US2438846A - Rolling hatch beam assembly - Google Patents

Description

March 1948. J. EG N 2,438,846

R OLL'ING amen BEAM ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 18, 1945 4 Sheets$heet 1' INVENTOR. J/ /N 6i DEEQAA/ March 30, 1948. J. G. DEEGAN ROLLING HATCH BEAM ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 18, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JH/V GEE-56,4 BY 4270M) March 30, 1948. J. G. DEEGAN ROLLING HATCH BEAM ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 18, 1945 INVENTOR. Jhw 632E562 gf fla A Z'ORJYEY Patented Mar. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLLING HATCH BEAM ASSEMBLY J ohn- G. Deegan, Bronxville, N. Y. Application January 18, 1945, Serial No. 573,347

This invention relates to hatchbeamsand a short distance, ordinarily about two or three feet, above the deck level. This coaming serves both to strengthen the deck which has been weakened by cutting the hatch therein, and, to prevent water from going down into the vessel. This hatch in the shelter deck is ordinarily closed by planking, or a hatch cover, which rests on beams extending across the hatch. In order to protect the cargo stored below decks, it is, of course, essential that the hatch covers be of solid and substantial construction, and they are therefore usually supported on large I-beams. The hatches in the decks below the shelter deck are covered by planking, so that additional cargo may be carried in these hatch areas. Such planking is also supported by similar I-beams.

Whenever the hatches are to be opened, either in all decks, or in any selected deck, it is usual to remove the hatch covers and the hatch beams by means of hoists and to store these members on the deck of the ship. In this way an opening is provided throughout the vessel for the passage of cargo during the loading and unloading operations.

The removal of the hatch beams in this way is an expensive and time-consuming operation and the storage of the beams on thejdecks takes up a great deal of valuable deck space, which may be put to better use. Accordingly, it is a rimary object of this invention to provide rolling hatch beams of an improved character which may be readily rolled, along tracks supportedirom the coaming, or hatch siding, to one end, or the other, of the hatch, when it is desired to provide an open hatchway throughout the vessel. Such beams are, of course, rolled back into place before closing the hatchway with the planking, or hatch covers.

As the ends of the hatch beams are normally supported on brackets, or cleats, extending along the hatchways, it is another object of this invention to provide means whereby the hatch beams 8 Claims. (01. 114--2 01) may be raised from their normal, or resting, positions, and supported on the tracks during the operation of rolling them to one side of the hatch opening to provide an open hatchway. These same means permit lowering of the I-beam back to resting position on the cleats. tion the rollers from which the beams are supported during rolling operation rest on the tracks, but carry only their own weight.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for elevating. or lowering, the hatch beams, and for rolling them to one side, or back into place, preparatory to closing the hatch, which means are of'an improved character'in that they do not include the customary levers, orother operating mechanism, projecting into the hatch which interferes with loading, orunloading, operations as well as with the proper positioning of the hatch covers in place atthe various deck levels. In efiecting this object of the invention, means are used for lifting the hatch beams from their normal supporting posi-' tions to the rollers traveling on the tracks, or for lowering the hatch beams so that their weight is taken off the rollers and supported on the cleats, which lifting means are readily operated by a bar inserted. in an opening provided in a capstan head'of the lifting and lowering element. This bar is insertedin the capstan head only dur-' ing the actual lifting or lowering operation, so that it does not project at other times into the hatch. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide a track for the rollers on which the rolling hatch beam is supported during the operation of moving the beam, which track is readily secured either to a horizontal coaming, or a vertical coaming, thereby permitting its use at the various deck levels throughout the ship. Moreover, the track is so arranged that the upper part thereof is at the same level as the top surface of the hatch beams thus permitting the placing of the planking, or hatch cover, across both the hatch beams and the track. In this way the track aids in supporting the hatch cover when the hatch is closed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing disclosure, taken in connection with the appended drawings,

wherein;

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing two of the rolling hatch beams arranged one above the other as they might be arranged at the shelter and lower decks, respectively;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly In this posi" in section, of the right hand end of one of the beams illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the supporting track and the roller arrangement;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substan-. tially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view through the elevating-s means'ibyiwhich': the: end. of". thee hatch beam may be elevated from*its normalior: resting, position so that it is supported from the track, or lowered from the track back upon its; normal support, this view being takenalongtheline 5-5 of Fig. 2;

cated at a deck lower than an upper, or shelter, deck of the ship. Thus, in the construction illustrated in the lower part of Fig. 1, the track 23 is welded, or otherwise secured, at both its upper and lower edges, to the vertical coaming, or vertical hatch siding ll. In both cases, the rollers 24 are adapted to roll in a track 23 so shaped as to accommodate these rollers and to prevent theirollers:fromzjumpingtheetraclh 'Dh'e arrangement by-which. the" ends: of the rolling hatch beam I I may be elevated, or lowcred, so that the weights of the beams may be transferred from the supports 2| (Fig. 1) to the rollers" 2'4lbcate'd' in the track 23, and back to Fig. -6 is a vertical cross-sectionaliviewftaleem m thasupportsais' shown more particularly in Figs.

on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a partial elevation'alvi'ew f aimodi fied form of beam-lifting means; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 8-8. of Fig. 7;

Referring more specifically to. the general; ar rangement shown in Fig.- 1., therolling hatch. beams" are denoted generally by: thenumeral ll' andmay be-of I-bearn shape withweb. l2 and; upper and 1ower-flanges l'3 and-[4. At .eacl'hendf ofthe'I-beamthere are provided I doubler plates. I5 preferably oneach sideotthebeamweb asshown in Fig. 6. These plates, together withthee beams; may be cutaway at certain. portionsas shown for example'in. Fig. Igor. in-any, suitable. manner, in orderto provi de. the necessary clear. ances between :the *hatch beam w and l he brackets, or cleats; normally supporting it. 'I-hetwo roll lng-beam constructibnsdllustrated inlFig; 1 are: adapted to show how'the track iss-positioned and. the hatch beams supported therefrom when: the coaming-is=horizontah as illustrated in the upper part of thefig-ure, andwhen the coamingis-vertical; the track in this case being supported-die rectly from the sidesof the hatchway-,. as. illustrated in the lower part of the figure.-

Plates I5-ha-ve flanges I9 which normally. reston the cleats ll'attached-tp the hatchwaysid ing or coaming' l1: While" these supports..are shown as having the cross-sectiona'h shape.- of. a. quadrant of a circle,- it is, of course,.possi-ble to user supporting means of other shapesand, for. convenience, in-manycases ordinaryanglezmemr bers might be employed: Ifdesired,. sockets? may-be provided-for" the beamsv to rest in by welding or otherwise attaching, strips l9a onsthe cleats. 24% adjacent the? resting positions. of. the

beams:

Asrshown'in Fig. 1, tracks-23-are provided. for rollersl'k so thatthe hatchbeams may-be supported: from the tracks along: which the. rollers Mare adapted to roll; or slide, during-theopera tion of moving'the hatch beams-toone side'to provide an open hatchway, such as. is necessary when" loading; orunloading, the cargo.- The trackiz-amaybeconveniently formedinltheshape illustrated, and may beconstructed. of sheet metal; the? shape dependinge to some. extent on whether: thecoamingto.-which.it is secured-by welding, or otherwise, is horizontalorrvertica-l. Axpreferreddesignof track. is disclosed; ingreater: detailand: claimed in. copendingv application SeriaLNo; 570:196, filed-December-. 28.19.44,,- now Patent No. 2,4351'90, dated February 3, 1948}.

Asshowninthe upper part of Fig. 1. the.lower edge-of: the.- track 23 issecured, byweldihg. or otherwise, to horizontal coaming. l8,- while: its upper edge is securedto. a; vertical coa-ming': 2-6.

This" vertical coaming. may. of; course; be": the

hatch siding where the rolling hatch beam is 10- 2,, 3 and 5'. V

Rieferring'first to Fig. 3, it will be noted that therollers 24 are rotatably supported in a roller carriage 28. A preferred arrangement of supporting these rollers is shown as comprising. a roller. pin 29. having: a: threaded portion 29a into which a screwdriver. may be fitted. Be-

tweemthe main body portion of; the pin 29' and the roller. 'Z l,v a suitable" bushing 31" is: inter-.

posed. The'pin 2'9is' held against rotation' by means of "locking pins '3 I 21 which extend through the. member 28..- As shown in. this figure, there" may. be providedat each endofitherollinghatch beam. l'l;,twolrollers 2'41 although; of'course, one

roller. might be utilized; or'thfe; number of rollers might'exceedi'the two illustrated. Thenum'b'erof' rollers may, be largely determinedby the load which istobe. transmitted through" the rollers;

21 ththe track. 23.

Referring now more particularly to: Fig: 2; the

rollercarriage 28is.p,rovided withia laterally ex tendinggportion 33'; havingga cylindrical. aperture.

through wlii'chan elevating? and lowering memhen.v hereinafter described;v is' adapted; to pass. The carriage 28 has -a guide pin 32" extending through. it and. into an underlying wormnut block 411 seas-to: prevent turning ofth'e member 28.. about" the axis" of. the elevating; and" lowering member which wouldcause th'e'rollers' 241to jam in thetracklt. Thepin 32 may beheld'in position by a.set screw 32a' in .theimernber' 28:

As..shown.more clearly in Figs..2and' 5;.this elevating. andl'owering member is formed'iwith an. operating hub. 36 of" capstan type, having a dependingportionj l projectingint'o the portion 33Jolthecarriage 28.. The hub.36 has a drilled hole. 38. for seating a turning, bar' 3.9. when the screw is to. be. turned inorder to raise,.or lower, the end'ofthe rolling hatch beam. The dependingportionA Lof the screw head 36 is: securedito a shank 43'by. means of a pin .42 so that rotation. of; the hub 31: as previously; described causes thesh'ank. 43' to rotate.

Thashankflisprovided at its lower end with screwethreadedi portion, or. worm. 40, of large pitch. coacting withanut 4|..whicli is secured by suitable. means, presently, to:v be described, to the:end-of..the.rolling hatchheam. H 40 isssecuredtdtheshanki 431 by a key. 43a.(Fig.. 5)..- The lower. end. of. the. shank 431. is. screw threaded so. that. a-nut. I'may. be secured there.- to below the wormutll to.prevent.the.latter from coming off the shank. Washers 4 5 and lB may bepositioned betweenrthe.hub.36.andthe portion 33 .of carriage 2 8, andtheportionfi andworm 40, respectively; to. provide: a tight assembly for the elevating. andlowering. mechanisms.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the hub 36 may be The worm secured to a channel 53.

line of the lifting mechanism, thereby providing.

a longer bearing surface for the turning bar 39 in the aperture 38 during the raising and lowering operations.

The nut 4| through which the worm 4|] passes, is constructed with a laterally extending portion 50 (Figs. 2 and 4) having an aperture through which the guide pin 32 passes and in which it slides freely during the raising and lowering movements of the elevating mechanism.

A preferred arrangement for connecting the nut 4| with the hatch beam H for raising or lowering the same, will now be described. As shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, this nut may be A portion of the top flange of this channel is cut away adjacent the nut 4|, as shown at 53a in Figs. 3 and 5, to pro-. vide the clearance necessary to permit relative movement of the laterally extending portion 33 of carriage 28.

The channel 53 is slidably associated with the hatch beam and is urged toward the opposite end of the beam so that the nut 4| and its associated lifting mechanism carrying the rollers 24 will tend to pull these rollers away from the vertical wall of the track 23, thereby minimizing the tendency of the rollers to jam in the track if the beam becomes skewed while being rolled during the opening, or closing of the hatch.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, nuts 64 and 65 may be welded to the doubler plate'l5. Preferably these two nuts are also welded to a spacing member 66 prior to being secured to the doubler plate to facilitate accurate location of the nuts. The

bolts 51 are threaded into these nuts, and pass through elongated slots 55 and 56 in the channel 53. Washers 60 may be interposed between the bolt heads 58 and the channel. A locking pin, or rod, 62 prevents the bolts 51 from being loosened. It will. be noted that with this arrangement, the channel 53 is bolted to the hatch beam in such manner as to permit the channel to move longitudinally with respect to the hatch beam.

As shown in Figs. '3 and 4, the channel 53 is normally urged to the left by means of springs 12 abutting against an upturned portion on the channel and against a stop plate 69, which may be secured to the lefthand nut 64. While two springs 12 areshown in the embodiment illustrated, one spring might be employed or, if desired, more than two may be used.

The operation of the rolling hatch beam construction illustrated and described may be explained as follows: 1 3

Normally the hatch beam rests in sockets in the cleats 2|. The rollers 24 are in contact with the track 23 but are supporting only their own weight. In this condition, the top flange l3 of the hatch beam H is substantially at the same level as the upperpo'rtion" of the track 23,.whereby the track and flange I3 of the I-beam I may both be used to support the planking, or hatch cover, used to close'the hatch. 1

When it is desired to roll the hatch beam to one side in order to provide an open hatch for the loading or unloading of cargo, operating bar 39 is inserted in opening 38 in the hub 36 of the elevating and lowering mechanism and the worm 40 is caused to turn with respect to the nut 4!. In this way the nut 4| is raised with reference to the extending flange 33 of carriage member 28, to which are secured the rollers 24, the guide pin 32 sliding freely in the aperture in the ex- 6 tending portion of the nut 4|.

nel 53, which, in turn, is secured by bolts 51 to the hatch beam H, the end of the hatch beam H is also raised with reference to the rollers 24. As a result, the weight of the beam is borne by rollers 24 and track. 23. When both ends of the hatch beam are thus raised, it is possible to roll the beam to one sided the hatch along the tracks '23, and when all the hatch beams are thus rolled to one side, the hatch is open for loading, or unloading, cargo.

When it is desired at the completion of the loading, or unloading, operation, or at other times, to return the I-beams to their normal position intermediate the end of the hatchway,

the I-beams are first rolled to position. above their resting places. The lowering mechanism is turned, so that the nut 4|, channel 53, and the adjacent end of the I-beam are lowered with respect to extending flange 33 of the carriage member 28 to which the rollers 24 riding on track 2-3 are secured, until the beams seats on the cleats 2|.

The modified form of raising and lowerin mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8 differs from the form previously described in that instead of using a worm and coacting nut, it employs two camming surfaces. These are the surfaces which raise and lower the end of the hatch beam according-to the direction of movement of these surfaces with respect to each other. As shown more particularly in Fig. 8, a member 15 is bolted to the channel 53 by means of bolts 16 and is provided on its underside with a camming surface 11. The cooperating camming surface 18 is formed on a sleeve 13 which may be keyed, or otherwise secured, to the lower end of a bolt 80, threaded into the extension 33 of the carriage member 28. Thus when the operating hub 36 is rotated by means of the turning bar 39, the bolt causes the sleeve 19 to rotate so that its camming surface 18 cooperates with the camming surface 11, thereby causing the member15 and its associated channel and beam end to be raised or lowered.

It is to be understood that this invention is not confined to the exact details of construction shown and described herein since various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a hatchway having coamings, and supports for hatch beams, along opposite sides, a hatch beam adapted to rest on said supports, tracks supported by the hatch coamings, a plurality of rollers at each end of the beam and adapted to roll along said tracks and mechanisms for raising and lowering said beam from and to, its support, each of said mechanisms comprising a member slidably mounted on said beam but adapted to move vertical with said beam, a support for said rollers, means rotatably engaging said member to effect displacement thereof with respect to the roller support, and means for preventing angular displacement of said rollers with respect to said beam.

2. In combination with a hatchway having coamings, and supports for hatch beams, along opposite sides, a hatch beam adapted to rest on said supports, tracks supported by the hatch coamings, roller means adapted to'roll along said tracks and mechanisms for raising and lower- Since the nut 4| is secured by welding, or otherwise, to the chanart-3:3 am? ing' said; beam; from; and v tr its supports, said mechanismsv each: comprising as member ,slidably.

securedzto said beagim, a roller. carrying; member,

means rotatablycassociatedtwith saidroller car.-

ryi'ng: member and. engaging: said: first-named:

member, to: effectdisplacement. thereof with reient: means: tending? to: bring: saidrv slidable memberson: opposite. ends ofi the; hatch beam together to preventi-binding: of! the beam:

3; In combination: with a" hatchway. having; coainings, and supports for hatch beams,.along.

opposite sides-,=.a -hatciiibeam' adapted to rest on said supports, tracks; supported by the hatch coam'ings, a plurality of rollers at each end of the beam adapted to r'll3 along said tracks. and mechanisms for raising! and: lowering said beam irom an'd to" said supp'orts; said mechanisms each comprising a s'lidabl'ememb'er connected with said said: supports; tracks: supported: by the. hatch coamiiigs;.rollers:adapted to roll alongsaid tracks andimechanismssfor raisingand lowering the said beamrfromiandrto its supports;.said mechanisms each comprising awn'rember "slidably' supported on saidib'eam, .aanutattached to saidmember, a sup porti for saidi rollers means. rotatably engaging said member to. effect displacement: thereof. with respecti tow the.- rollersupport, said means and rolleresupporting; member: being supported from said? nut; and; resilient means normally urging said:.-slidable:member toward the; beam whereby thesrollersrom the roppositerends of the beam tend to; approach: each.- other toprevent binding of the rollers in the track.

5:. In: combination with a hatchway' having coamings. and supporting sockets for hatch beams,.alongaoppositesides; a h'atch beam adapted'to-rest in" said;sockets trackssupported by said warnings, rollers: adapted-t0? roll alongsaid tracks and mechanisms for raising and lowering said beam from and to its supports, said mechanisms each i comprisinga; member; secured to said beam, a support forsaid: rollers, means rotatablyengaging said member to eiiect displace.- mentrthereoi with r-espectto the roller support, and ailoek-ing pin connected to-the support for said rollers and. slidably associated with the firstnamedmember to prevent angular displacement of the. rollers with, respect to the beam. to prevent; said rollersfrom bindingon thetrack.

6, In. combination with. a. hatchway having coamings, and-. supports for. hatch beams, along opposite sides a hatchbeam, trackways supportedby said coamings, rollersadapted. to travel on: saidtrackways,,and. beam. elevating. and lowering,mechanisms positioned between said hatch beam and rollers, each of said rollersbeing attached to an.end of said hatchbeam through saidelevating andlowering mechanisms, each of saidmechanisms. comprising-.: a member to which said rollers are attached}, saidmember provided, with, adepending,- pin; and. with, an: apertured.

portion; .an elevatingand loweringelement passingv through said. aperturedportion. and, provided 1 with a screw-threaded portion; an internally.

threaded socketiorv seatingsaid screw-threaded portion, said. socketsbeing, secured to. an, attachment. member, secured, to. said: hatch beam. andprov-idedwithean aperturediiangethrough which said pin; is. adapted. to. move. axially-,., whereby.

when said. element is. rotated said, hatch. beam.

is raised, orlowered withrespect; to said rollers andsaiditrackways. r

7. In. combination. with; a hatchway. having.

coamings,.andi supports. for. hatch beams, along opposite. sides, .a. hatch beam, track-ways, support.- edlfromsaidlicoamings, roller, means. adapted to travellalongsaid" trackways,-, ancLbeam elevating. andTl lowering, mechanisms positioned. between said hatchbeamand saidiroll'er. means,.each of.

' said rollermeans being attached to an. endof said hatch beamthroughisaid. elevatinggand lowering, mechanisms, each. of said. elevating. and

loweringmechanis'ms. comprising: a member to which said roller means is attached; said member being provided with a laterally, extending apertured" portion a, rotatable. element. passing through saidapertured' portionand provided, at.

a pluralitrof" slots; a"- pluralityof nuts secured to said hatch: beam; a plurality of bolts. passing through: said slots and. engaging said nuts, whereby when: said rotatablehub is rotated, it is'raised or lowere'dwiti'ireference to-said threaded member, thereby raising or lowering said hatchbeam withirespect to'saidrollermeans' and said trackways. I

8. In combinationv with a hatchwayhaving coamings; and supports fol"- hatch" beams; along opposite sides; a hatch beam-adaptedto rest on saidsupports; tracks supported by' the hatch coamings, rollers adapted to roll on said tracks and mechanisms for raising? and lowering said beam from andtb its support-,1eachoi-saidmechanisms comprising a member slidab'lesecured to the end" of said beam and adapted to'raise and lower said beam when it-' is rai'secP orlowered, roller-supporting means;- a=rotatable element engaging lastsaid means; saidmember-and element having cooperating ca-mmingf surfaces whereby relative rotation therebj'etween' raises (in lowers said beam; and resilient-means-urgingsaid 'memher away from the track to reduce rollerjamming;

J OHN' G. DEEGANL' BEFER'ENGESx GIT-EDI The following; references are of." recordlin. the file of I this. patent? UNIEEEfl STATES: BATENTS Number. Name- Date 2,332,306" Deegan? Oct; 19, 1943 FOREIGN BATENPTS Number @ountry- 7 Date 517,859 Great Britain Feb; 9, 1940 661,727 Germany" June" 2'7, 1938

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