DOOR DEVICE IN SHIP ROOMS

Abstract: An arrangement for gates in spaces in ships (11) which consists of a number of gate sections (1-10), which are connected to each other via folding joints (18). The gate sections can, by means of a drive unit, be moved between a shielding position, in which position the space is shielded off along a shielding surface, and a stowed position. Moving guidance organs and attachment organs move with the movement of the gate sections, guide the gate sections during the movement, and attach them mechanically in the space (11) using fixed elongated attachment organs.

Description: DOOR DEVICE IN SHIP ROOMS TECHNICAL FIELD: The present invention refers to an arrangement for gates which form a barrier against water in spaces in ships according to the preamble of the appended patent claim 1. After several severe accidents with ro-ro ships, demands have increased to reduce the large safety hazard of large open cargo spaces, which so far, usually have been completely without partitioning into shielded-off sections. Different solutions have been suggested, based upon equipping, for example, cargo spaces for vehicles which are loaded and unloaded by driving on and off, with gates which can be moved between a shielding position and an open position. From, for example, SE 464 016 a rigid 180° turnable gate is known, which however, for its turning movement requires a space which is equal to that of the extension of the gate in at least one direction. This means that, in practice, the gate has to be turned in a certain sequence during loading/unloading, which leads to high demands for synchronization of the handling, in order not to cause an unnecessary delay of the handling. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: The object of the present invention is to obtain a gate which can both be moved between an open position and a shielding position before or after loading or unloading, and in its shielded position will meet high demands for load caused by incoming masses of water. A further object of the gate according to the present invention is to reduce the load capacity of the ship as little as possible due to its installation. These objects are achieved by the arrangement according to the present invention, the characteristics of which can be seen in the appended patent claim 1. THE FIGURES: The invention will in the following be described with an example of an embodiment, with reference to the appended drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a schematic front view of the gate according to the invention in shielding position, Fig. 2 shows a top view of the gate in both shielding position and open position, Fig. 3 shows on a larger scale a cut section of one end of the gate in shielding position, Fig. 4 shows a vertical cut through the gate in shielding position along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 shows in an increased scale a corresponding cut, where the main section of the gate is cut, Fig. 6 shows a lower part of a gate section in an intermediate position during an opening or closing movement, Fig. 7 shows a detailed view of one of the traversing wheels of each gate section with the gate in shielding position, Fig. 8 shows a corresponding view of said traversing wheel in a position during the opening or closing movement, Fig. 9 shows in a plane view the lower fixed rail arrangement of the gate, while Fig. 10 shows a cross-section through the rail arrangement along the line X-X of Fig. 9. Figs. 11 and 12 show a starting arrangement in stowed respectively activated position, Figs. 13 and 14 show horizontal cuts through details of the gate along the lines XIII-XIII respectively XIV-XIV of Fig. 11. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: As can best be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the gate according to the present invention is a sliding gate which mainly consists of a plurality of gate sections 1-10, which in the example shown are ten, but which can vary according to the dimensions of the space in question. In this way, each gate section can be delivered with standard dimensions, and supplemented with specially dimensioned adaption sections 2, 9 for adaption to the space in question. The gate is arranged to, in a shielding position or a closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, shield off a space 11 in a ship by sectioning off the space into two or several separate spaces, bulkheads, by means of which cargo spaces in ships, such as for example vehicle decks in ro-ro ships can be shielded off from incoming water, and its impact on the ship can be reduced. Fig. 1 schematically shows a cross- section through a vehicle deck which extends through the plane of the paper in Fig. 1, and is delimited in its cross-section by the deck plane 12 which forms a deck for the vehicles, side walls 13, 14, of which for example the wall 13 forms a wall against an intermediate section, which delimits two car decks from each other and houses maintenance spaces, stair-wells etc. The wall 14, for example, forms the inside of the plating or the hull of the ship, while the deck is delimited at its upper end by the lower side of the upper deck, which delimiting in practice is formed by a lateral beam 15, suitably a lower beam flange. The opening which is to be shielded off to a prescribed level is, in Fig. 1, shown as completely rectangular, but the rectangular contour can, due to influence from vehicle cargo and due to the influence of the surrounding water on the hull, cause varying degrees of deflection in both angles and lines. Because of the construction of the gate according to the invention, with several gate sections which are mobile in relation to each other with a certain play, and which are fixed with spring tension (see below), these deflections can be absorbed. Each gate section 1-10 in the example shown is essentially rectangular with a high degree of rigidity and consists of a beam structure with a covering panel 16 on one side, and a folding joint 18 between each gate section. The folding joints 18 consist of a number, for example three, hinges 19, 20, 21 distributed vertically across each gate section. The gate sections are thus interconnected by the folding joints, and foldable around a vertical axis, which extends between each gate section in order to make it possible to move the gate between a closed shielding position according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, and a stowed-away position as is also indicated in Fig. 2 by the gate section 10. In the stowed- away position, the gate thus extends in a straight line with all the sections along one side wall 14, since these are moved along a path of movement defined by rails which extends in a straight line across the cargo space 11, in a straight line along the longitudinal extension of the cargo space along the side wall 14, and in an arch between these two parts. As can best be seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, but also in Figs. 5 and 6, the gate rests with its entire weight on the lower deck plane 12 via a fixed attachment organ in the shape of a support and guide rail 22. As can best be seen by Figs. 5 and 6 the guide rail has a square or rectangular cross- section, and has a supporting and guiding surface 23 facing upwards, which extends with at least one line parallel with the deck plane 12, and which has guiding surfaces 24, 25 which both guide the gate and are arranged to transpose side loads on the gate from inflowing water in the cargo space by transposing these forces to the hull structure of the ship via the vehicle deck 12. Each gate section 1-10 is at its lower end supported by a roller organ in the shape of a traversing and supporting wheel 26, which by means of a horizontal axis 27 is rotatably fixed in a wheel holder 28, which in turn is rotatably fixed relative to each gate section 1-10 around a vertical axis, which preferably coincides with the vertical axis of the joint between the gate sections. In the example shown the traversing wheels 26 are equipped with a mainly cylindrical traversing surface 29, which on both sides is surrounded by load absorbing guidance flanges 30, 31, which are spaced apart in such a way that they protrude downwards on both sides of the guide rail 23, and by interaction with its guide surfaces 24, 25, and the guide wheels 26 can transfer said side loads from each panel section to the structure of the ship. The side load affects either from one side, se the arrow 33, or the other side, se the arrow 34. To be more precise, the load absorption is done via a part of the inwards facing surface of the respective flanges 30, 31 which extend mainly vertically or across the plane which the gate shields. In practice, however, the flanges 30, 31 are preferably arranged at a small angle against the guiding surface 24, 25 of the rail, which surfaces are as plane as possible, and suitably perpendicular to the deck plane 12. As can be seen in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the sliding gate according to the invention, also at its upper end, adjacent to the ceiling of the cargo space 11, has a fixed attachment organ in the shape of an upper guiding rail 32, which, by interaction with mobile attachment organs at the upper end of the gate sections also at the upper end absorbs the side forces which affect the gate, in Fig. 5 shown as 35, 36. The rail 32 thus constitutes a fixed guiding and attachment organ in the ships structure, and is in the example shown, shaped with a square or rectangular cross-section, with a downwards facing, for example plane, supporting surface 37, and two sideways facing, in the example shown, vertical load absorbing guiding surfaces 38, 39. The mobile attachment organs are, in the example shown, roller organs in the shape of traversing wheels 40 which are rotatably mounted around the horizontal axis 41 in the wheel holder 42, which in turn, is rotatably mounted relative to its corresponding gate section, and which, more precisely, are supported by one extension part 44 each, which is attached to the gate section along its one edge section. As can be seen in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the sliding gate is fixed between its two fixed attachment organs 22, 32, which is accomplished by means of a fixing organ 45, which, in the example shown, is arranged between each gate section, i.e. in front of each moving attachment organ 40. In the example shown, the fixing organ is a pressure spring in the shape of a screw spring which is fixed between a bracket 46 on the extension part 44 and a flange 47 on the vertical axis 43 which is made up by a tube-shaped section which is surrounded by the screw spring 45. The tube-shaped section extends through an opening in the flange 46 and a corresponding opening in the upper flange 48, and the wheel holder, together with the vertical axis 43, is vertically mobile relative to its corresponding gate section and extension part 44 by means of an adjustment mechanism 49 in the shape of a nut on a threaded bar which protrudes from the vertical axis 43. In this way, a fine adjustment can be made of the upper end position of the traversing wheel for adjustment of the maximal distance between the upper traversing wheel 40 and the corresponding lower traversing wheel 26 to the distance between the upper and lower rails 22, 32. By means of the fixing organ 45 the lower 26 and upper 40 traversing wheels are pre-stressed against their respective rails 22, 32, thus counteracting opposed force components on the traversing wheels which have been caused by large side forces in the direction of the arrows 33, 34, 35, 36, due to deformations and the small angle which in practice is present between the vertical force absorbing surfaces of the flanges 50, 51 on the traversing wheels and the force absorbing side surfaces 38, 39 of the rail 32, thus reducing the risk of the traversing wheels loosing their engagement with their corresponding rails. The sliding gate according to the invention is intended to achieve an essentially impermeable shielding against masses of water on top of the upper edge 52 of the gate sections, and is for this reason equipped with a plurality of sealing elements in the shape of strips, which extend both between the gate sections and along the lower edge of each gate section and along the outer edges of the gate, i.e. the outer edge of the outer gate sections 1, 10. In Fig. 2 the position of the sealing strips 53 for sealing between the gate sections is indicated. These are equipped with an extension part 54 of one side of each section, along the vertical edge of which the sealing strip is arranged to be in sealing contact with a vertical edge of the neighbouring section along its entire height. Since the sealing strips 53 are arranged outside of the plane of symmetry 55 of the gate, and on that side which forms the tip of the V-shape which is formed when the sections are moved to the side in their stowed-away position in the curved part 56 of the path of movement, the sealing strips will not interfere with this movement, but will simply be moved in the direction from their contacting edge so that they in the stowed-away position of the gate once again will come into sealing contact. Figs. 5 and 6 best show the sealing against the lower edge of the gate, which is done by sealing strips 57 of an elastic material, preferably rubber, which are attached along the lower edge of one panel 16 of each gate section, so that the sections of sealing strips 57 in the closed position of the gate contact each other, in order to, together, form a continuous sealing of the lower edge. In the closed position of the gate, the lower edge sealing strips 57 seal against a fixed upwards facing surface 58 which belongs to the vehicle deck, and which has been formed by the upper surface of a sealing rail 59 which is fixedly attached to the vehicle deck and which runs in parallel to, and at small distance from, the guiding rail 22. So that the lower edge sealing will not be an obstacle against the movement of the gate between closed position and open position, it is arranged so that the entire continuous screening part, i.e. all the gate sections 1-10 and the accompanying parts are arranged to be in a somewhat lowered position in the closed position of the gate, as shown in Fig. 5, but, to during the movement between closed and open position of the gate be in a raised position, where the lower sealing strip 57 is not in contact with the surface 58 of the sealing rail 59, due to which the strip does not present an obstacle to the rolling movement of the gate. The above described turning movement to a sealing and completely shut position of the gate can best be understood by studying the schematic view of Fig. 7. From this it will become apparent that the lower guiding rail 22 has a number of recesses 60, which face upwards and form recesses in the supporting surface 61 of the guiding rail 22, which between the recesses 60 is in a straight line, as seen from the side. The number of recesses corresponds to the total amount of lower traversing wheels 26, and are further arranged in positions along the guiding rail which correspond to the positions of the traversing wheels along the rail in the closed position of the gate. The recesses are dimensioned to position the gate sections to a correct position in closed position, and have a depth which is less than the height of the flanges 30, 31 of the traversing wheels, due to which the traversing wheels and thus each gate section is supported from underneath by the rail 22 through interaction with the supporting surface 29 of the traversing wheels. During the opening or closing movement, the traversing wheels with their supporting surface 29 thus run mainly against the straight supporting surface 61 of the rail 22. In order to prevent the traversing wheels 26 from, during the opening or closing movement, moving up or down all of the recesses which the traversing wheels must pass during their movement, there is arranged a supporting system which during this movement supports the respective gate sections. In principle, all the gate sections do not need to be equipped with separate supporting organs, but can be supported by the supporting organs of neighbouring gate sections. This supporting system can best be seen in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. The supporting system consists of a number of supporting rolls 62, one supporting roll for the majority of the lower traversing wheels of the gate sections, which has a circular supporting surface 63, the lower contact point 64 of which is suitably somewhat above the level of the lower point 65 of the supporting surface 29 of the traversing wheel 26. This is for example accomplished by giving the supporting roll 62 the same diameter as the cylindrical supporting surface 29, and by letting the axis 66 of rotation of the supporting roll 62 be at a slightly higher level than the axis 27 of rotation of the supporting wheel. However, the supporting rolls 62 are not arranged in a line with the traversing wheels 26 as seen from above, but are displaced sideways relative to these in order to run along a line which extends on either side of the guiding rail 22. As can be seen from Figs. 9 and 10, the guiding rail is, on both sides, surrounded by a plurality of supporting rails arranged in fixed positions and with a fixed length along a carefully calculated pattern, so that the supporting wheels by rolling on the supporting surface 69 to a portion of the supporting rail 67, 68, supports the neighbouring traversing wheel 26 across all the recesses which the traversing wheel has to pass between open and closed position of the gate, without being in contact with any supporting rail 68 in that position when the traversing wheel is exactly in front of "its own" recess 60, i.e. when the gate is in closed position. As can be seen from Fig. 1, this requires the supporting rolls 62 to also be arranged in a chosen pattern, at a certain axial distance from their corresponding traversing wheels 26. Since the supporting rolls 62 in the example shown can be arranged on either side of the path of movement of the traversing wheels, two supporting rolls can thus be arranged at the same axial distance from the traversing wheels, and in the example shown, a total of seven supporting rolls are arranged in the gate. The supporting rolls must be arranged in a total of four positions relative to their corresponding traversing wheels. To achieve the above described movement between an open and closed position of the sliding gate, there is arranged a drive mechanism, as suggested in Figs. 2 and 9. In the example shown, the drive mechanism is a drive engine 70, which can be fixedly attached to the one side wall 14 in a position which is outside of the end position of the outermost gate section 10 in open condition. The drive engine 70 is preferably of the kind with a rotating external axis, for example a hydraulic engine with a pinion on the external axis, which drives a drive chain, which extends along the outer wall up to the main shielding plane of the gate i.e. essentially the vertical plane which extends through the line of symmetry 55 of the gate, at which end the drive chain is relinked by a link wheel. The gate is moved down by the drive chain, due to the fact that the outermost gate section 10 at its outer edge section 72 is linked to the chain in such a way that the edge section is allowed to fold around a vertical axis adjacent to the outer edge section. The outer gate section 10 does not completely follow the path of movement of the other gate sections, but only moves in a straight line with its outer edge section 72 up to load absorbing fixed stops 73 in the shape of separate ribs or a vertical beam at the side wall 14. Due to the straightened position of the outer gate section, in line with the other gate sections, the entire gate is locked against movements in the plane which the gate shields, i.e. along the line 55. Side forces against the outer gate section 10 which strive to turn this back towards open position are counteracted by means of a locking mechanism suggested in Fig. 1, in the shape of, for example, locking elements 74, which by means of hydraulic cylinders 75 are moved between a releasing position and a locking position shown in Fig. 1, with the locking elements moved into holes through flanges, which have been attached both to the outer edge section 72 of the gate section, and which also protrude from the side wall 14. When the sliding gate is in its closed position, all the traversing wheels 26 are thus positioned in their respective recesses 60, at the same time as the lower edge sealing 57 is in sealing contact with the sealing rail 59. This position causes a distinct closed position, which the gate, of its own, will strive to obtain as soon as the wheels with their cylindrical rolling surface 29, have passed the outer edges 76 of the recesses, see Fig. 7. In order to leave this position, an initial force is necessary, which exceeds the normal force needed to move the sliding gate, since the traversing wheels have to roll a distance up a leaning plane 77, and also because the lower edge sealing 57, due to its sealing contact with the sealing rail causes a friction force which must be overcome. For this purpose, the sliding gate, in the example shown, is equipped with a starting mechanism, which is shown in a detailed view in Figs. 11 and 12. The starting mechanism 78 consists mainly of a part which is arranged at the side wall 13 which is located opposite to the stowed-away position of the gate at the side wall 14, and which can be switched between an idle position, shown in Fig. 11, and an activated position shown in Fig. 12. The starting mechanism, in the example shown, consists of an essentially vertically arranged hydraulic cylinder 79, which at its lower end is mounted at a flange 80 at the wall 13, and which, with its piston rod 81 supports a wedge organ 82 which tapers upwards, and has a wedge surface 83 which leans downwards from the wall. The wedge organ 82 is equipped with flange organs, which run in a vertical guide 84, which has been attached to the side wall 13. The starting mechanism 78 comprises a moving part 85, which moves with the sliding gate, and which is fixedly attached on the left edge of the left gate section 1, and which protrudes from this as a rib with an edge or a surface 86, which, in order to come into surface contact with the wedge surface 83 preferably extends in parallel with it. The surface 86 forms a supporting surface, which in the closed position of the gate is positioned above the wedge surface 83 in the way of the path of movement of the wedge organ 82. When the gate is to be opened from the closed position shown in Fig. 1, both the starting mechanism 78 and the drive unit 70 are activated, to cause an opening movement of the gate. At the same time as the drive unit 70 causes a traction force on all of the gate sections 1-10 of the gate, in the horizontal direction of the gate, i.e. its opening direction, by applying a traction force on the outermost gate 10, the hydraulic cylinder 78 of the starting mechanism for the wedge organ 82 is activated upwards along its guide 84, which adds a transversal force to the traction force on the gate sections when the wedge surface 83 presses against the supporting surface 86, and during gliding contact applies a horizontal force component against the supporting surface 86 and via the rib 85 helps the drive unit to move the gate sections, more precisely the transversing wheels 26, up the leaning plane 77 in the recesses 60 and up onto the horizontal portion of the tread 61 of the rail. A smaller force is required on horizontal tread, which can be managed by the drive unit 70, which is dimensioned to overcome friction forces in the traversing wheels, caused by i.a. the continuously applied pressure force from the fixed springs 45, and the leaning of the ship caused by heeling and trimming. Fig. 13, which shows a cut XIII-XIII of Fig. 11, shows parts of the starting mechanism 78, but also shows the outer edge sealing 87 of the sliding gate, which is attached to a flange 88 at the outer edge part 89 of the left gate section 1. The outer edge sealing 87 is formed by a sealing strip with a mainly vertical extension, which extends across the entire edge section 89 of the gate, and which has its main direction parallel to the horizontal extension of the side wall 13, and which interacts with a tight flange 90 with a sloping edge 91, which flange protrudes from the side wall across the height of the gate. Due to the width of the flange 90, relatively large variations in the width of the cargo space can be absorbed, which thus do not need to be absorbed by the flexibility of the sealing strip, but which is entirely decided by the dimensioning of the gate in interaction with the position of the flange 90. Due to the gliding movement which is necessary against the sealing surface 92 of the flange, a further initial resistance is caused, which is overcome by the starting mechanism according to the invention. The cut view according to Fig. 14 is positioned somewhat lower, more precisely along the line XIV-XIV in Fig. 11, and shows side load absorbing organs, in the shape of two fork-shaped ribs 93 on the outer edge part 89 of the left section. Between the ribs 93 there is a space 94, into which a fixed faucet 95 is arranged to protrude in the closed position of the gate. The faucet 95 protrudes from the side wall 13, and has sloping guiding surfaces 96 in order to, in interaction with suitably sloping guiding edges on the fork organs 93, guide the gate to its correct position. These side load absorbing organs 93, 94 are, in the example shown, arranged in three positions along the height of the gate to distribute the load absorption. In conclusion, the sliding gate according to the invention, due to its design, saves a great deal of space and can be opened and closed after fully completed loading of a large cargo space, for example in a ro-ro ship, and before unloading, since the sliding gate requires a minimal space for its movement. The sliding gate also requires very limited amount of space in its closed respectively open positions, and limits the cargo height only with the height of the upper and lower fixed rails of the gate. Since the gate is attached both at its lower and upper parts, and is also, by means of a fixing organ, fixed between its attachment points, at the same time as those surfaces which absorb side loads are mainly perpendicular against the direction of force of the side loads, the gate can withstand large forces both statical and dynamical. In the case of water pressure from one side only, the load is triangular, i.e. the load increases downwards and, further, the pre-tension is not symmetrical due to the weight of the sliding door, whereby the lower traversing wheels 26 are arranged to endure larger side loads. Due to the circumferential sealing of both the outer contour of the gate, as well as each gate section, water masses which have flowed into one section which haε been cut off by the sliding gate according to the invention are blocked. The recesses 60 cause not only a sealing position and a distinct closed position, but also cause a raised force absorbing contact surface between the flanges of the traversing wheel and the side surfaces of the tread. The invention is not limited to the above described and in the drawings shown embodiments, but can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the following patent claims, it is for example possible to let the sliding gate seal tight all the way up to the upper guiding rail 15. It is for example possible to replace the traversing wheels with gliding elements. It is further possible to roll the sliding gate up to the ceiling, i.e. to arrange the guiding rails along the side wall. The recesses 60 can have another shape for example an arc-shape with the same radius as the tread of the traversing wheels.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. Arrangement for gates in spaces (11) in ships, consisting of a number of gate sections (1-10), which are joined together via folding joints (18) and which are arranged to, by means of a drive unit (70), be moved between a shielding position in which said space is shielded off across a shielding surface, and a stowed-away position, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said gate sections (1-10) are, by means of moving guiding and attachment organs (26,40), which accompany the movement of the gate sections, guided during said movement of the gate sections, and attached by engagement with fixed elongated attachment organs (22, 32) in said space (11). 2. Arrangement according to patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said engagement is secured by means of fixing means (45) which are arranged to, by means of the moving fixing organs, fix the gate sections between said fixed attachment organs. 3. Arrangement according to patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said fixed attachment organs consist of guiding rails (22, 32), and in that said moving attachment organs consist of traversing wheels (26, 40) arranged to run on their corresponding guiding rail, and in that said engagement is brought about by side load absorbing surfaces (24, 25, 38, 39) on both the guiding rails and the traversing wheels. 4. Arrangement according to patent claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said side load absorbing surfaces (24, 25, 38, 39) consist of outwards facing side surfaces of said guiding rails (22, 32) and inwards facing surfaces of flanges (30, 31, 50, 51) of the traversing wheels (26, 40). 5. Arrangement according to patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that one of the guiding rails (22) has a number of recesses (60), said number corresponding to the number of traversing wheels (26) guided by said guiding rail, said recesses being arranged to receive said traversing wheels in the shielding position of the gate. 6. Arrangement according to patent claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said guiding rail (22) consists of a guiding rail attached on a lower surface (12) in the space, and in that the gate sections (1-19) at their lower part have a lower edge sealing (57) which is arranged to assume a sealing position against a sealing surface (58) when the traversing wheels (26) are positioned in their recesses (60) . 7. Arrangement according to patent claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said fixing means (45) consist of a spring mechanism (45) arranged to support said traversing wheel, with one such fixing mechanism for each traversing wheel (40) arranged on the second guiding rail (32).

Inventors: CARLSSON JAN-OVE, CARLSSON, JAN-OVE
Applicants: CARLSSON JAN OVE, MACGREGOR SWE AB, CARLSSON, JAN-OVE, MACGREGOR (SWE) AB
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B63B43
IPC codes: B63B19, B63B43