Improvements in Ships! and other Berths, Furniture, and Analogous Fittings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships! and other Berths, Furniture, and Analogous
Fittings.
I, WILLIAM PARISH HOSKINS of Neptune Works, Upper Trinity Street, Bordesley,
in the City of Birmingham, Ships Berth Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to folding berths, furniture and analogous fittings for
ships, railway carriages, barracks, dormitories and the like, and has for one of its
objects, to admit of the inner edge of the berth frame being brought absolutely
close up to the bulkhead or wall against or approximate to which the berth or
fitting is erected, and for another object, to dispense with the use of the jointed
auxiliary fittings now commonly employed in connection with such berths or
furniture.
The invention more particularly pertains to that class or type of berth, furniture
or fitting in which the trunnion ends of an elevated rail or part at the inner edge
of the berth or the like rise and fall within or against races or equivalents carried
by fixed supporting brackets and with the said trunnion ends taking their abut-
ments against stops at the upper terminations of the races and with the berth
frame, when in use, resting upon brackets disposed inwards of its longer axis.
In carrying out one form of my improvements, in connection with a folding
ships berth I take an ordinary rectangular shaped framing, made preferably from
angle metal with the outside of the angles presented so as to form the bed bottom.
The inward edge of this frame carries an elevated rail having trunnion or studs
extending outwardly from the ends and preferably being fitted with rollers which
work within, upon or against upright or nearly upright races or channels attached
to or formed within or upon brackets supported either by a bulkhead or otherwise.
The upper extremities of the races at either end of the berth framing are or may
be closed by hearer stops for the trunnions whilst the bottom ends are either left
open or
they may be closed or the races may have gates leading into them in order
to admit of the trunnions or studs being introduced into the races.
When open races are employed then the inner side of the frame may be prevented
from coming away from the bulkhead by links, stops or equivalents. The inner
elevated rail provides a means for preventing the bedding slipping down when the
berth is turned up, whilst its supports form cranks for compelling the trunnions
on the inner side of the berth frame to rise and fall in a direct line within the
races. The bottom edges of the opposite ends of the frame, inwards of their
middles, are supported, when in position for use, by outstanding studs, rests,
brackets or the like carried by the main or independent brackets and fitted, if
necessary, with rollers for reducing the frictional contact between them and
framing when the latter turns and slides upon the studs or the like as fulcra when
the berth is being folded up or turned down, whilst situated between the race and
the supporting stud or the like of each main bracket and disposed at a lower
plane than, and clear of, the said stud is a supplementary or independent stud or

page_text: support, which may be either rollered or plain, and which may form both a
fulcrum for the inner part of the end of the frame to turn about and also a rest
for the frame when in its folded position. The inner bottom corners of the framing
ends may be rounded off in order that the same may slide more freely over the
supplementary pins, studs, rests or equivalents, which may be carried either by the
main or separate brackets.
OPERATION.
Assuming that the berth is turned down into its position of use, then the lower
edges of the ends of the berth frame are supported against downward movement
by the first named or outermost studs and against upward movement by the
trunnion ends or a part of the elevated rail or its fittings coming against the closed
ends of the races, whilst the supplementary fulcrum studs or supports are clear of
the said end framings by virtue of their lying in a plane below the berth frame.
In folding up the berth, lift the outer side, when the trunnion ends of the
elevated inner rail fall within the races and the inner side of the berth frame also
has a rear falling action and in its downward movement the underside of the frame
slides along and turns upon the outermost supports until the said inner side comes
up to or against the supplementary studs or support when the framing then turns
upon them as centres until the berth has been fully folded up, when the trunnion
ends come at the lower parts of the races. The whole weight of the berth now
rests vertically upon the supplementary studs when by passing the outer side of
the berth over or beyond the centre, the same is kept in its folded position.
In again turning down the berth, the berth first turns on the supplementary
studs, the trunnions ends of the elevated rail rise up the races, then as the outer
side falls, the framing comes upon the outermost supports and leaves the supple-
mentary ones, when the trunnions or ends of the rail now come against the bearer
ends of the races.
The application of my invention to berths for other purposes, and to fittings and
furniture for use on ships differs in no essential respect from its application to ships
berths as herein described.
Date : 17th Jews of Dece
1000
Improvements in Ships' and other Berths, Furniture, and Analogous
Fittings.
I, WILLIAM PARISH HOSKINS of Neptune Works, Upper Trinity Street, Bordesley,
in the City of Birmingham, Ships Berth Manufacturer, 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 folding berths, furniture and analogous fittings for
ships, railway carriages, barracks, dormitories and the like, aud has for one of its
objects, to admit of the inner edge of the berth frame being brought absolutely
close up to the bulkhead or wall against or approximate to which the berth or
fitting is erected, and for another object, to dispense with the use of the jointed
auxiliary fittings now commonly employed in connection with such berths or.
furniture.

page_text: The invention more particularly pertains to that class or type of berth, furniture
or fitting in which the trunnion ends of an elevated rail or part at the inner edge
of the berth or the like rise and fall within or against races or equivalents carried
by fixed supporting brackets mounted on the bulk-head or elsewhere, and with
the said trunnion ends, wheit the berth is turned down for use, taking their
abutments against stops at the upper terminations of the races whilst the berth
frame, rests upon brackets disposed inwards of its longer axis.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in front elevation a folding
ships sleeping berth embodying iniprovements constructed and arranged according
to one form of my improvements, said view showing the berth turned down or in
its position of use.
Figure 2 represents the said berth Figure 1, turned or folded up.
Figure 3 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a transverse vertical section of the
berth Figure I, taken across the same adjacent to one of the end rails and showing
the construction of the supporting bracket and its race, one such bracket with its
fittings being arranged at each end of the berth. The said view shows the berth
turned down and in its position of use.
Figure 4 represents a like section as Figure 3 but showing the said berth and its
supporting fittings in the positions they assume when the turning-up movement
is commenced.
Figure 5 is a like view as Figure 4, but with the berth still further turned up.
Figure 6 represents another section, but with the berth fully folded.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 6 of
the drawings.
The form of berth represented in the said Figures 1 to 6 consists of an ordinary
rectangular-shaped framing a, made preferably from angle metal with the outsides
of the angles presented so as to form the bed bottom. The inward edge a¹ of this
frame carries an elevated rail b, having trunnions or studs b', extending outwardly
from the ends and preferably being fitted with rollers which work within, upon
or against upright or nearly upright races or channels c', attached to or formed
within or upon brackets c, supported either by a bulkhead d, or otherwise. The
upper extremities c³, of the races c¹, at either end of the berth framing are (or may,
be) closed by bearer stops c³, for the trunnions whilst the bottom ends c, are either
left open or they may be closed or the races may have gates, leading into them
(as represented in the drawings) in order to admit of the trunnions or studs of the
elevated end rail being introduced thereinto.
When open races are employed then the inner side of the frame may be prevented
from coming away from the bulkhead by links, stops or equivalents.
The inner elevated rail provides a means for preventing the bedding slipping
down when the berth is turned up, whilst its supports 2 form cranks for compelling
the trunnions on the inner side of the berth frame to rise and fall within the races
on the turning up or down of the berth bottom. The bottom edges of the opposite
ends a, of the frame, inwards of their middles are supported, when in position for
use, by outstanding studs or rests e, or the like carried by the main brackets (or
by supplementary brackets) and fitted, if necessary, with rollers c', for reducing
the frictional contact between them and framing on the latter being turned and
slid upon the studs or the like as fulcra when the berth is being folded up or turned
down, whilst situated between the race and the said supporting stud e, or the like
of each main bracket and disposed at a lower plane than and clear of the said stud e,
is a supplementary or independent stud or support f, which may be either rollered
as shown or plain, and which forms both a fulcrum for the inner part of the end of
the frame to turn about and also a rest for the frame when in its folded position.
The inner bottom corners a', of the framing ends may be rounded off in order that
the same may slide more freely over the supplementary pins, studs, rests or equiva-
lents, which may be carried either by the main or separate brackets. c is a
pocket or recess wherein the trunnion end of the inner elevated rail rests when
the berth is folded up.

page_text: OPERATION.
Assuming that the berth is turned down into its position of use, then the lower
edges of the ends at, of the berth frame are supported against downward move-
ment by the first named or outermost studs e, and against upward movement by
the trunnion ends 6, (or part of the elevated rail or its fittings) coming against the
closed upper ends or bearer stops c, of the races, whilst the supplementary fulcrum
studs or supports f, are clear of the said framing ends by virtue of their lying in a
plane below the berth frame.
In folding up the berth from the positions répresented in Figures 1 and 2, lift
the outer side, when the trunnion ends b', of the elevated inner rail b, fall within
the races c, and the inner side of the berth frame also has a rear falling action
and in its downward movement the undersides of the frame ends a³, slide along
and turn upon the outermost supports e, (as represented in Figure 4) until the
said under sides come up to or ageinst the supplementary staids or supports f, as
represented in Figure 5, when the framing then turns upon them as centres until
the berth has been fully folded up, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, when the trummion
ends come at the lower parts of the races.. The whole weight of the berth now
rests vertically upon the supplementary studs f, when by passing the outer side
of the berth over or beyond the centre, the same is kept in its folded position,
although if necessary supplementary hooks or catches pivoted on the bulkhead
and engaging with studs or the like on the berth frame may be employed as an
auxiliary means of retaining the berth in its folded position.
In again turning down the berth, it is first turned on the supplementary studs,
when the trunnion ends of the elevated rail rise up the races, and then as the
outer side falls, the framing comes upon the outermost supports and leaves the
supplementary ones, when the trunnions or ends of the rail now come against
the bearer ends of the races.
Figure 7 represents a modification of my invention, in which, instead of
employing a plain or rollered stud as the supplementary support, whereon the
inner end of the berth bottom rests when turned up, the lower edge of the sup-
porting bracket has a flange a portion of which is curved upwardly and arranged
to form the equivalent of, or to fulfil the same function as, the aforesaid stud.
This said view shows the berth folded up.
Figure 8 is an underside plan of Figure 7 and
Figure 9 is a like view as Figure 7, but with the berth folded down.
Figure 10 is a horizontal section of the bracket upon the dotted line 2,
Figure 9, and Figure 11 represents another horizontal section upon the dotted
line a, Figure 9."
a is the berth framing, 6 the elevated end rail, c one of the brackets with races e',
wherein the rollered trunnion end 6, of the said elevated rail works, and e, is a
flange formed at, or attached to, the lower edge of the same, the outer end of
which terminates in the support or rest stud e, whilst a portion of the said flange,
coming inwards of and at a lower horizontal plane than the said stud e, is curved
or swelled upwards at f, to constitute a support whereon the curved inner bottom.
corner a, of the herth frame rests or is vertically supported when folded up as
represented in Figures 7 and 8.
9 is a hook, pivoted at g', to the bulkhead or the like, and having a slotted
part g, engaging over a stud as, on the end of the berth framing to retain the
same in its folded position.
c is the pocket or recess wherein the trunnion end 61, of inner elevated rail rests
when the berth is folded up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In ships' and analogous berths and other folding fittings and furniture,
providing adjacent to each of the framing ends of the berth or the like, and at a

page_text: lower plane than the bracket or equivalent which supports the said frame when
turned down or in its position of use, an intermediate and supplementary bracket,
stud, support or rest, situated between the said outer bracket, and the race, run
or guide which confines the traverse of the ends or trunnions of the inner side rail,
bracket or equivalent, said supplementary bracket or support forming both a
fulcrum for the inner end of the frame to turn upon during a part of its folding-up
and turning down movements, and if required also a support for the said frame
when in its folded-up position.
Secondly. The improvements in, and in the fittings of, ships and other berths,
furniture and analogous articles, substantially as and for the purpose described
and set forth.
Dated this 17th day of September 1897
WILLIAM PARISH HOSKINS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
WILLIAM PARISH HOSKINS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.