improvements and relating to Dry DOCKS.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
improvements
and relating to Dry DOCKS.
1 WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the Firm of Horn Son & Co. Patent Agents,
of 151 Strand, London do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me by Archibald Cameron of The Chamber of Commerce
Portland, Oregon, United States of America, Engineer) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to dry docks, and my
invention consists in a dry dock comprising a dock chamber, of suitable dimensions,
one end of which is provided with a transversely sliding gate, and the opposite end
of which communicates with a dry dock proper located at a higher level than the
said dock chamber.
The sliding gate-which may be of any suitable construction and which is
capable of being moved by any suitable means or mechanism between guide
posts or equivalents is provided on its bottom sill and on its face with rubber
or other suitable packing material, and I preferably provide the gate and guide
posts with registering sheer blocks for causing the gate to be pressed downwards
and inward, so that a water-tight joint will be formed when the gate is closed; but
other suitable means may be employed if desired.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular
construction of the different parts constituting my invention.
Dated this 6th der of Mar 1806
HORN, SON & Co.,
151 Strand, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFI
ION.
Improvements in and relating to Dry Docks.
I WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the Firm of Horn Son and Co. Patent Agents
of 151 Strand London do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me by Archibald Cameron of The Chamber of Commerce,
Portland, Oregon United States of America Engineer) to be as follows :-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dry dock which
is comparatively simple and durable in construction and arranged to readily move
a ship into or out of dock, at the same time permitting light draft vessels in the
dock chamber after the main vessel is docked.
The invention consists principally of a dock chamber having at one end a
sliding gate for opening and closing the inlet to the chamber, the latter being
connected at its rear end with the dry-dock proper located at a higher level.
The invention also consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the
same as will be hereinafter more fully described.
In order that my invention may be readily understood reference is made to the

page_text: mee mure corresponding
parts throughout the several figures and in which
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged face view of the gate.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the sheer blocks on the gate and posts.
Fig. 7 is a face view of the sheer block.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the same.
Fig 9 is an enlarged cross-section of the bottom gate rail and
Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view of the facing-timber on the end of the gate.
In carrying out my invention I provide my improved dry-dock with a dock
chamber A of suitable dimensions and adapted to be closed or opened at its lower
end by a gate B, mounted to slide transversely, as hereinafter more fully explained..
This lower end of the chamber A is adapted to open into the inlet C forming part
of a river, lake, or other water highway. The other end of the chamber A is
connected with a dry-dock proper D, located, however, at a higher level than the
chamber A with the top edge in horizontal alignment with the top edge of the
chamber A and gate B when the latter is closed. Now when the gate is open
water can pass through the inlet C into the chamber A to fill the latter to within a
suitable distance from the bottom of the dry dock D as indicated in Fig. 2. The
vessel is then moved into this chamber A and then the gate B is closed, after
which water is pumped into the chamber A by suitable puniping machinery con-
nected with a suitable water supply. By filling the chamber A to a high-water
level (as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2) the dock D is likewise filled and the
vessel can be floated from the chamber A into the dock D. The gate B is
then opened to permit the surplus water to run out of the dock D and
chamber A at the same time permitting vessels of light draft to pass into the
chamber A.
The gate B is preferably constructed as illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 to 10 the
gate being build up of suitable timber and is fitted to slide into a chamber E
forming an extension on one side of the chamber A as indicated in Fig. 1. The
inner face of the gate B at the ends thereof is lined with vertical strips F of rubber
adapted to abut against corresponding posts of the chamber A to form a water-
tight joint. The bottom rail of the gate B is likewise provided with a longitudinally
extending and projecting rubber strip to form a water-tight joint with the bottom
of the chamber A (see Fig. 9).
In order to press the strips F and G in position to form the water tight joints
described, we provide a series of sheer blocks H secured on the outer faces of the
end beams of the gate B, the said sheer-blocks being adapted to be pressed in
contact with corresponding sheer-blocks H' held on the posts at the gate-opening
of the chamber A.
As the contacting faces of the sheer-blocks H and H' are inclined, as indicated
in Fig. 6 the gate B by being pressed downward is also moved inward to cause the
strips F and G to form water-tight joints with their corresponding fixed parts. By
this arrangement water is not liable to leak through the gate B when the latter is
closed and hence the chamber A and dock D can be readily filled with water by
the pumping machinery as previously described.
The gate is provided with valves in its bottom (not shown) for the purpose of
admitting water to the interior of the gate to force the gate downward. When
the water is removed from the gate by suitable pumping machinery, the buoyancy
of the gate will keep it afloat or raised above the bottom of the chamber A and
the gate-chamber E and the gate can then be readily moved by any well
known means either into the gate-chamber E or across the lower end of the
chamber A. When the gate is moved into the closed position or across the
inlet to the chamber A the valves in the bottom of the gate are opened to

page_text: admit water to the interior of the gate and the gate will be forced down into
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A dry dock comprising a dock chamber, a sliding gate at one end of the said
chamber and leading to an inlet, a dry dock proper connected with the other end
of the said chamber and located at a higher level, packing strips for forming
water-tight joints between the said gate, its posts and the bottom surface of
the said dock chamber, and devices caused by the said gate and its posts for
compressing said strips when the gate is closed, substantially as described.
2. A dry dock, comprising a dock chamber, a transversely sliding gate at one
end of the said chamber and leading to an inlet a gate chamber forming an
extension on one side of the dock chamber and into which the gate is fitted
to slide, a dry dock proper connected with the other end of the said dock
chamber and located at a higher level, vertically disposed packing strips on the
face of the said gate, a longitudinal packing strip on the bottom sill of the gate,.
and registering sheer blocks on the gate and guide posts, substantially as shown
and described.
3. A dry dock, comprising a dock chamber, a gate at one end of the said
chamber and leading to an inlet, a dry dock proper connected with the other
end of the said chamber and located at a higher level, rubber strips on the inner
face of the said gate and disposed vertically, a longitudinal rubber strip on the
bottom sill of the gate, to be pressed in contact with the bottom of the
chamber A, and registering sheer blocks on the gate and guide posts to
force the gate downward and inward, to press the said rubber strips in firm
contact with the posts and bottom of the chamber, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 6th day of February 1897.
WILLIAM WILSON HORN,
By his Agents, Horn, Son & Co.,
151 Strand (next Somerset House), London.