US1361233A

US1361233A - Sleeping-car

Info

Publication number: US1361233A
Application number: US222721A
Authority: US
Inventors: Orren M Donaldson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1918-03-15
Filing date: 1918-03-15
Publication date: 1920-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1937-12-07

Description

0. M. DONALDSON.

, SLEEPING CAR. 1,361,233 APPLICATION FILED MAR. y15. 1918. Patented' D60 7 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Eb /46 /5/ f7/38 38/ 7.5/

/61' 60 `/4/ ,2, /4/ U L f #5 -Z'z'nessem jgj'l' [rufe/fof @fm L.

0. M. DONALDSON.`

SLEEPING CAR'.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15, 1918. 1,361,233, Patented Dec. 7, 1920. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.9! 3. 77 j f/a 95 8/ 7 73 7.0 ff

0. IvI. DONALDSOII.A

SLEEPING CAR` APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5.'I9Is.

corresponding end frame membersv 12 of the main frame of the upper berth.v These berth members 34 are hinged to the main longitudinal frame member ll of the upper berth by means of hinges 35, and are adapted to swing downward with respect to the main frame and central main body portion of the upper berth from the position in which one of said members 34 is shown at the leftof Fig. l, to the position in which the other of said berth members 34 is shown at the right of said figure, and at the right of Fig. 2. .A longitudinal strip 36 is secured in fixedV relation to and extends from end to end of the main frame member ll, in position to project beneath the beam 8 and toward the side wall of the car, so as to cover or conceal the parts 8 and ll and give the berth a good appearance when it is in raised position. The berth is shown in raised position in broken lines in Fig. 2. It is obvious that either of the hinged end berth members 34 may be lowered to lowermost approximately upright position, as desired. A platform 37, which is, by preference, provided with hinged flaps or leaves 38 secured to its opposite margins by means of hinges 39, is adapted to be connected at, its rear extremity with the lowered forward marginal portion 39 of either desired one of the hinged end members 34 of the upper berth, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The platform is removably secured to the part 39 of the hinged end member 34 by means of eyes 40 and hooks 4l on said platform and berth member respectively. A stripV or rib 42 serves as a. filler and as a means for supporting and securely holding the hooks in the proper position. Crossed iron bars in the form of a forked upper bar 43 having a branch arm 44, and a lower bar 45 having its central portion depressed and in supporting engagement with the forked bar, are removably connected at their rear ends with the marginal portion 39 of the desired lowered end berth member 34, by means of eyes or apertures 46 in said ends of the bars, respectively, and hooks 47 on said marginal portions of the corresponding hinged end berth member 34. The opposite ends of the

bars

43 and 45 are removably supported in position to hold the forward end of the platform in position over the lower berth and in such position that the platform will be horizontal. This may be accomplished in a simple and eficient manner by yproviding a notch or aperture 48 in the forward extremity of the bar 43, adapted to receive and engage a leg 28 and to permit the bar to rest upon a shoulder portion of such leg. The shoulder may be formed by one of the joints 32 already described. The forward end of the other bar 45 is provided with an aperture 49 arranged in position to admit a hook 50 anchored in the seat frame portion 5l adjacent to said bar and in position to support the latter. (See Fig. 6, and Fig. 2.)

n inner partition is provided which is adapted to be removably mounted in position to 'extend upward from the platform and into close proximity to the main body of the upper berth when the latter is in lowered or horizontal position over the lower berth. This partition, when constructed as shown in the drawings, is formed of a rear upright member 52, the rear edge of which is removably secured to the lowered hinged berth member 34, the forward edge of said partition member being provided with a hinged upright fiap or leaf 53 secured thereto by means of hinges 54 in such a manner as to permit the said leaf to be swung into position to extend at right angles with respect to the partition member 52 in either direction as desired, according to which end of the berth happens to be the one in connection with which the partition and platform are to be used.. A main inner partition member 55 is removably connected at its forward edge with an adjacent upright leg 28 by means of a hook 56 on said partition member, the rear edge of said partition member 55 being removably connected with the adjacent edge of the hinged partition member 53 most remote from the hinged edgeof the latter, by any suitable securing means such as a hook or button or other suitable known securing means, which may be of any desired ordinary and well known form. (See Fig. 6.) A double curtain 58 is removably secured atlits lower edges to opposite sides of the upper edge ofthe removable partition by means of knobs or buttons 59, or other suitable securing means, and is secured at its upper extremity to the corresponding edge of the sheet or fabric 26. It is obviousr that there may be one of these curtains 58 at each extremity of the canvas sheet or fabric, if desired, so that the curtain need not be changed from one end to the other of said sheet or fabric.

A hinged guardstrip (50 extends along the bottom margin of the partition member 55, and is secured to the latter by means of hinges 51, and provided with securing straps or hooks 52, which may be of metal.y there being' one of said hooks at each end of the strip GO. The partition member 55 being' reversible, so that it can be mounted with either sidetoward the platform, as desired, it is plain that the hook which happens to be located at the forward edge `of the partition is adapted to extend under or adjacent to the forward edge of the platform, and to be secured to and supported in position toextend over the adjacent end of the platform-supporting bar 43 already described. A rod 63 is provided and mounted upon a removable step 64 which has a hinged leg 65, and is adapted to be removably mounted in engagement with the end of the adjacent seat, and held in place by means of [langes or

guard strips

66 and 67 located on opposite sides oi the end frame of the seat. rlhis rod 63 is provided at its upper end with a depending hook or finger portion68 which extends through an aperture 69 in the corresponding angular fiat strap-iron or flat metallic hook 62, and through a similar aperture in the adjacent end or' the platform-supporting bar 43, so as to removably secure or lock said parts together. (See Figs. 1, 2 and 6.)

lt is plain that by locking the step 64 in position. to hold the locking rod 63 in lool"- ing engagement with the perforated forward end of the bar 43 and the adjacent perforated hook 'or metallic strap 62, the platform, the removable partition connected with the platform, the lowered hinged berth member 34, the leg 28 engaged by bar 43, and the upper berth, will all be secured and locked in their respective positions.

'The upper berth is provided with a pair oit head pieces or hinged end members 69, 7 O, which are, by preference, adapted to be used at either end of the berth, as desired, so as to avoid the necessity ci employing similar end members at both ends of the berth at the 'same time. These

end members

69 and 70 leach consist of a series of flexible 7l located between

outer slats

72, 72 of each of said hinged

berth end members

69 and 70 respectively, the slats 72 and intermediate slats 7 'l of each of the

hinged berth members

69 and 70, respectively, being connected by means of transverse braces 73, and crossed diagonal braces 75, secured to said slats. The outer slats72 are perforated at one end, and a supporting rod 76 entends through said perforated ends of said slats, and is supported at its opposite extremities by means of

end brackets

77, 77, and at its center, by means of a central bracket 78, all of said bracket members being rigidly connected by means of a bar 79, which is secured at its opposite ends to the brackets 77, and at its center, to the bracket member 78, which is located between the adjacent side margins of the berth members or

head pieces

69 and 70, respectively. The

bracket members

77, 77, for use in connection with the upper berth, are provided with depending shanks or legs 8l which are adapted to be removably mounted in apertures or sockets 82 in the end trame members 12 of vthe upper berth. The hinged end members or sla-tted

head pieces

69 and 70 are thus adapted to be swung upward on the pivot formed by the rod or hinge menber 76, 'from lowered horizontal position shown in full lines in Fig. l, to raised position shown in broken strips or slats 1 ,sei ,es 3

lines in said iigure, and downward from such raised position to lowered position independently. lt is thus possible for an occupant ot the upper berth to raise one of said head .pieces or hinged end members, and to stand on the platform, while the other oi' said hinged end members is in lowered operative position and in use by another occupant of the berth. lt is plain that suitable bedding and blankets may be spread over the canvas 26 and its supporting iframe, and over the hinged berth members 69 and 7 O, when the latter are in ilowered position, so as to iorm a comfortable bed, and that the occupants may lie with their heads in either direction, as desired.

A. hinged up4 er berth seat 89], having hingged or ioldable legs 83 adapted to lrest on the platform 37 when the seat is in use, is removably mounted Vin hinged engagement with the lowered berth member 34, by means oi hinge members 84 lined to the seat, and having perforations therein into which the hinge member or rod 85 extends, said rod being supported by means of hinge members or eyes 86 having depending stems which are removably mounted in suitable apertures in a ho 1izontal strip 87 iiXed to the corresponding berth member 34. The seat is thus adapted to be raised from the position indicated in full lines to the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2, `and lowered to the first mentioned position, as desired, and is adapted to be secured in raised position by any ordinary and well known 'form of securing means.

A hood 88 is mounted vabove the upper berth and at or nearv the ceiling of the car, where it is supported by means of hinges 89, and operatively connected with the main iframe ci the upper berth, by means of upwa, ly extending arms or frame members 90 ined to the end iframe members l2 oi' the upper berth, and having a link 91 pivotally connected at its upper extremity with .the hood by means of a hinge 92, and its lower end connected with the corresponding arm 90, by means of a pivot pin 93, or similar suitable connecting means. l prefer to employ an arm 90 and connecting link 91 at each end ofthe upper berth, though it is obvious that such a link and arm or frame member or similar means for connecting the link and hood with the berth frame may be employed at one end of the berth only, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

A counter-balancing mechanism, which may be in the form of a spring-operated pulley 94 rotatively mounted upon a suitable support such, for instance, as a stub shaft 95, and having a cord 96 connected at one end with the main frame of the upper berth, and at its opposite end with said pulley, and adapted to be wound onto the pulley when .partition 4 already described.

the berth is being raised and to be unwound when the berth is being lowered, is provided for each upper berth. The counterbalancing mechanism may be of any desired, ordinary, well known or suitable form, and it is not deemed necessary or desirable to describe the same in detail herein, as such devices are familiar and well known to those skilled in the art.

Each of the hinged berth members 34 is provided with means for securing it in position to extend horizontally between the adjacent

berth frame members

12, 13, when desired, and for permitting it to be lowered with respect to the latter, when desired. In order to accomplish this in a simple and eiiicient manner, each of said hinged berth members 34 is provided with a pair of

hooks

97, 98 pivotally supported thereon by means of studs or

pivot pins

99, 100, respectively. The hook 97 is movable into and out of engagement with the adjacent end frame member 12, and the hook 98 is movable into and out of engagement with the adjacent frame member 13, already described. An operating pivot pin 101, adapted to be rotated by means of a key, and having lever arms 102 fixed to and extending outward radially from such operating pin, is rotatively mounted between each pair of said hooks 97, 98, and each of said hooks is operatively connected with a corresponding radial lever arm 102 by means of a connecting rod 103. Each of these hooks has a depending lever arm portion 104, 105 respectively, and each of said lever arms 104, 105 is Vprovided with a spring 106 connected therewith, and with a suitable support, and adapted to tend to hold the corresponding hook in engagement with the

adjacent frame member

12 or 13, as the case may be.

Supporting members in the form of springs 107 are mounted upon the forward extremities of the end frame members 12 of the upper berth. These springs have their inner ends secured in fixed relation to the 'corresponding frame member 12, and are,

by preference, in the form of an inverted V, each spring being so constructed and mounted that it extends kover the frame member 12 to which it is secured, and withv the outer end of the spring on the outside andnear the bottom edge of said frame member, and in such position that when the berth is in lowered position each spring will extend into a socket or into engagement With a supporting shoulder 108, and when the berth is raised the outer end of the spring will engage a similar supporting shoulder 109 which may form the bottom of a socket or recess 110 in the adjacent permanent fixed (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

I provide means for operating these springs to releasethem from engagement 109, so as to release and with the supports 109, when the berth is to be lowered. This operating means may consist of a rotary operating pivot pin 111 rotatively mounted on the strip 36 which is fixed tothe main longitudinal berth frame member 11, already described. This operating pivot extends above the top surface of said strip 36, (see Figs. 2 and 5,) and downward into or through a suitable aperture in the center of the strip 36, so that the bottom end of the operating pin may be engaged and operated by means of a key to be inserted into the aperture from the bottom side of the strip. A pair of lever arms 112 are fixed to and project outward radially from the operating pivot 111, and each supporting vspring 107 is provided with a bell crank 113 ,mounted upon a suitable pivot 1147on the corresponding end frame member 12 of the berth and operatively connected or in o erative engagement with such spring. ach bell crank 113 has a lever arm 115, which is operatively connected with the corresponding lever arm 112 by means of an intermediate bell crank 116 pivotally mounted on the strip or frame member 36, a connecting rod 117 connected at one end with the arm 115 of the bell crank 113, and at the other end with said bell crank 116, and a connecting rod 118, one end of which is connected with an arm 112 of the operating pivot pin 111, and the other end of which is connected with the corresponding arm of the bell crank 116. (See Figs. 1, 2 and 5.) It will thus be seen that by turning the operating pivot pin 111 in the required direction, when the upper berth is in raised position, with the ends of the springs 107 in engage ment with the corresponding supports 109, the outer ends of said springs will be pressed inward against the tension of said springs, and out of engagement with said supports permit the lowering of the upper berth. The tension of the springs 107 tends to press the outer ends thereof outward or into position to engage the shoulders 109 when the berth is raised, and to engage the shoulders 108, (shown in Fig. 1,) when the berth is lowered.

Each section is provided with a pair of

lower berth seats

119, 119, each ofwhich comprises a main seat frame having a seat back 120 located in the same vertical plane with the corresponding partition 4, already described, the permanent partition 4, beingV in the same vertical plane with

theremovable partition members

5 and 6, the lower edges of the partition members 6 being removably mounted in sliding engagement with slots or grooves 121 in the top edge of the seat back. (See Fig. 1.) The

partition members

5 and 6 are each provided with a `tongue 122 which is adapted to be removably mounted in a corresponding The lower berth seats are arranged back toback, or, in other words, with the seats 'of each section facing each other', and are each constructed as follows:

' Each of said lower berth seats isk provided with a cushioned top or head piece 124 in hinged engagement with and adapted to be supported in any desired onev of three different adjusted positions, by means of a hinged supporting frame, bail or yoke 125 having end arms 126 hinged to the lower seat frame by means of hinges 12T, `the upper or outer swinging portion of said bail or yoke being hinged to the adjacent edge of the corresponding head-piece 124 by means of hinges 128. Catches 129, which may be in the form of spring-pressed pivoted hooks 130, pivotally mounted upon the back or inner side of the head piece by means of suit,- able: brackets 131, are arranged upon each head piece in position to engage a corresponding supporting arm 126, or similar element, so as to removably hold the head piece in the desired position with respect to the yoke or bail 125, and permit the rclease of the head piece in such a manner as to enable it to be swung upward on the hinges 128, to the position indicated in Fig. 4, and in full lines at the left of Fig. 1. Each head piece 124 is, by preference provided with a frame 132 supported by means of a bail, or pivoted frame 133 having end arms 134 pivotally connected with said frame 132, and hinged to the head piece by means of hinges 135. By providing the frame 132 with a mirror 136, said frame is adapted to be used as an easel, or a means supporting and protecting the mirror. One of the headpieces 124 is shown at the right of Fig. 1, turned down to its lowermost position, t-o permit the lowered upper berth member 34 and the platform supported thereby to be placed and supported in position. The head-pieces 124 of each section are of identical construction, and all of these head-pieces are adapted to operate in the same manner. The head-piece 124, shown at the left of Fig. 1, is shown in raised position in full lines, and in intermediate position,-which it occupies when the seat is to be occupied as a seat,-#in broken lines.

Each of the lower berth seats comprises in its construction a set ofhinged or pivoted lower berth members which are adapted to be adjusted to positions suitable for enabling the cushioned seat bottom and cushioned back of one seat, and the cushioned seat back of the opposite seat in the same section to be used in one position, to form parts of the lower berth, and in another position to form the seats, respectively, and tojenable a space to be provided which will permit an occupant to stand erect beneath the upper berth, or, if desired, to sit in the lower berth when the upper berth is in lowered position, and without the necessity of having his feet extended into the aisle, and without the necessity of either the upper or lower berth being longer than is necessary to enable occupants thereof to lie in a substantially horizontal position at full length or in comfort. In order to accomplish these and other desirable objects in a simple and efficient manner, each lowerberth seat is provided with a cushioned berth member 137, which, when in raised position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, serves to form the cushioned back of a seat, and when in lowered position, as shown in full lines in said figure, and in Fig. 2, serves to form a part of the lower berth, and by preference the part of the berth upon which the most of the weight of the body of the occupant is to rest when the occupantis lying down.

It is very desirable that the berth memers which support the principal part of the weight of the occupant lying thereon, should be the saine as those which form the cushioned seat backs, for the reason that cushions or springs which are lighter' or softer than those which form 'the seat bottoms are thus adapted to be used in the required positions to provide the greatest possible degree of comfort, and are adapted to be adjusted to the desired positions with facility. Each berth member 137 is provided with a pair of pivoted arms 138, which may be connected by means of a rod 139, so as to form a supporting frame, bail or yoke, the rod 139 being mounted in position to extend into eyes or hinge members 140 fixed to the bottom marginal portion or edge of the berth member 137. The arms 138 are thus pivotally connected at their swinging ends, with the part which forms the lower back edge of the berth member 137, when the latter is in raised or seatback forming position. The opposite end of the arm 138 located nearest the aisle is pivotally connected with a suitable support which may be in the form of a standard or. seat frame member 141, and the correspond ing lower end of the other pivoted arm 138 pivotally supported by means of a similar stationary support or frame member in the form of a standard 142 which. may be sccured to the car wall. The

pivots

143 and 143, which connect the low/er ends of the pivoted arms 138 with the

supports

141, 142, respectively, have their axes transverse to the car and in alinement with each other, and horizontal, so as to enable the pivoted arms to swing in a vertical plane, from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, to the position shown in broken lines in said iigure. and vice versa. Stationary stops or rests 145 are located near the inner or 'rorward extremity and the rear extremity of each seat respectively,^in position to engage and support the corresponding pivoted arm 138, or equivalent part, when the berth members 137 are in lowered or berth-forming position, as shown in full lines in ig. 1. Suitable inclined stops or rests 146 are fixed in position at the forward and rear extremity o1l each seat, respectively, to form a support for the corresponding pivoted arms 138 engaged thereby, when the berth-inembers 137 are in raised or scat-back forming position, as shown in brolzen'lines in F ig. 1. `When the berth members 137 are in raised position, so as to form the seat backs, their upper edges may rest against the stationary seat back or partition member 120, already described, and their bottom edges are spaced apart from the stationary seat back or partition part 120 a suiiicient distance to permit pivoted slatted head pieces 147 to occupy a position back of the berth members 137, as shown in broken lines at the left of Fig. 1. Each lower berth is provided with a pair of these slatted head pieces 147, which may be of identically the same construction and operation as the

slatted head pieces

69, 70, for the upper berth. The lower berth head pieces 147 however` are rovided with hooks 148 the depending end portions of which are removably mounted in suitable sockets or supporting members 149 having apertures therein which are adapted to admit and removably hold the hooks in position. The head pieces 147 are thus adapted to be swung on the.pivot formed by rod 150, :trom lowered berth-forming position, shown in full lines in Fig. 1, to raised position shown in broken lines in said ligure, and are also adapted to be transferred and used at either end of the berth as desired,- each seat being provided with the required supporting sockets 149 for engaging 'and supporting the hooks 148 and pivot rod 150, and thereby, the slatted head pieces 147.

Each seat is provided with a cushioned berth member 151 adapted to form the cushioned bottom oi a seat in one position, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, and to torni an end berth member, when in a second upright position, as shown in vfull lines, at the right oi. said Fig. 1. And each oi these cushioned berth members 151 is adapted to be moved or swung` into inverted position out oi? the way and beneath the berth members 137, when the latter' are in extended or berth-forming position, as shown in full lines in the left central part ot Fig. 1, near the bottom oi said ligure. fllaeh or these berth. members 151 is provided with a pair of supporting arms 152 pivotally connected with theI forward and rear end portions oi said berth members in a suitable manner, l.When constructed and arranged as shown iu the drawings, these arms 152 are connected at their upper ends by means ,of a rod 153 which extends into or through suitable openings in eye or hinge Vmembers 154 fixed to the bottom of the corresponding` berth member 151, at or near-.its forward longitudinal edge. The arms 152, thus connected by means of the rod 153, form a bail or yoke which is, by preference, somewhat shorter than the corresponding adjacent bail, of which the relatively long pivoted arms 138 form a part, so as to permit the latter to swing outside of the arms 152, and permit the arms V152 to be mounted at their lower ends by means of supporting pivots 155 on supports or

frame members

141, 142 and in position to swing with the corresponding cushioned berth member 151, and between said pivoted arms 138. A, stationary stop 15G is mounted near or in engagement with the wall of the car and in position to engage and support the berth member 151 when the latter is in inverted lower-most position and out of use beneath the berth members 137, already described. Stops 157 on the

standards

141 and 142, respectively, are adapted to engage and support the corresponding pivoted bail arms 152, and thereby support the forward side of the corresponding berth member 151. The rear sides of the berth members 151 are supported in seat-forming position, by the supporting stops 146, as shown in Fig. 1.

Supporting stops 158, are mounted in position to form supports for the adjacent sides of the berth members 137, when the latter are in extended berth-forming position. These stops 158 may be pivotally supported by means of pivots 159 anchored in the

standards

141 and 142, respectively, so as to enable the stops to be adjustedto raised position in supporting engagement vwith the corresponding berth member 137',

and lowered out of the way, when said berth members are in seat-forming position.

Each seat of the lower berth is provided with an end door 160, secured to the stationary end portion of the seat frame by means of hinges 161, which may be of any desired form. These doors are adapted to swing inward, and form the ends or arms of the seats when the lower berth members are in position to be used as seats. The seat 'frames of the lower berth seats may be so constructed as to permit the doors to swing outward or toward the aisle, but I prefer to employ inwardly. swinging doors for obvious reasons.

In operation, the upper berth is lowered to extended horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, and in full lines in Fig. 2, one of the top seat members or head pieces 124 of the lower berth being first lowered so as to permit the lowering o'li the desired .end member 34 ot the upper berth to depending position with its lower extremity below the level of the extended horizontal position of the upper berth members, and the seat-back members 137 and seat-bottom' members 151 being moved into the positions in which they are shown in full lines in Fig. 1,'f'rom the positions in which they are shown in broken lines in said figure. The platform 87 is placed in position and the lowered depending upper berth member 34, is placed in position.

The upper

berth head pieces

69 and 70, and the similar slatted lower berth head pieces 14:7, being placed in raised position, standing room is afforded for the occupants of both the upper and lower berths; and when the said head pieces are turned down into the positions in which they are shown in full lines in Fig. 1, with suitable bedding in place, the berths are both in condition to be occupied with comfort by an occupant or occupants lying at full length therein. T he top member 124 of each lower berth seat is adapted to be turned up to the position indicated in full lines at the left of' Fig. 1, with the pivoted mirror in raised position ready for use; and it is obvious that said seat members or head pieces 124C are each adapted to be used in intermediate extended or horizontal position as a desk or toilet table, the mirror frame being turned down or fold ed against the adjacent face of such seat member. The mirror is also adapted to swing upon its pivotal supporting arms into inclined position upon the horizontally disposed seat member 124, to form an easel, when desired.

rllhe seat back members of the lower berth seats, and the upper berth are adapted to provide sufficient space to permit the stowing away of the platform 37, removable partition members and other removable parts in the section to which they belong, with the 11p-per berth in raised position and the lower berth members in seat-forming position.

The inclined stops 146 are adapted to engage and support the adjacent longitudinal back margin of the corresponding seat bottoni member 151 in both seat-forming and berth-forming position. The seat back members 137 ,supported by the pivoted arms as above described, are adapted to be moved from seat-forming to berth-forming position; and when in the latter position, one of said seat back members is located in the same plane with and between the other seat back member and an adjacent seat bottom member. One of the seat bottom members thus forms the end portion of the lower berth, while the other seat bottom member is out of the way beneath the seat back members, and in position to afford standing room at the end of the berth.

I claim:

l. In a sleeping car, the combination of a lower berth, an upper berth comprising in its construction a main berth member pivotally connected with the wall of the car and adapted to be moved into and out of extended horizontal position over the lower berth, a hinged end berth member mounted adjacent to each end of said main berth member respectively, each of said end berth members being independently movable from extended horizontal position in the same horizontal plane with the main berth member to lowered depending position, and a platform adapted to be mounted in position to extend over the lower berth and below the level of the main upper berth member and in engagement with a lowered end berth member when the latter is in lowered depending position.

In a sleeping car, the combination of a lower berth, an upper berth comprising in its construction a main berth member pivot ally connected with the wall of the car and adapted to be moved into and out of extended horizontal position over the lower berth, a hinged end berth member mounted adjacent to each end of said main berth member respectively, each of said end berth members being independently movable downward from extended horizontal position in the same horizontal plane with the horizontally disposed main berth member to lowered depending position, and a platform adapted to be removably connected with either of said hinged end berth members when the latter is in lowered depending position, as desired. Y

2. in a sleeping car, the combination of a lower berth, an upper' berth comprising inl its construction a main berth member hinged to the car wall and adapted to be moved into and out of extended horizontal position over the lower berth, a hinged end berth member mounted adjacent to each end of said main berth member respectively, each of said end berth members being independently mov able downward from extended horizontal position in the same horizontal plane with the extended horizontal position of said main berth member to lowered depending position, a platform adapted to engage a lowered end berth member and extend over the lower berth and below the level of said main upper berth member, and a partition adapted to be mounted invposition to extend upward 'from said platform to said main upper berth member when the latter is in extended horizontal position.

4i. In asleeping car, the combination of a lower berth, an upper berth comprising in its construction a main upper berth member having a frame portion hinged to the wall of the car, and adapted to be moved into and out of extended horizontal position over the lower berth, a hinged end berth member mounted on said hinged frame at each end of said main berth member, each of said end berth members bengindependently ,movable iio lso

from extended horizontal position at the end of said main berth member to lowered depending position, a platform adapted to extend over the lower berth and in engagement with a hinged end berth member when the latter is in lowered depending position, a sliding frame slidably mounted upon and movable longitudinally of the hinged frame of the upper berth, and a flexible element stretched on said sliding frame and movable with the latter to different adjusted positions with respect to the said hinged frame of the upper berth.

5. In a sleeping car, the combination of a lower berth, an upper berth comprising in its construction a main upper berth member hinged to the wall of the car and' adapted to be moved into and out of extended horizontal position over the lower berth, a platform adapted to be mounted in position to extend over the lower berth and below the level of said main upper berth member, a leaf hinged to said platform and adapted to extend beneath a marginal portion of the main upper berth member, and a partition adapted to be mounted in position to extend from said platform upward and having its top edge adjacent to said main upper berth member.

6. In a sleeping car, the combination of an upper berth hinged to the car wall and adapted to be swung upward from extended horizontal position to raised position and downward from raised position to extended horizontal position, a hood hinged to the roof of the car and adapted to extend over the upper forward edge vof the upper berth when the latter is in raised position, counter-balancing mechanism operatively connected with said upper berth, and connecting rod mechanism forming a connection between the hood and said upper berth, whereby the hood is adapted to be raise-d during the downward movement of said berth and lowered during the upward movement of said berth.

7. In a sleeping oar, the combination of a lower. berth, an upper berth comprising in its construction a hinged main upper berth member connected with the car wall and adapted to be moved into and out of extended horizontal position over the lower berth, a platform mounted in position to extend over the lower berth and endwise beyond and below the level of said hinged up- V per berth member, and a plurality of end berth members each `movable independently into and out of position to extend over said platform and into engagement with a marginal portion of said main upper berth member.

8. In a sleeping car, the combination of a lower berth, an upper berth comprising in its construction a hinged main upper berth member connected with the car wall and adapted to be moved into and out of extendsaid main upper berth member to form an,

end portion of said berth, and to raised position to provide standing room over the platform.

9. In a sleeping car, the combination of a lower berth comprising in its construction a plurality of convertible bert-h members adapted to be arranged in either seat-forming or berth-forming position, as desired, an upper berth having a plurality of relatively movable berth members pivotally mounted and each adapted to swing upward from extended horizontal position to raised position and downward from raised to extended horizontal position over the lower berth, one of said pivoted berth members being movable downward with respect to said extended horizontal position to lowered depending position, a platform mounted in engagement with said depending upper berth member and in position to extend over the lower berth and below the level of the horizontally disposed upper berth members, and a seat back member at each end of the lower berth, respectively, each adapted to be turned down to permit the platform and the depending upper berth member engaged thereby to be placed in lowered operative position over the corresponding seat back member.

l0. In a sleeping car, a plurality of lower berth members adapted to form the seat bottoms of a pair of lower berth seats, pivoted supporting arms operatively connected with said seat bottom members and adapted to permit the movement of the same from seatforming to berth-forming position and from berth-forming to seat-forming position, as desired, a second pair of lower berth members adapted to form the seat backs of said seats, and pivoted arms connected with said seat back members and with a suitable support and adapted to permit the movement of the seat back members from seat-forming position to berth-forming position in the same horizontal plane with a seat-bottom member and with one of said seat-back members intermediate the other seat-back member and said last mentioned seat-bottom member. Y

Signed at Oakland, California, February 25, 1918.

ORREN M. DONALDSON.

Witnesses:

D. WV. LA FORTUNE, C. H. ELrAssEN.