US3375612A - Deck plate and locking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1988 J; M. BUSUTT'L 8,87s,812

DECK PLATE AND LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24, -1966 z z' f' 3? 5 48 47 51 T3 INVENTOR. T1. E. w Jose-m M. 80807774 United States Patent O 3,375,612 DECK PLATE AND LOCKING MECHANISM Joseph M. Busuttil, Jamaica, N.Y. (45-22 Pearson St., Long Island City, N.Y. 11101) Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,682 4 Claims. (Cl. 49-465) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The deck plate comprises a disc-shaped memb-er having a gasket for sealing against the deck. A rotatable screw is threaded into the hub of a clamping member with spokes sliding in the slots of the guides to grip the deck of a ship between the tips of the spokes and the overlapping peripheral portion of the disc-sh'aped member. The slots and locking member have lengths to perrnit a wide spacing between the spoke tip and the peripheral portion for in-sertion of the deck plate into the opening.

Background o invention This invention relates to deck plates, and is directed particularly to the locking mechanism for holding the deck plate in place over a scuttle in a deck or tank.

On Ships openings or scuttles are provided in the deck for access to the hold of a ship or tanks for oil and the like. The openings or scuttles are covered and sealed by deck plates which fit over the scuttles and are locked in place to the deck of the ship. Such deck plates and locking mechanisms must be easily mounted and seal the hold or tank from salt water. The deck plate also must be quickly and easily fitted in the opening and locked in the desired place to exclude water and other foreign matter from passing through the Scuttle.

It is highly desirable to have the top of the deck plate clear of projections and substantially flush with the deck. The locking mechanism should be on the underside of the deck plate and mounted so that separated locking parts do not drop intothe tanks or holds.

Summary of the invention The deck plate is unobst'ructed and fiat on the top to fit su'bstantially even with the deck and has a single piece clamping member with spokes slidably mounted in closed slots to be moved by a threaded member over a wide range for permitting the deck plate to be inserted in the opening with the clamping member attached to the disc-shaped member so as to move a wide distance in relation to the deck plate for easy insertion and fastening in an opening.

An object of the invention is to provide a flush type deck plate that is easily fastened over a scuttle by a locking mechanism having parts separately held from dropping below the deck.

Another object of the invention is to provide a deck plate that is easily fastened in place by a locking mechanism without linkages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a deck plate with an attached locking mechanism that is simple and inexpensively manufactured.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from' the following description taken in connection with the drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a top view of the deck plate covering the scuttle in the deck;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the deck plate taken along lines 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an underside view of the deck plate illustrat- Patented Apr. 2,, 19 68 ICC Brief description o the preerred embodimelzt Referring to the drawings, a deck plate 10 With a locking mechanism 11 is illustrated. The deck plate 10 comprises a disc-shaped or platelike member 12 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the opening 13 formed by the circular edge 14 of the deck. The member 12 has a peripheral deck overlapping portion 12a. A continuous circular groove 15 extends around the undersurface of the deck plate at a slightly lesser diameter than the disc member 12 and greater than the edge 14. A gasket 16 of suitable Shape and resilient material is mounted in the groove to seal against the deck 17.

At the center of the deck plate is a cylindrical opening 18 extending through the boss 19. The opening is formed by cylindrical walls 20, 21 having a shoulder 22 therebetween. A locking screw 23 fits in the opening and has a head 24 and threaded portion 25. The head 24 has a rectangular shaped socket 26 for receiving a correspondingly shaped wrench (not shown) to turn the locking screw. The outer or upper end of the head has a fiange 27 which fits in the cylindrical wall 20 to recess the head 24 and seats against the shoulder 22 to prevent the locking screw from passing through the deck plate. Below the flange a groove 28 is provided for an O-ring 29 to form a seal between the wall and the head. The head 24 is longer than the thickness of the boss 19 in which the opening 18 is former and thus extends through the disc member. A retaining ring 30 fits over the end of the projecting portion of the head and set screws 31 thread into the ring and engage the head to rotata'bly fasten the locking screw to the deck plate. A clamping member 32 has a hub 36 and three spokes or projecting members 33, 34, 35 extending radially therefrom at degrees between one another. The spokes extend a distance from the center in the order of the radius of the disc member 12 and prefe-rably at least equal to the radius of groove 15.

The hu'b 36 has a threaded opening or hole 37 for receiving the threaded portion 2'5 of the locking screw and centering the clamp in relation to the deck plate. Three - shaped guides 38, 39, 40 are uniformly positioned around the underside of the deck plate and extend normal the-reto. The guides have two legs 38a, b, 39a, b, 40a, b spaced to form slots 386, 39a, 40c extending normal to the deck plate. The spokes fit through the slots and are guided by the legs. The legs prevent the clamping member from rotating when the locking screw is rotated.

The ends of the legs are spanned by straps 41, 42, 43 fastened to the legs by bolts. The straps close the lower end of the slots to prevent the clamping member from separating from the deck plate if the screw becomes unthreaded. On the inner surface of the deck plate are radially extending projections 44, 45, 46 having outwardly facing surfaces 44a, 45a, 46a radially within and adjacent to the gasket for centering the deck plate in the Scuttle. The clamping member moves to and from the disc-shaped member 12 over a wide range from a minimal distance A to a maximum distance B (FIG. 5) which is several times in length the minimal distance.

For insertion and removal of the deck plate, finger grips 47, 48 are provided in the deck plate by openings 49, 50 on opposite sides of thev locking screw. Rectangularshaped cup portions 51, 52 are on the underside of the deck plate to form pockets or chambers '53, 54 to receive a tool or fingers. The cup portions are larger than the opening to form catches 55, 56 for engagement.

The plate is readily inserted into the opening or Scuttle by threading the clamping member 32 to space it from the disc member 12. The deck plate is then tilted and rested along a portion of the edge on the upper surface of the deck 17. The deck plate is then swung into position With the radial members fitting 'below the deck. The plate is automatically centered 'by the surface 44a, 45a, 46a. The

locking screw 23 is rotated to draw the clamping member 32 firmly against the underside of the deck to lock it in place. The pressure distorts the O-ring 16 and creates a watertight seal.

It is thus seen from the foregoing that the deck plate is made from parts which are interlocked and cannot be separated without removal of parts. All linkages are eliminated while still securing the advantage of the locking mechanism being on the underside of the deck plate. Further, the main parts are easily cast as single pieces and fitted together in a simple and inexpensive manner.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings is shown in proportion to the actual deck plate.

It is, of course, understood that modifications may be made in the foregoing embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A deck plate for closing an opening in a deck comprising a platelike member having outer and inner surfaces and a peripheral deck overlapping portion, a first threaded member rotatably mounted in said platelike member in axially substantially fixed relation therewith and depending from said inner surface, stop members fixedly mounted on said inner surface of said platelike member radially spaced from said first threaded member, said stop members having slots extending from said inner surface between said threaded member and said peripheral overlapping portion, a clamping member having a second threaded member complementary to said first threaded member and in threaded relation therewith, said clamping member having radially projecting members in rigid relation with said second threaded member to form holding -means with said platelike member and having gripping tips forming spaces with said overlapping portion for gripping a deck, said projecting members fitting in said slots to prevent any substantial turning of said clamping member with said first threaded member, strap means on the opposite end of said stop members from said inner surface to close said slots and prevent complete separation of said clamping 'and platelike members, said first threaded member and said slots having lengths several times a respective gripping space between said gripping tips and said overlapping portion to permit said clamping member to captively move to and from said inner surface over a wide range for insertion into an opening in a deck.

2. A deck plate as set forth in claim 1 wherein said platelike member has a circular edge and a circular groove formed radially in' said overlapping portion to form a seal with a deck.

3. A deck plate for closing an opening in a deck comprising a circular disc-shapedimember having outer and inner surfaces and a peripheral deck overlapping portion with a continuous circumferential gasket means on said inner surface for sealing against a deck, a boss at the center of said disc-shaped member and having an opening extending therethrough, a looking member having a head rotatably mounted in said opening and said boss and having a threaded portion extending from said head perpendicnlarly to said disc-shaped member, at least three guides positioned around said disc-shaped member and extending perpendicularly therefrom and positioned between said boss and said gasket means, said guides having generally U shaped forming slots opening at the opposite end from said disc-shaped member, a rigid clamping member having a central hub and at least three spokes formed as a single rigid piece with said hub and said hub having a threaded opening therethrough for receiving said threaded portion of said looking member, said spokes extending radially and fitting in said slots of said guides to block relative rotation of said clamping member and said disc-shaped member and extending radially therebeyond to overlap with said deck overlapping portions to form a gripping lspace-between said spOkes and discshaped member on threading of said clamping member and said disc-shaped member together against a deck, straps fastened to the end of said guides at the opposite end from said disc-shaped member closing said slot openings to prevent the separation of said clamping member and said disc-shaped member, said threaded portion of said locking member and said slots of said guides having a length several times the gripping space lbetween said spokes and said disc-shaped member to permit said clamping member to captively move to and from said inner surface over a wide range for insertion into an opening in a deck and threading into looking relation with a deck.

4. A deck. plate as set forth in claim 3 wherein centering projections are provided on said inner surface radially within and adjacent to said gasket means for positioning said disc-shaped member in a deck opening and for engagement by said spokes to form a minimum gripping space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 822,562 6/1906 Tucker 49-465 X 3,084,827 4/1963 Dyer i 220-25 3,194,427 7/1965 Mullett et al 220-25 FOREIGN PATENTS 580,536 8/1958 Italy.

KENNETH DOWNEY. Primary Examinen

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