WO2009010074A1

WO2009010074A1 - Shell-door arrangement for ships or vessels and/or marine equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2009010074A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/006238
Authority: WO
Inventors: Attilio Dall'osso
Original assignee: Navalimpianti S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-07-13
Filing date: 2007-07-13
Publication date: 2009-01-22

Abstract

Shell-door arrangement for passenger/merchant vessel/ship, and/or navy and/or marine application, of the type in which water-tight gasket means are applied between the hull-structure (1) having a door-opening, and said shell-door (2) to close in a water-tight way the door-opening and vice-versa, moving on hinge means, characterised in that: a) said hull-structure (1) in the surroundings of said door-opening, has hooking wedge means (3); b) said shell-door (2) at least has opposite hooking counter-wedge means (4), each wedge means and counter-wedge means being able to cooperate between each other for hooking one behind the other and wedging in sliding condition one against the other; c) the hinge means of said shell-door are movable on guide means; d) at least one sliding moving device (7,8) is applied on said shell-door to slide it with respect to said door-opening of said hull-structure (2).

Description

DESCRIPTION

SHELL-DOOR ARRANGEMENT FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS AND/OR MARINE EQUIPMENT

Technical Field The present invention relates to shell-door equipment for passenger/merchant vessels, navy and ships applications and marine equipment in general, as defined in the pre-characterizing part of claim 1. Passenger/merchant vessels, navy and ship applications and marine equipment in general with such a shell-door(s) are also part of the present invention.

Background Art

It is well known that in ships, vessels and marine equipment in general, shell-doors are present and it's common practice to realize the respective door(s) in a way that they can be closed in a watertight security condition, in order to not allow water penetration inside the vessel or ship.

The main principle for side shell-door operation consists of a hydraulic cylinder powered by a hydraulic power pack, with which is possible to obtain: 1. Door manoeuvring (open-close)

2. Door cleating and blocking through a leverism system:

3. With this application it is possible to obtain the water tightness through a neoprene gasket crushed on the hull structure

The main local signalling of door locked is provided through limit switch that is assembled close to the cleating device. The signal is provided to the wheelhouse through the automation system. The main conclusion regarding the state of the art on side shell-door equipment is that it consists of two macro elements.

The first one is the hydraulic system that consist of hydraulic power pack, cylinders, pipes, flexible components and conduits, valves, quick coupling for emergency manoeuvring, where a fluid composed of mineral oil, poliglicole or ester based oil is basically used.

The hydraulic power pack can be of two types: - minipower pack : HPP for the operation of only one door ("dedicated")

- centralised power pack: for the operation of many shell-doors trough the pipes network construction.

The second macro area is the electric system composed of cables, limit switch and HPP electric supply elements.

Disadvantages and Limitations of the Prior Art The main disadvantages of said solution(s) are:

1. Using the fluid mentioned above can be the cause of system breakdown (fluid losses) that can damage adjacent equipment (especially interiors) and can cause pollution and direct damage to the passenger. 2. In case of fluid loss(es): a. pressure lost compromises the working of the system and the doors fail to open and close; b. it is very difficult to find the loss/losses; c. undiscovered fluid losses can also be the cause of fires on board in the case of using of mineral oil. 3. In case of incorrect calibration of the no-return valve, undesired door openings are possible especially in case of bad weather conditions;

4. Cleating and blocking through a leverism system is complicated.

5. Limit switch assembled close to the cleating device for local and remote signalling of door locked status requires a specific installation system.

Scope of the Invention

The main scope of the invention is to solve or to minimise the effect of all the limitations listed above in order to realise a mechanism with higher reliability with respect to the prior art.

In particular the main scope of the invention is to introduce, in the supply of marine equipment, the technical innovation to use a unique electromechanical and a wedge-hinge cinematic system to perform the operations of this type of equipment: open-close, cleating and blocking, local and wheelhouse signalling.

Disclosure of the Invention

All limitations listed above are solved/improved using a shell-door arrangement for ships or vessels and/or marine equipment according to the characterising part of claim 1.

The dependent claims refer to preferred solutions.

Advantages With this solution the entire shell-door arrangement is simplified ensuring greater functionality and performance. In particular: - In the closed shell-door condition: a fixed wedge system inserts in dedicated lodging in order to crush the gasket against the hull structure and obtain the water tightness of the shell-door.

- In shell-door opening: the hinge/guide cinematic system allows:

1st - a 45° direction translation in respect of hull structure (unlock operation of the wedges from lodging, and first detach from the gasket)

2nd - the rotation of the door.

- All the door movement has been carried out through an electromechanical system that consists of electrical driven jack means assembled directly on the door and which have a particular arrangement for the limit switch.

- The mechanism itself having an emergency manoeuvring mechanism in the case of electrical black out, through a hand wheel assembled directly on the mechanism better performance is ensured

- Absence of electro-hydraulic devices which involve the use of fluid composed of mineral oil, poliglicole or ester based oil

- Reduction of the electric part supply to a bidirectional rotation electric motor for opening and closing the door only and to a limit switch to indicate the door position (opened/closed or intermediate position)

- Reduced Equipment Breakdowns probability - With this solution it is so possible to use a unique electro-mechanic system that will replace all hydraulic systems and simplify the electric one, and a wedge-hinge cinematic system.

The use of this system ensures all the principal shell-door's operation function requested by the classification Society as water tightness of the shell-doors, also to avoid any undesired opening in the case of bad weather conditions, with the reliability of all necessary door signalling to the wheelhouse. The concept is extended to all side shell-doors. Description of a Preferred Solution

A preferred solution is described below with the enclosed drawings, for which Figures are supplied as exemplificative and not limitative. Description of the Figures:

Fig.1 is a general view of the shell-door closed;

Figures 2 to 11 are transverse sections of Fig. according to plane sections:

A-A, B-B, C-C, D-D, E-E, F-F₁ G-G, H-H, l-l:

Details of the Figures: In particular: Fig.1 : is a general view of the closed shell-door with: electro-mechanical device (6) composed of jack means (7) and motor (8) cinematic system (12) composed of top and bottom primary hinge guides (10) and top and bottom primary door guided hinges (11 ), secondary hinge guides (13) and secondary door guided hinges (14),

• Top and bottom hull structure wedges (3) and counter-wedges (4)

• Right and left strong back pins (5) for door locking

Fig.2: section A-A of Fig.1 in which are shown The top primary hinge guide (10) shape

• Top hull structure wedges (3) and top counter-wedges (4)

Fig.3: section B-B of Fig.1 in which are shown • The shell-door (2) closed on the hull structure (insert) (1 )

The secondary hinge guide (13) shape to guide the movement of the secondary door guided hinge (14)

The gasket (9) compressed between the hull structure (insert) (1 ) and the shell-door (2)

Fig.4: section D-D of Fig.1 in which are shown:

The shell-door (2) closed on the hull structure (1) • The bottom primary hinge guide (10) shape to guide the movement of the bottom primary door guided hinge (11 )

• Bottom hull structure wedges (3) and bottom counter-wedges (4)

• The gasket (9) compressed between the hull structure (1 ) and the shell- door (2)

Fig.5: section E-E of Fig.1 in which are shown:

The bottom primary hinge guide (10) shape

• Bottom hull structure wedges (3) and bottom counter-wedges (4)

Fig.6: section G-G of Fig.1 in which are shown:

The shell-door (2) closed on the hull structure (1 )

The top and bottom primary hinge guides (10) to guide the movement of the top and bottom primary door guided hinges (11 )

• The gasket (9) compressed between the hull structure (1) and the shell- door (2)

Fig.7: section H-H of Fig.1 in which are shown:

The shell-door (2) closed on the hull structure (1 )

• The electrical motor (8) • The gasket (9) compressed between the hull structure (1 ) and the shell- door (2).

Fig.8: section l-l of Fig.1 in which are shown: The hull structure (insert) (1 )

• The top and bottom primary hinge guides (10)

• The top and bottom secondary hinge guides (13) to guide the movement of the secondary door guided hinge (14) • The strong back pin (5).

Fig.9: section C-C of Fig.1 with shell-door (2) closed, in which are shown: The shell-door (2) closed on the hull structure (1 ) The electro-mechanical device (6) composed by jack means (7) and motor (8)

The gasket (9) compressed between the hull structure (1) and the shell- door (2) The right and left strong back pins (5).

Fig.10: section C-C of Fig.1 with shell-door (2) open, in which are shown:

The shell-door (2) open

The electro-mechanical device (6) composed of jack means (7) and motor (8)

The gasket (9) on the shell-door (2).

Fig.11 : section F-F of Fig.1 in which are shown:

The shell-door (2) closed on the hull structure (1 )

The gasket (9) compressed between the hull structure (1 ) and the shell- door (2) • The shell-door hinge support (15).

Fig.12 is a perspective view of the shell-door closed from the internal side in which wedge means cooperate for hooking and closing the door in a watertight condition.

Detailed Description of the Electro-Mechanical and a Wedαe-Hinαe

Cinematic System of the Shell-Door Arrangement

With reference to Fig.1 the shell-door (2) is mounted with four hinges, two primary door guided hinges (11 ) and two secondary door guided hinges

(14).

Each primary door guided hinge (11) runs on a primary hinge guide (10) which is fixed on the hull structure (1 ). The shape of the primary hinge guide

(10) is shown in Fig.4.

Each secondary door guided hinge (14) runs on a secondary hinge guide

(13) which is fixed on the hull structure (1). The shape of the secondary hinge guide (13) is shown in Fig.3.

These primary hinge guides (10) and secondary hinge guides (13) realise the hinge/guide cinematic system (12) that allows the particular door movement.

Shell-Door Closing Movement

The shell-door (2) closing movement can be divided into two steps one subsequent to the other uninterruptedly: a) Shell-door (2) rotation:

• with reference to Fig.3 during all this step secondary door guided hinges (14) are fixed in the secondary door guided hinges initial position (17) on the secondary hinge guide (13)

• with reference to Fig.5 primary door guided hinges (11 ) move from the primary door guided hinges initial position (19) to the primary door guided hinges intermediate position (18) on the primary hinge guide (10) achieving in this way the shell-door (2) rotation around the secondary door guided hinges initial position (17)

b) Movement of the shell-door (2) with a direction of 45°in respect of the hull structure (insert), (1):

• with reference to Fig.3 during this step secondary door guided hinges (14) move from the secondary door guided hinges initial position (17) toward the secondary door guided hinges final position (16) on the secondary hinge guide (13)

• with reference to Fig.5 primary door guided hinges (11 ) move from the primary door guided hinges intermediate position (18) toward the primary door guided hinges final position (16) on the primary hinge guide (10) achieving in this way the shell-door (2) closing on the hull structure (1 ) and the gasket (9) compression to ensure water-tightness.

Shell-Door Opening Movement

The shell-door (2) opening movement occurs in the opposite way and can therefore be divided in two steps: a) Movement of the shell-door (2) with a direction of 45°in respect of to the hull structure (insert), (1): b) Shell-door (2) rotation for door opening

With reference to Fig.1, Fig.9, Fig.10 all the door movements have been carried out with an electro-mechanical device (6) that consists of jack means (7) electrically driven by a motor (8). The electro-mechanical device (6) is assembled directly on the shell-door (2). The jack means (7) are a mechanical system (e.g. a worm screw system or a pinion-gear system or any functionally equivalent solution). In a less preferable solution the jack means (7) are a fluid-dynamic system that can be operated by said motor (8) with its own pump. The electro-mechanical device (6) has a particular arrangement for the limit switch that is integrated into the device itself.

The electro-mechanical device (6) itself has an emergency manoeuvring mechanism in case of electrical black out, through a hand wheel assembled directly on the mechanism.

Obviously in this description and claims the word 'marine' is intended also as 'submarine'.

Claims

1. Shell-door arrangement for passenger/merchant vessel/ship, and/or navy and/or marine application, of the type in which water-tight gasket means are applied between the hull-structure (1) having a door-opening, and said shell-door (2) to close in a watertight way the door-opening and vice-versa, moving on hinge means, characterised in that: a) said hull-structure (1) in the surroundings of said door-opening, has hooking wedge means (3); b) said shell-door (2) has at least opposite hooking counter-wedge means

(4), each wedge means and counter-wedge means being able to cooperate between each other to hook one behind the other and wedge in a sliding condition one against the other; c) the hinge means of said shell-door are movable on guide means; d) at least one sliding moving device (7,8) is applied onto said shell-door to slide it with respect to said door-opening of said hull-structure (2).

2. Shell-door arrangement according to claim 1. characterised in that there are four hooking wedge means (3) and hooking counter-wedge means (4) placed near the respective corners of said door-opening and shell-door respectively.

3. Shell-door arrangement according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterised in that said sliding moving device (7,8) comprises electric motor means directly supported on said shell-door (2).

4. Shell-door arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that said sliding moving device (7,8) comprises jack means (7) cooperating with said electric motor (8) and connected on one side to said hull-structure (1 ) and on the opposite side to said shell-door (2).

5. Shell-door arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that said jack means (7) are of the mechanical type.

6. Shell-door arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that said jack means (7) are of the fluid-dynamic type.

7. Shell-door arrangement according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said sliding moving device (7,8) comprises integrated limit switch means to signal at least an open/closed condition.

8. Shell-door arrangement according to any of previous claims, characterised in that said sliding moving device (7,8) comprises an emergency manoeuvring mechanism to disengage the motor (8) in case of an electrical black out and to operate manually through a hand wheel assembled directly on the mechanism.

9. A method to open and close passages on a hull-structure in a vessel/ship or marine equipment using a shell-door arrangement(s) according to any of previous claims characterised for the following closing and opening steps: a) rotation movement of said shell-door (2), engaging said shell-door (2) on said hull-structure (1 ) by placing in hooking position said corresponding wedge and counter-wedge means (3,4); b) sliding said shell-door (2), obliging said wedge and counter-wedge means (3,4) to engage further in conical sliding, obliging said shell-door (2) to press in a tightened condition against said hull-structure (1).

10. A method according to previous claim characterised in that the sliding movement comprises: a) moving the shell-door (2) towards the hull structure (1) to press its gasket (9), and diagonally b) translating the shell-door (2) in locking and water-tightening position.

11. A method according to previous claim characterised in that said diagonally traslating is of about 45°.

12. A vessel or ship or navy/marine equipment having shell-door arrangement(s) according to any of claims 1 to 8.

13. A vessel or ship or navy/marine equipment having shell-door arrangement(s) according to any of claims 1 to 8 and in which said shell- door arrangement(s) work(s) according to the method of claim 9 to 11.