Improvements in Mechanism for Closing Collision Doors on Shipboard.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Closing Collision Doors on
Shipboard.
I, ALEXANDER WILLOUGHBY MONTGOMERY-MOORE, of 12 Cathnor Road,
Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:—
My invention relates to arranging mechanism in connection with collision doors
in such manner that they are thereby rendered self closing when injury is done to
the ship involving risk of foundering. For this purpose I lead a small pipe or
pipes along the parts of the ship which are liable to be injured by collision say all
around the water line and if protection from rocks be desired at the bow of the ship
and also at her greatest draught. I arrange this pipe so as best to ensure its being
broken at the time when the injury to the ship is inflicted. I keep this pipe
charged with fluid or there may be a vacuum within it so that in either case
the pressure within differs from the pressure without. When the pipe is broken an
equalisation of pressure ensues and this change of pressure causes movement, in
apparatus which I connect with the pipe and this movement 1 utilise to bring about
the automatic closing of the collision doors. The apparatus may be arranged in
various ways but the following 1 prefer. Where it is possible I arrange the doors
to close by gravity either by their own weight or by other weights connected with
them or it may be by springs or by a constant hydraulic pressure. Under ordinary
circumstances the doors are prevented from closing by water contained in a
cylinder. Within the cylinder there is a piston and with the piston rod the door is
connected. So long as the water is closely confined in the cylinder the piston
cannot move or yield to the door in its tendency to close but if the water be able to
escape the door closes promptly. The valve controlling the liquid in the cylinder is
actuated by the pressure in the small pipe or pipes above mentioned and wheu
these are broken in any part the water finds a free vent from the cylinder. To
ensure breakage of the pipe in case of collision I propose to make such parts of it
as are exposed to violence of cast iron or earthenware or some such strong and
brittle material jointed not too rigidly. The pipes might be outside the ship but
I prefer that they should be inside and in close proximity to the sides, they should
be sheltered from accidental damage except by collision and be as accessible for
inspection and repair as is consistent with other conditions. For charging the
system of pipes and cylinders a pump is provided and by means of this pump any
leakage which may occur at the glands through which the piston rods pass is made
good from time to time.
Dated this 13th day of February 1894.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Closing Collision Doors on
Shipboard.
I, ALEXANDER WILLOUGHBY MONTGOMERY-MOORE, of 12 Cathnor Road,
Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to arranging mechanism in connection with collision doors in
such manner that they are thereby rendered self closing when injury is done to the
ship involving risk of foundering. For this purpose I lead a small pipe or pipes
along the parts of the ship which are liable to be injured by collision say all around
the water line and if protection from rocks be desired at the bow of the ship and
also at her greatest draught. I arrange. this pipe so as best to ensure its being
broken at the time when the injury to the ship is inflicted. I keep this pipe charged
with fluid or there may be a vacuum within it so that in either case the pressure
within differs from the pressure without. When the pipe is broken an equalisation
of pressure ensues and this change of pressure causes movement in apparatus which
I connect with the pipe and this movement I utilise to bring about the automatic
closing of the collision doors. The apparatus may be arranged in various ways but
the following I prefer. Where it is possible I arrange the doors to close by gravity
either by their own weight or by other weights connected with them or it may be
by springs or by a constant hydraulic pressure. Under ordinary circumstances the
doors are prevented from closing by water contained in a cylinder. Within the
cylinder there is a piston and with the piston rod the door is connected. So long as
the water is closely confined in the cylinder the piston cannot move or yield to the
door in its tendency to close but if the water be able to escape the door closes
promptly. The cylinder is placed in communication with the small pipe or pipes
above mentioned and when these are broken in any part the water finds a free vent
from the cylinder. To ensure breakage of the pipe in case of collision I propose to
make such parts of it as are exposed to violence of cast iron or earthenware or some
such strong and brittle material jointed not too rigidly. The pipes might be
outside the ship but I prefer that they should be inside and in close proximity to
the sides, they should be sheltered from accidental damage except by collision and
be as accessible for inspection and repair as is consistent with other conditions.
For charging the system of pipes and cylinders a pump is provided and by means
of this pump any leakage which may occur at the glands through which the piston
rods pass is made good from time to time.
I have spoken of water as the liquid with which the hydraulic system is charged
but in the higher latitudes it will be necessary to take precautions against frost
either by mixing with the water salts or materials which lower the freezing point
or by substituting a suitable oil or other liquid.
It is obvious that air or gas might be employed in place of liquid. Also that the
arrangement might be so modified as to require a partial vacuum to be maintained
in the system of pipes. The use of air pressure or vacuum is to be recommended in
positions where fittings or cargo might be injured by leakage. Again it is by no
means essential that the system of pipes should be in direct communication with the
hydraulic cylinders; the arrangement may be such that breakage of the pipes
determines the opening of a valve to admit fluid under pressure to the cylinders or
moves some other part which causes power to be applied to close the doors.
The arrangements which I have described in detail are however simple and
efficient.
The annexed drawing illustrates my invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of a ship.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and

page_text: The
a a represent bulk heads which divide up the ship into numerous compartments,
and at a a' are doors in the bulk heads arranged to close watertight. These doors
we will suppose to tend to close by their own weight and to be blocked open cach by
a ram supported by the pressure of air or other fluid contained in a cylinder.
pressure in the several cylinders is maintained by a pump or pumps which may be
worked by a donkey engine. bbb are the brittle pipes hereinbefore referred to;
they communicate with the various cylinders and air or fluid pressure is maintained
within them so long as the apparatus is in use and the pipes are undamaged.
When a breakage takes place from collision or otherwise the pressure can no
longer be maintained in the pipes 6 or in the cylinders connected with them;
consequently the doors close which previously were held open by the pressure in
these cylinders. The drawing shows the pipes b arranged in three separate sets, a
bow set, a stern set and a midship set, so that the closing of the doors may be
localised to the position of the injury. At c are arrangements to relieve the
pressure in the pipes and so to permit the doors to close whilst the pipes remain
whole and intact.
In order that the doors may close sufficiently watertight inclines may in the case
of the sliding doors be provided to draw the door towards the face and obvious
precautions should be taken to prevent the doors closing too rapidly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
'
1. In combination with collision doors on shipboard, blocking mechanism which
keeps the doors open in opposition to gravity or other force, and a system of pipes
charged with fluid to a pressure differing from the external pressure, the whole so
arranged that the breakage by collision of the pipes releases the blocking mechanism
and allows the doors to close.
2. In combination with collision doors on shipboard, mechanism operating to
close the doors, and a system of pipes charged with fluid to a pressure differing from
the external pressure, the whole so arranged that the opening or breakage by
collision of the pipes starts the door closing mechanism.
Dated this 7th day of November 1894.