US3272255A

US3272255A - Power operating means for opening and closing hatch covers

Info

Publication number: US3272255A
Application number: US422470A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stransky Gustave
Original assignee: MacGregor and Co Naval Architects Ltd
Current assignee: MacGregor and Co Naval Architects Ltd
Priority date: 1954-04-12
Filing date: 1954-04-12
Publication date: 1966-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-13

Description

Sept. 13, i966 G. STRANSKY 3,272,255

POWER OPERATING MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING HATCH COVERS Filed April l2. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i: vul- L CN COW Q\ c:N OO nn D\. 3"

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POWER OPERATING MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING HATCH COVERS Filed April l2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 z (o), r t:

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Sept. 13, 1966 G, STRANSKY 3,272,255

POWER OPERATING MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING HATCH COVERS Filed April l2. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept 3 i956 G. sTRANsKY 3,272,255

POWER OPERATING MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING HATCH COVERS Filed April l2. 1954 v 4 SheetS-Sheeh 4 United States Patent O 3,272,255 POWER OPERATING MEANS FR OPENING AND CLSING HATCH COVERS Gustave Stransky, New York, NY., assignor, by mesne assignments, to MacGregor 8: Company (Naval Architects) Ltd., Whitley Bay, Monkseaton (Northumberland), England Filed Apr. 12, 1954, Ser. No. 422,470

17 Claims. (Cl. 160-188) The present invention relates broadly to the art of closures and more particularly it relates to power operating means for opening and closing the same.

Still more particularly, this invention is concerned wi-th improvements in hatch cover or door arrangement for vessels and for improved power operating means for opening and closing the same.

Closures particularly of the folding type usually require expenditure of considerable energy for moving the same between open and closed positions.

Accordingly, this invention provi-des an improved power operating means for expeditiously opening and closing doors and hatch covers of the folding type.

From a broad standpoint, the invention has for an object to provide an improved fluid operated mechanism for opening and closing folded closures such as doors, hatch covers or any other arrangement incorporating one or more connected pairs of closure panels.

It is a further object to provide an improved fluid operated mechanism for opening and closing folding closures which includes a linkage assembly connected with each of a pair of closure members at the edges thereof that are hingedly interconnected and which assembly is coupled with dluid motor means whereby actuation of the latter through the assembly moves the closures between open and closed positions.

As an additional and specific object, the present invention provides a hatch cover arrangement of the folding type including fluid operated mechanism for opening and closing the same and which mechanism is mounted beneath the cover and includes a novel linkage system embodied with the cover sections :with each pair of cover sections that are h-ingedly interconnected and which system includes independent linkage means pivotally connected to adjacent edges of the adjacent sections and pivotally connected to each other and means piv-otally connecting fluid motor means tothe interconnected linkage means.

From a broader standpoint, the invention has for an object to pro-vide a closure opera-ting mechanism for a folded closure including a pair of contiguous adjacent panels, vhinge means mounting one panel relative to an opening, hinge means connecting the opposite edge of said panel to the adjacent edge of the other panel, with the opposite edge of the said other panel being guided in the conhguration of the opening, linkage means pivotally connected to the adjacent edges of each panel and to each other, reciprocable means pivotally mounted to the said one panel and including an element pivotally mounted to the interconnected linkage means whereby selected movement of the element toward or away from the said edge of the opening respectively folds the panels 4together and moves the same .to an open position or unfolds the panels relative to one another and moves the same to a closed position.

Further and more specic objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection |with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a -top plan View of a hatch cover arrangement embodying the power operated means of the invention.

ice

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational Aview of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken along lines 3 3 of FIGURE l,

FIGU-RIE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a pair of cover sections in open and closed positions and in intermediate positions,

FIGURE 5 is a plan view Iwith the top plates of the cover sections removed illustrating the link and lever connection embodied in FIGURE 4.

While the drawings disclose and the description refers to a hatch cover arrangement of the folding type embodying four coverl sections connected in oppositely moving pairs of sections for swinging motion relative to opposite edges of a hatch opening, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this arrangement since the basic principles of the present invention are applicable to a folding hatch cover or other door arrangement including one, two or more pairs of cover sections or door panels movable relative to an edge of an opening and with the sections or panels of each pair hingedly in-terconnected.

The invention further includes an arrangement Where one, two or more pairs of sections or panels can move to open position relative to opposite edges of an opening.

The particular illustrated embodiment of `the present invention includes four cover sections arranged in pairs with the sections 1 and 2 of one pair being interconnected by rhinge means constituted by a series of hinges 3 and section 1 of the pair being connected -to hinge means constituted by a series of lhinges 4 located exteriorly of the edge coaming or in other words, eXteriorly of the edge of the opening. Each of the hin-ge means includes a depending hinge arm 3 mounted between a pair of depending -hinge arms 3" with `a pintle connecting the respective arms. This arrangement is clearly shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. As is known in the hatch cover art, `the hinges depend beneath the sections so that section 2 will raise and roll toward the edge of the hatch openings while section 1 raises whereby the cover sections jack-knife or fold together. Hatch cover sections 5 and 6 are hingedly interconnected by hinge means constituted by a series ott hinges 7 similar in structure and function to the hinges 3 and cover section 6 is hingedly mounted ex-teriorly of the coaming or hatch opening by hinge means including a series of hinges 8 similar to `the hinges 4. The hinges 4 and 8 thus constitute the main hinges and for each hinge include a pair of depending hinge arms, for example, 8" which are mounted between fixed upright hinge arms supported on a channel member or other means rigidly connected to the respective outer edges of the coaming. Pintle means secure the hinge arms together. The details of structure of the hinge means 3 and 4 and 7 and 8 can vary in accordance with practices well known in the art so long as the hinge means are sutiiciently strong and durable.

To support the cover sections during the opening and closing movements thereof, a pair of wheels 9 are carried adjacent the outer edge of section 2 and a pair of wheels 10 are mounted adjacent the outer edge of cover section 5. These wheels, as shown in the drawings, are mounted by a suitable bracket means secured to the side edges of the respective cover sections. The Wheels roll along a track denoted at 11 which extends along the opposite side edges of the hatch opening. This track is comprised by a suitable channel iron welded or otherwise xed to each side of the coaming.

' In order that the hatch cover may be Water-tight, gasket means are provided in association with each cover section. Examples of such gasket means are clearly disclosed and illustrated in prior filed applications in the name of Gustave Stransky, Ser. Nos. 336,502, filed Feb. 12, 1953, now U.S. Patent No. 2,869,501, and 339,303, filed Feb. 27, 1953, now U.S. Patent No. 2,869,502. As is shown in these applications, peripheral gaskets that are compressible are mounted inwardly lof the side edges of each cover section that overlie the coaming, and which gaskets seat on the seating surface provided at the top of the coaming. Transverse gaskets extend between the adjacent edges of the cover sections that overlie the hinge means interconnecting the same in pairs and a center joint seal is provided between the adjacent edges of sections 2 and 5. As explained in the above referenced two applications and as well known in the art, the weight of the cover sections and the application of dogging means (denoted in the drawings by the letter D) in battening down or tightening the hatch covers compresses the gaskets against complementary sealing surfaces on the coaming and on the facing transverse edge of a cover Section that does not have a gasket strip thereon to provide an adequate water-tight seal. In order to permit dogging-or compression of the gaskets, tracks 11 are cut away as at 12 and suitable jacking means shown diagrammatically at 13 and 14 are disposed beneath the wheels 9 and 10. This arrangement is such that when the cover sections unfold and roll to closed position the wheels enter the openings 12 to permit proper sealing. In opening the covers, the jacking means are actuated to lift .the wheels and thus cover sections 2 and 5 vertically to break the seal between the gasket means and the coaming. The upward movement of the cover sections 2 and 5 will also break the seals between sections 1 and 4 and the coaming and the seals between adjacent sections whereby the covers may be expeditiously unfolded. It is of course understood that prior to opening the covers the dogging means are unfastened and any center joint dogs on the top of the hatch cover that cooperates between cover sections 2 and 5 have further been unfastened.

Lifting pads shown diagrammatically in the drawings are embodied on the top of each of sections 1 and 6. However, opening and closing of the covers by the conventional means, such as utilizing Winches, is time consuming and consistent with the objects of the present invention power operating means are associated with each pair of cover sections. As shown in the drawings, the power operating means for each pair of sections includes one or more iluid motors for each pair of sections. As a specific example, three motors each including a hydraulic cylinder 15 are associated with cover sections 1 and 6. Each cylinder 15 is pivotally mounted as at 26 to a bracket means 16 that depends from beneath the cover sections 1 and 6. The brackets are, as shown in FIGURE 4, for the illustrated embodiment, located adjacent the edge of the coaming with respect to which cover sections 1 and 6 are hingedly mounted. A piston is movable in each cylinder 15 and includes a piston rod 16. Each piston rod 16 is pivotally mounted to a linkage assembly that is embodied with the pairs of cover sections 1 and 2 and 5 and 6. The linkage assembly for each Huid motor includes a pair of link mem-bers 17 pivotally mounted at 18 on brackets 19 mounted at the lower inner edge of cover sections 2 and 5 respectively. To the adjacent edge of cover sections 1 and 6 a pair of link members 20 are pivotally mounted on brackets 22. The pair of links 20 are pivotally `connected to the link members 17 by pintles 23. As shown in FIGURE 4, the link members 17 are double armed and angle shaped and the pintles 23 are mounted between the opposite ends of the arms With the piston rods 16 being Clevis mounted at 36 to the free ends `of the link members 17.

Fluid conduits

24 and 25 communicate with each cylinder 15 and which conduits pass through openings provided in transverse webs of the cover sections 1 and 6 and through openings in the side edges of the sections to a suitable controllable source of fluid under pressure. Any openings in the exterior side edges of the cover sections are of course provided with suitable seals, not shown, so that the sections are water-tight.

As clearly indicated in FIGURE 4, when fluid under pressure is supplied to each cylinder 15 through conduits 24 the piston is retracted and the piston rod 16 pulls the lower end of link members 17 to the left. Since the wheels 9 are supported by the rail 11 which of course includes the section embodied with the jacking means 13, the cover sections 1 and 2 start to move upwardly while folding toward each other about the pintles of hinges 3. Continued movement of the piston rod 16 interiorly of the cylinder 15 moves sections 1 and 2 through the various positions shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 4 until section 1 has swung about hinges 4 to reach the vertical position and section 2 has folded toward section 1 until it is vertical. With this folding movement the top plate of cover section 2 is at the inner edge of the hatch opening. The movement of the pistons relative to their cylinders thus will jack-knife each pair of cover sections together and stand them on edge at the end edge of the hatch opening. Suitable latching means, not shown, are incorporated for attachment with the cover sections to hold them in their open upright position. The latching means may be automatic or manually operated.

The pair of cover sections 5 and 6 of course operate in the same manner as sections 1 and 2 and can be moved simultaneously with the movement of sections 1 and 2 or independently thereof. To close the cover sections, fluid is admitted through conduits 25 at the opposite end of each cylinder 15 and the reverse movements of the linkage unfolds sections 2 and 5 relative to sections 1 and 6 respectively and lowers the cover sections to closed position at which time the wheels 9 and 10 enter the openings 12 in the tracks 11 and the cover sections are in sealed relation with the coaming and with each other, after which the dogging means are fastened to securely tighten the mem-bers.

As clearly indicated in FIGURE 4, the pivotal connections of link members 17 to the end 19 of cover section 2 and the pivotal connection of link members 20 to the end 20' of cover section 1 are such that the pintles or axes at 18 and 21 respectively lie in the same horizontal plane when the covers are closed. The pintles of the hinges 3, the pivotal connection at 23 where the link members are interconnected and the connection at 36 connecting link members 17 to piston rod 16 lie in the same vertical plane when the covers are closed and open. In the particular example shown, the pivot axis or the pintles of hinges 3 are all in alignment with each other and in alignment with the axis of all theconnections at 23. This is a very ellicacious but a non-limitative linkage arrangement. Similar structural arrangement is of course embodied between the cover sections 5 and 6.

It is further to be pointed out that as the piston rods 16 apply force to the linkage mechanism to move the end 19 of cover section 2 upwardly with the wheels 9 constituting a moving fulcrum point, the cover section 1 moves about hinges 4 and the linkage pushes the end 20" of cover section 1 upwardly. This movement in combination with the pivotal movement of the cylinder 15 at 26 translates the cover sections fro rnthe horizontal closed position to a vertical folded open position. Covers sections 5 and 6 operate in the same fashion.

The control for the uid motors is such that all motors associated with each pair of cover sections `are operated simultaneously in the selected direction. The source of fluid under pressure can be a motor pump combination mounted in the vicinity of the hatch opening or any other suitable source of supply can be utilized. As an example, some vessels use hydraulically actuated deck winches Aor other hydraulically operated machinery and. the, fluid circuits to the various motors can be connected to the source of duid under pressure for such equipment.

It is desired to point out, however, that since normal ship building practices embody a plurality of hatches, the control of the fluid motors for the hatch covers can be incorporated in a common source of fluid under pressure for all hatches or in groups of hatches or doors. Furthermore, in connection with the arrangement illustrated, it is to be pointed out that the control of the lluid motors is such that both pairs of covers or doors can be opened simultaneously if desired, or only one or the other pair can be opened, thus the pairs are -operable independently and together. An exempliiication of such lan arrangement would include a source of uid under pressure, a distributing chamber and a control valve movable between two operating positions in each of which the same end of all cylinders associated with one pair of sections is in communication with the distributing chamber whereby all the pistons 16 lmove in one di-rection. In another position of this control valve, the opposite end of each cylinder is in communication with uid under pressure. A second and similar control valve controls the fluid supply to the respective opposite ends of the cylinders associated with the other pair of sections. It follows therefore that either pair of sections can be actuated independently or by simultaneously .actuating the two cont-rol valves, both pairs of sections are actuated simultaneously.

The valve can be operated by hand levers or be of the electro-magnetic type and can incorporate pressure relief arrangements in the event of excessive pressure and where hand operated, the handles can be biased to an intermediate position whereby when the covers have reached either open or closed positions and the operator lets go of the handle the Avalve moves to the intermediate position so that fluid under pressure is no .longer being forced to the respective cylinders. Suitable latching means as mentioned previously are incorporated for connection with the cover sections to hold them in their open upright position.

It is further to be pointed out that this invention is not to be limited to opening cover or door sections which in closed position are in a horizontal plane, since sections movable about ver-tical axes can be operated in accordance with the principle of this invention so long as suitable guiding means or slides, for example, roller means and guides are provided at the outer end of the outermost section of the pair and which guides must extend along the line that the rollers move.

In connection with the operation of the `covers or doors, it is to be understood that the location of the conduits leading to the opposite ends of the cylinders will vary in accordance with the specific requirements, insofar as the vessel specifications require a particular arrangement of coaming or cover structure. Usually the Huid conduits will be led through openings in the side of the cover adjacent hinges 4 and 8. These openings will be provided with suitable gaskets.

The particular structural and positional arrangement of the linkage .illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 is a non limitative example. For example, my invention is also applicable to a system where the outer end of the piston applies force to a link mechanism comprised by one or more links pivoted to each cover or door section and pivotally connected together. The length, shape and relative angle of the links and the position of .attachment of the piston relative thereto being determined by sound engineering practice to secure maximum leverage as regards the power potential of the uid motors involved, that is, the .power required to lift the particular weight in a certain time.

Therefore, from a basic standpoint, this invention incorporates in addition to the hinge means `connecting the outer section of each pair for movement relative to the opening and the hinge means connecting the t-wo sections together `for folding movement, a linkage system that includes one or more link members pivotally connected 6 to the inner side edge of the outer section and one or more linkmembers pivotally connected to the adjacent edge of the other section, means pivotally connecting the link members together and means pivotally connecting a reciprocable force applying means to the interconnected link means.

The reciprocable force applying means is to be pivotally mounted.

The invention is not to be limited to an arrangement in which the cylinder is pivotally mounted to the cover section of a pair and the piston thereof is pivotally connected to the linkage assembly since the reverse arrangement .is possible, that is, where the cylinder is pivotally mounted to the linkage and the piston pivotally mounted to the cover section.

Furthermore, while the invention is particularly directed to a iiuid operated mechanism, the linkage assembly is operable independently of the particular force applying means vcoupled therewith. As an example, an electrically operated screw jack can be pivotally mounted to the cover section and the linkage assembly respectively with the axially moving force applying rod of the jack pivotally mounted to the linkage Iassembly or cover section respectively.

As previously mentioned, the invention is not to be limited to operating folded doors or the like -that are always in a horizontal plane when closed, and other modications are comprehended in which the mounting and disposition of the force applying means relative to the cover sections can be varied in accordance with speciiic requirements. Thus if cover or door sections have sufficient dept-h where fluid motors are used, the same can be housed within the cover sections rather than mounted on depending brackets.

It is to 'be further understood that structural modifications, eliminations and additions may be resorted to so long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding hatch cover arrangement for vessels, a coaming means surrounding a hatch opening, a pair of adjacent cover sections, hinge means mounting one end of one section relative to an edge of t-he opening, hinge means connecting the opposite end of said one section to the adjacent end of the other section, roller means carried `at the remote end -of said 'other section, guide means constraining the roller means and thus the remote end of said other section for movement toward and awayy from said edge of the opening, link means pivotally connected to the said opposite end of `said one section, additional link means pivotally connected to the said adjacent end of of the said 'other section, pivot means interconnecting the link means with the additional link means, and reciprocable force applying means pivotally connected to said one section and to said interconnected link means for selective movement in opposite directions toward and away from said edge of the opening whereby responsive to movement of said force applying means and said link means, said sections move between a hatch opening and a hatch closing position.

2. A hatch cover arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which said first mentioned link means are straight, said additional link means being double armed and angle shaped, and the pivot means interconnecting the first mentioned link means with the additional link means being located intermediate the arms of the double armed link means.

3. In a folding hatch cover arrangement for vessels, a pair of adjacent cover sections, hinge means mounting one end of one section relative to an edge of the opening, hinge arm means depending beneath the opposite end of said one section, cooperative hinge arm means depending beneath the adjacent end of the other section, pintle means connecting the hinge rarms beneath the meeting line of said sections, roller means carried by the remote end of the other section, guide means containing the roller means and thus the remote end of the other section for movement toward and away from said edge of the opening, link means pivotally connected at one end to said opposite edge of said one section, bell crank lever means pivotally connected at one end to the said adjacent end of said other section at the level of the pivotal connection of the link means with the said one section, means pivotally connecting the other end of the link means with the bell crank lever means intermediate the ends thereof 4and at a level with the said pintle means when the sections are closed, the -other end of the bell crank lever means depending `beneath said pintle means, fluid actuated means comprising a cylinder means and associated piston means, means pivotally connecting one of said cylinder and piston means to and Ibeneath said one section adjacent said edge of the opening and means pivotally connecting the other of said cylinder and piston means to the other end of said -bell crank lever means, with the cylinder and piston means -being extended when the cover sections are closed whereby retraction of said cylinder Iand piston means folds the sections about said pintles and moves them to open position and extension of said cylinder and piston means unfolds the sections and moves the same to closed position.

4. In a folding marine hatch cover of the type having a pair of sections with one edge portion of the first section hinged at the side of a horizontally disposed opening and 4the opposite edge portion of the second section guided in the plane of the opening, an articulating linkage connecting the adjacent intermediate edge portions of said first :and second sections and positioned relative thereto so as to be disposed intermediate said sections when the same are disposed in folded relationship, comprising at least one hinged connection between said sections having the pintle thereof disposed beneath the upper surface of said sections, at least one crank member having one end pivotally connected to the underside of the second section adjacent the intermediate edge thereof and the other end thereof dependent therefrom for engagement by actuating means, and at least one link member having one end pivotally connected to said crank member at a location intermediate its ends and in substantial axial alignment with the pintle of said -hinged connection and the other end pivotally connected to the underside of the first section adjacent the intermediate edge thereof.

5. In a closure operating system for folding closures, a pair of adjacent panels, first hinge means pivotally mounting one edge of the first of said panels relative to an edge of the opening, second hinge means connecting the opposite edge of -said first panel to the adjacent edge of the second panel, means guiding the opposite edge of said second panel `for movement toward and away lfrom said edge of the opening, first and second linkage means, linkage pivot means, said first linkage means being pivotally connected t-o said opposite edge of said first panel, -said second linkage means being pivotally connected to said adjacent edge of said second panel, said first and second linkage means |being pivotally connected to each other by said linkage pivot means, and reciprocable force lapplying means pivotally connected to said first panel and to said interconnected linkage means for selective movement toward and away from said edge of the opening to open and lclose the panels, whereby responsive to movement of said `force applying means through said linkage means said panels move relative to one another and said first panel pivots relative to said opening.

6. The closure system of claim 5 in which said force applying means comprises cylinder means and piston means movable therein.

7. The -system as claimed in claim 6 in which said cylinder means is pivotally connected to said first panel.

8. The system as claimed in claim 5 in which said rst linkage means comprises a straight link means, said second link means comprises a double Varmed link means, one arm of said sec-ond double armed link means lbeing pivotally connected to said adjacent edge of said second panel, said first and second link means are pivotally connected at a point intermediate the arms of said second link means, and said force applying means is pivotally connected to the end of the other arm of said double armed link means.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 yin which the axes of `said second hinge means, said linkage pivot means, fand the pivotal connection Ibetween the force applying means and said -other arm lie in the same plane when -said panels are in closed relation. j

10. The system as claimed -in claim 5 in which said :force applying means comprises a cylinder member and a piston member slidable therein, said cylinder member being pivotally connected to the underside of said rst panel and said piston member being pivotally connected to said interconnected linkage means, said panels lbeing horizontal when in closed relation, each of said panels comprising side edges and a top, and each of said rst rand second linkage means having a length such as to depend ibeneath said panels when the same are in closed relation.

11. A folding hatch cover arrangement for vessels comprising la coaming means surrounding a hatch opening, a pair of adjacent cover sections, first hinge means pivotally mounting one end of a first of said sections relative to an edge of said opening, second hinge means connecting the opposite end of said first section to the adjacent end of the second section, roller means carried at the remote end of said second section, guide means for the roller means permitting the remote end of said second section to move toward and away from said edge of said opening, first link means pivotally connected to said opposite end of said first section, second link means, said second link means -being longer than said first link means `and having one end thereof pivotally connected to said adjacent end of said second section, linkage pivot means interconnecting said first link means with said second link means at a point intermediate the ends of said second link means, and reciprocable force apply-ing means pivotally connected to said first section and to the other end of said second link means for selective movement in opposite directions toward land away from said edge of the opening, whereby responsive to movement of said force applying means and said link means said sections move between a hatch open anda hatch closed position.

12. A folding hatch cover arrangement for vessels comprising a coaming means surrounding a hatch opening, a pair of ladjacent cover sections, first hinge means pivotally mounting one end of a first section relative to an edge of said opening, second hinge means connecting the opposite end of `said first section to the adjacent end of the second section, roller means carried at the remote end of said vsecond section, guide means constraining the roller means .and thus the remote end of said second section for movement toward and away from said edge of said opening, sealing means carried by said sections for sealing lbetween the respective cover sections and between the cover sections and the coaming means when the cover sections are closed, first link means pivotally connected to said opposite end of said first section, second link means pivotally connected to the said adjacent end of the said second section, linkage pivot means interconnecting said first link means with said second link means, and reciprocable force applying means pivotally connected to said first second and to said interconnected link means for selective movement in opposite directions t0- ward and away from said edge of the opening, whereby responsive to movement of lsaid force applying means and said link means said sections move between a hatch open and a hatch closed position.

13. A folding hatch cover arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein said force applying means comprises cylinder means and piston means movable within the cylinder means.

14. A hatch cover arrangement as claimed in claim 13 wherein said cylinder means is pivotally connected to said first section.

15. -A hatch cover arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein said fir-st link means comprises a straight link, said second link means comprises ya double armed link means, the first arm thereof being pivotally connected to said adjacent edge of said Second panel and said force applying means being pivotally connected to the second arm thereof, and said linkage pivot means interconnecting the rst link means with the double arm link means at a point intermediate th'e arms thereof.

16. A hatch cover arrangment as claimed in claim 15 wherein the axis of said second hinge means and the axis of said linkage pivot means are in the same vertical plane when said panels are in closed relation.

17. A hatch cover arrangement as claimed in claim 12 wherein said force applying means comprises a cylinder member and a piston member slidable therein, said cylinder member being pivotally connected to said first section at la point located beneath the top thereof, said piston member being pivotally connected to said interconnected link means, said sections being horizontal when in closed relation and each of said sections including side edges and a top, and said link means having lengths such as to depend beneath adjacent side edges of adjacent sections.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,256,087 9/ 1941 Hay 114-201 y 2,322,372 6/1943- Levy 160--188 2,491,261 12/1949 Greer et al. 160--158 2,595,248 5/ 1952 Greer et a1 60-51 2,656,810 10/1953 Jernstrom 114-201 2,906,324 9/ 1959 Hannigan 160-188 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,055,573 10/1953 France.

717,357 12/1941 Germany.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

20 HARRY L. REMINGTON, MILTON L. MARLAND,

GEORGE A. NINAS, JR., JOSEPH D. BEIN,

Examiners.

A. H. FARRELL, L. CHARLES, P. M. CAUN,

Assistant Examiners.

Claims

1. IN A FOLDING HATCH COVER ARRANGEMENT FOR VESSELS, A COAMING MEANS SURROUNDING A HATCH OPENING, A PAIR OF ADJACENT COVER SECTIONS, HINGE MEANS MOUNTING ONE END OF ONE SECTION RELATIVE TO AN EDGE OF THE OPENING, HINGE MEANS CONNECTING THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ONE SECTION TO THE ADJACENT END OF THE OTHER SECTION, ROLLER MEANS CARRIED AT THE REMOTE END OF SAID OTHER SECTION, GUIDE MEANS CONSTRAINING THE ROLLER MEANS AND THUS THE REMOTE END OF SAID OTHER SECTION FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID EDGE OF THE OPENING, LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID ONE SECTION, ADDITIONAL LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE SAID ADJACENT END OF THE SAID OTHER SECTION, PIVOT MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE LINK MEANS WITH THE ADDITIONAL LINK MEANS, AND RECIPROCABLE FORCE APPLYING MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID ONE SECTION AND TO SAID INTERCONNECTED LINK MEANS FOR SELECTIVE MOVEMENT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID EDGE OF THE OPENING WHEREBY RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID FORCE APPLYING MEANS AND SAID LINK MEANS, SAID SECTIONS MOVE BETWEEN A HATCH OPENING AND A HATCH CLOSING POSITION.