Improvements in Adjustable Ships' Berths, Platiorms, and onairs.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 16th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th July, 1887.
Improvements in Adjustable Ships' Berths, Platiorms, and onairs.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of th efirm of Hasteltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the ('ounty of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SHIP'S BERTHS, PLATFORMS,
AND. CHAIRS" to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a means for supporting a ship's berth, a
platform for carrying a table and chairs, or individual chairs, on shipboard so that
they will always maintain a level position however much the vessel may pitch
and roll.
The invention consists of a berth, a platform or a chair supported at each end by
means of suitable rods connected to a walking beam that is fulcrumed to a spindle
upon a ball that works in a socket supported by suitable brackets or standards and
the invention further consists in a peculiar means for controlling the motion of the
berth, platform, or chair.
When used for supporting a ships berth, to the walls of the cabin are secured
brackets provided at their outwardly projecting ends with lugs, to which are secured
the base piece of a ball and socket joint, the cap or cover being tightened upon the
ball as desired by means of thumb screws. A spindle that passes through the ball
supports a walking beam, provided in the centre with an aperture into which the
lower end of the ball and socket joint passes. The beam is held onto the spindle by
means of plates. The outer ends of the beam are provided with bosses through which
passes a screw threaded rod carrying a saddle block, and is held and adjusted by a
thumb nut. To the saddle block is secured a bar or rod provided at its lower end
with a saddle, that fits over and is secured to a bracket fastened to the top of the
herth

page_text: By supporting a berth as above described it is free to swing in any direction or in
other words it will keep level in whatever position the vessel may be, but as the
various motions of the vessel change very suddenly, some means are required to ease
or steady the motion of the berth while at the same time it must not impede the
working so as to throw the berth out of level: this I accomplish as follows :-
--
Between the walls of the cabin I secure two strong boards, to which are transversely
secured curved bearing pieces, the centre one having its lowest point in the centre
and curved longitudinally of the vessel to take the pitch and transversely to take the
roll, the end bearing pieces being curved transversely the same as the centre piece to
take the roll and longitudinally they are curved up from the inner edge to the outer
edge to take the pitch.
To the underside of the berth are secured rollers or casters, so that as the ship rolls
or pitches the rollers will be pressed harder upon the bearing pieces, by reason of the
curved pieces being higher at the sides and ends than in the, centre, thereby pre-
venting any jar to the occupant of the berth by the sudden movement of the vessel.
The roller or caster is supported in a saddle to which a spindle is secured that
passes up through a sleeve secured to the underside of the berth. The upper end of
the spindle is formed with a head upon which a centre piece is pressed by a spring,
placed in a recess in the bottom of the berth.
To further assist in giving an easy motion to the berth double springs are secured
between the underside of the berth and the deck, These springs are enclosed in
cylindrical leather or other casings and loops of leather, the lower end of the lower
case being provided with a hook for attachment to an eye in the deck and the upper
end of the lower loop is secured to the lower end of the upper case, and the upper
loop is provided with a hook for attachment to the underside of the berth; pins are
secured to the upper ends of the cases and between these pins and the loops are
placed the springs. The lower spring is much stronger than the upper one, so that
when the berth begins to swing the upper spring only will be compressed but as the
berth swings further over the lower or strong spring is brought into play and offers a
greater resistance thereby keeping the berth steady.
When desired the berth may be locked in a stationary position by means of two
shafts that pass under the berth and which are provided with clamps that take hold of
a piece of metal secured to the underside of the berth. One of these shafts extend
beyond the side of the berth and is fitted with a hand lever which when turned will
operate the shaft in one direction and an opposite notion is transmitted to the other
shaft by means of two short arms and a connecting bar, so that when the hand lever
is operated the clamps will be thrown towards each other and clutch the bar on the
berth, or will be thrown away from each other thereby releasing the bar.
For supporting a platform for carrying a table and chairs a similar arrangement,
only on a larger scale is employed. In this case the ball and socket joint is supported
in lugs on the upper ends of standards, the beams being secured to the ball and socket
joint and the rods to the beam and platform as before described with reference to the
berth.
But instead of the three curved bearing pieces below I employ two curved bearing
pieces, one at each end of the platform and supported on suitable standards.
These bearing pieces are made with a slot in the centre through which a rod passes
and which at its upper end is secured to the axle of rollers that work on the curved
bearing pieces, the lower end of the rod, is provided with a head, that works in a case
or sleeve pivoted to the platform. A spring is placed between the head and the top
of the sleeve, so that the more the vessel rolls and the rollers work up the incline so
much more will the springs be compressed and prevent any sudden jar on the return
movement of the vessel.
Springs may be attached to the platform and deck as described with reference to
the berth if required.
For supporting an individual chair the arrangement has to be but slightly modified.
In this case the ball and socket joint, beam and the rods connected to the beam and
legs of the chair are as before described.

page_text: But only one curved piece is employed with rollers as described with reference to
the berth.
To hold the chair still I employ a foot rest that is drawn up by springs in the fore
legs of the chair so that it will be clear of the deck, but when a person stands upon
the foot rest it will be forced down onto the deck and the chair held still and when
the person sits down the foot rest will be drawn up by the springs.
The seat is made adjustable on the frame so that it can be regulated to keep level
according to the person occupying the same.
n
111
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: some means are required to ease or steady the motion of the berth while at the same
time they must not impede the working so as to throw the berth out of level; this I
accomplish as follows:-
- Between the partitions B, B I secure two strong boards K, K', to which are
transversely secured curved bearing pieces L, L', the centre one L having its lowest
point in the centre and being curved longitudinally of the vessel as shown in figure 1,
to take the pitch, and transversely as shown in figure 3, to take the roll, the end
bearing pieces L' being curved transversely, the same as the centre pieces L, to take
the roll, and longitudinally up from the inner edge to the outer edge as shown in
figure 1, to take the pitch.
To the underside of the berth are secured rollers or casters M, constructed as shown
in figure 9, so that as the ship rolls or pitches the rollers will be pressed harder upon
the bearing pieces L, L', by reason of the curved pieces being higher at the sides and
ends than in the centre, thereby preventing any jar to the occupant of the berth by the
sudden movement of the vessel.
Each roller or caster M is supported in a saddle m (see figure 9), to which a
spindle n is secured that passes up through a sleeve N secured to the under side of
the berth. The upper end of the spindle n is formed with a head p, upon which a
centre piece q is pressed by a spring placed in a recess in the bottom of the berth.
It will be seen by the section in figure 9 that the centre of the roller M is not on
the same vertical line as the spindle n, the object of which is that when the roller has
travelled as far as it can by the then motion of the vessel and a return motion is
made, the roller will immediately turn so as to adapt itself to the direction of the
motion of the vessel.
To further assist in giving an easy motion to the berth donble springs P, P1 (see
figures 1, 3 and 10) are secured between the underside of the berth and the floor or
deck. The construction of these springs will be best seen by reference to figure 10,
which is a vertical section. In this figure s, s represent cylindrical leather or other
casings, and t, t loops of leather, the lower end of the lower case being provided with
a hook for attachment to an eye z in the deck, and the upper end of the lower loop is
secured to the lower end of the upper case by means of suitable connections. The
upper end of the upper loop is provided with a hook for attachment to the under side
of the berth. u, u are pins secured to the upper ends of the cases s, s; between the
pins w and the loops t, are placed the springs P P₁ the lower spring P¹ being much
stronger than the upper spring P, so that when the berth begins to swing the spring P
only will be compressed, but as the berth swings further over the strong spring P is
brought into play and offers a greater resistance, thereby keeping the berth steady.
When the berth is not required for use it may be locked in a stationary position by
means of cranked shafts V, V that pass under the berth and are provided with
horns v, v.
One of the shafts V passes out through the board K, and is fitted with a
handle W, a ratchet wheel w and pawl w. A locking device ✗ of any suitable
construction may be secured to the board K to hold the handle W when in the raised
position, so that it cannot be moved.
The shafts V, V are each provided with an arm x, x, one above and the other
below, to which the ends of a rod Y are connected, so that when the handle W is
operated both the shafts V, V will be turned a quarter of a circle in opposite
directions.
It will be seen that when the handle W is in the raised position, the horns v on crank
shafts will be raised up, as shown in figure 3, and the bottom of the berth will rest
upon the shafts. Pieces of india rubber y, y are secured inside the horns, which pieces
of india rubber when the horns are raised will press against the bottom of the berth
and prevent any rattling.
In Figures 11, 12, and 13, a similar arrangement to that hereinbefore described is
shown on a larger scale for supporting a platform for carrying a table and chairs. In
this case the ball and socket joint is supported in lugs d², d² on the upper ends of a
standard D, the beams F being secured to the ball and socket joint, and the rods I to
the beam and platform as before described with reference to the berth. But instead

page_text: of the three curved bearing pieces below I employ two curved bearing pieces L² one
at each end of the platform. These bearing pieces L' are each made with a slot in
the centre, through which a rod n¹ passes, and which at its upper end is secured to
the axle of the rollers M' that work on the curved bearing pieces L. The lower end
of the rod n¹ is provided with a head p¹ that works in a case or sleeve N¹ pivotted
to the platform (, a spring being placed between the head p¹ and the top of the
sleeve N¹, so that the more the vessel rolls and the rollers M' work up the incline L³,
so much more will the springs 71, be compressed and prevent any sudden jar on the
return movement of the vessel.
Springs as shown in figure 10 may be attached to the platform and deck as described
with reference to the berth if required.
Figure 14 shows my improvements applied to a chair. In this case the beams F¹
are also pivotted to standards D at each side. The rods I extend from the beam to
the legs of the chair. In this modification of my invention I prefer to employ a foot
board and a table c³, which may be arranged as shown or, in any other suitable
manner. It is also advisable to arrange several chairs side by side between two
standards D so as to economise space as much as possible. c is a screw rod for shifting
the seat of the chair relatively to the centre of oscillation according to the weight or
position of the person occupying the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign
Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The combination of the brackets or standards D, D, ball and socket joints E, E,
beams F, F, rods I, I, and connections J, and G, for supporting a ship's berth, platform
or chair substantially as shown and described.
Second. In combination with a ship's berth, the curved bearing pieces L, L³, and
the casters M, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.
Third. In combination with a ship's berth or platform and the deck, the double
springs P, P, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.
Fourth. The combination with a ship's berth of a locking device consisting of two
cranked rods V,V, provided with horns v, v, and arranged to be operated simultaneously
by means of a handle W, substantially as shown and described.
Fifth. The caster M supported in a saddle m, secured to a spindle n working in a
sleeve N, and provided with a head p upon which a centre picce q is pressed by a
spring so that the caster M is kept pressed against the bearing piece L substantially
as shown and described.
Sixth. The combinations of the springs P, P¹, enclosed in leather casings, and so
arranged that one spring will be partly compressed before the other is operated upon,
substantially as shown and described.
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.