Abstract:
A security door closure system for Cruise ships and other similar public entrance points to prevent terrorist attack or ship take-over is needed. Cruise ship passenger and ship provisioning entrance gangplanks pass thru large hydraulically operated shell doors. The gangplank must be removed to close the shell door. The quick close security door system (Door-Gate) is a portable bullet resistant rapid close door system that is placed in conjunction with the gangplank or other entry system which when closed prevents forced entry. A single lever either remotely or manual operated immediately closes the doors which then cannot be forced opened from the entrance side.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to preventing a sudden terrorist attack via a public entrance walkway in particular the entrance for passengers and provisioning access to a cruise ship. Passenger and provisioning access onto a Cruise ship when dockside or when anchored is through what is referred to as a shell door located above the waterline of the ship. A gangplank or walkway is extended from the docking platform through the shell door into the ship lower deck vestibule or storage area. The shell door is hydraulically operated and cannot be closed when the gangplank is in place with out removing the gangplank, a time consuming operation.  
         [0002]     In the present order of things security of a cruise ship and such other events as sports, air shows, music events relies heavily on the effectiveness of the pre-boarding or pre-entry screening of the individuals entering the activity to insure that weapons metallic or fabricated are not allowed to pass into the protected entry gang plank or access walkway.  
         [0003]     The present invention provides an additional security system after pre-entry screening, an instantly closable, high strength, ballistic resistant portable door system located at the ship gangplank or event entrance after the secured screening area. Closed remotely or locally upon sighting of an overt action, the door closure prevents an immediate presence or threat by forced entry onto a cruise ship gangplank or event entry gate.  
         [0004]     The present invention provides a portable door closure system for instantly closing off an entry passage against unwanted or unauthorized intrusion from forced entry.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In accordance with the present invention, a portable quick close door system is placed immediately inside the shell door of a cruise ship after the ship is docked and the gangplank is put in place. The quick close door system is designed such as to allow the gangplank from the dock to the ship&#39;s shell door to be in place passing uninterrupted through the quick door system onto the ship&#39;s lower deck. The quick close door system has integral handrails continuing the gangplank handrails to the ships interior. The quick close doors, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, are situated on opposite sides of the cruise ship at right angles to the gangplank. Kevlar filled doors are each hanging from overhead bars contained within the left and right enclosures clamped to the shell door opening. The said door enclosures contain the doors allowing each to slide towards each other, meeting in the middle, closing off the gangplank walkway. The mating doors meet each other as tongue groove fittings providing minimal grip area for forced opening from the ship&#39;s exterior gangplank. The said Kevlar lined enclosures block the shell door opening on each side of the gangplank floor to ceiling from terrorist entry or ballistic attack. The said doors are pulled closed by stretched springs via a cable pulley arrangement. Said springs, a bungee type material, allow pre stretch and door closed tension. Said doors are held open by keepers connected to a common release tube allowing manual door release from either side of the gangplank. Remote door release is possible with the addition of an electric latch solenoid and associated transmitter system.  
         [0006]     Visual means such as a video camera placed outside of the gangplank provides viewing of potential terrorists from any location on the ship allowing remote door closure. A peephole in the doors provides viewing of the gangplank after door closure.  
         [0007]     The quick close door system is designed in separate left and right mating halves that bolt together with a keeper operation connecting rod. Each lightweight quick close door assembly has caster wheels and a handle installed for easy transport to a storage area within the ship.  
         [0008]     Specific design configurations in the following descriptions are for purpose of clarity, but various details can be changed to fit applications other then cruise ship requirements within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0009]     Modified embodiments of the present invention for other type access passages as sport events, music concerts, public events are also disclosed.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     An object of the invention is to provide a cruise ship security system for the protection of a cruise ship from terrorist gaining entry on board the ship via storming the passenger gangplank or provisioning gangplank when the ship is docked at its homeport or other and third world countries&#39; docking locations.  
         [0011]     Another object of the invention is to provide quick closure of bullet resistant doors immediately inside the ship&#39;s shell or entry doors where the passenger gangplank is installed preventing terrorist access to the ships interior.  
         [0012]     Another object of the invention is to provide a portable or fixed security door closure system for public events as sporting events, music events, indoors or outdoors. The quick close door system is placed after the entry screening process and before main access to the event. The quick close system will provide immediate closure of the event entrance via remote closure when a security guard is not present and it is dangerous to be in the immediate vicinity or by manual door release keeper actuation by an attendant security guard.  
         [0013]     Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent with an understanding of the following detailed description or upon employment of the invention in practice. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0014]      FIG. 1 . Long view of anchored cruise ship with gangplank to dock installed and quick close door system installed in shell door opening.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2 . Close up view of quick close door system installed in shell door opening showing quick close door system doors closed.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3 . Cruise ship entry gangplank passing through ships shell door opening.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4 . View of quick close door system aft door assembly. Forward door assembly Is the mirror image of this door assembly except rotation key tube is only on aft door.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5 . Detailed view from inside of ship of quick close door system installed in ship&#39;s shell door opening with gangplank in place.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6 . Detailed inside view of quick close door system operational components.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7 . Detailed view of quick close door release keeper.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8 . Long view of public event area with quick close door system installation. 
     
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS IN FIGURES  
       [0000]    
       
           1  Inside view of shell door with gangplanks in place  
           2  Shell opening in cruise ship hull for loading and unloading  
           3  Outside gangplank to dock  
           4  Inside ramp to lower deck  
           5  Outside hand rail to dock  
           6  Ship&#39;s shell door latch  
           7  Ship&#39;s shell door stop plate  
           8  Quick close door system forward door assembly  
           9  Quick close door system aft door assembly  
           10  Quick close door system installation locking bar  
           11  Quick close door system transport caster  
           12  Quick close door system door assembly transport handle  
           13  Quick close door system inside hand rail to lower deck  
           14  Quick close door system retracted door, release handle  
           15  Quick close door system door closure spring  
           16  Quick close door system retracted forward door  
           17  Quick close door system retracted aft door  
           18  Quick close door system stand off to ship&#39;s hull inside  
           19  Floating or at port ship&#39;s dock area  
           20  Ship&#39;s hull outside  
           21  Quick close door system extended (closed) forward door  
           22  Quick close door system extended (closed) aft door  
           23  Door assembly outer slide tube  
           24  Door assembly inner slide tube  
           25  Door closure cable pulley  
           26  Door closure cable termination point  
           27  Door keeper control tube  
           28  Door keeper rotation arm cable termination  
           29  Door keeper  
           30  Aft/forward rotation keying tube  
           31  Keying tube insertion button  
           32  Forward/aft door system central mating plate  
           33  Quick close door system outer casing  
           34  Door closure cable  
           35  Door keeper release cable  
           36  Safety pin  
           37  Security pre screening area of a public event  
           38  Quick close door system installation.  
           39  Public event area  
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0061]     Referring to  FIG. 1  of the figures, a cruise ship hull  20  has numerous entrance doors, called shell doors  2  located above the waterline shell doors are used to access the ship, via a gangplank  3  with handrails  5  leading to a inside ramp  4  and associated handrail  13  which terminates on the ships lower deck inside the ship. These shell doors are used for passenger loading and embarkation from the ship when the ship is at port or anchored at a floating dock  19 . Similar shell doors are also used for loading and unloading ships provisions.  
         [0062]     In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, after docking and opening of the ships shell door  2  a portable Quick Close Door System  8  and  9  herein referred to as QCDS is installed inside the ship whereby providing a means to quickly close off access to the ship&#39;s interior from a terrorist threat.  FIG. 2  shows the shell door opening  2  with the QCDS doors  21  and  22  closed and installed inside the ship as seen from the outside of the ship. The ship&#39;s gangplank passes under the doors  21  and  22  of the QCDS. The QCDS  8  and  9  outer casings  33  block the shell door opening from access around the gangplank.  
         [0063]     Referring to  FIG. 3  the inside hull of the ship  1  is shown with the shell door opened and the gangplank  3  installed; the inside ramp  4  is installed leading onto the lower deck entrance vestibule. Ship&#39;s shell door latches  6  are shown. Ship&#39;s shell door stop plates  7  are also shown.  
         [0064]     Referring to  FIG. 5  the quick close door system QCDS is comprised of two portable mating sections  8 , and  9 , which using handle  12  are rolled on casters  11 , up to the open shell door opening  FIG. 3 , bolted together at  32 , forward/aft door system central mating plate, with locking bars  10  in place.  FIG. 4  shows the aft QCDS  9  with door  21  in the extended or closed position. The fwd QCDS  8  is essentially the mirror image of the aft  9  QCDS, an exception being that the aft/forward rotation keying tube  30  shown is replaced in the forward  8  QCDS with a mating key pin internal to the door keeper control tube  27 . The aft QCDS  9  is detailed in  FIG. 4 . QCDS  9  comprised of outer casing  33 , and an inner door  21 . The inner door  21 , slides out of the outer casing  33  closing off the shell door opening  2 . The outer casing  33 , is locked in place by rotating bars  10  onto latch&#39;s  6  locking the QCDS  9  to the shell door opening  2 . The QCDS  8  and  9  retracted door release handle  14 , releases the spring loaded doors  21  and  22  allowing them to extend closing the QCDS opening. Said release handle  14 , releases aft and forward doors simultaneously through the rotation of keying tube  30  providing immediate closure of both aft  22  and forward door  21  of  FIG. 2 . Shown in  FIG. 4 , is the removable hand rail  13 ; the handrail is a continuation of the outside handrail  5  on the gangplank. Removal of the hand rail makes each QCDS lighter weight for portability as well as being readily adapted to various gang plank heights and configurations. The forward  8  and aft  9  QCDS are installed with their respective doors in the retracted position with the release handle safety pin  36  in place. See detailed operation of the preferred embodiment  FIG. 6 .  
         [0065]     Referring to  FIG. 5  the inside hull is shown as in  FIG. 3  with the assembled forward  8  and aft  9   FIG. 4  QCDS installed. When installing the QCDS, the QCDS casters  11  are lifted over the ships door stop plates  7 . The stop plates retain the said casters  11  in place preventing the QCDS from being pushed into the ship&#39;s vestibule area. Locking bar  10  are pivotably rotated onto the ship&#39;s shell door latches  6 . Standoffs  18  of a compressible material, as low shore rubber, provides a cushion between the QCDS outer shell  33  and the ships hull interior providing compressed rubber pressure on the locking bar  10  when rotated into position.  
         [0066]     Detailed operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 7 . Referring to  FIG. 6  the outer casing is not shown for clarity. The door  17  is shown in the open (retracted) position. Door closure cable  34  is attached to door closure cable termination  26  mounted on door outer slide tube  23  and routed around pulleys  25 . The other end of cable  34  is attached to a bungee type material spring  15 . When the door is in the closed (extended) position (not in the outer casing  33 ) the cable length is the length required to apply a preload to the spring  15  holding the closed door against the central mating plate  32 . Retract door by applying pressure to the door  17  sliding it into the outer casing  33  (not shown) on door assembly inner slide tube  24  urging the door closure cable to further stretch spring  15  until the door is fully inserted into outer casing  33  and the door keeper  29  ( FIG. 7 ) can be rotated “C” direction, by turning door keeper control tube rotation arm  28  until said keeper  29  covers the end of said door outer slide tube  23  holding said door  17  open against the spring cable tension “D”.  
         [0067]     Door  17  retraction pressure is then released and the said door  17  is held in place by said keeper  29 . Door release handle  14  is in the safety lock position during said door  17  retraction and can not be released except by removing the safety pin  36 .  
         [0068]     One of the preferred aspects of the invention is that passengers entering the cruise ship on the gangplank and through the (QCDS) are not aware of it&#39;s existence. Operation of the QCDS is from inside the ship vestibule area by lifting either QCDS door release handle  14 . Door closure would only be performed in the event of an emergency situation requiring the blocking of the entrance to the ship as in case of an terrorist attack.  
         [0069]     Closing of the QCDS doors is initiated by first removing the associated safety pin  36  and then lifting either release door handle  14  on the aft  9  or forward  8  QCDS. Lifting said release handle  14  applies tension to the release cable  35  which in turn applies pressure to the door keeper control tube rotation arm  28  urging rotation of said arm  28 . Rotation of said arm  28  allows door outer slide tube  23  (which is being pulled by spring  15 ) to pass by said door keeper  29  and extend said doors  16  and  17  to fully closed position.  
         [0070]     The QCDS is made up of mirror image forward  8  and aft  9  assemblies bolted together at the central mating plate  32 . Aft/forward rotation keying tube  30  is slid in place after installation of the said forward  8  and aft  9  assemblies using keying tube insertion button  31  keying said forward  8  and aft  9  control tube rotation arms  28  together.  
         [0071]     Activation of either forward or aft QCDS release door handle  14  will release both forward  8  and aft  9  QCDS doors. Said doors  8  and  9  meet in the middle when released with a tongue on the aft door leading edge mating with a groove in the forward door leading edge making manual door separation difficult. Door closure pressure is insured by the preload applied to both forward door  8  and aft door  9  springs  15 .  
         [0072]     Another preferred aspect is the application of the invention.  
         [0073]     The embodying principals of the invention are applicable to situations other then cruise ship loading and embarkation.  FIG. 8  shows a general application which could apply to various situations as sporting events, concerts, public gatherings, public transportation gating and entrance applications. Entrance area or pre security screening area  37  is followed by the installation of either a fixed or mobile (QCDS)  38  as defined in the preferred embodiment of this invention. The Quick close door system provides a way to stop a last minute terrorist attack to a public gathering area defined by  39 .  
         [0074]     Various changes may be made to the structure and methodology embodying the principals of the invention. The foregoing embodiments are set forth in an illustrative and not limiting sense. Remote operation of the quick close door systems and cameras for visibility of associated areas although not shown are considered to be a part of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.