,
state room and officers' cabin berths, and to all class of berths fitted on
board ship.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Dewar in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DEWAR, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Dewar, Her special
licence, that I, the said James Dewar, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Dewar, 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
SHIPS' BERTHS AND ARRANGEMENT OF SAME; ALSO IN MESS TABLES, SEATS, AND
SIMILAR APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH; AND IN ECONOMISING SPACE FOR
CARGO, AND OTHER PURPOSES ON BOARD SHIP," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Dewar, my executors or administrators,
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 calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Dewar, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
bo performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
J
'
This Invention relates more especially to improvements in berths
made up in blocks for the use of emigrants and troops, but is also
applicable to any class of berth on board ship.
The following description is illustrative of a double side "block" of
berths suitable for emigrant ships. Generally a double side block

page_text: consists of twenty berths, five under berths on each side, and five top
berths on cach side. In constructing a double side block of berths of
this capacity I use three studs or bolts having a slot at one end and a
screw thread at the other. These studs are screwed into the deck, in the
case of iron decks, or bolted in the case of wooden decks, or otherwiso
fixed in position between the deck beams with their ends having the.
slots or holes pointed down. Three staunchions. of length sufficient to
reach between decks are hinged by means of bolts to the slots in the
studs, and on the deck below there is provided a socket or step for the
end of cach staunchion to ship in. It will thus be seen that thio
staunchions can be lifted out of the socket and turned up underneath
the upper deck when not in use. The staunchions being in position the
berths are constructed in the following manner:-A length of canvas
is used extending from the ship's side to the staunchions for each row of
berths. This canvas is of width suitable to the length of the berths,
say six feet, and each berth is divided off in say two feet widths by
means of a strong wooden or iron lath hemmed in the canvas, and at
each hem there is a vertical strip of canvas with a corresponding lath;
forming the partitions between the berths. The last berth, or the fifth
in a row of five berthis, has the lath loose and not hemmed in tho
This lath is so arranged that it will ship on to a provision on
one staunchion, and can be used as a lever for stretching the structure,
and be then fixed in a catch on the other staunchion. The footboards aro
composed of a length of timber shipped on to hooks or provisions on the
ship's side, and to hooks or provisions on the staunchions. These foot-
boards are provided with grooves or provisions to receive the ends of the
latlis which project slightly from the canvas and also from the partitions.
The head boards are similarly, constructed. Along the head of the berths
there runs a strip of canvas fitted with cyelet holes or similar provisions
which take on to projections on the partition laths leaving a small dip of
the canvas at the head of each berth, thus forming a pillow or head rest
for cach berth. In cases of midship double blocks six staunchions aro
required. In cases of single blocks two or four staunchions are required,
as will be understood..
canvas.
It will be seen that berths according to this Invention can be erected
at night and rolled up during the day, inasmuch as the canvas lengths
can be unshipped from the staunchions and foot and head boards and
rolled up and strapped to the ship's side, leaving the space of about ten
feet by six for mess table or other purposes.

page_text: :
In connexion with the berths, as herein-before described, I construct a
mess table and seats, which may be arranged in each block by two
staunchions and studs, as herein-before described in the case of the berths.
In connexion with these staunchions is a table or board which slides up
the staunchious and allows them to be folded under the table and
buttoned there. The table when out of use is thus kept under the upper
deck and deck beams. When in use the staunchions fold down, the
table drawn down on the staunchions until it comes to a stop provided at
the requisite height from the deck, and thus forms a mess table. Seats
in manner similar may be attached to the sides of the table, folding
under the table when out of use. It will thus be seen that when the
berths are rolled up and strapped to the ship's side the tables and seats
may be brought down into position for use during the day and at night
the tables and seats can be folded up under the upper deck and the
berths erected for sleeping.
Emigrant and troop ships can be easily fitted with these berths at a
small cost and with great advantages, inasmuch as great cleanliness is
insured by the simplicity of the berth, by the absence of matrasses and
pillows, also better ventilation is insured; and the berths by being
stowed every day are necessarily overhauled and kept clean.
'
It is the practice in emigrant ships to crect the blocks of berths of
timber for the outward or passenger carrying voyage; the return or
cargo carrying voyage requires that the berths be taken down and
stowed, as the space is wanted for cargo; but as the timber for erecting
the berths is required for reuse, it is incumbent that the vessel brings
back the timber so that the berths may be crected for the next
voyage; but this necessitates the occupation by the timber of a large
share of the cargo carrying capacity of ships. This evil is very much
mitigated by the use of my Invention, as the space occupied by the
material for constructing the berths will be of little or no moment.
All classes of passenger berths can be constructed according to this
Invention. It is applicable to general 'tween deck berths, saloon berths,
state room and officer's cabin berths, and to all class of berths fitted ou
board ship. It is also applicable for sleeping berths in. hospitals,
workhouses, infirmeries, and camp and general purposes, as will be
understood.
The before-going being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
"Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same

page_text: may be carried into practical effect, and for that purpose I have herc-
unto attaclied a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters and figures of
reference corresponding with those in the following explanation. Like
letters and figures denote similar parts throughout the various views:-
Figure 1 is a 'thwart ship clevation showing berthis constructed and
crected according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a fore-and-aft clevation
of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2.
i
Figure 4 is an elevation of foot and head boards drawn to a smaller
scale.
Figure 5 shows arrangement of mess table and scats constructed
according to my Invention'; Figure 6 is a plan of same.
Upon reference to the Drawings it will be seen that E, E', are studs
which are screwed or bolted to the deck F of a ship, as will be under-
stood. The studs E are provided with oval slots or holes; G, G¹, arc
staunchions or standards of length sufficient to reach between decks.
These staunchions G are hinged by means of bolts to the studs E and on
the lower deck the staunchions or standards G ship into tlic sockets or
footsteps H. The berths are constructed of canvas, as indicated by the
lines K, and cach berth is divided off into suitable widths by means of
the laths L which are hemmed into the canvas K, as will be seen upon
reference. The laths L respectively ship into grooves or provisions on
foot and head boards M which are constructed, as shown at Figure 4, and
at M', and M, Figure 1. The last berth, or the fifth in a row of five,
has the lath L, as shown at L', Figure 1, so arranged that it will ship on
to a provision on one staunchion, and can be used as a lever for
stretching the structure, and then be fixed in a catch on the outer
stauuchion, as will be understood. The foot and head boards M are pro-
vided with provisions N which ship on to hooks or provisions on the
staunchions and on the ship's side, as will be seen upon reference. In
a double row of berths the centre carrying board, being a foot or licad
board, is made as shown at M2, Figure 1, and the outside carrying.
boards, being foot or head boards, are made as shown at M', Figure 1.
Along the head of the berths there runs a strip of canvas forming a
pillow O or head rest for each berth. The dotted line O¹, Figure 2, also
shows provision for pillow.
In the Drawings the berths are represented as being side berths
11

page_text: >
standards G, G¹, but in the case of midship double blocks six
staunchions are required; and in the case of single midship blocks four
staunchions are required, as will be understood; P are hooks which aro
provided for hanging pans and other utensils on.
"
It will be seen that upon removing the laths L from the foot and head
boards M and the staunchions or standards G, the berths can be rolled
up and strapped or lashed to the ship's side, leaving the space occupied
by the berths for mess table or other purposes. When it is required to
dispense with the berths altogether, for cargo space, the standards Ģ can
be swung up between the beams of the ship, and the canvas berths and
carrying boards stowed, as will be understood.
In connexion with the berths, as herein-before described, I construct a
mess table Q and seats R, as shown at Figures 5 and 6. This mess table
and seats are arranged in each block by two staunchions, standards, and
studs, fitted similar to those used for the berths. The table Q is allowed
to slide up and down the standard, so that when it is in position, as
shown by dotted lines, the standards can fold up and be buttoned
between the beams. The scats Rare arranged with angle irons S, with
suitable legs T, so arranged that they will fold up, as shown in dotted
lines.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and shown how the same may be put.
into practical operation, I would have it understood, that I do not con-
fine myself to any particular dimensions nor to the exact form of
apparatus as shown in the Drawings, nor do I confine myself to any
particular purpose for which berths constructed according to my
Invention may be employed, although the same is particularly applicable
to emigrant and troop ships, nor do I confine myself to any particular
material, as the standards and laths may be constructed of iron as well
as timber, also the berths may be constructed of canvas, woven wire, or
other suitable material, as will be understood; but what I claim as my
Invention and secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The improvements in berths for ships and other purposes, and
the arrangement of same, substantially as described and set forth in
the before-going Specification and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.

page_text: Secondly. The arrangement of mess tables, seats, and similar
appliances, substantially as described and set forth in the before-going
Specification, and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Dewar, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
four.