Patent GB-240361-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the raising and salving of ships and other sunken objects
IPC: B63C7/12
Filed: 1924-09-04
Abstract: 240,361. Kiwull, W. Sept. 4, 1924. Sunken ships, raising. - In the method of raising sunken ships by employing the formation of ice to form a complete coating or to form ice blocks in the ship preparatory to pumping out the water, !the actual formation of ice is effected through the direct cooling by the refrigerating means of the metal of the ship so as to maintain the metal at a lower temperature than that of the ice, which is produced upcn the cooled surface and remains attached to it. A mat comprising cooling elements may be employed, or a highly cooled liquid of lower specific gravity than water may be introduced into the enclosed spaces within the vessel. The cooling element 1, Fig. 1, is placed in direct contact with the metal 2 of the hull, and the ice 4 forms over the cooling element 1 and along the metal 2 as shown. Refrigerating apparatus 10, Fig. 3, is sunk by means of cables 14 and is supplied with cooling liquid through the pipe 15. From the refrigerating apparatus extend flexible pipes 13, which may have corrugated surfaces or may be of fabric, and which are placed over the opening to be closed. At the same time the metal of the hull is cooled by the method described with reference to Fig. 1, and the ice is thus caused to adhere firmly to the hull. In the method shown in Fig. 5 cooling pipes 16 covered with wood-wool, filamentary metal or fibrel 17 form a mat which is spread over the leak or hatchway, the fibrous material offering a resistance to the flow of water which thus remains in contact with the pipes until frozen. The known leak-closing mats may be employed for ice formation by providing flexible pipes in place of the usual hawsers, or thd mat itself may be formed into a freezing member by making it of double fabric and introducing the cooling medium between the two layers. The ice formation may be localised by the provision of heat insulating layers. Fig. 9 illustrates the use of a cooled liquid such as oil. The hole 21 in the bottom of the ship being inaccessible, a quantity of highly cooled oil 22 is introduced into the vessel, being retained by the plating 23, 24 and the bulkhead 25. The oil spreads uniformly over the water surface, cooling the metal surfaces and forming a layer of ice 26 under the oil layer. The water is then discharged from the space 27 below the ice layer, restoring buoyancy to the wreck. Refrigerating plant 28, Fig. 10, in contact with iron plating of the deck 29 may be used to form an ice layer 30. The wooden deck planks 31 insulate the cooled metal of the deck on the outer side, and the deck beams 32 effectively distribute the cooling effect. The deck openings and hatchways are stopped by the formation of ice layers by one of the methods above described, and when the deck 29 is completely covered with ice, the water is expelled from the hull by means of compressed air. In all the methods described the cooling of the hull causes a contraction which facilitates the detachment of the ship from the bottom. Specifications 219,011 and 243,802 are referred to.