Improvements in Hydraulic Systems and Apparatus for Closing Water-tight Bulkheads on Board Ship, and for other like purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Systems and Apparatus for Closing
Water-tight Bulkheads on Board Ship, and for other like
purposes.
I, WILLIAM BARNUM COWLES, of Number 223 Princeton Street, in the City
of Cleveland, County of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, United States of America,
Naval Architect, a citizen of the United States, 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 especially to improvements in apparatus for opening and
closing doors, hatches, ports, valves, cocks, gates, and the like and particularly
to the opening and closing of the watertight doors of the compartments of a
ship.
The objects of my invention are:
(1) To construct an apparatus which shall be simple, durable, positive in its
action, reliable and not likely to get out of order, by means of which a mechanical
device situated at a distance from the operating point may be moved with a con-
tinuously registered and perfectly controlled motion and by methods which enable
said motion to be reversed or locked in any part of its travel.
(2) To construct a combination of such apparatus, whereby two or more
independent mechanical devices, which may be widely separated and of varying
types, may be independently and systematically operated, controlled, continuously
registered and locked, all from the same point, "central station," or operating
board, and by one operator.
(3) To construct a combination of such apparatus whereby in cases of emergency,
any number of the devices so connected to an operating board may be simul-
taneously operated, controlled, registered and locked from a point at a distance
from said board by a second operator and by means entirely independent of the
first operator.
(4) To construct a combination of such apparatus with mechanism for swinging
a door through a half circle and clamping it on a water-tight or fire proof seat,
so that the combination thereby obtained may be used by the first operator at the
operating board for the ordinary working of the water-tight doors, &c., on a ship,
or in other places, and may be used by a second operator, in cases of emergency, to
simultaneously close all of said doors.
Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are
indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.
Fig. represents a diagrammatic view of a primary system connected to a
swinging door for a water-tight compartment, showing in full lines the door in its
closed position and in dotted lines the door in its open position.
Fig. 2 represents an elevation of the swinging door and the mechanism for
operating the same looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,
looking in the direction of the arrow.
Fig. 4 represents a similar sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,
looking in the direction of the arrows.
Fig. 5 represents a sectional view of the six-way controlling valve taken on the
line 5-5 of Fig. 6. and

page_text: Fig. 6 represents a vertical sectional view of the same on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,
and looking in the direction of the arrows.
Fig. 7 represents a diagrammatic view of the complete system, showing three
operating and three indicating cylinders connected up in pairs, with a controlling
valve between each operating cylinder and the corresponding indicating cylinder,
and a separate pair of cylinders connected by an emergency or controlling valve
whereby all of the cylinders may be simultaneously operated.
Figs. 8 and 9 are details.
My invention in its most simple form consists of two cylinders A and B, both
filled with fluid under pressure, and of equal piston displacement, the piston of the
cylinder A being connected with a door, valve, signal, or other device to be
operated, and the other cylinder B being connected to the cylinder A by
pipes C,, and C, c, which are also filled with fluid under pressure, and the
fluid forced out of one end of the cylinder A by the motion of its piston, will
cause a corresponding travel of the piston in the cylinder B, which travel may be
indicated by a pointer b attached to the piston rod b' and moving over the
scale X.
The pipes C, e, and C), c, connect with a six-way valve D placed between the
cylinders A and B, to which valve are also connected the supply pipe C³, and the
exhaust pipe C, so that fluid passing into or from the system, or from one cylinder
to the other must pass through the six-way valve D.
The six-way valve D consists of a cylindrical or conical casing D' having the
six equidistant vents, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, each adapted to receive one of the
pipes C, c, C, c', C2, or C³, and a cylindrical valve plug D2, adapted to fit snugly
and turn in the valve casing D. This valve plug has three curved passages d, d',
and d, each adapted to connect two adjacent vents in the casing D as shewn in
Figure 5. A smaller passage d³ through the centre of the plug connects the two
passages d and d but is normally closed by the screw plug D³ which passes down
through the valve stem D across the passage d. The valve plug D is held in
position in the casing by the cap 15, which is screwed down or suitably adjusted
inside of the upper end of the casing D', this cap is provided with a friction
packing ring d which bears upon a similar packing ring on the top of the valve
plug D2, and the said valve plug may be journalled in the base of the casing D
as at d. The stem D of the valve plug D2 passes through the cap D and has
secured to its upper end a handle D, by means of which the valve plug may
be turned.
In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown the operating cylinder A connected to the door
of a water-tight compartment, such as are used on modern ships, but it will be
evident that such a cylinder might be employed to operate various kinds of devices,
such as valves, signals or the like.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, E indicates the door of the water-tight compartment,
which is provided with the locking bolts F, F, arranged to slide in suitable
guide brackets e, on the inside of the door near its edges. The bolts F, Fare
beveled, as at f, at their outer ends to press on the beveled edges of the
door frame G, when the bolts are forced outwardly from the middle of the door,
and thus to draw the edges el of the door closely against the gaskets g' in the
frame.
Near the middle of the door is journalled in suitable bearings, as e², a vertical
ehait H, having crank arms h, which are connected by links with the inner ends
of the bolts F at the edge of the door nearest the hinges E. The bolts Fat the
outer, or opening edge of the door, are connected to the levers 2, pivoted to the
door as at f by connecting rods which are pivotally connected to the levers f
operating the bolts F. Thus the turning of the shaft II will cause the links h' to
slide the bolts F inwardly or outwardly to disengage or engage the sides of the
door frame, and through the levers and connecting rods f', will move the
bolts E in a corresponding direction.
A crank arm h2 on the upper end of the shaft II is connected by a rod I with

page_text: the longer arm of a T-lever I pivoted in a journal box G' secured to the inside
of the frame of the door a little back of and on the opposite side from the
hinges E. The short arm of the T-lever I' is connected by a rod a with the end
of the piston rod a' of the cylinder A.
To prevent the possibility of the holts F, being thrown out when the door is
open, a locking device is provided which will lock the shaft H, when the said bolts
are withdrawn. This locking device consists of a rod K having at its outer end
a hend K' beveled as at ; and having its inner end enlarged and provided
with a short slot k through which passes the vertical shaft H; this shaft is provided
with a key-way A, and the rod K is provided with a lug or key projecting into
the slot k at its end farthest from the head K. The rod K is supported in guide
brackets e, and is provided with a spring interposed between one of the guide
brackets and the head K', which serves to keep the key in engagement with the
key-way A in the shaft H, thus locking the same and preventing it from turning
while the door is open. When the door is closed the bevel k of the head K
rides up on the edge of the door frame G, and forces the rod K back against the
tension of the spring &, and pushes the key out of the key-way in the vertical
shaft H, leaving the latter free to turn in its bearings, as shewn most clearly in
Figure 3.
The operation of the foregoing part of my invention is as follows:-
The parts being filled with fluid under pressure and in the closed position, as
shewn in Figs. 1 to 6, suppose additional fluid under pressure to be admitted
through the pipe C and thence through the passage d'of the valve D, to the
pipe C, then to the end A' of the cylinder A forcing or holding the end a¹ of the
piston rod to the left within the cylinder A.
The pressure from the opposite side of the piston will be transmitted through
the pipe C', as indicated by the arrows, and passage d' of the valve D to the
pipe e, then to the end B of the indicating or tell-tale cylinder B, forcing or
holding the end 6 of the piston rod down within the eyliniler B. The pressure
from the other end of the cylinder B will be transmitted through the pipe e', and
the passage d of the valve D to the exhaust pipe C³.
Thus the pressure in the cylinder A will hold the piston in its rearward position,
tending to pull upon the rod a, the T-lever I', the rod I, and the vertical shaft H,
holding the door closed and locked; while the pressure in the cylinder B, will
hold the piston in its inner position, causing the pointer & on the end of the piston
rod to indicate the closed position marked C on the scale X.
Should the handle D' of the valve D be turned to the central position, shewn in
heavy dotted lines, it would turn the valve plug D to close all the openings and
passages in the valve D, and no movement of the fluid or pistons could take place;
this would practically lock the system in either an open or closed position, or in
any intermediate position.
Should the handle D be turned to the position shewn in fine dotted lines, the
valve plug D would be turned so that its passage d would connect the vents 2
and 3, its passage d' would connect the vents 1 and 6, and its passage d² would
connect the vents 4 and 5, the fluid from the pressure pipe C would then pass
through the passage d' to the pipe C, as indicated by the dotted arrows, and would
euter the end A of the cylinder A, forcing the piston toward the end A', and
forcing the fluid from that end of the cylinder through the pipe C and the
passage d of the valve, as indicated by the dotted arrows, through the pipe C¹ to
the end B of the indicating or tell-tale cylinder B, forcing its piston toward the
end B', and forcing the fluid from that end of the cylinder through the pipe cand
passage d² of the valve D to the exhaust pipe C³. This will cause the pistons in
the two cylinders A and B to move in unisou, and the pointer 6 on the end b₁ of
the piston rod, to indicate on the scale X the position of both pistons, whether
they are in the open or closed position, or any intermediate position. The pressure
pipe C is provided with a check valve e, which is arranged to prevent the fluid
from passing backward through the said pipe, and the exhaust pipe C' is provided

page_text: with a relief valve e arranged to exert a slight back pressure upon the fluid to
prevent its escape from the system except when forced out by the movement of the
pistons. This pressure pipe Cis connected to any suitable source of fluid pressure,
not shewn, while the exhaust pipe is connected to any suitable receptacle adapted
to permit the discharge of fluid thereinto.
The outward movement of the end a¹ of the piston rod of the cylinder A will
move the rod a, T-lever 1, rod I and will turn the shaft H to the first position
shewn in dotted lines, this will slide the bolts F and F inwardly and unlock the
door; further pressure upon the rod a will swing the door open and move the
several parts to the open position as shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
As the door swings open, the head K of the rod K moves off from the edge of
the frame, and the spring will throw the said rod outwardly causing the key k
to engage the key-way in the shaft H, which is then in position to receive it,
thus the said shaft H is locked from turning until released when the door is closed
as will now be described :-
When the handle D is thrown to the position shewn in Figure 1, the fluid is
admitted to the end A' of the cylinder A, drawing the end al of the piston rod in,
and pulling on the rod a, which in turn pulls on the T-lever 1', and by means of
the rod I swings the door closed; as the door closes, the bevel edge of the head K'
rides up on the edge of the door frame and forces the rod K inwards, releasing the
key from the key-way &, and allowing the last part of the pull on the crank A
to turn the shaft H and slide the locking bolts over the beveled edge of the door
frame, thus locking the door tightly upon the gaskets g'.
My invention also contemplates placing a number of six-way valves D in a group,
as shewn in Fig. 7, which may be termed a switch board, in some convenient place
for handling the same, and connecting each one by the pipes C, C', with an
operating cylinder A placed at a distant point where it may be desirable to operate
a door, valve, signal or other device, so that one operator at the group of valves D
will be able to control a large number of doors or other devices.
Each valve is provided with an indicating cylinder B, so connected as to indicate
the position of the piston in the corresponding cylinder A, so that the operator can
see if each of the cylinders A is doing its work properly. In this instance all the
valves D are connected with a common pressure main C leading from a suitable
supply tank, (not shewn in the drawings), and they all discharge into a common
exhaust main C as will be seen by reference to Fig. 7.
I also contemplate placing a primary or emergency system with its valve D, and
indicating cylinder B at some point, as for instance on the bridge or in the
conning tower of a man of war, or several such emergency attachments may be each
connected to the main system, and each independently operated to control the
entire system.
This emergency system may be caused to simultaneously operate all the various
units, or part of such units in the main system in a great variety of ways, one of
which I have shewn in Fig. 7, where the piston rod of the emergency operating
cylinder A of such primary system is connected with a bar M to which are pivoted
auxiliary levers m on the stems of all the valves D, of the group of valves, and
indicators constituting the "switch board" just described by this means the
operator, on the discovery of impending danger, can, by turning the handle D' of
the emergency system, throw all of the valves of the group into the safety
position, which in case of collision or the like would be to close all the compartment
dours.
In this latter instance, the stems D Fig. 9 of the valves D are made long
enough to receive the two leverз D and m, and the key d' is long enough to
extend through both levers. The lever D is keyed on the stem in the usual
manner to turn the valve in either direction by hand, but the lever m is slotted as
at m', to receive the key d', so as to have a limited movement on the valve stem
before communicating motion thereto.
The levers m are so arranged that when in the open position, as shewu in

page_text: Figure 7, the slots m¹ will be so placed that the valve stems may be turned as far
as necessary to operate the devices either way without moving the levers m, but
when the levers m are moved in the direction of the arrow, the end m³ of the
slot m¹ will strike the key d and carry the valve stem round with it to the closing
position, no matter in what position the valve may be at the time. The return
movement of the levers m will not affect the valves, as the slot m¹ will move over
the key d without moving the latter. A signal bell N may be placed so as to be
rung by teeth m³ on the bar M when the latter is moved, or other means for noting
the movement of the bar M may be used in addition to the tell-tale cylinder of the
emergency system.
Thus when the emergency system is operated, the operator at the group of valves
or switch board, will be warned of the danger, so that he may observe by the
indicating cylinders, if all of the operating cylinders are doing their work properly,
and take such steps as may be necessary for safety.
It will be obvious that registering meters or other like indicators may be adopted
in place of the tell-tale cylinders, the function of said cylinders being merely to
indicate the position of the pistons in the cylinders A, as determined by the flow of
fluid therefrom or thereto.
Moreover, it will be evident that the mechanism operated by the pistons in the
various cylinders A may be varied at will without departing from the general idea
of my improved hydraulic operating and indicating system.
Again one emergency system may operate one set of valves, doors, or other
devices located in, say one part of the ship; another emergency system may operate
a similar set of devices located elsewhere, &c.
I also provide drain vents in each end of the cylinders which are normally
closed by screw plugs a³ and 3, and when the system is to remain idle for some
time, or when, for any reason it is desirable to remove the fluid from the system,
these screw plugs are loosened which will allow the fluid to escape therefrom.
To fill the system the screw plug D³ is loosened, and the fluid introduced through
the pressure pipe C from whence, if the handle D is in the position shewn in
Fig. 1, the fluid will pass through the passage d, through the pipe C to the end A'
of the cylinder A, and also through the passage d' to the passage d', from whence
it will pass through the pipe C' to the end A2 of the cylinder A, and through the
pipe C to the end B' of the cylinder B, thus filling both ends of the cylinder A
and the end B of the cylinder B; the handle D is then turned to the position
shewn in fine dotted lines, and the fluid will pass through the passage d, the
passage d³, the passage d, and the pipe c to the end B2 of the cylinder B thus filling
the whole system.
To set the pistons in the two cylinders so that they will move in unison after the
system has been filled, or after they have become disarranged from any cause
whatever, the handle D is turned to the position shewn in full lines in Fig. 1,
when, the screw plug D' being loosened to allow the fluid to pass through the
passage d, the piston in the cylinder A may be moved to correspond with the
position of the piston in the cylinder B, the fluid passing freely from one end of
cylinder A to the other through the pipes C. C', the passages d, d', and the
passage d, but not affecting the cylinder B. When the two cylinders are in the
proper relative positions, the screw plug D³ is screwed down to close the passage d³
which places the system in operative condition.
In order that the doors, and other devices may be operated by hand as well as
by the cylinders A, the connecting rods a are preferably detachably connected
either to the piston rods, or to the T-lever, or other device to be operated; and
thus the said devices may be uncoupled from the operating cylinders when
desired.
While I have described my invention particularly with reference to its use aboard
ship, it will be evident that it may be used on shore, as in factories, or in other
relations needless to be specifically enumerated.

page_text: 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 [
claim is
1. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of fluid circuits, of an operating cylinder in each of said circuits, a piston
in each of said cylinders, valves for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to
said cylinders, with mechanism operated by one of said pistons for controlling the
valves of a plurality of the other cylinders, substantially as herein described and
shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
2. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of fluid circuits, of an operating cylinder and an indicating device in each
of said circuits, a pistou in each of said cylinders, a valve in each circuit for
controlling the admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder in that circuit, with
mechanism operated by one of said pistons for controlling the valves of a plurality
of the other cylinders, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
3. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of fluid circuits, of an operating cylinder in each of said circuits, a door
and mechanism for moving the same operated by said cylinders, valves for
controlling the admission of fluid pressure to said cylinders, with mechanism
operated by one of said cylinders for controlling the valves of a plurality of the
other cylinders, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
4. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of fluid circuits, of an operating cylinder and an indicating device in each
of said circuits, a swinging door and mechanism for swinging the same operated by
said cylinders, a valve in each circuit for controlling the admission of fluid pressure
to the cylinder in that circuit, with mechanism operated by one of said cylinders
for controlling the valves of a plurality of the other cylinders, substantially as
herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
5. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of fluid circuits, of an operating cylinder in each of said circuits, valves
independently controlled for regulating the admission of fluid pressure to said
cylinders, with mechanism operated by one of said cylinders for simultaneously
controlling the valves of a plurality of the other cylinders, substantially as herein
described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
6. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of fluid circuits, of an operating cylinder and an indicating device in each
of said circuits, a valve in each circuit independently controlled for regulating the
admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder in that circuit, with mechanism operated
by one of said cylinders for simultaneously controlling the valves of a plurality of
the other cylinders, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
7. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
plurality of Huid circuits, of an operating cylinder in each of said circuits, a door
and mechanism for moving the same operated by said cylinder, valves independently
controlled for regulating the admission of fluid pressure to said cylinders, with
mechanism operated by one of said cylinders for simultaneously controlling the
valves of a plurality of the other cylinders, substantially as herein described and
shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
8. The mechanism for swinging a hinged door through approximately 180° about
its hinges, comprising a T-lever pivoted on the opposite side of the door frame
from said hinges, a reciprocating rod pivotally connected to one arm of said
T-lever, a crank and crank shaft journalled on said door, and a connecting rod
between the other arm of said T-lever and the said crank, substantially as herein
described and shewn in the drawings hercunto annexed.

page_text: a
9. The mechanism for swinging a hinged door through approximately 180° about
its hinges and for automatically locking and unlocking said door comprising
reciprocating part, a T-lever pivoted on the opposite side of the door frame from
said hinges and connected to said reciprocating part, a crank and crank shaft
journalled on said door, means for automatically locking said crank shaft against
revolution and for releasing the saine when the door is in approximately the closed
position, bolts carried by said door, and mechanism operated by said crank shaft
when released for reciprocating said bolts, substantially as herein described and
shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
10. The mechanism for swinging a hinged door through approximately 180° about
its hinges and for automatically locking and unlocking said door, comprising a
reciprocating part, a T-lever pivoted on the opposite side of the door frame from
said hinges and connected to said reciprocating part, a crank and crank shaft
journalled on said door, a spring operated rod normally locking said crank shaft
and provided with a wedge shaped head adapted to engage the door frame when
the door is in the closed position and to release said crank shaft, bolts carried by
said door, and mechanism operated by said crank shaft when released for
reciprocating said bolts, substantially as herein described and shewn in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a rotary
valve and valve stem of a hand crank rigidly connected to said valve stem, and an
auxiliary crank loose on said valve stem and provided with a curved slot, a lug or
key on said valve stem engaging in said slot and allowing the valve stem a limited
rotary motion independent of said auxiliary crank, with means for turning said
auxiliary crank through the desired angle in either direction, substantially as
herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
12. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with a
cylinder and an operating piston, of a door, and mechanism operated by said piston
for moving said door, an indicating cylinder, a double system of pipes connected
thereto, a pipe for supplying fluid pressure and an exhaust pipe, and a six-way valve
located between said cylinders and adapted to connect said supply pipe with either
end of said operating cylinder, to connect the opposite end of the operating
cylinder with one end of the indicating cylinder, and to connect the opposite end
of the indicating cylinder with the exhaust pipe, substantially as herein described
and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
13. In a hydraulic system of the character described, the combination with an
operating cylinder and mechanism operated thereby, and a reciprocating indicating
device, of a double system of pipes connecting the two, a pipe for supplying fluid
pressure and an exhaust pipe, and a six-way valve placed between said cylinder
and said device, adapted to connect said supply pipe with either end of said
operating cylinder, to connect the opposite end of the operating cylinder with one
end of the indicating device, and to connect the opposite end of the indicating
device with the exhaust pipe, substantially as herein described and shewn in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
14. The combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereindescribed
and shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings hereunto annexed.
1. The combined means for opening and closing and locking and unlocking the
door shewn in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings.
16. The combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereindescribed
and shewu in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated the 20th day of July 1896.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
London, Chartered Patent Agent.