Improvements in the Automatic Registering and Control of Watertight Doors in Ships.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 4th Feb., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Automatic Registering and Control of
Watertight Doors in Ships.
We, GEORGE ABRAHAM GOODWIN, and WILLIAM FIELD How, both of No. 2 Victoria
Mansions, in the City of Westminster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the registering and control of watertight doors in the
transverse bulk-heads or other parts of ships, by means of an electrical current or
currents or mechanical connections, such as rods, chains, etc., operating an indicator or
indicators in the captain's cabin or other convenient part of the ship, (so that the
captain or other officer in charge can see, at a glance if all or any of the said door or
doors are closed), and by which the said doors can be locked, released or controlled by
the captain or the officer in charge.
To effect the automatic registering of the movements of the door, we provide an
indicator or dial showing in suitable positions that the several doors are absolutely
closed or open.
The said registering indicator may be operated in a known manner by an electrical
current which may be closed by suitable insulated contact pieces on the water-tight
door and frame just as the door shuts. In this case the indicator would show the door
to be shut so long as the circuit is kept closed, the indicator falling back to indicate
"open" so soon as the current is broken.
A continuous electrical bell may be included, either in the main circuit or on an
alternative closed shunt current from it, or a bell may be placed on each. In such case
the bell on the main circuit indicates the shutting of the door, whilst the bell on the
alternative shunt current, if of greater resistance than that on the main, would only act
when the main circuit is broken, and thus indicate the opening of the door.
Or, the insulated contacts on the door and frame may make and break an electrical
circuit through the indicator just as the door closes. In this case the indicator may be
an over-balancing lever, so that a momentary circuit suffices to operate it together
with a bell, whilst it is again returned to its former position as the door opens,
and remakes the former circuit, the bell again giving audible indication of the
aranyant

page_text: Further, the automatic indications of the movement of the door may be effected
mechanically, by the door, as it closes, operating a lever or communicating a direct pull
to a wire, chain, or rods, which may be utilised to move an indicator and to strike a
spring gong.
When the door is raised, the mechanical connections of the indicator may return to
normal position of "open," by a counter balance weight.
To control the working of the doors we apply a spring bolt anywhere in the framing
of the door, which may be withdrawn by hand unless locked by our controlling
device.
This consists of pawl and ratchet teeth on the edge of the bolt, or of a pair of pawls
and reverse ratchet teeth, which serve to lock the bolt in position either when with-
drawn or when bolted.
The control of the pawls may be effected by electro-magneis placed in a circuit,
which can be closed at will by the captain, or officer in charge, on any part of the
vessel. By closing the circuit, one or both of the pawls are lifted out of gear and the
bolt is then free to shoot forward or to be withdrawn by hand. When the circuit then
is broken the pawls fall and the bolt is locked either in or out, until again released by
the closing of the circuit.
This control can also be effected mechanically by connecting the above described
pawls by wire, chain, or rods, running in tubes so that they cannot be tampered with,
and carried up to a suitable pull or handle under the control of the captain or officer
in charge.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
:
Improvements in the Automatic Registering and Control of
Watertight Doors in Ships.
We, GEORGE ABRAHAM GOODWIN and WILLIAM FIELD HOW of 2 Victoria
Mansions in the City of Westminster, 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 :-
Our invention relates to the registering and control of watertight, magazine and
other doors in the transverse bulk, heads and other parts of ships, by means of an
electrical current or currents, or by mechanical connections, such as rods, chains,
pneumatic tubes, ete, operating an indicator or indicators in the captains cabin or
other convenient part of the ship, so that the captain or other officer in charge can
see if all or any of the said door or doors are closed, and by which the said doors can
be kept locked or released by the captain or the officer in charge.
In order that our invention may be the better understood, we now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had
to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elevation of an ordinary door fitted with our apparatus. '

page_text: Figure 2 is an outside elevation of an indicating (device for a series of our improved
locking apparatus.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of our bolt locking apparatus with cover removed.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of one suggested method of electrically operating the
indicating device.
To effect the automatic registering of the movement of the door, we provide an
indicator or dial A showing in suitable positions that the several doors are absolutely
closed or open. The said registering indicator A may be operated in any known
manner by an electrical current through the circuit B B, which may be closed by the
bell crank (figure 3) operated by the moving spring pressed bolt F, shooting
into a recess L, in the side of the watertight door D, just as it shuts. The said circuit
is then completed through the contact piece M. On the bolt being withdrawn, to
allow the door to be opened, contact is made by the bell crank lever with the spring
contact M', so closing another circuit through another electro-magnet of the indicating
device, figure 4, which gives the corresponding indication of "open" by the said
indicator, the indicating apparatus breaking the circuit as soon as the indication has
been effected.
A continuous electrical bell N may be included in a separate circuit worked by the
relay P in the main circuit which is brought into operation by the closing of the
indicating circuit by the bell crank Cupon either opening or closing the door.
A convenient method of operating the indicating device is by an overbalancing
armature (figure 4) carrying the discs "shut" and "open," so that a momentary
circuit suffices to operate it and the bell relay, whilst it is again returned to its former
position as the bolt is shot forward or withdrawn respectively, remaking the former
circuit, the bell giving audible indication of each movement.
Equivalently, the automatic indication of the movement of the door, may be effected
mechanically, by the door, as it moves, operating a lever, or communicating a direct
pull to a rod, wire or chain, similar to the engine room telegraph, which may be
utilised to move the indicator and to strike a spring gong.
When the door is raised, the mechanical connections of the indicator may return
to normal position of "open," by a counterbalance weight or spring.
To control the working of the doors, we apply a spring bolt F (figure 3) anywhere
desired in the framing of the door D, which may be withdrawn by hand unless locked
by our controlling device. This consists of a pawl G engaging into a ratchet tooth on
the top of the bolt F which serves to lock the bolt in position when the door is shut.
Two pawls may be used, engaging in reverse ratchet teeth on the said bolt, which
would serve to lock the bolt in position either when bolted or withdrawn and controlled
in a similar manner as already described.
The control of the pawl or pawls and the working of the apparatus is effected as
follows:-
Assuming the door to be closed and the indicator registering that position, it will be
seen that the pawl G prevents the bolt F being drawn back, and consequently the door
is locked, and cannot be opened until permission is given by the operator closing the
pawl circuit by means of one of the switches Y or pushes conveniently placed on the
indicator or elsewhere. This circuit passes through the contact spring R, the paw]
catch S, the electro-magnets T and thence returns to the battery. The magnet then
attracts the pawl G, which action breaks the circuit and the pawl is held up mechanically
by the catch lever S. On the bolt F being drawn back to allow of the door being
opened, the bell crank lever C makes contact with the spring M, and so completes the
indicator circuit through the bell relay as before described and back to the battery.
The indicator then registers "open."
In the course of this movement to allow of the door being opened, the pin V
releases the pawl G from the pawl catch S when the spring W depresses the pawl,
putting it into position to automatically lock on the door being closed on the forward
movenient of the bolt
On the door being closed, the bolt F shoots into the recess L in the door, the bell
crank C makes contact with the spring M, thus completing another circuit through the

page_text: indicator, giving the register "shut." At the same time the pawl G is brought into
position to lock the bolt.
This control can also be equivalently effected by operating the above described pawl
or pawls mechanically, by wire, chain, rods, or pneumatic connections, the chain, wire,
or rods, being laid in tubes, so that they cannot be tampered with. They are carried
up to a suitable pull or handle under the control of the captain or officer in charge.
It is obvious that this arrangement is equally applicable to other doors for which it
is important that they should be securely locked and under the control of a special
person, the position of the said doors being by indication under his direct observation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1st. The electrical control and indication of the movements of doors by means of a
locked holt under the electrical control of the captain or officer in charge, and the
automatic electrical indication of the movements of the door by means of contact pieces
automatically operated by the movement of the locking bolt and an indicator,
substantially as described.
2nd. The combination with a door of a bolt and locking pawl, released electrically
by an electro magnet, or mechanically in any convenient way, by the captain or person
in charge, substantially as described.
3rd. The combination with the locking bolt of a door of an electrical or mechanical
indicator, showing automatically whether the said door may be opened or is locked,
by means of insulated contact pieces of which the circuits are closed automatically by
the movement of the locking bolt, or by mechanical connections from the said bolt to
move the indicator, substantially as described.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.