Improvements in Sleeping Berths for Railway Vehicles, Ships; and the like..
Year: 1890

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by JAMES ARTHUR GREEN, of Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada, Superintendent.]
Improvements in Sleeping Berths for Railway Vehicles, Ships; and
the like..
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent- Agents,
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 to sleeping berths for railway cars, steamships and the like,
and has for its objects to provide a novel, simple, inexpensive and efficient automa-
tically opening spring guard, whereby the danger of persons being thrown from
berths by the oscillation of the car or vessel is avoided; to secure privacy and comfort
to passengers; to render the upper berths more saleable by reason of the increased
protection and comfort afforded by the attachments and to practically render the upper
berths of equal value to the lower ones.
To accomplish these objects my invention involves the features of construction the
combination or arrangement of parts and the principles of operation hereinafter
described and specifically set forth in the claims, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawing in which
.
Figure 1 is a broken view looking at the interior of one side of a railway car,
showing the berth lowered and the improved spring guard in the position for use.
Figure 2 a detail transverse sectional view looking at the end of the berth.
Figures 3 and 4 detail views, and
Figure a perspective view of a portion of the interior of a car provided with my
improved spring guard.
In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will now
describe the same in detail referring to the drawing where the letter A indicates a
portion of the frame of a railway-car, which however may be a steam-ship or other
vessel or carriage. The berth D comprises a casing hinged at the inside to the
frame A and supported when lowered to a horizontal position by stay-chains or other
suitable supports C, in such manner that the berth can be raised to the inclined
position indicated by dotted lines Figure 2, in which position it will be locked by any
contrivance usually employed for this purpose.
The case D contains springs B supporting a mattress and the other requisites for a
bed, so that the bedding is substantially flush with the upper edge of the case.
To the front side of the case D is secured by spring hinges E the improved guard
which, as shown, comprises two separate, imperforate boards F and G connected edge
to edge by spring hinges E¹. The construction of this sectional guard is such that it
can be bodily swung down on the spring hinges E upon the mattress as indicated
by H Figure 4, or the guard can be turned down beneath the mattress or bedding if
desired. The height of the guard can be varied by turning down the board section G
by the spring hinges E¹. When the guard is swung down, as explained, the berth
can be raised to the position indicated by dotted lines Figure 2, and there held until
required for use. When the berth is lowered the spring hinges automatically throw
the sections F and G to a perpendicular position as shown by full lines, in which
position the said sections form imperforate wall extensions to the front side of the
case D forming the berth. In practice the guard when open as explained, stands
about ten or twelve inches above the top edge of the case D, and this feature insures
greater privacy and comfort in an upper berth as well as preventing a person from
being thrown out by the oscillations of the car or vessel.

page_text: Having now particularly described 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 upper hinged berth of a railway car or vessel having at its front edge
a spring hinged, closed guard which automatically springs to a perpendicular position
when the berth is lowered, substantially as described.
Second-The upper hinged berth of a railway car or vessel having at its front edge
a closed guard composed of the lower section F, hinged to the berth and the upper
section G hinged to the lower section, substantially as shown and described.
.
Dated this 1st day of April 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.