US2278318A - Bulkhead door - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1942. F. T. JENKINS BULKHEAD DOOR Filed Feb. 17, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 31, 1942. F, T v JENKINS-3 2,278,318

BULKHEAD DOOR Filed Feb'. 17, 1941 5 sheets-sheet 2 `32 INVENTOR FEEDER/rf( T. JEH/11H5 ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 31, 1942 UNITED STATES APATENT GFFICE BULKHEAD DOOR Frederick T. Jenkins, Seattle, Wash.

Application February 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,278

11 Claims.

This invention relates to bulkhead doors and more particularly to improvements in bulkhead doors designed -for use in marine vessels, and to improved locking devices therefor; it being the principal object of this invention to provide novel locking devices whereby a bulkhead door may be held closed, in a water, gas and air-tight joint, and which will withstand extreme pressures without release of the door.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved locking mechanism of the above character, embodying a plurality of locking levers, or latch levers, mounted on the door at opposite sides and at its ends, all of which are simultaneously operable through connections with a central or com-mon control member for a relatively fast movement of the levers between released and door locking lposition.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a locking mechanism as above stated, including latch levers that are so associated with novel toggle devices that the door will be drawn to a closed position and held with eX- treme tightness against all probable emergencies.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the details of construction and assembly of latch levers, toggles and control mechanisms, and in their mode of operation, as Will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved ydetails of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. vl is a View in elevation, showing the inside o'f a bulkhead door as equipped with locking devices and a control mechanism in accordance with details of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the door and its casing, as seen on the line 2-2'in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional detail showing one of the latch devices at a side of the door, and the gearing associated with the central control mechanism for actuation of the latch levers between locked and releasedpositions.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmental view, in ele vation, illustrating an'operating connection as provided between a latch lever at one side of the door, and a cross head member of the control mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the toggle link used in connection with the locking lever.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, sectional detail taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 1, showing the latch lever in locked position.

Fig. 7 is a similar View, showing the lever in its fully released position.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the same parts in the positionl of Fig. 7. Y

Referring more in detail to the drawings- In Figs. 1 and 2, I have illustrated the present bulkhead door and its casing in their assembled relationship. The door is designated in its entirety by numeral I and the enclosing casing by reference numeral 2. It is intended that the casing shall be applied to an opening as provided in a bulkhead, or wall plate 3, and permanently secured to the wall in a water-tight connection by rivets, or the like, as indicated at 4 in Fig. 2.

The casing member 2 is formed about the periphery of the opening therein for the door'with a laterally out-turned flange 5 and the door is formed entirely about its periphery with a laterally and then back-turned edge portion forming an inwardly opening, semi-circular seat or trough 6 in which a sealing gasket 1 is located. This gasket may be of rubber or other suitable material, and when the door is drawn to closed position, the edge of the out-turned flange 5 engages Aagainst and compresses the gasket in a manner to insure a water, gas or air-tight seal.

The door is hingedly mounted, for example, by a pair of hinges as indicated at 8 8, and is adapted to swing on these hinges between open and closed positions, and it is intended that the present latch mechanism, as associated with the door, may be operated either mechanically through a powered remote control mechanism, or manually through the use of hand wheels mounted directly on the door. Since the mechanical, remote control -devices do not constitute a part of this particular invention, they will not be referred to except to state that it is the intent that provision be made in the design and arrangement of the manually operated controls, for the connection therethrough of the powered, mechanically operated mechanism.

' The door I has herein been illustrated in Fig. 1, as being equipped with one latch at each of its upper and lower ends, and with two latches at each of its opposite side edges and located opposite each other. Since each of the latch devices is like the others, only one will herein be described in detail, with the understanding that the description as applied thereto will apply equally to the other locking devices. After descrbing this locking device, the control `for the manual actuation of all in unison will be `described.

It will be understood best by reference to'Figs.

6, '7 and 8, that each locking device comprises a latch lever I which is so mounted on the door that by movements in its endwise direction, one end thereof can be overlapped with, or disengaged from holding engagement with a bearing block xed on the door case, as presently explained. As noted in Fig. 7, the latch lever l!) is connected pivotally, at a point spaced from its outer end, with one end of a link l2 by means of a pivot pin I3. The link, in turn, is pivotally attached by pivot pin i4 to a block l5 that is tted to and welded in a water-tight joint within an opening in the door plate or directly to the inside of the plate, if this should be desired. The outer end of the lever` is formed with a short hook-like portion I8, and this is adapted, in locking position of the lever, to engage over a shoulder I9 on bearing block 20 that is welded to the door casing flush with the plane of flange 5. For strength and convenience, the lever IU is formed with an opening l0 in which the outer end of link I3 is located, as noted in Fig. 8.

The inner end portion of the lever I0 is located between two vertically spaced, horizontally disposed flange plates 23--23 that are riveted or welded to the inside of the door. At that end, the lever is pivotally connected, by a bolt 25, with one end of a toggle 26, which, in turn, is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 21 between the plates 23-23. The toggle 2S, as shown best in Fig. 5, comprises two short links 25a and 26h that are pivotally joined by a pivot bolt 29. 'I'he link 25h is formed at that end through which the bolt 29 extends with a laterally directed lug or leg 30 that is formed with a ball socket 3l opening toward the opposite side edge of the door, in which the ball end 32 of an operating link, or rod S3, is pivotally retained. The bolt 29, which joins the ends of the toggle links 26a and 2Gb, extends at its opposite ends through arcuate slots 34 that are formed in the plates 23-23; these slots being curved about the axis of the bolt 2t as la center. Likewise, the bolt 25, which connects the end of the lever I0 with the outer end of the toggle 25, extends through slots 35 in the plates 23-23; these slots 35, for the greater portion of their lengths, being curved about a center line that is near the axial line of the bolt 26, but at those ends of the slots that are nearer the edge of the door, each has a short, out-turned portion 35a, as will be noted best by reference to Fig. 3, in which the bolt 25 may move for the specific purpose of engaging or disengaging the hook-like end I8 of lever I0 with the shoulder I9 of plate 2U without requiring or per- .t

mitting inward, endwise shifting of the lever I0. Incident to a hook releasing movement of lever Hl, the bolt 25 is moved from the outer ends of the sections 35a of the slots, into position for travel along the main arcuate portions 0f the slots 35 for shifting the lever l0 inwardly to such a position that it. will clear the door casing when the door is swung from closed to an open position. This travel is from the dotted line position of Fig.4 7, to the full line position of lever i0.

It will be understood also, that when the lever Ii) is shifted from its unlocked position, as shown in Figs. 3 and '7, back to the locked or holding position as of Fig. 6, the toggle 2B, comprising the two pivotally joined links 25a and 2Gb, will move e rom the angular position of Fig. '7, to the straight position of Fig. 6, and in so doing, the lever Il) Will be shifted outwardly to locate the outer end of the lever across the block 2B. When the pivot bolt 25 has approached near the outer end of the arcuate slots 35, the lever I0 will have assumed the dotted line position in which it is shown in Fig. 7, but disengaged from the shoulder I9 of the bearing block 20. Then, on final outward movement of the toggle, the bolt 25 moves into the outer end portion a of the slots, and the hook end portion I8 of the lever is then caused to swing directly inwardly to overlapping and locking contact with the block 20, but without further endwise shifting of the lever, and the door will be pulled tightly closed due to the nal straightening out of the toggle.

It is to be understood that when the lever I0 is in this nal locking position of Fig. 6, the hook I8 overlies the shoulder I9 of the plate 20 and provides a more positive and secure holding connection than otherwise would be possible, and even under severe strain and pressure applied against the inside of the door, these hook ends of the levers will hold and operate as a tie to prevent any possible disconnection of the levers with the holding blocks 20.

The tightness of the seal of the door provided by this lever mechanism may be regulated by adjustment of the length of the link I2, and their length may be varied by the turning of a turn buckle l2', which is embodied in the link as a connector for its opposite end portions.

In order that all of the latch levers Il! may be simultaneously actuated, and operated by controls located at the inside and also at the outside of the door, I have mounted a gear housing in the door, at a central location. This housing, as noted in Fig. 3, is flanged and riveted or welded in an opening in the door plate. A vertical shaft 42 extends rotatably through the housing with its opposite end portions indicated by 42a and '42h in Fig. l, extending along the inside ofthe door and terminating at their outer ends, respectively, in alinement between the upper and lower sets of latches located at opposite edges of the door. Fixed on the shaft 42, inside the housing 4B, is a bevel gear wheel 44 and meshing therewith are bevel gears 45 and 46 mounted respectively on shafts 41 and 48 which extend from the housing 40 to inside and outside of the door where they are equipped, respectively, with hand wheels 49 and 49.

Fixed on the inside of the door, above and also below the housing 49, are spaced gibs 59--50 between which cross heads 5l--5I are mounted for guided vertical up and down travel; each cross head having threaded connection with the corresponding end portion of the vertical shaft 42. Thus, when either hand wheel is rotated, the gearing connections provided transmit motion to the shaft 42 for moving the cross heads toward or from the housing 4D; it being understood that the shaft ends 42a and 42h are provided respectively with right and left-hand threads so that the cross heads will move in unison toward or away from the housing 40 in accordance with the direction of rotation of the hand wheels.

Each cross head 5I has ball sockets 56 opening to the opposite ends thereof in which the ball ends 32a of the operating links 33 for the corresponding latch levers are pivotally retained, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4.

The arrangement of parts as herein illustrated provides that paired latch levers l0, located at directly opposite edges of the door, are controlled from the same cross head, and it will be understood that when the cross heads are shifted from the position of Fig. l, at which they are in alinement between the paired latches, toward the axial lines of the hand wheels, all latch levers will be simultaneously moved from locking toward released positions, and likewise, when the cross-heads are moved away from the axial line of the hand wheels, all latch levers I will be moved simultaneously toward locking positions.

The latch levers I0 at the upper and lower ends of the door are actuated in a manner similar to those at the side edges of the door, each through the mediacy of connectingrod 60 and yoke 6l. Each rod 60 has a pivotal ball and socket connection at its outer end with the toggle of the corresponding latch, as noted in Fig. 1 at 63, and the inner end of the rod is slidably contained for limited travel in an opening 66 in the base of the yoke. The outer ends of the paired legs of each yoke are pivotally xed in the corresponding cross head, as indicated at 64 in Fig. 8. Each rod has a lost motion connection with 'its yoke provided by extending the rod slidably through the opening 66 in the base of the yoke and applying collars lil-B1 to the rod in spaced relation and at opposite sides of the yoke base to limit the extent of the lost motion movement. The connection thus provided is such that the latch levers l0 at upper and lower ends of the door will be actuated between open and closed positions in accordance with the actuation of the latches at the sides of the door. However, by reason of the difference in location of these latter levers, and the fact that the travel of the crossheads is directly toward and from them, it is essential that the lost motion connection be provided as will be quite apparent.

It will be understood that the housing 4l) is secured to the door in a water-tight joint, and that the hand wheel shafts have water-tight packing at the points of entrance into the housing.

In the event that a powered, remote control for the door is desired, it would be located preferably at the hinged or outside of the door. Such a mechanism would provide a mechanical connection with the hand wheel shaft Ml at that side.

With the door and its latch mechanism so constructed, it will be understood that, by rotation of either hand wheel,rall latch levers I0 may be simultaneously moved, with rapidity, between holding and released positions and that when brought to holding position, the joint sealing pressure may be applied by the toggle mechanism to any desired extent through the proper adjustment of the lengths of the links I2.

The fact that each lever lil is equipped with the hook end i3 for engaging the shoulders I9, insures a holding connection that will withstand all possible pressures applied from the inside of the door.

Such latch devices may be used also singly, in pairs, or in various arrangements other than here shown, and it is not the intent that the following claims shall be limited to the details shown, but shall be given an interpretation that is commensurate with the invention described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new1 therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination, a door casing, a bulkhead door supported for movement from open position to a position closedl against the casing, and a locking means for the door comprising a, locking lever, a pair of links with ends pivotally fixed to the door and their other ends pivotally fixed to the said lever at locations spaced therealong supporting the lever for an endwise swinging movement whereby one end thereof may be moved from and into holding engagement with the casing; one of said links comprising toggle joint linkage, and means for actuating the toggle joint linkage for swinging the locking lever into and from locking position.

2. In combination, a door casing, a bulkhead door supported for movement from open position to a position closed against the casing, and a locking means for the door comprising a locking lever, a pair of links with ends pivotally lixed to the door and their other ends pivotally fixed to the said lever at locations spaced therealong supporting the lever for an endwise swinging movement whereby one end thereof may be moved from and into holding engagement with the casing; one of said links comprising toggle joint linkage and means on the door operable to actuate the toggle joint linkage to cause the locking lever to swing endwise between released and door locking positions and to eiiect a direct application of door sealing pull to be exerted through the lever after it has engaged with the casing.

3. In combination, a do-or casing, a bulkhead door supported for movement from open position to a position closed against the casing, a locking lever, a pair of links with ends pivotally fixed to the door and their other ends pivotally iixed to the lever at locations spaced therealong, supporting the lever for an endwise swinging movement whereby the outer end portion of the lever may be moved from and into overlapped, holding engagement with the casing; one of said links being of deiinite length and the other including toggle joint linkage, means operable for actuating the toggle joint linkage to effect the swinging of the lever between released and door locking positions, means for limiting the endwise movement of the locking lever in its direction for locking the door and whereby the nal action of the toggle joint linkage will effect a, direct application of door sealing pull through the lever.

4. A combination as recited in claim 3 wherein the endwise swinging action of the locking lever from released to locking position is effected by the action of the toggle joint linkage in moving from angular toward straightened relationship, and wherein the locking lever is provided with a hook end and the casing has a shoulder with which said hook end is holdingly engaged by the final straightening action of the toggle joint.

5. A combination as recited in claim 3 wherein the said means for limiting the endwise movement of the locking lever also retains it against movement toward releasing position during the initial actuation of the toggle joint linkage in an unlocking operation until the door sealing pull applied through the lever has been relieved.

6. In combination, a door casing, a bulkhead door supported for movement from open position to a position sealed against the casing, a locking lever for the door, a pair of links with ends pivotallyxed to the door and their other ends pivotally fixed to the lever at points near its outer end, and at the inner end thereof, respectively, whereby the said lever is adapted to swing in an endwise direction to cause its outer end portion to move into and from a position overlapped with the adjacent edge of the casing, said lever having a hook end, and said casing having a shoulder over which said hook engages when the lever is in door locking position; one of said links being of definite length and the other embodying a toggle joint linkage, means for actuating the toggle joint linkage to cause the locking lever to swing between locking and released positions, and means for limiting the outward travel of the lever whereby the final action of the toggle linkage in a locking Operation causes the engagement of the lever hook with the casing shoulder, and a :lirect application of door sealing pull, and whereby the initial movement of the toggle linkage in a releasing operation, causes the disengagement of the hook and relieves the sealing pull prior to endwise motion of the lever.

7. In combination, a door casing, a bulkhead door hingedly mounted thereon to swing from open position to a closed position, sealed against the casing, and a locking means for the door comprising locking levers at opposite sides of the door, a pair of links for each lever with ends pivotally fixed to the door and their other ends pivotally fixed to the corresponding lever at a distance spaced within its outer end and at its inner end, respectively, whereby the said lever is adapted to be swung in an endwise direction to cause its outer end portion to move into and from a position overlapped with the adjacent edge of the casing; the links that are attached to the outer end portions of the levers being of denite length and the other links each embodying a toggle joint, a cross head mounted on the door between the levers for travel transversely to their alinement, means for actuating the cross head, and rigid links pivotally xed to the cross head and to the toggles for actuation of the latter to move the said levers between locking and released positions.

8. In combination, a door casing, a bulkhead door mounted on the casing for swinging movement between open and closed positions, a locking means for the door comprising a locking lever, a link having one end pivotally xed to the door and its other end pivotally attached to the said lever at a distance within its outer end and mounting the lever for endwise swinging movement to allow its outer end to be holdingly engaged with or moved within the casing edge, a toggle pivotally mounted on the door, and having an end pivotally fixed to the inner end of the locking lever; said plate having a slot there in, and said lever mounting a bolt adapted to travel in said slot, and means for actuating the toggle linkage to cause said lever to be actuated between locking and released positions; said slot being so directed as to guide and finally limit the extent of outward travel of the lever under .f

the influence of the toggle in its locking direction and to cause the nal action of the toggle linkage to be translated into direct door sealing pull through the lever and its mounting link.

9. A combination as in claim 8 wherein the locking lever has an end hook and said casing has a bearing plate to be engaged by the lever and formed with a shoulder to oppose the hook, and wherein the said plate slot terminates in an outwardly directed portion into which said bolt may pass when the lever has reached its outer limit of endwise travel, for a pivotal action at the point of connection with its mounting link, for a direct application of door sealing pull incident to the nal straightening action of the toggle.

10. In combination, a door casing, a bulkhead door hinged thereto, to swing from open position to closed position sealed against the casing, and locking means for the door comprising locking levers at opposite sides of the door, a locking lever at an end of the door, a pair of links for each lever with ends pivotally iiXed to the door and their other ends pivotally fixed to the lever at a distance spaced within its outer end and at its inner end, respectively whereby the levers are adapted to swing in their endwise directions to cause their outer ends to move into or from positions overlapped with the casing edge; the links that are attached to the outer end portions of the levers being of denite length and the other links each embodying a toggle joint, a cross head mounted on the door between the levers at opposite sides of the door and movable directly toward or from the lever at the end of the door,

i means for actuating the cross head, links pivotally xed vto the cross head and to the toggle linkage cf the levers at opposite sides of the door, and a lost motion linkage connecting the cross head with the toggle linkage of the lever at the end of the door.

ll. In combination, a door casing formed about the door opening with a compressible sealing gasket, a door hingedly mounted on the casing to swing from open to position closed against the gasket, and a door locking means including a locking lever, a pair of links with ends pivotally fixed to the door and their other ends pivotally Xed to the lever at points spaced therealong, supporting the lever for endwise swinging movement whereby its outer end may be moved into and from holding engagement with the casing; one of said links comprising toggle joint linkage through which a direct door sealing pull may be applied to the lever, and the other link being adjustable in length.

FREDERICK T. JENKINS.

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