US269617A - Self-leveling berth - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

L. J. BAK-ER.

SELF LEVBLI'NG BERTH.

Pajbented 1360.26, 1882'.

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LORING J. BAKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-LEVELINGl BERTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters' Patent No. 269,617, dated December 26, 1882,

Application led May 4, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

ABe it known that I, LOB-ING J. BAKER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Leveling Ships Berths; andI do hereby declare that the following is a i'ull, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to swinging berths such as are used on shipboard to automatically adapt themselves to the motions of the ship, and to reinainlin a horizontal position whether the ship pitch or roll. In berths of this class it is desirable to have freedom of movement with sufficient stability in the berth to allow the occupant to get in and out without difficulty. It is also desirable to occupy the least possible space both for the movement ot' the berth and for the mechanism which supports it, both on account of the limited space on shipboard and because it is desirable to adapt the apparatus to cabinshaving the bed or fixed form ot' berths. It has heretofore been found necessary in many forms of swinging berths to suspend the berth from above in order to obtain the proper swinging movement; but this has encumbered the space above the berth and occasions greatinconvenience tothe occupant,the supporting mechanism being unavoidably in the way.

The object of my invention is to economize the space both above and below the berth, as well as at the-ends, to reduce the mechanism which supports the berth to the simplest possible limits, to secure an easy limited movement, and to provide locking mechanism by which the occupant can at any time lock the berth in any desired position.

Myinvention consists,trst,ofimproved supporting devices adapted to give proper rocking or swinging movement to the'berth; second, in an improved device for limiting the lateral movement and for regulating the longitudinal inclination ot' the berth; and,third, of and improved looking device for tixing the berth in any given position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of my berth; Fig. 2, a rear side elevaticn, and Fig. 3 a section on line w of Fig. 1.

In these drawings, A represents the berth, which I have shown as provided with a back,

(No model.)

a, highest at the middle pait. The berth is supported directly upon a rod, b, which lies in a transverse groove or any suitable bearing on the under side ofthe berth. This rod is fixed to side bars, c c, which are suspended by yokesd d,pivoted to the ends ofthe side bars. These yokes are made preferably rectangular in form, and are fitted to pass over the ends of the berth and inclose the same, so that they occupy no space between the ends of the berth and the walls; and, further, asthe berth rocks and either end rises its upward movement is limited bycoming in Contact with the horizontal part ot' the yoke. The yokes are suspended from the end walls by links e o. These links are attached to staples in the wall, and also to the yokes by means of elongated staples j'. This construction ot the side pieces,yokes, and suspending-links allows longitudinal swinging movement of the frame which supports the berth within the end partitions, with a constant tendency to bring` the berth back to a centra-l position. It also permits a lateral swinging movement within suflioient limits, and as the links are connected to the yokes at a little distance from each other they tend to restrain the lateral swing of the berth and to return it to a normal position, for the reason that as the berth swings to one side or the other it throws the weight upon the links opposite that side to which it swings, thus changing the position of the support from the center to the side toward which the berth is to be returned.

The devices already described allow all the movement necessary to permit the berth to remain in a horizontal position in the pitch or rollof the ship. In order to maintain the berth in this position, I provide another connection of the berth with some fixed point, whereby the berth is held in its proper relation to the frame.

It will be apparent, as the berth rests only upon the transverse rod, vthatwithout some .other connection its ends would not be supported, but either one end or the other might tip to the iioor. 1n order to provide such connection and support without interfering with the proper lateral movement ofthe berth, I have devised a'jointed bracket, g h, which connects the upper part of the back ofthe berth' at an approximately central point with IOO the wall of the compartment. The piece h is pivoted in ears upon the wall, so as to swing freely in a transverse vertical plane. Upon thefree end ot' it is pivoted the piece or arm g, adapted to swing also in a transverse vcrtical plane. This arm r1 is pivoted at its upper end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to a pin, 7.2, the end of which works in a bearing in the back of the berth. This allows the berth to swing laterallyT within certain limits-that is to say, the berth may swing out until the part li of' the bracket is brought down to a nearly vertical position; or it may swing inwardly until the two parts of the bracket are extended to the utmost lilnit of their length. Further, as the arm g can move only in a vertical plane across the berth, it prevents any longitudinal movement of that part ot' the berth to which itis attached and causes the berth to swing longitudinally, as if it were suspended from the piu 7.'. Thus the berth has two bearingpoints-one upon the transverse rod b underneath it and the other at the pin 7.', so that the berth is held in a certain relation to the frame, and can only swing out of horizontal plane with cndwise movement of said frame. The bracket is formed with wide bearings upon the piece h, in order to guard against the twisting strain which would be put upon it by the longitudinal swing ot' the berth.

I do not contine myself` to this special construction of the bracket, as it may be varied, the essential point in respect to this part ot' my invention being the upper support, which holds the upper part ot' the back ot' the berth (or the upper end of a standard fixed thereto) against longitudinal movement, while permitting free lateral movement.

The position of the pin k is represented in the drawings as at a central point in the length ot' the berth; but in order to adapt the berth to the position ot' the occupant when a greater weight is thrown upon one end or the other, l have provided a slot for the pin k, so that it may be moved ont of the center in one direction or the other in order to adapt it to the center ot' gravity. Thus, it' the greaterweight ot' the person be at the head of the berth, the pin has to be shifted toward the head. It may be changed and held in position when changed by means of a thumb-nut, l, easily accessible to theperson in the berth.

In berths of this class it is desirable to have a simple locking device by means ot' which the berth may be held in any required position both against longitudinal and lateral movement; that both movements should be prevented by a single device, and that this device should be operative by means of a handle within reach of the occupant. I accomplish all this by means ofinterlocking serrated plates, one xed to the wall and the other movable upon the berth. The xed plate is shown atm. It is fixed to the wall and projects at right angles therefrom underneath the berth. The upper edge is curved on a line parallel with the line of movement ot' the in ner lower corner of the berth. 0n the inner bar, e, is another movable plate, n, having a serrated locking-edge, as described. I prefer to pivot it in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the plate being slotted, as shown in -that figure, to receive screws which hold itin place and limit its vertical movement. It is moved by a bell-crank lever, 0, which is connected to the plate n by a link, p. The bell-crank lever o is pivoted upon the back of the berth, and a handle q projects over the edge, so as to be conveniently within the reach ofthe occupan of the berth. f

It will be apparent that when thev lever o is moved in one direction the plate n will be pushed downward to interlock with the plate m, when the berth will be held against any tilting or rocking movement in either direction. The plates are both made long enough to provide for all the movement of which the berth is capable. This locking-plate, being arranged midway ofthe berth, holds it steadily and securely in place. The form of the plates and the devices for causing them to interlock may be varied without departing from the spirit ot' my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isu 1. In combination, a suspended frame adapted to swing longitudinally and laterally, a berth centrally supported on transverse pivots on said frame, and an upper supporting-pivot on a flexible bracket adapted to hold the berth in proper relation to the frame, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a suspended frame adapted to swing longitudinally and laterally, a berth centrally supported on transverse pivot on said frame, a bracket connected by pivot to a central upper extension of the berth, and also to a fixed part, and inflexible in the direction ot' the length of the berth, but permitting lateral movement, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a suspended frame adapt` ed to swing laterally and longitudinally, a berth supported centrally on transverse pivot, ajoiuted connecting-bracket, g hf, and pivot all substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the berth supported on a swngingframe, the slotted upper extension, the adjustable pin, and the transverselyexible bracket, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a berth, side bars, a central transverse pivoting-rod, end yokes sus pended from the walls, and an upper transversely-flexible arm carrying a pivot for the upper extension of said berth, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the side bars supporting the pivoted berth, the yokes,and the links e e, converging toward their lower ends and separately connected to the links, as set forth.

7. In combina-tion with a swinging berth and supporting mechanism, substantially as IOO IOS

l'lO

IIS

described, whereby lateral and longitudinal yokes dd, links e e, bracket g h, and pin k, all movement is permitted, a serrated plate fixed constructed as shown in the described relato a part outside the berth, a movable serrated tion to the berth. plate on the berth at right angles to the fixed, In testimony whereof I havesigned my name z5 5 and a lever for operating the movable, plate, to this specification in thepresence of two subsubstantial] y as described. scrbing witnesses.

8. In combination with a swinging berth, 1

Y the plate m, fixed to the wall, the plate n, mov- LORlNG J BAKER able on the berth, bell-crank lever 0, and link Witnesses z' 1o p, all substantially as described. FRANK MIDDLETON,

9. The combination of the side bars, c c, DAVID H. MEAD.

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