IMPROVE- MENTS IN GIVING INCREASED BUOYANCY TO SHIPS AND VESSELS, IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, IN KEEPING STRUCTURES WATER-TIGHT, AND IN PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Clarke Pauling, of Great George Street, in
the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GIVING INCREASED BUOYANCY TO SHIPS AND VESSELS, IN RAISING
SUNKEN VESSELS, IN KEEPING STRUCTURES WATER-TIGHT, AND IN PROPELLING
VESSELS."
Sealed the 14th January 1857, and dated the 26th July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Clarke Pauling
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th July 1856.
I, RICHARD CLARKE PAULING, of Great George Street, in the City of West-
minster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIVING INCREASED BUOYANCY TO SHIPS AND VESSELS, IN
RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, IN KEEPING STRUCTURES WATER-TIGHT, AND IN PRO-
PELLING VESSELS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in expelling water from and keeping
it out of ships or vessels floating in water, which either may have sprung leaks
or become water-logged from collisions or other causes, and I do this by
means of forcing into them compressed air in the following manner:-I
propose, first, to fasten down the hatches and make air-tight the decks and
other parts of the vessel or ship above water, by means to be shewn. in my
Final Specification. I then propose, by means of air or blast fans, air pumps,
or other apparatus placed on or between the decks (through a flexible hose.

page_text: attached to such fans or apparatus), to force air of a greater pressure or
density than the water in the hold of such vessel, and by such means expel
the water from the interior of such vessel, either through the apertures it came
in at, or by making other apertures below the water line (such apertures to
be closed, if necessary, either wholly or in part, by means of valves or other
apparatus). Thus, I propose to expel the water at the bottom and sides of
the vessels by means of air, instead of lifting it by the use of pumps. Where
necessary, I insert pipes through the deck of a vessel, in order to allow of
water escaping up through them.
The second part of my Invention is for raising vessels or ships that have
sunk by forcing compressed air or steam into them. I propose, first, by
means of divers or diving bells, or other apparatus for working under water,
to close the hatches and other apertures that are open in or between the
decks, and make them as near as possible air-tight. I then,-by-means-of-air
fans, blast fans, or other apparatus communicating by a flexible hose from
a steam or other vessel, or from the shore to the sunken ship or vessel, pump
air or eject steam through the aforesaid flexible hose recovered from a boiler
of greater density than water between the decks and into the hold, and thus
expel the water from the sunken vessel through apertures either existing or
to be made, such apertures to be provided with valves or other apparatus, if
necessary. The vessel will then rise to the surface, and be kept afloat by the
means before described.
The third part of my Invention consists in increasing the buoyancy in, or
in imparting buoyancy to vessels, by forcing steam into hollow receptacles
connected to them.
The fourth part of my Invention refers to propelling floating vessels, by
means of discharging compressed air therefrom under the surface and against
the water. This I propose to do by means of blast fans, air pumps, and pipes,
as before described, placed either on or below the decks of the vessel, as the
case may require, such blast fans and air pumps being worked by a steam
engine, and the air by such means being forced through air pipes leading to
the interior of and from thence through the sides or stern of such vessel,
where it is discharged under the water and against it in a direction contrary
to the way the vessel is to be propelled; the water, in this case, offering a
resisting medium to the air which is expelled from the ship or vessel through
the pipes above described, and by the above-mentioned means I obtain a
direct-acting propelling power situate below the water line.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the. conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Clarke Pauling in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
CLARKE PAULING, of Great George Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Clarke Pauling, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Clarke
Pauling, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Clarke Pauling, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GIVING INCREASED BUOYANCY TO SHIPS AND VESSELS, IN RAISING SUNKEN
VESSELS, IN KEEPING STRUCTURES WATER-TIGHT, AND IN PROPELLING VESSELS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Clarke Pauling,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Richard Clarke Pauling, do hereby
declare 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'
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto:
annexed, that is to say:-
The first part of my Invention consists in expelling water from and keeping
it out of ships or vessels floating in water, which may either have sprung
leaks or become water-logged from collisions or other causes, and I do this
by means of forcing into them compressed air, as will be presently described.
The second part of my Invention is for raising vessels or ships that have
sunk, by forcing compressed air or steam into them.
The third part of my Invention consists in increasing the buoyancy in, or

page_text: in imparting buoyancy to vessels, by forcing steam into hollow receptacles
connected to them.
'And the fourth part of my Invention refers to propelling floating vessels, by
discharging compressed air, or air and steam combined, therefrom under the
surface and against the water.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a plan between decks of a vessel with my
apparatus for keeping vessels afloat fitted to it; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
section; and Figure 3, a cross section of the same. A is the upper or main
deck of the ship B; C, C, are the hatches, which are battened down or made
air-tight with plates of iron or other suitable material placed underneath, and
bolted to the deck; D, D, are blast fans or air pumps, placed on one of the
lower or upper decks, and in a position most suitable for. working the appa-
ratus; E, E, are flexible hose or tubes, fitted to the fan, through which air is
driven into the lower compartment or hold F; G is an aperture, through
which the water in the hold is supposed to have entered. Air is forced.
through the tubes E, E, by means of the fans D, D, the air thus forced in
being of greater pressure or density than the water contained in the hold of.
the vessel, causes the water to be driven out through the aperture G, or
through whatever holes it may have entered, either caused by the ship
springing leaks or otherwise. Or, where considered necessary, I insert out-
flow pipes through the deck of the vessel, and allow the water to escape by
them. Any number of fans can be employed. Instead of fans, I sometimes
substitute air pumps or cylinders.
pumps,
To raise sunken vessels, I close, by means of any apparatus for working
under water, the hatches and any other apertures that may be open with iron
plates bolted underneath the decks, or with teak or other wood of the same
specific gravity as water, and make the upper part of the vessel as nearly as
possible water and air tight: I then, by means of air
blast fans, or
other apparatus communicating by a flexible hose from a steam or other.
vessel, or from the shore to the sunken ship or vessel, pump air or inject
steam, or air and steam. combined; through the aforesaid flexible hose (the
steam being generated in a boiler, and of greater pressure than water)
between: the decks and into the hold, and thus expel the water from the
sunken, vessel through apertures either existing or to be made. The apertures
are provided with valves or other apparatus, if necessary. When the water.
has been expelled, the vessel will-then rise to the surface.
At Figure 4, I. shew a plan; Figure 5, a longitudinal section; and Figure 6,
across section of a vessel with my arrangements for raising sunken vessels.
applied to them. A is a ship or vessel, through the hatches of which I fit

page_text: pipes B, B, for the ejection of the water, and C, C, pipes or flexible hose for
the injection of air or steam. a, a, are stop-cocks, fitted to the top of the.
pipes B, B. The pipes C, C, are conveyed from a ship or the shore, as the
case may be, to the sunken vessel or vessels, and there fixed by flanges or
other suitable means, as illustrated at Figures 7 and 8 respectively. Air is
pumped by a fan or air cylinder, as before described, through the pipes C, C,.
into the vessel A, which forces the water contained in the hold out through
the outflow pipes B, B, and when it has been partially or entirely expelled the,
vessel rises. The ejection or outflow pipes as the vessel rises act as safety
valves for discharging the compressed air, which otherwise might blow up her.
decks. An index float D, connected to a rod E, shews when the vessel begins.
to ascend.
In Figure 7, I shew the hose C, C, and injection pipes B, B, fitted in one
case to each of the hatches, and in the other to only two hatches; but I do
not confine myself to this, as any desired number of tubes, hose, or ejection
pipes may be used, and fitted through any part of the ship deemed most,
desirable.
At Figure 8, I shew an illustration of a ship sunk close to the shore. Fis.
a portable steam engine, with an air pump and vessel standing on a cliff, and,
placed as near as possible to the sunken ship. Air is pumped through the,
hose, the water expelled from the hold, and the vessel rises.
Figure 9 is a plan, Figure 10 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 11 is,
a cross section of another plan for raising sunken vessels, being a modification
of that shewn at Figures 4, 5, and 6. In this case I dispense with the out-
flow pipes, and force the water out of the hold through an' aperture supposed:
to have been caused by collision with a rock, being somewhat similar to my
plan for keeping water-logged vessels afloat.
Figure 12 shews the flexible hose connected to. a ship from which the air,
or steam is pumped. B is a hole in the ship, through which the water is
expelled. C, C, are the flexible hose passing through the hatchways: In the
event of the hole B not being large enough, I make another hole E in the
side of the ship, or in any other suitable part, and fit a valve to it. Valves.
can also be fitted to the hole B. The rising of the ship is here indicated by:
the index float F.
Figure 13 is a view of my plan for increasing the buoyancy of or imparting:
buoyancy to vessels. A, A, are hollow iron vessels or caissoons of any size,
and shape most suitable for the purpose, having cocks a, a, fitted to them, and,
holes with flange pipes or unions attached to them for the reception of the
flexible hose C, C. These caissoons A; A, have chains or ropes fif, attached

page_text: :
to them by which the bow and stern of the sunken ship are swept. The
caissoons are placed as near as possible over the sunken ships, the cocks a, a,
are opened, which allows the water to rush in. and sink the caissons, the
sweeping chains insuring the caissoons being lowered in a right position.
B is the sunken ship to which the caissoons A, A, are fastened by means of
chains. I connect the caissoons together by means of chains, which also pass
under and round the stem and stern of the sunken ship. The chains and
caissoons, as the caissoons ascend, form an inverted cradle or truss, in which
the ship is slung: Steam, or air and steam combined, is then forced from the
ship F through the hose.C into the vessels A, A, whereby the water is forced
out through the cocks a, a; when the water has been entirely expelled the
cocks are turned. Any number of hollow vessels may be employed, according
to the size of the ship to be raised, and they must be of such capacity as to
impart sufficient buoyancy to the sunken vessel to enable it to rise.
The fourth part of my Invention refers to propelling floating-vessels-by-
discharging compressed air therefrom under the surface and against the water
by blast fans or air pumps, as before described, placed either between or below
the decks of the vessel. The blast fans and air pumps are worked by a steam
engine, and the air is forced under the water and against it in a direction
contrary to the direction in which the vessel is to be propelled. The water in
this case offers à resisting medium to the air which is expelled from the ship
or vessel to cause her to advance.
In illustration to this part of my Invention, Figure 14 is a plan of a ship
or vessel between decks with my fan for supplying air fitted to it; Figure 15
is a longitudinal section of a vessel at the level of the air pipes; Figure 16 is
a. longitudinal section on the line a, b, of Figure 14; Figure 17 is a section
through the line c, d, of Figure 14; Figure 18 is a front view of Figure 14;
and Figure 19 is a stern view of Figure 14. A, A, are fans for supplying
air worked by an engine, or, instead of the common fan, I substitute an air'
vessel and cylinders worked by a steam engine not shewn in the Drawings.
B, B, are pipes in connection with the fan or air vessel. These pipes descend
to the lower part of the ship, where they join the horizontal pipes C, C, which
are in communication with the water outside the vessel. I prefer to place
the pipes as near the bottom of the vessel as possible, and in iron ships use
hollow kelsons for the passage of the air. Any number of pipes or outlets
can be employed, according to the size of the ship to be propelled. The
vessel's course can be altered at pleasure, without stopping the engine, by
shutting one of the valves a, a, in the pipes, as will be seen on reference to
Figure 15. At each end of the pipes C, C, I fit stop valves b, b.

page_text: And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First, the imparting of increased buoyancy to ships and vessels, and the
raising of sunken ships and vessels,. by forcing into them compressed air or
steam, or both air and steam, and the employment of outflow pipes, in the
manner hercin-before described.
Second, the imparting of increased buoyancy to ships and vessels, and the
raising of sunken ships and vessels, by means of caissoons connected to them,
and filled with steam, or air and steam combined, as herein-before described.
And, third, the propelling of vessels by ejecting therefrom compressed air
or air and steam below the water, in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Clarke Pauling, have hereunto
set my hand and seal; this Twenty-sixth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
RICH C. PAULING. (L.S.)