Improvements in Ships' Berths and other Berths.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 16th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Berths and other Berths.
We JOHN OAKES HOLT of Eve Hill Works Dudley in the County of Worcester
Manufacturer and FRANK VENTON of Himley Road Dudley aforesaid Foreman
of Bedstead Works do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
Our invention consists of the improvements in berths hereinafter described our
improvements are specially applicable to berths for ships but are also applicable
either wholly or in part to other berths such for example as berths for barracks
and hospitals.
The first part of our invention has reference to steerage berths. On the vertical
pillars by which the sackings of the berths are carried we fix at the levels of the said
sackings collars having a series of knuckles preferably at right angles to one another.
The angle bars by which the laths of the sackings are carried have attached to their
ends by rivetting or otherwise knuckles which engage with the knuckles on the said
collars in a way similar to that in which the knuckles of the two flaps of a hinge
engage with each other. Into holes in the said engaged knuckles joint pins are
passed and secured and there is thereby formed at the junction of the end of each rail
with the collars on the pillars joints similar to hinge joints.
By the construction described the berths readily accommodate themselves to the
curvature of the sides and deck of the ship or vessel without any strain on the
parts.
The second part of our invention consists in the following arrangement of parts for
effecting the folding down upon the mattress of the head and foot rails of berths when
the berth is not in use and it is desired to turn up the mattress into a vertical or
nearly vertical position.
The bottom bar or rod of the head or foot rail is supported by two short fixed
uprights. These uprights have at top deep slots or recesses in the plane of the said
rail. The bottom bar of the rail takes into these recesses and by means of flat lugs
on each side of the parts of the bar which occupy the said recesses the rail is
supported vertically when it is depressed to the bottom of the recesses.
When the
rail is in this its lowest position its lugs are situated between the two sides of the recess
at the top of the upright. The upper parts of the said slotted uprights are only of
about one half the breadth of the lower parts and the flat lugs described when the
rail is lifted in the recesses in the uprights are no longer restrained by the sides of the
slot. The rail can now be turned down flat upon the mattress and the mattress raised
into a vertical or nearly vertical position.
When it is desired to arrange the berth for use the mattress is turned down into a
horizontal position. The rail is raised from off the mattress into a vertical plane and
while held in this position is allowed to take its lowest position in the recessed uprights.
By the slight descent of the rail the lugs described enter the lower broader part of
the recess the sides of which prevent the said lugs and consequently the rail from
moving except up and down.
When it is wished to turn the rail down upon the mattress it is only necessary to
raise it vertically through a short distance when the lugs being raised out of the lower
broad part of the recess the rail is no longer restricted to a vertical motion but can
turn on its lower edge and fall flat on the mattress.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of December 1889.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Ships' Berths and other Berths.
We JOHN OAKES HOLT of Eve Hill Works Dudley in the County of Worcester
Manufacturer and FRANK VENTON of Himley Road Dudley aforesaid Foreman of
Bedstead Works do hereby declare the nature of our invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Our invention consists of the improvements in berths hereinafter described; our
improvements are specially applicable to berths for ships but are also applicable
either wholly or in part, to other berths such for example as berths for barracks and
hospitals.
The first part of our invention has reference to steerage berths. On the vertical
pillars by which the sackings of the berths are carried we fix at the levels of the said
sackings collars having a series of knuckles preferably at right angles to one another.
The angle bars by which the laths of the sackings are carried have attached to their
ends by rivetting or otherwise knuckles which engage with the knuckles on the collars
in a way similar to that in which the knuckles of the two flaps of a hinge engage
with each other. Into holes in the said engaged knuckles joint pins are passed and
secured and there are thereby formed at the junction of the end of each rail with the
collars on the pillars joints similar to hinge joints.
By the construction described the berths readily accommodate themselves to the
curvature of the sides and deck of the ship or vessel without any strain on the parts
and facility is afforded for detaching the whole or parts of the berths for obtaining
additional storage space when required.
.
This part of our invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the
accompanying drawings..
Figure 1 represents in perspective steerage berths arranged side by side and in tiers
between the decks of the ship;
Figure 2 represents in cross section ;
Figure 3 in side elevation and
Figure 4 in plan drawn to a larger scale one of the collars to which the side angle
bars of the sackings of two adjacent berths are jointed;
Figure 5 represents in cross section and
Figure 6 in plan drawn to a larger scale one of the blocks fixed on the end rails
of the berths to which blocks the side angle bars of two adjacent berths are jointed.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6.
We will describe this part of our invention in connection with the berths marked a b
and c of the lower tier of berths represented in Figure 1.
On the pillars de between the decks the collars f f are fixed by screws or other-
wise. One of these collars is shown detached in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Each collar f
has fixed on it or cast on it the vertical knuckles g g hetween which double knuckles
on the angle bars ik of the sacking frame are fitted and jointed by the joint pin h
being passed through the engaged knuckles as seen in the drawing. Each end of the
angle bars i k is jointed alike. The angle bar i constitutes one of the side sacking.
bars of the berth b and the other angle bar k constitutes one of the side sacking bars
of the adjacent berth c. The side angle bars I m of the adjacent berths a b are jointed'
to blocks n on the lower end rails p p midway between the two pillars d and e q².
The blocks n carry a knuckle n² on either side of which the knuckles on the ends of
the angle bars l m are jointed by the joint pin r. The end angle bars of the berth a
is jointed to the pillars y q² by collars y and hinge joints as described with respect to
the angle hars i k excepting that the collars y carry single vertical knuckles instead of
two knuckles. The lower end rails p p of the sacking framing may either be per-
manently fixed to the pillars d and q or pivoted to the pillars in the manner seen in
Figure where the pivoted rails are marked p p.. The upper end rails t and side

page_text: rails u are jointed by knuckle joints to the collars x on the pillars and the side rail u²
between the berths a b is jointed to blocks n2 similar to the blocks n at the middle of
the bottom end bars or rails p p. This arrangement of jointing permits of the side
angle bars of the sackings being detached at one end from the berths and turned up
into a vertical position on their jointed ends and supported by the fixed pillars the
upper side and end rails being unjointed. By this means additional storage room may
be provided. The said arrangement also permits of the complete detachment of the
several parts of the berths by withdrawing the joint pins from the knuckle joints.
The second part of our invention consists in the following arrangement of parts for
effecting the folding down upon the mattress of the head and foot rails of berths when
the berth is not in use and it is desired to turn up the mattress into a vertical or nearly
vertical position.
The bottom bar or rod of the head or foot rail is supported by two short fixed
uprights. These uprights have at top deep slots or recesses in the plane of the said
rail. The bottom bar of the rails take into these recesses and by means of flat lugs
on, each side of the parts of the bar which occupy the said recesses the rail is supported
vertically when it is depressed to the bottoin of the recesses.
When the rail is in this
its lowest position its lugs are situated between the two sides of the recess at the top
of the upright. The upper parts of the said slotted uprights are only of about
one half the breadth of the lower parts and the flat lugs described when the rail is
lifted in the recesses in the uprights are no longer restrained by the sides of the slot.
The rail can now be turned inwards flat upon the mattress or the said rail may be
turned outwards and the mattress raised into a vertical or nearly vertical position.
This part of our invention is illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11;
Figure 7 represents in side elevation and Figure 8 in end elevation the folding down
head or foot rail of the berth supported in a vertical position ;
Figure 9 represents, in side elevation and Figure 10 in end elevation the said head
or foot rail after it has been raised in its slotted uprights prior to the turning down of
the said rail and
Figure 11 represents in end elevation the rail turned down.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10
and 11.
a is the mattress frame carrying two short uprights b b having deep slots or
recesses c at top the upper parts 62 of the slotted uprights being only about half the
breadth of the lower parts ³. Between the sides 62 62 of the uprights is a stop pin d
for preventing the separation of the rail from the uprights. The parts between the
broad and narrow parts 62 63 of the slotted top of each upright constitute seats or
shoulders e e for supporting the rail in its turned down position; f is the folding down
head or foot rail of the berth. Near each end of the bottom bar of the rail fare
flat lugs g g joined by the circular rod h. When the flat lugs g g occupy the
recesses c in the uprights and are depressed to the bottoms of the said recesses the
rail is supported in its vertical position as represented in Figures 7 and 8.
order to turn down the rail f it is lifted vertically so as to bring the flat lugs 9 g
above the shoulders or seats ee on the fixed uprights the cross rods h bearing
against the stop pins d d as represented in Figures 9 and 10. The flat lugs g g being
no longer restrained by the sides of the slots c c the rail f can be turned down flat or
into a horizontal position the said rail being supported by the seats or shoulders ee of
the slotted uprights as represented in Figure 11 and the mattress frame a can be raised
into a vertical position.
In
When it is desired to arrange the berth for use the mattress frame a is turned down
into a horizontal position. The end rail is raised from off the mattress into a
vertical plane as represented in Figures 9 and 10 and while held in this position is
allowed to take its lowest position in the recesses c in the uprights b. By the slight
descent of the rail its lugs g g enter the lower broader parts 63 63 of the recesses in
the tops of the uprights the sides of which parts 63 3 prevent the said lugs g g and
consequently the rail ƒ from moving except up and down.
When it is wished to turn the rail down upon the mattress it is only necessary to

page_text: raise it vertically through a short distance as represented in Figures 9 and 10 when
the lugs g g being raised out of the lower broad parts 63 63 of the recesses the rail is
no longer restricted to a vertical motion and can turn on its lower edges or bars h h
and fall flat on the mattress as represented in Figure 11.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as our invention of "Improvements in Ships' Berths and other Berths":—
First Jointing the ends of the angle bars of the sackings of steerage berths by
knuckle joints to collars on the fixed pillars of the ship and to the lower end rails or
rods of the said sackings and also jointing the upper rails or rods of the berths to
collars on the fixed pillars and to one another for the purposes and substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
Secondly-The construction and combination of the parts hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the accompanying Drawings for
effecting the folding down of the head and foot rails of berths; that is to say the
combination of the short slotted uprights b 62 63 d e with the head or foot rail provided
with the flat lugs g g and cross pins h for the purposes and substantially as described
and illustrated.
L
1000