Porthole closure

Aug. 25, 1936.

J. W. CONRAN

2,052,384

PORTHOLE CLOSURE

Filed April 18, 1935

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INVENTOR

Patented Aug. 25, 1936

2,052,384

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,052,384 PORTHOLE CLOSURE John W. Conran, Great Neck, N. Y. Applications April 18, 1935, Serial No. 17,009 6 Claims. (Cl. 169—1)

My invention relates to port-holes for pier decks and building floors and is designed mainly for use in fighting fire below decks and floors by projecting hose-nozzles or pipes with rotary dis5 tributors through such port-holes,, especially where direct attack cannot be made as in the case of. pier sub-structures,, building cellars, and loaded warehouse floors.

Heretofore, in fighting fires in such, locations 10 it was necessary to cut holes through decks: and floors for the insertion of hose-pipes resulting, in serious delay in locating the most advantageous points for reaching the fire with water streams, loss of time in applying streams, hazard to fire15 men while performing the work, and frequent unnecessary damage to flooring in cutting holes.

The object of my invention is to provide a form of port-hole for pier decks and building floors having fire and. heat resisting, closures 20, which may be easily and quickly opened for observation in locating fires under floors and for affording the most effective point or points for attacking fire under pier decks, in cellars, and on floors difficult of access as in storage, ware2,5, houses, and the· like, and through which portholes hose-pipes may be quickly brought into action at the most effective points. : A further object is to provide a form of port-hole and closure which may be quickly opened with tools or30. dlnarily at hand, and effectively and quickly closed again when necessary, and without: damage to the floor. A further object is to provide a form of port-hole and closure which may be employed as a vent hole for permitting escape of 3,5 smoke and gas from fires in covered or enclosed places to afford better conditions for observation and attack in fighting fires in such localities, and: which port-holes may also· be employed to serve as drains for flooded floor areas.

In carrying my invention into effect, I provide port-holes and closures at various locations on pier decks and: building floors which may be quickly opened for observation of conditions below and quickly closed when necessary or de45 sirable, and through which hose-pipes may be readily inserted and effectively closed again when changing points of attack, and readily restored to normal condition when not in use for fire fighting and without injury or damage to the 50 floors and requiring no repairs after use, and the closures for such port-holes being of fire and heat resisting material, and constructed so as not to interfere with the customary use of the floors.

For this purpose I propose to provide openings in decks and floors at numerous points best suited for observation below and application of water streams and into which openings close fitting linings or bushings are secured having recessed or counter-sunk seats for metal covers, 5 and below these covers within the bushings removable plugs of fire resisting material are retained and arranged for removal by hand or the ordinary tools usually employed about buildings and by fire fighting: companies. 1:0

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying. drawing, in which. Figure 1 is a plan view representing a section of a pier deck or building floor provided with the port-hole and closure, one such hole and closure only being shown for 15 illustration; Figure 2 an enlarged vertical section of same showing the fire and heat resisting plug; Figure 3 a vertical section showing a modified. form of plug; and Figure 4 a sectional view showing the plug and part of the cover removed ₂₀and a hose-pipe, inserted.

Ref erring to the. drawing, 1 indicates the deck or floor of a pier or building, and 2 the usual supporting beams. In the deck or floor a circular opening is cut and into this opening a tapering metal: bushing 3. is closely fitted and suitably sealed. This bushing is provided with a recessed flange. 4 seated in a. corresponding recess in the floor so as to be flush therewith as shown in Figure 2. The lower or inner end of the bushing ₃₀. is screw threaded as shown at 5 to receive a threaded collar 6 having a flange 7 which engages the underside of the floor and thereby securing· the bushing in position. The recess at the top of the bushing forms a seat 8 upon which 35 cover 9 rests flush with the flange 4 and the floor line. This cover may be formed in one piece, but I prefer to make it in the form of a ring : 9’ having a beveled or recessed center iO into which the small cover section I! fits closely 40 and flush with ring 9. For removing the cover I provide a circumferential groove 12, or a series of notches; into· which any suitable tool, such as a small crow-bar or similar tool; may be inserted to lift the cover when removing same. Within 45 the tapering bore of the bushing is inserted a plug having a taper corresponding to the taper of the bushing to make a close fit throughout, and which plug is made of fire resisting material ! 3, such as asbestos in sheet, pad, or molded form. 50 This plug: may be: made entirely of asbestos or like material, but .1 prefer to mount the material !3 between metal disks 14 having beveled edges to fit the tapering bore of the bushing, and central holes through which bolt 15 passes, and the 55

2,052,384 whole being firmly clamped together by nut 16. The thickness of the plug, or the fire resisting material, will In practice be such as to afford a degree of heat resistance equal to, or greater than, the flooring !. This thickness may with my construction be readily altered to meet required conditions by adding or removing layers of material IS, or when in block or moulded form by removing a block and substituting a block of the required thickness and bolting the parts together again. By reason of the tapered bore of the bushing and the corresponding taper of the plug, the latter will fit closely within the bushing and reduce the possibility of heat or flame passing around the plug and heating the cover, but to further guard against this I provide a flange IT within the bore of the bushing and upon which the plug will seat, and by tightening nut 16 and compressing the material 13 so that it will squeeze out slightly beyond the edges of disks 14, the plug in addition to being seated on flange IT to break the passage between the bushing and plug will also have material 13 fitting snugly within the bushing thus providing a double closing. For the purpose of facilitating removal of the plug, the bolt i 5 is provided with an eye, ring or handle (8. To further insure the plug material 13 Atting closely within the bushing, the lower disk 14 may be provided with one or more lugs ! 3 located to enter corresponding notches in flange IT, and one or more lugs 20 engaging nut 16 to hold it against turning, so that when the plug is in position, bolt i 5 may be screwed further into the nut, drawing the disks 14 toward each other and squeezing material ! 3 outward against the bore of the bushing while the plug is in position.

When it is desired to inspect the space beneath the flooring the cover and plug are removed and then replaced unless it is desired to allow it to remain open as a vent or drain hole. Where a hose-pipe 21 is to be inserted, ring member S of the cover is first replaced without the center piece 11 and the pipe is inserted through the small opening as shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 3 is shown a modified form of plug wherein the fire resisting material 13 is carried in a plug-shaped basket of perforated sheet metal or wire mesh. As shown in the drawing the basket consists of perforated bottom 22 having a flange 23, a perforated tapering wall 24 of a taper to fit the bore of the bushing, and a perforated top 25 having a flange 26. The bottom part 22 and side wall 24 may be rigidly secured together at the flange 23, as by welding, and the top 25 is drawn down into the side wall by bolt and nut 15—16 after the basket is filled with material 13. If desired one or all parts 22, 24 and 25 may be imperforate, but in this form of plug I prefer to have all walls perforated. Plates 22 and 25 have central perforations for bolt 15 and the bolt has an eye or handle 18 for inserting and removing the plug from the bushing.

It will be understood that in practice the port-holes will be located at numerous points in the length and breadth of a pier deck or building floor, the number in each direction depending upon the area and the distance streams of water can be thrown by cellar-pipes or rotary distributor nozzles usually employed in extinguishing cellar and pier sub-structure fires. The location of these port-holes will also be governed by obstructions under the decks and floors, such as piling and string-pieces in pier sub-structures; supporting pillars and beams in buildings; and storage spaces in warehouses. It will also be understood that these port-holes will be useful for periodic observation of conditions under pier 5 decks and building floors and for ventilation or drainage, the important point being the provision of an effective fire resisting closure capable of quick opening and closing without the requirement of special tools or mechanism and without 10 cutting or damage to floors requiring repair, and without obstructing the usual use of the pier deck or floor.