Patent GB-713666-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to arrangements for the remote control of elements such as fluid-tight doors in ships or for similar applications
IPC: E05F15/02
Filed: 1951-09-11
Abstract: 713,666. Hydraulic machines. MERCIER, J. Sept. 11, 1951 [Sept. 20, 1950 ; Jan. 13, 1951 ; July 19, 1951], No. 21421/51. Class 69 (2). [Also in Group XXV] A ship's bulkhead door 49 is operated by a double-acting hydraulic jack 85, the admission of pressure fluid to the jack being controlled by a distributer valve 48 connected to the jack by pipes 81, 82, and pressure fluid is supplied either by motor operated pump 15 in a central hydraulic station 11, or by a local hand-operated pump 66, or by an emergency, hand-operated pump 74. The distributer comprises a cylinder having an admission port connected to a delivery pipe 47, feed ports connected to the pipes 81, 82 respectively, and exhaust ports connected to a pipe 62 which returns to the station 11 via an auxiliary reservoir 63. The distributer cylinder contains a plunger formed with ports 98, 99, 101 of full cylinder diameter separated by ports 96, 97 of reduced diameter. The end port 101 is connected to a lever 103 articulated to a second lever 111 situated on the opposite side of the bulkhead 109. An extension 115 of the plunger passes through a free plate 118 and a fixed plate 117 abutted by a pair of springs 116, 121. The stronger spring 116 also abuts the plate 118 for urging the latter to close the end of the cylinder, and the weaker spring 121 also abuts a collar 122 on the extension 115 to urge the collar against the plate 118 and to bias the distributer to the door-closing position. The extension 115 carries a solenoid core 125 surrounded by solenoid coils 126, 127 controlled respectively by double-pole switches 133, 135 in a central control station 24, the common lead to the coils containing switches 131', 131" situated on opposite sides of the bulkhead adjacent the door. If the pump motor 16 is started by a switch 23 in the control station, and switches 133, 135 are open, fluid feeds through pipes 33, 47, 81 and returns through pipes 82, 62 to operate the jack in the door-closing direction, the pump motor being stopped by an excess pressure-operated switch 19 when the door is fully closed. If switch 135 is then closed, the weaker coil 127 moves the plunger against the weaker spring 121 until part 98 abuts plate 118, when part 99 closes the port connected to pipe 47 the distributer then being in a neutral position. Closing switch 133 energizes the stronger coil 126 to move the plunger until pipe 47 is connected via port 97 to pipe 82, and pipe 62 via port 96 to pipe 81. Fluid will then flow, if the motor is inoperative, from a main accumulator 32 or an auxiliary accumulator 40, to move the jack in the dooropening. The door can be closed in an emergency by opening either of the switches 131', 131<SP>11</SP>. In the event of a power failure the door can be operated by the local pump 66 situated adjacent the door and operable from either side of the bulkhead, the distributer being appropriately set by one of the levers 103,111. The door may also be closed by the pump 74 supplied from a reservoir 71. A single coil and a variable resistance may replace the coils 126, 127. In a modification (Fig. 4) a solenoid coil 216, when energized, attracts a lever 214 provided with a catch end 213, the latter then retaining a spring- biased lever 208 against an abutment 211. The lever 208 is connected through a spring device 205 to a lever 202 which is also connected to a spring 204 and to an extension 200 of the plunger of the distributer 48. The arrangement is such that, when the lever 208 is held by the catch, the distributer is in the neutral position and the spring 204 is stressed. The device 205 is so constructed that the lever 202 may be either raised or lowered to move the distributer into the door-opening or door-closing position, the lever 202 when released being restored to the neutral position by the spring 204 or spring device 205 respectively. If the coil is de-energized by the opening of a main control switch 237, a branch control switch 221 or either of a pair of emergency switches 219, 220, the spring 204 moves the distributer to the door-closing position. The system is so arranged that a supply of fluid from the distributer always over-rides the emergency pump 74. When fluid flows in the doorclosing direction in pipe 81, a movable member 228' in the jack closes the supply pipe 228 from the pump 74. Operation of the latter then causes a valve 227 in a cylinder 223 to open when fluid delivered from said pump returns to the reservoir 71 by a pipe 229. When fluid flows in the door-opening direction in pipe 82, the pressure is transmitted by a pipe 222 to the cylinder 223, a piston 224 with an extension 226 being thereby moved to close the outlet pipe 225 from pump 74 and to open valve 227. The exhaust from the jack is then delivered via pipes 228 and 229 to the reservoir 71, and the operation of pump 74 results in a return of fluid through a safety valve (not shown) to the reservoir 71. In a further modification the distributer (Fig. 6) has no neutral position. In the door-closing position, as shown, pipes 47 and 81 are connected together through an axial duct 257 in the distributer plunger, and pipes 62 and 82 are connected together via an intermediate part 256 of the plunger of reduced diameter. The plunger is moved towards the right into the door-opening position by a solenoid against spring means to connect pipes 47 and 82 via the part 256, and pipes 62 and 81 directly. The emergency switch adjacent the door comprises a plug member connected by a chain to the handle of the local pump 66, so as to be disconnected when the latter is operated. In a further modification (Fig. 8), the system is wholly hand-operated. A main pump 317 operates a jack 354 via a distributer 334, the jack being operable alternatively by a local pump 371. The distributer, which has a hand lever 343, is urged to the door-closing position, as shown, by a spring 348. The distributer plunger then closes the return pipe 330 and connects together pipes 332 and 351, from the pumps and the jack respectively, via an intermediate reduced part 342 of the plunger. The side of the jack cylinder containing the piston rod is connected by pipe 357 to pipe 332. Pressure on both sides of the jack piston is thus equal, but the piston will move towards the right owing to the smaller effective area on that side. The distributer plunger, in the door-opening position, closes pipe 332 and connects together pipes 330 and 351. In a modification of the system shown in Fig. 8 the handle 343 is replaced by a lever pivoted to the hand lever of pump 371 and connected to the distributer plunger by a flexible cable. In a yet further modification the system is also wholly hand operated, but the central pump over-rides the local pump. The distributer is of the kind shown in Fig. 6, and the jack is of the kind shown in Fig. 4. The pressure in the discharge pipe from the central pump is arranged to displace the movable member 228' in the jack to close the pipe 81 from the distributer.