IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Druitt Halpin, of Old Charlton, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING SUNKEN
VESSELS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 18th June 1878, and dated the 27th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Druitt Halpin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1878.
DRUITT HALPIN, of Old Charlton, in the County of Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for recovering sunken
vessels and other purposes.
The general system of raising sunken vessels, to which my Invention relates, is
the lifting them by cradles, which are either partly raised by the tide and partly
by their own buoyancy, or wholly by their buoyancy or by range of tide.
My improved cradle is a structure wherein pontoons are so arranged in com-
bination with a water-tight deck that the compound structure may be used as a
cradle for raising a sunken vessel, and in conjunction with suitable steadying
chambers as a floating dock wherein the hollow water-tight deck will form the floor
or platform supporting the docked vessel.
In some cases I may combine with the cradle a dredging ladder (or ladders) and
gear for working the same, to form a suitably deep bed for the cradle when intended
to be submerged to receive vessels as an ordinary floating dry dock.
Where the cradle is designed to travel considerable distances each pontoon may
have a distinct bow, and an engine of suitable construction with the requisite boiler
power, a screw propeller, a rudder and steering gear, thus forming a twin screw
vessel able to move from place to place and capable of being easily manoeuvred, and
of nice adjustment of position.
The connection with the sunken vessel is made as usual by suitable flexible
connections, such as steel wire ropes. These flexible connections may be secured to

page_text: the sunken vessel by toggles, hooks, or other suitable fastenings jointed to the lower
ends of the flexible connections, and passed through holes in the sunken vessel.
For this and other subaqueous operations I employ what I will call an "operating
tube." It somewhat resembles a cylindrical caisson closed at bottom, and is provided
with means of ventilation and with strong water-tight windows or glazed sight
holes (herein-after called "windows") in suitable positions according to the nature
of the operations to be performed.
Valves are provided for admission of water into suitable compartments to effect
the lowering of the tube in the water, likewise pipes and valves for admitting air
to take the place of water removed to raise the tube. The tube is constructed in
sections, which may be flanged and bolted together; these sections may be made
interchangeable, so that the position as respects height of the section or sections
provided with windows and working apparatus may be varied to suit circumstances.
Provision is made for overcoming the buoyancy of the tube to any desired extent.
To assist in adjusting its position and for stability anchors and guys are employed
in conjunction with pulleys suitably arranged at the upper and lower parts of the
tube. Its lower part may be provided with wheels resting on the bed of the sea or
river to further facilitate adjustment.
The tube may be additionally secured by screw piles. Operations may be
observed from within the tube and directed by suitable means of communication
with the operators above. To prevent obstruction by fish attracted by the lights
employed, jets or streams of petroleum or other substance obnoxious to fish
may
discharged into the water.
be
With the operating tube I combine apparatus for performing various operations,
such as clearing away marine growth, drilling holes, passing toggles, et cetera. The
operating tools may be carried on a frame surrounding the operating tube, and able
to move in a vertical and rotary sense on rails parallel to its axis.
!
The tool operating apparatus is constructed with a universally jointed axis,
which I will call the tool axis.
In connection with the tool operating apparatus I arrange a slotted traversing
shelf or table designed to receive and hold the tools, such as brushes, drills, and so
forth, as also the device, whereby the toggle or its equivalent is supported and
directed into position previously to being passed through the hole in the vessel.
The tool axis will receive the different kinds of tools or instruments from time to
time required for use from the traversing shelf or table. The lower ends of the
flexible connections having been secured to the sunken vessel and the cradle floated
into position over it, the upper ends of the connections are led up to suitable wind-
lasses arranged on the deck of the cradle. These windlasses I work through worms
and wheels, so arranged that the barrels are capable of disconnection from the
worm wheels.
The worms are actuated through suitable gear from a driven shaft, from which
any one or more of the worms may be disconnected at pleasure.
My improved cradle when employed as a dock may be used in conjunction with
what are known as depositing saucers.
As is obvious my operating tubes and appurtenances may be used for various
subaqueous operations.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Druitt Halpin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th August
1878.
DRUITT HALPIN, of Old Charlton, in the County of Kent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for recovering sunken
vessels and other purposes.
The general system of raising sunken vessels to which my Invention relates is
the lifting them by cradles, which are either partly raised by the tide, and partly by
their own buoyancy, or wholly by their buoyancy or by range of tide.
My improved cradle is a structure wherein pontoons are so arranged in combination
with a water-tight deck and steadying chambers that the compound structure may
be used as a cradle for raising a sunken vessel and as a floating dock, wherein the
hollow water-tight deck will form the floor or platform supporting the docked
vessel.
In some cases I may combine with the cradle a dredging ladder (or ladders) and
gear for working the same, to form a suitably deep bed for the cradle when intended
to be submerged to receive vessels as an ordinary floating dry dock.
Where the cradle is designed to travel considerable distances each pontoon may
have a distinct bow, and an engine of suitable construction with the requisite
boiler power, a screw propeller, a rudder, and steering gear, thus forming a twin
screw vessel able to move from place to place, and capable of being easily manœuvred
and of nice adjustment of position.
The connection with the sunken vessel is made as usual by suitable flexible
connections, such as steel wire ropes. These flexible connections may be secured
to the sunken vessel by toggles, hooks, or other suitable fastenings jointed to the
lower ends of the flexible connections, and passed through holes in the sunken
vessel. For this and other subaqueous operations I employ an operating tube
(which I will herein-after call a "tower.") It somewhat resembles a cylindrical
caisson closed at bottom, and is provided with means of ventilation, and with strong
water-tight windows or glazed sight holes (herein-after called "windows") in suitable
positions, according to the nature of the operations to be performed.
Valves are provided for admission of water into suitable compartments to effect
the lowering of the tower in the water, likewise pipes and valves for admitting air
to take the place of water removed to raise the tower. The tower is constructed in
sections which may be flanged and bolted together; these sections may be made
interchangeable, so that the position as respects height of the section or sections
provided with windows and working apparatus may be varied to suit circumstances.
Provision is made for overcoming the buoyancy of the tower to any desired extent.
To assist in adjusting its position and for stability, anchors and guys are employed
in conjunction with pulleys suitably arranged at the upper and lower parts of the
tower. Its lower part may be provided with wheels resting on the bed of the sea
or river to further facilitate adjustment.
The tower may be additionally secured by screw piles. Operations may be observed
from within the tower and directed by suitable means of communication with the
operators above. To prevent obstruction by fish attracted by the lights employed,
jets or streams of petroleum or other substance obnoxious to fish may be discharged
into the water.
With the operating tube or tower I combine apparatus for performing various
operations, such as clearing away marine growth, drilling holes, passing toggles,
et cetera. The operating tools may be carried on a frame or carriage (herein-after
called a tool frame or carriage) surrounding (or it may be partially surrounding)
the operating tower, and able to move in a vertical and rotary sense on rails; or the
adjustable tool frame or carriage may be dispensed with and the tool operating
mechanism be fixed to one of the interchangeable sections of the tube or tower, ·

page_text: The tool operating apparatus is constructed with a universally jointed axis, which I
will call the tool axis.
In connection with the tool operating apparatus I arrange a slotted traversing
shelf or table designed to receive and hold the tools, such as brushes, drills, and so
forth, as also the device whereby the toggle or its equivalent is supported and
directed into position previously to being passed through the hole in the vessel.
The tool axis will receive the different kinds of tools or instruments from time to
time required for use from the traversing shelf or table. The lower ends of the
flexible connections having been secured to the sunken vessel, and the cradle floated
into position over it, the upper ends of the connections are led up to suitable wind-
lasses arranged on the deck of the cradle. These windlasses I work through worms
and wheels, so arranged that the barrels are capable of disconnection from the worm
wheels.
The worms are actuated through suitable gear from a driven shaft from which
any one or more of the worms may be disconnected at pleasure.
My improved cradle when employed as a dock may be used in conjunction with
what are known as depositing saucers.
As is obvious my operating tubes or "towers" and appurtenances may be used
for various subaqueous operations.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings,--
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) shews in sectional elevation my improved lifting cradle floating
over a submerged wreck in which the holes for lifting have already been made.
Fig. 2 shews in plan the cradle complete, the submerged wreck being shown by
dotted lines.
Fig. 3 shews the cradle submerged ready to receive a vessel for the purpose of
dry-docking her.
Fig. 4 shews in end elevation the cradle acting as a dry dock, and carrying a
vessel in the usual way.
Fig. 5 represents in cross section a submerged wreck, and shows my improved
operating tube or "tower" alongside, and the brush at work cutting off the seaweed
preparatory to boring the hole in the sunken ship.
Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view, showing in operation the tool which bores the
hole in the ship's side for making the attachments.
Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view of the wreck, and shews how the togglo is in-
serted in the hole already prepared to recive it in the side of the ship.
Fig. 8 shews the lifting cradle over the wreck, with the attachments completed,
and all ready to commence lifting.
Fig. 9 is a partial side elevation (to a larger scale) of one of my improved operating
tubes or towers with appurtenances.
Fig. 10 is a section of this tube or tower shewing detail of part of the gearing.
Fig. 11 is a another section of the same tube or tower giving further detail.
Fig. 12 shews in sectional elevation the sliding arrangement for carrying the
toggle down in order to be placed in the ship's side. Fig. 13 shews this last-named
arrangement in plan.
Figs. 14, 15, and 16 shew my improved operating tube or tower with the addition
of an annular jacket (shewn in cross section in Fig. 16) capable of longitudinal
movement along the tube or tower to compensate for the rise and fall of the tide at
the place, and during the time the tube or tower is being worked.
A, A, (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8) are two pontoons joined together by a continuous
hollow wrought-iron deck B composed of girders plated over continuously at top
and bottom, and surmounted by air chambers C. These parts A, B, and C com-
bined as shewn form my improved combined cradle and dock.
The pontoons A, A, are provided with bulkheads, and each pontoon has at one
end a screw propeller driven by a steam engine and boilers, as is usual in ordinary
steamers. Each pontoon is also provided with a rudder, as shewn. The pontoons
have suitable valves for admitting water, so as to sink them, and a proper system
of pipes with controlling valves leading from each of the compartments formed by

page_text: the several bulkheads, to the centrifugal pumps placed in the engine rooms, which
pumps are driven by the screw engines, which for this purpose are disconnected
from the screw propellers.
In order to obtain uniformity of stress in the attachments made between the
cradle and the wreck separate crab winches D for each individual attachment are
used. They consist of drums, round which the steel wire rope is coiled, and are
preferably driven by worm gearing put in motion by bevil wheels driven from
continuous shafts E, E. These shafts are put in motion by suitable gearing, con-
nected with the large engines driving the screw propellers and centrifugal pumps.
Underneath each winding barrel is placed a suitable cast-iron hawse pipe passing
vertically or obliquely through the hollow deck, which admits of the passage of
the steel wire attachments; F (Figs. 3 and 4) is blocking used for supporting the
ship in the cradle when the latter is being used as a dry dock; G, G, (Fig. 3) are
chains for hauling these blocks into position.
The tower I for making the attachments is wrought iron, about 5 ft. diameter,
and bolted together by faced flanges in lengths of about six feet or eight feet. The
tower is open at the top, so that the man in charge of the operations is always under
atmospheric pressure. At the bottom there is a quantity of cast-iron ballast, so as
to lower the centre of gravity of the whole structure, and immediately above this
ballast there is a chamber capable of being filled with water so as to sink the tube
or tower.
T is an annular jacket, which is when necessary capable of longitudinal
movement along the tower by means of the screws U worked by the nuts W. This
rise and fall of the hollow annular jacket on the tube will, in some cases, be found
advantageous in compensating for the rise and fall of the tide at the place and
during the time the tube is being worked. The aunular jacket is provided with
two or more radial bulkheads (four are shewn), so that water contained in the
jacket may be confined into any of the spaces so formed, thus giving the power of
bringing any part of the circumference of the tube above water, when the man-holę
door at the open end is closed and the tube is floating horizontally while being
towed from the site of its construction to the place for its use.
I is a tool frame or carriage, capable of vertical adjustment on the tube or tower.
This tool frame or carriage may obviously be made capable of adjustment in a
rotary sense as well as vertically, and may be more or less modified in form to suit
the mechanism to be employed.
In the arrangement shewn the tool frame or carriage carries a boring bar K ;
L is a brush; M, a boring tool; N, a vertical shaft for causing the boring bar to
revolve round its own axis. This motion is used for cutting away the sea weed
and for drilling holes; O is a vertical shaft for causing the boring bar to rotate in
a vertical plane, so that the end carrying the brush as well as the end carrying the
tool may be presented to the ship's side. This is also part of the motion needed
for shipping the toggle, as above described; P is a vertical shaft for giving motion
to the feed used for running the boring bar in and out; Q is a rail on which a
carriage R traverses up and down, carrying a cast-iron head H which holds the
toggle while it is being shipped.
The main vertical driving shaft N (Figs. 9, 10, and 11) may generally be most
conveniently driven by a flexible wire shaft S (Fig. 5), connecting the top of the
tower with a suitable steam engine carried on a tug or barge. The other vertical
shafts O and P may similarly be driven by power or rotated by hand, as found
most convenient. The boring bar is caused to revolve round its axis by the
shaft N (Figs. 9, 10, and 11) being rotated. This shaft communicates motion to it
by means of bevil wheels. The boring bar is caused to revolve in a vertical plane
by rotating the shaft O; this shaft rotates a worm which it carries, which gears
into a worm wheel carrying the saddle in which the tool rests, and the shaft P
when rotated throws the gripping gear into action which produces the feeding
motion in the boring bar.
The driving and adjusting shafts, above described, may be dispensed with by
arranging a small engine to drive directly, such engine being actuated by com-

page_text: pressed air or hydraulic pressure, as well understood. The adjusting shafts O
and P, thus dispensed with, will be replaced by suitable handles for throwing the
necessary wheels in and out of gear, and thus obtaining the requisite change of
motion and position of the boring bar. These handles will pass through suitable
stuffing boxes into the interior of the operating chamber, so as there to be easily
manipulated by the workman.
The mode of using the above-described gear is as follows:-One of the operating
tubes or towers is sunk as near as possible to the submerged wreck, and is brought
into exact position by the use of guys and lines made fast to anchors previously
laid out in suitable positions.
When the operating tube or tower has been brought to within a convenient
distance of the side of the wreck, the bar being then in a horizontal position, and
having the end carrying the brush next to the ship's side, is caused to revolve, and
the sea weed growing at this spot is removed, and the ship's side left clear and free
for carrying on further operations. The end of the boring bar is then revolved
through half a circle, and the boring tool thus comes opposite the place in the ship's
side previously occupied by the brush, and which, as before mentioned, has been
thoroughly cleaned by the latter tool. The boring bar is then caused to revolve
and cuts its way through the side of the ship. When the hole is completed the
boring bar is withdrawn and placed in a vertical position with the boring tool at the
top, where it receives the cast-iron cap H (Figs. 9 and 12) which carries the toggle
fixed at the end of the steel wire rope. This toggle is then inserted in the hole
already made in the ship's side, as shewn in Fig. 7. When one attachment has
been made the tower is moved forward for a suitable distance, and another attach-
ment is similarly made. The operations of cleaning the ship's side, boring the hole,
and inserting the toggle should always, if possible, be made without moving the
tower. Powerful electric lights are to be used either inside or outside the tower,
and the presence of fish attracted by the light is obviated by the ejection of paraffine
from small pipes in the neighbourhood of the lights.
By having separate setting-up gear for each attachment uniformity of strain may
be obtained. The ends of the wire ropes should be passed up to the winches on the
top of the tide, and the winches be kept revolving so as to get a fair strain on
during the whole of the time the tide is falling. At the same time water should
be admitted into the pontoons forming the bottom of the dock until they are sunk
almost to the bottom of the deck. At dead low water, by pumping the pontoons
the vertical lift will be equal to the rise of the tide, plus any extra buoyancy which
may exist between the depth to which the dock was originally submerged, and its
greater power of flotation than the weight of the wreck. When the vertical lift
is made the cradle should steam in shore or into shallower water, carrying the
wreck until the latter grounds, when water should be again immediately let into
the pontoons, and the winding down continued as far as possible. Pumping out
should then commence, and another fleet in shore be made; all pumping and
fleeting after the first being independent of the state of the tide. By this means a
vessel may very quickly be brought into shoal water, and made sufficiently tight
to enable her to be floated and received into the floating dock, as shewn in
Fig. 3.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained the manner of
carrying it into practical effect, I hereby declare that I do not intend to claim any of
the parts of the apparatus herein-before shewn and described, when taken separately
and apart from the combination or application thereof in manner and for the
purposes herein described, but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as secured to me under the Letters Patent herein-before in part
recited is,―
1. The combined cradle and floating dock constructed, arranged, and operating as
herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
2. The operating tube or tower with adjustable annular jacket, constructed,

page_text: arranged, and operating as herein-before described, and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings.
3. Providing an operating tube or tower for subaqueous operations with tool
operating mechanism secured externally to an interchangeable section of the said
tube or tower, substantially as described.
4. The combination with an operating tube or tower for subaqueous operations
of an adjustable external tool frame or carriage, substantially as described.
5. The combination with an operating tube or tower for subaqueous operations
of tool operating mechanism constructed and arranged, as shewn in and described
with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Druitt Halpin, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
DRUITT HALPIN. (LS).