Improvements in and relating to Bulkhead and like Doors.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb.. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1897
Improvements in and relating to Bulkhead and like Doors.
1, FRANK SEPTIMUS DEVONTEAUX SCOTT, residing at 25 Upper Bedford
Place, Russell Square, in the County of London, England, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means for opening and hermetically
closing the doors or shutters which close the apertures in ship's bulkheads, fire-
proof compartments in buildings, and for all other purposes where water or
airtight doors or shutters are required to prevent either ingress or egress of water,.
stenm, smoke, or other gas or gases.
Now according to my invention I arrange around the door, shaft or spindles,
that is to say one shaft at the top of the doorway, another at the bottom, and one
at each side. The shafts are supported by suitable brackets secured to the door
frame, and carry upon each of their ends a small bevel wheel, so that when one
shaft is rotated motion is imparted to the other shafts. Upon each of said shafts
is formed or attached, two or more Archimedean screws which gear with suitable
pinion wheels mounted upon spindles and supported by brackets also secured to
the door frame. When the above mechanism is applied to sliding doors, the said
spindles which are screw threaded at one end are inserted into tapped holes made
in that portion of the frame forming one side of the groove in which the door
slides so that when the door is in the closed position, and these spindles are caused
to rotate in one direction, they bind firmly upon said door and force it upon a
seating of india rubber or other suitable material which is attached to the inner
side of the guide groove and thereby hermetically close the door.
To open or hermetically close all the doors of this class, say from a ship's deck,
to the upper and lower portions of each door is attached a toothed rack which
gears with corresponding wheels attached to a vertical spindle arranged at one side
of the door frame. Upon the upper end of said spindle is another toothed wheel
to which rotation is imparted by another rack arranged parallel with the door in
suitable guides. This rack is caused to slide either backwardly or forwardly by
the rotation of a screw threaded spindle which engages an internal threaded nut or
sleeve formed upon the rear portion of the rack. Said rack is peculiarly formed,
one portion being distinct from and higher than the other, the higher portion
engages with the wheel aforesaid whilst the lower portion gears with a toothed
wheel secured upon the upper end of one of the vertical or side spindles which are
arranged around the door, so as to impart motion to the bevel wheels and so cause
the spindles of the pinion wheels beforementioned to bind upon the door.
The screw threaded spindle aforesaid extends the entire length of the rack guide
and upon each end is a bevel wheel, one of which gears with a similar wheel
secured upon a vertical shaft which communicates with other suitable gearing
similarly connecting with each of the other doors and finally terminating in a
convenient position upon the deck there to be operated either by hand or other
suitable power.
lu order that each door can be opened or closed independently of each other the
bevel wheel on the last named shaft can be put either in or out of gear with the
wheels upon the screw threaded spindle in a very simple manner, that is, by

page_text: forming a short screw thread upon the end portion of said shaft, above the bevel
wheel, said screw threaded portion is embraced by an internal threaded collar,
having a flange at each side to slide in a suitable guide attached to, say, the
bulkhead, below said guide is a hinged flap which prevents said collar from turning
when it is desired to disconnect the gear, but allows it to revolve with the shaft
when the wheels before explained are in gear. By this means all the doors can
be put either in or out of gear with the main shafting and by actuating a turning
handle or hand wheel, which communicates with the bevel wheel at the opposite
end of the screw threaded spindle, each door may be either opened or closed.
A suitable stop attachment upon the siding rack prevents it from travelling
further than the limited distance, when the doors are operated separately.
In applying my invention to hinged doors, 1 use the mechanism as herein first
explained but instead of the spindles of the pinion wheels binding upon the door,
they connect and cause suitable metallic strips, which are arranged around the
door, in guide pieces, to slide either inwardly or outwardly when the said pinion
wheels are rotated, that is to say to hermetically close the door the metallic strips
slide over the edges of the door and press it upon its seating of india rubber or
other suitable material secured to the frame.
All the doors of this form can be closed from a ship's deck or either opened or
closed independently of each other, in a similar manner to that explained for
operating sliding doors, but the toothed rack upon each door and corresponding
wheels, in this case, are dispensed with, and an arm is attached to the vertical
spindle beforementioned arranged at one side of the door, so that say a door is oenp
and the gearing is set into action, this arm is caused to swing round and force the
door to the closed position.
Dated the 15th day of February 1896
W. D. ROWLINGSON,
7 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, FRANK SEPTIMUS DEVONTEAUX SCOTT, residing at 25 Upper Bedford
Place, Russell Square, in the County of London, England, 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 :-
This invention relates to, means for hermetically closing the doors or shutters
which close the apertures in ship's bulkheads, fireproof compartments in buildings
and for all other purposes where water or airtight doors or shutters are required to
prevent either ingress or egress of water, steam, smoke, or other gas or gases, and
further, the arrangement of suitable mechanism whereby a number of said doors,
such as are used on ships, can be simultaneously closed from one station.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings-
Figure 1, shews the application of the invention to sliding doors or shutters.
Figure 2, illustrates a portion of a hinged door fitted with my improvements, and
Figure 3, is a detail.
In carrying out my invention I arrange around the door (A), the shafts or
spindles (B), (B), (B) and (B), that is to say, one shaft at the top of the door
way, another at the bottom, and one at each side. These shafts are supported by
suitable brackets (not shewn) secured to the door frame, and carry upon each of
their ends a small bevel wheel (C), so that when one shaft is rotated motion is

page_text: imparted to the other shafts. Upon each of said shafts is formed or attached, two
or more Archimedean screws (D) which gear with suitable pinion wheels (E)
mounted upon spindles, and supported by brackets (not shewn) also secured to the
door frame.
When the above mechanism is applied to sliding doors (Figure 1), the pinion
wheel spindles are screw threaded at one end and are inserted into tapped holes,.
made in that portion of the frame forming one side of the groove or channel in
which the door slides, so that when the door is in the closed position and these-
spindles are caused to rotate in one direction, they bind firmly upon said door and
force it upon a seating of india rubber or other suitable elastic material which is.
attached to the inner side of the guide groove, and thereby hermetically close the,
door.
To hermetically close all the doors of this class in a ship, say from the deck,.
I form upon the upper and lower portions of each door a toothed rack (F) to gear
with the wheels (F) attached to the vertical spindle (G) arranged at one side of
the door frame. Upon the upper end of said spindle is another toothed wheel (G').
to which rotation is imparted by a sliding rack (H) arranged above the door in a.
suitable guide (H'). This rack is caused to slide either backward or forward by
the rotation of a screw threaded spindle (I) which engages an internally threaded
nut or sleeve (1) formed upon the rear portion of the rack. Two sets of teeth (J),
and (J) are formed on said rack; the set (J) engages with the wheel (G'), whilst
the other set (J) gears with the toothed wheel (K) secured upon the upper end
of one of the vertical or side spindles which are arranged around the door so as to
impart motion to the bevel wheels (C) and so cause the spindles of the pinion
wheels (E) to bind upon the door.
The screw threaded spindle (1) extends the entire length of the rack guide and
has upon its ends the bevel wheels (L) and (L'). The wheel (L) gears with the
wheel (M) suitably mounted upon the vertical shaft (M) which communicates.
with other suitable gearing connecting with each of the other doors and finally
terminating in a convenient position upon the deck, there to be operated either
by hand or other suitable power.
In order that each door can be opened or closed independently of the others, the
bevel wheel (M) on the shaft (M') can be put either in or out of gear with the
wheel (L) upon the screw threaded spindle (1), by forming a screw thread in.
the lower end portion of the shaft (M) (Figure 3), said screw threaded portion is
embraced by an internally threaded collar (M²) extended from the bevel
wheel (M) and having lugs (M³) projected from each side. These lugs engage a.
spring hinged flap (N) which is capable of moving in one direction only, and
connected with a suitable frame (N) secured to the bulkhead, so that the collar
and wheel can only rotate in one direction, that is to say, in the direction for
closing the doors. When the shaft (M) is revolved in the reverse direction, one
of the lugs engages said hinged flap (N) and thereby prevents the wheel (M) from
turning, so that it can be carried up the screw threaded portion of the shaft (M').
and be disconnected from the wheel (L). By this means all the doors can be put
either in or out of gear with the main shafting, and by actuating a turning handle
or band wheel (O) which communicates with the bevel wheel (L') each door can
be opened or closed.
A suitable stop attachment may be used for the movable rack (H) to prevent
it from travelling further than the limited distance when the doors are operated
separately.
In applying my invention to hinged doors (Figure 2) I use the mechanism as
herein first explained but instead of the spindles of the pinion wheels (E) binding
upon the door, they connect with and cause suitable metallic strips (P) which are
arranged around the door in guide pieces (Q), to slide either inward or outward
when the said pinion wheels are rotated, that is to say, to hermetically close the
door the metallic strips (P) are forced over the edges of the door and press

page_text: it upon its seating of india rubber or other suitable material secured to the
frame.
All the doors of this form can be closed from say a ship's deck, in a similar
manner to that explained for operating sliding doors, but the toothed racks upon
each door and the corresponding wheels, in this case, are dispensed with, and an
arm (R) is attached to the vertical spindle (G) arranged at one side of the door,
so that, say, a door is open and the gearing is set in action, this arm is caused to
swing round and force the door to the closed position.
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:
Firstly. In bulkhead and like doors, the combination of the shafts (B), (B),
(B) and (B3), having bevel wheels (C) on their ends, and provided with
Archimedean screws (D) to engage with pinion wheels (E), so that by rotating
one of said shafts the spindles of said pinion wheels bind upon the door and force
it upon a suitable elastic seating, substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
Secondly. In bulkhead and like doors, the combination of the shafts (B), (B),
(B) and (B3), the bevel wheels (C) or other suitable gearing, and wheel (K); the
racks (F) at the upper and lower portions of the door; the spindle (G) carrying
the wheels (F), (F) and (G¹); the sliding rack (H) provided with the two sets
of teeth (J) and (J); the guide (H) in which said rack slides; the screw threaded.
spindle (1) capable of moving said rack, and suitable gearing connected with said
spindle, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Thirdly. In bulkhead and like doors, the combination of the sliding rack (H),
screw threaded spindle (1) and bevel wheel (L), with the wheel (M) having an
internally threaded collar or sleeve (M2) to receive the threaded portion of the
shaft (M); the lugs (M³) on said collar, capable of engaging the spring hinged
flap (N) in order that said wheel (M) can be put either in or out of gear with the
wheel (L), substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fourthly. In bulkhead and like doors, the combination of the shafts or
spindles (B), (B1), (B2) and (B³), the bevel wheels (C), Archimedean screws (D),
and the metallic strips (P) around the door, capable of sliding in the guide
pieces (Q), substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fifthly. In bulkhead and like doors, the combination of the shafts (B), (B),
(B2) and (B3), bevel wheels (C), and wheel (K), the Archimedean screws (D) and
the pinion wheels (E), the racks (F), the shaft (G) carrying the wheels (F), (F)
and (G), the sliding rack (H) engaging the wheels (G) and (K), the screw
threaded spindle (1) connected with said rack, suitable gearing whereby a number
of doors can be simultaneously closed from ore station, and a hand wheel for
closing the doors separately, connected with said screw threaded spindle (I),
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated the 15th day of December 1896.
W. D. ROWLINGSON,
7 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.