IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS' SLEEPING BERTHS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PARTS OF SHIPS AND THEIR. " FURNITURE
Year: 1883

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS' SLEEPING BERTHS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PARTS OF SHIPS AND THEIR.
"
FURNITURE A communication to him from abroad by The Huston Ship's
Berth Company, Incorporated, of Boston Massachusetts, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1883.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London " IMPROVEMENTS. IN AND RELATING TO SHIPS'
SLEEPING BERTHS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PARTS
OF SHIPS AND THEIR FURNITURE Communicated to me from abroad by The
Huston Ship's Berth Company, Incorporated, of Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America
دو
The chief object of this invention is to furnish a self-levelling ship's sleeping
berth of simple construction, having its supporting-frame made adjustable longi-
tudinally to adapt it for state-rooms of different lengths, but the said invention can
also be applied with advantage to other parts of ships and their furniture, for
instance, to racks for crockery or glass ware, or to tables, chairs, settees, and the
like and also to stalls fitted on board ship for transporting cattle.
According to the said invention the berth is supported within a frame composed
of two longitudinal bars located on opposite sides of the berth, and secured, by
sliding or adjustable connections, to transverse bars at the head and foot of the
berth, which transverse bars are pivotted at their centres to the stanchions or walls
of the state-room or casing within which the berth is located, the berth being
provided at, or near, the centre of its length, on opposite sides, with socket-plates,
which rest upon knife edges secured to, and made adjustable upon, the longitudinal
bars of the supporting-frame, the arrangement of the transverse bars being such
that no part of the supporting-frame is interposed between either end of the berth

page_text: and the contiguous wall of the state-room, which is an important advantage, as it
admits of a longer berth being used in ordinary state-rooms than has heretofore
been practicable, and state-rooms in ocean steamships are invariably of very limited
The said invention also
dimensions in the direction of the length of the berth.
comprises certain details of construction, as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a self-levelling ship's berth constructed in
accordance with the said invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line x, x Figure 2.
Figure 4. is a partial horizontal section on the line y, y Figure 3.
Figure 5 illustrates in detail the mechanism by which the bolts for locking the
berth are operated.
Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line z, z Figure 2.
Figure 7 represents a modification of a portion of the said invention
A represents the state room or casing within which the berth is located B is
the berth which is made of rectangular form and of sufficient depth to contain the
mattresses and bedding, and which has secured to it on each side a socket-plate, C,
provided with a series of V-shaped sockets or grooves b, one of which rests on a
knife-edge 6, at the upper end of a short bar c, secured to, and adapted to slide
upon, one of the longitudinal bars D, D of the berth-supporting frame. These
bars care secured in place, when adjusted, by set-screws d, and by sliding them
along the bars D, so as to enter different sockets b, the berth can be made to hang
with its head higher or lower, as desired, thus adapting it to the preponderance of
weight in the upper part of the body of the occupant, and allowing it to balance
evenly in the direction of its length when occupied. The opposite ends of the two
bars D, D, which extend along the front and rear sides of the berth, parallel
therewith, pass through slots or apertures 9 in the downwardly-bent ends 10 of a
pair of transverse bars G. G, each of which is pivotted at its centre to the bulk-
heads or ends of the state-room or casing A, the pivotal point e, being located above
the level of the upper edge of the berth. The ends of the transverse bars G are
bent inward toward the centre of the berth to permit the ends of the bars D to be
slid through them to adapt the berth for state-rooms of different lengths, which
greatly facilitates the operation of fitting or applying the berths to different vessels,
the sliding connections being held firmly together, when adjusted, by means of
set-screws f; and it will be seen that, with the above described construction and
arrangement of the bars G, no portion of the supporting-frame is interposed
between the ends of the berth and the walls of the state-room, and consequently
the ends of the berth can be made to extend within a quarter of an inch of the
state-room walls, and yet be free to oscillate as required, which enables a swinging
berth to be used of greater length than has heretofore been practicable with a
state-room of given dimensions.
If desired, the transverse bars G, G may be made adjustable in length by making
one portion to slide within or upon another, as seen in Figure 7, thus adapting the
supporting-frame for berths of different widths
The berth B, supported, as above described, upon the knife-edges 6 of the bars c
is free to oscillate thereon in the direction of its length, or fore and aft, to offset
the pitching motion of a vessel, while the supporting-frame D, G, oscillates on the
pivots e, e in a transverse direction, or athwartships to compensate for or offset
the rolling of the vessel, and the berth is enabled, by reason of this universal
movement, to preserve its equilibrium or balance and maintain itself in a horizontal
position, or nearly so, when occupied, irrespective of the motion of the vessel, even
in the roughest weather, thus preventing sea-sickness and ensuring repose and
opportunity for sleep, whereby the passenger is rendered much more comfortable
and the liability of his being thrown out of his berth in heavy weather is entirely
avoided.

page_text: To the rear side of the berth B, on opposite sides of the centre, are secured india-
rubber blocks or cushions H, H which, when the berth oscillates sufficiently on the
knife-edges or pivots 6, come in contact with the bars D, thus acting as stops to
limit the fore-and-aft oscillation of the berth, while the elasticity of the india-rubber
prevents any sudden shock from being communicated to the occupant in the event
of the stops striking the bar D during the movements of the vessel.
The front side of the berth B is made double, in order to conceal from view the
bar D, sccket-plate C, and adjustable bar c on that side, the outside portion g, being
panelled, or otherwise rendered ornamental, if desired.
It is evident that the construction of the sliding or adjustable connections
between the longitudinal bars D and the transverse bars G may be varied, if desired,
without departing from the nature of the said invention.
The berth is held stationary and prevented from oscillating or tipping in either
direction, to facilitate the operation of getting into or out of it, by means of two
horizontal locking bars or bolts I, I, Figure 4, which slide in grooves in the rear
side of the berth, and are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to cause
them to enter recesses in the casing A, or be withdrawn therefrom, by means of a
disc K, pivotted at its centre to the side of the berth, and having a lever or handle h,
which projects up into a convenient position to be operated by the occupant of the
berth. This disc is provided with two cam-grooves i, i Figure 5, into which fit
friction-rollers carried by pins k, k, projecting from the sliding bolts I, I. When the
handle , is moved in one direction the bolts are thrown to lock the berth and
prevent it from swinging on its pivots, and when moved in the opposite direction,
the said bolts are withdrawn to release the berth, as desired.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim
First The combination, with an oscillating berth, of a supporting-frame composed
of the longitudinal side bars D, and the transverse bars G, the latter being pivotted
at e, above the upper edge of the berth and connected with the bars D at points
within the ends of the berth, so that no portion of the supporting frame is
interposed between either end of the berth and the contiguous bulk-heads of the
state-room, substantially as and for the purpose, set forth.
Second. The combination, with the oscillating berth, of the longitudinal
supporting-bars D arranged on opposite sides thereof and secured, by sliding
or adjustable connections at their opposite ends, to the transverse bars G pivotted
at e to the walls of the state-room or casing A, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
Third. The berth B provided with plates C having a series of sockets b, in
combination with the sliding bars c, having knife-edges 6, and made adjustable
upon the longitudinal bars D of the supporting-frame in the direction of the length
of the berth, whereby the berth can be hung to adapt it to the pereponderanco
of weight in the upper portion of the body of the occupant, substantially as set
forth.
Fourth. The combination, with the oscillating berth B and the longitudinal
bars D of the supporting-frame, of the elastic stops or cushions H secured to
the side of the berth and adapted to come in contact with one of the bars D
to prevent undue oscillation of the berth in the direction of its length, substantially
as described.
Fifth. The combination of the berth B with its socket-plates C, the longitudinal
bars D with their adjustable sliding bars c having knife-edges upon which the
socket-plates rest and the transverse bars G secured to the bars D by means of
sliding or adjustable connections at their ends, and pivotted at e to the walls of the
state-room or casing A above the level of the upper edge of the berth, and having
their ends bent inward and downward to allow of their connection with the bars D
in such manner that no portion of the supporting-frame is interposed between

page_text: either end of the berth and the contiguous wall of the state-room or casing,
all constructed to operate substantially in the manner, and for the purpose, set
forth
Sixth The combination, with the longitudinal bars D, of the transverse bars G
pivotted ate and made adjustable in length to adapt the supporting-frame for
berths of different widths, substantially as described
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set iny
hand and seal this twenty second day of January in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.