Improvements in Closing Water-tight Doors in Ships' Compartments, and for other purposes, and in Indicating same.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
Improvements in Closing Water-tight Doors in Ships' Compartments,
and for other purposes, and in Indicating same.
I, HAMILTON EDWARD GEORGE Earle, of Elm Grove, Lymington, Hampshire,
Rear-Admiral, Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention primarily relates to ships in which a number of water-tight com-
partments are fitted, having several doors which are normally kept open for
communication and ventilation, but which are automatically closed by either the
inlet of water or by the action of fire, and is also suitable for the closing of ports,
scuttles, and such like openings.
The doors are hinged, or made to slide in suitable groove, and are held open by
means of lines running over suitable pulley wheels or blocks, the various lines being
connected to one attached to a trigger arrangement, fitted with a float which on
being raised by the inlet of water lifts the trigger and thereby releases the line
attached, allowing all the doors to fall to and so become closed. Suitable fastening
bolts are arranged to fall into position to secure the doors when closed, these bolts
being operated by being held open by a line connected to a trigger arrangement
operated to release the line by the falling of the door.
Where the release of the trigger is effected by fire an explosive is employed to
ignite at a low temperature and arranged to explode under the float to lift the
trigger to release the holding lines. On the outside of each water-tight com-
partment, or any other place, are indicators to show when the doors are closed, and
also to indicate whether the closing has been effected through the action of water
or heat. These indicators are attached to the releasing lines, and when the doors
fall are caused to be lifted. An explosive or detonator may be suitably arranged
for one or all the indicators to act upon to explode, and to draw attention to the
closing of the doors from any cause and in any particular compartment in any part
of the ship.
An indicator consisting of a rod attached to the float of the trigger is employed
to show the height of water in any compartment, which is ascertained by the rising
of the rod through the top of the compartment.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1894.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Closing Water-tight Doors in Ships' Compartments,
and for other purposes, and in Indicating same.
I, HAMILTON EDWARD GEORGE EARLE, of Elm Grove, Lymington, Hampshire,
Rear-Admiral Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention primarily relates to ships in which a number of water-tight com-
partments are fitted, the latter having one or more doors to each compartment,

page_text: which are normally kept open for communication and ventilation, but which
according to this invention and as hereafter described are automatically closed and
fastened
upon
the inlet of water or the action of fire, or by will from the deck;
the invention being equally applicable for the closing of ports, scuttles, and such
like openings and for closing doors in mines and for other purposes.
;
I will describe the invention with reference to ships, by which its application to
other purposes can be understood.
The doors to be automatically closed are hinged or made to slide in suitable
guides and are held open by means of wire or other lines running over suitable
pulley wheels or blocks, the various lines being connected to a trigger arrangement
governed by a float, which on being raised by the inlet of water causes the trigger
to be released and thereby allows all the doors to fall or slide to, and so become
closed and fastened. Suitable fastening bolts are arranged to fall into position and
secure the doors when closed.
Where the release of the trigger is to be effected by fire, explosive or other
material is employed to ignite or expand at a low given temperature and act upon
the float or equivalent to release the trigger and lines all as hereafter described.
Indicators are provided to shew when the doors are closed, and also to
indicate whether the closing has been effected through the action of water
or heat.
An important feature of this invention is, the water-tight doors can be so
arranged that they can be opened or closed from the deck or each side of bulkhead,
and the various indicating means shewn upon the deck.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe the same
with aid of the accompanying drawings which illustrate various ways of opening,
holding open, and closing the water-tight doors.
Figure 1. is an elevation of one side, or partition of a water-tight bulk-head,
illustrating perspectively two varieties of hinged doors therein, together with means
and appliances connected therewith according to my invention.
Figure 2. is a similar view shewing two different ways of arranging the sliding
doors and controlling arrangements.
Figure 3. shews diagraphically a longitudinal section, that is, a sectional view at
right angles to the previous figures and illustrates also perspectively, an arrangement
of floatation or explosion actuated trigger mechanisms and a suitable arrangement of
connecting cords.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detached detail views.
It should be understood that although I have in the drawings shewn doors and
their locking devices of several differing constructions, all adapted to effect the
objects of my invention, yet of these any preferred design might be selected and
employed throughout any vessel, that pattern being selected according as it best
suits the circumstances of its use. Referring now to Fig. 1: A, B, are two hinged
doors, one of which, A, opens laterally by turning on a vertical axis, and B
upwardly on a horizontal axis. Carried in bearings attached to the wall of the
bulk-head is a trigger shaft C, fitted with crank fingers C, C, adapted to receive
on their ends the rings or loops of the lines which are to support the doors when in
their open position.
opens
The supporting line of the door A, is marked A', and passes through a hinged
fixed pulley block A², one end being fixed to a sliding bolt A³, normally held in
locking position by a spring A³× the other end (shewn disconnected) being capable
of adjustment to the finger C' as indicated by the dotted line. The door A, is
shewn closed and when in this position the bolt takes into a bracket piece A', fitted
with a curved sliding face calculated to push back the bolt while the door is closing.
Auxiliary lateral bars A³ A, pivotted to the door take with their inner ends into
sockets in the bolt A; their outer ends (when closed) locking as hereafter described
into fixed sockets A upon the bulk-head by the action of the spring A³: I thus
have a triple bolt, and by drawing upon the cord A', bolt A", is withdrawn and simul-
taneously the bars A° are moved on their fulcrums out of their sockets A°, when

page_text: the door may be opened, either from within the bulk-head, or from the outside by
forming a slot in the door under the bolt and attaching a handle to the bolt to
project through the slot. The door A, is held with a tendency to close by a
cord A', secured at one end to a bracket A8, on a door, passing over pulleys to a
guided weight A'; although of course suitable spring appliances may be employed
instead of the weight and pulley if so desired. The door A, is when required held
open by the cord A', by the loop or ring at the end of the said cord A¹ being
adjusted upon the crank finger Cas indicated by the dotted line and released as
hereafter described, and upon being thus released the door closes by the action of
the weight A' and its cord A'. The bolt A³ then strikes the face of bracket A+,
and is thereby forced back, bringing the bars A' into position to pass the tongues
of the socket A, and upon the bolt A³, shooting into its socket, the bars A', also
interlock with their sockets by the action of the spring A³× as aforesaid.
Referring to the arrangement illustrated with respect to the door B, this door
has a supporting line marked B₁, with a ring capable of adjustment onto the crank
finger C, the other end being fixed to a sliding spring bolt B³, similar to A',
previously described; the lateral fastenings are composed of two counterbalanced
levers B, B, fulcrumed on the bulk-head and when the door is closed and fastened
as shewn, the ends of these levers take against wedge-shaped brackets B6, B, on the
door and give lateral security. Lines B', pass from the levers B, over guides and
terminate in a ring. To open the door the levers B', are raised to free the locking
end, and the spring bolt B3 withdrawn, when the door can be opened and is held up
by the cord B¹, being secured to trigger Cas indicated by the dotted line: The
levers B³, are held up by the ring at the end of the cord B7, being placed on to the end
of a hinged finger B, secured near bottom of bulk-head, this finger being then retained
in a horizontal position by the tongue of a crank lever B, held in position by a two-
armed lever B10, the further arm of which comes immediately below the socket
aperture in the bracket B, so that when the cord B' is released by a motion of the
crank finger C' of the trigger shaft C, the door closes by gravity, the bolt B³,
slides up the inclined face of bracket B, and upon passing into its socket it
depresses the lever B, and throws off the tongue of the lever B³, from the hinged
finger B, which immediately releases the ring of the cord B7, and the parts assume
their locked position as shewn in the drawing.
As I have explained, when the doors are open their retaining lines are supported
by the fingers C, on the trigger shaft C, and these fingers are retained in proper
position, and the shaft prevented from revolving by means of a crank C² thereon;
this crank being held in a proper position (regulated by a stop C³ on the shaft
coming in contact with the fixed bracket arm) by a line C, terminating in a ring
which is adjusted to a trigger mechanism hereafter described.
Referring now to Fig. 2. In this view two sliding doors D and E are shown in
a bulk-head partition, and these are retained in their open position by cords D'
and E, attached at one end to the doors and their other ends taking on to crank
fingers F, F, on a trigger shaft F, carried in bearings and provided with a
crank F, and a retaining trigger line F4, in all respects similar to the shaft C,
Fig. 1 previously described. The door D slides in vertical guides and is raised by
rotating a vertical shaft D2, either by suitable handle above the upper deck O, or
by giving motion to a spur pulley D³, operated by endless chain, and rotating the
shaft D, by bevelled gearing
The lower part of the shaft D2, is screw-
threaded and carried by a stationary hearing bracket D³ carried from the bulkhead.
The screw passes between fixed brackets on the door D, and these brackets D°, are
slotted and carry between them a tooth D', which is capable of being slidden to or
from the screw, the tooth D' being supported by arms D entering the aforesaid
slots, it being normally in such position that the tooth interlocks with the screw
thread and thus by turning the screw the door is raised into position shewn, and is
there held, not only by the retaining line D' but also by the screw and its nut D'.
Upon raising the door yet higher by the screw, the laterally projecting arms D**
upon the tooth D', come into contact with cam surfaces of the bracket D³, the

page_text: tooth D', being brought out of engagement with the screw thereby, and the door
being released from the screw would close by gravity unless retained by the afore-
said line D¹. Should the door not be retained that is should the cord D¹ be
released from the crank finger F¹ the door descends and upon closing, the arms D**
of the tooth D', come into contact with fixed cam parts D°, on the bracket D³, and
the tooth D', is again placed in engagement with the screw ready to be raised
thereby when required.
I thus have a door which is not only fitted for automatic closing by trigger
arrangements as with those at Fig. 1, but the opening and closing of which may
also be effected and regulated by mechanical appliances operated either from a
deck or decks above, or from the same deck on which the door is located or from
either side of its bulk-head and similar advantages accrue to the construction of
the horizontally sliding door E, also shewn at Fig. 2, this door, as said, being held
open as shewn by the retaining line E', it having a normal tendency to close by a
line Ex, and counter-balance Ex. The door E has two racks E², fixed thereon to
co-act with pinions E³ on a vertical shaft E*, rotated by either a handle above the
deck or by a pulley rotated shaft E, and bevel gearing operated from the deck
where the door is located, or either side cf bulk-head. Shaft E, is capable of
adjustment in a vertical direction by means of a lever E6, fulcrumed on the bulk-
head, provided with a suitable catch device whereby it may be retained in either of
two positions, that is, with the pinions E3 out of engagement with the racks E', as
shewn; or in engagement. When in the position shewn, on the cord E¹ being
released the door will close.
Similar devices may be applied to batchway doors, port-holes, and the like ;
thus at Fig. 4, is shewn a perspective top view of a hatchway door G, closed, fitted
with triple or more bolts operating in the same manner as the door A, Fig. 1, and
therefore not requiring further description in this Specification. G', is the line to
be held by a trigger device to retain the door in its open position, in which position
the door is shewn at Fig. 3, located between two bulk-heads W X: X, representing
the bulk-head (shewn for example at Fig. 1,) and to being that shewn at Fig. 2.
The crank finger C³, shewn at Fig. 3, adjacent to bulk-head X, corresponds with
that shewn at Fig. 1, similarly marked, and likewise the crank finger F" of the
bulk-head W, Fig. 3, corresponds with that at Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 3, the
retaining cords C, F, are connected together by a ring at their lower terminal
ends being brought forward as at Fig. 3 and held by a cord I passing thro' the
ring, the cord I being adjusted at each end to the hereafter described trigger
mechanisms, while the retaining cord G₁, of the hatchway door G, is also held by
another like trigger mechanism hereafter described. It will now be understood
that upon the cords H and G, Fig. 3, being released from the trigger mechanisms
there shewn, and hereafter described, the various doors will be automatically closed
and fastened by the shafts C and F, being allowed to partially rotate, and drop
the cords A', B', Fig. 1, from the fingers C, C", and the cords E, D, Fig. 2,
from the fingers F, F', and similarly as regards the door G, Figs. 3 and 4.
the three trigger mechanisms shewn at Fig. 3, being alike (the central trigger
mechanism shewn at Fig. 3 being also illustrated at Fig. 1,) it will be sufficient to
describe one such, the others being similarly lettered for reference. J, is a hinged
trigger arm adapted to turn horizontally, and retained in a position to receive and
hold the ring of a cord as shewn at Fig. 3, by a hooked fever J', pivotted at J*,
to a fixed bracket, and counter-balanced at Jx; this lever J', passes through slots
in two vertical rods J3, J³, the lever being at the base of such slots. The lower
end of the rod J2, is supported upon an arm J', jointed at one end to a fixed
bracket J, while the other end of the arm J', carries a float J. The lower end
of the rod J, is connected to a vertically movable piston in a cylinder J, and
beneath the piston and in the cylinder J, is placed some suitable or well known
explosive mixture or matter which is expansible by heat. Thus, should water
enter a part of the vessel where one of these trigger mechanisms is located, the
Hoat J, would rise, lifting the rod J³, raising the lever J, and thereby releasing
All

page_text: the trigger J, which latter turning upon its pivot will release its cord and any door
or system of doors which such cord controls will become automatically closed in
the manner previously described. Thus it will be evident that upon either the
extreme right or left hand trigger mechanism shewn at Fig. 3, being thus released,
the cord H, would be loosed, and the crank fingers F2 and C2 would be allowed to
rotate sufficiently to effect the release of the controlling arrangements described.
In the event of a fire occurring, the action would be similar, that is, the explosive
compound or expansive mixture contained in the cylinder J, would be affected by
heat and raise the piston, and consequently the rod Js thus releasing the trigger J.
The rods J, J³, are provided with tablets upon their upper ends. which are brought
into view upon the rise of the respective rod, thus the rise of the rod J², (by the
float) would bring the notice tablet into view and indicate water; while the rise of
the rod J, would indicate fire as being the cause of the automatic action of the
mechanical door closing appliances.
When the above actions take place it is advisable that some audible signal should
be given to draw attention; for this purpose I arrange upon the deck or other
suitable place, a gong K, (Fig. 5.) arranged to be struck by a hammer K' on a
pivotted lever K2, controlled by a spring K³; the end of this lever is pivotted to
a lever K connected to a crank arm K³, carrying a disc K, on which the word
"Fire" or "Water" may be marked. The hammer is held back by a spring
catch K', in which case the alarm disc K' lays flat down. This spring catch is
connected to a cord L, shewn at Figures 1 and 2 arranged to be connected with
other cords which are secured to the rods J J³ and, when the triggers J are
released the proper cord L, is pulled (by being connected to the rods J2 or J³),
thereby releasing the spring catch from holding back the lever K2, causing the
hammer to strike the gong, and at the same time raising one of the alarm
discs K6.
To enable the triggers J to be released from the deck, I employ levers M
Figure 7, having a cord N, attached; this cord passes over suitable guide pulleys,
and is connected to the triggers holder J' to draw up the same as they would be
acted upon by the lifting of the rods J2, J³.
If it should be desired to dispense with the triggers and their appliances, any of
the shafts C or F in either of the bulk-heads can be supported by a cord on the
crank ends C2, F2, in which case these crank ends would be required to be reversed
from the position shewn to the other side. The cord supporting these crank ends
would pass through the deck and be secured to lever or catch arranged to be freed
by manual means: such means could be arranged on the bridge as well as on the
deck.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
66
In the closing of water-tight or other doors and the like."
1. The combination of a hinged door A, fitted with spring actuated bolts, said
door arranged to close by weight or spring appliance; a cord A' with loop at end.
shaft C, arranged to partially rotate, having fingers C', crank C, attached cord C₁,
trigger J, trigger holder J', controlled by rods J2, J³, arranged to be lifted by
floatation or expansion by heat, all arranged so that on the closing of the door the
bolts automatically engage their sockets to secure the door; as described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination of a hinged door B, arranged to close by gravity fitted with
spring bolts, a cord B' to hold open door, a shaft C, arranged to partially rotate,
having fingers C', erank C³, attached cord C, trigger J, trigger holder J' controlled
by rods J, J³, arranged to be lifted by floatation or expansion, weighted bolt
levers B, wedge bearings B°, cords B', pivotted finger B, controlled by trigger B°
on closing of the door; all as described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 3. The combination with the means described in the preceding claim, of the
arrangement for releasing the triggers to close the doors from the deck, consisting
of a lever M, having a cord N, attached to the trigger holder J₁ to pull up the
same on operating the lever; as described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings at Fig. 6.
4. The arrangement of means for opening and closing a door from the deck
hereinbefore described for doors D and E, and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings at Fig. 2.
5. The combination with the means set out in the previous claims of an
arrangement of audible signal, such as is shewn at Fig. 5, of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1894
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37, Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for Applicant.