Hatch cover

Claim 2

A hatch cover comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels successively installable side-by-side from a first installable paneL transversely of and to cover, and successively removable toward said first panel to uncover, at least a portion of a generally-rectangular hatchway; means fixed on said first panel engageable on installation thereof with complementary means fixedly associated with a hatchway to fix said first panel against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and inter-engageable on successive installation thereof to maintain each successively installed panel against horizontal movement in a fixed predetermined position relative to the next precedingly installed panel; and sealing means carried by said panels for effecting a seal between each successively installed panel and the panel to be precedingly installed adjacent thereto, whereby width variations of each panel within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 3

The structure defined in claim 1 including additional sealing means carried by the ends of the panels for effecting a seal between said ends and the hatchway.

Claim 4

The structure defined in claim 2 in which each panel has a lateral flange along that side against which the next panel will be installed and the sealing means carried by said next panel includes a gasket extending the length of the underside of said next panel adjacent one side thereof and adapted to sealingly engage the upper surface of said flange.

Claim 5

The structure defined in claim 3 including releasable dogging means for connecting the panels together between their ends including at least one dog bolt pivotally mounted on the flanged side of each panel, and a dog bracket on the one side of the next panel engageable by said bolt to urge the gasket toward the lateral flange.

Claim 6

The structure defined in claim 4 including means for inhibiting damage to the dogging means and the gasket during installation of the next panel comprising a vertical flange projecting from the flanged side of each panel adjacent and extending laterally beyond the dog bolt, said flange having an upper surface substantially flush with the top of the panel; and a side plate on the one side of the next panel adjacent the bracket and outwardly of the gasket and depending substantially to the bottom edge of the latter.

Claim 7

The structure defined in claim 2 in which the engageable means on the first panel includes pins adapted to depend into complementary openings associated with a coaming for the hatchway.

Claim 8

The structure defined in claim 2 in which one of the panels is adapted to cover an end portion of the hatchway and including sealing means carried by said one panel for effecting a seal between that side thereof remote from the interengageable means and the corresponding end of the hatchway.

Claim 9

The structure defined in claim 1 in which the interengageable means includes a pair of aligning flanges, one on each end of one of the panels and projecting transversely outwardly beyond that side thereof against which the next panel will be installed, the spacing between said flanges being slightly greater than the length of the next panel for snug reception of a side portion of the latter between said flanges, a pair of pins, one on each end at one side of said next panel and projecting longitudinally beyond said end, said flanges having notches for snugly receiving said pins.

Claim 10

The structure defined in claim 1 in which the sealing means is vertically compressibly engageable.

Claim 11

The structure defined in claim 1 including releasable dogging means for securing the ends of the panels to the side edge portions of the hatchway, the dogging means for securing at least all of said panels, except said first panel, having a loose fit between parts thereof longitudinally of the hatchway in order to accommodate width variations of said panels within manUfacturing tolerances.

Claim 12

The combination of a generally rectangular hatchway and a hatch cover therefor comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels successively installable side-by-side from a first installable panel transversely of and to cover, and successively removable toward said first panel to uncover, at least a portion of said hatchway, complementary means fixed on said first panel and the edge of said hatchway engageable on installation of said first panel to fix the latter against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to said hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and interengageable on successive installation thereof to fix each successively installed panel against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the next precedingly installed panel; sealing means carried by said panels for effecting a seal between each successively installed panel and the panel to be precedingly installed adjacent thereto; and additional sealing means carried by one of, a marginal edge of said hatchway and said panels, for compressive sealing engagement with the other on installation of said panels to provide a water-tight seal between the latter and the hatchway about the entire periphery thereof, whereby width variations of each panel within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with said hatchway and with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 13

The combination of a generally rectangular hatchway and a hatch cover therefor comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels successively installable side-by-side from a first installable panel transversely of and to cover, and successively removable toward said first panel to uncover, at least a portion of said hatchway, complementary means fixed on said first panel and the edge of said hatchway engageable on installation of said first panel to fix the latter against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to said hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and interengageable on successive installation thereof to fix each successively installed panel against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the next precedingly installed panel; sealing means carried by said panels for effecting a seal between each successively installed panel and the panel to be precedingly installed adjacent thereto; and additional sealing means carried by one of, a marginal edge of said hatchway and said panels, for compressive sealing engagement with the other on installation of said panels to provide a water-tight seal between the latter and the hatchway about the entire periphery thereof, whereby width variations of each panel within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with said hatchway and with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 14

The structure defined in claim 11 in which the last panel to be installed is adapted to cover an end portion of the hatchway and in which the additional sealing means includes sealing means carried by said last panel on its undersurface for effecting a seal with a marginal edge surface of the corresponding end of said hatchway, said surface being wide enough to present a range of loci of sealing engagement thereof by said sealing means.

Claim 15

The structure defined in claim 11 including releasable dogging means for securing the ends of the panels to the side edge portions of the hatchway, the dogging means for securing at least all of said panels, except said first panel, having a loose fit between parts thereof longitudinally of the hatchway in order to accommodate width variations of said panels within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 16

A hatch cover comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels installable side-by-side transversely of and to cover a generally rectangular hatchway surrounded by a marginal edge portion, said panels being successively installable from and successively removable toward a first installable panel; means fixed on said first panel engageable on installation with complementary means fixedly associated with a hatchway to fix said first panel against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and interengageable on the successive installation of the remainder of said panels to fix each of said remaining panels against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the precedingly installed panel adjacent thereto; sealing means carried by one of, the marginal edge portion of the hatchway and said panels, for compressive sealing engagement with the other on installation of said panels to provide a water-tight seal between the latter and the hatchway about the entire periphery thereof; and sealing means carried by certain of said panels along their sides for compressive sealing engagement with the side of the panel adjacent thereto on installation to provide a water-tight seal between said panels, whereby width variations of each panel within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with said hatchway and with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways Having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 17

A hatch cover comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels installable side-by-side transversely of and to cover a generally rectangular hatchway surrounded by a marginal edge portion, said panels being successively installable from and successively removable toward a first installable panel; means fixed on said first panel engageable on installation with complementary means fixedly associated with a hatchway to fix said first panel against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and interengageable on the successive installation of the remainder of said panels to fix each of said remaining panels against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the precedingly installed panel adjacent thereto; sealing means carried by one of, the marginal edge portion of the hatchway and said panels, for compressive sealing engagement with the other on installation of said panels to provide a water-tight seal between the latter and the hatchway about the entire periphery thereof; and sealing means carried by certain of said panels along their sides for compressive sealing engagement with the side of the panel adjacent thereto on installation to provide a water-tight seal between said panels, whereby width variations of each panel within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with said hatchway and with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways Having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 18

The structure defined in claim 14 in which the first panel is adapted to be installed at one end of the hatchway.

Claim 19

The structure defined in claim 14 wherein the first panel is adapted to be installed intermediate the ends of the hatchway.

Claim 20

The structure defined in claim 14 in which the first-mentioned sealing means are carried by all the panels along their ends and by the panels installable at the ends of the hatchway along the sides of such panels which are adjacent the hatchway ends on installation.

Claim 21

The structure defined in claim 14 in which the second-mentioned sealing means are carried by the remainder of the panels along the sides thereof to face the first panel on installation.

Claim 22

The structure defined in claim 14 in which the sealing means carried by certain of said panels is vertically compressibly sealingly engageable with the side of the panel adjacent thereto.

Claim 23

The combination of a generally-rectangular hatchway surrounded by a marginal edge portion and a hatch cover therefor comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels installable side-by-side transversely of said hatchway, said panels being successively installable from and successively removable toward a first installable panel; complementary means fixedly associated with said first panel and said hatchway edge portion engageable on installation of said first panel to fix the latter against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to said hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and inter-engageable on successive installation of the remainder of said panels to fix each of said remaining panels against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the next precedingly installed panel adjacent thereto; sealing means carried by one of, said hatchway marginal edge portion and said panels, for compressive sealing engagement with the other on installation of said panels to provide a water-tight seal between the latter and said marginal edge portion about the entire periphery of said hatchway; and sealing means carried by certain of said panels along their sides for compressive sealing engagement with the side of the panel adjacent thereto on installation to provide a water-tight seal between said panels, whereby width variations of the panels within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with said hatchway and with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 24

The combination of a generally-rectangular hatchway surrounded by a marginal edge portion and a hatch cover therefor comprising: a plurality of separate generally rectangular panels installable side-by-side transversely of said hatchway, said panels being successively installable from and successively removable toward a first installable panel; complementary means fixedly associated with said first panel and said hatchway edge portion engageable on installation of said first panel to fix the latter against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to said hatchway; means fixedly associated with said panels and inter-engageable on successive installation of the remainder of said panels to fix each of said remaining panels against horizontal movement in a predetermined position relative to the next precedingly installed panel adjacent thereto; sealing means carried by one of, said hatchway marginal edge portion and said panels, for compressive sealing engagement with the other on installation of said panels to provide a water-tight seal between the latter and said marginal edge portion about the entire periphery of said hatchway; and sealing means carried by certain of said panels along their sides for compressive sealing engagement with the side of the panel adjacent thereto on installation to provide a water-tight seal between said panels, whereby width variations of the panels within manufacturing tolerances do not adversely affect water-tight installation of all of said panels with said hatchway and with each other and whereby said panels are each interchangeably usable on different hatchways having length variations within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 25

The structure defined in claim 20 in which the first panel is adapted to be installed at one end of the hatchway.

Claim 26

The structure defined in claim 20 in which the first panel is adapted to be installed intermediate the ends of the hatchway.

Claim 27

The structure defined in claim 20 in which the first-mentioned sealing means are carried by all the panels along their ends and by the panels installable at the ends of the hatchway along the sides of such panels which are adjacent the ends of the hatchway on installation.

Claim 28

The structure defined in claim 20 in which the second-mentioned sealing means are carried by the remainder of the panels along the sides thereof facing the first panel on installation.

Claim 29

The structure defined in claim 20 including releasable dogging means for securing the ends of the panels to the side edge portions of the hatchway, the dogging means for securing the remainder of said panels having a loose fit between parts thereof longitudinally of the hatchway in order to accommodate width variations of said panels within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 30

The structure defined in claim 25 including releasable dogging means for securing the sides of the panels installable at the hatchway ends to the corresponding hatchway end edge portions, said dogging means having a loose fit betWeen parts longitudinally of the hatchway in order to accommodate width variations of said panels within manufacturing tolerances.

Claim 31

The structure defined in claim 20 in which the sealing means carried by certain of said panels is vertically compressibly sealingly engageable with the side of the panel adjacent thereto.