IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR RAISING SUNken SHIPS OR OTHER BODIES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Herapath Siebe and William Augustus
Gorman, both of Denmark Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex,
Submarine Engineers, and Thomas Christy, junior, of Fenchurch
Street, in the City of London, Contractor, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR RAISING SUNken
SHIPS OR OTHER BODIES.”
Scaled the 4th June 1872, and dated the 20th December 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Herapath Siebe,
William Augustus Gorman, and Thomas Christy at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 20th
December 1871.
We, HENRY HERAPATH SIEBE and WILLIAM AUGUSTUS GORMAN,
both of Denmark Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Submarine
Engineers, and THOMAS CHRISTY, junior, of Fenchurch Street, in the
City of London, Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of the said

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR RAISING
SUNKEN SHIPS OR OTHER BODIES," to be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of
vessels for the purpose of raising sunken ships or other bodies. Hereto-
fore attempts have been made to employ for the above-mentioned purpose
vessels of various constructions, which have been proposed to be used
conjointly, and where two vessels have been proposed to be used, one on
each side of the sunken ship or other body intended to be raised. Such
attempts have not been successful owing to the want of a proper connexion
being established and preserved when two or more vessels have been so
proposed to be used.
According to our Invention we employ a vessel consisting of a single
structure so constructed that its two lateral parts run parallel or nearly
so to each other for a considerable portion of the vessel's length, and are
gradually curved towards each other at their fore ends, where they unite
in the form of a single bow built somewhat like the bow of an ordinary
vessel. The rear ends of the two parts or portions of the vessel are
rigidly connected together at a considerable distance above the vessel's
water line, by means of a bridge or connecting structure passing over
the space between the two parts or portions of the hull, and firmly
secured thereto and to their kelsons. This bridge or connecting structure
is in some cases made capable of temporary removal or change of
position.
Our plan of constructing the vessel with a free open space between
the lateral parts, and with a free opening at the stern where the two
lateral parts are when required connected by means of a connecting
bridge or other suitable structure placed above the water line as described,
enables the vessel to be readily moved stern foremost into position; for
raising a sunken ship or other body even when portions of such sunken
ship or body extend to or above the level of the water in which it
is sunk.
The free space provided as above described between the two parts or
portions of the hull is made of sufficient length and width to allow of a
sunken ship or other body being raised by means of suitable hydraulic
apparatus or tackle and gearing, or by any suitable raising machinery
into position between the said two parts or portions, and to be there

page_text: securely held or supported, whereupon the ship or body so raised can be
towed away by our improved vessel, which is provided as well with
suitable lifting machinery as with suitable engines and propelling and
steering apparatus.
We build this peculiarly constructed vessel in water-tight compart-
ments of the usual construction, provided with strengthening girders or
bulkheads, and furnished with cocks or sluice valves and pumping
machinery, so as to admit water into the water-tight compartments for
lowering the vessel as required, and to afterwards remove such water
from the said compartments to obtain the necessary floating power for
raising the sunken ship or body.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Herapath Siebe, William Augustus Gorman,
and Thomas Christy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
HERAPATH SIEBE and WILLIAM AUGUSTUS GORMAN, both of Denmark
Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Submarine Engineers, and
THOMAS CHRISTY, junior, of Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Contractor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Henry Herapath Siebe, William Augustus
Gorman, and Thomas Christy, Her special licence that wc, the said
Henry Herapath Sicbe, William Augustus Gorman, and Thomas Christy,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Henry Herapath Sicbe, William Augustus Gorman, and Thomas
Christy, our 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS
OR OTHER BODIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Henry Herapath Siebe, William Augustus Gorman, and Thomas
Christy, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and
scals, 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 1
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Herapath Siebe, on behalf
of myself and the said William Augustus Gorman and Thomas Christy,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described 1
and ascertained in and by the following statement, and the Drawings
therein referred to :-
Hereto-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of
vessels for the purpose of raising sunken ships or other bodies.
fore attempts have been made to employ for the above-mentioned 2
purpose vessels of various constructions, which have been proposed to be
used conjointly, and where two vessels have been proposed to be
used, one on each side of the sunken ship or other body intended to be
raised. Such attempts have not been successful owing to the want of
a proper connexion being established and preserved when two or more 2
vessels have been so proposed to be used.
According to our Invention we employ a vessel constructed as shewn
in the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan of the vessel;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a back elevation, and
Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line A, B, of Fig. 1.
3
Our improved vessel consists of a single structure so constructed that
its two lateral parts a, a, run parallel or nearly so to each other for a
considerable portion of the vessel's length, and are gradually curved
towards each other at their fore ends where they unite in the form of a
single bow 6, built somewhat like the bow of an ordinary vessel as 35
shewn. The rear ends of the two parts or portions a, a, of the vessel

page_text: are rigidly connected together at a considerable distance above the
vessel's water line-by means of a bridge or connecting structure c, passing
over the space between the two parts or portions a, a, of the hull, 'and
firmly secured thereto and to their kelsons. .
.I
!
Our plan of constructing the vessel with a free open space d, between
the lateral parts a, a, and with a free opening at the stern where the two
lateral parts are connected by means of the connecting bridge c, placed
above the water line as described, enables the vessel to be readily moved
stern foremost into position for raising a sunken ship or other body e, even
when-portions of such sunken ship or body extend to or above.the.level
of the water in which it is sunk.
-
The free space d provided as above described between the two parts or
portions of the hull is made of sufficient length and width to allow of a
sunken ship or other body being raised by means of suitable raising
machinery and tackle g, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, into position
between the two parts or portions a, a, and to be there securely held or
supported, whereupon the ship or body so raised can be towed or moved
away by our improved vessel, which is provided with suitable engines
and propelling and' steering apparatus of the ordinary construction as
used in steam vessels.
'
We build this peculiarly constructed vessel in water-tight compart-
ments of the usual construction, provided with strengthening girders or
bulkheads, and furnished with cocks or sluice valves and pumping
machinery so as to admit water into the water-tight compartments for
lowering the vessel as required, and to afterwards remove such water
from the said compartments to obtain the necessary floating power for
raising the sunken ship or body. Hydraulic lifts of the kind well-known
as Clark's patent may in some cases be substituted for the lifting
machinery shown in the Drawings.'
And having now described the nature of our said Invention and the
manner of performing the same, we hereby declare that we do not claim
as of our Invention or the exclusive use of the several parts herein-before
described or referred to, except when the same are used, in and for our
said Invention, which we hereby declare to consist in the construction of
vessels for raising sunken ships or other bodies in which two lateral
parts a, a, uniting in the form of an ordinary bow b, are connected at

page_text: their rear ends by means of a connecting structure or bridge c, above
the water line, and provided with lifting apparatus arranged for raising
sunken ships or other bodies, all substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Herapath Siebe, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
HENRY HEREPATH SIEBE. (L.S.)