IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TABLES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE FOR YACHTS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Athol Edward Maudslay, of Littlebourne in the
County of Southampton, Gentleman for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO TABLES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE FOR YACHTS
OR OTHER VESSELS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Athol Edward Maudslay at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th March 1883.
ATHOL EDWARD MAUDSLAY of Littlebourne in the County of Southampton
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TABLES AND OTHER ARTICLES
OF FURNITURE FOR YACHTS OR OTHER VESSELS,"
My Invention relates to a novel device incorporated or embodied in the
construction of tables and other articles of furniture to afford the means for
keeping them, or parts of them, in a horizontal or level position on board ship
The chief object of my Invention is to provide a table for yachts or other vessels,
its advantages being that it swings equally in every direction whereas the tables
heretofore used only swing from side to side or port to starboard and vice versa;
moreover they occupy considerable space and are only useful as tables whereas my
table top may be removed and the lower part thereof utilized as hereinafter set
forth
My table is constructed as follows that is to say; at the upper part of a
suitable stand or frame is a ball and socket joint; the table top is screwed into
the ball and is easily removable or detachable therefrom; from the lower part of
the ball I suspend a rod to which is attached a heavy weight or number of weights,
which, by means of a screw or nut, or other suitable device, may be raised or
lowered on the said rod. Moreover the said nut or other device can be adjusted
to permit the weights to be removed for convenience of transport.
The stand or frame for supporting the socket consists of legs attached at their
lower extremity to the floor, or I may use one leg supporting au iron or wooden
casing large enough to permit the weight or weights to oscillate therein, and
secured at the part round the said socket." I also provide doors in the side of the
said casing so that ready access can be had to the interior of the same, when it is
required to adjust the said weights
Upon the outside of the casing I fix two or four flap seats so that when the
table top is removed the lower part or stand is convertible into a settee; and into
Dan Q.71

page_text: the hole provided in the ball for securing the said table top I screw a compass, a
The aforesaid casing
vase, or any other article of an ornamental or useful nature.
may be constructed of any suitable shape; sometimes I make it in the form of a
square box with the top sloped off; or slope the sides all the way down. In
some cases I fit a dumb waiter in the centre of the table with a vase of flowers, a
lamp, or other ornament, a number of holes being made in the outer portion of the
said waiter for decanters, cruet stands, and other articles used at meals and likely
to be upset and broken. In some instances I connect by india rubber bands or the
like to some fixed part, the counter balance weight to regulate its movement and
prevent undue oscillation
In many instances, instead of using a centre leg below the said casing I secure
the bottom of the latter to the floor. When my Invention is applied to small-
tables that cannot conveniently be converted into seats I make provision for its
holding light articles such as a tea tray. In some instances I fix a ring of metal
in the bottom of the inside of the casing to prevent the shifting of the weight
when it is out of gear in harbour or in calm water; I also apply the ball and
socket joint principle in the construction of portable swing trays, oil and gas
lamps or candlesticks, also to a holder for glasses and decanters or other articles
used on board ship, and liable to be broken or otherwise injured by the pitching,
listing, rolling or other violent movement of the vessel either in a sea way or under
canvas and my invention further includes and relates to the temporary fastening
or securing of such an arrangement to either a table, the arm of a chair, or other
projection by means of a clamping screw.
I also apply my Invention to a candlestick in such a manner that when
placed on a table not constructed on the above described carrying principle the
said candlestick will remain upright. It may be used in almost any position as, if
held out of the perpendicular it cannot spill any grease on the floor; it is
"constructed with a tray like an ordinary flat candlestick but the portion which
holds the candle is independent of the tray; the upper or centre part of the tray
is formed in the shape of a socket and the candlestick proper a short distance
below the part containing the candle is formed with a ball which fits and oscillates
in the aforesaid socket; the lower extremity of the part which holds the candle is
weighted as described with reference to the table so that by the simple law of
gravitation the candle is caused always to remain upright in whatever position the
candlestick may be placed so long as it is not held upside down.
My swing, trays, lamps, glass and decanter stands or holders and other articles
are all constructed on the same ball and socket jointed principle, the tray, candle-
stick, lamp, receptacle for a wine glass, tumbler, cup of tea or other article being
fixed to the upper portion of the ball while the weight that maintains such article
in an upright position is attached to the lower portion of the ball, and the arm for
attaching the apparatus to a table, chair or other projection is firmly rivetted to
the socket containing the ball.
Swing candlesticks and lamps used on board ship as hitherto made have all
been hung in gimbals whereas I substitute the more simple and in every way
more perfect device of a ball and socket or cup and ball.
I also make my lamps, candlesticks, and other articles so that they may be
removed or taken to piéces for adjustment or for the purpose of trimming the
lamps and candlesticks and cleaning and otherwise attending to the trays, receptacle
for glasses and other articles.
I embody the same principle in the construction of a couch or bedstead to be
used by persons on board ship either suffering from sca sickness or as a pleasant
lounge; that is to say I fix the bottom; underpart and centre of such couch or
bedstead to the upper portion of a ball which is fitted and oscillated in a stationary
socket.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Athol Edward Maudslay
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd October 1883.
ATHOL EDWARD MAUDSLAY, of Littlebourne, in the County of Southampton,
Gentleman, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TABLES AND OTHER ARTICLES
OF FURNITURE FOR YACHTS OR OTHER VESSELS"""
My invention relates to a novel device incorporated with, or embodied in, the
construction of a table or other article of furniture to afford the means for keeping
it, or parts of it, in a horizontal or level position on board ship.
The chief object of my invention is to provide an improved table for yachts or
other vessels. The tables heretofore employed swing or oscillate from side' to side
of a vessel thus counteracting only the listing or lurching of a vessel under canvas
or the rolling of a vessel in a sea-way or when at anchor; and the said tables have
no provision for counteracting the pitching movement of a vessel, for example, when
beating up against the wind and tide, or when at anchor.
The racing yachts of the present day, with their heavy lead keels and ballast,
and their sharp water-lines, frequently pitch, and particularly when beating up
against the wind. If a vessel has bluff bows and full water-lines, this pitching
A vessel with
movement is counteracted by the buoyancy of its forward section.
plenty of beam and with full water-lines neither pitches nor rolls to the same
And large
extent as a deep vessel with fine lines and narrow midship section.
vessels with fine bow lines, when facing a heavy sea, often pitch to a very great
extent. Moreover, a vessel in many cases pitches almost to the same extent as it
rolls, it follows therefore that, if the said vessel is provided with swing tables, they
should not only counteract the rolling and listing or lurching movement of the
vessel but also the pitching and similar movements known to nautical men.
My improved table counteracts all these movements, the said table being
universally jointed in the manner hereinafter described, that is to say-I
construct a ball-and-socket joint the socket of which in most cases consists merely
of two narrow bands or rings of iron or other metal secured together and
embracing the portion of the ball adjacent to its diameter. In forming a ball-
and-socket or cup-and-ball joint it is not necessary that the socket should be very
wide as it is usually made, provided that the socket is formed of an unyielding
material and clasps or embraces the ball on both sides of its diameter so that the
ball cannot escape from the socket.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing the said device embodied in the
construction of a table.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with the table-top removed and a lamp
substituted therefor.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation showing a
illustrated in the preceding figures.
The remaining figures are hereinafter described
modification of the apparatus
a is the ball and b the socket; these parts are arranged in the manner above
indicated and the socket consists of two annular pieces screwed together or other-
wise united. In Figures 1, 2, and 3, c is a case which encloses a weight or,
counterbalance & suspended from the lower part of the ball a by a rod e. The said
nut f
weight can be raised or lowered upon this rod, as desired, by means of a
which also serves to retain the weight on the said rod. If desired, two or more:
weights may be used. The table-top g is secured to the upper side of the ball by,
means of a screw g¹ which passes through the centre of the latter. By withdrawing,

page_text: the said screw from the ball, the table-top can be readily removed so as to leave
more space in the cabin of a vessel.
I sometimes make this table to fold up or take to pieces. I accomplish this
result in the following manner, that is to say, I divide the table-top into two or
more parts and screw a number of sockets to the underside of the same. I then
pass bars through the said sockets, which are made with holes to receive the said
bars. I prevent these bars from sliding to and fro by a thumb-screw passing
through the said sockets, and thereby keep the table-top rigid and secure the
parts together. This table-top can be removed when not required, and in place of
the table-top a vase of flowers, or a compass, or some ornamental object can be fixed
to the ball in any suitable manner.
I provide for obtaining access to the interior of the said case by making the
same with a door or lid h so that any repairs may be readily effected, or the
counterbalance can be adjusted or removed.
In some instances I so construct and arrange the case cas to form a settee as
shown; and in order that the seats attached to the case c shall not inconvenience
'persons sitting at the table, I sometimes make them with hinges i and with folding
supports as shown in Figure 3, so that they can be let down and will then lie
flat against the side of the said case as shown on the right hand side in the said
Figure. The said seats are, moreover, padded so that should a person's leg strike
against them they will not injure or hurt the same.
I sometimes fix the lower part of the case c below the floor of the cabin, by
this means I economize space and prevent a large table from standing too high.
For very small yachts whose pitching and rolling movements are very sudden, I
attach spring bands, of india-rubber, gutta-percha, or other suitable material, to
the four sides of the counterbalance d and to the interior of the case c, so that the
weight or counterbalance & shall not, by reason of the rapid and uncertain
movements of the vessel, have a swinging or oscillating movement imparted to it
which will remain unchecked when the vessel suddenly recovers its equilibrium.
The best mode of preventing such a movement of the counterbalance is to employ
a heavy weight and to made the distance from the centre of the ball to the lower
extremity of the counterbalance as small as possible; I arrange the weight in such
a manner as to obtain this result.
The case c may be secured to the floor in various manners; sometimes I attach
it by means of a circular support ke terminating in a plate ¹ which I fix by screws
to the floor or to the upper part of the keel of the vessel. In other instances the
whole case is made to rest on, and is attached to, the floor. The said case may be
of metal, or of wood strengthened with iron or other metal or of other suitable.
material, and I sometimes so arrange the apparatus that the weight can, if desired,
be lowered and caused to rest on the bottom of the case c or upon the floor as may
be most convenient so that the table will cease to swing or oscillate.
I also make small tables on the principle above described and so construct them
that they can be carried up on deck and fixed to any convenient part of the vessel
by means of thumb-screws. This arrangement is shown in Figure 4 which is an
elevation and in which represents a frame fixed to the lower part of the socket b
and carrying the table top g and provided with screws . I also make seats
attachable to the deck and resting on a ball held in a socket; these seats can be
used to prevent sea-sickness, and may be made in various forms such as stools,
upright chairs, or arm chairs with adjustable backs and leg-rests for invalids. A
chair constructed upon this principle is shown in Figure 5 which is a side elevation.
The lower part of the socket b is, in this instance, fixed to an arm m secured to a
deck or other suitable part of a vessel.
I also make sleeping-berths on the same principle, as shown in Figure 6, which
is a sectional elevation. The berth n is fixed to the upper side of the ball a which
is held in the socket b, and the case c is arranged below, or partly below, the floor
or deck of the cabin and is fixed thereto, or to some part of the vessel below the
same

page_text: According to the modification of my invention illustrated in sectional elevation
in Figure 7, instead of supporting the table-top upon the ball a, it is fixed to the
lower side of the said ball, the upper part of. which is held in, and supported by,
the socket b, This socket is fixed to the end of a strong metal rod e¹ attached to
the under-side of a deck or skylight of a vessel. The table-top g has a heavy
weight & firmly secured to its underside. By employing this form of table, no
matter what position the vessel may assume, or how much the centre of gravity
thereof may be displaced, the table will always remain in a horizontal or level
position; moreover there are no legs or other obstructions underneath the table-top,
and the rod that supports the table can be unscrewed or detached from the sky-
light or underside of the deck; the table-top can also be detached, from the ball
and the whole apparatus can be packed away thereby economizing space in the
cabin. The rod e' can, moreover, be used as a means for fixing a lamp and
lamp-shade o over the table. This form of table can, if desired, be made very
small to fix over a berth occupied by an invalid, for example, as shewn in Figure 8.
I can also make a table expressly for this purpose with the weighted ball and
socket underneath the same as in the table first above described. In the one case
I allow the table to swing from the beams supporting the deck over-head or from
the socket at the base of the rod attached to the said beam or underside of the
deck; and in the other case I attach the socket in which the ball is held to the
sides of the berth. The suspended table is, however, preferable, as it is further
removed from the bed or couch, the occupier of which can move about without
disturbing the table suspended above him; and the table can, if desired, be
easily detached or pushed aside and secured so that it will be out of the way.
I also make lamps as hereinafter described, which lamps are very advantageous
as compared with the old system of ships' lamps hung in gimbals which often get
bent and the screws of which are liable to corrode or become rusty.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of a lamp made according to my invention; the
ball a is formed integrally with the lamp-standard p or is made to slide thercon,
and the socket b is made with a slot to permit the insertion of the said standard.
The said socket is, moreover, formed integrally with a bracket q, which can be
secured to the side wall of a cabin or other suitable part of a vessel.
standard p is made with a base p¹ so that it will stand on a table or other level
surface.
The
It is obvious that tables, trays or other articles might be made on the same
principle as the lamp shown in Figure 9 so that they may be removed from the
socket and replaced therein with facility..
I also arrange a tray r, as shewn in side elevation in Figure 10, upon the ball a,
and form the lower part of the socket 6 integrally with an arm m. which is pivotted
to a clamp 8. This clamp can be secured, by means of the screws s¹ to any part of
the vessel such as the projecting edge of a locker, table or skylight; and a cup of
tea or a glass of wine standing on the tray r will not be affected by the movement
of the vessel to the same extent as it would be if it were standing upon a fixed
table or portion of the vessel's equipment. Hitherto it has always been difficult
to prevent the breakage of glasses and the spilling of tea or other liquids when
brought up on deck whilst the vessel is under way; but my invention overcomes
this difficulty. My improved trays can, if desired, be fixed to the arm of a chair
to support any thing which is desired to be deposited in safety.
The table first above described I sometimes make with a dumb-waiter in the
centre; in this dumb-waiter I place decanters, cruet-stands and other heavy articles
which might, if they were placed away from the centre of the table, affect its
stability. In small yachts where the movements of the vessel are very lively or
rapid, I fix to the upper part of the table a frame or similar device having various
apertures or compartments in which I place the plates, soup-tureens or other articles
used in the course of a meal.
I sometimes make a candlestick as shown in Figures 11 and 12, which represent
respectively a side elevation of the said candlestick and a sectional elevation of

page_text: the same drawn to an enlarged scale, that is to say;-I make a socket b that
holds a ball a and beneath the ball and socket I arrange a counterbalance d.
The case c is attached to the lower part of the socket band extends downward
therefrom so as to form a part of the candlestick; the lower portion of the said
of the candle-
case is attached to, or formed integrally with, the tray or dish
stick. I make the underside of the candlestick open so that access can be had
to the interior thereof. When this candlestick is held in the hand, the grease
is not liable to be spilt unless the tray or dish is held almost perpendicularly,
as the portion u in which the candle is fixed is. attached to the top of the ball.
The said candlestick is therefore very well adapted for domestic purposes; more-
over when it is placed on a fixed table or -locker on board ship, and the vessel is
rolling or pitching, the candle will remain upright.
Figure 13 shows a small tray.' for holding a tumbler or other small article.
This tray is fixed to the ball a which has a counterweight d attached to it. The
ball is held in a socket b the lower part of which is fixed to a bracket q. In
the tray of the candlestick above described I provide a compartment for matches.
I furthermore make the upper part of the case, near the socket, luminous so that
the candlestick can be seen in the dark.
I also make an apparatus as shown in Figure 14, which is a side elevation
thereof. 8 is a clamp as above described for fixing to the projecting ledge of a
locker or syklight [sic] on deck: To this clamp I attach a horizontal arm m at the
extremity of which is a socket 6 similar to that shown in Figure 7; the lower
part of this socket is open and the ball a is enclosed by the said socket; from this
ball extends a rod e2 having a tray 2 at its lower extremity; d' is a weight
fixed to the underside of the tray. This weight may, however, be dispensed with
if desired. Cups of tea, glasses of wine or other articles standing on this tray
will not be upset in consequence of the vessel's movement because the weighted
tray will retain its horizontal position, by reason of the freedom with which the
ball moves in the socket.
.
Figure 15 shows in side elevation, a modification of this arrangement, in which
the socket bis secured to the underside of a deck or similar part of a ship, above a
berth if desired:
1
In all cases where trays and tables are constructed on the principle above
indicated, the ball-and-socket joint can either be arranged close to the table or tray
and at the lower extremity of the vertical arm, or at the upper extremity of the
vertical arm and at the point from which the vertical arm projects downward, but
with this difference, in the one case the arm or rod and the table swing together and
are casily pushed'aside; in the other case it is only the table that moves. The last
arrangement is preferable because, if the ball and socket joint were at the top of
the rod, the rod and table together would swing with a motion like that of a
pendulum and would in their career describe a considerable semi-circle; whereas
were the ball-and-socket at the lower extremity of the rod, only the table could
öscillate and even that movement would be considerably lessened by its position.
I sometimes combine the two systems of utilizing this universal joint in the
following manner viz-I fix a table on a ball-and-socket joint with a counter-
balance below in the manner shown in Figure 1, and I suspend one or more lamps,
as shown in side elevation in Figure 16, from a ball enclosed in a socket which
socket is attached to a rod fastened to the skylight above, to a beam overhead, or
to the under part of a deck.
I apply my improved universal ball-and-socket joint without distinction to all
articles of ship's furniture and equipment where it can be advantageously used and
where it adds to the comfort and convenience of persons using the said articles.
For example, Figure 17 shews in sectional elevation a cabin constructed upon the
said principle. A is the side of the cabin; a is the ball upon which the cabin is
supported and which is held in the socket b. The counterbalance d is enclosed in
a casing c which is arranged below, or partly below, the deck. B, B. are steps

page_text: leading up to the doors of the cabin, and C. C, are hinged plates resting upon the
upper steps.
I sometimes attach the seats and other apparatus above described to the deck or
to other parts by means of a pneumatic holder, made of india-rubber or leather,
similar to that used to hold photographic plates when pouring on the collodion.
Instead of employing one counter-weight I may employ a number of weights as
shown in Figure-6 I usually insert a screw in the socket to permit the table,
tray or the like to be rigidly secured if desired.
Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I Claim :-
First. The weighted ball and socket incorporated with, or embodied in, the
construction of a table or other article, substantially as, and for the purposes, set
forth.
Second. The modification of my said invention wherein the weight or counter-
balance is enclosed in a case so constructed and arranged as to form a settee when
the table-top is removed, substantially as described with reference either to Figures
1 and 2 or to Figure 3 of the drawings, for the purposes specified.
Third. The modification of my said invention wherein the socket is made with a
slot to permit the insertion of a lamp-standard or similar object, substantially as
described with reference to Figure 9 of the drawings for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The modification of my said invention wherein I incorporate the
weighted ball and socket with, or embody it in, the construction of a candlestick,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings for
the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said Athol Edward Maudslay have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twentieth day of September in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
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