Improvements in Working Bulkhead Doors and the like on Board Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left. 9th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894;
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Working Bulkhead Doors and the like on Board
Vessels.
I ROBERT COOKE SAYER of 11 Clyde Road Redland Bristol Civil Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The objects are
(a) to work the doors with expedition and
(b) so that they shall be automatically worked by electric, pneumatic, or other
power set in motion by flooding, or other water coming from either, or both, the
adjoining divisions of the vessel in the case of bulk head doors, or from outside the
vessel in the case of ports and the like.
DESCRIPTION WHEN ELECTRIC POWER IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
See drawing where Fig. 1 shows an elevation and Fig. 2 a transverse section
of the arrangement.
A represents the door, able to slide upon the wheels B: C and C C are two
screw bolts secured to the door A. A tube C D, is screwed upon the screw bolt C,
and forms the axle for a dynamo E and carries a pinion F keyed upon it, so that
the screw bolt C passes through the axle CD: the pinion F and dynamo E are
retained in position by bearings E A.
A second pinion FA and tube CDA are similarly connected to the screw
bolt C C and carried by bearings E A A: and both pinions F and FA are
connected by the pitch chain F B.
A cylinder G is fixed below the door A, and provided with a piston GA that is
kept in position by the spring G B, but is able to be pressed down: G A carries
electric contacts.
A rod G C connects with the lever G D that, carries the rod G E formed in two
lengths, and connected by the spring G F, the upper part having handles G J, one
each side the bulkhead, that passes through glands G K: these rods are enclosed
by the pipe G I.
The cylinder G is connected on top by passages G Z, that lead to either division
of the vessel, and are covered over at the floor level by gratings G G: the
passages GZ have weighted valves, or traps, G H that only open inwards: also
dirt traps G M.
H are electric wires connecting the main source of power with the contacts upon
the piston GA, sides of cylinder G and the dynamo E.
The working is as follows:-The door A being open, which may be its normal
position or not as desired. Water comes along a passage, passes through the
gratings GG, opens the trap G H, and however much, keeps the other trap G H
closed, and prevents flooding the adjoining divisions of the vessel; thus should a leak
or flooding occur in one only, it opens the trap G H, and keeps the other closed:
and if a leak or flooding occurs in both divisions, the one having the greatest head
of water on the trap GH, whichever it may be, opens it and keeps the other closed,
since they are weighted to occupy that position in which they may be acted upon
by the water, which falls upon the piston GA, and compresses the spring GB;
and electric contacts upon the piston G A meeting others carried by its cylinder or
casing completes an electric circuit and allows a current to pass from a generator
or storage battery to the dynamo E, which is so wound that it causes its armature
to rotate, and with it its axle screw C D, which being prevented from longitudinal
travel, and its internal screw threads acting on those of the screw bolt C, causes it

page_text: to be thrust out and the pinion F, gives like motion through pinion F A, to the
screw bolt C C, and thus causes the door A to be thrust out into the position shown,
closed.
The action of piston GA raises the rod G E and spring G F, so that when it is
desired to again open the door, the rod GE is depressed by one of the handles GJ,
and the spring G F being stiff enough, the lever G D again raises the piston GA,
brakes and remakes electric contact, and so reverses the direction of the dynamo,
which again opens the door A, but it closes again by reason of the head of water.
Although the spring GF is stiff enough to work the rod G E as if there was
not a spring, should the handle G J be jammed, and flooding take place, the
pressure from the head of water upon the piston GA is made sufficient to depress
the springs G F and G B, and allow the piston GA to actuate its electric
contacts.
When electricity is not available on board, and steam is, a pair of double acting
steam cylinders take the place of the dynamo E and each bolt C and C C act as
piston rods or a single cylinder is used having its piston rod attached by a cross-
head to the two bolts C and C C, to suit the surrounding fittings of the vessel.
That a small head of water may actuate the door A, the motion of the piston GA
actuates a small steam tap, that admits steam to a small intermediate cylinder, the
piston rod of which actuates a larger steam valve, and simultaneously admits
steam to the back of the main pistons, and actuates the piston rods C and C C and
door A direct.
When required to open the door A again the rod G E is actuated as before by
the handle G J and the motion of the piston G A reverses the action of the
cylinders.
In the case of "ports" for ordnance, and lights for cabins: the ordnance, or
carriage, of the former, when desired carries electric contacts similar to those of
the piston GA, which are electrically connected with the dynamo, so that at the
last necessary movement of the "piece," or other material which necessitated
opening the "port," contact is made, and the door closed automatically as explained:
or when steam is used the same motion is obtained by steam as explained
previously otherwise both ports and lights are to be worked as described for
bulkhead doors.
Dated this 14th day of November 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Working Bulkhead Doors and the like on Board
Vessels.
I ROBERT COOKE SAYER of 11 Clyde Road, Redland Bristol Civil Engineer,
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 :-
The object is to work bulkhead doors, and the like, automatically, by electricity,
pneumatic, or other power, which shall be set in motion by flooding, or other water
coming from either, or both, the adjoining divisions of the vessel: or from outside
the vessel in the case of ports, lights, hatchways, or the like.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
In the case of bulkhead doors, on either side of the door a grating is let in flush,.
with the floor or deck, these lead any water finding its way to the deck, into
passages, through back valves and over dirt traps to a cylinder that has a piston
capable of being moved by the water against a spring or weight: the piston carries
electric contacts, in the case of electric power being used, through which a current.

page_text: may be sent to, and rotate a dynamo, that through gearing acts upon and closes the
door. The door is opened by raising the piston again, by means of a handle or
key so acting through connections as to return the contacts, and cause the dynamo
to be reversed and open the door: but when the key is released, the head of water
upon the piston, again thrusts it down, reverses the dynamo, and again closes the
door. When either the bulkhead doors, hatchways, or lights, are worked by other
power the water is trapped and conducted to a similar piston, whose motion works
a small tap or slide valve that admits the power to a double acting cylinder, so
that the power is left on at the end of each stroke, and keeps the door firmly closed.
or open: they are similarly reversed as above explained, except for lights, where
it is desirable the trapped water should be allowed to escape, and for this purpose
the hand lever actuates a small valve connecting with the trapped water above the
piston, allows it to escape, and the piston is raised by its spring, and works the tap,
reverses the power, and position of the light, or as many lights as may be connected
together and worked by the double acting cylinder.
For the purpose of working existing hinged lights by hand; and automatically
closing them, should they be left open and flooding occur: a slide is so fixed as to
be at the back of the light when open, and when the power actuates the slide it
takes against the back of the light, causes it to rotate upon its hinge, closes it, and
thrusts it home by means of wedges so as to be water tight.

page_text: act against the wedges JC of the light J: the slide rods K are hinged at KD,
to the piston rod LC of the double-acting cylinder L, and to the connecting
rod KE that connects with any number of slides K, of other lights J.
The piston LB of the cylinder L is worked by means of a usual slide valve,
or tap LA, arranged for the power to be on at the end of the stroke, and keep
the piston firm the tap LA is actuated by the piston GA, that works in the
cylinder G, through the rod and lever H and H A: The piston GA acts against
the springs GB through the link and lever G P and GQ.
The cylinder G is connected by the pipe GW to the water trap M, when in
position, through the guide KA at MC and has a valve GR, whose spindle G S
works in glands G T against the spring G U, and has a handle G V.
The working is as follows:-
:
FOR BULKHEAD DOORS AND THE LIKE WORKED BY ELECTRICITY,
Figs. 1 to 5.
The normal position of the doors is closed: The piston GA is depressed
against a spring GB, by water finding its way from either side of the bulkhead
through the gratings G G, the back valves GH, into and over the dirt trap GM,
and into the cylinder G. When by leakage or evaporation, the water depressing
the piston GA is lost, the spring G Braises it, the electric current is reversed
and motion is given to the dynamo E, which by its screwed axle CD being kept
from travelling draws in the screw bolts C and C C and opens the door A.
Should flooding occur, the water again depresses the piston GA, the electric
current is reversed, and the door A is closed.
With each motion of the piston GA, the rod G E rises or falls, and when the
door A is closed, it is raised and brought within the influence of the lever GF:
thus when it is desired to open the door A, from either side of the bulkhead G N,
the key G J or GK, thrusts the lever G F down and with it the rod GE, and
raises the piston GA against the head of water, and as before the dynamo E draws
back the door A: when the key GK or GJ is released the spring GX draws
back the lever GF, and the head of water on the piston GA thrusts it down
and the rod G E up, ready to act again, and the dynamo E closes the door A.
When pneumatic or other power is used, a cylinder similar to L, Figs. 6 and 7
takes the place of the dynamo E, and acts directly through its piston rod K upon
the door A.
FOR PORTS, SHIP LIGHTS, AND THE LIKE, HINGED AS AT PRESENT, AND
WORKED BY PNEUMATIC OR HYDRAULIC POWER, Figs. 6 to 9.
The
The method of putting the actuating power in motion is the same.
light J is opened and closed by hand, with the handle J D, on hinges JB: it is
secured by the slotted hinged jaw JH, being screwed against it by the bolt JJ:
when the light J is opened it draws the water trap M with it, by the link JF,
and they take the dotted positions JZ and MZ: the former J stops in front of
the vertical K Z of the slide rods K: the opening MC of the trap M coincides
with the connection M C of the bottom slide guide KA, and the pipe G W and is
wedged water tight: thus should flooding occur through the light J, the water is
caught by the trap M and flows through the pipe G W to the cylinder G, depresses
the piston GA against a spring G B, and through the rod and lever H and HA,
and tap LA, opens the front of the piston LB to exhaust, and its back to the
power thrusts it back and causes the vertical K Z of the slide rod K, to take
against the light J, thrusts it over on its hinge JB: thrusts back the jaw JH,
if projecting, its spindle travelling in the slot and as the projections KC
advance, they meet the wedges JC, and thrust the light J home: as the light J
closes it causes the water trap M to travel to the position shown, through the
link J F.
:
When it is desired to open the light J, the handle G V is actuated and opens
.....

page_text: the valve GR, which allows the water depressing the piston GA to escape, and
enables the spring G B to raise it, and reverse the tap LA, the piston LB, and
slide rods K, and so release the light J. Any number of lights J are similarly-
actuated by the rod K E.
the
When the lights J slide, instead of being hinged, they are actuated similarly,.
but are directly attached to the slide rods K, and are thrust home tight, when
in position, by three or more projections KC acting against wedges formed upon
guides KA and the water trap M is connected to or forms part of the light.J.
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
1st. Working ships, and other, bulkhead doors, ports, lights, hatchways, and the
like, by trapping flooding water, leading it into a cylinder, and by its weight.
depressing a piston, which actuates electric contacts, or switches, and cause a
current to circulate, and give motion to a dynamo, which has a screwed axle, that
gives motion to screw bolts, when electric power is used: or the piston gives.
motion to a valve, or tap, which actuates the piston of a double acting cylinder,.
when other power is used: so that the power shall be set in motion and act upon
the doors, and the like, and thrust them forward or backward, and make them tight
by wedges fixed upon the doors, or their slides substantially as described.
2nd. For so connecting the piston that is actuated by the trapped water with
rods and levers, or gearing, that when it is depressed, it may be again raised against.
the head of water, by handles or keys, from either side of the bulkhead, and thus
reverse the current of electricity and the dynamo: or other power through its
cylinder piston and tap, and open the door: but in each case it is closed again,
as before, when the key is released, by the head of water again depressing the
piston.
For so fixing gratings on each side of the bulkhead door, and leading the
trapped water through back valves, that the water is prevented from passing from
one side of the bulkhead to the other, but goes over dirt traps, to the piston: so.
that should evaporation or leakage cause the spring against which the piston acts
to return it, and reverse the dynamo: or piston of the power cylinder: and so
open the door flooding water shall again cause the piston to be depressed, and
the dynamo, or power cylinder, to shut the door as before substantially as.
described.
3rd. For so providing ships lights, and the like, with slide guides, and a sliding
flood water trap, connected to the light that when the light is opened it draws.
the trap in front of the opening to catch the flooding water, which is conducted,
as before to and above a piston, which it depresses and actuates by means of
connections and a slide valve or tap, the piston of a double acting cylinder, by
which motion is given to slide rods, placed so as to take against the opened light,.
in the case of lights carried on hinges, and close it, and wedge it home tight by
wedges carried by the frame of the light. For connecting the cylinder of the piston.
depressed by the trapped water, with a valve that may be actuated by hand and
the piston with a spring, so that when the piston is depressed against a weight or
spring, and the light is closed, it may be released, by actuating the valve and
allowing the water to escape: then the spring raises the piston, and the double
acting cylinder returns the slide rods and releases the light, which may again be
opened by hand, substantially as described.
4th. For working ships sliding lights, and the like, in the same way as last
claimed, and attaching them direct to the slide rods, and thrusting them tight by
three or more wedges: and for forming the light in one with the water trap,-
substantially as described.