Improvements in or relating to the Raising of Sunken Vessels, and in the Prevention of the Sinking of Vessels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Raising of Sunken Vessels, and
in the Prevention of the Sinking of Vessels.
ALFRED LEECH 25 Warham Road Harringay Park London N. Commercial
Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for raising sunken vessels & is also applicable
for the purpose of preventing the sinking of vessels & the same is carried out as
follows.
I provide a number of airtight bags or receptacles which are introduced in a
collapsed state into the sunken vessel & are then inflated by air or gas which causes
them to expand and displace the water contained in the vessel & so render it
sufficiently buoyant to float. It will be seen that by placing these bags or reservoir
at suitable parts of a vessel & connecting them by means of tubes or pipes to a
reservoir of compressed air or gas, that in the event of an accident or leakage
causing the entry of water, by turning a tap or taps, the bags or receptacles may
be inflated & the water displaced and the vessel prevented from sinking owing to
the increased bouyancy caused by the enclosed air or gas. I do not confine myself
to any specially constructed inflation chamber.
Dated this 16th day of October 1894.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Raising of Sunken Vessels, and
in the Prevention of the Sinking of Vessels.
I, ALFRED LEACH 25 Warham Road Harringay Park London N. Commercial
Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for raising sunken vessels, and is also
applicable for the purpose of preventing the sinking of vessels and the same is
carried out as follows.
I provide a number of airtight bags or receptacles which are introduced in a
collapsed state into the sunken vessel and are then inflated by air or gas which
causes them to expand and displace the water contained in the vessel and so
render it sufficiently buoyant to float. It will be seen that by placing these bags
or reservoirs at suitable parts of a vessel and connecting them by means of tubes or
pipes to a reservoir of compressed air or gas; that in the event of an accident,
or leakage causing the entry of water, hy turning a tap or taps the bags or
receptacles may be inflated and the water displaced; and the vessel prevented from
sinking owing to the increased buoyancy caused by the enclosed air or gas. I do
not confine myself to any specially constructed inflation chamber.

page_text: In order that my invention may be understood I now refer to the annexed
drawings in which :—
Figure 1. is a sectional side elevation of a ship showing my invention.
Figure 2. view of an inflatable bag or receptacle.
Figure 3. elevation of a compressed air or gas reservoir.
Figure 4 view of a modified form of inflator or bag.
Figure 5. view of my invention adapted to raise a crate or box.
Figure 6 view of same when the bags are inflated.
Figure 7 view of my invention adapted to raising a sunken vessel or ship.
Referring to Figure 1, the bags or inflators a are placed at suitable. parts of the
ship or vessel such as in the cabins, and are connected to the reservoir of compressed
air or gas b by the tubes c. d is a cock or tap which controls the passage of the
air or gas from the reservoir b to the bags or inflators a, so that by turning, or
opening the cock d.the air. or gas will. flow from. the reservoir to the bags or
inflators a, and thus.displace a certain amount of water from the interior of the
ship or vessel and so cause. the ship or vessel. to, float. It will be seen that the
shape of the bags or inflators may be varied to suit the position in which they are
placed, such as the bag or inflator shown in Figure 4, in which the bag or inflator
is: made in the form shown so as to. be unrolled when desired.. and. inflated when
the-tap or.cock controlling the supply from the reservoir bis operated. Any.well
known form of valve for. preventing accidental leakage may be employed.
:
In Figures.5 and 6. I show views.of.a. receptacle 1, box or basket having inflated
bags, or receptacles m in connection with a supply of compressed. air or gas;
Figure 5 shows the bags deflated, and. Figure 6: shows the same. inflated. By. the
use of this arrangement it will be seen that articles can.be. placed in the receptacle
and by inflating the air bags m the same will rise to the surface of the water, when
the articles can be removed, and by opening the tap n the air or gas can escape
and the receptacle, box or basket can then.sink again, and by opening the tap o
the air bags m. can be again inflated and the receptacle will float to the surface.
This device is particularly useful to divers when recovering articles from sunken
vessels.
In Figure 7 my invention is shown applied to raising a sunken vessel. The
inflators a are placed in the vessel or ship through the port holes or hatch-ways p;
and are connected by the tubes g to the reservoir on the tug or boat s; so. that
by inflating the bags or inflators.a the water in the vessel or ship, is displaced to
an extent sufficient to cause the vessel or ship to float.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion: and, in what manner. ther same is to be performed.. I. declare that what I
claim is :-
1. 'In means for raising sunken vessels or ships and also for preventing the
sinking of same; the employment of air bags or inflators, placed at suitable parts
of the interior of the vessel orrship and 'inflated when desired by means oftair or
gas-which may be stored in reservoirs, substantially as described.
E. EATON,,
Agent. for. Applicant..