Improvements in Means for Operating Bulkhead Doors.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Operating Bulkhead Doors.
I, CARL THEODOR DORR of Ohligs, near Cologne on the Rhine in the German
Empire, Doctor of Philosophy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:---
This invention refers to means for operating bulkhead doors in a ship such
means comprising a vessel or receiver partly filled with a liquid and partly filled
with air under pressure, and pipes and valves for connecting said vessel at its part
containing the liquid and at its part containing the compressed air with mechanism
capable of receiving motion through the difference in pressure in the said pipes
and valves so as to thereby actuate the bulkhead doors, connected to said
mechanism.
One arrangement for carrying out this invention may comprise a piston for
moving the bulkhead door working in a cylinder and acted upon on the one side
by the air under pressure and on the other side by the liquid under pressure,
which pressure mediums are accumulated in one receiver common to all doors
and are brought into action or effect by the reversing of suitable valves arranged
in the conduit for the liquid under pressure.
At a proper place in the ship, preferably in the engine room thereof, a main
vessel or receiver (hereinafter termed, receiver) is mounted, the lower half of
which is charged with a suitable liquid and the upper half with air under pressure.
From the main conduit connected to the liquid containing portion as well as
from the main conduit connected to the pressure air containing portion of the
receiver pipes branch off through the ship.
The branches of the air pressure conduit terminate in separate local receivers
while the branches of the liquid pressure conduit terminate in separate cylinders,
the operating pistons of which are connected through their piston rods either
directly or indirectly by means of intermediate mechanism with the separate
bulkhead doors of the ship.
If the communicating conduits are put under pressure by pumping according
to requirement either air or liquid into the main receiver, the liquid will act upon
the operating pistons to open the doors while the pressure air is driven into the
separate local receivers and is retained therein by suitable valves. It is obvious
that the pressure exerted by the pressure medium in the conduits must exceed
the counter pressure due to the resistance of the bulkhead doors. Since the non-
elastic column of the water under pressure is subject to the continuous action of
the elastic column of the air under pressure, and as the water penetrating through
the joint can easily escape into the open air, leakage at the operating pistons,
piston rods and valves etc., is not absolutely prejudicial whilst in the state of
rest a gradual lowering down of the trap doors as well as the running down of a
sliding door when the ship is rolling heavily, is almost excluded.
If the liquid in the whole or in any desired branch of the system of the liquid
pressure conduits is discharged by the action of an outlet valve the differential

page_text: piston valves within the reach of such discharging will automatically change
position or be reversed and the pressure air will act from the opposite side upon
the operating pistons so that the doors will close by the simultaneous outflow
of the liquid which now acts as a brake. If the original pressure is restored by
again reversing the outlet valves the differential piston valves will reassume
their original position and the doors will open again."
In a suitable arrangement of apparatus for carrying out this invention the
pressure air passes from the main receiver and main conduit into each local
receiver which is automatically closed by a suitable valve after each compensa-
tion of pressure. The pressure liquid in the main conduit which is provided with
suitable outlet valves acts against the larger area of the bottom of a differential
piston valve and maintains the same as well as the operating piston in its outer-
most position. The operating piston is connected by its piston rod with the
bulkhead door. The waste water escaping through the piston joint takes its way
into the open air or into a waste pipe. In the pressure liquid conduit are a
suitable number of outlet valves or cocks which may be operated to discharge
the liquid from the branch pipe and at the same time to cut off the same from
the main conduit. These outlet valves or cocks may comprise simple three way
cocks of which one may be arranged at each door or several at suitable main
points of the conduit or in the ship. One of these said valves may be a
differential piston valve, which is kept in its position of rest by a lever under
the control of a float or magnet armature. If the said lever is freed the piston
valve is thrown out to the extreme limit of its stroke the conduit coming from
the main receiver is closed and the outflow pipe is opened.
An intermediate position of the piston valve is excluded; for if by way of
example the conduit leading to the operating cylinder should become ruptured,
the pressure of the conduit coming from the main receiver and acting against
the smaller head of the valve would suffice to throw up the piston valve, while
at the same time the brake water coming from the operating cylinder would
escape through the ruptured place in the conduit. Now if the conduit coming
from the main receiver should become ruptured, the piston valve would be moved
in consequence of difference in area of its heads by the breakwater coming from
the operating cylinder and the said water would escape in the usual manner.
If the water column in the main receiver is discharged by the action of one
of the above mentioned outlet valves the undischarged pressure air will drive
the differential valve notwithstanding the smaller area at the bottom acted upon,
into the opposite end position, will pass into the operating cylinder and will move the
operating piston and the bulkhead door forwardly while the said water will escape
in the old way by means of a brake hole which may be adjusted by means of a
screw.
If the previously operated outlet valves of the water free compartments are
brought back into their initial position, the doors will open again; the doors of
the water filled compartments however are only capable of being opened if after
removal of the water the outlet valves have been arrested by the floats.
In a modification each door may be closed separately by a three way cock.
Valve-operating floats are provided and arranged in such a manner that by acting
upon one float of any particular deck the doors of that particular deck only will
close in such instance; if certain other floats are acted upon the doors of the
lower decks will also close and if a certain other float is acted upon, the doors of
all the decks of one compartment will close in such instance. Also magnets may
be employed to cause the closing in the respective compartments, a further magnet
closing one half, and another magnet the other half and a three way cock closing
all the doors of the entire ship.
The main distinctive features of the present invention are the following:-
(I.) The proposed device serves not only for the closing but also for the opening
of the bulkhead doors.
(II.) The non elastic pressure liquid column which keeps the doors open is

page_text: under elastic tension by the pressure air column communicating with it, so that
the quantities of liquid escaping by untight joints of the pistons or of the
valves &c., will be automatically supplied or compensated.
(III.) The system will act as well locally as centrally.
(IV.) The full pressure, which in the working instance acts in the direction
of closing will act in the state of rest in the direction of opening.
(V.) The pressure of the one (liquid) conduit is inseparable or integral with the
pressure of the other (air) conduit. If therefore the pressure in the system should
sink below the minimum the bulkhead doors within the system will automatically
close and will by this action call the attention of the attendant to the state of
affairs.
(VI.) The pressure air does not act continuously upon the operating pistons
but remains enclosed in the local receivers until on discharging the water column,
the reversing valve is automatically reversed to allow of the passage of the pressure
air from the local receiver into the operating cylinder.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1896.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I, CARL THEODOR DURR of Ohligs, near Cologne on the Rhine in the German
Empire, Doctor of Philosophy, 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 refers to means for operating bulkhead doors in a ship. Ac-
cording to the invention a compressor or a receiver filled with air or partly filled
with a liquid and partly filled with air under pressure is combined, by pipes and
valves, with means capable of receiving motion through the difference in pressure
in said receiver or compressor and pipes and on said valves and of thereby
actuating the doors with which said means are connected. The apparatus can be
brought into action at any time by operating one or other of certain valves by
hand and it is brought into action automatically in case water should rise to a
certain level in one or more of the ship's compartments.
The invention will be readily understood by the following description with
reference to the annexed drawings:-
Figure 1 comprises a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying my
invention and a face view of one of the doors to which it is applied, the door
being in the open position.
Figure 2 comprises similar views of a portion of said apparatus and of the
door showing the parts in a different position, the door being partly closed.
Figures 3 and 5 represent elevations and Figure 4 a vertical section of certain
details and Figures 7 and 9 represent elevations and Figures 6 and 8 vertical
sections of modifications of said certain details of the apparatus, which will be
hereinafter described. Figures 10 and 11 are details of certain conduits, cocks
and outlets hereinafter referred to.
At a proper place in the ship, preferably in the engine room thereof, a main
receiver C is mounted, the lower half of which contains a liquid b and the upper
half of which contains air a under pressure. From the liquid containing half,
as well as from the compressed air containing half, of the receiver, pipes branch
off through the ship. The branches of the air pressure conduit A terminate in

page_text: separate local receivers A, which may be termed "secondary" receivers while the
branches of the liquid pressure conduit B terminate in separate cylinders B₁, the
pistons E of which by means of the piston rods e are connected either directly
or by means of intermediate mechanical means indirectly with the separate
bulkhead doors F.
If the communicating conduits are put under pressure, by pumping, according
to requirement, either air or liquid into the main receiver C, the liquid 6 will act
upon the pistons E to open the doors, while the compressed air a is driven into
the separate receivers and is retained therein by the valves v. It is obvious that
the pressure exerted by the pressure medium in the conduits must exceed the
counter pressure due for example, to the resistance of the bulkhead doors. Since
the non-elastic column 6 of the water under pressure is subject to the continuous
action of the elastic column a of the air under pressure any loss of water due
to leakage at the pistons, valves etc. does not matter; therefore in the state of
rest a gradual closing of the doors owing to such leakage or the closing of a door
owing to the ship rolling heavily is almost entirely prevented.
If the liquid in the whole, or any desired branch, of the system of the liquid
pressure conduits is discharged by the action of outlet valves G G₁ H h presently
to be described, all the differential piston valves D) within the range of such
discharge will automatically change position or be reversed and the compressed
air will act from the opposite side upon the pistons E so that the doors will close
by the simultaneous outflow of the liquid b which now acts as a brake. If the
original pressure is restored by again changing the position of or reversing the
outlet valves GG, Hh the differential piston valves D will reassume their original
position and the doors will open again.
Figure 1 shows a diagrammatical illustration of the main receiver C, the con-
duits A and B for the pressure medium, as well as the cylinders A, and B₁ by
which the sliding door F is worked. The compressed air a passes through the
conduit A into the receiver A, which is automatically closed by the non-return
valve after each compensation of pressure. The liquid passes through the
conduit B. which is provided with the outlet valves HG h; the liquid acts against
the larger area of the bottom of the differential piston valve D and maintains
the same as well as the main piston E in the position seen in Figure 1. The main
piston E is connected by the piston rode with the door F. Any water escaping
past the piston E finds its way through no into the open air or into a waste pipe.
In the liquid conduit B a suitable number of outlet valves G G, H h are arranged,
which can be operated to discharge the liquid from the branch pipe and at the
same time to close the main conduit. Hand Figures 1, 2, 10 and 11 are
simple three way cocks; it will be suitable to arrange one hat each door, or
several H at suitable main points of the conduit or of the ship. If for instance h
is closed in the direction of the arrow Figure 2, the part of the pressure water
conduit B coming from the main receiver C is closed and the other part, leading
to the cylinder B₁ is opened or connected to the exit pipe Z. In consequence
of this, the compressed air a which is not relieved of pressure, will move the
differential valve D notwithstanding the smaller area of its plunger to the opposite
end and will pass through the passages p n into the cylinder B₁ and move the
piston E and with the latter the door F in the closing direction, while the water
within the cylinder B, is driven through the outlet, (which is capable of being
adjusted by the screw y) and is discharged at Z. If the three way cock H
(Figure 1) is turned (see Figures 10 and 11) the same will take place with this
difference, that the water flows out at Z₁.
G (Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5) is a differential piston valve, which in the position
shown in Figure 1 connects the part of the water pipe B leading to B₁, with
the main receiver C and in the other position shown in Figure 4 with the outlet
pipe Z, exactly the same as with the three way cock. The differential valve G
is worked by the pressure of the water b, which acts upon the bottom areas of
the pistons and 's in such manner, that G always has a tendency to move to

page_text: the position shown in Figure 4. Now in order to constantly retain G in its
normal position (Figure 1) except when water enters the ship's compartments,
the arrangement shown in Figure 3 is provided.
l.
G is arrested by the lever arm k of the angle-lever Kk by means of the nose of
the float-lever 1. While the float is down as in Figure 3, G is unable to move.
When however the float L rises to a certain height owing to the inrush of water
the lever K and valve G will be freed (see Figure 5), the water in B₁ is able to
escape at %, and the door will be closed by the compressed air a which enters
the cylinder B and acts upon the piston E.
As in the differential valve G the area in cross-section of the piston r is smaller
than that of the pistons, an intermediate position of G is excluded; for if by
accident the piping leading to B, should become broken, the pressure of the
pipe coming from C and acting on would suffice to move the piston valve, while
moreover the water coming from B, would escape through the broken pipe. If
on the other hand the piping coming from C be broken, the piston valve G, in
consequence of the difference of area in cross section of its pistons would be
moved by the water coming from 13, and this water could escape in the ordinary
way.
G, (Figures 6 to 9) slows a modification of the differential piston valve G
inasmuch as the bottom arcar coming into question, is made independent of the
cross sections of pistons r and s in order to be able to combine any chosen cross
section of the piping B for the pressure water with any chosen momentum of
working of the piston valve. Again the float is here replaced by an electro
magnet M, the armature of which is shaped into the form of a lever m provided
with a nose m₁. G₁ is arrested in the same manner as above described by means
of the angle lever Kk. K is kept in position by the nose m, of the armature
lever m if this lever is not attracted by the magnet. If the current exciting
such magnet M is closed as for example by a device acted on by an inrush of
water, m will be attracted (see Figure 9) the angle lever Kk will be freed, the
differential valve G, will assume the end position shown in Figure 8, the water
will escape at Z and the door will close.
If the exit valves of the compartments which have been freed of water are
returned to their initial position, the differential valves D will automatically
reverse their position and the doors will open again; the doors of the compart-
ments still under water cannot however be opened again unless after the water
has been removed, the outlet valves G G, have been again caught by the floats L.
The main features in which the present invention differs from former systems
which have been designed for the same purpose, are the following.
I. The system serves not only for closing the bulkhead doors but also for opening
the same.
II. The non-elastic liquid column which keeps the doors open, is under the
pressure of the compressed air column communicating with it, so that any liquid
which may leak at the pistons or valves, etc., will be automatically replaced.
III. The system will act as well locally as centrally.
IV. The full pressure, which in working acts in the closing direction will act
in the state of rest in the opening direction.
V. The pressure of the liquid conduit is inseparable from or integral with the
pressure of the air conduit. If therefore the pressure in the apparatus should
sink below the minimum, the doors within the system will automatically close
and will by this action call the attention of the attendant to the apparatus.
VI. The compressed air does not act continuously upon the pistons E, but it
remains enclosed in the receivers A, until upon discharging of the water column
the valve D is automatically reversed and allows the passage of the compressed
air from A, into B.
Instead of using air under pressure and water under pressure, the system will
allow of using air under pressure alone without any alteration in the system
whatever. In this case however the conduit marked A may be dispensed with

page_text: and the conduit B may be connected with the receiver A, by means of a small
branch above the valve v.
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 what I
claim is :-
1. Means for closing and opening bulk head doors in ships, consisting of a
main receiver or compressor C containing a liquid and above the liquid air
under pressure, of conduits A for the air under pressure and conduits B for the
liquid under pressure, of a cylinder B, and piston E connected to the bulkhead
door F and means for regulating the entrance of the said liquid and air into said
cylinder B, for closing or opening said door.
2. Means for closing and opening bulk head doors in ships, consisting of a
receiver C for liquids and air under pressure of conduits A and B for the said
liquid and air, of a cylinder and piston connected to the bulkhead door, and of
a differential valve D for temporarily storing compressed air in the receiver A,
and for alternately charging such compressed air to one side of piston E and
liquid under pressure to the other side of said piston.
3. Means for closing and opening bulkhead doors in ships consisting of a main
receiver or compressor for air and liquid under pressure, conduits, cylinder and
piston connected to the bulkhead door, a receiver for temporary storage of com-
pressed air, a differential valve for distributing the air and liquid under pressure
and of valves Hh G G, in the conduit B for regulating the flow of the liquid for
action in or for exit out of the system.
4. In means for closing and opening bulk-head doors in ships according to the
preceding Claims, the conduit B for the liquid under pressure provided with
three way cocks (Hh) worked by hand and with differential valves (G) worked
by an electric current or by rising water.
5. Means for closing or opening bulkhead doors in ships according to Claims 1
to 4 but having as working medium air under pressure only, and one conduit B
for such air, said conduit communicating with the receiver A, for temporary
storage of the air under pressure and with the cylinder B, containing the piston
connected to the bulkhead door.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1807
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.