GB2195958A

GB2195958A - A door for bulkheads

Info

Publication number: GB2195958A
Application number: GB08722184A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alistair D Mcvicar
Original assignee: Leith Cardle & Co Ltd
Current assignee: Leith Cardle & Co Ltd
Priority date: 1986-09-27
Filing date: 1987-09-21
Publication date: 1988-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2007-09-21
Also published as: GB2195958B; GB8722184D0

Abstract

A bulkhead door comprising a door panel 2, and 8 door surround with locking means and a security system having sealing means comprising interdigitating channels 28,29,49 on the door panel and the door surround, in which at least two of said channels contain sealing members 30,31, at least one of which is deformable on closure of said door. The deformable sealing member is tubular in undeformed state and comprises a stainless steel wire mesh core encased in a fabric sleeve of woven ceramic glass and coated with a non-flammable waterproof skin. A safety mechanism contributes to the locking of the door on release, the release being the result of the engagement of the door surround with a pivotal brake provided on a shaft of said safety mechanism. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A door for bulkheads This invention relates to a door for bulkheads and the like and in particular to a door for bulkheads and to hatches at the top and bottom of stairways in ships and submarines, where it is essential to be able to close and seal doors, perhaps automatically, to contain water, fire or excessive heat, hereinafter called bulkhead doors.

Conventional bulkhead doors are provided with seals which although watertight have the disadvantage that they may fail to prevent the passage of excessive heat; indeed, the seals may overheat and rupture thus allowing the passage of excessive heat and fire.

Moreover, in the event of flood or fire, rapid closure and locking are essential, as only complete closure ensures a watertight and firetight seal. A further disadvantage of conventional bulkhead doors is that their locking mechanisms can be prematurely released, perhaps by pulling on and accidentally turning a handwheel of the mechanism, causing a bulkhead door to jam open and taking valuable time to be reset prior to complete closure.

It is an object of this invention to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a door for bulkheads, said door comprising a door panel, a door surround and sealing means in which the sealing means comprises interdigitating channels on the door panel and the door surround, in which at least two of said channels contain sealing members, at least one of which is deformable on closure of said door.

Preferably, a periphery of the door is provided with two apposed channels; an inner edge of the door surround is provided with one channel.

Preferably, each of the two channels on the door contains a sealing member.

Preferably, the sealing members are tubular in undeformed state and extend continuously around the periphery of the door.

Preferably, said deformable sealing member comprises a stainless steel wire mesh core encased in a fabric sleeve of woven ceramic glass fabric and this results in a fire-resistant material which is a poor conductor of heat.

Preferably, the sleeve of the deformable seal is coated with a non-flammable waterproofed skin such that the deformable sealing member, on the closure of the door, is watertight. preferably, the sealing member is additionally deformed by the provision of cam faces which, in use, urge the door panel and door surround into a tighter engagement. The deformation may be limited by a depth stop which may be continuous around the periphery of said door surround.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a door for bulkheads having a safety mechanism for locking means to prevent premature release of said locking means, said safety mechanism contributing to the locking of the door on its release.

The locking means may be a crank-arrangement with arms interlocking with cavities at the top, bottom and sides of the door surround.

Preferably, the safety mechanism comprises at least one shaft that is adapted to engage with a bore in an arm of the locking means, thereby preventing locking.

Preferably, the safety mechanism is released by engagement of the door surround with a pivotal brake provided on the extremity of said shaft.

Preferably, said shaft of the safety mechanism contributes to the locking of the door by engaging with a keeper in the door surround, on the release of the brake. The safety mechanism may be provided with a second shaft which additionally contributes to locking by engaging with a second keeper.

Preferably, release of one shaft or, if provided, both shafts, enables the turning of a handle which in turn releases of the locking means.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a door for bulkheads including a security system comprising the sealing means according to the first aspect of the invention and a safety mechanism according to the second aspect of the invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bulkhead door according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through Fig.

1; Fig. 3 is a part cross-sectional view through A-A on Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a part cross-sectional view through B-B on Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a deformable sealing member of the door of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the sealing member of#Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a part cross-sectional view through a hinge of the door of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through A-A on Fig. 7: Fig. 9 is a part front elevation view of safety mechanism of the door of Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the safety mechanism of Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a part cross-sectional view at C-C on Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is provided a door 1 for bulkheads of ships, submarines and the like and includes a door panel 2 made of steel plate, ridged for additional strength, and provided with means 3 for locking the door from either side. The locking means 3 comprises central hand-wheels 4, 5 on either side of the door panel 2, the hand-wheels 4, i 5 being movably connected to a lever 6 mid way along a central communicating strut 7.

The lever 6 has two attached arms 8, and the communicating strut 7 is provided at either end with additional levers 9, 10 each of which has three attached arms 8. The arms 8 of all three levers 6, 9, 10, lie outside or interlock with keepers 11 on a door surround 12 on rotation of the hand-wheels 4, 5. The keepers 11 are provided with cam faces 13 which on locking urge the door panel 2 and surround 12 into tighter engagement.

The periphery of the door panel 2 is pro vided with two apposed sealing channels 28, -29 having a common wall 26, the other walls 25, 27 being free. The channels contain at their base either a first sealing member 30 or a second sealing member 31, both sealing members 30, 31 being continuous around the periphery of the door (see Fig. 5 in particular).

The first sealing member 30 is relatively unde formable, substantially circular in cross-sec tion, has little tendency to conduct heat and is watertight. The second sealing member 31 is a braided stainless steel core 32 covered with a a ceramic glass fibre sleeve 33 having a wat erproof, non-flamreable skin 34. The second sealing 31 member has a rigidity of 40 + 5 degrees IRH. This flexibility allows the second sealing member 31 to deform when the seal ing channels 28, 29, 49 are interdigitated on door closure wherein sealing member 31 is abutted by a wall 35.of sealing channel 49 on the door surround 12. The other wall 36 of sealing channel 49 interdigitates with sealing channel 28 and abuts the first sealing member 30.

As aforementioned, on closure of the lock ing means 3, the cam-faces 1#3 of the keepers 11 urge the door panel 2 and surround 12 into a tighter engagement. This causes defor mation of both sealing members 30, 31, which deformation is limited only by depth stops 50 provided on the rim of the door panel 2. Conventional hinges would also pre vent any such movement and consequently a hinge 16 of door 1 comprises a hinge pin 18 held by a split pin 19, two attachments 17 to the door surround 12, a single attachment 20 to the door panel 2, and a member 21 of U shaped section with a set pin 22 which has a threaded head 23 where it tighter onto the U-shaped member 21 and a stud 24 turned down where it enters its root in the door panel attachment member 20.This turned down stud 24 and the provision of a hinge pin bore 51 of elliptical section in the door panel attachment member 20, allows for the tightening of the engagement during which the door panel 2 and thus the door panel attachment member 20 move closer to the door surround 12. With conventional hinges, movement would be impeded by the hinge pin 18 being fixed in relation to both the door surround 12 and the door panel 2.

Air is poor conductor of heat and hence the more lengthy the passage through the interconnection of door panel 2 and door surround 12, the more slowly and the less heat is transferred from one side of the closed door 1 to the other. The heat-fastness of the door is improveed by the provision of insulation breaks, particularly the deformable second sealing member 31 which makes a snug, complete fit and prevents any further passage of heat that may have by-passed or penetrated the first sealing member 30.

Both sealing members 30, 31 are additionally waterproofed such that together they produce a watertight seal and the second sealing member 31, despite being deformable, is made entirely of non-flammable materials to prevent the sealing member 31 giving way and allowing the passage of fire.

The sealing members 30, 31 seal the bulkhead door only on full closure of the door.

Hence, premature release of the locking means 3 could result in a jammed open door 1 and valuable time being lost whilst the locking means 3 is reset, the sealing means 30, 31 being dangerously ineffective in those few vital minutes.

The door 1 of the invention is thus also provided with a safety interlock mechanism 37 to prevent premature release of the locking means 3. The safety interlock mechanism 37 ensures that the hand-wheels 4, 5 cannot be operated when the door 1 is open and is only released when a head 39 of a bullet-shaped swivel 38 engages a projecting lip 40 at the top of the door surround 12 on complete closure of the door 1. The lip 40 pivots the swivel 38 such that a tail brake 52 on an interlock shaft 41 is released. On release, one end 42 of the interlock shaft 41 enters an identation or cavity 43 in the door surround 12, thus providing an additional locking mechanism, whereas the other end 44 of the interlock shaft 41 leaves a bore 47 in a block encasement 46. Since this block encasement 46 is positioned around one of the central arms 8 of the locking means 3, the release of end 44 of the interlock shaft 4 unlocks the locking means 3. A lower interlock shaft 48 is also released, to provide a lower additional locking mechanism and further releasing the central arm 8. This allows turning of a door handle 45 on block 46, this in turn releasing the locking means 3.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A door for bulkheads comprising a door panel, a door surround and sealing means in which the sealing means comprises interdigitating channels on the door panel and the door surround, in which at least two of said channels contain sealing members, at least one of which is deformable on closure of said door.

2. A door as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a periphery of the door is provided with two apposed channels.

3. A door as claimed in either Claim 1 or 2, wherein each the two channels on the door contains a sealing member.

4. A door as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the sealing members-are tubular in undeformed state and extend continuously around the periphery of the door.

5. A door as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said deformable sealing member comprises a stainless steel wire mesh core encased in a fabric sleeve of woven ceramic glass fabric.

6. A door as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the sleeve of the deformable seal is coated with a non-flammable waterproofed skin.

7. A door as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the sealing member is additionally deformed by the provision of cam faces which, in use, urge the door panel and door surround into a tighter engagement.

8. A door for bulkhead as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A door for bulkheads having a safety mechanism for locking means to prevent premature release of said locking means, said safety mechanism contributing to the locking of the door on its release.

10. A door as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the safety mechanism comprises at least one shaft that is adapted to engage with a bore in the locking means, thereby preventing locking.

11. A door as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the safety mechanism is released by engagement of the door surround with a pivotal brake provided on the extremity of said shaft.

12. A door as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the shaft of the safety mechanism contributes to the locking means by engaging with a keeper in the door surround on release of the brake.

13. A door as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 15, wherein release of the shaft enables the turning of a handle which in turn releases of the locking means.

14. A door for bulkhead as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 9-to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A door for bulkheads having a security system comprising the sealing means of the first aspect of the invention and the safety mechanism to prevent premature release of locking means according to the second aspect of the invention.