IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERTIGHT SLIDING DOORS FOR BULKHEADS OF SHIPS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: No text detected.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Crompton and
James Taylor Cochran at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
18th October 1881.
EDWARD CROMPTON and JAMES TAYLOR COCHRAN, both of Birkenhead, in the
County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERTIGHT SLIDING DOORS FOR
BULKHEADS OF SHIPS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is to supply the means of closing openings in ship's
bulkheads or bunker sides in a more efficient manner than has hitherto been done,
and without the risk now attendant on doors as ordinarily fitted which are likely
to be deranged in their action when required from rust or a lodgement of dirt in
their grooves.
This arrangement does not depend on planed surfaces for making a
watertight joint, and there are no grooves for the door to slide in which can get
choked up, as the grooves for the doors to slide in are formed by the action of the
door when it is being closed.
We make a frame or casing of cast iron or other suitable material; on the inner
edge of the bottom and of the sides of this frame are cast grooves, and on the top
of the frame externally is also a similar groove. The centre line of this groove is
in a different plane from the centre lines of the grooves previously mentioned, but
it is parallel to the centre line of the groove at the bottom of the frame. Two
short grooves also extend from the ends of this top groove to the top of the two
grooves on the internal sides of the frame. By this arrangement is formed a
continuous groove all round the casing or frame. This continuous groove we fill
up with lead or other metal or mixture of metals, or wood or other suitable
substance, so that the lead or other material completely fills the grooves.
We employ a door of wrought iron or cast iron or other suitable material or
materials. The bottom of this door has a knife edge, as also have the sides. There
DJ

page_text: is also a knife edge at the top of the door, but this is not in the same plane as the
knife edges mentioned before, but is parallel to the knife edge at the bottom of the
door and faces in the same direction. The ends of this knife edge are connected
to the vertical knife edges of the door by two horizontally placed and short
knife edges, also facing in the same direction as the knife edge at the bottom of
the door.
This door is worked up and down by means of a screw or other mechanical
contrivance from a suitable height above. When the door is screwed down the
various knife edges of the door are squeezed firmly into the lead or other
filling in the grooves of the frame and a perfectly watertight joint is thereby
formed.
It is obvious that the grooves in this arrangement cannot get choked as they
are not in existence till they are required, and are formed by the action of the
knife edges of the door displacing a certain small quantity of the lead or other
filling. The knife edge at the bottom is quite capable of dividing any blocks of
coal that may be in the doorway when it is required to shut it; and the bottom
of the casing is so arranged that a minimum of coal will rest there, and this the
knife edge descending is quite capable of easily dividing and moving to one
side.
The foregoing description describes our door as fitted and worked vertically, but
the door may be worked on the same principle in any direction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Crompton and James Taylor Cochran in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th April 1882.
"
EDWARD CROMPTON and JAMES TAYLOR COCHRAN, both of Birkenhead, in the
County of Chester. IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-TIGHT SLIDING DOORS FOR
BULKHEADS OF SHIPS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is to supply the means of closing openings in ships'
bulkheads or bunker sides in a more efficient manner than has hitherto been done,
and without the risk now attendant on doors as ordinarily fitted which are likely
to be deranged in their action when required from rust or a lodgement of dirt in
their grooves. This arrangement does not depend on planed surfaces for making a
watertight joint, and there are no grooves for the door to slide in which can get
choked up, as the grooves for the doors to slide in are formed by the action of the
door when it is being closed.
We make a frame or casing A of cast iron or other suitable material; on the
inner edge of the bottom and of the sides of this frame are cast grooves a, and on
the top of the frame externally is also a similar groove a¹. The centre line of this
groove is in a different plane from the centre lines of the grooves previously
mentioned, but it is parallel to the centre line of the groove at the bottom of the
frame. Two short grooves also extend from the ends of this top groove to the top
of the two grooves on the internal sides of the frame. By this arrangement is
formed a continuous groove all round the casing or frame. This continuous
groove we fill up with lead or other metal or mixture of metals, or wood or
other suitable substance so that the lead or other material completely fills the
grooves.
We employ a door B of wrought iron or cast iron or other suitable material or
materials. The bottom of this door has a knife edge, as also have the sides b. There
is also a knife edge at the top of the door 6', but this is not in the same plane as
the knife edges mentioned before, but is parallel to the knife edge at the bottom of
the door and faces in the same direction. The ends of this knife edge are
connected to the vertical knife edges of the door by two horizontally placed and
short knife edges c all facing in the same direction as the knife edge at the bottom
of the door.
This door is worked up and down by means of a screw or other mechanical
contrivance from a suitable height above. When the door is screwed down the
various knife edges of the door are squeezed firmly into the lead or other
filling in the grooves of the frame, and a perfectly watertight joint is thereby
formed.
It is obvious that the grooves in this arrangement cannot get choked as they
are not in existence till they are required, and are formed by the action of the
knife edges of the door displacing a certain small quantity of the lead or other
filling. The knife edge at the bottom is quite capable of dividing any blocks of
coal that may be in the doorway when it is required to shut it, and the bottom of
the casing is so arranged that a minimum of coal will rest there, and this the
knife edge descending is quite capable of easily dividing and moving to one
side.
The foregoing description describes our door as fitted and worked vertically, but
the door may be worked on the same principle in any direction.
The sliding door may be guided if desired by rollers, slides, or other
arrangement.
Referring to the annexed Drawings in which this arrangement of bulkhead doors
is plainly seen.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the frame A with the door B raised and in
position to be lowered when required.
Fig. 2, sectional side elevation; and
Fig. 3, sectional plan of same.
Having now described our Invention, and the best modes known to us of
carrying it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to
be new, and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
First. The manufacture of watertight sliding doors (for bulkheads of ships and
for other purposes where a watertight joint is required to be speedily effected)
formed with knife edges, so arranged that as they descend or are forced into position
they form grooves in lead or other insoluble tough but sectile material embedded
in their frames.
Second. The general arrangement and combination of parts of watertight sliding
doors, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Taylor Cochran, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Edward Crompton, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool and London.
JAMES T. COCHRAN. (L.S.)