IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' BERTHS AND SOFAS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Lorenzo Dow Newell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd June 1872.
I, LORENZO Dow NEWELL, of Castle and Falcon, Aldersgate Street,
in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' BERTHS AND SOFAS," to be as follows:—
This Invention relates to ships' berths and sofas (the latter being
referred to hereafter) that are pivoted so as to maintain a horizontal
position when the ship rocks, and it consists in having the pivots at the
ends of the berth mounted on slides whereby the berth may be adjusted
against the side of the state room and fastened thereto when not
occupied and not required to oscillate to then have all the free space
in the room in front of the berth for other purposes, and whereby said
berth may be drawn away from the side of the state room, where it will
have space to swing in without striking when it is to be occupied.
It also consists in an arrangement of the berth in such manner that
the centre of gravity will when occupied be sufficiently below the centre
of motion to not require the berth to be ballasted.

page_text: The Invention also consists of an adjustable balancing weight and
apparatus for shifting it whereby one in the berth can readily adjust the
weight to change the centre of gravity to his. requirements in shifting
about the berth.
The Invention also consists of a convenient mode of fastening the
berth against the side of the state room by a rod running through the
lower part of it and fastening in the side of the state room, reference
being made to accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a berth and its
supporting gear arranged according to my improvements; Figure 2
is a plan view; Figure 3 is a transverse section; and Figure 4 is a
detail shewing the mode of engaging the fastening bolt with the side
wall of the state room; Figure 5 is a side view of the Invention as
applied to sofas; Figure 6 an end view of same. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
The principal objection to oscillating berths is that they have as
heretofore arranged to be suspended so far from the side wall of the
state room in order to swing clear as to seriously lessen the space
afforded by the small state rooms for other purposes, but such berths
largely add to the comfort of passengers when they can be used, and it
is important to devise ways of removing all objections to them. I there-
fore propose while pivoting my berths in the transverse axis or near it to
a frame A as shown at B, and pivoting the said frame at the ends C,
as such berths have been arranged before to mount the pivots C on
slides D, arranged to move the berth toward or from the side wall E
of the state room, said slides moving on supports E¹, preferably attached
to the walls F of the state room, but they may be supported in any
other approved way.
Thus I am enabled to have my berths occupy no more room, when
not required for use, by sliding them back against the wall E, than the
ordinary permanent berths do, and by sliding them forward previous to
retiring, when it is not so essential to have all the room in front, I
have berths not subject to the motions of the vessel.
Sufficient space is had at the ends of the berths for swinging in that
direction by the shortening of them, to provide room for the supporting
gear, and by sloping off their ends a little, as shewn at G.
To prevent too much motion at the end, in case the occupant shifts
its weight too far from the transverse axis, I apply cushioned stops H
to the ends of the berths to come against the under side of the frame A.

page_text: The stops are however placed low enough to not interfere with the
regular action of the berths in maintaining the horizontal position.
The berths will be fastened in either position by any suitable means,
say by pins I passing through the sliding bearings D into the supports E.
K represents the counterbalance weight which is suspended in guides L
under the bottom of the berth, so as to move readily in the end-
wise direction of the berth to regulate it as the occupant may shift
about.
At each end a cord M is attached, which cords pass over guides in
opposite directions to the inside of the berth where they lang as shewn
at N so that the occupant of the berth may have command of the
weight while in it and adjust said weight to balance whether lying or
sitting.
For fastening the berth to the side wall of the state room, when it is
shoved back against the wall, I have a long rod or bolt O passing
through the berth and engaging behind a slotted plate P by a T head Q,
which passes through said slot. This long rod affords a convenient
means of reaching the wall of the state room from the front of the berth
to fasten it.
It will be seen that the berth has sufficient depth below the pivots
to maintain the centre of gravity below the said pivots when partly
filled with the bed, and the occupant is either lying or sitting on the
latter.
It will be seen that the peculiar construction of these berths are such
that two adjacent, one over the other, requires no more space than
ordinary ships' berths.
For adapting this Invention to the use of sofas I reverse the outside
suspending frame, see Drawings R, (Figs. 5 & 6,) and by means of
two upright stanchions 8, 8, on either side of the sofa V, one being fixed
on the outside frame R, and the other attached to the sofa, and by
means of a joint at the top of the same T, I suspend the body of the
sofa V, and secure the same movement as in the case of the berths
before described, and I am enabled to omit the top framework if
required.