AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE REMOVAL OF SAND, GRAVEL, MUD, OR THE LIKE FROM HARBOURS RIVERS OR OTHER PLACES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
and Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE REMOVAL
OF SAND, GRAVEL, MUD, OR THE LIKE FROM HARBOURS RIVERS OR OTHER
PLACES communicated to him from abroad by Louis Coiseau of Antwerp
in the Kingdom of Belgium Civil Engineer
"2
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
FACILITATING THE REMOVAL OF SAND, GRAVEL, MUD, OR THE LIKE FROM HARBOURS,
RIVERS, OR OTHER PLACES [A communication to him from abroad by Louis
Coiseau of Antwerp in the Kingdom of Belgium Civil Engineer]
"J
This Invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for disag-
gregating or separating sand, gravel, mud, and like substances in rivers or other
water courses, or harbours, or the like, and causing such substances to be
distributed or suspended in the water in such a manner that they may be removed
or carried away by natural or artificial currents, the said process being based upon
the employment of compressed air
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide an air-compresser which,
in some cases, is placed upon a boat at one end of which is fixed a pipe, either
rigid or flexible, this pipe being united to the compresser. A windlass is provided
for raising or lowering the pipe which is supported by means of the said windlass.
The end of the pipe designed to enter the water is furnished with one or more
nozzles each having a small orifice through which the compressed air escapes.
These nozzles rest upon, and are dragged along, the bottom of the water-way in
such a manner that should any obstacles be encountered such as piles, débris of
Pris 1

page_text: old boats or vessels, rockwork or the like they will glide over the same without
being caught therein. If this were not provided for, the apparatus would be
liable to destruction, consequently this arrangement is of considerable practical
importance.
The orifice through which the compressed air escapes occupies such a position
that it discharges towards the boat. When the pipe is a flexible one I can render
it rigid by covering it with suitable material, or in any other suitable manner.
This apparatus is of considerable use in maritime or other works. The following
remarks will indicate some of the most important uses that is to say ;-When it is
required to clean or clear a joint or junction between two caissons I introduce a
rigid pipe (which for this purpose has a single nozzle) into the mud or sand which
stops up the said joint; the air pump is then operated and immediately the sand
or mud is raised up and carried off by the current.
If it is desired to remove a sand bar, to prepare space for a caisson, or to remove
the sand accumulated against walls by pile driving or otherwise. I arrange at
the end of the pipes and perpendicularly to the axis thereof another pipe upon
which there are small branch nozzles or tubes the number of which must be
proportionate to the breadth of the material to be removed, or to the hardness of
the substance to be disaggregated and distributed.
My apparatus may also be applied for regulating streams, maintaining the proper
depth in channels, and removing sand or mud banks at the entrance of harbours.
In this case I employ two pipes of india-rubber leading from the air compresser
upon the boat. These pipes are of such a length as to allow the boat to yield to
the motion of the waves without injuring the apparatus. The extent of the
material to be removed at each operation depends upon the hardness thereof and
the speed of the boat, and other conditions. If the current is strong the boat may
travel slowly and in this case a layer of from 30 to 50 centimeters in thickness
may be moved and distributed. If the current is weak the speed of the boat may
be increased and less material will be displaced.
My Invention when applied for maintaining the depth of channels leading to
harbours gives goed results and may at the same time serve to ensure a depth
which it would be difficult to obtain by means of bucket dredges, or others, even
at considerable expense.
It may also be applied to the cleansing of collectors, drains, and the like.
The cost of dredging by means of the ordinary bucket or other dredges as
compared with the cost of the same work effected by the system to which this
Invention relates is estimated as five to one.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
FACILITATING THE REMOVAL OF SAND, GRAVEL, MUD OR THE LIKE FROM HARBOURS,
RIVERS, OR OTHER PLACES." A communication to me from abroad by Louis
Coiseau, of Antwerp, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer,
This invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, disag-
gregating or separating sand, gravel, mud, and like substances in rivers or other
water courses, or harbours and the like, and causing such substances to be distributed
or suspended in the water in such a manner that they may be removed or carried
away by natural or artificial currents, the said method or process being based
upon the employment of compressed air.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide an air-compressor which,
in some cases, is placed upon a boat, at one end of which is fixed a pipe, either
rigid or flexible, this pipe being united to the compressor. A "windlass "is provided
for raising or lowering the pipe which is supported by the chain of the said
windlass. The end of the pipe designed to enter the water is furnished with one
or more nozzles, each having a small orifice through which the compressed air
escapes. These nozzles rest upon, and are dragged along, the bottom of the water-
way in such a manner that, should any obstacles be encountered, such as piles,
debris of old boats or vessels, rocks or the like, the said nozzles will glide over the
same without being caught thereby. If this were not provided for, the apparatus
would be liable to destruction, consequently this arrangement is of considerable
practical importance.
Each orifice through which the compressed air escapes occupies such a position
that it discharges towards the boat. When the pipe is a flexible one, I can render
it rigid by covering it with suitable material, or in any other suitable manner.
This apparatus is of considerable use in maritime or other works. The following
remarks will indicate some of the most important uses, that is to say - -When it
is required to clean or clear a joint or junction between two caissons, I introduce
a rigid pipe (which for this purpose has a single nozzle) into the mud or sand
which stops up the said joint; the air pump is then operated and the sand or mud
is immediately raised by the compressed air and carried off by the current.
If it is desired to remove a sand bar, to prepare space for a caisson, or to remove
the sand accumulated against walls by pile driving or otherwise, I arrange at the
end of the pipes and perpendicularly to the axis thereof another pipe upon which
there are small branch nozzles or tubes, the number of which must be proportionate
to the breadth of the material to be removed, and to the hardness of the substance
to be disaggregated and distributed or placed in suspension in the water.
This apparatus may also be applied for regulating streams, maintaining the
proper depth in channels, and removing sand or mud banks at the entrance of
harbours. In this case I employ two pipes of india-rubber leading from the
air compressor placed upon the boat. These pipes are of such a length as to
allow the boat to yield to the motion of the waves without injuring the
apparatus.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan of a pipe provided with nozzles and arranged perpendicularly
to the keel of the boat.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the said pipe and one of the nozzles.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, and
Tiune 4 -
1
•

page_text: In the said figures a indicates the pipe, b, b the nozzles, c, c the flexible pipes
for the supply of compressed air, and d'a lug for suspending the pipe a or attaching
-the same to a crane or winch e.
The thickness of the layer of material to be removed at each operation depends
upon the hardness of the ground, the speed at which the boat is to travel, and
other circumstances. If the current is strong the boat may travel slowly, and in
this case a layer of from 30 to 50 centimetres in thickness may be moved and
distributed. If the current is weak the speed of the boat may be increased and
less material displaced.
This invention when applied for maintaining the depth of channels leading to
harbours gives good results, and may at the same time serve to ensure a depth
which it would be difficult to obtain by means of bucket dredges or others, even
at considerable expense.
It may also be applied to the cleansing of collectors, drains, and the like.
The cost of dredging by means of the ordinary bucket or other dredges as
.compared with the cost of the same work effected by the system to which this
invention relates is estimated at five to one.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I Claim.
First. The employment of compressed air for the disaggregation and distribution
or suspension in water, of sand, mud, gravel or the like to permit their removal
or transport by natural or artificial currents substantially as set forth.
Second. The arrangement of the apparatus substantially as described with
reference to the drawings for the purposes specified.
In Witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this sixth day of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.