New or Improved Means or Apparatus for Automatically Closing Water-tight Doors or Valves such as the Water-tight Doors of Ships' Bulkheads.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means or Apparatus for Automatically Closing
Water-tight Doors or Valves such as the Water-tight Doors of
Ships' Bulkheads.
I, THOMAS NICCOL, of 101, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Machinery 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved means or apparatus for automatically
closing water-tight doors or valves such as the water-tight doors of ships' bulk-
heads, and is a further development of the invention described in the Specification
of McElroy's Patent No. 3610, A.D. 1886.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended one explanatory sheet of drawings in the several
figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a water-tight door in the act of being opened
showing my apparatus for automatically closing it as it is in its normal position.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the apparatus when the door has been
automatically closed.
Figure 3 is a plan of the tank and its connections.
A represents the lower part or hold of a ship, and B a tank in which there is a
float C through which passes a guide D fixed to the bottom of the ship and top of
the tank. Pivoted to one side of this tank B there is a fork-shaped lever E
resting on the float C. This lever has a recess F, into which fits a transverse
lever E which is pivoted to the side of the tank. Connected to this lever there is
a rod G which passes through the top of the tank and up the side of the door, and
at the upper end of this rod G there is a bell-crank-lever H pivoted at h.
Pivoted to the other end of this bell-crank-lever H is a connecting rod I having
a rack J pivoted at its other end. This rack J gears with a pinion K which is
keyed to a rod L, which operates the mechanism for closing the door as fully
described and shown in the said Specification of McElroy's Patent No. 3610,
A.D. 1886, but which being no part of my present invention need not herein
further refer to.
The operation of my invention is as follows:-In the case of water getting in to
the ship through collision or otherwise the water rushes into the lower part or hold
of the ship, and when it reaches the height of the tank B it flows therein and
raises the float C which presses up the levers E and E', and with it the rod G. As
the rod G rises it by means of the bell-crank-lever H and connecting rod I, pulls
out the rack J, and it gearing with the pinion K, turns the rod L, and the door
immediately closes, as seen more particularly in Figure 2.
It is to be understood that the tank float and its connections are provided
wherever there is a water-tight door or valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I make
no claim to the construction of the water-tight door .as shown, or to the mode of
opening or closing it by hand, but what I do claim is :-
The apparatus for automatically closing water-tight doors or valves of ships'

page_text: bulkheads, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying
sheet of drawings.
Dated this 29th day of June 1891.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.