A New or Improved Method of and Means for Automatically Closing and Securing Watertight. Doors.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Means for Automatically
Closing and Securing Watertight. Doors.
We, THOMAS HENRY HOYLE of Sandhurst Cottages, Marsden near Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Cloth Finisher, and FREDERICK LOUIS MOORHOUSE of West Hill,
Huddersfield aforesaid, Designer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:—
This invention relates to hinged or sliding watertight doors employed more especially
in vessels for the purpose of closing or sealing up the passages or openings
communicating between the several compartments or portions of the vessel, whenever
there is danger from an inrush of water.
At present, men have to be employed to close and secure the several watertight
doors in the vessel, a task consuming valuable time, and frequently rendered impossible
by reason of the pressure of the volume of water entering the compartments being too
great to be overcome.
The object of our said invention is to dispense entirely with manual aid in closing
and securing the watertight doors, and in lieu thereof to employ means for
automatically closing and securing the doors immediately the water, rushing into the
compartments or portions of the vessel, rises to the height of a few inches.
In carrying out our invention in respect of hinged watertight doors, which we
prefer to use in all cases where convenient, we hang two of such doors one on each
side of the opening in the bulkhead or dividing partition in order that on whichever
side of the bulkhead the inrush of water occurs, one of said doors will be certain to
close and will have the pressure of the water to assist in binding it against the door-
way. The inner faces of each door are provided with india rubber or other suitable
packing adapted to enter or engage with corresponding grooves or recesses, or rims
or plates, on the edges or sides of the doorway for the purpose of making a perfectly
tight joint when the door is closed; or the arrangement may be reversed. Each door
is provided with handles and catches or latches, which latter, when the door is open,
are normally held in position by loose catch levers.
The said catches, when the door is closed, are adapted to engage with inclined
snecks or locking devices projecting from the bulkhead or partition and to lock the
door, the catch levers being moved from under the catches and allowing the latter to.
be forced by springs further down the inclined surfaces of the snecks until the door is
firmly held against the opening. With the above described arrangement of fastenings,
any movement of the door by the action of the water against it, serves to further
tighten the fastenings and to bind the door more firmly against the bulkhead.
To each door we attach suitable projecting arms or hook ended fingers which, when
said doors are opened to the full extent, enter openings in vertical slides working in
fixed brackets and, engaging therewith, hold the doors open until automatically released
as afterwards explained.
The said vertical slides have slots or elongated openings formed in or on one side
thereof through which pass levers carrying a suitable float at one end and a counter-
balance weight at the opposite end. The said slots or openings admit of a slight
movement of the slides independently of the levers and this movement may be
contracted or increased by means of adjusting screws.

page_text: The inrush of a volume of water into any compartment or portion of the vessel, at
once commences to raise the float in said compartment, and as the lever carrying same
is moved on its centre, it gradually lifts the vertical slide and releases the projecting
arm or hooked finger on the door, whereupon said door is immediately closed by means
of a suspended weight, or springs, or both combined, and is secured by the fastenings
previously described. As the closing and securing of the door is effected before the
level of the water can reach it, all danger of the inrushing volume of water preventing
it closing is avoided. The arrangement of two doors to each doorway or opening
in the bulkhead or dividing partition, ensures the closing of the door on that side of
the partition nearest to the incoming water, and it consequently has the pressure of
the water to assist in binding it tightly against its seating.
We may provide platforms leading to and from the doorways in the bulkhead or
partition, such said platforms being automatically lowered when the door is closed, by
a suitable arrangement of levers connected to or actuated from said door, or by means
of toothed gearing operated from the same source, said levers or gearing also serving
to raise the platform again when the door is opened.
In respect of sliding doors, we employ the lever and float as before, said lever
acting directly, or through the medium of suitable links or rods and levers, on the
locking slide which passes through a race or channel wherein a shuttle or catch bar
is adapted. to be slided endwise. The said shuttle or catch is connected at one end by
means of a chain, wire or cord to the sliding door, and at the opposite end by chain
wire or cord to a weight acting as a counterbalance for assisting in opening the door.
When the door is fully open the catch or shuttle is engaged by the aforesaid slide and
is locked and the door held open thereby until released by the rising of the float,
which, as before explained, forms the means for determining and bringing about the
closing of the door self actingly.
. The weight of the door, when sliding vertically, may suffice to close it on being
released, but suspended weights or springs, or both, may be employed for drawing the
door over the doorway or opening in the bulkhead. The pivot on which the float
lever is mounted, passes through a suitable bearing in the bulkhead and carries on its
opposite end a second float lever which serves for the neighbouring compartment or
"portion of the vessel; or two separate pivots may be used and caused to act in unison
by bevil gearing or equivalent means. The grooves or ways in which the doors slide
are suitably inclined or wedge shaped, so that the door, when closed, will bind tightly
against the sides thereof.
For opening vertically sliding doors, we may, if necessary, employ a hinged bracket
carrying a screw and nut, which can be swung into and out of position without
interfering with the self acting mechanism for closing the door.
In the case of hinged doors, we prefer to secure the hinges in the bulkhead or
partition by lock nuts which permit of the hinges being adjusted to a nicety to ease
or tighten the fitting of the door against the bulkhead.
The float levers may be straight, or they may be bent so as to hold a larger float,
or to give a straight lift.
The floats and parts are enclosed in a suitable casing and cannot be tampered
with.
Dated the 20th day of April 1895.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: A New or Improved Method of and Means for Automatically.
Closing and Securing Watertight. Doors.
We THOMAS HENRY HOYLE of Sandhurst Cottages, Marsden, near Hudders-
field, Yorkshire Cloth Finisher, and FREDERICK LOUIS MOORHOUSE of 15 West
Hill, Huddersfield, aforesaid, Designer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention 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 hinged or sliding watertight doors employed more
especially in vessels for the purpose of closing or sealing up the passages or
openings communicating between the several compartments or portions of the
vessel, whenever there is danger from an inrush of water..
At present, men have to be employed to close and secure the several watertight
doors in the vessel, a task consuming valuable time, and frequently rendered
impossible by reason of the pressure of the volume of water entering the
compartments being too great to be overcome.
The object of our said invention is to dispense entirely with manual aid in
closing and securing the watertight doors, and in lieu thereof to employ means for
automatically closing and securing the doors immediately the water, rushing into
the compartments or portions of the vessel, rises to the height of a few inches.
In carrying out our invention in respect of hinged watertight doors which we
prefer to use in all cases where convenient, we hang two of such doors one on each
side of the opening in the bulkhead or dividing partition in order that on whichever
side of the bulkhead the inrush of water occurs, one of said doors will be certain to
close and will have the pressure of the water to assist in binding it against the
doorway. The inner faces of each door are provided with india rubber or other
suitable packing adapted to enter or engage with corresponding grooves or recesses
or rims or plates, on the edges or sides of the doorway for the purpose of making a
perfectly tight joint when the door is closed; or the arrangement may be reversed.
Each door is provided with handles and catches or latches which latter, when
the door is open, are normally held in position by loose catch levers. The said
catches, when the door is closed, are adapted to engage with inclined snecks or
locking devices projecting from the bulkhead or partition and to lock the door the
catch levers being moved from under the catches and allowing the latter to be
forced by springs further down the inclined surfaces of the snecks until the door is
firmly held against the opening.
With the above described arrangement of fastenings any movement of the door
by the action of the water against it, serves to further tighten the fastenings and
to bind the door more firmly against the bulkhead.
To each door we attach suitable projecting arms or hook ended fingers which
when said doors are opened to the full extent, enter openings in vertical slides
working in fixed brackets and engaging therewith hold the doors open until auto-
matically closed as afterwards explained. The said vertical slides have slots or
elongated openings formed in or on one side thereof through which pass levers
carrying a suitable float at one end and a counterbalance weight at the
opposite end.
The said slots or
openings admit of a slight movement of the slides independently
of the levers and this movement may be contracted or increased by means of
adjusting screws.
The inrush of a volume of water into any compartment or portion of the vessel,
at once commences to raise the float in said compartment, and as the lever carrying
same is moved on its centre it gradually lifts the vertical slide and releases the
projecting arm or hooked. finger on the door, whereupon said door is immediately

page_text: closed by means of a suspended weight or springs or both combined, and is secured
by the fastenings previously described. As the closing and securing of the door is
effected before the level of the water can reach it, all danger of the inrushing
volume of water preventing it closing is avoided. The arrangement of two doors
to each doorway or opening in the bulkhead or dividing partition, ensures the
closing of the door on that side of the partition nearest to the incoming water, and
it consequently has the pressure of the water to assist in binding it tightly against
its scating.
In respect of sliding doors, we employ the lever and float as before, said lever
acting directly, or through the medium of suitable links or rods and levers, on the
locking slide which passes through a race or channel wherein a shuttle or catch bar
is adapted to be slided end wise. The said shuttle or catch is connected at one end
by means of a chain, wire or cord to the sliding door, and at the opposite end by
chain wire or cord to a weight acting as a counterbalance for assisting in opening
the door. When the door is fully open the catch or shuttle is engaged by the
aforesaid slide and is locked and the door held open thereby until released by the
rising of the float, which, as before explained, forms the means for determining and
bringing about the closing of the door self-actingly.
The weight of the door when sliding vertically may suffice to close it on being
released, but suspended weights or springs, or both, may be employed for drawing
the door over the doorway or opening in the bulkhead. The pivot on which the
float lever is mounted passes through a suitable bearing in the bulkhead and carries
on its opposite end a second float lever which serves for the neighbouring com-
partment or portion of the vessel, or two separate pivots may be used and caused
to act in unison by bevel gearing or equivalent means. The grooves or ways in
which the doors slide are suitably inclined or wedge shaped so that the door when
closed will bind tightly against the sides thereof. For opening vertically sliding
doors, we may, if necessary, employ a hinged bracket carrying a screw and nut
which can be swung into and out of position without interfering with the self acting
mechanism for closing the door.
In the case of hinged doors we prefer to secure the hinges in the bulkhead or
partition by lock nuts which permit of the hinges being adjusted to a nicety to ease
or tighten the fitting of the door against the bulkhead.
The float levers may be straight, or they may be bent so as to hold a larger
float or to give a straight lift.
The floats and parts are enclosed in a suitable casing and cannot be tampered
with.
Such being the nature and object of our said invention, we will now fully
describe and ascertain the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
forming part of this Specification, in which :-
Fig. 1 is longitudinal sectional elevation of so much of a ship's interior as is
necessary to shew the application to the doorway or opening in a bulkhead or
dividing partition, of our improved arrangement of side hinged watertight doors
and means for automatically closing and securing same.
Fig. 2 is transverse elevation thereof,
Fig. 3 shews a modified construction of adjustable hinge which may be employed
for the watertight doors.
Figs. 4 and
are enlarged front and side elevations respectively of the form of
lock or fastening for the doors.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are details of parts hereinafter referred to.
Fig. 9 shews our improvements as applied to doors hinged horizontally or above
the doorway in the bulkhead.
Fig. 10 is a transverse elevation partly in section of our improvements for
automatically bringing about the closing of vertical sliding doors.
Fig. 11 shews one arrangement for closing the doors on the lower deck or stoke
room floor when the bilge water rises above a given level; or a volume of water
enters the stoke room or space above the bottom deck..

page_text: Fig. 12 is plan view of floats and float levers as arranged for automatically
releasing the sliding door so as to close up the opening or doorway in the
bulkhead.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all the
figures.
Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 8, A represents the bulkhead or casement between
the doors and B the opening or doorway made therethrough to give.communication
between the two compartments C. D. To each such opening or doorway B in
ships' bulkheads we provide two side hinged watertight doors E, E', of any suitable
construction and faced on the inner edges with strips of india rubber or packing a
so as to make tight joints with recesses b or with rims formed or secured around..
the doorway, when the doors are closed; or the arrangement may be reversed.
Each door is hung upon hinges c, c, c', c¹, secured to the bulkhead, one .door
being hung on one side of the opening B and the other on the opposite side so that
a door is situated in each compartment C. D. Both doors act entirely inde-
pendently of each other and the closing of one door does not in any way affect the
other door, each having to be actuated separately. The two doors, one in each
compartment or on each side of the doorway or passage of communication between
the compartments or parts of the vessel, are provided in order that on whichever
side of the bulkhead or into whichever compartment an inrush of water takes.
place, one of said doors will be certain to close and will have the pressure of water
behind it to assist in binding it against the doorway. The door which is closed
will always be the one situated in the compartment into which the water first.
enters and therefore the swing to of the door will be assisted rather than resisted
by any impact or pressure of water thereon, and all liability of the watertight
doors failing to act from the resistance of inflowing water as is the case where only
one door is employed and the water enters the compartment at the opposite side-
thereof, will be as far as possible avoided.
We consider it best to hinge the doors on that side of the opening or doorway
which is nearest the sea, that is to say, watertight doors on the left side of the
vessel are hinged on the left hand side, and those on the right side of the vessel
are binged on the right hand side of the doorways in the bulkheads, the reason
for doing this being that if a breach be made through the side of the vessel into
one of the compartments the water rushing therethrough will enter the compart-
ment from a position behind the line of the doors when fully open and therefore.
any impact or pressure of the inrushing water will be on the back of the doors or
in the same direction in which they close.
The means for holding the doors open and for automatically releasing and
closing same, consist of slides or locking bars d, d, capable of sliding vertically in
ways or grooves in brackets or slide boxes e, e, fixed to the deck F and stayed, if
required, from the sides of the compartment, or otherwise suitably secured. These
slides d, d, are placed in position behind or beyond that occupied by the doors
when open and at a distance from the centre of the hinges or pivots upon which
the doors turn, coinciding with the distance from said pivots to the projecting
arms or hook ended fingers f, f, secured to the backs of the doors. The said hooked
fingers, when the doors are opened, pass through slots e¹, e¹, in the brackets e, e,.
and the rounded ends thereof abutting against the upper edges of slots d², a',.
formed in the slides raise said slides until the hooked ends have passed clear,
whereupon the slides immediately lower and engage with the recesses ',, in the
fingers ff, (as shewn clearly in enlarged section Fig. 6) which thus become
locked with the slides and hold the doors open.
At the lower ends and on the rear of the slides d, d, are formed or secured
elongated openings or yokes d³, d, through which pass levers g, g, pivoted at g¹..g,
to fixed brackets h, h, and carrying at one end floats i, i, and at the opposite ends
couterbalance weights j, j. Instead of the float levers 9, 9, passing through
yokes a,, they may be secured to the slides by any suitable form of knuckle

page_text: joint. The yokes or elongated openings d², d², allow of slight independent move-
*ment of the slides without affecting the other parts, and the amount of this
movement can be regulated, if required, by means of adjusting screws screwed
through the top or bottom of the yokes. The float levers are bent somewhat as
shewn to bring the floats as near as possible to the floor line, said floats being
preferably of oblong shape with flat bottoms so that ample surface is presented for
the water to act on. Guides ', ', may be employed to guide and steady the float
levers and, if necessary, said levers may be provided with small antifriction bowls
or pulleys to engage with the sides of the guides, as indicated at g' on the left
hand of Fig. 1, in order to ensure easier movement of the float levers. The floats
are secured to the float levers by ball joints as shewn for the purpose of enabling
them to keep parallel with the level of the water no matter how the vessel may
roll. The aforesaid parts may be arranged at right angles to the bulkhead or
partition, or parallel therewith according as space permits.
The inrush into either of the compartments. on each side of the bulkhead, of a
volume of water sufficient to cover the deck or floor to a depth of a few inches at
once causes the float in said compartment to rise (as indicated by arrows) and rock
the float lever on its fulcrum, the movement of said lever forcing the slide d
upwards a sufficient distance to place it clear of the hooked finger fand thereby
releasing the door. The door is pulled to or closed against the doorway by the
gravity action of a weight (see Fig. 2) attached to one end of a chain ! which
passes over suitably disposed guide pulleys and is connected at to said door.
The weights for each door slide up and down in fixed casings (one only being
seen in Fig. 2) occupying positions on either side of the doorway,
In order that the greatest weight may be brought to bear to close the doors
when the vessel is rolling and the "list" happens to be in the direction opposite to
that in which the doors close, and to bring the least weight to bear when the "list"
is in the contrary direction, that is, in the same direction as the swing to of the
doors, we place the casings at such an angle towards the centre of the vessel,
that when said vessel is at its extreme "list" in the opposite direction to the
swing to of the doors, the casings k will be brought into a perpendicular position
and allow the full effect of the weights to be brought into service should the doors
be released at the time. As the vessel returns to a mean position, the weights
will rest somewhat on the sides of the casings and relieve the pull to of the doors,
and the more the vessel "lists to the opposite side, or in the direction in which
the doors close so will the pull of the weights continue to decrease.. The positions
occupied by the inclined casings in the above three positions of the vessel are
illustrated in Fig. 8. The weights k may be provided with antifriction bowls to
reduce friction between said weights and the interior walls of the casings and give
easier.movement.
"
To avoid violent concussion or clash of the doors in closing we make the
casings fairly tight fitting allowing a small space between the sides of the
weights and the casings so that the air below the weights will be forced out but
slowly by the descent of said weights and thus check or cushion their fall. The
weights may receive a fair start by making a hole in the sides of the casings
about midway of their length which will allow the air to escape freely until the
weights pass over same. We may use
a strong spring or springs instead of
weights, or both springs and weights, or we may adapt water or fluid pressure for
closing the doors when released.
In lieu of attaching the chains or wires to the doors as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2
they may be passed over pulleys and secured to weights as shewn in Fig. 7,
whereby any slackness of the chains resulting from the too rapid closing of the
doors or other causes, will be at once taken up. The weights slide in ways in a
bracket, as shewn, or they may slide up and down on a spindle.
The doors when closed are adapted to be secured by locks, of which one form
we may employ is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and shewn clearly in enlarged views

page_text: Figs. 4 and 5. The lock consists of a latch or locking arm 7 centred loosely on a
stud projecting through the lock to each side of the door and having hand
levers secured on each end thereof.
Integral with said stud is a short arm the free end of which projects under
and is adapted to be engaged with the latch to elevate it. m is a catch lever
pivoted at m in the case enclosing the lock and provided at its free end with a
roll or stud m², said catch lever holding the latch in a normal position when the
door is open. On the door being closed the latch engages with the curved nose of
a sneck a secured to the bulkhead, and riding over same is thereby raised out of
the recess in the holding or catch lever m, the latter being then forced clear
of said latch by the engagement of the roll or stud m² with the nose of the sneck
and allowing the latch to fall down on to the inclined surface n' of the sneck and
lock the door against its seating. The latch is pressed down by a spring o and
the further it moves down the inclined plane on the sneck, the more firmly does it
Bind the door.
The latch can be raised out of the sueck from either side of the door by turning
the handles. 3. Two locks such as above described will usually suffice for one door
and it will be understood that any other suitable form of lock may be employed,
if preferred.
If the lock be out of action, the latch / will fall to the bottom of the slot and
clear of the sneck.
The snecks are preferably made adjustable to or from the bulkhead and may be
adjusted vertically by securing them in slots in the bulkhead or casement. The
hinges on which the doors are hung are also adjustable to or from the bulkhead
and the door may in addition be adjusted up or down by means of nuts o³. The
form of hinge we prefer to adopt is shewn in Fig. 3, but if no adjustment is
necessary any ordinary hinges may be used.
The floats are protected from strong currents of water by suitable covers p
(Fig. 1) which have one or more sides provided with open grating or wire work to
allow the water to pass through.
In order to close the doors by hand from either compartment or from a station
on the upper deck, bridge, or conning tower, we provide an arrangement of levers
and connecting rods or their mechanical equivalents for raising the vertical slides
and releasing the doors. To close either of the two doors from the opposite side
of the bulkhead we attach to or form on the slides or locking bars d, d, suitable
projections or horns q. q. Pivoted on studs at one side of the slides are bell crank
levers q', 9', one arm or end of which is adapted to engage with the projections 7, I,
when moved in an upward direction whilst the other arms or ends of said levers are
connected to rods 92, 92, which pass through the bulkhead into the next compart-
ment and terminate in suitable handles 9, 93, by which they are actuated. The
movement of either of the rods, q, in the directions indicated by arrows, rocks
the bell crank lever to which it is connected and raises the corresponding slide d
a sufficient distance to clear the hook ended finger fand thus release the door, the
parts being re-instated in their normal positions by the action of spiral
springs 9, 9, confined between collars on the rods 93, 9, and the brackets
supporting said rods.
To close either or both watertight doors from above deck we employ two
locking levers r, r, one for each door, one of said levers being connected by rod,
chain, or wire, to a lever armadapted to engage with a stud projecting from
the slide or locking bar, and the other lever being similarly connected to a bell
crank lever centred on the same stud as the lever arm and coupled by rod
or its like to a bell crank lever adapted to engage with a stud on the slide d
on the opposite side of the bulkhead. By pulling over one or both levers r, r, one
or both doors are released and immediately closed by the sliding weights.. The
levers r,, are of the self locking type employed in railway signalling and lock
the parts in either position.
In conjunction with the closing of the watertight doors from a station on the

page_text: upper deck or bridge we employ indicators such ass and a dial plates from which
the positions of the doors can be ascertained. The indicator or pointers for the
door E is actuated through levers and connecting rods or links from a short
shaft supported in brackets above the doorway. On said shaft is secured a
levers, which, when the door closes, is engaged and forced inwardly by a pro-
jection on said door, whereby the shaft 3 is oscillated in ite bearings and through
the medium of the levers and rods s² draws the pointers over the dial plate from
a point innrked" open to the point marked "shut." A short levers mounted
on a stud or shaft on the opposite side of the bulkhead and similarly connected by
rods to the second indicator or pointer on the same stud as the first named, is
likewise actuated by a projection on the door E¹ when said door is closed and
causes the second indicator to move over the dial plate from the point marked
open" to the point marked "shut." The indicators will not be actuated unless
the doors are properly closed.
$i
"?
Coiled springs, such as s7 (Fig. 2) are placed on the shafts and secured at one
end to the bracket supporting said shaft and at the opposite end to the
levers respectively, so that when the said levers are actuated by the closing of
the doors, they tighten or compress the springs, the energy of which when released
reinstate the parts in their normal positions on the doors being pushed open.
The whole of the doors on one or both sides of one deck or between two or more
bulkheads, may be released from the upper deck or bridge by one lever to which
the several parts for raising the slides from a distance are connected, this being a
matter of arrangement of the parts according to the construction of the vessel and
the positions of the watertight doors therein.
It will be obvious that the arrangement of the connections from the upper deck
as shewn on the drawings is only one of convenience to illustrate how the doors can
be released by hand from a distance, and that instead of rods or links, chains, stout
wires, or an arrangement of shafts and gearing could be employed to transmit the
"requisite degree of movement to raise the slides d, d, clear of engagement with the
devices, on the doors. The means for closing the doors automatically, and by
hand from within one of the compartments or from above deck are each distinct
from one another and act separately.
In Fig. 9, we shew our improvements as applied to doors hinged horizontally
above the doorway in the bulkhead. These doors have the advantages appertaining
to side hinged doors and are well adapted for cattle ships or other vessels in which
space for side hinged doors cannot be given.
Two doors E, E¹, one on each side of the bulkhead are employed in conjunction
with each doorway and are hinged at c, c¹.
Each door when open is held clear of the doorway by means of a chain & secured
thereto and attached at the opposite end to the weighted end of a pivoted arm t¹
which is locked in a horizontal position, as shewn on the right hand of Fig. 9, by a
"sliding block or locking bar d adapted to be moved backwards and forwards in the
slide boxe by means of the float lever g pivoted at g' to the fixed bracket h. The
chains are guided from the centre to the side of the doors by a suitable arrange-
ment of guide pulleys somewhat as shewn.
When one of the float levers is moved on its fulcrum by the ascent of the float
attached thereto, the sliding block d is drawn outwardly until the end thereof is
clear of the recess t in the head of the pivoted arm t¹ whereupon the door being
heavier than the said arm commences to fall down and in doing so by means of
chaint draws the arm into a position a little beyond the vertical where it is held
by a stop piece t³ and spring finger or catch t; as shewn on the left hand of Fig. 9.
"The weight of the arms t¹ is borne by their pivots when being drawn towards the
vertical and thus allows the doors to fall against the doorways by their own weight
and ensures proper closing of same.
The ends of the sliding blocks d, d, are inclined in order that when the hinged
weighted arms t' descend to the horizontal on the door being opened, the heads of
*same engage with the inclined faces and force the blocks back into the boxes e, e,

page_text: until the recesses 2, 3, are brought opposite thereto, whereupon the blocks are
forced into same by the float levers, and the parts locked.
The means for closing the doors by hand from either side of the bulkhead are
similar to those described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
9, 9, are the hand bars or rods connected respectively to levers q' q', on whose
lower arms or extremities are projecting rolls or studs q, q, adapted to engage the
underside of the float levers. When the rods are drawn in the direction of the
arrows, the rolls or studs q, 9, abut against the float levers and raise them sufficiently
to withdraw the sliding blocks d, d, out of the recesses t2, t and release the door.
Confined springs q, q return the rods and levers to their normal positions. The
locking levers on the upper deck and the intermediate connections for releasing the
doors from a given station above deck are similar to those shewn in Fig. 1.
The parts are attached to bell crank levers, from the lower ends of which
are suspended short rods, r³, having slots, in their lower ends through which
project rolls or studs attached to or formed on the sides of the float levers.
When the operating levers on deck are pulled over to release the doors, the
levers r', r; are oscillated in the direction of the arrows and elevate the rods 2
whereby the studs are engaged by the lower ends of the slots and the float
levers actuated to withdraw the sliding blocks clear of the recesses in the weighted
arms, t. Indicators and means for actuating same such as shewn and described
with reference to side hinged doors are also employed.
As in the case of side hinged doors, the above parts for bringing about the
closing of the doors by hand from within one of the compartments or from a
distance, are entirely independent of each other and of the automatic apparatus and
the action of one does not affect the action of the other in any way.
Chains u, u, attached to the pivoted weighted arms t¹, t, and to the floor or deck,
prevent the said arms from striking too hard against the stays or stop pieces t³, t³.
The pivoted arms are made rather shorter than the radius described by the doors
in closing or opening, in order that they will be upright before the doors are
properly closed and thus remove tension off the chains, which being slackened will
allow the doors to close properly.
To secure the doors, locks similar to those previously described may be employed
and arranged near to or at the bottoms of the doors.
In Fig. 10 we shew the application of our improvements to vertical sliding doors
more generally used on the lower decks or stoke hold. In this case only one
door E is required to each opening or doorway in the bulkhead or dividing
partition, but such door can be closed when water enters either of the compartments
separated by the bulkhead, by arranging a float lever with float and counter-
balance weight in each compartment, both levers being secured on the same shaft
or fulcrum 9 extending through the bulkhead, as shewn in plan view Fig. 12 so
that both will act in unison. If the float levers are mounted on separate studs or
shafts, the latter may be geared together so as to secure joint action.
To one of said Hoat levers we connect one end of a slide rod d having au
opening d in its upper end through which can pass a sliding block capable of
sliding backwards and forwards in the race o².
The upper end of the slide rod d is adapted to slide vertically in ways or
grooves e which may be provided on the side nearest the door with antifriction
bowls to ease the rise of said rod.
To one end of the sliding block v is connected a chain K' which passes over a
guide pulley K2 and is secured to a weight K enclosed in a casing K* whilst the
opposite end of said block is connected by chain 2 passing over guide pulley
the door E.
to
When the door is opened, the inclined end of the sliding block-which is drawn
in a direction away from the door by the weight K-comes into engagement with
the upper edge of the opening d in the slide rod d and raises said rod which
subsequently drops into a recess in the sliding block and locks it, thus holding
the door clear of the doorway B as shewn in Fig. 10. The upward movement of
B

page_text: "
the slide rod d caused by the ascent of the. float with the level of an inrushing
volume of water releases the sliding block v and allows the door by its own weight
to slide down over the opening or doorway B and seal it. The same apparatus
arranged for horizontal instead of vertical movement can be applied to horizontally
sliding doors.
T
The counterbalance weight K assists in opening the, door, but should there be
difficulty in giving initial upward movement thereof, we place a screw through the
nut to formed in a suitable position on the door, said screw engaging with the floor
or interposed solid body so that by rotating it a few times the door will be partly
raised and can then be forced up by hand.
The sliding doors are provided with inclined or wedge shaped flanges, (as shewn
in side elevation at Fig. 10) which fit into corresponding grooves in the sides of
the doorway and make a tight joint when closed. Small bowls or pulleys may be
provided at the sides to reduce friction..
The means for closing or releasing the doors from either side of the bulkhead, or
from a distance, and for indicating whether "shut" or "open," are similar to those
shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, and are not therefore repeated in Fig. 10. The float
levers can either be supported by pedestals above the floor or deck, or by hangers
under the deck as shewn.
By placing them under the deck we can obtain the double advantage of closing
the doors when water enters the stoke room, and when the bilge water rises above
a given level. One arrangement for such purpose is shewn at Fig. 11 where the
float lever or levers are enclosed in a tank or tanks under the deck or stoke room
Aoor F, said tank having an opening near the top thereof, and a division plate ³
forming part of a pipe or channel which extends a short distance into a casing
fixed on the floor or deck.
The said casing is provided on two or more sides with grating extending near to
the floor so that whilst water can freely enter through same, coals and dirt will be
prevented from getting into the casing or choking up the grating. If an inrush of
water occurs above the deck F, the water will pass into the casing and down the
pipe or channel into the tank and raising the float, actuate the float lever and
slide rod and release the door.
&
Should the bilge water rise above a given level, it will pass through the
opening into the tank and likewise actuate the parts to release the door.
The automatic apparatus and other parts hereinbefore described may be suitably:
cased in to prevent them being tampered with.
Our improvements in watertight doors and means for securing them open,
releasing, closing and locking same may be employed in mines or other enclosed
places where there is liability of danger from the entrance of water.
Having now fully described and ascertained our said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:
Firstly, The application to doorways or openings in bulkheads or dividing
partitions of two watertight doors, hinged one on each side thereof both adapted to
act entirely independently of each other in the manner and for the purposes sub-
stantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. In double watertight doors, the combination therewith of floats and
float levers and means for automatically securing the doors open, and releasing,
closing and locking same, substantially as shewn and described.
Thirdly. The combination with hinged watertight doors of inclined casings in
which slide the weights for pulling to or closing the doors arranged in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as shewn and set forth.
Fourthly. In hinged and sliding watertight doors the combination therewith of
means for closing the doors by hand from opposite compartments or from a station
above deck and for indicating the positions of the doors substantially as shewn and
...described.
""
Fifthly. The employment of two floats and float levers situated on opposite sides

page_text: of the bulkhead or dividing partition and adapted to work in unison, together with
means connected therewith for automatically securing open, releasing and bringing
about the closing of sliding watertight doors substantially as shewn and described.
Sixthly. The means and method substantially as herein shewn and described for
releasing and bringing about the closing of sliding watertight doors ou water
entering the compartments or stoke room or on the bilge water rising above a given
level.
L
TASKER & CROSSLEY.
Huddersfield, Patent Agents.