Improved Method of Raising Sunken Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Raising Sunken Vessels.
I, TOM PEARSON of 18 Lawson Terrace, South Shields in the County of
Durham, Ship Plater, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of raising sunken vessels and
consists in forcing compressed air or gas into airtight bags placed preferentially
inside the sunken vessel so as to force the water thereout.
The bags being made of airtight canvas or equivalent flexible material can
be stowed into any required positions in or about the ship or their lifting power
may be utilised by so connecting them to the ship whether inside or outside as
to effectually raise it.
The size and number of bags and degree of compression of the air or gas may
vary according to the size and weight of ship and height to be lifted.
Dated this 20th day of February 1896
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3 St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Patent Agent.
I, TOM PEARSON, of 18 Lawson Terrace, South Shields in the County of
Durham, Ship Plater, 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 an improved method of raising sunken vessels and
consists in forcing compressed air or gas into airtight bags placed preferably inside
the sunken vessel so as to force the water out of such vessel and raise it. The
bags are made of airtight canvas or equivalent flexible material, and can be
further treated with caoutchouc to render them air and water tight, and they may
be, in some cases if desired, strengthened by netting or otherwise.
The bags are stowed away in or about the vessel wherever practicable or
convenient and in required positions and their lifting power may be utilised by
so connecting them to the ship, whether inside or outside, as to effectually raise it.
The size and number of such air bags and the degree of compression of the air or
gas will necessarily vary with the circumstances existing in each case.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated by way of example one mode
of accomplishing my invention;
Figure 1 represents a sunken vessel with air bags and their connection to a
suitable air compressing plant aboard of a floating or salvage vessel.
Figure 2 is a cross section hereinafter referred to.

page_text: The air compressing plant comprises a steam boiler A and engine B with air
cylinder C connected to an air receiver D. The latter is placed in connection
with the bags F by flexible pipe E and multiple flexible branches e e e each
provided with a stop valve el. Each air bag F is furnished with an automatic
escape valve (which is the subject of another patent) of such construction that,
as the sunken vessel rises to the surface, they will automatically open sufficiently
to allow some of the expanding air in the bags F to escape, so as to avoid bursting
of or injury to the bags due to increased pressure on diminution of pressure due
to head.
The bags in Figure 1 are supposed to be within the vessel; they may, however,
be placed outside, and connected to the ship's sides and deck in any convenient
manner or both within and without as illustrated in the section Figure 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The herein described improved method of raising sunken ships in which
inflatable air or gas bags with automatic escape valves are disposed within or
without the vessel, or both, and supplied with compressed air or gas in required
degree from and by a suitable compressing plant through a flexible connecting
tube with multiple branches, each having a suitable valve, substantially as
described with reference to the drawings.
2. The use for raising sunken vessels of air or gas bags arranged as specified and
each provided with an automatic escape valve and adapted to be inflated with
compressed fluid substantially in the manner set forth.
130
day of December 1890.
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
3 St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Chartered Patent Agent.