IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER SUB- MERGED BODIES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Edward Hunter and John
Holdsworth Thomas at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
19th August 1832.
JAMES EDWARD HUNTER, of Lower Belgrave Street, Eaton Square, Captain in
the Royal Navy, and JOHN HOLDSWORTH THOMAS, of Barque Street, Cubitt Town,
Diver, both in the County of Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER SUB-
MERGED BODIES,"
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
apparatus by the employment of which the raising of sunken vessels and other
submerged bodies is greatly facilitated.
The said apparatus consists of a cylindrically shaped vessel which is capable of
being filled with air, and which is hereinafter termed a pontoon. Within the said
pontoon and about the centre thereof is a vessel or chamber of suitable dimensions
to contain a sufficient quantity of air to support, or nearly so, the pontoon when
immersed the bottom of the said air vessel or chamber being perforated. Through
the body of the poutoon, and near the ends thereof, are arranged tubes or pipes
through which the ropes, for guiding or controlling the pontoon, pass. At either
end of the pontoon are arranged suitable valves as will be well understood, and at
the bottom of the former is an aperture for the admission or exit of water as
hereinafter described.
When it is desired to arrange pontoons, constructed as hereinbefore described,
for the purpose of raising a sunken vessel or other body the interior air vessel
having been supplied with air and closed the pontoon is placed into the water and
the valves at the ends thereof are opened so that as the water enters at the aper-
ture in the bottom of the pontoou the air will escape through the said valves,
whereby the pontoon will gradually sink and may then be attached to, or connected
with, the sunken body by any suitable means. In order to conveniently guide the
pontoon into the desired position ropes suitably attached to the sunken vessel are
passed through the before mentioned tubes or pipes and are secured on the vessel
from which the operation is being conducted.
The pontoon having been fixed to, or connected with, the sunken vessel as lastly

page_text: described the valves at the ends thereof are closed by divers or by any suitable
means, and air is then pumped through tubes into the interior of the before
mentioned air chamber whence it passes through the apertures in the bottom
thereof into the body of the pontoon whereby the water contained in the latter is
forced out through the aperture in the bottom and as the buoyancy of the pontoons
is gradually increased the vessel will be raised. In order to avoid, as much as pos-
sible, the inconvenience that would occur in the event of the breaking of the air
supply tubes, an air vessel or reservoir connected by a strong air supply pipe with
the pumping mechanism, is attached to the sunken vessel and the air valves of the
pontoons are placed in connection therewith by means of separate tubes.
A chain or rope can be conveniently passed round a vessel, by being placed under
the stern near the propellor and through the hawser pipes in the bow, and being
secured in any convenient manner, along the side of the vessel will thus offer a
suitable means for the attachment of the pontoons.