Improvements in and' relating to Adjustable Water-tight Doors for the Bulkheads of Ships.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1895-Accepted,, 21st Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and' relating to Adjustable Water-tight Doors for
the Bulkheads of Ships.
A communication from abroad by FRANK W. CROSS, a citizen of the United
States of America, of 59 East Harris Street, in the City of Atlanta, County
of Fulton and Stute of Georgia, one of the United States of America;
Inventor.
1. CHRISTIAN ALBERT JENSEN, of No. 77 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered
Patent Agent, 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 improvements in adjustable water-tight doors for the
bulkheads of ships, and it has for its object to so construct the door and the closing
and fastening devices that the same may be applied to the bulkhead without cutting
or defacing the framing thereof; provide for securing the water-tight packing,
which closes the joint between the door and the opening at the bulkhead, in such
manuer that an effective closure may be made with less clamping pressure and with
less wear upon the packing than heretofore, and also to provide simple and effective
clamping mechanism for fastening the doors to the edges of the bulkhead openings,
and further provide for locking the clamping dogs positively, when the door is
open, and holding them in position to fall properly into pluce when the door
is closed, as more fully hereinafter described.
The above mentioned objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which—
Figure 1 represents a plan view of a portion of a bulkhead door showing my
invention;
Figure 2 a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a portion of a door
and one of the hinges, showing the means of adjusting the same;
Figure 3, a detached view of the hinge;
Figure 4, a portion of the door and a sectional view of the end of one of the
clamping dogs, and a spring detent by which it is held when the door is open;
Figure 5, an elevation of said dog and detent, taken at right angles to the view
shown in Figure 4 ;
Figure 6 a side elevation of a portion of the bulkhead, a cum plate secured
thereto, and the clamping dog bearing against said cam plate;
Figure 7, an elevation of a portion of the bulkhead and door, showing one of the
clamping dogs, and the cam plate against which one end thereof bears to tighten
the door, and
Figure 8, a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section of
a portion of the door and the clamping devices.
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a portion of one of the
bulkheads of a ship, around the opening of which extends a metallic frame having
a flange 2, which is attached to the bulkhead and a Hange 3 at right angles thereto
against which the packing of the door is brought to bear to secure a water-tight
joint when the door is closed and clamped.
The numeral 4 indicates the door, which is preferably constructed of metal; as
usual, and which has secured to it by bolts or rivets 5, or otherwise the members 6
of the hinges upon which it swings, the other members 8, of which are fastened
to the bulkhead in any suitable manner. The members 8 are provided with a
lug 9, which has an elongated opening through it, and the members 6 are bifurcated
2--

page_text: at one end so as to straddle said lugs, and provided with pintles 10, Figures 2 and 3,.
which pass through. the elongated opening, and serve to connect the two members
of the hinge. The pintles are beaded at one end, and at the other are slotted,
and through the slots are passed the usual split pins 11 to confine them in place.
Through suitable screw-threaded openings in the lugs 9 are passed externally
threaded pins 12, which bear against the pintle, and which may be adjustably set
in or out, to adjust the hinges, so as to give the packing around the door (to be
hereinafter described) a square bearing against the angular flauge 3 of the frame
surrounding the opening of the bulkhead.
At suitable points around the edges, the door is provided with clamping devices,
shown in detail, particularly in the view represented in Figure 8 of the drawing.
Referring to Figure 8, the numeral 14 indicates an externally threaded sleeve,
which passes through un internally tapped aperture in the door, and which is
provided with lock or binding nuts 15, which bear against the door and serve to
bold the sleeve against turning, when in a properly adjusted position. Through
the sleeve extends a bolt 16, which fits snugly, but is adapted to turn freely therein.
At suitable points the bolt is aunularly grooved, as indicated by the numeral 17,
and the grooves are fitted with packing rings of leather or other suitable material
to make water-tight joints between the inside of the sleeve and the bolt. The
ends of the bolt project beyond the sleeve at each end, and on the outer end
is secured, by means of a set screw, feather, or otherwise, one end of a lever 18,
which sets above a shoulder 19 on the bolt, the shoulder bearing against the
flanged outer end of the sleeve before mentioned. The inner end of the bolt..
passes through an opening near one end of a dog 20, which is confined thereon
by means of a nut 21, which fits upon the inner end of the bolt, the same being
screw-threaded for the purpose.
The door near to its edge, is provided with a channel iron or frame.22, which
is provided with an outwardly flaring continuous recess, in which is cemented or
otherwise secured the packing 23 of rubber or other material. The said packing
consists of a continuous piece of material, rectangular in cross section, and of such
width as not to entirely fill the recess. in the channel iron, so that when compressed
when the door is closed, against the flange of the angle frame around the bulkhead
opening, it will readily expand and bear tightly against said flange.
On one side of the bulkhead at suitable points corresponding to the position
of the dogs 20 are located cam plates 24, against which the short arms of the
dogs may be brought to bear, to draw the door inwardly and press the packing
against the flange 3 to make a water-tight joint.
To one surface of the door in.a suitable position, is secured a series of fastening
devices 25, shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, which consist of a
movable bolt set in a chamber in the device and pressed normally outward by
a spring 26. The outer end of said bolt is recessed, so as to engage the end of
the dog 20 when the door is opened, and hold it in position until the door is
closed.
.
It will be observed that in the present invention the clamping devices are on the
door, instead of on the bulkhead framing, which permits said devices to be more
conveniently applied, and renders it unnecessary to cut or otherwise deface the
said framing to apply them.
The operation of my invention is as follows:
The door being properly hung upon the hinges, the parts are adjustable so that
the packing will bear uniformly upon the flange 3 at all points. When closed the
pressure is put upon the door by turning the dogs so as to fill the grooves in the
channel iron and make a perfectly water-tight joint.
'
said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim, is:
1 The combination with the door and the flanged frame secured to the

page_text: bulkhead, of the channel iron having a flaring groove, and packing secured therein,
and mechanism for clamping the door to the bulkhead, substantially as specified,
whereby the packing is allowed to expand, when compressed.
2. The combination with the bulkhead framing provided with a flanged framo
surrounding the opening, of an adjustable hinged door having adjustable fastening
devices, and a channel iron and packing, the said channel iron being formed with
an outwardly flaring groove, whereby the packing is allowed to expand when
compressed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with bulkhead door and framing, of an adjustable threaded
sleeve extending through a threaded aperture in the door, the annularly grooved
bolt and packing, the lever secured to one end of the bolt, and the dog secured to
the other, the cam plate secured to the framing, the channel iron and packing, and
the flanged frame against which the packing, bears when the door is closed,
substantially as specified.
4. The combination with the pivoted dogs, of the spring fastening devices
secured to the door and adapted to engage and hold the dogs when the door is
open, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with the door and its adjustable hinges, of the fastening
devices consisting of an externally threaded sleeve passing through the door, the
bolt passing through the sleeve and provided with a lever at one end and a dog at
the other, the latter being adapted to engage a cam plate on the bulkhead framing
to clamp the door and its packing to its seat, substantially as specified.
6. A locking dog for the bulkhead doors pivoted upon a bolt adjustable laterally
with relation to the door, substantially as shown and described, whereby the dog
may be adjusted to or from the face of said door.
7. The combination with a bulkhead door, of an adjustable threaded sleeve
extending through a threaded aperture in said door, a bolt extending through the
sleeve and having secured to one end a locking dog, substantially as shown and
described, whereby the dog may be adjusted to or from the face of the door.
Dated this Twelfth day of November 1905.
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.