Improvements in or connected with Doors for Bulkheads and other Parts of Ships.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Doors for Bulkheads and other
Parts of Ships.
I, ARCHIBALD THOMSON, of 108, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to
say:-
My said invention has for its object to provide automatic devices for closing
doors of bulkheads or other parts of ships in the event of an inflow of water due to
injury to the hull from collision, or from encountering rocks, or other causes.
"My invention consists in arranging a float in the ship's bilge or in any suitable
chamber or space so situated that water entering through any perforation of the
hull will flow thereinto and raise the float; and in connecting the float by one or
more rods or other suitable connections with apparatus or mechanism which when
acted on by the float will bring about the closing of the door or doors. The
various bulkhead doors of a ship, or couples or sets of such doors, may be connected
to separate floats so that a compartment in connection with which injury occurs
may be isolated from the other parts of the ship.
The invention is applicable in connection with various existing or known
constructions of bulkhead door if arranged to close by gravity, or springs, or by
hydraulic or steam or other fluid pressure. In one modification the door is fixed
to the piston rod of a cylinder and is held open by water pumped or otherwise
forced into the lower end of the cylinder. The float is connected to a stopcock or
valve on a pipe connecting the lower end of the cylinder with a suitably placed
tank or receiver; and on the float rising the valve opens and allows the water to
pass out of the cylinder and the door to descend. When a bulkhead door has in
connection with it mechanism (without fluid-pressure apparatus) for opening and
closing it, the float connections may be arranged to act on a detent, or catch, or
equivalent device which on being so acted on will release the door and allow it to
descend. Or again, the float connections may be arranged to act on a valve on a
pipe supplying steam or hydraulic pressure, to a cylinder arranged to forcibly
close the door, in, cases, for example, in which the door is counterbalanced or closes
upwards or horizontally.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of June 1896.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Doors for Bulkheads and other.
Parts of Ships.
I, ARCHIBALD THOMSON, of 108, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to provide automatic devices for closing

page_text: doors of bulkheads or other parts of ships in the event of an inflow of water due to
injury to the hull from collision or from encountering rocks, or other causes.
My invention consists in arranging a float in the ship's bilge or in any suitable.
chamber or space so situated that water entering through any perforation of the
hull will flow thereinto and raise the float; and in connecting the float by one or
more rods or other suitable connections with apparatus or mechanism of a suitable
construction which when acted on by the float will bring about the closing of the
door or doors.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of.explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred and showing in sectional front and side elevation, by way
of example one application of my improvements.
As shown in the drawings the door, A, is arranged to close by gravity. It is
fixed to the piston rod, B, ot a cylinder, C, and is held open by water in the lower
end of the cylinder. Two floats, D, E, in the ship's bilge, F, are connected by
rods, G, H, to a stopcock or valve, J, on pipes, K, L, connecting the lower end of
the cylinder, C, with a tank or receiver, M; and on the floats, D, E, being raised
by water the valve, J, opens and allows the water to pass out of the lower end of
the cylinder, C, through the pipes, K, L, to the receiver, M, and the door, A, to
descend. A hand pump, N, is provided and when it is desired to raise the door
the water is drawn by the pump from the receiver, M, through pipes, L, P, and
forced through pipes, Q, K, back into the cylinder, C. The top of the cylinder, C,
is connected by a small pipe, R, with the pipe, L.
The various bulkhead doors of a ship, or couples or sets of such doors, may be
connected to separate floats so that a compartiment in connection with which injury
occurs may be isolated from the other parts of the ship.
The invention is applicable in connection with various existing
or known
constructions of bulkhead door if arranged to close by gravity, or springs, or by
hydraulic or steam or other fluid pressure. When a bulkhead door has in con-
nection with it mechanism (without fluid-pressure apparatus) for opening and
closing it, the float connections may be arranged to act on a detent, or catch, or
equivalent device which on being so acted on will release the door and allow it to
descend. Or again, the float connections may be arranged to act on a valve on a
pipe to admit steam or hydraulic pressure to a cylinder arranged to forcibly close
the door, in cases, for example in which the door is counterbalanced or closes
upwards or horizontally.
The lever of the valve, J, may be connected by rods or levers with an operating
handle or wheel on the deck or bridge so that the mechanism for opening or
closing the doors can be put in operation if desired at any time.
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 I
claim is:-
In connection with doors for bulkbeads and other parts of ships arranging a
float or floats in the ship's bilge, or in any suitable chamber or space into which
water entering through any perforation of the hull will flow and raise the float;
and connecting the float or floats with apparatus or mechanism which when acted
on by the float will. bring about the closing of the door or doors substantially
as herein before described.
Dated this Twants escond day of March 1907
.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.