Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6341450
-
Patent Number
6,341,450
-
Date Filed
Thursday, June 22, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 29, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 052 213
- 052 19
- 052 20
- 049 278
- 049 395
- 114 116
- 114 201 R
- 114 203
- 114 117
- 292 340
- 292 34111
- 292 34113
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A light-weight door panel flush with the external surface of a wall structure in its closed position sealing an opening, is mounted for displacement to an open position by hinge linkage confined to its underside. In its closed position supported on the bulkhead of the door frame bordering the opening in the wall structure, the door panel compresses a sealing gasket bonded to the bulkhead. Such compression of the gasket by the door panel is established and maintained through selectively controlled rolling pins engaged with wedges resiliently held within corrosion resistant inserts bonded to the door panel at spaced peripheral locations therein.
Description
The present invention relates generally to a door panel and installation thereof for water-tight closure of an opening in a wall structure of an enclosure such as a marine vessel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Door closure of openings in certain installations, such as a marine vessel, require water-tight sealage. Existing door panel closures on marine vessels are often inadequate so as to require frequent maintenance and/or replacement to provide the necessary water-tightness. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a door panel and associated installational arrangement in the foregoing type of environment which would avoid and/or overcome water leakage problems heretofore associated therewith, involving vibratory loading, wear and distortion of parts and heavy door weight imposing excessive handling burdens on personnel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a door panel is provided having an external surface that is flush in its closed position with the external surface of an associated wall structure, such as the topside of a marine vessel or ship. Water-tight sealage of an opening in such wall structure is effected by compression of a foam gasket adhesively fastened to a recessed bulkhead portion of a door frame on which the door panel is supported in its closed position. The door panel is displaced between such closed position and an open position through hinge linkage excluded from any external portion of the door panel by confinement to an internally raised portion thereof projecting into the door frame opening. At peripherally spaced locations in such internally raised portion of the door panel, corrosion resistant insert assemblies are retained by adhesive bondage for reception of rolling pins of a selectively controlled actuator mechanism to establish and maintain the water-tightness compressive engagement of the sealing gasket on the recessed bulkhead of the door frame by the door panel in the closed position. Replaceable wedge elements are resiliently held within each of the insert assemblies for engagement by the rolling pins with a tolerated degree of misalignment during maintenance of the water-tight sealing condition. In concert with the latter installational arrangement, a compliant, light-weight construction is utilized for the door panel, consisting of a balsa wood core enclosed within a reinforced plastic skin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:
FIG. 1
a perspective view of a portion of a marine vessel wall structure as an installational environment for a door panel in a closed position;
FIG. 2
is a perspective underside view of the door panel per se shown in
FIG. 1
, illustrating a construction in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3
is an underside plan view of the door panel in the installational arrangement shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a partial enlarged section view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line
4
—
4
in
FIG. 3
, showing the door panel in the closed position;
FIG. 4A
is a partial section view similar to that of
FIG. 4
, showing the door panel in an open position;
FIG. 5
is an enlarged partial section view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line
5
—
5
in
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 6
is a partial section view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section
6
—
6
in
FIG. 5
; and
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of disassembled portions of the insert assembly shown in FIGS.
5
and
6
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing in detail,
FIG. 1
shows a topside portion of a marine vessel wall structure
10
having an opening therein sealed by a door panel
12
in a closed position. Such opening is bordered by a peripheral frame
14
supporting the door panel
12
with an outer gap
16
thereabout in its closed position, exposing a flat surface portion
18
thereof in alignment or flush with the outer surface of the wall structure
10
.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the door panel which is generally rectangular in shape has an underside surface
20
from which an inner raised portion
22
projects and on which a grab handle
24
is mounted intermediate opposite end sides thereof in spaced adjacency to one longitudinal side thereof. Also, mounted on such raised underside portion
22
in spaced adjacency to its other longitudinal side are a pair of door hinges
26
.
Referring now to
FIG. 4
, the door panel
12
has a balsa wood core
28
fully enclosed within an outer casing skin
30
made of a glass reinforced plastic material of adequate strength and stiffness, such as a woven roving, to form a lightweight sandwich construction. In the closed position of such door panel
12
, it is held in sealed relation on the door frame
14
over a recessed bulkhead portion
32
thereof forming an opening
34
through which the underside raised portion
22
of the door panel
12
projects. A peripheral sealing gasket
36
is positioned on such recessed bulkhead portion
32
of the door frame
14
and is bonded thereto for engagement with and compression by the door panel
12
in its closed position to seal the opening in the vessel wall structure
10
in a water-tight manner. As shown in
FIG. 4A
, the door panel
12
may be angularly displaced to an open position from its closed position by force exerted thereon through the handle
24
. Such angular displacement relative to the wall structure
10
of a vessel enclosure may be accommodated through the hinges
26
and any suitable internal supporting hardware attached to the vessel.
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, the rectangular raised portion
22
of the door panel
12
has eight (8) spaced cylindrical pockets
38
formed therein at the corners and intermediate such corners. Each of such pockets
38
is adapted to receive a replaceable locking insert assembly
40
, as shown in
FIGS. 5
,
6
and
7
. The insert assembly
40
consists of an outer cylindrical body
42
made of corrosion resistant steel adhesively bonded to the core
28
of the door panel
12
and a wedge element
44
interfitted therein. At its larger rectangular end
46
and side
48
perpendicular thereto the wedge element
44
is in abutting contact with the cylindrical body
42
within a generally rectangular opening
50
formed therein. Grooves
52
formed in the cylindrical body
42
extend laterally from the opening
50
therein, as shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, for slidable reception of lateral projections
54
on the wedge element
44
which also has a smaller rectangular end
56
exposed from the opening
50
in the body
42
as shown in
FIG. 5. A
pair of lateral slots
58
and
60
are also formed in the side
62
of the wedge element
44
extending at a wedge angle to the other side
48
. A cantilevered retention spring element
64
anchored to the cylindrical body
42
is received in the slot
60
, as shown in
FIG. 5
, in order to yieldably resist movement of the wedge element
44
within the cylindrical body
42
after being captured in place therein by reception of the projections
54
within the grooves
52
.
As also shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the angled side
62
of each wedge element
44
is in contact with a retractable rolling pin
66
associated with a selectively controlled closure mechanism
68
within the vessel. Such rolling pin
66
is accordingly carried at the end of an actuator rod
70
slidably supported on the bulkhead portion
32
of the door frame
14
for displacement by the closure mechanism
68
as diagrammed in FIG.
5
. The rolling pin
66
is thereby displaced to the locking position as shown in
FIG. 5
after the door panel
12
is placed in its closed position, to effect and maintain water-tight sealing.
It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the door panel
12
is of a robust, light-weight construction which incorporates built-in locking facilities at the peripherally spaced locations of the pockets
38
formed therein, which accommodate facilitated detachment and replacement of the locking insert assemblies
40
after significant wear thereof. The configuration of such locking insert assemblies
40
is such as to tolerate a degree of misalignment of the rolling pins
66
during engagement to reduce maintenance concerns. Consistent therewith, the mounting location of the sealing gasket
36
on the bulkhead
32
prolongs water tightness. Further, the mounting locations of the door handle
24
and hinges
26
on the inside of the door panel
12
for displacement thereof between closed and open positions minimizes topside clutter and improves radar performance, Still further, the composite sandwich construction of the door panel
12
is such as to accommodate fabrication by any convenient low cost method involving for example a vacuum assisted resin infusion process.
Obviously, other modifications and variations of the present invention may be possible in light of the foregoing teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
Claims
- 1. In combination with an enclosure installation having a wall structure provided with an external surface within which an opening is formed bordered by a frame having a recessed bulkhead; a door panel having an external portion and an underside raised portion projecting therefrom; hinge means connecting the underside raised portion of the door panel to the wall structure for displacement of the door panel from an open position to a closed position with the external portion thereof flush with the external surface of the wall structure and with the underside portion projecting through the opening in the bulkhead; gasket means responsive to compression thereof on the bulkhead for sealing of the opening by the door panel while supported on the bulkhead in the closed position; and selectively controlled means for establishing and maintaining said compression of gasket means in the closed position of the door panel.
- 2. In combination with an enclosure installation having a wall structure provided with an external surface within which an opening is formed bordered by a frame having a recessed bulkhead; a door panel having an external portion and an underside raised portion projecting therefrom; hinge means connecting the underside raised portion of the door panel to the wall structure for displacement of the door panel from an open position to a closed position with the external portion thereof flush with the external surface of the wall structure and with the underside raised portion projecting through the opening; gasket means responsive to compression thereof on the bulkhead for sealing of the opening by the door panel while supported on the bulkhead in the closed position; and selectively controlled means for establishing and maintaining said compression of the gasket means in the closed position of the door panel; said selectively controlled means including: a plurality of wedges; means for replaceably mounting said wedges in peripherally spaced relation to each other in the door panel; and actuator means engageable with said wedges for exertion of compressive force on the gasket means.
- 3. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said replaceable mounting means comprises a plurality of insert bodies made of corrosion resistant material bonded to the door panel and within which the wedges are received; and spring means for resiliently holding said wedges within openings formed in the insert bodies.
- 4. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said door panel is formed from a balsa wood core enclosed within an outer skin of reinforced plastic.
- 5. In combination with an enclosure installation having a wall structure provided with an external surface within which an opening is formed bordered by a frame having a recessed bulkhead; a door panel formed from a balsa wood core enclosed within an outer skin of reinforced plastic, said door panel having an external portion and an underside raised portion projecting therefrom; hinge means connecting the underside raised portion of the door panel to the wall structure for displacement of the door panel from an open position to a closed position with the external portion thereof flush with the external surface of the wall structure and with the underside raised portion projecting through the opening; gasket means responsive to compression thereof on the bulkhead for sealing of the opening by the door panel while supported on the bulkhead in the closed position; and selectively controlled means for establishing and maintaining said compression of the gasket means in the closed position of the door panel.
- 6. In combination with an enclosure installation having a wall structure provided with an external surface within which an opening is formed bordered by a frame having a recessed bulkhead; a door panel formed from a balsa wood core enclosed within an outer skin of reinforced plastic; hinge means connecting the door panel to the wall structure for displacement between an open position and a closed position flush with the external surface of the wall structure; gasket means responsive to compression thereof on the bulkhead for sealing of the opening by the door panel while supported on the bulkhead in the closed position; and selectively, controlled means for establishing and maintaining said compression of the gasket means in the closed position of the door panel.
- 7. In combination with an enclosure installation having a wall structure provided with an external surface within which an opening is formed bordered by a frame having a recessed bulkhead; a door panel; hinge means connecting the door panel to the wall structure for displacement between an open position and a closed position flush with the external surface of the wall structure; gasket means responsive to compression thereof on the bulkhead for sealing of the opening by the door panel while supported on the bulkhead in the closed position; and selectively controlled means for establishing and maintaining said compression of the gasket means in the closed position of the door panel; said selectively controlled means including: a plurality of wedges; means for replaceably mounting said wedges in peripherally spaced relation to each other in the door panel; and actuator means engageable with said wedges for exertion of said compression on the gasket means.
US Referenced Citations (5)