US2103291A

US2103291A - Watertight door

Info

Publication number: US2103291A
Application number: US37269A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert L Lambert; Francis M Lambert
Original assignee: Heintz Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Heintz Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1935-08-22
Filing date: 1935-08-22
Publication date: 1937-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1954-12-28

Description

1937. A. 1.. LAMBERT ET AL 2,103,291

WATERTIGHT DOOR Filed Aug. 22, 1955 4 Sheefcs-Sheet l llllW BY r WATT

Dec. 28, 1937. A. L. LAMBERT ET AL WATERTIGHT DOOR Filed Aug. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3%.;ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1937. A." L. LAMBERT ET AL 2,103,291

' WATERTIGHT DOOR Filed Aug. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. L. LAMBERT ET AL Dec. 28, 1937.

WATERTIGHT DOOR Filed Aug. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Mar-1.x

My BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT WATERTIGHT noon Albert L. Lambert and Francis M. Lambert, Narberth, Pa., assignors to Heintz Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 22, 1935, Serial No. 37,269 as Claims. (01. r14 117) This invention relates to water-tight doors, and relates to means for mounting and operating the doors as well as to the construction of the doors and of frames and jambs therefor.

other object of this invention is to provide means of this character whereby the corresponding door movements may be caused to be of different ex-- tent.

One of the principal objects of this invention A further object of this invention is to provide is to provide a water-tight door so constructed a door jamb or frame which presents a true and mounted that an extremely effective waterand even seat for the door, and a frame Or jamb tight seal is established under pressure applied member wh c may b a h d t a bu a toward either side of the doorway, and to proor partition securely d y, r sp ve vide a construction of this character which is irregularities and unevenness of the edge. of the light in weight and which is able to withstand bulkhead or pa t t on receiving t l mb o great pressures without breaking and Without fram and w thout th flatn ss a al n impairing the effectiveness of the seal, and to of the jamb or frame being dislocated or afprovide a construction of the character described feeted by s ch irregularities unevenness 0f t e which is extremely durable and resistant to dis bulkhead Partition location and rupture under shocks and jars, even A more specific object of this invention inof tremendous severity, including those resulteludes the provision of a bulkhead door for use ing from explosions or other detonations in the n ships and in this connection it may be p d vicinity. out that it is particularly required or desirable Another object of this invention is to provide a that such d r e efi i ly W i ht under door having the characteristics referred to, and low pressures as We l as under high pres one which is self-seating against its door frame, irrespective of whether the pressure is on either 3 and one which becomes seated more tightly as side of the door only or is against h the pressure against it increases, and to provide and the seal to be and to remain effective at all a door which is effectively water-tight irrespeclevels of water on the door; that the door betive of the height of the water against the door, self-closing under p s e pplied aga s t e and is also efiectively water-tight under low de o ag st bot s d s Simultaneously. d pressures against the door as well as under high yet may normally be opened and closed quickly pressures; and another object of this invention and easily; that they efiectively withstand shocks is to provide a door structure that is gas-tight as and jars of great force Without becoming diswell as watertight. placed or broken or their effectiveness and op- Another object of this invention is to'provide eration impaired, and that the doors be light in a door of the character referred to and one which weight and at the same time extremely strong," can be opened readily, easily, and quickly, with a shock resistant, and durable, as Well asrust and minimum of operations and comparatively little corrosion resistant. Accordingly, the more speforce, and will not jamb or stick or become hard cific objects of this invention include the provito open or close. sion of a specific door jamb or frame assembly,

Another object of this invention is to provide a specific door panel construction, and means simple and efiective means whereby two doors whereby the panel is anchored to the door frame :10 hung on opposite sides of a wall or bulkhead to when the door is closed, and particularly when close an opening therein by swinging in opposite it is closed and under pressure; a special device directions may be drawn and held together effor drawing and clamping together two doors fectively and securely, and against becoming rehung on opposite sides of a bulkhead; specific leased, and requiring merely a simple and easy mechanism connecting such doors together so operation which may be carried out quickly and, that they close and open simultaneously as a rewith little effort, from either side of the wall or sult of either door being opened or closed, all bulkhead, and at the same time permitting the these features cooperating to provide in a waterdoors to be released from each other readily, tight door the features referred to above as being easily and quickly, when desired. required o desirable.

.30 Another object of this invention is to provide In addition to these, other objects of this inmeans so connecting tw d rs u n pposite vention will be in part obvious and in part pointsides of a partition or bulkhead to close in oppoed out hereinafter. Site directions, that the Closing p ng of In vorder that a clearer understanding'of this either door will result in a simultaneous and corinvention may be had, attention is herebydir responding movement of the other door; and am d the accompanying drawing forming a P through the center of the door, as indicated closing and door or:jamb-.-is-designedfor two doors mounted on opposite sides of the bulkhead or partition 2| to" embodying this invention, certain parts being broken away to bring out more clearlycertain features of the construction; v

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof and is taken on the line 2--2of Fig. 1; r 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view the line 3-3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 of the construction,

door as seated under emergency pressure;

Fig. 5 is a broken sectional view of the door ing a hinge mounting, and is taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 israsectionalyiew.of adetailshowing a hingemounting, and is taken onthe line.6.-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the mechanism for drawing and. clamping the. two doors .together, and is. takenonthe line 'i -llof Fig.8;

Fig. 8 is a. sectional view thereof. taken ata different angle;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of aportion of a modi fication, showing fragments of the free edges of the doors, the adjacent portion of the jamb, and the means for drawing and clamping these door edges againstthe jamb; and

Fig. 10-isa front elevationthereof.

Similar reference characters refer. to similar parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

Referring to the .drawings, the construction in.- cludesacontinuous door jamb or frame comprising a channelshaped sheet metal part havinga back-wall H, side walls i2 and I3, with outwardly extending ribs or flanges hand If). along their edges, and a face strip ltextending across and welded to theribs l4 and i5,- completing. a boxlike rail formation having outwardly extending flangesalong both inner edges. Between the rib l4-and an attachmentangle strip I'Lsecured tochannel wall l2, isseated a strip of resilient packing I8, such as rubber, of substantial width and thickness, and a-similar rubber packing I9 is seated between rib l5- and a metal attachment strip 20, attached to channel wall l3 as by welding.

Bottom wall H of the box frame seats against and iswelded to-the edge of thebulkhead or partition 2| "about the opening therein. The. edges of such openings in bulkheads and partitions in ships are frequently wavy orotherwisLe irregular either longitudinally or transversely or both ways, and because the base of the box frame may be effectively secured to the bulkhead or partition wall by welding, andthe welding may be so applied as to effectively seal any apertures or spaces-which may appear between the box frame and bulkhead edge, this frame construction and manner of its. mounting results in. the frame presenting-an even, smooth, and properly aligned seating surface for the door at all points, irrespective of the roughness or unevenness of the bulkhead edge at theopening. This. door frame close by swingingiinzoppositedirections. soas to face each. other.

As shown, each suchdoor comprises an inwardly is an enlarged sectional view of an edge" showing-.one of the doorsin normal closed position, andtshowing the other connecting mechanism, in'clud 20; and the sealing simultaneously. As shown,

dished

sheet metal panel

22, 22, reinforced centrally by an inverted box-like sheet metal reinforcement 23, which has a marginal flange 24 resting against and welded to the face of the panel. About the edge of each panel is welded the flange 25 of a reinforcing strip which has a doubled portion 26 extending transversely across the edge-of-the panel. To the inside face of each panel about its edge is welded an angle strip 21 which has a rib or flange 28 directed inwardly oft'the door and isadapted to seat on the packing strip ..l8.. or l9 provided therefor on the corresponding face of the door jamb or frame, and to encircle the-anchoringrib, M or l5, of the door frame on the. side away from the center of the doorway of 'the' frame or wall.

In the normal opening and closing of either door the flange 2610f the panel edge reinforcemerit clears the packing retaining strips ll or and anchoring ribs 28 clear the. projecting .ribs I 4- and I5 at the inner edges of thebox frame, Without interference. However, when pressure. is applied against the outside of either. door, its. panel tendsv to bow more inwardly, as..illustrated Withrespect to the panel 22' shown. in. Fig. 4. This further bowing in of the panel. draws its periphery toward the center ofv the door, and consequently draws. the sealing and anchoring. rib..28 more deeply into the rubber sealing strip of the door'frame, and more tightly against the. anchoring. ribs. M or N3 of the box rail, and to increase their interengagement. This interen-gagingof the panelribs28 behind one of the anchoring ribs, 14 or IE, of the door frame prevents the panel edge from moving radially inward and prevents further bowing in of the door panel and places this panel under tension. Because of the dished-infcontour of the panel, the strains of the anchoring ribs of the doors and door frame are not nearly so great as would'be the. caseif the panels did nothave this contour, and this, in combination with the anchoring of the'panel edge against the frame ribs, prevents the panels from being ruptured. or becoming distorted under pressures, even when extremely great. Furthermore, the greater the pressure, the deeper and more forcefully will the sealing and anchoring rib '28 enter and press into the rubber sealingstrip and interengage with the anchoring ribs, M or i5, of the door and thus the strength and the resistance of the seal to penetration bywater is increased as the pressure against the panel increases.

Each ofthe doors may be hung on two or more suitable hinges. As shown, each hinge may include two arms 30, welded at their door ends to a plate (which may be formed integral with flange 25 of strip 26) secured to thedoor, and pivoted at theirrear ends on hinge pins 32, which penetrate an arm or bracket 33 extending through and Welded to the bulkhead wall, each hinge bracket thus. serving the two doors on opposite sides of the bulkhead. Preferably the hinge pins 32 extend through oversized holes 29 to insure against any jamming or sticking of the doors at these hinges.

The doors may be connected so as to swing the device for this purpose is in the main carried on a framework comprising upper plate 35'and lower plate 36, connected at their centers by a partition plate 31 welded at its upper and-lower edges thereto, there being also.a connecting strip 38 engaging and welded to-the rear edges of

plates

35 and 36 at theircenter portions and to the rear edge of the Ni V center plate 31. A suitable aperture is cut in a bulkhead adjacent to the center of the door frame at the hinge edge of the doors, and the framework is disposed centrally in this aperture. The front edge of crossplate 3'! is welded to the back of the door frame, and the

plates

35 and 35 and .the cross-strip 33 are welded to the adjacent edges of the bulkhead. This frame or bracket structure carries the mechanism connecting the doors as well as the mechanism for pressure closing both doors.

The mechanism for each door is substantially the same (see Figs. 3 and 5). The door having the panel 22 is engaged by the threaded shank 49 of a clevis 41, which is pivotaliy mounted, as by pin 42, on the end of an arm 43 which has an outwardly curved opposite end provided with a sleeve portion 44, pinned, as at 45, to ashaft 46, which is journalled in roller bearings 41, carried in housings 48 formed on the

plates

35 and 36, pin thus being the pivot pin on which the arm l3 swings. One end of sleeve 44 has clutch teeth 5| complementary to and interlocking with hub teeth 49 of a gear 50, loosely mounted on shaft 46. Gear 50 is in mesh with a pinion 52, rotatably mounted on a pin 53, which is rotatably supported by the

plates

35 and 36. Connected to pinion 52 for rotation therewith, as by intermeshing clutch teeth, is a bevel gear 54 which is in mesh with a bevel gear 56, mounted on the square end 57 of a shaft 58, rotatably supported in a journal bearing 59, extending through a suitable aperture therefor in the cross-plate 31, and welded at its center to the plate 3'! peripherally. The opposite end of shaft 58 is squared, and carries a bevel gear 60 which meshes with a bevel gear connected, as by clutch teeth, to pinion t2, gear 6| and pinion 62 being mounted for rotation in unison on a shaft 63 supported by

plates

35 and 36. Gear 62 is in mesh with a gear 64, having hub teeth 65 interlocking with teeth 66 on the end of a sleeve portion 67 of the arm 68 which is pivotally connected to the other door (which has the panel 22') by means of clevis 69, which has a threaded shank Ill engaging this door.

Thus it will be seen that by means of this gear train connection between the doors, when either door is opened or closed there will be a simultaneous and corresponding movement of the other door. In the illustration shown, both doors will move to the same extent; however, movement of one door to a relatively greater or less extent than the corresponding movement of the other door may easily be arranged for by adjusting the ratios between the gear 50 and pinion 52, or between gear 64 and pinion 62. For instance, by transposing the gear 50 and pinion 52 the movement of the door including panel 22 will be of greater extent than the corresponding movement of the door having the panel 22. A suggestion is that the gear ratios be such that when the gear 50 and pinion 52 are transposed, or when the gear 64 and pinion 62 are transposed, the corresponding door will open to half the extent of the corresponding movement of the other door, thus permitting an arrangement whereby when one door is swung in an arc of 180 degrees the other door will only swing in an arc of 90 degrees. If desired each

arm

43 and 68 may be formed with a heel or lug, such as H, positioned to seat in front of the reinforcing edge flange 26 of each panel when the doors are closed, and each serving as an abutment for the edge flanges when the panel of the door is bowed in under pressure, and also serving to prevent the edge of the door from. being jarred out of place byishocks and vibrations, or by sudden and violent expansion of the air enclosed betwee the doors, as may follow an explosion. i I

To insure against jamming or binding of the mechanism'connecting the doors for simultaneous movement, it is suggested that either the'clutch connection between the gear 50 and sleeve 44, or the clutch connection between gear. 64 and v the sleeve 61v be made to have slight play or lost motion. For instance, a loose fitting of themterconnecting clutch teeth providing r a slight clearance, such as of an inch between them may be provided, as shown at 55.

The doors are also provided with means for seating them closed under pressure, while at the same time permitting them to be swung open without building up resisting pressure during the entire extent of opening movement. For instance, the inner end of each

arm

43 and 68 may be formed as or provided with a cam member 72 havinga cam surface 13 inclining sharply toward the pivot 45 and joining at its outer end with a with the pivot 45,

El. Plunger i9 is pivotally mounted on a bracka et 8!! affixed to the partition 31. The arrangement is such that when the door is nearly fully closed the cam rollers 15 roll oif the surface 74 and on to the cam surface 73, whereupon the spring "[8 will cause the rollers to press against the surface 13 and will close and hold the door closed under the pressure of the spring. When the door is opened, however, a slight opening movement of the door will ride the cam surface 14 into engagement with the rollers 15, and since surface 74 is concentric with pivot 46 the spring pressure will not be increased as the door is opened further. Thus it will be apparent that the door is closed and held closed under spring pressureand yet at the same time the door can be opened" and closed readily and easily and without great effort. The pressure under which either door is seated may be regulated by detaching the clevis (4| or 69) of that door from its operating arm, giving the clevis one or more half turns on the door, and then reattaching the clevis to the arm.

Means are also provided whereby, by a manual operation, the doors may be drawn tightly into the jamb and so secured. One means of this character may comprise a device whereby the doors may be drawn together. Such means may comprise a pair of

arcuate cam members

85 and 86, mounted on the inner side of the panel 22 of one of the doors, and each having an undercut cam surface 81 and 88 bowing toward the panel 22 centrally from both ends, the cam surfaces facing the door and being spaced therefrom. These

cam members

85 and 36 may comprise integral portions of a circular member 89, having aperturedlugs 99 whereby the plate may be secured to the door. An annular spring plate 9| is disposed within member 89 and spaced from the door panel and held against rotation by means of an ear 92 fcrmedon the plate SI and engaging between two of the attachment lugs 90. Plate 9| is formed with two diametrically 7 water-tight.

.opposite stamped-in'portions or humps 93', which normally rest on the cam surfaces just to one side of the peaks thereof. Aspindle 94 is rotat-' ably mounted in a suitable journal assembly 95 carriedon the other door, suitable packing being provided to render the connection and hearing The inner end of spindle 94 is formed with teeth 91 exposed on the rear of the door, and has a' threadedscrew hole to receive a screw 98, which penetrates aclamping member 99'which has teeth I interlocking with teeth 91, and whereby the clamping member is firmly attached to the spindle and the teeth I00 and 91 held interlocked, thus insuring against relative rotation between the clamping member and the spindle. Clamping member 99 has two oppositely directed clamping arms IOI and I02, adapted, when the doors are closed, to move into a space provided in the wedge ring 89 between the

cam portions

85 and 86, so that the clamping arms may be turned to engage and ride on the undercut cam surfaces to draw and to clamp the doors together. As the clamping arms are moved to the peaks of the inclines, or at any suitable points in their clamping movement, the clamping arms engage and depress the detent portions 93 of the spring plate 9| so as to pass under the detents, and as soon as the clamping arms have moved past these detents, the detents snap behind the clamping arms and thus yieldingly restrain return movement of the clamping arms out of the wedging and clamping engagement with the cam surfaces.

A suitable handle I04 is secured to the end of shaft 94 whereby the wedge: member 99 may be rotated to engage the cam surfaces 85 and 86 to draw the doors together, and to be engaged by the detents 93. When the doors are disconnected from each other the spring I03 normally holds shaft 94 in such position of rotation that the clamping arms IOI and I02 of the clamp 99 will be in proper position to enter between the cam portions 85 and B6, and into alignment with the spaces which the cam surfaces face, thus eliminating any necessity on the part of a person desiring to couple and draw'the doors together to move the handle I94 or to adjust the parts to insure proper entry of the clamping fingers into the cam member for coupling engagement therewith. If the clamping fingers were not normally held in proper position to enter between the cam portions into alignment with the spaces along the cam surfaces, a person might be obliged to manipulate the handle I04 to align the clamping fingers so that they would enterthe cam member, and this would be likely to cause difliculty, delay and annoyance. 1

In order that the wedge fingers WI and I02 may be rotated into clamping engagement with the cam surfaces 81 and 88 by a person operating from the outside of the oppositedoor, to draw the doors together, a member I05 having outwardly projecting prongs I06. and I01 is secured to the inner end of a spindle I08 rotatably carried in a journal assembly I09 mounted on that door, and having a suitable handle IIO whereby the shaft I08 and the prong member I05 may be rotated. Prongs I06 and I01 are diametrically opposite each other, and each normally extends through the open center of annular spring plate 9| and into the hollow of the cam plate 89 intermediate the ends of each cam portion, being normally moved to and held in this position by means of a suitable'spring (not shown) enclosed in the journalassembly I09 and. affixed atv one arosgzer extent, including the displacement of the detents 93 and the locking of theclamping arms in final clamping position. Since the clamping member 99 and the prong member I05 are thus connected to move in unison, the doors may be coupled and drawn together and may be uncoupled from each other by operating either handle I04 or IIO;

Another arrangement for clamping the doors against the door jambs is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this modification the operating arms I I5and I I6, which at their hinge edges are similar to and mounted the same way as the

arms

43 and 68, extend beyond their clevises M and 69 to the free edges of the doors, and at these ends each is provided with an arcuate formation H1 and H8, presenting a cam surface, such as II 9, for engagement by a dog, such as. I and I2I,

mounted on the square ends, such as I22, of a shaft I 23, which is journalled in a suitable bracket I24 penetrating and welded to thebulkhead. The dogs are thus connected together to move in unison. The dogs have operating handles I25 and I26 whereby both'dogs may be engaged with the cam surfaces of both arms H5 and H6 and both doors forced into the jambs and so held. It will be noted that the pressures applied by the dogs are exerted against the doors through the clevises 4| and 69, thereby distributing the clamping effect about the entire peripheries of the doors.

If desired each of the arms H5 and H6 may be apertured, as at I21, somewhat inwardly of the cam surfaces I I9, to receive a pin I28 mounted on a bracket I29, secured to each door, each pin carrying a spring I confined between the bracket I29 and a washer I3I mounted on the pin for limited movement toward and from the bracket and so arranged that when the dogs I20 and I2I are engaged with the cam surfaces, 9-, springs I30 press against the door and against the arms H5 and I I6. The function of these springs is to establish a certain resiliency which permits the edges of the doors to yield sufficiently and momentarily under extremely severe and sudden expansion of air in the space between the doors to permit sufiic ent air to escape to avoid any breaking or distortion of any of the parts or connections which otherwise might occur. Such expansion of the air between the doors may be occasioned by an explosion or detonation in the vicinity. With this construction each door may have a suitable handle (not shown) to facilitate opening and closing of the doors. I

The operation of opening and closing the doors is simple and requires little'effo'rt and may be done quickly. To open the doors all that is necessary is to go toeither door and either turn the center handle to uncouple the center lock, or, if the doors have the edge dogs instead of the center lock, todisengage the dogs, and then pull that door open. The operation of closing the doors is also very simple and requires little effort and may be done quickly. If the doors are open to a sub- 1 nearly closed position. At the end of the closing movement the springs 18 will act on the cam surfaces 73 to fully close the doors and to press and hold the doors against the rubber sealing strips. To draw the doors together and to seat them more firmly and with a tighter seal it is only necessary to turn either center handle of the center locking device, or to engage the dogs l2! with the cam surfaces I it! of the levers I I5 and 1 Hi.

It will be apparent from the above that the doors when closed establish a water-tight seal effective under low pressures as Well as under high pressures, and at all points about the peripheries of the doors, and for all heights of water from their sills to their tops. It will also be noted that the seals are tight against penetration by gases, and are also highly resistant to penetration by heat, due to the completeness of the air space between the doors and in the jamb and the few and small areas of metal which bridge the two doors. The doors are resistant not only to pressures applied inwardly, but also are resistant to outward pressures from the intermediate air space and which are apt to follow gunfire or other explosions taking place outside of the doors.

The advantages and improvements contemplated by the objects of this invention, as well as other advantages and improvements, will be readily apparent from the above description'and' the accompanying drawings. Variation in and modifi ation of the construction and the parts thereof are possible, and as many changes may be made the above construction and as many apparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention may be had without departing from the scope thereof, it is understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What we claim is:

1. A door frame of the character described, comprising a channel iron having a bottom wall adapted to be disposed longitudinally along and to be welded to metallic partition members providing an opening for the frame, flanges extending outwardly from the edges of the channel side walls and substantially at right angles thereto. and a tie piece bridging and secured to said flanges to form. with the channel iron a frame member boxlike in cross section.

2. A door frame of the character described, comprising a channel iron having a bottom wall adapted to be disposed longitudinally along and to be welded to metallic partition members providing an opening for the frame, flanges extending outwardly from the edges of the channel side walls and substantially at right angles thereto, and a tie piece bridging and secured to said flanges to form with the channel iron a frame member box-like in cross section, a retaining flange secured to the outer face of each channel side wall and spaced from said flanges and forming with said flanges and the intermediate portions of said side walls retaining channels for packing strips, and packing strips seated in said retaining channels.

3. In combination with a swinging door and a door frame providing a jamb for the door, of. an alm attached to the door, means pivotally mounting the arm adjacent the door to swing therewith, a cam attached to the arm to rotate therewith about the arm pivot, and a pressure device having a pressure member engaging and pressing against said cam when the door is closed, to urge the arm to rotate on its pivot in door closing direction and to press the door into the jamb, said cam having an arcuate cam surface approximately concentric with the pivot axis of the arm engaging said pressure member in certain open positions of the door,

arm attached to the door, means pivotally mount-'- ing the arm adjacent the door to swing therewith,

a cam attached to the arm to rotate therewith about the arm pivot, and a pressure device having a pressure member engaging and pressing against said cam when the door is closed, to urge the arm to rotate on its pivot in door closing direction and to press the door into the jamb, and a clevis attaching the arm to the door, said clevis being carried on the arm and in adjustable threaded engagement with the door, the relative closing positions of the door and arm being variable in ac cordance with variations in the threaded engagement of the clevis withthe door to vary the closing conditions of the door.

5. In combination with a swinging door and a door frame providing a jamb therefor, of an arm attached to the door, means pivotally mounting the armadjacent the door to swing therewith, a cam attached to the arm to rotate therewith about the arm pivot and having a cam surface in-' and means, including a spring plunger engaging and pressing the pressure member against said said operating arm to rotate in door closing direction to press the door into surface moving out of contact with the pressure member when the door is opened to a predetermined position, and said cam having an arcuate gagement with said pressure member when the door is opened to said predetermined position and to engage the door in furtheropen positions.

the character described,

of the frame and to the frame rib.

7. In door structure of the character described, including a door frame and a swinging door to close against the frame, an arm extending across the door and attached .to the center thereof,"

cam surface to urge the jamb, said cam means mounting the do g 7 against opposite faces of theframe, said frame holding said doors spaced apart when closed, an arm extending across the outer face of each door and attached centrally thereto, means pivotally mounting one end of each arm to swing with its door, the opposite end of each arm having a cam surface, each arm being spaced outwardly of the outer face of'its door, resilient means pressing outwardly on each arm and inwardly on each door, a dog for each arm, and means mounting the dogs adjacent the corresponding door edges to swing into and out of clamping engagement with the cam surfaces of the corresponding arms when the doors are closed to clamp the door edges resiliently against said frame and to establish a water-tight and gas-tight joint between each door and the frame, permitting resilient movement of the door edges from the frame and the escape of gas through said joint under relatively great sudden pressures acting in the space between the doors.

9. In a door structure of the character described, including a door frame, two doors fitted thereto, each including a flexible central panel,

7 means mounting'said doors to swing in opposite directions against opposite faces of the frame,

an arm extending across the outer face of each door and attached centrally to the flexible panel portion thereof, means pivotally mounting one end of each arm to swing with its door, the opposite end of each arm having a cam surface, a dog for each arm, and means mounting both dogs adjacent the corresponding door edges to swing simultaneouslyinto and out of clamping engagement with the cam surfaces of the corresponding arms when the doors are closed to flex the flexible panels toward each other and to clamp the doors simultaneously to and to unclamp the doors simultaneously from the frame.

10. In door structure of the character described, two doors facing each other when closed, coupling means including members on the opposing faces of the doors interfitting and one member movable into coupling engagement with the other member when the doors are closed to couple the doors together, and detent means mounted on one of said doors and'engagin'g said movable member when in coupling engagement with the other member to retain said movable member in said engagement.

1 1. In door structure of the character described, two doors facing each other when closed,

coupling means including members on theopposing faces of the doors interfitting and one member movable into coupling engagement with ,the other member when the doors are closed to couple the doors together, and a spring detent mounted on'one of said doors to engage and retain said movable member in said coupling engagement when the movable member is moved into said engagement.

12. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing the doors together, said mechanism including complementary coupling members on the opposing faces of said doors, one of said members having wedge surfaces spaced from and facing the door on which'it is mounted and the other of said members having'fingers to engage said wedge surfaces, one of said couplingmembers being movable relatively to the other to interengage said wedge surfaces and fingers to couple and to draw the doors together.

13. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing the doors together, said mechanism including complementary'coupling members on the opposing faces of said doors, one of said members having wedgesurfaces spaced from and facing the door on whichit is mounted and the other of said members having fingers to engage said wedge surfaces, one of said coupling members being movable relatively to the other to interengage said wedge surfaces and-fingers to couple and to draw the doors together, and operating means on both doors engagingland operable to move said movable coupling member into coupling engagement with the other coupling member, said operating means being operable from the outside of either door.

14. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing the doors together, said mechanism including a pair of spaced wedge members on the inner face of one of the doors, each having a cam surface spaced from and facing said door,

between said wedge members and into alignment.

with the spaces faced by the cam surfaces and means for moving said cam member to ride said fingers upon said cam surfaces to draw and to clamp the two doors together.

15. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing the doors together, said mechanism including a pair of spaced wedge members on the inner face of one of the doors, each havinga cam surface spaced from and facing said door, a cam member movably mounted on the other door and having cam fingers to fit into the space between said wedge members and into alignment with the spaces faced by the cam surfaces and means for moving said cam member to ride said fingers upon said cam surfaces to draw and to clamp the two doors together, and a spring detent member mounted on the door having the wedge members and having detent portions dis posed in the spaces faced by the wedge surfaces moved to predetermined clamping position on the wedge surfaces to resist movement of said fingers out of said clamping position.

16. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing'the doors together, said mechanism including a pair of spaced wedge members on the inner face of one of the doors, each having a cam surface spaced from and facing said door, a cam member movably mounted on the other door and having cam fingers to fit into the space between said wedge members and into alignment r and engaging said cam fingers when each is with the spaces faced by the camsurfaces and means for moving said cam member to ride said fingers upon said cam surfaces to draw and to clamp the two doors together, said means including a rotatable member mounted on the door having the wedge'membersand engaging the cam member to move in unison therewith, a handle on said door connected to said rotatable member and movably to move said rotatable member and said cam member, and a handle on the other door connected to said cam member and movable to move said cam member.

17. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing the doors together, said mechanism including a pair of spaced wedge members on the inner face of one of the doors, each having a cam surface spaced from and facing said door, a cam member movably mounted on the other door and having cam fingers to fit into the space between said wedge members and into alignment with the spaces faced by the cam surfaces and means for moving said cam member to ride said fingers upon said cam surfaces to draw and to clamp the two doors together, said means including a rotatable member mounted on the door having the wedge members and engaging the cam member to move in unison therewith, a handle on said door connected to said rotatable member and movably to move said rotatable member and said cam member, and a handle on the other door connected to said cam member and movable to move said cam member, and spring means connected to each door and to each handle thereon normally setting and maintaining the said cam fingers in position to enter and to fit between the wedge surfaces and in alignment with the spaces along the wedge surfaces and set for movement into engagement therewith.

18. The combination with two doors facing each other, of mechanism for coupling and drawing the doors together, said mechanism including on one of the doors a pair of spaced cam members, each having a cam surface facing and spaced from the door, a rotatable shaft having an operating handle on the outer face of the door and a pair of prongs fixed to the shaft and projecting between said cam members centrally, and including on the other door a rotatable shaft having an operating handle on the outer face of the door and a pair of divergent fingers fixed to the shaft to fit between and laterally engage said prongs to rotate simultaneously therewith and to fit between said cam members and into alignment with the spaces therealong and to rotate into engagement with said cam surfaces to draw and to clamp the doors together, the rotation of either door handle moving said fingers relatively to said wedge surfaces.

19. In door structure of the character described, including a door frame, two doors, means mounting said doors to swing in opposite directions against opposite faces of the frame, means including intereng'aging members on the opposite faces of the doors and inwardly of their edges to couple the doors together and to draw them against said frame, and motion transmitting mechanism connected to both doors connecting the doors to move simultaneously.

20. In combination with a wall having a door opening, of two doors, means mounting said doors to swing in opposite directions face to face to close the door opening, each door having a marginal rib projecting from the doorway side at an angle to the plane of the door, a door frame for both doors, fitting the door opening marginally and having ribs projecting toward each door and resilient packing adjacent the wall sides of said ribs, the door ribs seating against said packing and interlocking with the frame ribs when the doors are closed to restrain radially inward movement of the door edges when the bodies of the doors are subjected to pressure in closing direction, and means including interengaging members on the opposing faces of the doors to couple the doors together and to draw the ribs on the 21. Ina door of the character described, a V

dished, flexible, sheet metal face the concavity extending from all panel having of a door frame, a member supported adjacent the door frame and connected to said panel adjacent said central area and means for urging said member toward said panel when the door is closed, the concave face of said panel being on the outward side thereof.

22. In a door of the character described, a dished, flexible, sheet metal face panel having the concavity extending from all points around its edge to a commonv central area of the panel, a metal stiffening edge frame having an attachment flange seating against and secured to the edge portion of the panel, and having a stiffening flange extending across the edge of the attachment flange at an angle thereto, and a metal angle secured to the panel portion and having a sealing flange extending from the inner face of the panel edge portion and at an angle thereto.

23. The combination with a door provided with a dished, flexible, sheet metal face panel having the concavity extending from all points around its edge to a common central area of the panel, of a box-like metal reinforcement secured to the panel at the center of the concavity, a door frame, a member supported adjacent said frame and connected to said reinforcement and means for urging said member toward said reinforcement when the door is closed.

24.. The combination with a door frame and a door fitting the frame and having an inwardly flexible sheet metal panel, of means, including members on the edgeof the panel and on the door frame interengaging when the door is closed on the door frame, to anchor the edge of the panel against movement toward the center of the door when the panel is flexed inwardly, said panel being dished inwardly and the concavity extending from all points around its edge to a common center area of the panel, said panel shape tending to diminish strain'on the said interengaging members and on the body of the panel consequen tial to outside pressure applied to the panel tending to flex the panel inwardly, a member supported adjacent said door frame and connected to said panel adjacent said center area and means for urging said member toward said panel when the door is closed.

25. The combination with a door frame and a door fitting the frame and having an inwardly flexible sheet metal panel, of complemental means on the door and door frame providing interengaging surfaces angularly related to the plane of the door when closed to restrain radially inward movement of the door edge'when the door panel is subjected to flexing pressure in closing direction, said panel being dished inwardly and the concavity extending from all points around its edge to a common center area, the said panel shape tending to diminish strain on said interengaging surfaces and on the body of the panel consequential to flexing pressure against the panel in door closing direction, and means connected to said panel adjacent said center area for urging said door against said frame when the door is in closed position.

26. The combination with door fitting the frame and flexible sheet metal panel,

a door frame and a having an inwardly of means comprising points around its edge to a common central area of the panel,

complemental anchoring ribs on the door and door frame interengaging when the door is closed to restrain radial inward movement of the door edge when the door panel is subjected to flexing pressure in closing direction, said panel being dished inwardly and the concavity extending, from all points around its edge to'a common center area of b the panel, said panel shape tending to diminish strain on said interengaging ribs and on the body of the panel consequential to inwardly flexing pressure applied against the panel, and means supported adjacent said door frame and connected to said panel adjacent said center area for urging said door against said frame when the door is in closed position.

2'7. The combination with a door frame and a door fitting the frame and having an inwardly flexible sheet metal panel, of means comprising complemental anchoring ribs on the door and door frame interengaging when the door is closed to restrain radial inward movement of the door edge when the door panel'is subjected to flexing pressure in closing direction, said panel being dished inwardly and the concavity'extending from all points around its edge to a common center area of the panel, said panel shape tending, to diminish strain on said interengaging ribs and on the body of the panel consequential to inwardly flexing pressure applied against the panel, and packing on the door frame having water-tight contact with said anchoring ribs of the door when the door is closed. 7 i

28. A door structure of the character'described,

including,'a door frame having a doorway'and anchoring rib extending about the doorway and i a resilient packing strip extending about and disposed against the wall side of the anchoring rib, and a door fitting the frame and having a dished, inwardly flexible sheet metal panel having the concavity extending from all points around its edge to a common central area of the panel and having a peripheral anchoring and sealing rib to seat against said packing and about the door frame rib when the door is closed, said panel flexing inwardly under pressure applied thereagainst in closing direction to press said anchoring and sealing ri'b more intimately into the packing strip and drawing said rib into tight interengagement with the anchoring rib of the door fran e, whereby the door edge is restrained from radial inward movement and the body of the door is placed under tension, the concavity of the panel tending to diminish the strain on said interengaging ribs and on the body of the panel. 7

29. A door structure of the character described, including, incombination, a door frame having a doorway, a swinging door to close the doorway and having an lnwardlyflexible sheet metal panel and a metal stiffening edgeframe extending about andsecured to the panel, complemental anchoring ribs on the panel edge frame and door frame interengaging when the door is closed to restrain the radial inward movement of the door edge when the door is subjected to flexing pressure in closing direction, said panel being dished'inwardly, and the concavity extending from all points around its edge to acommon center area of the panel, said panel shape tend-,

ing to diminish strain on said interengaging ribs and on the body of the panel when the panel is subjected to inwardly flexing pressure.

' 36. A door structure of the character described, including, in combination, a door frame having a doorway, a swinging door to close the doorway and having an inwardly flexible sheet metal panel and a metal stiffening edge frame extending about and secured to the panel, complemental anchoring ribs on the panel edge frame and door frame interengaging when the door is closed to restrain the radial inward movement of the door edge when the door issubjected to flexing pressure in closing direction, said panel being dished inwardly, and the concavity extending from all points around its edge to a common center area of the panel, said panel-shape tending to diminish strain on said interengaging ribs and on the body of the panel when the panel is subjected to inwardly flexing pressure, and packing on the door frame having water-tight contact with the an angle to the plane ofthe door, of a door frame comprising a channel iron having a bottom wall adapted to be disposed longitudinally-along and to be welded to metallic partition'members providing an openingfor the frame, flanges extending outwardly from the edges of the channel side walls and substantially at right angles thereto, and a tie-piece bridging and secured to said flanges to form with the channel iron a frame member box-like in cross section, the said ribs of said doors interengaging with the flanges extending outwardly from the side walls of the door frame channel when the doors are closed to restrain radial inward movemen each door when subjected to inwardly flexing pressure.

32. The combination comprising a door frame, two doors mounted to engage opposite sides of said frame, each of said doors having a dished flexible sheet metal panel therein, the dished face of eachpanel being on the outward side there of, and means engaging the panels in said doors t of the edges of for urging them toward each other when said 7 doors are closed.

33. The combination comprising a door frame,

its edge to a common central area, the concave face of each panel being on the outward side thereof, and means engaging said panels'in the vicinity of said central areas for urging them toward each other when the doors are closed.

ALBERT L, LAMBERT.

V FRANCIS M LAMBERT; J