Improvements in Apparatus for Closing Water-tight Bulkhead Doors in Steam Ships.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing Water-tight Bulkhead
Doors in Steam Ships.
I, THOMAS MOODIE, of Earnock Villa, Hamilton, in the County of Lanark,
Colliery Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to bulkhead doors of ships and it has for its object the
provision of apparatus whereby the opening and closing can be effected either from
the engine room or bridge of the ship.
The apparatus consists of a hydraulic cylinder situated in proximity to each of
the bulkhead doors in a vertical or horizontal position the piston of which cylinder is
connected to a bracket on the door. The pressure water which is admitted to either
side of the piston by pipes to open or close the bulkhead doors is obtained from a ram
or rams, the plunger or plungers of which are actuated by eccentrics from the shaft
of a high speed engine preferably of the Admiralty type. Between the hydraulic
cylinder and the ram or rams a cylindrical receptacle or pipe is situated to which the
branches for the several cylinders are connected, each branch being provided at this
point with a stop cock, these being open normally and the pipes being constantly
filled with water ready for action. A small snifter valve is provided at the highest
level the inlet end of which is connected by a pipe with any source of water supply
the water first passing through a wire gauze filter to prevent any deposit in the valve.
The object of this valve is to supply any leakage that may take place, the valve.
closing automatically upon its seat immediately water under pressure is admitted to
the pipes.
A safety valve is also situated on the cylindrical receptacle pipe to which the
branches are connected in order to prevent any accident should the doors close with
less power than has been considered necessary.
The throttle valve of the high speed engine is connected to a motor the current of
which is supplied, by the ship's dynamo, through wires the circuit of which is
normally broken, contact being made by the officer on the bridge by means of a double.
pole switch. Immediately the throttle valve spindle begins to rise to admit steam to
the high speed engine the throttle valve spindle acts upon one end of a double ended
lever placed in the circuit, the other end of which lever carries a fork which makes
connection with the wires and completes the circuit. The continued travel of the'
throttle valve spindle tilts the double ended lever, so that when the valve has been
opened the requisite distance the forked end of the lever passes out of contact with
the wires and the circuit being thus broken the opening of the throttle valve is'
stopped.
The officer on the bridge may if disposed instead of setting the high speed engine
in operation himself signal to the engineer, who, by opening a valve under his control
can admit steam to the engines and close all or any number of bulkhead doors.
Dated this 6th day of July 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent, 62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Closing Water-tight Bulkhead
Doors in Steam Ships.
.
I, THOMAS MOODIE, of Earnock Villa, Hamilton, in the County of Lanark,
Colliery Manager, 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 bulkhead doors of ships and it has for its object the
provision of apparatus whereby the opening and closing can be effected either from
the engine room or bridge of the ship.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being a side
view and Figure 2 a front view of the apparatus.
The apparatus consists of a hydraulic cylinder A situated in proximity to each of
the bulkhead doors B in a vertical or horizontal position according to the closing
direction of the door, the piston rod C of which cylinder A is connected to a bracket
on the door B. The pressure water, steam or compressed air which is admitted to
either side of the piston by pipes E, F, to open or close the bulkhead doors B, is
obtained from a ram or rams G the plunger or plungers H of which are actuated by
eccentrics or otherwise from the shaft of a high speed engine Y preferably of the
Admiralty type. Between the hydraulic or other cylinder A and the ram or rams G
a cylindrical receptacle or pipe I is situated to which the branches a for the several
cylinders A are connected each branch being provided at this point with a stop cock J;
these being open normally and the pipes a being constantly filled with water ready for
action. A small snifter valve, not shown, is or may be provided at the highest level
the inlet end of which is connected by a pipe with any source of water supply, the
water first passing through a wire gauze filter to prevent any deposit in the valve..
The object of this valve is to supply any leakage that may take place, the valve
closing automatically upon its seat immediately water under pressure is admitted to
the pipes a.
A safety valve or valves is also situated on the cylindrical receptacle or pipe I to
which the branches a are connected in order to prevent any accident should the doors.
close with less power than has been considered necessary.
The throttle valve L of the high speed engine is connected to an electric motor M.
the current of which is supplied by the ships dynamo, not shewn, through wires X the
circuit of which is normally broken, contact being made when it is desired to
operate the motor by the officer on the bridge or other part of the ship by means of a
double pole switch Ń.
In the drawing the armature spindle O is hollow and surrounds the throttle valve
spindle being keyed thereto, a long slot being provided in the valve spindle to
allow it to travel in opening the valve L.
The motor is shewn horizontal but it is evident that it may be placed in any position
to suit the position of the valve spindle.
Immediately the throttle valve spindle begins to travel to admit steam to the high
speed engine Y the throttle valve spindle acts upon one end of a double ended lever P.
placed in the circuit, the other end of which lever makes connection with a terminal Q
on the wires X and completes the circuit. The continued travel of the throttle valve
spindle tilts the double ended lever P so that when the valve L has been opened the
requisite distance the forked or lower end of the lever passes out of contact with the
terminal Q and the circuit being then broken the opening of the throttle valve Lis
stopped.
The officer on the bridge may if disposed instead of setting the high speed engine
in operation bimself signal to the engineer who by opening a valve under his control

page_text: or by operating the hand wheel on the valve L can admit steam to the engines Y and
close all or any number of bulkhead doors.
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 :-
Apparatus for closing bulkhead doors in steam ships consisting of a hydraulic or
other pressure cylinder the piston rod of which acts on the bulkhead door, the water,.
steam or air pressure from which cylinder is obtained from a ram or rams actuated
by a high speed engine, the steam supply valve of which is by an electric motor
brought into operation from the bridge or other part of the ship substantially as.
described.
thie 12th dox of Angust. 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent, 62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.