Year: 1898

page_text: We, ARTHUR NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN, Director, and HOSKINS AND SON LIMITED,
Manufacturers, both of Neptune Works, Upper Trinity Street, in the City of Bir-
mingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has relation to collapsible sleeping berths for ships and analogous
purposes, also to collapsible bedsteads and cots, and has reference primarily to
ships sleeping berths of that type which are arranged in blocks or tiers and sup-
ported by uprights disposed in series of ranks adapted to be collapsed or closed
together in succession for folding up the berths, and also of being extended in-
dividually and in succession when required for use, and also in which the berth
frames themselves are employed for bracing together the said uprights and pre-
serving their parallelism both when collapsed and when extended.
The present invention consists in a new construction of such berths, in which
the rectangular berth frames adapted to support the bedding, are provided, at the
extreme ends of their sides, with outstanding and rollered studs confined and work-
ing within vertical races carried by the uprights and with the said frames sup-
ported and partly balanced by being pivotedly hung from radius links or bars
also carried by the said uprights.
In carrying out the invention as applied to a block of emigrants berths, a series
of upright pillar supports are taken and arranged in ranks in such a manner that
cach series of four comprehends a rectangular space within which a tier of two or
more berth frames are placed one above another. The inner and opposite edges or
sides of the supports are provided with vertical races or slots each of an inside
range about equal to one half the breadth of the berth frame, and with the race
upon the one post of each pair coming above the plane of the berth frame, whilst
the race on the opposite post comes below it. The ends of the berth frame have
journalled or rollered studs, which respectively engage and run within the upper
and under races, with the journal at the one side of the frame end coming at the
bottom of the one race, whilst the other journal comes at the top of the race on
the opposite post. The rectangular berth frame is also pivotedly hung from a pair
of radius links or arms whose upper ends are jointedly connected to a pair of the
supports.
The series of four uprights is thus cross-braced by the berth frames, which are
themselves kept in place by the races and balanced by being suspended near their
middles from the swinging radius links as aforesaid.
A block or row of berths to any desired number may be made up by duplicating
this arrangement, and it is understood that the ends of the uprights are provided
with runners or rollers which run upon the deck, and that when it is required to
collapse the berth frames, they are given a revolving motion round the ends of the
radius bars as pivots, which causes the pillars to approach one another or collapse
whilst preserving their parallelism. The berth frames then fall into nearly ver-

page_text: tical positions, parallel with, but intermediate between, the uprights, the ranks
of which are collapsed into juxta position with one another.
It is also proposed that the ends of the several berths of a tier should be verti-
cally braced by tie bars which may have eyes taking onto the journal ends of the
frames, which are thus caused to move rigidly and in unison. These bars may
be provided with pulls which conveniently are taken hold of for collapsing or
extending the articulated structure.
The berth frames are provided with folding end rails, which when the berths are
extended, will serve to lock them in position by forming a rigid strut between the
front and back pillars of a section, whilst the fronts may be fitted with lee-rails,
extended between the uprights. It is also proposed, when detachable lee rails are
employed, to provide the uprights with she-dovetails, with which he dovetails or
turned down ends or square blocks of straight or crank rails engage.
Instead of the berth framing being suspended from hangers, they may be
mounted upon the upper ends of oblique struts or props, whose lower ends are
jointed to the pillars or uprights, whilst instead of the races being carried by the
uprights or pillars they may be carried by the berth bottom and with rollered or
other studs or their equivalent carried by the pillars, engaging with them. Or
the rollered studs may be mounted on the corners of the berth frame as before,
and travel within gaps, slots or sinkings formed in the walls of the pillars instead
of in races independent of, but carried by, the said pillars.
In applying the invention to collapsible bedsteads and cots, a pair of frames are
arranged between a series of four posts, and connected thereto by studs, races and
radius links in like manner as previously described. One of the said frames con-
stitutes the support for the bedding whilst the other acts as a supplementary brace
or tie for preserving the parallelism of the structure when being folded or extended.
Dated this 15th day of August 1898.
ARTHUR NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN,
HOSKINS AND SON LIMITED.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
We, ARTHUR NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN, Director, and HOSKINS AND SON LIMITED,
Manufacturers, both of Neptune Works, Upper Trinity Street, in the City of Bir-
mingham, 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 collapsible or shut-up sleeping berths for ships and
analogous purposes, also to collapsible bedsteads and cots, and has reference pri-
marily to that type of ships' sleeping berths which are arranged in blocks or tiers
and supported by uprights disposed in series or ranks adapted to be collapsed or
closed together in succession for folding up the berths, and also of being extended
individually and in succession when required for use, whilst the berth bottom
frames themselves are employed for bracing together the said uprights and pre-
serving their parallelism both when collapsed and when extended.
The present invention consists in a new construction of such berths, in which
the rectangular berth frames adapted to support the bedding, are provided (pre-
ferably at the extreme ends of their sides) with outstanding and rollered studs
confined and working within vertical races carried by the uprights, and with the

page_text: said frames supported and partly balanced by being pivotedly hung from radius
links or bars also carried by the said uprights.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents an end elevation of a collap-
sible two-high sleeping berth constructed according to this invention and shown
distended or in position for use.
Figure 2 is another end view but showing the parts in the positions they assume
when the berth is closed or collapsed.
"
Figure 3 is a front elevation of Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents upon an enlarged scale, an elevation of the upper part of
one end of the berth. In this view the parts are represented in full lines in their
extended positions whilst the dotted lines represent the same partially collapsed.
Figure 5 represents an end elevation of a block of three two-high berths em-
bodying these improvements, one set or tier of the said berths being shown col-
lapsed and the other two sets extended.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
In the arrangement shown, the pairs of berth bottoms a, a¹, are disposed in tiers
one above another and are supported by a series of pillars b, arranged in such a
manner that each series of four comprehends a rectangular space within which
the two-high tier of berth frames is placed. The inner and opposite edges or sides
of the supports are provided with vertical races or slots 61, 62, each of an inside
range a little greater than one half the breadth of the berth frame, and with the
race 1, upon the one post of each pair coming above the plane of the berth frame
(when the latter is in its horizontal position) whilst the race 63, on the opposite
post comes below it. The ends of the berth frame are provided, at the opposite
corners a², a³, with journalled or rollered studs at, a, which respectively engage and
run within the upper and under races 61, 62, and in the extended position, the
stud a, at the one side of the frame end comes at the bottom of the one race b',
whilst the other stud a³, comes at the top of the race 62, on the opposite post. The
rectangular berth frame is also pivotedly hung from a pair of radius links or arms c,
whose upper ends c', are jointedly connected or pivoted at, to those pillars or
supports to which the races 62, are fitted.
The series of four uprights is thus cross-braced by the pair of berth frames,
which are themselves kept in place by the races, and balanced by being suspended,
near their middles, from the swinging radius links as aforesaid.
A block or row of berths to any desired number may be made up by duplicating
or multiplying this arrangement, as shown in Figure 5 and it is understood that
the foot ends of the uprights are provided with runners or rollers e,
which run
upon the deck, and that when it is required to collapse the
berth frames, they are given a revolving motion round the ends of the radius bars
as pivots, which causes the pillars to approach one another or collapse whilst pre-
serving their parallelism. The berth frames then fall into or assume nearly ver-
tical positions (see Figure 2) parallel with, but intermediate between, the uprights,
the ranks of which are collapsed into juxta-position with one another.
It is also proposed that the ends of the several berths of a tier should be ver-
tically braced by tie bars d, which may have eyes taking onto the journal ends of
the frames, which are thus caused to move rigidly and in unison. These bars may
be provided with pulls d, which conveniently are taken hold of for collapsing or
extending the articulated structure.
The berth frames are provided with folding end rails (not shown) which, when
the berths are extended, will serve to lock them in position by forming a rigid
strut between the front and back pillars of a section, whilst the fronts may be fitted
with lee rails f, extended between the uprights.
Instead of the berth framing being suspended from hangers, they may be mounted
and rock upon the upper ends of oblique struts or props.
In applying the invention to collapsible bedsteads and cots, a pair of frames are
arranged between a series of four posts; and connected thereto by studs, races and

page_text: radius links in like manner as previously described. One of the said frames con-
stitutes the support for the bedding whilst the other acts as a supplementary link
for preserving the parallelism of the structure when being folded or extended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
:
First: A collapsible or shut up sleeping berth, consisting of two or more suit-
ably-supported berth frames, arranged one above another between a series of up-
rights or pillars, with each frame provided, at or near its ends, with pairs of out-
standing studs working within corresponding pairs of vertical races or guides, the
one race of each pair being disposed in a plane above the frame (when the latter
is in its horizontal or distended position) and the other and opposite race in a
plane below the said frame.
Secondly: A collapsible or shut-up sleeping berth, consisting of two or more
berth frames arranged one above another between a series of uprights or pillars,
with each frame provided, at or near its ends, with separated pairs of outstanding
studs, confined and working within corresponding pairs of vertical races, the one
race of each pair being disposed in a plane above the frame (when the latter is in
a horizontal position) and the other in a plane below the said frame, whilst each
of the said frames is further supported and partly balanced by being hung from
swinging or pivoted radius bars, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirdly In a shut-up or collapsible berth of the construction referred to in
the second claim, the combination therewith of vertical bracing bars such as d,
connecting together the several superimposed frames of each series, whereby, when
the structure is shut up, the said frames are caused to move parallel and in unison,
substantially as described and set forth.
Doted this Ond dow of Nov 1899
ARTHUR NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN,
HOSKINS AND SON LIMITED.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.