New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-26
. PRESSURE or DEEP WATER
A DIVING BELL CRUSHED IN THE prp,u,
OF LAKE MICHIGAN
From The Pittsburg Dispatch

From The Pittsburg Dispatch. - h..
Lying on It's side In Best. Fox & CO.. scran,...
like giant tina, had met superior foe In srus
gle to the death and gave up the ghost is the 49,
divingbell. that was crushed by the pressure Of a.
water in the depths Of Lake Michigan. 1t arnW
In P.ttsburg few days since, and has been An n
ject OF curiosity and study 10 those who knovt
is here. As 1t lies now among other scrap m
Schon dlving-bell looks like square boiler vii
slightly taperlng ends. that had collapsed. Ins,eM
OF torn metal bending outward. It Is crushed m
Bronze metal an inch thick Is ripped and torn 4
one would tear a straw board. In the same manner
one OF the plates In the angular end was rppei
almost its entire length.
The box was planned by Huber; Schon. a bras
moulder Of this city. II Is or may be called cub
six feet in dimensions although the slightly taper
Ing erds increase its height a few inches. but ns
It's bulk Tho material is phosphor bronze. i've
e.gh,hs Of an inch thick. Each plate was east viA
a fange. and they were bolted together tne bolts
being placed closely together consistent
with strength. The side plates were further
strengthened by ribs an inch thick and inches
wide. There was an opening for lookout on each
Fitted in taese openings were heavy bars, 20 hsaU
that openings only three inches square were pro.
vided. and back OF them were glass plates an inch
in thickness. Through these lookouts the explorer
in the box could survey everything IN sight and TEL
ephone to the opera tors on the surface above.
TIE makers followed the directions OF the H.
ventor, who mad estimated that the pressure at
depth OF 30 feet could not make an impression On
the creature OF his fancy. and in course Of time II
was completed ard loaded for shipment 10 Ch
cago on the II weighed 23.Op) pounds. inserted
In the bottom a short steel shaft Two inches
diameter. To this were 10 be attached weights h
sink the box. The box was shipped 10 Chicago and
PREPARATIONS were made TO test the machine on that
Xiv but since the chart showed a maximum depth
OF seventy feet, Milwaukee was chosen.
In the Beer city preparations for testing the
schon bell were completed by Mr. Lutz schon and
Samuel Harper. Mr. LUIS representative Float.
Ing and towing equipments were secured and pro.
liminary test was decided upon. t." scientists Of
water in that space longer than fifty 10 sixty min.
utes They figured that PIC cubic feet Of air would
be consumed in that time but SchOn. when he went
down in 1t for a test. stayed three hours smoked
burned matches and watched sewage Of the city
float past him. and then only came up because no
With this point settled. he more important one
whether the vessel could Withstand the press
OF the box box They estimated that at 100 feet each
side OF the box would be subjected TO pressure "
$4,000 pounds The actual pressure at thar depth 10
less. But since that weight could not he piled on
each OF the four sides and two ends a the same
strong enough that he wanted TO go down for the
practical test. He was persuaded TO wait for the
Finally all arrangements completed. and
with the bell on a big seow. and steam holster IN
The char; showed that the bed OF the lake q
Milwaukee inclined gradually from the shore ana
when the tug had travelled nearly twelve miles the
depth OF water was considerably more than 200 FEET
A pressure gauge made for the purpose was attached
20 the box. Lashed TO the chains attached 70 tns
end scantling. projecting several Feet 70
either side. Ropes fastened 10 this 10 prevent
the cage from swinging or twisting. Inside I've
strtngers eight by six inches fixed across the
box Just below the window TO add 10 the strength
OF the heavy metal sides and assist In coping WIZ
the pressure under the water. \ ong-distance tel
ephone was also put in working order. and the boz
was closed. To the steel bar in the bottom was al:
tached 5000 pounds OF metal. but this was found
inst ficent sink It, and 100 pounds Of chain were
added
Then the word was given. and the engineer n
lowed the big bronze box TO pass from view
brief stop made to weigh the entire outnt IN:
der water and the result was showing OF ~
pounds Here was hollow tube OF Sx ree' rssnseS
TO 800 pounds submerged. indicating that the weight
OF water displaced was $500 pounds or thirteen
tons. ..
Again the thing started bottom ward Eacn q
the ropes attached to the scantng was arkea ~ -
intervals OF twenty-five feet as check on tns
depth reached. Down. down. 1t went, but IL va
not very long before some one saw the telepno1 ~
come speeches. to the surface and d kne nS' what
meant Then II all the sezer and soda wafer hsf
bong tanks in the National TO- eervescs
and snarkle and presently a great bubble OF ar
burst and all was over. The "ord 70 h h.S, -
was given. and the ill-fated ooH was O''"e"'
view again. .. sr,yar ,nto
one OF the heavy oak mbers was drlvsn h hn.S
itself and splintered TO macnwo9d' Nj Harper says
that according to the ropes the machine was nty
200 feet but the gauge showed pressure o. n'r nd,
ca ,te depth Of sss feet But on basis Of 20
feet the pressure that crushed this seemingly 81
pounds per square inch or sst pounds 70 ,ssre
side OF six I feet e. SQUARE The tsta , pressure
II seems incredible that with the extraordinary
strength Of the bell II should be so crushed. WIZ
a conrlvance that would withstand the pressure ~
deep water II was Mr.. Schon's intention 10 use \.
in locating wrecks, and afterward by the use y
the telephone. 70 direct the work OF aeSS Or n
placing lighter chains about the hulls OF vesseIs
In the ordinary diving dress divers seldom ~.
in more than 100 feet Of water. at which depn -
pressure IA 434 pounds per square inch IL mas ~
claimed that a diver attempted to descend 70 'I H.
wreck OF the Elbe. the Atlantic steamer that ues ~
L the English Channel in 2i0 feet OF water ne We.
brought up almost unconscious from 10 rect VIZ
the pressure was 7S7S pounds per square ihcn'
pressure that few can experience and live.