Improvements in and relating to Bulkhead Doors for Steamships.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1896-Accepted, 19th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Bulkhead Doors for Steamships.
We, WILLIAM MACE, of 253, Albert Road, Jarrow-on-Tyne, Engineer, and
THOMAS ELCOATE, of Chestnut House, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention aims at a more speedy means of closing water-tight balkheat
doors in an emergency than has yet been accomplished.
It consists in having a means hereinafter described for instantly closing the door
if required.
In carrying out our invention we make use of a rack and pinion for lifting the
door. Forming one casting with the pinion is a ratchet-wheel gearel with pawl.
To enable the pawl to be pulled out when the door is up, a rod is attachel to the
pawl, and to prevent it being pulled to and fro, with the up and down movement
of the pawl, the hole where the bolt passes through the pawl is oblong, the other
end of the rod is screwed, and passes through the centre of a handwheel which
forms a nut. The handwheel being suitably supported and revolving in bearings,
will pull the rod to and fro, and if necessary pull the pawl out and let the
door down.
Dated this 20th day of September 1895.
WILLIAM MACE.
THOMAS ELCOATE.
Improvements in and relating to Bulkhead Doors for Steamships.
We, WILLIAM MACE, of 253 Albert Road, Jarrow-on-Tyne, and THOMAS
ELCOATE, of Chestnut House, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, both in the County of
Durham, Engineers, 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 water-tight bulkhead doors, as used in ships, and
consists in mechanism by means of which such doors can be easily and quickly
closed, as is required to be done in cases of emergency.
In order that our invention may be fully understood and ascertained, we append
drawings in which like letters refer to similar parts or to parts fulfilling like
functions.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bulkhead door and apparatus for controlling its
movement.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same, (partly in section)
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the upper part of same.
Fig. 4 is a plan shewing ratchet wheel and pinion.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the ratchet wheel and pinion.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the pawl.
Fig. 7 shews the hand wheel nut, and screw.
.

page_text: A designates the bulkhead, to one side of which are attached guides a forming
grooves in which the door B slides in such manner as to cover or uncover the
opening in the bulkhead which forms the doorway. Rigidly attached to and
projecting upwards from the bulkhead door B is a rod or stem 6, the upper end of
which has one of its sides formed into cog teeth 6. These teeth engage with the
cog teeth of a pinion C which is fixed upon and revoluble (with a spindle c) in
bearings in a frame D; this frame being fixed to the upper part of the bulkhead A.
The rack is forced into contact with the pinion by a roller b at its back. Formed
integrally with the pinion C, or rigidly fixed to the spindle c is a ratchet wheel c¹
with the teeth of which engages the point e³ of a pawl E, this pawl being free to
oscillate upon a pin e fixed in a convenient part of the frame D.
Mounted in one side of the frame D, in such manner as to be freely revoluble
but not movable in any other direction, is a hand wheel F the bore of which is
screwed so as to form a female screw which engages with the male screw formed
upon one end of a rod G, the other end of which has a pin g fixed in it. The
pin g projects from one side of the rod and enters a slot e' formed in the pawl E;
the slot el being long enough to allow of such a movement of the pawl as to permit
the point to rise (as the pawl rocks) sufficiently high as to allow-the teeth of the
ratchet wheel c³ to pass it when the wheel is rotated. From the underside of the
pawl E projects a pin e, to which is attached one end of a spring e. the other end
of this spring being fixed to any convenient part of the frame D; this spring
serves to keep the point of the pawl in contact with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel.
A handle C¹ is fixed to the end of the spindle c, and when this is rotated by
hand the cogs of the pinion C engage with the rack teeth 6, and pull up the stem b
and bulkhead door B; the teeth of the ratchet wheel c¹ lifting the point of the
pawl E as each tooth passes under it. When the door is lifted to the required
height, that tooth of the ratchet wheel which is in contact with the point of the
pawl prevents the pinion and cog wheel turning backwards, and thus supports the
bulkhead door. When it is necessary to close the opening in the bulkhead by
allowing the door to drop, all that is necessary is to rotate the hand wheel F until
the screwed rod G is retracted far enough to cause the pin g to pull back the pawl,
and disengage the point es from the teeth of the ratchet wheel c; when the door B
drops by its own weight into the closed position. Or the pawl may be operated by
a handle as shewn in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 6.
In order to control the descent of the door, the upper end of the stem is formed
narrower than the toothed part of the rack, and a friction block H is arranged
in such manner that during the greater part of the descent it presses upon the side
of the stem 6 and prevents its descending with too much rapidity, but as soon as
the narrower part of the stem 6 (its upper end) presents itself to the friction block,
the door is free to drop into its place with a jerk. The degree of pressure required
can be regulated by the hand wheel I, screw i, and spring it, which latter presses
upon the back of the friction block H.
The stein bis shewn as extending above the door B but it might equally well be
arranged below it.
Where it is required to release the wheel from the pawl without going near it,
the hand wheel nut F can be formed with or replaced by a bevel wheel k, the teeth
of which engage with a similar wheel ¹ upon a spindle k², and this spindle being
continued to any convenient distant position, can be operated by a hand wheel K;
all this latter mechanism being shewn in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improved mechanism for controlling the movement of bulkhead doors,
substantially as described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. The improved mechanism for controlling the movement of bulkhead doors,

page_text: consisting essentially of a rack attached rigidly to the door, a cog pinion the teeth
of which engage with the teeth of such rack, and which cog pinion has a ratchet
wheel formed integrally with or rigidly attached to it, a pawl having a slot in
which a pin forming the end of a screwed rod enters, and a hand wheel which
serves as a nut by the rotation of which the pawl can be lifted out of contact with
the ratchet wheel teeth, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In apparatus for controlling the movement of bulkhead doors, the combination.
of the door B having a rack stem b', the cog pinion C with the ratchet wheel c',
the pawl E having the slot e¹, the rod G and pin g, and the hand wheel nut F, all.
constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described and shewn.
4. The improved mechanism for controlling the movement of bulkhead doors,.
consisting essentially of a rack attached rigidly to the door, a cog pinion, the teeth
of which engage with the teeth of such rack, and which cog pinion has a ratchet
wheel formed integrally with or rigidly attached to it, and a pawl which by means.
of a handle can be lifted out of contact with the ratchet wheel teeth, substantially
as shewn and described.
5. For use with an apparatus as herein before described and claimed, the bevel
wheels k, and k¹³, the spindle k², and the hand wheel K, for operating the pawl from
a distance, substantially as shewn and described with reference to Fig. 1.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
106 Priory Park Road, Kilburn, London, N.W.,
Agent for the Applicants.
Dated this 1st day or pune 1000
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
106 Priory Park Road, Kilburn, London, N.W.,
Agent for the Applicants.