Improvements in and relating to Water Port Doors for Ships* Bulwarks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1893-Accepted. 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Water Port Doors for Ships*
Bulwarks.
I, ALEXANDER LAMBIE, Manager to the firm of Russell and Company, Ship-
builders of Greenock, Renfrewshire, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new mode and means of con-
structing and fitting water port doors for ships bulwarks above the decks, whereby
they will open by any pressure of water within the ship to discharge same over-
board but automatically close again, and prevent any inflow of water from the sea
through the bulwark port holes; and which will be more convenient, efficient and
useful than the port doors heretofore constructed with swivelling hinges and securing
hasps.
I form port holes preferably of square or rectangular shape in the bulwarks
above the deck of the ship, and I use doors of corresponding shape to fit these
port-holes.
By my improvements I fit eyes or recessed projections on the bulwarks on each side
of the upper part of the port-holes and form the inner edges of the front part of
these eyes with angled or inclined planes or surfaces. The top edge of each port
door is preferably formed with a longitudinal projecting out and up surface, and
has formed or fitted near its two ends projecting lugs or pins with round tops and
front inclined faces or surfaces corresponding to and to fit opposite the inclined
surfaces on the fixed eye projections.
fitted on
By this construction the door moves by its projecting lugs in the eyes
the bulwarks, and when the sea is washing over the ship, the water pressing against
the door automatically opens same, the lugs on its upper end moving upwards past
the inclined surfaces to the grounded or stop parts of the eyes. But when the
water has been discharged the door will automatically close again, the inclined
surface of lugs moving down and bearing tight on the inclined surfaces of eyes on
bulwarks. Projecting vertical cheek plates would or may also be fitted at the ends
of the port-holes so that the doors may close against their inner overlapping vertical
edges; while the top edges of these cheek plates would be inclined to the same
angle as the eyes to receive part of the acting inclined surface of the projecting acting
organs on the top of the door, the bottom of the angled surfaces being preferably
made bevelled or square for the corresponding top edge of the door to make a
tight fit, and the longitudinal top edges of porthole and door would preferably be
bevelled.
Tosh den of A naust 1800
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Water Port Doors for Ships'
Bulwarks.
I, ALEXANDER LAMBIE Manager, to the firm of Russell and Company, Ship-
builders, of Greenock, Renfrewshire, do hereby declare the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new mode and means of con-
structing and fitting water port doors for ships bulwarks above the decks, whereby

page_text: they will open by any pressure of water within the ship to discharge same over-
board but automatically close again, and prevent any inflow of water from the sea
through the bulwark port holes, and which will be more convenient, efficient, and
useful than the port docrs heretofore constructed with swivelling hinges and
securing hasps.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in which
Figure 1 represents an inside elevation and Figure 2 a transverse section of a
ships bulwark port door as fitted in accordance with one arrangement of my
improvements. And
Figures 3 to 12 represent elevations and sectional views to illustrate a number
of ways by which my improved mode of constructing and fitting automatic acting
port doors may be carried into practice.
Referring to these drawings-I form port holes B preferably of square or rect-
angular shape in the bulwarks B¹ above the deck of the ship, and I use doors A of
corresponding shape to fit these port holes B. By my improvements I fit as shown
in Figures 1 and 2 eyes or recessed projections A¹ in the bulwarks preferably
rivetted to the top of the flanges A" on each side of the port holes B and form the
inner edges of the front part of these eyes and the top end of the flanges A" with
angled or inclined planes or surfaces a rounded on the inner edges. The top edge
of each port door A is formed with a longitudinal projecting out and up surface or
stop flange A which closes outwards on the edge of port hole B, and has formed or
fitted at its two ends projecting bearing brackets a' (or pins) with rounded tops and
front inclined faces or surfaces a" corresponding to and to fit over the inclined
surfaces a on the fixed eye projections A'. By this construction the door A moves
by its projecting lugs a on the bearing rests a within the eyes A' fitted on the
bulwarks, and when the sea is washing over the ship the water pressing against the
lower part of the door A. automatically opens same, the lugs a" on its upper end
moving inwards over the inclined or rounded surfaces a to the rounded or stop parts
of the eyes A¹. But when the water has been discharged the door A will auto-
matically close again by its own weight below the fulcrum a the inclined surface of
lugs a moving outwards and downwards and bearing tight on the inclined
surfaces a of eyes A' on bulwarks, so that the upper edges of the door above the
fulcrum close outwards, while the lower edges below the fulcrum close inwards against
the port holes in the bulwarks. Projecting vertical check plates or flanges A"
would or may also be fitted at the ends of the port holes B so that the door A
may close against their overlapping vertical edges, above and below the fulcrum
so as to be flush with the side of the ship; while the top edges of these cheek plate
flanges A would be inclined to the same angle as the eyes a to receive part of the
acting inclined surface of the projecting acting organs a¹¹ on the top of the door A
the bottom of the angled surfaces being preferably made bevelled or square for the
corresponding top edge of the door A to make a tight fit, and the longitudinal
upper and lower edges of porthole and door would preferably be bevelled so as to
be nearly water-tight when closed.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 show a side elevation and edge section, and a plan view
respectively of one of the joint ends of a door A somewhat modified from that
shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in which the projecting brackets A' are rivetted on
to the inside of the plates A" round the ends of the port holes B of the bulwarks B',
without the bow eye but preferably having a fulcrum pin a passed through the
resting cheeks a to keep the door A in proper position. In this arrangement the
resting surface brackets a¹ a bear on the angled and curved cheeks a and move
over same, the weight not resting on the fulcrum pin a³.
If desired however these cheek bearings a and a" may be reversed, that is the
double bearing cheeks a a retaining the pin a² may be formed on the bracket a' all
as shown in Figures 8 to 12. Figures 6 and 7 show an elevation and edge section
of a slightly different modification in which one of the cheeks or bearing surfaces a

page_text: retaining the pin a² is rivetted to the lateral flange of the angle iron A" at the side
of the port hole B, otherwise the jointed door is equivalent to and acts substantially
the same as that described in reference to Figures 3 to 5. Figures 8, 9, and 10
show an elevation, edge section and plan respectively of a modification in which the
cheeks a retaining the pin a² are formed on the bracket al all and a separate pieces
or thicknesses at a are rivetted or secured to the flange piece A" between the
flanges a which retain the pin to give increased bearing surface to the parts a
and al for the weight of the door A in turning. Figures 11 and 12 show an eleva-
tion and edge section of a modification in which the door rests on the pin a² as a
fulcrum instead of on the outer eye of the pin, as in the former arrangements and
having an open gap in the bearing part a of the flange A" and plate a' for inserting
the door A and its pins a³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is:
'
First. The method of constructing and fitting water port doors in ships bulwarks
consisting in fulcruming the door on strong bearing brackets on the inside of the
bulwark below the upper edge of door, so that the doors automatically open
outwards and close inwards below the fulcrum, and vice versa open inwards and
close outwards above the fulcrum, substantially as herein described in reference to,
and by way of application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. The constructing and fitting of water port doors in ships bulwarks with
angled, rounded, or fulcra bearings formed on the bulwarks at the ends of the port
holes and on the upper ends of the doors to automatically act or open and close by
the method claimed in Claim 1, substantially as herein described, in reference to
and by way of application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. The constructing and fitting of automatic acting water port doors in ships
bulwarks with a longitudinal stop flange along the upper inner edge of door sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and by way of
application shown in the accompanying drawings.
DM 1002
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.