Year: 1899

page_text: I, WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley and Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40, Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to beds designed for use in transports and other places
where it is desirable to aggregate a large number of beds or berths. The object
of the invention is to provide means whereby the transport, room or other place
may be quickly and conveniently fitted up with a large number of beds or
berths.
In the fitting out of transports, it is desirable that the berths may be con-
structed with the least possible disarrangement of the construction of the trans-
port. For instance, in fitting out a transport ship where it is desired to utilize
every available bit of space for sleeping purposes, it often happens that a pipe
or other object occupies a part of the space intended for the berths. In such
cases where the berths are fitted to the ship in the manner heretofore customary,
it has been necessary to make special alterations in the berths to fit thei
around such objects. It is also desirable that the entire berth structure shall
be capable of being removed in order to allow the berths to be taken out, and the
space used for the storage of freight when necessary, or to make the supporting
structure so light that it will not interfere with the disposal of freight. Accord-
ing to my invention I propose to provide a structure from which the individual
berths may be removed at will, in order to allow the floors of berths to be cleaned,
or to allow the space to be used for the storage of freight, or if preferred, to
allow the entire berth structure to be conveniently removed. I further propose
to provide a structure which can be quickly and conveniently fitted to any trans-
port without the necessity of devising special plans for the alteration of the
transport or the berth structure. A further feature of the invention is that no
surface or cracks are exposed upon or in which vermin or filth can accumulate.
In constructing the bed I place a number of vertical supports along the deck
of the transport to be fitted out at intervals, in parallel lines, the respective
lines being separated from each other a distance equal to the width of one or
more berths, and the individual supports in the respective lines being separated
from each other a distance equal to the length of one berth. Under normal
conditions it will be found sufficient to separate the lines from each other a
distance equal to the width of two berths, and to separate the individual supports

page_text: With
in the respective lines from each other a distance equal to the length of one
berth. These vertical supports may be held in position in any suitable manner,
but in the fitting out of transport ships I prefer to brace them between the deckз
and the rack which is ordinarily found below the deck for the purpose of storing
life preservers. The uprights may be made extensible for convenience in bracing
them between the decks. For instance a screw thread may be cut on the lower
end of the upright and adapted to engage an interior thread of a foot piece
adapted to rest in a socket attached to the floor in any suitable manner.
this arrangement the vertical support may be screwed in or out of the foot piece,
thus lengthening or shortening the upright. Suitable means may also be pro-
vided to lock the parts in extended position, as for instance by a transverse
locking screw in the foot piece adapted to impinge against the upright. The
upper end of the vertical support may be braced against the upper deck or the
life preserver rack or any other suitable place. Instead of using the screw
thread arrangement above described for varying the length of the uprights, it
will be understood, of course that any convenient well-known mechanical means
may be employed for effecting the purpose. Cross supports are carried by the
vertical supports and are located one above the other, the number of cross sup-
ports varying, of course, according to the number of tiers of berths desired.
Each individual berth comprises a rigid frame constructed to support the bed-
ding in any suitable manner. Preferably the frame comprises two side parts
and two end parts joined to form a rectangular frame, and having depending
auxiliary rails below the side parts, and canvas or other suitable material being
stretched from the side parts across the auxiliary rails to form the bed bottom.
Each berth, therefore comprises an independent and separable part from the
rest of the structure, each berth being also a rigid berth, that is, a berth having
a rigid frame, it being understood that the bottoms or otlier parts of the berth
may be made of any material yielding or otherwise. Upon the corner of each
frame is formed a head having a slot in the end thereof, and upon the vertical
supports and cross supports, at intervals equal to the width of the berths, are
formed knobs adapted to engage the heads and fit into the slots therein. The
construction of the heads may be varied but I prefer to provide them with a
part adapted to engage the end or side rail of the frame, and a part adapted to
engage the side or end rail of the frame, also with a part projecting beyond the
frame and having formed therein a chamber, a slot being cut in the wall of the
chamber whereby the knobs will be adapted to fit into the chambers through
the slots, the construction being such that the head will readily fit over and upon
the knob, the latter being received and held within the chamber thereby pre-
venting the head from being disengaged from the knob except by lifting it
therefrom. The part of the slotted head in which the side or end rail of the
fráme is adapted to fit may be smooth, and the rail introduced into the head and
riveted therein by the end of the auxiliary rail. In order to avoid as much
as possible the screw threading of pipes and the consequent expense of the con-
struction of the supporting structure, I prefer to cut the cross supports off
squarely at their ends, without screw-threading them. A plate is adapted to fit
against the vertical support and carries thereon the supporting knobs. The
plate is clamped against the vertical pipe in any suitable manner and formed
upon it is an extension which fits into the ends of the cross supports and is
held in engagement therewith by a pin or any other suitable device.
The device is put into use by first placing the vertical uprights between the
decks of the transport, attaching thereto the plates carrying the supporting
knobs, placing the cross supports in position upon the extensions on the plates,
and clamping the same thereto. The plates carrying the supporting knobs are
then placed in proper position upon the cross braces, and the individual berths
are placed in position by simply slipping the slotted heads upon the proper sup-
porting knobs, Any one or more of the berths may be lifted out of position
without in anywise disarranging the rest of the structure.

page_text: It is frequently necessary, particularly where the structure is used in trans-
port ships for troops, etc., to remove the occupant of one or more berths without
removing him from his bed or without disturbing his fellow occupants. With
the construction here described, any individual berth may be lifted out of posi-
tion, leaving the occupant entirely undisturbed, and the berth then used as a
stretcher to carry the occupant to any place.
1000
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Beds for use in Transport Ships and the like.
1, WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley and Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40, Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from
John Philip Lein, of 328, East 23rd Street, City, County and State of New York,
in the United States of America, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to beds designed for use in transports and other places
where it is desirable to aggregate a large number of beds or berths. The object
of the invention is to provide means whereby the transport, room or other place
may be quickly and conveniently fitted up with a large number of beds or
berths.
In the fitting out of transports, it is desirable that the berths may be con-
structed with the least possible disarrangement of the construction of the trans-
port. For instance, in fitting out a transport ship where it is desired to utilize
every available bit of space for sleeping purposes, it often happens that a pipe
or other object occupies a part of the space intended for the berths. In such
cases where the berths are fitted to the ship in the manner heretofore customary,
it has been necessary to make special alterations in the berths to fit them
around such objects. It is also desirable that the entire berth structure shall
be capable of being removed in order to allow the berths to be taken out, and the
space used for the storage of freight when necessary, or to make the supporting
structure so light that it will not interfere with the disposal of freight. Accord-
ing to my invention I propose to provide a structure from which the individual
berths may be removed at will, in order to allow the floors of berths to be cleaned,
or to allow the space to be used for the storage of freight, or if preferred, to
allow the entire berth structure to be conveniently removed. I further propose
to provide a structure which can be quickly and conveniently fitted to any trans-
port without the necessity of devising special plans for the alteration of the
transport or the berth structure. A further feature of the invention is that no
surface or cracks are exposed upon or in which vermin or filth can accumulate.
The invention also possesses other features of advantage, which will more
clearly hereinafter appear, and which will be pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated one of the forms
which the invention may take in practice,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a system of berths constructed in accordance
with my invention.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a top view showing the ends of two individual berths.
Fig. 3 is a detail side view, partly in section showing the manner of support-
ing the individual berths upon the supporting structure.
Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the foot of one of the vertical supports.
Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively end and bottom detail views of the supporting
heads.
Fig. 7 is a side view, partly in section, showing the supporting knobs in detail,
and their manner of attachment to the supports.
Fig. 8 is a side view of a bed bottom having a modified extension piece.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of the bottom shown in Fig. 8, and
Fig. 10 is a detail view of one of the braces.
Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1, 1, 1, etc. represent a number
of vertical supports placed at intervals in parallel lines along the deck of the
transport to be fitted out, the respective lines being separated from each other
a distance equal to the width of one or more berths, and the individual supports
in the respective lines being supported from each other a distance equal to the
length of one berth. Under normal conditions it will be found sufficient to
separate the lines from each other a distance equal to the width of two berths,
and to separate the individual supports in the respective lines from each other
a distance equal to the length of one berth. These vertical supports may be
held in position in any suitable manner, but in the fitting out of transport
ships I prefer to brace them between the decks and the rack which is ordinarily
found below the deck for the purpose of storing life preservers, substantially
as is shown in the drawing. In this instance the supports are shown as having
a screw thread 2 cut on the lower end and adapted to engage an interior thread
cut in the foot piece 3, the latter being adapted to rest in a socket. 4 attached to
the floor in any suitable manner. The foot piece should also be provided with
the locking screw 5. The upper end of the vertical support may be braced
against the upper deck or the life preserver rack or any other suitable place.
In the drawings I have shown in dotted lines a portion of the upper deck against
which the support 1 is braced. With the construction here shown the support-
ing piece may be braced against the upper deck at the top, and by turning the
foot piece 3 at the bottom the support will be rigidly braced between the decks
and may be locked in position by turning the screw 5. It will be understood,
however, that the screw thread 2 is not essential in the carrying out of the in-
vention, and in many instances it will be found desirable to dispense with the
same and have smooth surfaces on the end of the support and the interior of
the foot piece, locking the parts by the screw 5. Cross supports 6, 6, 6, etc. are
carried by the vertical supports 1, 1, and are located one above the other, the
number of cross supports varying, of course, according to the number of tiers
of berths desired. In the drawing three tiers are shown, and therefore three
cross pieces one above the other are necessary.
Each individual berth comprises
a rigid frame 7, constructed and supporting the bedding in any suitable manner.
In the drawings I have shown a frame comprising two side parts and two end
parts joined to form a rectangular frame and having depending auxiliary parts 8
below said parts 7, and canvas or other suitable material 9 being stretched from
Each berth
the side parts 7 across the auxiliary parts 8 to form a bed bottom.
therefore comprises an independent and separable part from the rest of the
structure, each berth being also a rigid berth, that is a berth having a rigid
frame, it being understood that the bottoms or other parts of the berth may be
made of any material yielding or otherwise. Upon the corner of each frame is
formed a head 10 having a slot 11 in the end thereof, and upon the vertical
supports and cross supports, at intervals equal to the width of the berths, are
formed knobs 12, 12, etc. at the outer and inner sides of the berths and adapted
to engage the heads 10 and fit into the slots 11 thereof. In the drawings I have
illustrated a preferred form of head and preferred form of knob, the head having

page_text: a part 13, adapted to engage the end or side rail of the frame 7 and a part 14
adapted to engage the side or end rail of the frame. A part 15 projects beyond
the frame and has formed therein a chamber 16 and a slot 11, the chamber 16
being adapted to receive the enlarged part of the knob 12, and the slot 11 to
receive the contracted part of the knob, the construction being such that the
head will readily fit upon the knob 12, the latter being received and held within
the chamber 16 thereby preventing the head from being disengaged from the
knob except by lifting it therefrom. In practice the part 14 may be made suffi-
ciently large to allow the side part 7 to slip therein, it being unnecessary to
A hole
thread either part either before or after the side bar is thus slipped in.
is drilled through the head of the pipe and the end of the auxiliary rail 8 is
inserted through the hole and rivetted at the top, substantially as is shown in
detail in Fig. 3.
I have also shown in the drawings a preferred form of the supporting knobs.
In order to avoid as much as possible the threading of pipes, and the consequent
expense in the construction of the supporting structure, I prefer to cut the cross
A semi-circular
supports 6 squarely at their ends as shown in detail in Fig. 2.
plate 17, 17 is adapted to fit against the vertical support 1, and carried thereon
the supporting knobs 12. This plate is adapted to be clamped to the vertical
pipe in any suitable manner. In the drawings it is shown as being held in
place by two rivets 18. Upon the plate 17 is formed an extension 19 against
which the ends of the pipe 6 are adapted to fit, and upon the extension piece 19
is formed a projecting lock 20 adapted to fit into the interior of the pipe 6 and
At the middle of the cross pieces
be held in engagement therewith by a pin 21.
where the supporting knobs are to be placed a plate 17 adapted to fit the sur-
face of the cross support may be clamped thereto by any suitable means, such
for instance as a rivet 18', and upon opposite sides of the plate 171 may be formed
the knobs 12.
It is obvious that instead of placing the supporting knobs upon the cross
supports and uprights and providing the bed frames with the slotted heads,
that the slots may be formed upon the cross supports and the knobs upon the
bed frame as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, in which constructions the corners of
the bed frame are provided with the knobs or extension pieces 22.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. In a bed bottom, the combination of a rectangular frame, a corner piece
at each corner thereof comprising a slotted head adapted to receive and be sup-
ported upon a knob, auxiliary side rails located immediately below the said
rails of the frame, and a fabric attached to the sides and ends of the frame, said
fabric being stretched over said auxiliary rails to form the bottom and side walls
of the bed bottom, and the ends of said auxiliary side rails passing through the
respective corner pieces and the frame and being adapted to bind the same
together, substantially as described.
2. In a bed bottom, the combination with the side and end rails of a corner
piece having a socket adapted to receive the side rail and a socket adapted to
receive the end rail, a projecting portion having a chamber therein, said portion
also having a slot leading to said chamber, and an auxiliary side rail, said side
rail passing through the said corner piece and adapted to bind the same and
one or more parts of the frame together, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a plurality of upright supports, cross supports carried
thereby, knobs having enlarged heads carried by said supports and cross sup-
ports, a plurality of independent separate berths comprising frames having
corner pieces upon the corners thereof, provided with slotted heads adapted to
engage said knobs, auxiliary side rails located parallel to the side rails of said
frame, the ends of said auxiliary side rails passing through the respective corner

page_text: pieces and the said frame and being adapted to bind the same together, and
means for expanding said uprights whereby the same may be braced between
the upper and lower decks, substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of August, 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.