US2592924A - Berth operating means for railway sleeping cars - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1952 Filed July 25, 1947 J. C. LYON BERTH OPERATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SLEEPING CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN C. LYON ATTORNEY I April 15, 1952 Filed July 23, 1947 J. C. LYON BERTH OPERATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SLEEPING CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY M44 0 A TTORNE Y J. C. LYON 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOHN C. LYON ATTORNEY April 15, 1952 BERTH OPERATING MEANS FOR'RAILWAY SLEEPING CARS Filed July 23, 1947 April 15, 1952 J. c. LYON 2,592,924

BERTH' OPERATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SLEEPING CARS Filed July 25. 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNVENTOR JOHN C. LYON A TTORNEY April 15, 1952 J. c. LYON 2,592,924

BERTH OPERATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SLEEPING CARS Filed July 25, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I "11111111111," EV.

INVENTOR JOHN C. LYON BY Mam A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 15, 1952 BERTH OPERATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SLEEPING CARS- John 0. Lyon, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 23, 1947, Serial No. 762,920

18 Claims.

This invention relates to a railway sleeping car and particularly to a movable berth arrangement for such a car and the means for operating the berth.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a berth arrangement, together with operating means therefor, which facilitates the movement of the berth between use arid stowed positions, with the berth in made-up condition, and to provide easily operated means for locking the berth both in the horizontal use position and in the stowed position and also in an intermediate position.

It is a further object of the invention to .provide operating means for the berth which leaves most of the end walls, between which the berth extends, free when the berth is in stowed position to allow the use in said walls of folding partitions or other appurtenances extending most of the height of said walls.

Other and further objects and advantages and the manner in which they are attained will become evident from the following detailed description when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings, showing the invention more or less diagrammatically,

Figure l is a transverse vertical sectional view through a railway car equipped with the novel berth arrangement and showing the berth in stowed position adjacent the room ceiling, the section being taken substantially along the line 1-! of Figure 3;

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view, with the berth in the use position, the section being taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure 4'; 1

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view showing a room equipped with the invention and parts of two adjoining rooms, the berth being shown in the stowed position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 "but showing the berth in the use position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view similar to Figure 2., but showing only the upper portion of the room, and with the berth shown in full lines in the intermediate position shown in do't-and-dash lines in Figure '2';

Figures 6 and 7 are detail views, parts being in vertical transverse section, of the latching mechanism at the ceiling for locking the berth in the intermediate position shown in Figureb, the sections being taken substantially along 'the line 66 of Figure 8, and parts being shown in dotted and dot-and-dash lines in positions alternative their f-ullline positions;

Figure 8 isan enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the upper portion of the room, showing the ceiling latching mechanism in elevation and also showing the manner in which the berth is supported and guided at its opposite ends, the section being taken substantially along the line 88 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional detail, with intermediate parts broken away, the section being taken substantially along the line 99 of Fi ure 3;

Figures 10 and 11 are fragmentary enlarged detail views showing locking means for the berth in its stowed position, Figure 10 showing parts in vertical transverse section substantially along the line Ill-I0 of Figures 3 and 11, and Figure 11 showing parts in section substantially along the line ll-Il of Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view, parts being in vertical transverse section taken substantially along the line l2-I2 of Figure 4, of a locking means for securing the berth in the use position.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the invention is shown applied to the arrangement of an upper berth in a room on a railway car [0 having side walls 1H and I2 and a side aisle I3 running along the car side wall l2, this aisle having an inner wall l4. The room arrangement may be generally similar to that disclosed in one of the double bedrooms in application Serial No. 619,138 of Goodrich K. Murphy, filed September 28 1945 for Railway Sleeping Car, now Patent No. 2,462,027, February 15, 1949.

The room is defined by the longitudinally extending side wall II and aisle walll4, spaced transverse walls I5 and I6 interconnecting said side and aisle Walls, a floor l1 and a ceiling 18. One transverse wall, as I5, is provided with a folding panel portion I9, Figure 2, extending vertically from the floor to a point close to the ceiling and from a point adjacent the side wall to an enclosed toilet compartment 20 arranged along the aisle wall M.

A lower berth 2| is normally stowed in vertical position against the opposite transverse wall 16 of the room and between the side wall I I and an enclosed toilet compartment 22, which latter is disposed between the berth 2| and the aisle wall 14, see Figures 1,, 3 and 4. This lower berth is adapted to be swung to a horizontal use position adjacent the floor of the room before the upper berth to be described hereinafter is moved from its stowed to its use position.

Suitable chairs, not shown, are arranged in of a shallow sheet metal box-shaped frame 24 suitably stiffened by reinforcements where desired, this box frame containing the usual springs, mattress and bed clothes and being adapted to be fully-made-up ready-for-use, see Figures 3 and 4, before moving it to the stowed position, so that it is at once available for use when moved from the stowed position to the horizontal use position.

This berth is of a length to extend substantially from transverse wall to transversewall (6 of the room and is provided with novel means for supporting and guiding it on said walls in its movement between the stowed position, shown in Figures 1 and 3, and the horizontal use position, shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Such supporting and guiding means are constituted by a trackway carried by a transverse wall 15 and a trackway 26 carried by transverse wall It, these trackways receiving, respectively, the pairs of rollers 21 and 28 associated, respectively with the opposite ends of the berth, see Figs. 4 and 8.

The trackways have closed lower ends 29, Figures l, 2, and 5 disposed just above the window openings in the car side Wall H. From their closed ends they extend vertically close to the side wall and the upper ends of their vertical portions merge through portions of generous curvature into horizontal portions adjacent the ceiling l8 terminating inwardly at a. box-like structure 3| adjacent the aisle for housing the counterbalancing means to be described later on. The bottom of this box-like structure and the bottom of the berth in stowed position are in substantial alignment, as shown in Figure 1. This arrangement of the trackways close to the car side wall II and the ceiling 18, leaves most of the transverse walls clear to receive parts associated therewith, such as the folding panels [9 and other appurtenances.

It will be noted that but a single trackway on each wall is required, and that the rollers running in the trackways do not leave the trackways at any stage in the operation. To accomplish this simplified guiding arrangement, the one pair of rollers 21 and 28 supporting the lower or outboard margin of the berth 23, are arranged, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 and in the detail of Figure 9, to project from the upper corner of this margin of the box frame 24 of the berth.

The other pair of rollers 21 and 28 for supporting the opposite upper or inboard margin of the berth are not arranged on the berth frame proper 24 but are mounted at the corners of a light, substantially U-form frame 32 having the arms 33 of the U flanking the ends of the berth and pivoted thereto at 34 adjacent the. lower or outboard margin of the berth frame proper, see Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 9. The arms 33 of the U-frame are relatively thin, flat members to pass readily into the space between the ends of the berth and the adjacent transverse walls, while the transverse member 35 of the U-frame is a tubular member rigidly secured, as by welding, to the adjacent ends of the arms 33 which are laterally ofiset from the general plane of the U-frame as a whole, see Figure 5. Upwardly extending brackets 36 at the ends of the tubular transverse member 35, see Figure 8, carry the pair of rollers 21 and 28 which cooperate with the respective trackways 25 and 26.

The tubular member 35 is spaced a suiiicient distance from the pivots 34 to permit the berth to be moved within the U-frame into substantially coplanar relation therewith, see Figure 5.

When the berth is in the use position shown in Figures 2 and 4, its outboard margin is supported by the pair of rollers 21 and 28 at this margin resting in the bottom of the closed ends 29 of the respective trackways 25 and 26, and a projection 31 on the berth rests against an abutment 38 adjacent the bottom of each trackway and prevents upward movement of the outer margin of the berth as long as the inner margin of the berth is locked in its use position. This projection and its cooperating abutment are shown in spaced relation in the intermediate position of the berth shown in Figure 5.

At the end of the berth adjacent the transverse wall [5, the inner margin of the berth may be secured in place in its use position by a readily detachable tensionand compression-taking strut 39, Figure 2, hinged to the berth at one end and having a readily releasable interlock with a socket 411, Fig. 5, in the ceiling. The detailsof this strut are fully disclosed and claimed inapplioants Patent No. 2,560,513, dated July 10, 1951.

The opposite end of the inboard margin of the berth may be similarly secured but since, with the arrangement of room shown, the said margin flanks the outboard wall of the toilet compartment 22, this end of the berth, when-in use position, may rest on a bracket 40, Fig. 2, secured to the vertical wall of the room and the arrangement shown in Figure 12 may conveniently be used to hold the berth down on this bracket. This consists of a manually operable locking bolt 4! on the berth frame 24 slidably engaging Within a marginally reinforced hole 42 in the wall 43 of the toiletcompartmentZZ.

If it is desired to move the bed to the intermediate position, shown in full lines in Figure 5, from its use position of Figures 2 and 4, the strut 39 and the bolt 41 are withdrawn to free the inboard margin of the berth.

The inner margin of the berth may now be raised by swinging it about the outboard marginal pair of rollers 2'! and 28 until the berthand the U-shaped frame 32 hinged thereto at 34 assume the position in which they are substantially coplanar, the intermediate position shown in Figure 5 in full lines, andin Figure 2 in dotted lines.

As the inner margin is swung upwardly, the inboard pair of rollers 21 and 28 carried by the U- frame 32 are moved from the dotted-line position of Figure 6 and the full-line position of Figure 2 upwardly and inwardly until the spaced upwardly extending lugs 44 on the member 35 of the U-frame strike againsta spring-pressed latch member 45 pivoted at 46 on the ceiling l8. Between the lugs 44 there are pivotally mounted on a pin 41 a pair of spring-pressed safety dogs 48 and 49,. one dog 48 having a hooked end 50 and the other dog 49 having a rounded end for engagement with the latchmember 45. The hooked end 50 of dog 48 is adapted to engage over a projection 5| to positively lock the latch 45 in the operative down position, shown in full lines in Figure 6.

Latch means are provided in convenient reach of an operator standing on the floor for locking the inboard margin of the berth 23 to the transverse member 35 of the U- frame 32. This means may comprise a handle 52 rotatably mounted in the bottom of the box-like frame 24 of the berth. The pivot of the handle carries a crank arm 53 inside the box, the end of which crank arm is connected to an adjustable link 54, see Figures 5 and 6. The opposite end of the link is connected to a crank arm 55 on a shaft 55 rotatably mounted on the inboard wall of box frame 24, see Figure 6. The opposite end of this shaft has a locking projection 51 which is moved by the swinging of the handle 52 into an arcuate slot 58 in the face of a lateral projection 59 on the transverse member 35, thus locking the berth and frame together to be moved as a unit along the trackways in the further upward and inward movement of the berth to the stowed position shown in Figures 1 and 3.

When the handle 52 is moved to the vertical position shown in Figure 5, the berth and frame are locked together, as shown in the detail views of Figures 7 and 8. Figure 6 shows in full lines the position of the safety dogs 48 and 49 before the bed and frame have been interlocked by moving the handle 52 to the vertical position shown in Figure 5. Here it will be seen that the ceiling latch 45 is locked down by the dog 48 so that the U-frame and,attached berth cannot be released for further upward movement in the trackways. Thelocking lug or projection 51 on shaft 56 is provided on its entering side with a cam face 66 with which a tail Bl on dog 48 cooperates to swing the dog aside and release the ceiling latch 45 simultaneously with the locking of the berth to the frame.

The ceiling latch is now free to be released, and this can be done by the operator by placing the end of a release rod (not shown) into the recess 52in the latch and lifting it to the dottedline position shown in Figure 6 and the full-line position of Figure '7. At the same time, the safety dog 49 has its tail 49 swung by its spring into the path of the locking projection 51, so it cannot be moved to release the berth from the frame move the lugs 44 and the safety dogs mounted thereon beyond the latch 45. This movement may be effected by hand by pushing up on the handle 52, but the manual effort is largely avoided by the improved counterbalance system to be described later on. The handle 52 may have a small spring-pressed latch 63 at its end which is adapted to cooperate with holes (not shown) in the bottom of the bed frame 24 to lock the handle 52 securely in its various positions so that it cannot be 'accidently moved.

After release by the ceiling latch 45, the combined berth 23 and U-frame 32, firmly locked together, can be moved upwardly and inwardly as 'a unit to the stowed position adjacent the ceiling and aisle, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. They may be positively locked in this position by the means shown in Figures and 11. Such lock may consist of a hook 64 mounted through a pivot 65 on a fitting 66 secured inside the bottom outboard corner of the housing 3|. The hooked end extends through an opening in the vertical wall of the housing and, when the berth is in stowed position, this hook enters an opening in the adjacent edge of the berth frame 24 and snaps behind a keeper 61 at one side of the opening. A spring 58 urges it ,to this position.

To release the hook, suitable release means is provided on the berth frame 24. Such means may comprise a vertical shaft 69 mounted to rotate in a bearing bracket 59' on the adjacent margin of the berth frame 24, this shaft being provided with a laterally extending trip arm 69 movable in a slot provided in the bearing bracket.

69 and normally urged to its inoperative position at one end of the slot by a spring 69"". The shaft 69 is hollow and open at one end and has a projection 69" within the hollow, open end, this projection being engageable by a suitable key to permit turning of the shaft against the action of the spring. The end of the trip arm 59" in such movement engages the hook 54 and disengages it from the keeper 61. This arrangement is desirable to avoid a projecting hook on the berth in the use position.

The berth having been so released from its stowed position, the combined berth and U-frame can be moved outwardly and downwardly along the trackways and '26 by the operator grasping the handle 52 with one hand and the key 2 with the other hand. In this movement, the lugs '44 and safety dogs 48 and 49 press aside the ceiling latch as they pass, after which the latch is depressed by its spring to prevent reverse movement of the berth and U-fra'me. The dog 49 is then swung to the inoperative position, shown in Figure 6, by engagement with the latch 45.

By turning the handle 52, the locking projection 59 is withdrawn from the arcuate locking slot 53 releasing the berth from the U-frame 32 so that it can be swung downwardly about the outboard marginal pair of rollers 21 and 28 thereon to the use position, shown in Figures 2 and 4, where it may be locked in place as already described.

By reference to Figures 8 and 9, it will be seen that the rollers and trackway on one transverse wall differ from the rollers and trackway on the other. The rollers 21 are cylindrical rollers which cooperate with an outwardly facing channel trackway 25 and the rollers 28 are grooved to receive a narrow track rail 26 secured in spaced relation to the adjacent transverse wall [5. A guard rail 15 disposed above the track rail 26 prevents the roller from leaving the rail.

The provision of one grooved roller maintains the ends of the pins carrying the rollers at all times spaced from the adjacent walls and prevents scratching and marring the paint. The rails 25 supported in spaced relation from the transverse wall also avoid the collection of dirt in the trackway and, if desired, both trackways could be similar to the trackway on wall [6. In that event, it would be desirable to provide one roller with some end play on its pin to take care of slight variations in the distance across the room between the trackways. This variation is taken care of in the present instance by the deepchannel trackway 25 engaged by the cylindrical rollers 21.

It remains now to describe the novel counterbalancing means by the use of which the manual operation of the berth is greatly facilitated. Since the berth is moved through the vertical and inclined portions of the trackway against the action of gravity when moved upwardly and assisted by the action of gravity when moved downwardly but is moved, relatively unaffected by gravity, through the horizontal portions of the trackways, it is desirable for smooth operation that a two-stage counterbalance be provided, i. e.,

one'having' a greater effect while the berth is moving through the vertical and inclined portions of the trackways and a lesser efiect while it is moving through the horizontal portions.

- It is also highly desirable that such counterbalance be compact and storable in a small space. Such a space is the box-like housing 3| adjacent the aisle side of the room and adjacent the room ceiling and the counterbalance can, for the most part, be assembled on a bench and then inserted as a unit into the box through a removable panel at the bottom of the box.

' The unit counterbalance assembly may comprise a frame A extending lengthwise through the box and rigidly secured through brackets at its ends to the respective transverse walls [5 and 16 of the room and box. On this frame A is mounted a grooved cable-receiving drum having a large-diameter portion 12 and a small-diameter portion 13. A two-stage motor device desigthe trackways into the inclined and vertical portions thereof, and this may be accomplished in the following manner. The cable 96 is attached at its end opposite the drum to a plunger 91 which is adapted to slide in a sleeve 98 until it has fully compressed a light spring (not shown) interposed between abutments on the plunger and sleeve. After this light spring has been compressed, the plunger and sleeve move together on the further rotation of the drum in counterclockwise direction and tension a heavy spring 99 secured at one end to the forward end of said sleeve and at its other end to said fixed anchor 95.

To opposite sides of the large diameter drum 12 are led cables I06 extending to the opposite ends of the berth 23. Each cable passes first around a vertically pivoted pulley I!!! mounted on the 102 at the top or inboard margin of the adjacent r end of the U-frame 32, see Figure 5, and from this pulley N32 to another similar pulley l 03 about 'midway of the length of the adjacent side arm 33 of the U-frame. From this pulley 103 the cable is led to its anchor Hi4 on the berth end and about midway between the outboard and inboard margins thereof.

Instead of the separate cables Hid at the opposite ends of the berth terminating at the fixed anchors $5 5, as an alternative, a single cable may pass over pulleys taking the place of the fixed anchors and extend continuously from pulley to pulley along the bottom of the berth. This provides for equalization of the pull at the opposite ends of the berth.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that the berth, when released from the use position, is automatically swung up to the intermediate position by the force of the heavy Spring 99, but not with excessive force, because of the central application of the lifting force to the berth. After the ceiling latch is released, which release, by reason of the safety dog 48, cannot be effected until the berth and U-frame have been interlocked by turning the handle 52, the interlocked berth and frame continue to move upwardly and inwardly under this force and, if necessary, is aided by the operator grasping the handle 52 and pushing upward until it reaches the horizonso as to be effected smoothly and without appre-' ciable manual effort on the part of the operator.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described herein in detail, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in this art without departing from the main features of the invention, and such changes and modifications are intended to be covered in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway car, a room defined in part by two spaced parallel walls and a third wall interconnecting said spaced parallel walls, all said walls extending between the floor and the ceiling of the room, a fixed-length berth extending substantially from one to the other of said parallel walls, said berth being movable between a horizontal use position adjacent said third wall and a stowed position adjacent the ceiling and remote from said third wall, guiding and supporting means for the, berth in such movement comprising trackways on said spaced parallel walls and rollers on the berth and on a frame pivoted to the opposite ends of the berth and continuously engaged with. the respective trackways, said berth being swingable from its horizontal use position, when it is disposed with its plane at an angle to the plane of said frame, to a position substantially coplanar therewith, and means for locking the berth and frame together when the berth is in the latter position, after which the berth and frame are movable as a unit along said trackways to the stowed position.

2. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by a pair of spaced parallel walls extending between the floor and ceiling of the room, a fixedlength berth extending lengthwise substantially from one to the other of said parallel walls, the berth being movable between a low-level horizontal use position and a high-level stowed position adjacent the ceiling and laterally offset-from the use position, guiding and supporting means for said berth in such movement comprising a single trackway on each of said spaced parallel walls andv rollers on the berth and on a frame pivoted to the opposite ends of the berth and continuously engaged with the respective trackways, said berth when in the use position being disposed at an angle to the plane of said frame but being movable into a position substantially coplanar therewith, and means for locking the berth and the frame together when the berth is in th latter position, after which they may be movedas a unit along said trackways to the stowed position.

3. In a railway sleeping car, a pair of spaced parallel vertical walls, a fixed-length berth'extending lengthwise between said walls, said berth being movable between a low-level horizontal'use position and a high-level stowed position hori zontally displaced from said low-level use positionpand supporting and guiding mean for said berth in its movements, said means comprising a trackway on each of said walls and rollers on the berth and on a frame hinged to said berth and 9 continuously engaged with the respective trackways, the berth being disposed with its plane at an angle to the plane of said frame when it is in its use position and being arranged to be moved into a position substantially coplanar with said frame and locked thereto for movement therewith as a unit along said trackway's.

4. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by a pair of spaced parallel vertical walls,

a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise fromone of said parallel walls to the other, said berth being movable between a low-level horizontal use position to a high-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and in horizontally displaced relation to said low-level position, sup-=,

porting and guiding means for the berth in its movements comprising a trackway on each of said spaced parallel walls and rollers onthe berth and on a frame hinged to said berth and;

continuously engaged with the respective trackways, the berth, when in use position, being disposed at an angle to the plane of said frame but being movable into a position substantially coplanar therewith, and means for locking" the berth and frame together when the berth is in the latter position after which they can be moved as a unit along the trackways, said locking means being operable by a handle on the berth.

5. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by apair of spaced parallel vertical walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise from one of said parallel walls to the other, said berth being movable between a low-level horizontal use position and a high-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and in horizontally displaced relation to said low-level position, supporting and guiding means for the berth in its movements comprising a trackway on each of said spaced parallel walls and rollers on the berth and on a frame hinged to said berth and continuously engaged with the respective trackways, the berth, when in use position, being disposed at an angle to the plane of said frame but being movable into a position substantially coplanar therewith, means for locking the berth and frame together when the berth is in the latter position after which they can be moved as a unit along the trackways, manual operating means for said locking means mounted on the berth, and safety means preventing the operation of said locking means to release position by said manual operating means during the movements of the'berth and frame as a unit.

6. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by longitudinal car side and aisle walls and spaced tranverse Walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise substantially from one transverse wall to the other, the berth being movable between a low-level horizontal use position adjacent the car side wall to a high-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and the aisle wall, guiding and supporting means for the berth in such movement comprising a single trackway on each of said transverse walls, said trackway having a generally vertical portion adjacent the car side wall, merging atthe top into an inwardly and upwardly curved portion which merges with a generally horizontally extending portion adjacent the'ceiling, rollers on the berth and on a U-frame hinged to' the berth and continuously engaged with the respective trackways, the berth, when in use position, being arranged at an angle to the plane of said frame but being movable to an intermediate position in which it is substantially coplanar with said frame, and

10 means for locking the berth to the frame in said coplanar relation, the berth and frame, when so interlocked, being movable as a unit upwardly and inwardly to the stowed position.

7. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by spaced parallel vertical walls, a.fixedlength berth extending lengthwise substantially from one of said parallel walls to the other, the berth being movable from a low-level horizontal use position to a higher-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and in laterally offset relation to its'use position, said berth comprising a berth frame proper and a frame hinged thereto, the berth frame proper being disposed at an angle to the plane of the hinged frame when in the use position and being swingable about one margin thereof to bring it to a position substantially coplanar with said hinged frame, means for locking the berth frame proper to the hinged frame when it has been moved to the last-named position, and means for supporting and guiding said berth frame proper and said hinged frame comprising trackways on the spaced parallel walls and rollers continuously engaged with the respective trackways, certain of said rollers being on the berth frame proper and certain of said rollers being on said hinged frame.

8. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by longitudinal car side and aisle walls and spaced transverse walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise substantially from one transverse wall to the other, a U-frame hinged to the opposite ends of the berth and of an extent capable of receiving the berth in substantially coplanar relation therewith, the berth being movable between a low-level horizontal use position adjacent the car side wall, in which it is disposed at an angle to the U-frame, to a highlevel stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and the aisle wall, guiding and supporting means for said. berth and frame comprising trackways on said transverse walls, said trackways each having a substantially vertical portion with closed lower end, said vertical portion merging into a curved portion which merges into a horizontal portion, rollers on the berth and frame continuously engaging the respective trackways, the rollers on the berth being disposed adjacent its outboard longitudinal margin and the rollers on the frame being disposed adjacent its inboard longitudinal margin, and means for first swinging the berth about its outboard margin into substantially coplanar relation with said frame.

interlocking them, and then moving them together in interlocked relation along said trackways to the stowed position.

9. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by spaced parallel vertical walls, a fixedof an extent capable of receiving the berth in frame comprising trackways on said vertical walls having vertical closed bottom portions nierging through curved portions into horizontal portions adjacent the ceiling and rollers on the berth and frame continuously engaged with the respective trackways, the rollers on the berth being disposed adjacent its one longitudinal margin and the rollers on the frame being disposed adjacent its other longitudinal margin, and counterbalance means acting with different degrees of force upon the berth and frame at different stages of their movement, a greater degree of force being applied by said means while the berth is moved from its horizontal use position into coplanar relation with the frame and while the berth and frame are moved as a unit through the vertical and curved portions of the trackways, and a lesser degree of force being applied by said means while the berth and frame are moved along the horizontal portions of the trackways.

10. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by longitudinal car side and aisle walls and spaced transverse walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise substantially from one ,transverse wall to the other, the berth being movable from a low-level horizontal use position adjacent the car side wall to a higher-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and the aisle wall, guiding and supporting means for the berth in such movement, comprising a single trackway on each of said transverse walls, said trackway having a generally vertical portion adjacent the car side wall, merging into an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion which merges, in turn, with a generally horizontal portion adjacent the ceiling, and a pair of rollers, one at each end adjacent the outboard margin of the berth, a U-frame having its arms hinged to the opposite ends of the berth adjacent said rollers, another pair of rollers, one at each end of said U-frame adjacent its margin thereof opposite the hinged connection to the berth, all said rollers being continuously engaged with said trackways, the berth being movable between its use position in which it is angularly related to the U-frame and an intermediate position coplanar therewith, and a differential counterbalance means acting on the berth and U-frame during the movements thereof, said counterbalance means acting with a greater degree of force in the movement of the berth'to and from coplanar relation with said U-frame and in the movement of the combined berth and frame through the vertical and inclined portions of the trackways and with a lesser degree of force during the movement of the combined berth and frame through the horizontal portions of the trackways.

11.,In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by longitudinal car side and aisle walls and spaced transverse walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise substantially from one of said transverse walls to the other, a U-frame hinged to the opposite ends of the berth adjacent the outboard margin thereof and being adapted to receive the berth in susbtantially coplanar relation therewith, the berth being movable from a horizontal use position disposed at an angle to the plane of said frame and adjacent the car side wall, to an intermediate position planar with said frame, and finally to a stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and the aisle wall, guiding and supporting means for said berth and U-frame comprising trackways on said transverse walls, each having a vertical closed bottom portion adjacent the car side wall and merging at the top through a curved portion into a horizontal portion adjacent the ceiling and rollers on the berth and U-frame continuously engaged with the respective trackways, the rollers" on theberth being disposed adjacent its outboard margin and the rollers on the frame adjacent its inboard margin, and counterbalance means for exerting different degrees of force upon said berth and U-frame at diiferent stages in their movement, said counterbalance means comprising a drum biased to rotate under differential forces and cables passing from opposite sides of said drum over a pair of guide pulleys mounted adjacent the opposite transverse walls, thence over a second pair of guide pulleys adjacent the inboard margin of said U-frame, thence over a third pair of guide pulleys disposed adjacent the central longitudinal axis of said U-frame, and finally to an attachment with the berth adjacent the central longitudinal axis thereof, the drumbiasing means exerting a greater force through thedrum and cables while the berth is moved to and from coplanar relation with the U-frame and while moving the berth and frame in this relation through the vertical and curved portions of the trackways, and a lesser force while moving the berth and U-frame through the horizontal portions of the trackways.

12. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by spaced parallel substantially vertical walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise substantially from one of said parallel walls to the other, the berth being movable from a lowlevel horizontal use position to a high-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling and in laterally offset relation to its use position, said berth comprising a berth frame proper and a frame hinged thereto, the berth frame proper being dis- I posed at an angle to the hinged frame when in the use position and being swingable about its pivotal connection to the hinged frame to bring the plane thereof into approximate coincidence with th plane of said hinged frame, and means for supporting and guiding said frames comprisingtrackways on the spaced parallel walls and rollers associated with the opposite ends of said combined frames and continuously engaged with the respective trackways.

13. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by spaced end walls, sidewall, and ceiling, a fixed length berth assembly extending lengthwise between said end walls and adjacent said sidewall, the berth assembly including the berth proper and a carrying frame and providing hinging movement of the berth on the frame, the berth assembly being movable from a low-level use position, in which the berth is swung out from the frame into a horizontal disposition, to an intermediate position, in which the berth is folded up into co-planar relationship with the frame in an inclined disposition, and finally to a high level stowed position, in which the berth and frame are disposed horizontally near the ceiling, means for supporting and guiding said assembly in these movements, comprising a track- Way having a track rail at each end of the assembly near the ceiling and end Walls and extending down from the ceiling along the1sidewall, and rollers associated with the opposite ends of the assembly which continuously engage the track rails, means for locking the assembly in the lower, intermediate, and stowed positions, and means for supporting the free edge of the berth in the horizontal use position.

14. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by spaced parallel vertical walls, a fixedlength berth extending lengthwise substantially from one of said parallel walls to the other, the berth comprising a berth frame proper and a U- frame hinged thereto and adapted to receive the berth frame proper within the bight of the U, the berth frame proper being movable with respect to the U-frame between a horizontal use position in which its plane is at an angle to the plane of the U-frarne and. an intermediate position approximately coplanar therewith, and the two frames being movable together between said intermediate position to a stowed position adjacent the room ceiling, means for supporting and guiding said berth in its movements, comprising trackways on said parallel walls and rollers on the berth continuously engaged with said trackways, manually operable means on the ceiling for preventing upward movement of the berth on the trackways until the berth frame proper and the U-frame have been interlocked for movement to-- gether, means for interlocking the said frames, said interlocking means being manually operable from the berth frame, and safety means for preventing release of the interlock by said manually operable means after the ceiling means has been released and the interlocked frames have been moved upwardly beyond its influence.

15. In a railway sleeping car, a room defined in part by spaced substantially parallel vertical walls, a fixed-length berth extending lengthwise substantially from one of said parallel walls to the other, the berth being movable from a lowlevel horizontal use position to an intermediate inclined position and finally to a high-level stowed position adjacent the room ceiling, means for guiding and supporting said berth in its movements comprising trackways on the spaced parallel Walls having generally vertical portions merging at the top into generally horizontal portions through inclined portions, and rollers associated with the opposite ends of the berth and continuously engaged with said trackways, and counterbalance means acting with different degrees of force upon the berth at different stages of its movement, a greater degree of force being applied by said counterbalance means While the berth is moved from its horizontal use position and through the vertical and inclined portions of said trackways, and a lesser degree of force being applied by said counterbalance means while the berth is moved along the horizontal portions of said trackways.

16. A movable berth installation comprising in combination, a structurally supported trackway having laterally spaced rails each including a generally horizontal upper portion, a generally vertical lower portion, and a curved portion connecting the horizontal and vertical portions, a berth assembly mounted for travelling movement along said trackway from a first terminal position along the horizontal portion to a second terminal position along the vertical portion, said berth assembly including a berth portion proper and a carriage frame portion, means for holding the frame portion of the berth assembly substantially against movement relative to said trackway when in the second terminal position, means providing swinging movement of the berth portion from and toward said trackway and frame portion when the assembly is in the second terminal position, means for connectin said berth portion and frame portion together for travelling along said trackway, and means for supporting the berth portion for use when swung out from the frame portion in the second terminal position.

17. In a movable berth installation, in combination, a structurally supported trackway having laterally spaced rails each including a generally horizontal upper portion, a generally vertical lower portion, and a curved portion connecting the horizontal and vertical portions, a berth assembly mounted for travelling movement along said trackway from a first terminal position along the horizontal portion to a second terminal position along the vertical portion, said berth assembly including a berth portion proper and a carriage frame portion, means for holding the lower edge portion of the berth assembly in a substantially fixed position relative to the trackway when in the second terminal position, means providing swinging movement of the upper edge of the berth portion of the assembly from and toward said trackway and frame portion when the assembly is i the second terminal position, means for securing the upper edge of the berth portion against swinging movement away from said trackway and frame portion when moved thereto, and means for supporting the berth portion for use when swung out from the frame portion.

18. A movable berth installation comprising in combination, a structurally supported trackway having laterally spaced rails each including a generally horizontal upper portion, agenerally vertical lower portion, and a curved portion connecting the horizontal and vertical portions, a berth assembly including a carriage and a berth proper mounted on the carriage for movement about its lower edge relative to the carriage, the berth assembly bein mounted to travel along said trackway from a first terminal position along the horizontal portion to a second terminal position along the vertical portion, means for holding the assembly in the second terminal position, means for holding the berth to the carriage for movement together as a unit along said trackway, means for releasing the berth from the carriage for swinging movement relative thereto in the second terminal position, and means for supporting the berth for use when swung out from the carriage in the second terminal position.

,JOHN C. LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 20,622 Case June 22, 1858 819,196 Abbott May 1, 1906 2,032,327 Certel Feb. 5, 1936 2,147,011 Crawford Feb. 14, 1939 2,156,229 Ragsdale et a1. Apr. 25, 1939 2,299,343 Patton Oct. 20, 1942 2,364,595 Tully et a1." Dec. 5, 1944

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