NEW OR IMPROVED MOVABLE SLEEPING BERTHS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGEE,
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howlison, of the Town of Scarborough, in
the North Riding of Yorkshire, Merchant, for the Invention of
"NEW OR IMPROVED MOVABLE SLEEPING BERTHS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGEE,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howlison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd November 1868.-
I, JAMES HOWLISON, of the Town of Scarborough, in the North Riding
of Yorkshire, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my-said, Inven-
tion for "NEW OR IMPROVED MOVABLE SLEEPING BERTHS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES, AND ARRANGEMENTS AND APPLIANCES. CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be
as follows, that is to say:
This said Invention consists in supplying sleeping accommodation or
berths in railway' passenger carriages formed by fitting and arranging
one, two, three; or other number of sliding or folding horizontal boards or
franfes of any desired width, by preference stuffed on their upper sides
Price 8d 1

page_text: and placed over the usual seats at any suitable or desired heights or
distances apart found most useful. When these berths or reclining
frames are to slide, their ends are made to move up and down in grooves
formed on or fitted to the vertical standards of the carriage for the
purpose,, so as to be carried or removed, when not in use, all close up to
each other and the roof of the carriage or down to the floor, or into the
position of and so as to form the seat during the day or when not in use
as a sleeping berth; or some of tlicin might be so carried up and some
down in like manner, and when in use as sleeping or reclining berths
they could each be fixed by slip or catch and spring bolts or other
equivalent holding mechanism to the carriage frame, sides, or partition,
so as to make them perfectly secure in holding the weight against any
jolting or shaking of the carriage. When the berth frames are made to
fold instead of slide the back edge of each is hinged or otherwise jointed
to the partition or side of the carriage behind the seat so as to fold or
turn up or it might be down from the horizontal position when not in use,
close and parallel to the partition by preference, steadied and guided in
a quadrant grooved plate secured to the sides of the carriage at each end,
on the lower end of which groove it rests when made to fold down to the
horizontal position for use; but when made to fold up a screw or spring
bolt or other holding catch is used to hold it up to the desired horizontal
position; or, otherwise, a double partition may be formed at the back of the
seats, having the berth boards hinged at proper distances from each other
BO as to fold up or down "flush" with the face of the outer thickness or
boarding of the partition when not in use, and fixed either in the hori
zontal or vertical positions when in or out of use respectively by
the simple slide or spring bolts or catches frequently used for fixing
doors, shutters, and such like fittings; and when desired the outside of
the partition could also be stuffed above where each berth board or stuffed
frame is situated, and, wlien desired, the soft stuffed part of the berth
could be folded either up against the stuffed part of the back to protect
both when not in use, or that of the berth might be turned down and
outward so as to make nearly the whole outer surface of the partition
present a stuffed surface for the back of the sitters, which would tend to
prevent bruises or concussions when collisions took place. One such
hinged berth placed near the top of the carriage could also be most
usefully employed for general traffic in the daytime as an angled shelf
or receptacle for holding the passenger's personal luggage and parcels by
folding or turning it half down to about. 45° in the same manner as the

page_text: brackets and rails with network at present used in many carriages. The
frames of the berths may be made of strong wood or of light iron or other
metal, or of wood strengthened by metal plates and rods; and any or all
of these berths or frames may be moved up and down individually to the
respective positions described by, hand direct or by straps or cords
attached to their ends carried over pulleys either balanced by weights or
not as desired, or instead of cords light straight or segmental toothed
racks with pinions or "quick" screw mechanism might be employed.
And when these frames are in use as sleeping berths they are preferred
to be kept in their proper horizontal position by strong resting rails or
brackets and fixed there, and in their vertical position also when out of
use by spring or slip bolts, catches, or other equivalent appliances, in
such number and position as security may require. And the application
and use of these several new or improved modes or arrangements, sub-
stantially as herein described, of sliding and hinged sleeping and reclining
berths, either together or separately, to railway carriages over and in
addition to the usual seats, the petitioner considers the essential novel
feature of this his said Invention, and which he believes will be a great
improvement to railway carriages and the comfort of those travelling by
then, particularly on long journeys at night.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Howlison in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOWLISON, of the Town of Scarborough, in the North Riding of
Yorkshire, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Howlison, Her special
licence that I, the said James Howlison, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Howlison, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED MOVABLE
SLEEPING BERTHS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND ARRANGEMENTS AND APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Howlison, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said James Howlison, do hereby declare
the nature of iny said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and numerals marked
thereon, the same letters having reference to the same or similar parts in
all the Figures, that is to say:-
J.
My said Invention consists. in supplying sleeping accommodation or
berths in railway passenger carriages formed by fitting and arranging
one, two, three, or other number of sliding or folding horizontal boards
or frames of any desired width, by preference stuffed on their upper sides,
and placed over the usual seats at any suitable desired heights or
distances apart found most useful. When these new or improved
sleeping berths or reclining frames are made to slide, to put them in or
out of use in a carriage, I prefer their ends to be made to slide or move
up and down vertically in grooves for the purpose, formed on or fitted
into the vertical standards or the sides or ends of the carriage, so that
during the day or when not in use for sleeping or reclining purposes
they can all be simply and easily slid, carried, or removed close to each
other either up to the roof of the carriage or down to the floor, or into
the position of and made so as to form the ordinary seat during the day,
or some of these berth frames might be so carried up and some down in
like manner, and when in use as sleeping or reclining berths they could
each be fixed by a slip or catch and spring bolts or other equivalent
holding mechanism to the carriage frame, sides, or partition so as to
make them perfectly secure in liolding the weight against any jolting or

page_text: shaking of the carriage. When the said berth frames are made to fold
instead of slide, I prefer them each to be hinged or otherwise jointed at
their back edge to the partition or sides of the carriage (forming the backs
or end sides to the usual seats) so as to fold or turn up or it might be
down from the horizontal position when not in use close and parallel to
the partition or end or side of the carriage forming the back of the
berth, and by preference steadied and guided in a quadrant grooved
plate secured to the sides of the carriage at each end, on the lower end
of which groove it rests when made to fold down to the horizontal
position for use; but when made to fold up a screw or spring bolt or
other holding catch is used to hold it up to the desired horizontal
position; or otherwise a double partition may be formed at the back of
the seats having the berth boards hinged at proper distances from each
other so
as fold up or down "flush" with the face of the outer
thickness or boarding of the partition when not in use, and fixed in
the horizontal positions when in or out of use respectively by the
simple slide or spring bolts or catches (such as are frequently used
for fixing doors, shutters, and such like "fittings"), and when desired*
the outside of the partition forming the back, above the stuffed berths,
could also be stuffed, and the soft stuffed part of the berth could be
folded either up against the stuffed part of the back to protect both when
not in use, or that of the berth might be turned down and outward, so as.
to make nearly the whole outer surface of the partition present a stuffed
surface for the back of the sitters which would tend to prevent bruises
or contusions when collisions took place. One such hinged berth placed
near to top of the carriage could also be most usefully employed for
general traffic in the daytime as an angled shelf or receptacle for
holding the passenger's personal luggage and parcels by folding or
turning it half down or up to about 45° (according as hinged) in the
same manner as the brackets and rails with network at present used
in many carriages. The frames of the berths may be made of strong
wood, or light iron or other metal, or of wood strengthened by metal,
plates and rods, and any or all of these berths or frames may be moved
up and down individually to their respective positions, as described,
by hand direct or by straps or cords to their ends carried over pulleys
either balanced by weights or not as desired, or instead of cords light
straight or segmental toothed racks with pinions or quick' Screw
meclianism might be employed. And when these movable frames are in
use as sleeping berths they are kept in their proper horizontal position
56
"

page_text: by strong resting rails, brackets, or other equivalent bearing and resting
pieces and fixed there, and in their vertical position when in or out of
use by spring or slip bolts, catches, or other equivalent appliances in
such number and position as security may require.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood I shall now proceed to particularly
describe the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings
which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing what I at
present believe to be the best manner, modification, and means of
practically carrying out my said Invention or putting it into effect or
practice.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a second-class passenger railway car-
riage with transverse seat and berths taken on the line 1-1, in Figure 2,
through one compartment of the carriage showing one side or half of the
same as fitted with and illustrative of one modification of my said
Invention or arrangement of the improvements forming the same;
and Figure 2 is a corresponding longitudinal vertical section of the
same taken at right angles to Figure 1, both views showing the seat
lowered in slides and the two new shelves or berths turned on joints or
hinges at their back edge to a nearly horizontal position in end quadrant
grooved guides so as to give or form an arrangement of three new or
improved reclining or sleeping berths on each side and thus give sleeping
accommodation to six persons in each compartment of this class and
construction of railway carriage so fitted with these improvements.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively corresponding views to Figures 1
and 2 of the same carriage and arrangement of my said improvements,
but showing the two upper berths as folded down and the lower one
raised to form the ordinary seat at the proper height, and all as arranged
and in use for the day passenger traffic with the usual seat accommo-
dation. Figure 3 and Figure 4 are respectively a transverse section and
a front view of the spring and hand lever catch (drawn to a. large scale)
in the position of holding up the seat, and shown as applied in all the
former Figures of the general arrangement of parts for holding the seat
or berth in its position as a seat (Figures 1 and 2") and for disengaging
and lowering it down conveniently to its lowest position as a reclining
or sleeping berth (Figures 1 and 2) when that is required, as for three
persons in the half compartment. Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a
transverse section and face view of part of the arrangement of quadrant

page_text: guide, and holding and disengaging spring and lever catch and hinge
joint fitted at each end of the two upper berths, drawn also to a large
scale to show the construction of the parts as in the position of holding
up the berth corresponding to that shown in Figures 1 and 2.
up
In the arrangement shown in the several Figures of the appended
Sheet of Drawings, to top berths A', A2, are each made of a strong board
of about the same width and length as the ordinary transverse seat A
below them and hinged at convenient or equal heights near their back
edge on a pivot a formed on a right-angled brass bearing plate b secured
to each end, each pivot a working in the bush bearing a¹ of the plate a³
secured by screws and sunk into the opposite sides or frames B of the
compartment of the carriage forming the ends of the seat A and
berths A and A2 so as to fold up to a position a little higher at the
front edge than at the back hinged edge, and by preference stuffed and
covered in a usual manner on the top side, all so as to form when held
in this position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, an easy and comfortable
reclining or sleeping berth on cach shelf A', A2, in which position each
berth or board A1, A2, is firmly held up by a pin c projecting from
each end plate b near the front edge which works in the quadrant
groove. c of the guide plate 'd, so that when raised to near the upper
end c" of the groove c' it glides on to and over the inclined surface of
the spring catch e and presses it back into a groove in the wood B until
passes the upper end forming the resting heel or catch e', which then
springs forward again below the pin c so as to hold the berth board A'
or A up by its end pins c, as shown in this position in the enlarged
sections of one board and end "fixtures," Figures 5 and 6, agreeing to
that of Figures and 2 of the general arrangement of the berths of one
side of the compartment of a carriage. The berths or boards A¹, A³, are
each .let down again by pulling out the upper arm of the small finger
disengaging lever f fulcrumed on a pin joint f in the slot c" and
snugs at the upper end of the quadrant plate d so as to push in the
lower acting arm f of the lever which forms the stop for preventing the
berths from rising. too high, .and acts on the upper back end e of the
spring catch e so as to push it back to the position shown in dotted lines
in Figure 5, when the resting pin c and board or berth which was held up
by it and the spring e are then free to fall or be drawn down to the
vertical position from the pivot joint a against the back C of each set of
berths with the stuffed sides. outward to form a soft rest for the backs of
it
2

page_text: the sitters on each seat A of a compartment when in ordinary day use, as
shown in this position in Figures 1 and 2. In some cases it is considered
advantageous to lower the ordinary seat A when it is to be used as a re-
clining or sleeping berth so as to allow more space between it and the
berths A, A, above it, and so be enabled to keep all the berths as low
as possible.
One modification or mode of so shifting and fixing the seat A to
and in its two positions, as shown in the several Figures, consists in
making the two pins b projecting from the end plates b' placed
near the front and back. edge work or slide vertically in the slotted
guide plates screwed to the sides B of the carriage at each end of
the seat. The carrying bracket piece of the seat at each end being
so hinged as to fold up and down to the desired depth (as that of the
piece h) equal to the height the seat is to be raised or lowered on its
hinges secured to it and its lower fixed bracket h¹ on which the seat A'
rests at its two ends when used as a reclining or sleeping berthi, as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, but when the seat A is raised to the position for
forming or giving the usual sitting accommodation, it is raised by hand
and the upper hinged parts h turned up, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and
the enlarged views, Figures 3 and 4, in which position they are main-
tained by the spring bolt j of their catch locks screwed to their front
and upper edges, on which the seat A rests at each end. When the
bracket piece h is turned up the spring bolt j enters a slot j' in the end
plate of the seat, which holds it up, but when it is required to be
lowered the sunk ring of the finger raising lever is pulled out, as
shown dotted in this position in Figure 3, which causes the acting end
of the lever to pull down the spring bolt j, which then allows the
bracket to be turned down and the seat A lowered to form the first of
the three reclining or sleeping berths, numbered 1, 2, and 3 of the
seat A, A, A, respectively. When the berth A is up at its highest
position, as shown in Figures 1, 2, it is preferred to make its back edge
lock down the front edge of the berthi A' as its back cushion, and when
two reclining or sleeping berths are desired it may either be 'A2, which is
used and fixed as before described in a horizontal position in addition to
the seat A, or the seat A may be lowered, and the berth A¹ be so raised,
and when desired the lower edges of the berths A', A, may be held
down in their lowest vertical, position, by spring catches equivalent to
those e, f, shown and described in reference to the enlarged views
Figures 3 to 6, and to those 7, 1, 1', shown in Figures 3 and 4, or other

page_text: g
equivalent bolts or catches which may be fixed on the under side of the
outer edges of the ends of the berths A' and A which could enter holes
in the quadrants d at the highest and lowest positions of the berths so
as to hold them there or release them at pleasure, all as described in
reference to the modification of holding and releasing catch shown in
Figures 5 and 6.
A portable or removable ribbed or barred angled
shelf with strong side rails may be used resting on side brackets g¹ at
the top of the end of the compartment instead of the netted rail for
holding parcels so as to be capable of removal and use as a ladder or
steps for the convenience of persons reaching the upper berths A', A²,
when they were in use as couches or sleeping berths, as indicated at g
in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. And when desired leather, metal, or
wooden straps or bands may be fixed at one end of the ribs D on the
roof of the carriage, and having the other end slipped over buttons or
catch knobs at the front edge of berth, as indicated in red lines at D',
may be employed for the purpose of preventing the persons from falling
out of the highest berths A', A². Although these improvements have
been described as applied to carriages with transverse seats, and these
are made to shift with two reclining or sleeping berths A1, A2, between
them and the roof, it will be understood and evident that the present
seats A need not be altered or made movable, and that both them and
the berths A', A2, may be arranged longitudinally in the carriages and
have one, three, or other number of berths fitted over the seats, and
instead of the berths A', A, being made to fold upwards it will be
evident that they may be made to turn down on their end pivots and
intermediate hinge joints when. the berths are very long or be all made
to slide in separate or the same grooves (as &) vertically to and be
fixed at their respective horizontal positions for reclining or sleeping use
or purposes by catch locks, as k, Figures 3 and 4, and when not in use as
such and so made to slide the whole or some of them can be brought
down to the position to form, the ordinary seat at A, or those not so
brought down might be made to rise and be fixed close up to the roof of
the carriage out of the way; or the top berth A could be made to rise
up and be folded to the position and angle near the top of the carriage
so as to form a parcel shelf, as at g in Figures 1 and 2. The application
and use of these several new or improved modes or arrangements, sub-
stantially as herein described and shown, of giving reclining and sleeping
accommodation in railway carriages by fitting sliding or hinged berths,
either separately or it may be both together, in or to such carriages in

page_text: addition to and placed over the usual seats, is what I consider the
essential novel feature or features of this my said Invention, and which
I believe will be a great improvement to railway passenger carriages
and to the comfort of those travelling in them, particularly on long
journeys at night.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I may observe
in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise,
details herein described or delineated, as many variations of and from
these may be made without departing from the main or essential
features of my said Invention, neither do I claim to have invented the
making of railway carriages specially or only for sleeping purposes, as
such may have heretofore been designed and published or used; but
what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
the forming or making of reclining or sleeping berths in railway
passenger carriages between the seats and the roof, substantially in the
new or improved manner herein described or shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howlison, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
JAMES HOWLISON. (L.S.)