Abstract:
A scupper plug apparatus is foot-operable, by a person standing next to the scupper, to apply substantially more force for sealing the scupper than is typically achievable through application of force by the hand or arm of a person installing a scupper plug. A resilient body of the scupper plug formed from highly conformable closed-cell foam to closely match the shape of the scupper. A rolling member is used as a cam follower in an actuation arrangement for compressing the resilient body.

Description:
FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     This invention (Navy Case No. 97,901) is assigned to the United States Government and is available for licensing for commercial purposes. Licensing and technical inquires may be directed to the Office of Research and Technical Applications, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Code 2112, San Diego, Calif. 92152; voice (619) 553-2778; email T2@spawar.navy.mil. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Large ships, such as military fleet oilers, often have vertical coamings or bulwarks extending upward from the intersection of the deck and the hull of the ship, which in some cases extend upward from the deck to waist-height of a person standing on the deck. Such coamings and bulwarks typically include a plurality of openings, known as deck drains or “scuppers” at deck level, to permit controlled drainage overboard of water landing on the deck from waves while the ship is at sea, or from rainfall while the ship is at sea or in port. Such scuppers may take a variety of shapes including rectangular, round, half-round or ovoid, as is known in the art. 
     To protect the marine environment from pollution, it is sometimes necessary to temporarily seal the scuppers in a manner which prevents oily deck water from draining overboard. For example, in some ports, oil tankers tied next to a pier are required to retain all rainwater falling on the deck during fueling operations. To comply with such regulations, the scuppers draining deck water must be temporarily blocked in a manner allowing the rainwater to be collected from the deck in a controlled manner. 
     In the past, two primary approaches were utilized for temporarily sealing scuppers for containing deck water. In the first approach, standard-shaped, commercially available, rubber plugs having a general shape somewhat similar to the scupper opening in which they were to be used were compressed using a compression apparatus including two metal plates disposed on either end of the plug and a center bolt passing through the plugged end metal plates and secured by one or more wing nuts on threaded portions at one or both ends of the center bolt. The intent was that, as the wing nuts were tightened, the rubber plug would be compressed enough to conform to, and seal the scupper opening. Experience has shown, however, that the rubber used in standard size and shaped rubber plugs is too hard to adequately seal to the irregular surfaces found on shipboard scuppers and drains. This problem is exacerbated by the wing nuts not providing adequate leverage to sufficiently compress the rubber between the end plates. 
     In the second previously-used approach, wood blocks are temporarily cemented in place over the scuppers or deck drains using a type of adhesive or mortar. Although this method achieves a complete seal of the scupper, it is a highly labor-intensive process to install and remove the wood blocks, and often results in damage to the paint or protective coatings on the scuppers and adjacent surfaces. 
     An additional disadvantage of the prior approaches to temporarily blocking scuppers, is that both previously-used approaches required a considerable amount of bending over or kneeling down on the steel deck of the ship to install and remove the plugs. 
     It is desirable, therefore, to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for temporarily blocking a scupper or deck drain on a ship, in a manner which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages described above, or providing other advantages as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a new and improved method and apparatus for temporarily blocking a scupper opening on a ship through use of a scupper plug apparatus having an actuating arrangement which is capable of providing significantly more clamping force to a resilient body of the plug than was achievable in previously utilized approaches to temporarily blocking scupper openings. In some forms of the invention, the scupper plug apparatus is foot-operable, by a person standing next to the scupper, to thereby allow for application of substantially more force to an actuation lever of the scupper plug apparatus than is typically achievable through application of force by the hand or arm of a person installing a scupper plug. In some forms of the invention, the resilient body is composed of a closed-cell foam material which is more conformable to the shape of the scupper opening than the materials used in prior scupper plug approaches. In some forms of the invention, the resilient body is also molded to closely match the shape of a known scupper profile, when the resilient body is in a relaxed state, to thereby provide improved sealing between the resilient body and the scupper opening when the resilient body is compressed by an actuation apparatus in such a manner that an outer periphery of the resilient body expands into sealing contact with the scupper opening. Embodiments of the invention may also include a cam follower in the form of a rolling member to facilitate operation of an actuation arrangement used for compressing the resilient body. 
     These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings, where like numbers illustrate like components: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are a side view and a front view, respectively, of an exemplary embodiment of a locking, foot-operated scupper plug, according to the invention, for use in a rectangular-shaped scupper opening. 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are side views of the exemplary embodiment of the foot-operated scupper plug shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with  FIG. 3  showing the scupper plug in an unlocked position thereof with a resilient body of the scupper plug in a relaxed position, and  FIG. 4  showing the foot-operated scupper plug in a locked position thereof with the resilient body in an expanded position thereof. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are a side view and a front view, respectively, of a second exemplary embodiment of a foot-operated scupper plug, according to the invention, for use in a round scupper opening, rather than the rectangular scupper opening shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a first exemplary embodiment of a foot-operable scupper plug  10 , for blocking a scupper opening  12  on a ship, where the scupper has a scupper wall  14  defining a rectangular scupper shape, in combination with a deck  16  of the ship. 
     The first exemplary embodiment of the foot-operable scupper plug  10  includes a resilient body  18  and a foot-operable actuating arrangement  20 . 
     The resilient body  18  has a periphery  22  thereof, which substantially matches the scupper shape, and is adapted for insertion into the scupper opening  12 , when the resilient body  18  is in a relaxed state thereof, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . 
     The foot-operable actuating arrangement  20  is operatively mounted on and connected to the resilient body  18 , in a manner described in more detail below, for compressing the resilient body  18  in a manner urging at least a portion of the outer periphery  22  of the resilient body  18  to expand outward in an expanded state, as shown in  FIG. 4 . As the resilient body  18  is expanded outward, it comes into operative sealed engagement with the scupper wall  14 , when the resilient body  18  is disposed within the scupper opening  12  with the resilient body  18  in the expanded state illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     In preferred embodiments of the invention, the resilient body  18  is configured to have a periphery  22  which closely matches the scupper opening  12 , in the manner shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , such that the resilient body  18  need only expand enough to close a small gap remaining between the periphery  22  and the scupper wall  14  or the deck  16 . In addition, it is contemplated that the resilient body be fabricated from a material such as a closed cell neoprene foam, having a durometer of zero, or an equivalent material, which is capable of readily expanding into and conforming to the shape of the scupper opening  12 , to thereby provide a tight seal. It is contemplated that other appropriate types of foam or solid elastomers may also be used for forming the resilient body, such as, but not limited to, buna-N, Viton, and polyurethane. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the foot-operable actuating arrangement  20 , in the first exemplary embodiment of the foot-operable scupper plug  10 , includes a foot-operable lever  24 , having proximal and distal ends  26 ,  28  thereof. The proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever  24  is mounted to the resilient body  18  in a manner described in more detail below. The distal end  28  of the foot-operable lever  24  is configured for selective application thereto of an actuating force F, which can be applied by the foot of a person standing on the deck  16  near the scupper opening  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the distal end  28  of the foot-operable lever  24  is selectively moveable through an arc  30  about the proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever  24 , between a first position thereof, as shown in solid lines in  FIG. 3 , whereat the resilient body  18  is in the relaxed state, and a second position thereof, as shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 3 , whereat the resilient body  18  is in the expanded state thereof as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the resilient body  18  defines a compression axis  32  thereof, with the periphery  22  of the body  18  being disposed substantially radially about the compression axis  32 . 
     The actuation arrangement  20  is configured and operatively attached to the resilient body  18  in such a manner that movement of the foot-operable lever  24  from the first position toward the second position thereof, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , causes the actuation arrangement  20  to compress the resilient body  18  in a direction parallel to the compression axis  32 . The resulting compression of the resilient body  18  along the compression axis  32  causes the periphery  22  of the resilient body to expand substantially radially from the compression axis. 
     The actuation arrangement  20  further includes first and second compression plates  34 ,  36  a pair of tension members in the form of tie bolts  38  (as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  2 ), and a pivot pin  40 . 
     The first and second compression plates  34 ,  36  are disposed respectively at first and second axial ends of the resilient body  18 . The tie bolts extend from the first compression plate  34 , substantially parallel to the compression axis  32 , and successively through the resilient body  18  and the second compression plate  36 . The tie bolts  38  have first and second axial ends  42 ,  44  thereof, with the first axial end  42  of the tie bolts  38  being operatively attached to the first compression plate  32 , for urging movement of the first compression plate  34  along the compression axis  32  toward the second compression plate  36  when the tie bolts  38  are placed into tension. 
     The pivot pin  40  is slidingly disposed in a bore extending transversely through the proximal end  26  of the foot-operated lever  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , and operatively connected to the second ends  44  of the tie bolts  38 , for exerting a pulling force on the second ends  44  of the tie bolts  38 , as the foot-operable lever  24  is moved form the first position toward the second position thereof, and conversely, for relieving the pulling force as the foot-operable lever  24  is moved from the second position toward the first position. 
     The proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever  24  defines a cam surface  46  thereof, configured to bear against the outer surface of the second compression plate  36  opposite from the resilient body  18 , in such a manner that tension in the tie bolts  38  is transferred to the second compression plate  36  as a corresponding compressive force by the cam surface  46  of the proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever  24 , to thereby urge compression of the resilient body  18  between the first and second compression plates  34 ,  36  along the compression axis  32 . 
     In the first exemplary embodiment of the foot-operable scupper plug  10 , according to the invention, the cam surface  46  of the proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever  24  is partially defined by the outer surfaces of a pair of rolling elements, in the form of a pair of ball bearings  48  journalled about a bearing shaft  50  extending transversely through the proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever  24 . The bearing shaft  50  and bearings  48  are configured and disposed such that an outer surfaces of the bearings  48  provide rolling contact along the second compression plate  36  as the foot-operable lever  24  is moved between the first and the second positions thereof. Those having skill in the art will readily recognize that this arrangement substantially reduces frictional forces which would otherwise be encountered in moving the foot-operable lever  24  between the first to the second positions thereof. It will be further recognized, however, that in other embodiments of the invention, other types of friction-reducing arrangements may be utilized along the cam surface  46  to facilitate operation of the foot-operable lever  24 . It will also be recognized, that in some embodiments no friction-reducing element will be provided along the cam surface  46 , while still remaining within the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. 
     The actuating arrangement  20 , for the first exemplary embodiment of the invention  10  further includes an over-center locking arrangement  52 , for locking the foot-operable lever  24  in a locked position corresponding to the second position of the lever. The locking arrangement  52  in the exemplary embodiment  10  of the invention is achieved by configuring the proximal end  26  of the foot-operable lever to include first and second flat surfaces  54 ,  56  on either side of the bearings  48 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , in such a manner that the first and second positions of the foot-operable lever  24  respectively correspond to an unlocked position and a locked position of the foot-operable lever  24 . Stated another way, the first flat surface  54  bears against the second compression plate  36 , in the manner shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , to preclude movement of the foot-operable lever  24  along the arc  30 , when the lever  24  is in the unlocked position shown in  FIG. 3 . In similar fashion, the second flat surface  56  prevents the foot-operable lever  24  from being moved out of the locked position due to forces being generated on the actuation apparatus  20  by the resilient body  18 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show a second exemplary embodiment of a foot-operable scupper plug  100 , according to the invention, which includes a resilient body  102 , and a foot-operable actuating apparatus  104 . In general, the foot-operable actuating arrangement  104  of the second exemplary embodiment  20  is substantially identical in construction and operation to the foot-operable actuating arrangement  20  of the first exemplary embodiment  10 . The first and second compression plates  106 ,  108 , and the resilient body  102  of the second embodiment  100  are configured to fit into and be used with a scupper opening having a round shape, rather than the rectangular-shaped scupper opening  12  illustrated and described above with regard to the first exemplary embodiment  10  with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 . It will be understood, that, in various embodiments of the invention, the first and second compression plates and resilient body of a scupper plug in accordance with the invention will generally be shaped to conform closely to the shape of the scupper opening in which they are intended to be used. 
     It is contemplated that the resilient body  20 ,  102 , in a scupper plug apparatus or method, according to the invention, will preferably be molded into the desired shape, so as to provide only a small clearance between the periphery of the resilient body and the scupper opening in which it is to be used. By virtue of this arrangement, the amount of actuating force which must be applied to obtain a tight seal between the periphery of the resilient body and the scupper opening is substantially reduced, as compared to prior apparatuses and methods. In addition, as previously stated, it is contemplated that low durometer materials may be used for forming the resilient bodies in scupper plug apparatuses, according to the invention, to further reduce the amount of compression force required, and to provide for substantially improved conformability of the periphery of the resilient body to the scupper opening than was achievable with prior methods and apparatuses. 
     In some forms of the invention, the length of tie bolts  38 , or other tensioning members in accordance with the invention, may be threadably adjustable to thereby allow for some degree of adjustment of the compressive force exerted, and expansion of the outer periphery of the resilient member. It will also be noted that, by virtue of this arrangement, the resilient body may be replaced when damaged or worn, by unthreading the tension member in such a manner that the resilient body may be removed and replaced. It is also contemplated, that in some embodiments of the invention, a single actuating arrangement may be supplied in a kit with a variety of different size and shape resilient bodies and matching first and second compression plates, which can be alternately attached to the remainder of the actuation arrangement to match the shape of the resilient member to a variety of different scupper shapes. 
     It will also be understood, that although the exemplary embodiment discussed herein have all been foot-operable, it is contemplated that the invention may be practiced in forms which are not adapted to be foot-operable, or in applications where the actuating force is applied to a foot-operable apparatus, according to the invention, by hand, or in some manner other than through pressure from the foot of a person standing next to the scupper. 
     It is also noted that, although the exemplary embodiment disclosed herein had the actuating lever extending substantially transverse to the compression axis, when the resilient body is in its relaxed state, and extending more or less parallel to the compression axis when the resilient body is in its extended state, in other embodiments of the invention, the actuating arrangement may be reconfigured to operate substantially oppositely, within the teachings of the invention, such that the actuating lever would extend substantially parallel to the compression axis when the resilient body is in a relaxed state, and substantially perpendicular to the compression axis when the resilient body is in the expanded state. Such an arrangement might be preferable, for instance, in applications such as closing scuppers in the hull of a ship, where it would be desirable to have the actuating arrangement work substantially opposite from the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, such that the actuating lever would extend perpendicular to the hull when the resilient body was in the relaxed state and parallel to the hull when the resilient body was in its extended state. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
     Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventor for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. 
     It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principal and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.