Untitled record

Application filed May 29, 1894. Serial Bo. 512,917. (Ko model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, William T. Milligan, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and 5 useful Improvement in Self-Leveling Berths ' for Use on Board Ships, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more especially to means whereby the berth is prevented from io swinging with each motion of the occupant, my berth however, being perfectly free to swing with every motion of the ship, and consists in such an arrangement of a heavy pendulum or governor under and in connection t s with a swinging berth that the leverage which the governor will exert on the berth will be greater than the leverage exerted by the berth on the governor.

I have shown in the drawings two forms of 2o my invention. The preferred form is shown in Figure 1 which is a cross section of the berth, all the casings being removed so that the parts may be clearly seen, Fig. 2 being a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross section of a 25 berth also embodying my invention in a somewhat modified form.

The berth itself consists of two side portions marked A and a head and foot portion marked A'. Upon the side portions are mounted a set 30 of friction rolls a, over which runs a cord or strap a’ connected at each end with the extremities of the mattress holder, which hangs from these straps. By this means the mattress is allowed a slight motion to compensate 35 for the pitching of the ship. The mattress holder also carries a weight A³ to keep the parts on their bearings. These rolls a are preferably placed on a radius representing the length of the mattress in order that the mo40 tion may be as steady and easy as possible.

The parts which compensate for the rolling of the ship, as shown in the construction in . Fig. 1, are as follows:—The head and foot of the berth are each carried by a support B 45 mounted on a stud b suitably attached to the upright 0 (generally a portion of the state room wall or bulkhead). Upon this same stud and permanently connected to the berth is a gear D. A yoke E in the form of a segment 50 is also pivotally mounted upon the support C above the berth. In this form of my inven tion it is provided with gear teeth and is so located that a pinion F will lie between it and the upper periphery of the gear D. It will be seen that every motion of the berth will cause 55 a corresponding movement of the yoke E through the gear D and pinion F. A second yoke or segment G is pivoted below the berth to the support 0. It also is provided with gear teeth as shown, and is so placed with relation 60 to the gear D that a pinion H lies between it and the gear D. This yoke G carries the heavily weighted governor J, which hangs considerably below its axis as shown.

The yoke E and the berth .support B are 65 connected by means of a rod K and the yoke E is connected to the yoke G by means of the connecting rod L. It will be noticed that the points of connection of the rod it with the berth support B and yoke E are at the same 70 relative distances from the axes of these two parts, so that these two parts will move in unison, and in the same way the points of connection of the rod L with the-yokeE and yoke G are at the same relative distances from the 75 axes of these two yokes. Thus it will be seen that these parts will all have the same relative motion to each other about their various axes.

It will be seen that the governor is hung 80 well below its axis. In fact the farther the better within the limits of the dimensions of the state room, as the farther its center of gravity is below its axis the longer its arm of the bell crank lever will be and consequently the 85 greater will be its control over the movements of the berth. The purpose of this construction is to cause the governor to roll the berth by means of the connecting rods L and K and the various gears so as to keep it in horizon- 90 tai position, whatever be the position of the occupant, and at the same time preventing it from being moved by the occupant because of his inability to get sufficient leverage 'to overcome the tendency of the governor J to 95 remain in vertical position.

Another mode of embodying this invention is shown in Fig. 3, in which the head and foot of the berth A' are supported by straps B' from a stud b', the governor J acting upon it 100 to control it through a yoke G', the rod L, yoke. E' and connecting rod K. It will be seen that

533,013 this berth embodies the same peculiarities, so far as the control of the governor over the berth itself is concerned, that are embodied in the berth shown in Fig. 1. In this drawing 5 the dimensions of the governor differ somewhat from the dimensions of the governor in Fig. 1 so that it would undoubtedly be more effective. These parts are so arranged that they take up but little room and yet the govio ernor will be effective to fully control the motions of the berth. It will also be apparent to any one skilled in the art that this invention may be embodied in other ways than that shown.

The drawings show in full the mechanism at but one end of the berth in elevation. I prefer however, to use the same mechanism at the other end of the berth, arranging it in exactly the same way at both ends, the con20 necting rods K being in both cases on the left of the various axes looking from the center of the berth toward each end and the connecting rods L being on the right of said axes, or vice versa. Thus when the ship rolls the 25 berth will always be controlled by the combined action of the two governors. This construction is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

I am aware that weights have before now 30 been used to control the movements of berths, but these prior constructions have either been such that they took up too much room so that they could not be practically used on board ship where waste room cannot be al35 lowed, or the weight has been connected to the berth in such a manner that if the weight were removed the berth would upset, owing to the fact that its axis was below its center of gravity when the berth was occupied. My 40 berth is free from these various objections and moreover it is so hung that it will swing without unnecessary friction and so will be fully controlled by its governor. The segment G and pinion II may be used without 45 the segment E and its pinion and connecting rods, if desired.