IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS, DRESSES, AND APPARATUS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO DE EMPLOYED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN SHIPS AND OTHER CONFINED PLACES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Edwin Heinke, of 79, Great Portland Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Submarine Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS, DRESSES, AND APPARATUS, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO DE EMPLOYED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN
SHIPS AND OTHER CONFINED PLACES."
Sealed the 4th July 1862, and dated the 23rd April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Edwin Heinke
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1862.
I, CHARLES EDWIN HEINKE, of 79, Great Portland Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Submarine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS, DRESSES, AND APPARATUS,
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES
IN SHIPS AND OTHER CONFINED PLACES," to be as follows:-
Diving apparatus for enabling submarine operations and explorations to be
carried on consists among other parts, first, of a pumping apparatus for forcing
air from above to the diver beneath the surface of the water; second, of a
helmet or head gear for covering the head, chest, and upper part of the body
of the diver; and, third, of boots and leggings for covering the lower extre-
inities. The present Invention applies to these three parts, and has for its
object to render a diving apparatus available for assisting in extinguishing
fires in ships and other confined places.

page_text: My first improvement relates to the pump, which is constructed as a three-
throw pump, and is made if required to throw or force air and water at the
same time, but of course through distinct and different hoses. In carrying
out this part of the Invention the air chamber is divided into two or more
compartments, one of which is connected with the air force pump, and the
other with the water force pump, but all the compartments may be made to
communicate, so that all the three pumps may be made to force air or water
as may be desired. By this means the apparatus may not only be employed
for diving operations when required, but may also be used for the purpose of
extinguishing fires in ships or other confined places. In this case the three-
throw pump may be used not only to throw water, but also to supply air to
the person employed to put out the fire, and who by means of the apparatus
will be enabled to enter a place filled with smoke, in which no person with-
out the apparatus could exist, the pump at the same time will force water on
to the fire, the hose being directed by the man who is protected from the
smoke by the diving dress which forms the second part of my Invention.
One of the pumps of the diving apparatus may be used as aforesaid for sup-
plying with air the fireman, who having put on the head gear of the diving
dress hereafter described can with safety enter a place filled with smoke or
deleterious gases, and having ascertained the exact locality of the fire, he will
be enabled (by means of the hose which is supplied by water by the other
pumps) to put out the fire with facility.
The next improvement relates to the head and breast gear of the diving
dress, and consists, in the first place, in increasing the depth of the breast plate
so that it may cover the chest and the region of the lungs so as to protect the
lungs from the heavy pressure of the water.
The valve in the breast plate
inside action is protected from
of the helmet is made double action, and the
the pressure of the water by an outer case, and is provided with a cross handle
to regulate the action of the valve, so that the diver may regulate at pleasure
the quantity and pressure of the air in the helmet or diving dress, for if the
pressure of the air in the diving dress be too great (owing to the pumps
acting too fast), the diver may relieve himself by turning the handle, and
allowing the excess of air to escape through a brass or other tube, which is
connected to the valve, and fixed round the neck of the breast plate, the ends
of the tube being perforated with small holes. The glasses in the helmet are
made of great thickness, say, three quarters of an inch, and instead of securing
it to the helmet by means of a screw ring, which must be undone to obtain
access to the interior of the helmet, the eyeglass is made to slide up and
down, and may be raised and lowered by means of a screw knob.

page_text: The last improvement relates to the boots, which instead of leather are made
of prepared canvas coated or prepared with india-rubber of suitable thickness
so as to make it perfectly water-tight. The lower edges of the boots are
secured to the leaden sole by copper screws or rivets passed through copper
bands attached to the sole. All the seams are secured by copper screws or
rivets, and the upper part of the boot is secured to the dress in the ordinary
manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Edwin Heinke in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
EDWIN HEINKE, of 79, Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Submarine Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Edwin Heinke, Her special license, that I, the said Charles
Edwin Heinke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Charles Edwin Heinke, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS, DRESSES, AND APPARATUS,
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES
IN SHIPS AND OTHER CONFINED PLACES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Edwin Heinke, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 Charles Edwin Heinke, do hereby
leclare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Diving apparatus for enabling submarine operations and explorations to be
carried on, consists among other parts, first, of a pumping apparatus for forcing
air from above to the diver beneath the surface of the water; second, of a
helmet or head gear for covering the head, chest, and upper part of the body
of the diver; and, third, of boots and leggings for covering the lower
extremities.
The present Invention applies to these three parts, and has for its object
to render a diving apparatus equally available for assisting in extinguishing
fires in ships and other confined places, as for the purpose for which it is
usually employed.
My first improvement relates to the pump which is constructed as a three-
throw pump to supply air to divers, but the several parts are so arranged and
constructed that it may be employed, if required, to throw or force air and
water at the same time, but of course through distinct and different hose. In
carrying out this part of the Invention, and in order to render the pump
applicable for the double purposes above-mentioned, the air chamber is
divided into two or more compartments, one of which is connected with the
cylinder, which is employed to force of pump air. The other chamber is
connected with the water force pump, but the two compartments may be made
to communicate by means of channels on the outside, so that all the three
pumps may be made to force either air or water, as may be desired. By this
means the apparatus may not only be employed for supplying air in diving
operations when required, but may also be used for the purpose of extinguishing
fires in ships or other confined places. In this case the three-throw pump
may be used not only to throw water but also to supply air to the person
employed to put out the fire, and who when protected by a diving helmet or
covering for the head will by means of this apparatus be enabled to enter a
place filled with smoke, in which no person without the apparatus could exist;
the pump at the same will force water on to the fire, the hose being directed
by the man who is protected from the smoke by the diving dress, which forms
the second
part of
my Invention.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an
end elevation of a pump constructed according to my Invention, the outer
casing in both Figures being shewn in section. The pump is intended to
answer the double purpose of a pump for forcing air or water, or both, simul-
taneously. It will be seen that there are three pumping cylinders a, b, c,
provided with the requisite inlet and outlet valves, and with pistons and rods

page_text: connected to the crank shaft d, upon applying rotary motion to which all the
pumps may be set in motion. The compressed air vessel e, and also the valve-
box f and receiving.chamber f*, are divided by vertical partitions 9 into two
parts, one of which communicates with the double cylinder pump. a, b, and the
other with the single cylinder pump c. It will also be seen that the two com-
partments of the receiving chamber f* are provided with inlet passages h, h*,
and the compartments of the valve box fare provided with separate outlet
passages i, , so that the two pumps may be worked independent of each
other, that is, the pumps or cylinders a and b may be made to force water
while the single cylinder e may be made at the same time to force air. But
if it be desired to cause all the pumps or cylinders to pump or force either air
or water, they may all be placed in communication by means of junction or
breeches pieces placed outside. Fig. 3 represents in plan a junction or
breeches piece, which may be adapted by union joints in the ordinary way to
the inlet and outlet passages h and i when required to pump water, but for
forcing air this junction need only be adapted to the outlet passages. One of
the pumps or cylinders c of the apparatus may therefore be used as aforesaid
for supplying air to a fireman provided with the head gear of the diving dress
hereafter described, and the other cylinders may be used to pump water, for
which purpose it may be provided with a flexible hose or pipe. The fireman can
then with safety enter a place filled with smoke or deleterious gases, and having
ascertained the exact locality of the fire, he will be enabled (by means of the
hose which is supplied by water by the other cylinders a and 6 of the pumping
apparatus to put out the fire with facility.
The next improvement relates to the head and breast gear of the diving
dress, and consists, in the first place, in increasing the depth of the breast;
plate, so that it may cover the chest and the region of the lungs, so as to
protect the lungs from the heavy pressure of the water.
Fig. 4 is a front view and Fig. 5 a side view of the head gear of a
diving apparatus with this part of my improvements adapted thereto. j,j, is
the helmet, and h, k, the breast plate, to which the body of the diving dress is
secured in the ordinary manner; 7 is the pipe, whereby air is supplied to the
helmet; m is the outlet pipe, in which holes are made for the escape of the air.
when discharged from the lungs of the diver. This pipe is carried round to
the back of the head-piece, so that the bubbles produced by the escape of the
air will not obscure the eye pieces. n is a regulating apparatus, which is pro-
vided with a double-action valve, and is secured in any convenient manner.to
the upper part of the breast plate k, k, for the purpose of regulating the pres-
sure of the air in the helmet. The valve o in this regulating apparatus, which

page_text: is shewn in detail in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, is kept down on its seat by a
spring o', but is made double acting.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the valve drawn full size, Fig. 7 is a back view
of the same, and Fig. 8 a front view. The inside action of the valve o is
protected from the pressure of the water outside by an outer case or cover n,
which is fitted in a socket, and is capable of being turned round on its axis,
for which purpose it is provided outside with a cross handle p, whereby the
escape of the air may be controlled, so that the diver may regulate at pleasure
the quantity and pressure of the air in the helmet or diving dress. The
cover n has a groove n¹, Fig. 6, cut round it, and at the bottom of this groove
a series of perforations are made, so as to communicate with the inside of the
casing. This cover n is fitted to the socket q, and when in its place there will
be an annular passage all round, into which air from the interior of the case n
will pass, and from thence will escape through a slot q2, Fig. 6, made in the
socket piece q into the neck tube m, and from whence it passes out behind.
In addition to the holes made in the bottom of the annular groove n', as
already described, another set of holes are made through the end flange of the
part n', as shewn in the back view, Fig. 7, of this piece. This end flange is
ground to fit the face of the socket 7 which carries the valve o, and in which
there is made a curved slot q', as seen in the back view, Fig. 10, of the
socket. It will therefore be evident that by turning the cover n more or less
round on its centre by the handle p, more or less of the holes through its end
flange will be brought opposite the curved slot q', and the escape of more or
less air from the interior of the dress through the breast plate will be allowed,
so that if the pressure of the air in the diving dress or helmet be too great
(owing to the pumps acting too fast) and the diver be oppressed thereby, he
may relieve himself by turning the handle p and allowing the excess of air to
escape.
The glasses r, r, r¹, Figures 4 and 5, in the helmet are made of great
thickness, say three-quarters of an inch, and the centre one 7, instead of being
secured to the helmet by means of a screw ring, as usual, and which must be
undone to obtain access to the interior of the helmet, this centre eye glass ¹ is
mounted in a frame, which is made to slide up and down in grooves s, s, in
which the glass may be raised and lowered by means of a screw, knob, or
handle t.
It will be understood from this description of the parts, that when the
driver has risen to the surface and wants to give any verbal directions to the
attendants, he will merely have to lower the glass in his helmet and then he
can speak through the exposed opening.

page_text: My last improvement relates to the boots of the diving dress. Instead of
making these articles of leather, which by alternate exposure to the water and
air soon become unserviceable, I propose to make them of canvas coated or
prepared with india-rubber of suitable thickness, so as to render the fabric
perfectly water-tight. The lower edges of the boots are secured to the leaden
sole by copper screws or rivets passed through copper bands attached to the
sole; all the seams are secured by copper screws or rivets, and the upper part
of the boot is secured to the dress in the ordinary manner.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Diving Helmets,
Dresses, and Apparatus, Parts of which Improvements may be also employed
for Extinguishing Fires in Ships and other Confined Places," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
First, the mode herein set forth of constructing and arranging the several
parts of the pumping apparatus, so that it may be used for forcing either air
or water, or air and water simultaneously, for the purposes above-mentioned.
Second, I claim constructing the breast plate of the diving apparatus in
such a manner as to cover the chest or region of the lungs, which will be
thereby protected from undue pressure. I also claim the use of and mode of
constructing the valve box or pressure-regulating apparatus shewn in Figures 6,
7, 8, 9, and 10.
Third, I claim mounting the eye glass in the helmet in guides or their
equivalent, so that it may be removed with facility, in order to leave a free
opening for the diver to speak through, as above-mentioned.
Lastly, I claim the mode herein set forth of making the boots of divers'
dresses.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Edwin Heinke, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
H. E. NEWTON,
66, Chancery Lane.
C. E. HEINKE. (L.S.)