IMPROVED SHUTTERS SUITABLE FOR EASY TRANSPORT

Description

2 this can be assembled into a single unit in a watertight manner using locating bolts. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 5 The invention relates to a modular hatch system for closing off a space, comprising at least one top plating formed by a flat and / or checker plate, at least two side walls positioned on either side of the top plating, and a series of connecting means for mechanical assembly on site, characterized by the fact that the top plating is divided into multiple segments10 and is provided with welded reinforcement profiles on the underside at the factory, where the side walls are executed with recesses or folds for receiving the segments and the system is designed to assemble all parts using locating bolts without local welding, so that a watertight and mechanically strong unit is created so that the divided form can be transported in a single container15.The advantage is that the system as a whole can be manufactured in separate parts, fits easily into a standard container, and can be fully assembled using locating bolts without on-site welding, ensuring structural quality and significantly reducing transport and assembly costs. In a preferred shape, the top plating is provided with square cutouts and the side walls with corresponding oval holes, so that locating bolts with a square shank secure themselves in the top plating and a single installer can perform assembly from the underside, while the oval shape provides tolerances and alignment possibilities. The advantage is that the locating bolts automatically lock into the square cutouts, so that only one person is needed to tighten the bolts. The oval holes provide extra clearance for tolerances, which facilitates assembly and easily accommodates any production tolerances.30 In a further preferred form, the sidewall comprises a Type 1 configuration with a vertical recess entering from the top, into which the segments of the top plating can be lowered from above and in which drainage holes or openings for rainwater and condensation are located in the upper part. The advantage of this 35 conclusion is that the top plating can be placed effortlessly into the recesses from the top, allowing for quick disassembly and ensuring that any water accumulating at the top is drained through the openings, which prevents leaks and extends the lifespan of the hatch. In a further preferred form, the sidewall comprises a Type 2 configuration with at least one notch hole, an extra fold, and a folded support shaped in such a way that the top plating can be slid diagonally between the fold and the folded support, after which locking is achieved by means of locating bolts, and any water drainage takes place via the notch holes.The advantage of this conclusion is that the cladding can be installed from the side at an angle, which is particularly useful in confined spaces, and that water drainage through the holes is efficiently realized, preventing moisture from accumulating in the structure. In a further preferred configuration, the bottom plating comprises a bottom gutter with multiple pleated sections forming a double gutter in combination with an adjacent top plate, such that water drainage is guided along the underside of the hatch and the bottom gutter is connected to the top plates by means of locating bolts or screws. The advantage is that water is drained in a controlled manner along the underside and the sealed connection between the bottom gutter and plating ensures a high degree of watertightness, which is essential for protecting the underlying cargo space. In a further preferred configuration, the rubber gutter on the opposite side of the bottom gutter is provided with mounting holes for rivets, with which a rubber seal can be secured to an extra aluminium strip, so that an adjacent hatch or shield is overlapped watertight.The advantage is that a reliable rubber seal can be installed without complex fastening techniques, allowing a watertight overlapping connection to be made with an adjacent hatch. This increases the flexibility of the system and prevents water ingress between hatches. In a further preferred shape, including reinforcement profiles welded at the factory to the underside of the top plating, there is at least one U-profile, characterized by sides folded at an angle of approx. 110° and supported by means of fitting bolts against an extra fold or wrap in the side wall. In a further version, the shape supports the U-profiles along a first side directly on an extra wrap in the side wall, and along a second side the U-profiles are bolted to the top fold of the side wall. BE2026 / 7100 4 In a further execution, the form-supporting U-profiles along one side are mounted directly onto an extra fold in the side wall, and on the other side, the U-profiles are bolted to an upper fold of the side wall. This is to increase the stiffness of the hatch.The advantage of this is that the U-profiles provide extra strength and stability without the hatch sections taking up unnecessary space during transport, as the 110° folds simplify stacking and coupling. In a further preferred form, the top plating is constructed from both flat plates and checker plates, in which a W-profile is welded onto the seam between the flat plates and the checker plates, so that the transition is additionally reinforced and the whole can be assembled without local welding work. The advantage of this is that the W-profiles reinforce the point where two different plates meet, so that no weakening occurs at the transition from flat to checker plate. Moreover, on-site welding is not necessary, since all critical weld seams are executed in the factory. In a further preferred form, the entire hatch system is designed so that all components, including the side walls, the top plating with welded reinforcement profiles, the bottom gutter and the rubber gutter, can be stacked compactly into separate parts to fit into a standard 40-foot open-top container.The advantage of this is that transport and logistics are greatly simplified, because a complete set of hatches for a single space can be loaded into one container. This shortens delivery times and makes the system applicable worldwide with minimal transport costs. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Below follows an example of how hatches, their parts and the corresponding 30 figures can be described in full sentences in the manner one would do in a patent specification. The given reference numbers (No. 1, No. 10, No. 15, No. 18, No. 20, etc.) correspond to the descriptions and drawings included above. 35 Figure 1 shows in a schematic perspective view a part of the assembled shutter in which the bottom gutter(1) and the top plating(4,7) are fitted in place BE2026 / 7100 5. The bottom gutter(1) is a flat, folded aluminium sheet of preferably 2.5 mm thickness, provided with angled folds(1c,1d) at an angle of approximately 110°.This lower gutter(1) serves as the lower closing plate and contributes to water drainage; to this end, additional upright or straight sections have been installed at the height of (1a) and (1b) which can form a double gutter in combination with plates A(no.4) or B(no.7). The upper plating(4,7) connects to the lower gutter(1), whereby the fitting bolts, which are inserted through the laser-cut square cutouts(20), firmly and watertightly connect the two plates together. Figure 2 shows in cross-section drawing how side wall Type 1 (10) and 10 top side of the plating relate to each other. In this example, the top plating is lowered along the top side into the recesses (10b) of the side wall (10). The side wall (10) consists of flat, folded aluminium plates with a thickness of 5 to 6 mm and contains, among other things, an upright surface (10a), which determines the height of the hatch, and a top fold (10d), in which drainage holes are provided. This top fold (10d) helps to drain condensation or rainwater.There is also a slanted fold (10g) at the bottom of the side wall, which forms an angle of approximately 110° and thus contributes to the easy stacking and transport of the individual parts in a container. Alternatively, the said angle can be approximately 90°.20 Figure 3 shows a detail of the same side wall Type 1 (10), but with emphasis on the top edge. Here it is clearly visible that the U-profiles (18) are welded to the underside of the top plating and rest on the extra fold (10e). In this view one can also see the recess in the top fold (10c) in which a lifting hook 25 can be attached for safe handling during assembly or production. The U-profile (18) has slanted sections (18a, 18c) that determine the stiffness and a straight middle section (18b). The slanted sections are against the underside of the top plate. connected, preferably by means of a welded connection. The side wall (10) is also provided with recesses (10f) for the standard stainless steel handles and locking device. Figure 4 illustrates side wall Type 2 (11), provided with the so-called 'merkel holes' (11b).This sidewall is also made of flat, folded aluminium plates of comparable thickness (5 to 6 mm). Instead of lowering the top plating from the top into the recesses, the plate is inserted from the side in this type of sidewall. As shown in the figure, the top plating slides diagonally between the extra fold (11c) and a folded support (15), which is welded to the sidewall. The marking holes (11b) form recesses in the vertical wall, allowing water collected on the top plating to be drained to the outside. The recess (11d) in the sidewall also accommodates stainless steel handles and / or locking trays. The bottom of the sidewall features another diagonal fold (11e) at an angle of approximately 110°, designed for easy stacking and transport. Figure 5 shows the detail of the folded support (15) in combination with the top plating (4,7). In Figure 2 it is clearly visible that the top plating is made with square holes (20), into which fitting bolts with a square shank 10 are inserted.The corresponding oval holes in the side wall (or in the support piece (15)) provide enough clearance to position the plate correctly, after which the installer can tighten the bolt from below. Part (15b) of the folded support is straight and contains the oval hole, while the angled sections (15a, 15c) fit the shape of the lower gutters and / or top plating. 15 Figures 14 and 15 show the lower gutter (1) and the rubber gutter (12) on either side of the top plating. The rubber gutter (12) shows similar angles and straight sections (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) as the lower gutter, but is also provided with holes (12e) for fitting a rubber seal and an extra aluminium strip. 20 This strip overlaps the adjacent hatch or shield, so that everything can be sealed watertight. is. Here too, locating bolts and / or rivets ensure that the gutter is held in place without the need for welding in place. Figure 7 shows the top side of the hatch where, on one side, 25 recesses (10b) have been made in the side wall (10).The top plating (4,7) is lowered into these recesses from above, which ensures relatively quick and simple installation. The dimensions and tolerances of these recesses (10b) have been chosen so that the top plating fits smoothly but without play. Condensation can drain away through the holes in (10d). This reduces the risk of rust formation or other moisture problems. Figure 8 then shows the other side of the same prototype, where the so-called Merkel holes (11b) are used. Here the assembly is different: the top plating is placed at an angle in the side wall, between the fold (11c) and the folded support (15). The locating bolts in the square holes (20) are inserted from the top. Because the oval holes in the side wall BE2026 / 7100 7 (11) or in the support (15) offer some extra space, the disassembler can shift the plate slightly for perfect alignment. Once everything is in position, the connection is fixed with nuts at the bottom.Finally, Figure 9 shows an overview of the fully assembled hatch, in which the bottom channel (1), the top plating (4,7), the rubber channel (12) and the side walls (10,11) are visible. In this state, the hatch is ready for transport and can be mounted on the space or loading compartment to be protected. The aforementioned U-profiles (18) and any W-profiles (19) are located in this overview mostly on the underside of the top plating, where they provide extra strength and a seamless transition between different plates. The complete hatch set, in its assembled form, can be transported in a single 40-foot open-top container to the end user, who, thanks to its clear hole and folding configuration, is able to mount the hatch without a welding workshop. 15 This description has shown that the combination of recesses (10b, 11b), folds (1c, 1d, 11c), folded supports (15), U-profiles (18) and W-profiles (19) ensures that the hatch can be assembled extremely easily and modularly.The watertight property is ensured by the double-gutter profile of the bottom gutter(1) and rubber gutter(12), while the sealing holes(11b) and any other drainage holes(10d) efficiently drain the water from the cladding. Thanks to square recesses(20) in the top cladding, into which fitting bolts are inserted, only one fitter is needed to tighten the bolts, which significantly reduces assembly time and eliminates the need for specialized welding personnel. The complete hatch system is therefore distinguished by cost-effectiveness, stability and watertightness, combined with great ease of use during transport and assembly. On one side of the prototype, recesses (10b) are provided in the side wall (10), into which the top plating (4,7) can be lowered from above. Folded supports (15) are fitted along the underside, which facilitate the positioning of the top plating. In addition, the U-profiles (18), which provide extra strength and are welded in the underside of the top plating, rest on the extra fold (10e) of the side wall (10).This increases the structural stability of the whole.35 BE2026 / 7100 8 Along this side of the hatch, square recesses(20) have been laser-cut into the top plating, while corresponding oval holes have been made in the side wall(10). This provides sufficient clearance for possible adjustment during disassembly. An additional advantage is that square shank locating bolts can be inserted into the square recesses(20) of the top plating, so that only one person can tighten the bolts from the bottom. This eliminates the need for an extra fitter to hold the bolts at the top. The bottom groove(1) forms the last plate in the assembly and is also secured with locating bolts. Thanks to the fold-over under the subsequent plate, a watertight seal is achieved. The other side of the prototype makes use of the so-called 'Merkel hole' principle, as described by Blommaer. Instead of the top plating (4, 7) being lowered from above, here it is slid diagonally between the extra fold 15 (11c) of the side wall (11) and a folded support (15).Next, locating bolts are inserted from the top to firmly connect the top plating to the side walls (11). Visualization shows that the U-profile (18), which is welded to the bottom of the top plating in Wijne, is also attached to the side wall (11) with a locating bolt. This further contributes to the structural strength of the hatch. Water that lands on the top plating (4,7) is drained via the gutters and flows out through the locating holes (11b) in the side wall. This design makes it possible to transport all parts in a disassembled state, so that a complete hatch set for one room fits in one 40-foot open-top container. Moreover, the entire system can be assembled on site by basic-skilled installers without welding, thanks to the 30 bolt connections. The numbering included in the table (for example, “No. 1” for the left bottom gutter and “No. 10” for a specific type of side wall) corresponds to the various parts and subparts indicated in the drawings.Each row of the 35 table describes a specific element of the hatch, including sub-components (such as 1a, 1b, 1c), followed by a brief description of the function, form or BE2026 / 7100 9 mounting method. In this way, the table provides a clear reference to all components that.

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