The Washington herald., 1907-04-14
INYENTS DIVING SUIT
Takao IWanmi Secures a
Patent on Apparatus.
RECEIVERS SUNKEN TREASURE
Japanese Inventor Hopes TO Raise
Wrecks from Bottom OF Seaside
Work Possible at Depth Twice as
Great as HeretOfOre-Lives Here.

Evolution Of the marine world, the rails
ing Of battle ships that have been sunken
the bringing TO the surface Of treasure
vessels that went TO the bottom years
and years ago, as we'll as sunken mer-
chant boats in all parts OF the world, is
promised by the invention of a Washing
ton mana japanese, whose ingenious
brain has been at work at the task a
long time. principally for the benefit OF
his own nation TO enable it to gain posses
sion Of Russian battle ships lost in the
late war.
Takao Iwanmi. a japanese employed in
tho draughting division OF the Southern
Railway in this city, has invented div
ing apparatus with which efforts are to
be made TO raise the ships Of war that
were sunk during the engagements be
tween Japan and Russia. Two OF the
sunlKen vessels are OF the Russian type
while the same number are those of the
inventors native land. The ships are al
the bottom of the sea. all within IA
dius of ten miles from Port Arthur.
Iwanmi has been at work on the inven-
tion i've years only recently has he
perfected the OUTFIT. however, and not
long ago he had his apparatus patented
The inventor lives at 24S Third street
northwest, and has been in Washington
several years. He is of an inventive
turn of mind, and has many other devices
that he is laboring on from time TO time
Feature of Iyyanmi's Invention.
The feature Of IwanmIs diving suit is
al diver
go 20 a depth of 800 feet In the water
This has been the weak point of othel
inventions Of this character. owing to the
fact that they were not made TO resist
the pressure OF the water below some
timing like $50 feet Another feature o
IwanmFs apparatus is that by means o
the pumping machinery and the lines O
hose. the man at work Tar below the
waters surface viii be able TO remain
al his task for hours at a time. The an
will be supplied by a machine which Il
run by a storage battery The hoaunl
paraphernaHa viii be different from tina
now.in use. in that it viii not be boat
but a vertical floating buoy This vii
contain an assistant or two, and the al
machinery leading to the man working
800 feet below
After reaching the vessel as it rests OF
the bottom of the sea, it Will be com
paratively an easy task 20 bring the ole
hun 10 the surface Having gained hi
pOint, the diver viii set about 10 locau
the holes and openings in the wrecke'
ship If the ship went down, as di'
hose Of the Russians and the Japanes
as wei, lhe holes made by the shot ant
shell viii be fOund and repaired. Thei
the port holes. the matches, and the gang
ways will be inspected. and where neces
sarv, repaired 10 such an extent that the
will become water tight After this tasl
has been completed, additional apparatu
Will be brought into use. and the work o
pumping the water from the hull will b
started,
Wrecks VIII Be Raised.
Holes win be bored in the sides Of tn
ship. and into these pipe lines will be ex
tended. The line viii be attached to pow
erfuI pumping engines in a vessel on Oh
waters surface and, slowly but surely
the water from the inside Of the wrecke'
boat viii be brought out. When this la
been accomplished the holes will b
plugged. the temporary anchors removed
and. according 10 all calculations of IN
inventor the steel hull viii ascend rap
idly to the top. Here it VIII be attached
TO a line and tOWed To the nearest ship
yard TO once again enter the service o
the marine shipping interest of the world
Iwanmi has already received an offe
for one of his diving suits He is TO re
ceive 81, 500 for il as soon as placed aboar'
q ship consigned 10 the parties inter
ested, who are in Japan. The apparatu
Is To be made in Baltimore. It viii b.
much like other diving suits but Will b
made stronger by the use of steel ribs
These ribs viii be all through the rubber
about half an inch apart. and will max
Il possible for the diver to go to a mucl
greater depth and stand the water pres
sure than has ever been accomplished b.
means of the other inventions. Eventu
ally, Iwanmi expects TO turn his atten
tion altogether TO the business which vii
be brought about by means of his inyen