US3301313A

US3301313A - Hydraulic driving means for operating hatch covers

Info

Publication number: US3301313A
Application number: US339812A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schurink Herbert Jan
Original assignee: Goetaverken AB
Current assignee: Goetaverken AB
Priority date: 1963-02-01
Filing date: 1964-01-23
Publication date: 1967-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-31
Also published as: GB1043122A; SE332942B; FI43687B

Description

H. J. SCHURINK HYDRAULIC DRIVING MEANS FOR OPERATING HATCH COVERS Filed Jan. 23, 1964 Jan. 31, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 31, 1967 H. J. scHURlNK HYDRAULIC DRIVING MEANS FOR OPERATING HATCH COVERS v Filed Jan. 23, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jan- 31, 1957 H. J. scHuRlNK 3,301,313

HYDRAULIC DRIVING MEANS FOR OPERATING HATCH COVERS Filed Jan. 23, 1964- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 149 /4'3 Uff, 5.0

v7/ /uj 9 Lid@ BY i United States Patent Ofice 3 301.313 HYDRAULIC DRlVlN MEANS FOR OPERATlNG HATCH CVERS Herbert Jan Schurink., Hilversum, Netherlands, assigner to Aktiebolaget Gtaverken, Goteborg, Sweden Filed Jan. 23. 1964, Ser. No. 339.812 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Fel). 1, 1963, 288,484 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-188) The inevntion relates to a hydraulic driving mechanism for operating a hatchway cover or the like, provided with a reversible hydraulic motor drivingly connected with the cover and included in a hydraulic system which further comprises an oil tank and a hydraulic pump driven by a switch-controlled electromotor, one of the sides of the pump being connected with one of the sides of the hydraulic motor through a hydraulic conduit.

In a known hydraulic driving mechanism of this type use is made of a non-reversible hydraulic pump driven by a non-reversible electrcmotor. Between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor, a hydraulic switching valve is arranged which valve may be controlled for connecting the pressure oil supply conduit leading from the pump with one side or the other of the hydraulic motor in order to operate the latter in one direction or the other as desired for moving the hatchway cover towards its closed or opened position.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hydraulic driving mechanism which may be controlled in an easier manner.

It is a further object of the invention to simplify a hydraulic driving mechanism incorporating a hydraulic motor of a type known under the name Hydrautorque hinge.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such hydraulic rdriving mechanism wherein no flexible oil hoses are needed between the hydraulic motor and the hydraulic pump.

To this end, the hydraulic driving mechanism according to the invention is characterized in that the electromotor and the hydraulic pump are reversible, one of the sides of the pump being connected with one of the sides of the hydraulic motor by a hydraulic conduit and the other side of the pump being connected with the other side of the hydraulic motor by a separate hydraulic con duit, the switch controlling the electromotor being a reversing switch.

For operating the hydraulic driving mechanism according to the invention, it sutiices to switch on the reversible electromotor in the desired direction, which may be done in a simple manner with the aid of an electrical reversing switch provided for controlling the supply of electric current to the electro'motor.

The invention will be further explained by reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the invention using a Hydrautorque hinge;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the use ofl the Hydrautorque hinge according to FIG. 1 in a hatchway cover comprising two movable sections;

FIG. 3 schematically shows another embodiment of the invention using a double acting hydraulic cylinder.

The embodiment shown in FIG. l comprises a socalled Hydrautorque hinge 1, which constitutes the driving connecting member of a pivotable hatch cover, and

mainly consists of a cylinder 2 in which two pistons 3 and 4 are slidably supported.

Each of the -pistons 3 and 4 is connected with a sleeve 5, or 6 respectively, comprising an internal thread and external rectilinear splines. The internal thread of each SJW-1,313 Pat-vented Jan. 31, 19,57

of the sleeves 5 and 6 engages a corresponding external thread 7, 8 of an associated rotatable, non-slidably supported shaft 9, 10 of which either end is provided with

rectilinear splines

11, 12. The external rectilinear splines of each of the sleeves 5 and 6 engage corresponding internal splines of an

associated extension

15, 16 of the cylinder 2, so that the sleeves 5 and 6 may slide with respect to the

extension

15 and 16, but cannot turn.

Furthermore, each of the

extensions

15 and 16 is provided with external

rectilinear splines

17, 18. The cylinder 2 is provided with three

openings

19, 20 and 21 each having a nipple for connection with an oil conduit; the opening 19 debouches in the middle of the cylinder 2, whilst the two remaining openings 2l) and 21 each debouch at one of the ends of `this cylinder 2, in such manner that each piston 3, 4 is always located be tween the middle opening 19 and the associated outei` opening 20 or 21.

By means of suitable fittings, the two sets of

splines

11, 12 are attached to a cover section, and the other sets of

splines

17, 18 are connect-ed to another cover section or to a fixed part of the ship, so that the first-mentioned cover section may swing around the other cover section or around said fixed part to open or to close the access to a hold. After admitting oil under pressure to the cylinder 2 through the middle opening 19 between the pistons 3 and 4, the latter together with the sleeves 5, 6 are pressed outwardly from the position as shown in FIG. 1, whereby'a rotation of the shaft 9, 10 and of the

splines

11, 12 formed thereon relative to the cylinder 2 and its

extensions

15, 16 with the

splines

17, 18 is effected, so as to swing the first-mentioned cover section in a certain direction relative to said other section or said fixed part.

lf oil under pressure is admitted to the cylinde-r 2 through the

openings

20 and 21, the pistons 3 and 4 together with the sleeves 5, 6 are moved inwardly, whereby a relative rotation of the shaft 9, 10 in the opposite direction is effected, so as to move the cover section in the latter direction.

As shown in FIG. 2 the sets of

rectilinear splines

11, 12 of the Hydrautorque hinge are fixed t'o a cover section 67 by means of fittings 66, `65, respectively, whereas the other sets of splines 17, 1S are xed to a cover section 70 by means of fittings 69, 68 respectively so that the

cover sections

67 and 70 are connected with each other for pivotal movement about the horizont-al axis of the cylinder 2 of the Hydrautorque hinge 1.

The lcover section 70 is journalled with respect to the fixed ships structure 72 at its end 71 remote from the Hydrautorque hinge 1 for pivotal movement about an laxis parallel to the axis of the cylinder 2. The end 73 of the cover section 67v remote from the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is provided with rollers 74 on -both sides to run over the fla-t upper face 75 of the hatchway coaming 76 surrounding the hatchway opening 77 lto be closed by the

cover sections

67 and 76.

In their opened position as shown in FIG. 2, the

cover sections

67 and 70 stand up side by side leaving the hatchway opening 77 unobstructed. In this position, the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is in the condition wherein the pistons 3, 4 have been moved outwardly.' By supplying pressure oil to the cylinder 2 of the Hydrautorque hinge 1 through the openings 2() and 21 the Hydrautorque hinge 1 may be icaused t-o swing the

cover sections

67, 70 from the position shown in FIG. 2 into a closed position (not shown) wherein the

cover sections

67, 70 lie up on the upper face 75 of the hatchway coaming 76 aligned with each other to keep the yhatchway'opening 77 closed. In this position, the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is in the condition shown in FIG. 1 wherein the pistons 3, 4 are ad- .3 jacent each other. By supplying pressure oil to the cylinder 2 of the Hydrautorque hinge 1 through the middle opening 19, the Hydraut-orque hinge 1 may be caused to swing the

cover sections

67, 70 back again from their closed position intoy their opened position as shown in FIG. 2.

It is pointed out that the amount of oil contained in the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is independent of the position of the pistons 3 and 4, so that the oil supply or discharge through the middle opening 19 is always equal to the oil discharge or supply through the

openings

20 and 21.

It ywill be understood that a considerable number oi Hydrautorque hinges 1 is required on a ship to operate all cover sections.

As shown in FIG. 1, each of these Hydrautorque hinges 1 is included in a separate hydraulic system, comprising a reversible electrornotor 22, coupled with a reversible hydraulic pump 23, symmetrically connected through conduits 24, with a symmetrical pair of

back pressure valves

26, 27. The

valves

25 and 27 are loaded by springs 28, 29 tending to press the valves on their seats in the partitions 3i), 31 so as to close the

lbores

32, 33 in these partitions. A piston 34 is slidable in both directions within a Icylindrical ybore 35, which is connected to the

conduits

24 and 25 on both sides of the piston 34. The ypiston 34 is provided on each side with a

36, 37 extending through an associated

bore

32, 33.

By means of a suflicient pressure diierence between the

conduits

24 and 25, lthe piston 34 may be shifted in either direction, so that one of the

pins

36, 37 engages the associated valve 216, 27 and lifts the same from its seat against the yaction of the spring 2S, 29, so that the

ybore

32, 33 in the partition 3), 31 remote from the

conduit

24, 25 with the higher pressure is opened.

The valve 26 is connected through a yconduit 3S with the middle opening 19, while the valve 27 is connected through a conduit 39 wi-th the two

outer openings

20 and 21 of the Hydrautorque hinge 1.

The

conduits

24 and 25, further, com-prise non-return suction valves 4t) and 41 connected with an oil tank 47.

The

conduits

38, 39 are each connected through a

conduit

42, 43 with an

adjustable safety valve

45, 44, which is opened when a predetermined pressure in the

conduits

38, 39 is surpassed, so as t-o allow the oil to ow back into the tank 47 through a common discharge conduit 45.

The rectangle 47, drawn in dot-and-dash lines, indicates the oil tank; all components surrounded by this rectangle may be combined with the tank to -a unit ,mounted on one of the cover sections.

ln FIG. 2 the reversible e ectromotor 22 and the hydriaulic tank 47 within which the reversible hydraulic pump 23 has been enclosed, as well as the hydraulic conduits 38, 39 (indicated in dot-and-dash lines) are all mounted on the cover section 76. It is to be noted that the hydraulic tank 47 needs only la very small oil capacity since the amount of oil contained by the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is constant as mentioned above. An electric cable 78 extends between the reversible electromotor 22 and an electrical reversing switch 79 mounted on the fixed shipls structure and provided with a handle 80 for controlling the supply of electrical current to the reversible electromotor 22 so -as to have the electromotor 22 driving the hydraulic pump 23 in one direction or the other or to stop the motor 22 as desired.

Electrical current may be supplied to the reversing switch 79 by means of an electrical cable 81 comprising a connector 82 to be plugged into the housing of the switch 79.

When the Areversible pump 23 is driven in a certain direction, the pressure in conduit 24 is higher than in conduit 25, so that the piston 34 is moved to the right from its central position and the valve 27 is opened against the action of the spring 29 to connect they conduit 39 with the conduit 25 having the lower pressure. At the same time, the higher pressure in conduit 24 opens the valve 26 against the action of the spring 28 in order to connect the conduit 38 with the conduit 24 having the higher pressure. As a consequence, the pump 23 supplies oil to the Hydrautorque hinge 1 through the conduit 24, the valve 2'6, the conduit 38 and the middle opening 19, while an equal amount of oil is discharged and returned to the pump through the

outer openings

20, 21, the conduit 39, the valve 27 and the conduit 25; thus, the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is operated in one direction. If the electromotor 22 and the pump 23 are reversed, the conduit 2S will have a higher pressure than the conduit 24, so that the valve 27 is opened to connect the conduit 25 with the conduit 39, and the piston 34 is moved to the left to open the valve 26 in order to connect the conduit 24 with the conduit 38. As a consequence, the pump 23 supplies oil to the

outer openings

20, 21 of the Hydrautorque hinge 1 through the conduit 25, the valve 27, and the conduit 39, and an equal amount of oil is returned to the pump 23 through the opening 19, the conduit 38, the valve 26 -and the conduit 24, whereby the Hydrautorque hinge 1 is operated in the opposite direction.

It is pointed out that the hydraulically operated

back pressure valves

26 and 27 allow the pump 23 to drive the Hydrautorque hinge 1 in either direction, but prevent the pump 23 from being driven by the Hydrautorque hinge 1 under the inuence of the weight of one or more cover sections, although both the pump 23 and the Hydrautorque hinge 1 are reversible. Thus, it is impossible that an entirely or partially open hatch cover is closed by its own weight. This applies to both driving directions ofthe Hydrautorque hinge 1.

1n the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, use is made of a double acting hydraulic cylinder 48, in which a piston 49 is slidably supported; the piston 49 is attached to the end of a piston rod 50 projecting out of the cylinder 48.

Openings

51 and 52 are formed at the two ends of the cylinder 48, so that the piston 49 is always loc-ated between these openings. Each

opening

51, 52 is provided with a nipple for the connection of a

conduit

24 and 25,

respectively. Each of the

conduits

25, 24 leads to a side of the reversible hydraulic pump 23 respectively, which pump 23 is driven by the reversible electromotor 22.

The cylinder 4S is mounted between a cover section and a xed part of the ship (not shown).

By admitting oil under pressure to the cylinder 48 through the opening 51, the piston 49 and its rod 50 may be moved to the right from the position as shown in FIG. 3 for driving the cover section; by admitting oil to the cylinder 48 through the opening 52, the piston 49` and the rod 5t) may lbe moved in the opposite direction to return the cover section to its initial position.

It is pointed out that the amount of oil contained in the hydraulic cylinder 48 is dependent on the position of the piston 49, so that the oil supply or discharge through the left-hand opening 51 is always larger than the oil discharge or supply through the right hand opening 52. The difference is equal to the amount of oil displaced by the piston rod 50.

A hydraulic operated valve member is provided, consisting of a casing 53 with a bore 54, in which two

plungers

56, 57, interconnected by an intermediate rod 55, are slidably supported. The

plungers

56 and 57 may be moved in downward direction from the position shown in FIG. 3 against the action of a spring 58, interposed between the plunger 57 and they end wall 6) of the casing 53, which end wall 60 is provided with a bore 59; this movement of the

plungers

56, 57 may be brought about by the oil pressure in the conduit 25, which is connected for this purpose through a conduit 61 with the bore 54 above the plunger 55, provided that the pump 23 rotates in the appropriate direction. The plunger 57 then releases an annular groove 62, connected with a conduit 63 leading to the oil tank 47, so that the conduit 63 is brought into communication with the part of the bore 54 between the

plungers

56 and 57. This part of the -bore 54 is connected to the conduit 24 through a conduit 64,

so that the oil to the left of the piston 49 may escape through the conduit 24, the conduit 64, the space of the bore 54 between the

plungers

56 and 57, the annular groove 62 and the conduit 63 to the tank 47, in order that the piston 49 and the rod 50 may move to the left. When the pump 23 is stopped, so that the pressure in the conduit 25 disappears, the

plungers

56 and 57 are returned to their initial position by the spring 5S, so that the annular groove 62 is shut off by the plunger 57, and the oil can no longer escape through conduit 24 to the tank 47. In this case, the piston 49 and the rod 50 are blocked against any movement to the left, because there is no possibility to discharge the oil which the rod 50 tends to displace on its inward movement, as the

nonreturn suction valves

40, 41 prevent this oil from being discharged to the tank 47.

I the pump 23 is driven in the opposite direction, so that the conduit 24 is brought under pressure, the piston 49 and the rod 50 are moved to the right. The

valve member

53, 56, 57, 62 remains inoperative in this case, in the position as shown in FIG. 3.

The difference between the amount of oil supplied to the cylinder 4S by the pump 23 through the conduit 24 and the opening 51, and the smaller amount of oil returned from the cylinder 48 to the pump 23 through the opening 52 and the conduit 25, is taken from the tank 47 through the non-return suction valve 41.

The conduits 24 and 2S are connected with

adjustable safety valves

45 and 44, provided with a common return conduit 46 to the tank 47.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the cylinder 48 has to be arranged in such manner that the piston rod 50 in its inward position is not subjected by the cov-er section to an outwardly directed force.

When a plurality of hatch covers are each provided with one or more hydraulic motors 1 or 48, an extensive hydraulic conduit system throughout the ship is avoided, since each hydraulic motor 1 or 48 is inserted in a separate hydraulic system, of which the oil tank 47, the electromotor 22, the hydraulic pump 23 and the hydraulically operated

valve member

26, 27 or 57, 62 are arranged in the vicinity of the associated hydraulic motor 1 or 48, as shown in the drawings.

I claim:

An hydraulic operating mechanism for a hatchway cover or the like having iirst and second cooperating sections movable in relation to a fixed structure, comprising, in combination,

a double-acting hydraulic motor fixed to said iirst cover section and to said second cover section in such a manner that it constitutes a hinge betwen said two cover sections;

a generally cylindrical tank for a supply of hydraulic liquid, -said tank having substantially the same diameter as, and being arranged coaxially with, said hydraulic motor;

a reversible hydraulic pump enclosed within said tank;

a reversible electric motor driving said pump;

a cable supplying current to the electric motor;

a switch in the cable to reverse the direction of current to the electric motor;

a rst hydraulic connection between one side of said pump and one side of said hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic connection between the other side of said pump and the other side of said hydraulic motor to constitute a self-contained hydraulic circuit in which either of sai-d hydraulic connections may convey fluid to the motor while the -other connection returns fluid therefrom;

a spring-loaded non-return valve in each of said rst and second hydraulic connections adapted to be opened under the influence of hydraulic liquid pressure;

a Icommon valve housing for said valves;

a bore in said housing;

piston slidably disposed in said bore between the valves;

each of said rst and said second hydraulic connections from the pump being connected to the housing between the pertaining Valve and the piston in such a manner that hydraulic pressure produced by the pump in either of said hydraulic connections causes the pertaining non-return valve to open and shifts the piston in the bore so yas to open also the non-return valve in the other hydraulic connection which acts as return dow connection, said hydraulic operating mechanism being such that all operating parts are readily accessible when the hatch covers are open but are well protected when the hatch covers are closed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ll/l956 3/1942 3/1956 10/1962 10/1964 l/1965 3/1965 HARRTSON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

I. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner,