Patent GB-190320987-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Hydraulic Apparatus for Opening and Closing Bulk-head Doors and for like use.
Inventor: BRANDT HEINRICH OTTO
Filed: 1903-09-30
Granted: 1904-09-15
Abstract: 20,987. Brandt, H. O. Sept. 30. Bulkhead doors.-Relates to hydraulic apparatus for closing bulkhead doors simultaneously from the bridge in which the initial and final movement of the door takes place under the full pressure of the water on the actuating-piston, while the intermediate movement is effected while the top and bottom portions of the cylinder are connected together, so that the effective size of the cylinder is equal to that of the piston-rod, and the amount of water needed to close the door is proportionately diminished ; any door can also be closed independently of the rest by a handle in proximity to it, in which case the door cannot be opened again from the bridge ; when the doors have been closed from the bridge, they cannot be opened by the operation of the handle. Fig. 1 shows a general view of the apparatus when the door 12 is about to be closed from the bridge. The water under pressure flows from the pipe 2, through the valve 1 on the bridge and the pipe 6 to the valve 8, shown in section in Fig. 5, which is in such a position that the water flows to the pipe 9 and thence to the top of the cylinder, the bottom of the cylinder being connected through the pipe 10 to the exhaust pipe 7. When the door has fallen a short distance, the cam-plate 14 attached to it presses the lever 25 downwards and outwards, and thereby twists the valve-spindle into the position shown in Fig. 6. The pipes 6, 10, and 9 are now connected together, and the exhaust pipe is cut off so that the cylinder now acts as if it had the same volume as the piston-rod. Finally, the cam-plate 14 engages the lever 31 and turns the valve back into its former position, so that the final closing of the door is effected by the full pressure of water on the piston. The linkwork is so arranged that in each case the valve-spindle is rotated exactly to the desired position. When it is desired to close the door independently of the other doors in the ship, a lever is turned by means of the handle 24 into the position shown in Fig. 9, the valve 8 being thereby turned into the position shown in Fig. 11. The other doors being open, the pipe 2 is in connection with the pipe 7 while the pipe 6 is connected to the exhaust, so that water then flows from the pipe 7 to the top part of the cylinder, the top and bottom parts of the cylinder being connected together. When the door is nearly closed, the cam-plate 17, which is in a different plane to the cam-plate 14, engages the lever 34, and twists the valve into the position shown in Fig. 12, when the full pressure of water acts upon the piston, the water on the underside of the piston escaping through the non-return valve 19 to the exhaust pipe 6. If now the valve 1 is operated so as to close the rest of the doors, the pipe 6 becomes the pressure pipe, and the valve 19 is shut, as otherwise the door 12 would be opened by the water passing into the pipe 10. The plug 36, Fig. 13, of the valve 8 is of conical shape, and is held tightly in position by the pressure of the valve cover 38 acting through the pressure-pieces 39, 40, which also maintain the packing 41 for the plug in position. Passengers 42 are formed in the wall of the valve to permit the water under pressure to act upon the end of the plug, so as to maintain it tightly on its seat.