IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN OR WRECKED VESSELS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and
Company, Patent Agents, of 85, Gracechurch Street, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RAISING
SUNKEN OR WRECKED VESSELS."-A communication from abroad by
Henry Francis Knapp, of New York, in the United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th December 1872.
I, ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent
Agents, of 85, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR RAISING SUNKEN OR WRECKED VESSELS," a communication from abroad
by Henry Francis Knapp, of New York, in the United States of America,
to be as follows:

page_text: vessel when the wreck is either partially or fully buried in sand or mud,
which I propose to accomplish by the following means:-I force water
through a tube by a pump, so that the stream of water shall form or cut
a passage for the tube, to enter and be moved ahead, the tube being
manipulated along and under the side and bottom of the wreck by the
operator, while the water is flowing through the said tube. After the
mouth of the tube is worked through the mud to a short distance past
the keel of the wreck, a carrier float of light specific gravity (for example,
cork or an inflated bag) with one end of a string attached to it is placed
in the said tube, and forced through it and out of it into the mud under
the wreck. I then force a current of air, in place of water, through the
said tube, by which a passage will be formed or cut by the air on the
opposite side of the wreck to that at which the tube entered, to enable
the aforesaid carrier float to raise through the mud with the string
attached thereto up to the surface of the water, the other end of the
said string having been retained by the operator, who now gets hold of
the carrier float, and so has the two ends of the string, the middle
section of the string being under the wreck.
The operator then proceeds to remove the tube, and attach a stronger
cord or line to one end of the aforesaid string, and hauls up the said cord
or string, and continues hauling stronger lines under the wreck in place
of those previously passed under until he has one strong enough. to drag
a heavy lifting chain cable under the wreck for raising it.
In case the aforesaid carrier float refuses to rise through the sand or
mud, I propose to employ a small torpedo inserted through the tube, and
explode it in the mud, which will quickly remove all obstructions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEX- 30
ANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents,
of 85, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Browne, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexander Browne, my executors, administrators,
3 and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Browne, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN OR WRECKED VESSELS," a communication,
from abroad by Henry Francis Knapp, of New York, in the United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alexander Browne, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Browne, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say:-
This Invention is designed to obviate a great difficulty hitherto
experienced, namely, that of getting chains under a sunken or wrecked
vessel when the wreck is either partially or fully buried in sand or mud,
which I propose to accomplish by the following means :-I force water
through a tube by a pump, so that the stream of water shall form a cut
or passage for the tube to enter and be moved ahead, the tube being
manipulated along and under the side and bottom of the wreck by the
operator, while the water is flowing through the said tube. After the
mouth of the tube is worked through the mud to a short distance past
the keel of the wreck, a carrier float of light specific gravity (for example,
cork, or an inflated bag) with one end of a string attached to it is placed
in the said tube, and forced through it and out of it into the mud under
the wreck. I then force a current of air, in place of water, through the
said tube, by which a passage will be formed or cut by the air on the

page_text: opposite side of the wreck to that at which the tube entered, to enable
the aforesaid carrier float to raise through the mud with the string
attached thereto up to the surface of the water, the other end of the said
string having been retained by the operator, who now gets hold of the
carrier float, and so has the two ends of the string, the middle section of
the string being under the wreck.
The operator then proceeds to remove the tube, and attach a stronger
cord or line to one end of the aforesaid string, and hauls up the said
cord or string, and continues hauling stronger lines under the wreck in
place of those previously passed under until he has one strong enough to
drag a heavy lifting chain cable under the wreck for raising it.
In case the aforesaid carrier float refuses to rise through the sand or
mud, I propose to employ a small torpedoe inserted through the. tube,
and explode it in the mud, which will quickly remove all obstructions.
For fuller explanation of the manner of operating, I will explain by
reference to the annexed Drawing, where similar letters mark similar
parts on the said Drawing.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 are alike in all respects, except that the tube
in Figure 2 is built of jointed curves.
A, Figure 1, represents an end sectional view of a sunken vessel par-
tially buried in sand or mud G, and lying at considerable depth under
the surface of water at W. The tube B of small size is lowered from the
operating boat H till its lower end (which is curved so as to pass freely
under the bilge and keel of the wreck) rests on top of the mud at G
close alongside of the wreck. The upper end of the tube B reaches above
the surface of the water, and is connected to the steam pump D by
means of a flexible hose F of sufficient length to allow of the manipula-
tion and movements of the tube B as it is being worked through the
mud and under the wreck. The pump D is now started, and a stream
of water forced through the tube B, which stream, coming out of its
mouth, cuts a clear passage through the mud for the tube to enter,
following the line of the wreck down to and past the keel, the current of
water at the same time completely keeping the tube clear of sand and
mud, and the tube being properly manipulated by downward pressure
and swaying movement, so that it will quickly follow up the opening
made for it by the force of the water. It is only necessary to carry the
mouth of the tube a little beyond the keel of the wreck, but by making

page_text: the tube of jointed curves (as shown in Figure 2) it can be carried
entirely around the keel and up the opposite side of the wreck, if wished.
I now stop pumping water, and force a strong blast of air through the
tube B, which must find an outlet in an upward direction, and this
outlet will be a passage at V up alongside the opposite side of the wreck
if the mouth of the tube has passed the keel; if it has not, it must be
advanced there, as before described. The bubbles of air coming up to
the surface of the water will definitely show if it has passed the keel.
pump
is
At Figure 1, a, a, are small perforations or holes in the tube B to
permit of an escape of a small quantity of water out of the tube for
the purpose of softening or liquifying the sand or mud on the outside of
the tube for facilitating the movement and progress of the tube in the
The air
sand or otherwise making it more easy to manipulate.
now stopped and the hose F unscrewed. Into the tube B I place the
carrier float K. with a string S attached to it by one end, the other end
being passed through a small aperture in the hose F, and retained on
board the wrecking boat; the hose is again screwed on the tube B, and
a force of water sufficient to carry the float down through the tube and
out into the mud is pumped through the tube. Now to carry the float
up through the mud on the opposite side of the wreck I pump air instead
of water into the tube, which will force the float up and cut a passage V
for it, at the same time the float raising to the surface of the water by
I now detach the hose,
its own gravity after passing through the mud.
and tying a stronger line to the string S haul it under the wreck to take
the place of the string S. I then withdraw the tube B, leaving the line
undisturbed, and by this line continue hauling under the wreck suc-
cessively stronger lines till one is obtained sufficiently strong to haul
under the lifting chain cable necessary to raise the wreck. I repeat this
operation along different lengths of the wreck till I have under a
sufficient number of chain cables to raise it.
The manner of operating the tube B when it is constructed of jointed
curves is the same as before described, except that the curved joints are
put on successively as they enter the muḍ beneath the wreck, and by
facing in an opposite direction to the others the last one put on, as
shown in joint M, Figure 2 (which may be turned like the others when
the next joint is put on), so as to maintain an upright position for the
unner end of the tube.

page_text: Having now described the nature of this Invention for "Improved
Apparatus for Raising Sunken or Wrecked Vessels," and the means by
which it may be effected, I hereby declare this Invention to consist in,
and I claim, passing chains under a wreck or sunken vessel by means of
a tube arranged, constructed, and operated as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
ALEX. BROWNE. (L.S.)