Improvements in Ships' Side Lights.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1900-Accepted, 28th July, 1900
Improvements in Ships' Side Lights.
I, WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E., of 62, Saint Vincent Street, in the City of
Glasgow, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(as communicated to me by Johannes Morssink, Shipyard Manager, 27, Rose-
straat, Rotterdam, Holland) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to ships' side lights for use more especially for deck-
houses and it has for its object to adapt such side lights to be opened and closed
from the inside without the use of spanners.
In the improved side light the door or window frame which is or may be of
rectangular shape is hinged or pivoted at one side to projecting brackets or snugs
on the main or fixed frame, the position of the hinge centre being such as to
allow of the door lying against the woodwork of the deckhouse and to permit
of the door being closed without friction of the usual projecting rim on the
rubber seat against which it bears.
In guideways on each side of the door or window frame sliding racks are fitted
having on them inclined flanges or wedges, which when the door is closed are
adapted to enter under corresponding inclined planes or snugs or projections on
the fixed frame; and in gear with the teeth of said racks toothed segments or
pinions are fitted and centred on the door, the segments or pinions being furnished
with lever handles by means of which they may be turned or partially rotated in
order to traverse the sliding racks with the wedge pieces under the inclined
planes. By this means the door is pressed hard down with the projecting rim
upon its rubber seating and is closed completely by direct pressure and not by
moving it along the rubber surface which would require greater power and cause
wear and tear of the rubber packing and consequent liability to leakage.
To prevent the door straining and causing the glass to break, the holes in
which the hinge pins work are made oval so as to admit of free motion in the
direction in which the door is ultimately pressed. A draining trough for carry-
ing off any water that may lodge against the door is or may be formed in the
fixed frame.
Dated this 11th day of August 1899

page_text: (as communicated to me by Johannes Morssink, Shipyard Manager, 27, Rose-
straat, Rotterdam, Holland) and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improved means for the tightly closing of a ship's
side light or other door upon its frame and when applied to ship's side lights
for use more especially for deckhouses such side lights are adapted to be opened
and closed from the inside without the use of spanners.
In this invention the door or window frame which is or may be of rectangular
shape is hinged or pivoted at one side to projecting brackets or snugs on the main
or fixed frame the position of the hinge centre being such as to allow of the door
lying against the woodwork of the deckhouse, and means are provided to permit
of the door being closed without sliding friction of the usual projecting rim on
the rubber seat against which it bears.
In guideways on each side of the door or window frame slides are fitted having
on them inclined flanges or wedges, which when the door is closed are adapted to
enter under corresponding inclined planes or snugs or projections on the fixed
frame; the slides may be moved by any suitable means and if toothed I provide
toothed segments or pinions fitted and centred on the door, the segments or
pinions being furnished with lever handles by means of which they may be
turned or partially rotated in order to traverse the sliding racks with the wedge
pieces under the inclined planes. By this means the door is pressed hard down
with the projecting rim upon its rubber seating and is closed completely by
direct pressure and not by moving it along the rubber surface which would require
greater power and cause wear and tear of the rubber packing and consequent
liability to leakage.
To prevent the door straining and causing the glass to break, the holes in
which the hinge pins work are made oval so as to admit of free motion in the
direction in which the door is ultimately pressed. A draining trough for carry-
ing off any water that may lodge against the door is or may be formed in the
fixed frame.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is an elevation of the inner side of a rect-
angular side light of this description suitable for a deckhouse, Fig. 2 a plan
view, Fig. 3 a side view, Fig. 4 a central vertical section, and Fig. 5 a horizontal
section on the line a-b, Fig. 1.
The door or window frame or sash A is hinged at one side to projecting brackets
or snugs B on the fixed frame C, the position of the hinge centre being such as
to allow of the door A when open lying against the woodwork of the deckhouse
and the construction is such as to permit of the door being closed without
friction of the usual projecting rim on the rubber seat against which it bears.
For this purpose the frame A is formed along each side with a guideway D
wherein are fitted sliding toothed slides or racks E having on them inclined
flanges or wedges F which when the door is closed as shewn enter under corre-
sponding inclined planes on snugs G on the fixed frame C. In gear with the
teeth of the racks E tooth segments or pinions H are fitted and centred in lugs A¹
on the door A; these pinions are furnished with lever handles I by means of
which they may be partially rotated in order to traverse the sliding racks E and
bring their wedges Funder the inclined planes on the cleats G on the fixed
frame C. By this means the door A is pressed hard down with its projecting
rim A2 upon its rubber seating K and is closed completely by direct pressure
and not as heretofore usual in side lights and the like by moving the rim A
upon the surface of the rubber.seating K, which not only requires greater power
but also causes wear and tear of the rubber and consequent liability to leakage.
The holes in which the hinge pins work are made oval as shewn in Fig. 5 for
the purpose of giving free motion in the direction in which the door is ultimately
pressed. L is a draining trough on the fixed frame C for carrying off any water
that may lodge against the door.

page_text: Figs. 6 to 10 shew arrangements wherein the pinions H are on spindles which
stand out vertically from the door, instead of being parallel therewith as in the
previous example. The teeth in the slide E are along the side edge of same.
In Figs. 6 and 7 the teeth are along the outer side edge while in Figs. 8 and 9
the teeth are along the inner side edge. Fig. 10 forms a side view of both
arrangements. Stops M are provided on the door.
For circular side lights the slides H would form parts of a circular ring and
work in guides of corresponding circular form.
When the invention is applied to bulkhead doors and other heavy doors the
pinions H of Figs. 1 to 5 would be on one transverse spindle which could be
fitted with a worm wheel operated by a worm.
Although in the above examples I have only shown the slides H in the form
of tooth racks moved by pinions I do not confine myself to this construction, as
other means may be employed such for instance as cranks with lever handles
and connecting rods from said cranks to the slides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention (as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a ship's side light, bulkhead door, and the like the application and use
of slides which work in guides in or on the door and are provided with inclined
planes, in combination with inclined planes on the fixed frame, and with means
for moving the said slides whereby the inclined planes on the latter are brought
under the inclined planes on the fixed frame and the door pressed directly against
the fixed frame without any sliding motion of the door against the fixed frame
substantially as set forth.
2. In a ship's side light bulkhead door and the like the application and use
of toothed slides which work in guides in or on the door and are provided with
inclined planes in combination with inclined planes on cleats on the fixed frame,
and with pinions mounted on the door for moving the said slides, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The constructions of rectangular ships side lights shown on the drawings.
Dated this Eleventh day of May 1900.