Improvements in Convertible Berths and Settees for Ships, Vessels and Railway Cars.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Convertible Berths and Settees for Ships, Vessels
and Railway Cars.
I, THOMAS RICILARD TURNER, of Broadway and Drumm Streets, in the City and
County of San Francisco, and State of California, United States of America,
Ship's Steward, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to improvements made in portable passenger-berths
for ships and vessels; and the said improvements comprise certain novel con-
struction of parts and combination of parts producing a set or tier of berths that
are adapted to form a settee for use in the day-time, and either a tier of single
berths or a double berth for use at night.
The berth-frames in their construction comprise a woven wire-bottom and a
tubular iron skeleton frame with lee-rails at the head and the foot constructed
of tubular-iron that are arranged to fold down upon the bottom when the berth
is stowed away.
In its general features the berth-frame does not differ materially.
from the tubular metal bed-frame or berth-frame already in use. The manner
of uniting the transverse bars or headers to the side-rails and of securing the
woven wire-bottom to the frame are novel features in the present improvements.
In this part or feature of the said invention a slot is cut in one side of each
tubular bar for the side-rail a short distance back from both ends, and the bar
for the header being cut of proper length from a bar of angle-iron is fitted into
the slots of the two tubular bars that go to form the front rail and the rear-rail
of the berth-frame after which a stiff joint is produced by pouring molten solder
into the hollow end of the rail around the end of the inserted header-bar. The
ends of the tubular rail are screw-threaded and are finished with a screw-cap.
The berth-bottom is of woven wire such as is used in the construction of wire-
mattresses; it is fastened to the headers by inserting the edge of the fabric at
each end between the flange of the header-bar and a flat bar of corresponding
length and width, and then drawing and fastening the said two bars together
by means of short bolts thereby gripping the end of the woven-wire fabric
between them, the fabric being turned over the top of the header-bar from
beneath.
In two of the berth-frames that are designed to be placed together side by
side in the same horizontal plane to make a double berth, one of the side-rails of
each berth-frame is formed with a drop or bend so as to throw the side-rail a
proper distance below and clear of the wire-bottom, and spiral bed-springs are
fixed on that drop portion of the side-rail in each frame at short intervals apart
to support the edge of the wire-fabric of the bottom along that side. Thus when

page_text: the said two berth-frames are placed in position side by side their drop-rails will
come in the center of the double berth, but at such distance beneath the woven-
wire bottom that the weight of the persons lying in the berth will not depress
the bottom to a sufficient degree to make contact with the side-rails and the
elasticity and springing qualities of the bottom will not be limited by the said
rails.
In place of close or solid partitions the berths are sometimes supported by
removable stanchions held in upright position by socket-plates fixed on the floor
and the ceiling or overhead timbers which take the place of partitions, the ends
of the stanchions at top and bottom being insertible in said socket-plates. By
such arrangement the entire space taken for the berths can be thrown into one
room when the berths are not needed simply by unshipping the berth-frames
and taking down the stanchions.
In that arrangement and application the brackets or supports to carry the ends
of the berth-frames are either secured to or are formed on the stanchions. Such
substitution of stanchions for partitions is more specially applicable to the steer-
age and other quarters of a vessel where the berths are of a temporary character
to be set up and taken down as occasion requires.
The straight outer side-rail of each berth-frame is provided with a lee-rail
at the head and usually another at the foot of the frame. Each of these lee-rails
is attached to the side-rail, by a T-coupling fitted like a sleeve upon the side-
rail both to turn on it and to slide longitudinally a short distance whereby the
lee-rail can be turned horizontally or folded flat against the bed-bottom when
the berths are to be stowed, or assembled to form a settee; the lee-rail on each
berth after it is turned into an upright position can be shifted or moved along
longitudinally to insert and force home the end of the lec-rail into the socket
provided for it on the side of the state-room or berth-room, or in the stanchion,
and thus lock the lee-rail in such upright position.
The brackets or supports to receive the ends of the berth-frames are secured
to the two side-partitions of the berth-room at proper distance apart vertically
to afford comfortable headway between one berth and the next one above. The
brackets or socket-plates which are placed close to the back wall or partition to
carry the ends of the rear-rails of the berth are formed with a deep flange having
counter-sunk holes for screws. Each one has also a recess or open socket of
proper length to receive and carry at the same time the ends of the side-rails of
two berth-frames, so that two frames can be suspended from or supported in the
same bracket
or socket-plate when the frames are stowed away against the
back partition.
Above the bracket for each end of the front rail of the berth-frame a socket
to receive the end of the lee-rail is provided in the side-walls or the stanchions,
into which socket the end of such lee-rail is inserted by a sliding movement of
the lee-rail as herein before described, and a sliding bolt working in guides in
the socket plate is arranged to engage a transverse slot or a depression in the lee-
rail near that end for the purpose of holding the lee-rail in position and prevent
it from slipping out of the socket. This locking means also allows the lee-rail
to be unshipped and readily turned down when the berth is to be entered, or to
allow the occupant to leave the berth without climbing over the rail.
Total th th ... ST.... 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE, & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Convertible Berths and Settees for Ships, Vessels
and Railway Cars.
I, THOMAS RICHARD TURNER, of Broadway and Drumm Streets, in the City and
County of San Francisco, and State of California, United States of America,
Ship's Steward, 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 improvements made in portable passenger-berths
for ships and vessels; and the said improvements comprise certain novel con-
struction of parts and combination of parts producing a set or tier of berths that
are adapted to form a settee for use in the day-time, and either a tier of single
berths or a double berth for use at night.
The berth-frames in their construction comprise a woven wire-bottom and a
tubular iron skeleton frame with lee-rails at the head and the foot constructed
of tubular-iron that are arranged to fold down upon the bottom when the berth
is stowed away. In its general features the berth-frame does not differ materially
from the tubular metal bed-frame or berth-frame already in use. The manner
of uniting the transverse bars or headers to the side-rails and of securing the
woven wire-bottom to the frame are novel features in the present improvements.
In this part or feature of the said invention a slot is cut in one side of each
tubular bar for the side-rail a short distance back from both ends, and the bar
for the header being cut of proper length from a bar of angle-iron is fitted into
the slots of the two tubular bars that go to form the front rail and the rear-rail
of the berth-frame after which a stiff joint is produced by pouring molten solder
into the hollow end of the rail around the end of the inserted header-bar. The
ends of the tubular rail are screw-threaded and are finished with a screw-cap.
The berth-bottom is of woven wire such as is used in the construction of wire-
mattresses; it is fastened to the headers by inserting the edge of the fabric at
each end between the flange of the header-bar and a flat bar of corresponding
length and width, and then drawing and fastening the said two bars together
by means of short bolts thereby gripping the end of the woven-wire fabric
between them, the fabric being turned over the top of the header-bar from
beneath.
In two of the berth-frames that are designed to be placed together side by
side in the same horizontal plane to make a double berth, one of the side-rails of
each berth-frame is formed with a drop or bend so as to throw the side-rail a
proper distance below and clear of the wire-bottom, and spiral bed-springs are
fixed on that drop portion of the side-rail in each frame at short intervals apart
to support the edge of the wire-fabric of the bottom along that side. Thus when
the said two berth-frames are placed in position side by side their drop-rails will
come in the center of the double berth, but at such distance beneath the woven-
wire bottom that the weight of the persons lying in the berth will not depress
the bottom to a sufficient degree to make contact with the side-rails and the
elasticity and springing qualities of the bottom will not be limited by the said
rails.
In place of close or solid partitions the berths are sometimes supported by
removable stanchions held in upright position by socket-plates fixed on the floor
and the ceiling or overhead timbers which take the place of partitions, the ends
of the stanchions at top and bottom being insertible in said socket-plates. By

page_text: such arrangement the entire space taken for the berths can be thrown into one
room when the berths are not needed simply by unshipping the berth-frames
and taking down the stanchions.
In that arrangement and application the brackets or supports to carry the ends
of the berth-frames are either, secured to or are formed on the stanchions. Such
substitution of stanchions for partitions is more specially applicable to the steer-
age and other quarters of a vessel where the berths are of a temporary character
to be set up and taken down as occasion requires.
The straight outer side-rail of each berth-frame is provided with a lee-rail
at the head and usually another at the foot of the frame. Each of these lee-rails
is attached to the side-rail by a T-coupling fitted like a sleeve upon the side-
rail both to turn on it and to slide longitudinally a short distance whereby the
lee-rail can be turned horizontally or folded flat against the bed-bottom when
the berths are to be stowed, or assembled to form a settee; the lee-rail on each
berth after it is turned into an upright position can be shifted or moved along
longitudinally to insert and force home the end of the lee-rail into the socket
provided for it on the side of the state-room or berth-room, or in the stanchion,
and thus lock the lee-rail in such upright position.
The brackets or supports to receive the ends of the berth-frames are secured
to the two side-partitions of the berth-room at proper distance apart vertically
to afford comfortable headway between one berth and the next one above. The
brackets or socket-plates which are placed close to the back wall or partition to
carry the ends of the rear-rails of the berth are formed with a deep flange having
counter-sunk holes for screws. Each one has also a recess or open socket of
proper length to receive and carry at the same time the ends of the side-rails of
the berth-frames, so that two frames can be suspended from or supported in the
same brackets or socket-plates when the frames are stowed away against the
back partition.
Above the bracket for each end of the front rail of the berth-frame a socket
to receive the end of the lec-rail is provided in the side-walls or the stanchions,
into which socket the end of the lee-rail as hereinbefore described, and a sliding
bolt working in guides in the socket-plate is arranged to engage a transverse slot
or a depression in the lee-rail near that end for the purpose of holding the lee-
rail in position and prevent it from slipping out of the socket. This locking
means also allows the lee-rail to be unshipped and readily turned down when the
berth is to be entered, or to allow the occupant to leave the berth without climb-
ing over the rail.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
-
Figure 1 of the drawing represents in perspective a set or tier of three berths
in a stateroom assembled to form a settee for use in the daytime;
Figure 2 is an elevation in transverse-section of the frames set up to form a
tier of three single berths:
Figure 3 is a sectional detail-view of a portion of the stanchion employed in
Figure 2 to support the berths at the front side, when the berths are set up in
open spaces between the decks, instead of in a stateroom or between partitions
that form the sides of the room;
Figure 4 is a front-elevation of the berths set up in a stateroom; the supports
for the ends of the berths being fixed to the sides of the room;
Figure 5 is an elevation of one side-wall or partition of the room showing
the arrangement and position of the sockets and fastenings for the frames.
Figure 6 is a perspective-view showing the manner in which the berths are stowed
to form the settee;
Figures 7 and 8 are details on an enlarged scale of the socket and fastening for
the lee-rail Figure 7 being a front-view partly in section showing the end of
the rail locked in the socket, and Figure 8 a front-view of the socket-plate and
bolt:

page_text: Figures 9 and 10 are detail front and side-views of the brackets that carry the
ends of the berth-rails on the front side;
Figure 11 is a perspective-view showing the arrangement and positions of the
parts to form a double berth;
Figure 12 is a detail in perspective of one of the side-rails and the cross-bar
at one end of the berth-frame;
Figure 13 is a front-view of one of the rear socket-irons that take the ends of
the berth-rails at the back of the berth:
Figure 14 is a detail front view of the socket-iron, and Figure 15 is a top-view.
X X represent the partitions forming the back and two sides of a berth-room
or stateroom.
A A¹ A are the frames for three berths, and B B B are the mattresses for
the same.
E are removable stanchions held in place by socket-plates E¹ on the floor and
ceiling to take the place of the before-mentioned partitions in that temporary
application and arrangement of the berths where it is sometimes desirable to
remove the berths entirely and throw the space taken up by them into one large
room. Such substitution of removable stanchions for stationary partitions to
support the berths is more especially applicable to the steerage and other quarters
in a vessel where the berths are to be taken down and set up as occasion for use
may require.
The side-rails a a are slotted at a² to let in the header-bar b and the clamp-
bar 63 is secured to the bar b by bolts after the ends of the woven wire-bottom o
are placed between the two bars b². The screw caps a³ are placed on the side-
bars to produce finished ends.
The rails on one side of the berth-frames A. A' are formed with a drop a³, and
the springs dd are secured to this downwardly bent portion and to the edge of
the woven wire bottom. The lee-rails e o are secured to the side-rails by
couplings f
_H, H³, H¹‚ H², H³, designate the supporting sockets for the ends of the rear
side-rails at the head and the foot of the three berths, and 2 the flanges by
which they are fixed in place.
K, K, K1, K2, K3 designate the supports for the front side-rails of the berths
at the head and the foot, and the flanges by which they are fixed in place
against the partitions. If stanchions are used the supports K are formed directly
on the stanchions. The socket m to receive the end of the lee-rail is provided
with a sliding bolt m³, the end of which engages a slot or depression in the
lee-rail.
The supports HK are fixed in place about ten inches above the floor and
another set H¹ K¹ is fixed about four inches directly above them. Directly in
front of and in line with the first-mentioned set of supports the third set of
supports H K is fixed in place against the partitions.
The berth-frames A. A¹ when placed in the supports H K H* K* make a double
berth.
The remaining sets of supports H² K², H³ K³ are fixed in place against the
partitions directly above the lower sets of supports H K with proper intervals
of distance apart to afford sufficient headroom or clearance between one berth
and the next one.
The three berths A A1 A2 are placed in the three sets of supports H¹ K¹,
H2 K2, H3 K3, to produce a tier of three single berths. The berths A A¹ are
placed horizontally side by side in the supports H. K. H* K* to form a double
berth, and the third berth A2 is set in the upper supports H2 K2 to form a wall
pocket.
To convert the berths into a settee the berth A2 is placed in an upright position
against the wall to form the back of the settee, of which the berth-frame A¹ con-
stitutes the seat, the frame A in that case being stowed compactly away beneath
the seat in the supports H K.

page_text: One of the mattresses B is stowed between the lowest frame A and the frame A¹,
another B laid on the frame A¹ forms the cushioned. seat, and the third
mattress B² fastened against the frame A2 makes a cushioned back to, the settee.
Over the seat and back is spread a covering T of some. ornamental stuff.
The arrangement of the berth-frames and the supports for the ends to hold
the same in the herein before' described positions one above the other is also the
same where the invention is applied for use in a railway car.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1: The herein described convertible berths and settee for ships, comprising
the independent berth-frames A A¹ A2 each having side-rails with projecting
ends, header-rails uniting the side-rails, lee-rails adapted to fold down against
the frame and a yielding bed-bottom; the rear brackets H H H H³, having each
an enlarged recess or socket with a surrounding flange 2 and an opening in the
top through said flange leading into the recess to admit the end of the side-rail,
said brackets being secured to the sides of the berth-room at distances apart as
described; the front supports K K K K secured in position in front of and
opposite to the rear brackets and adapted to support the said berths at the front;
and the sockets for the lee-rails of the berth-frames arranged for operation as
described; whereby the three berth-frames when placed in the brackets one over
the other form three berths, or when assembled and stowed' away in the sets of
supports HK H¹ K¹, H² K³ two of the berth-frames form the seat-frame, and
the third berth-frame the back of the settee.
2: In convertible berths, a. berth-frame having a straight side-rail on one
side, a drop-rail on the opposite side, header-rails at head and foot uniting the
side-rails, a yielding bed-bottom stretched between the header-rails, and the spiral
springs interposed between the drop-rail and the said bed-bottom along the edge
thereof, as set forth.
3: The combination of the tubular metal side-rails having slotted ends,
header-rails of angle-iron having cut-away portions fixed in the slotted ends of
the side-rails, the wire-mattress stretched over the header-rails and the clamping
bars bolted to the header-rails.
4: In convertible berths and settee, the combination with the sets of rear
brackets H H H and front sockets K K K²; of the two berth-frames each
having one side-rail of its frame provided with a downwardly bent middle
portion, whereby the frames are supported by the said sets of brackets and sockets
in one position to form a double berth and in another position to form single
berths one over the other.
HASELTINE, LAKE, & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.