IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER OBJECTS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Alexander Westerman, of Genoa, in the Kingdom
of Italy, temporarily residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES
FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER OBJECTS."
Sealed the 21st February 1879, and dated the 15th October 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Alexander Westerman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th October 1878.
JOSEPH ALEXANDER WESTERMANN, of Genoa, in the Kingdom of Italy, temporarily
residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND
OBJECTS."
OTHER
My Invention has for object to raise sunken vessels and other objects.
For raising sunken vessels I use pontoons designed to be lowered independently
at each side of the vessel to be raised. These pontoons I provide with connections
or cross ties and hydraulic or other apparatus (it may be ropes and blocks) whereby
the pontoons may be moved from or towards each other, and may be caused to grip
between them the vessel that is to be raised. Suitable brackets or parts secured to
the pontoons overlap the respective sides of the sunken vessel, serving to support the
pontoons whilst they are moved towards each other for the purpose above mentioned.
The pontoons are also steadied by connections or cross ties above the water level
supported by tubes or columns extending upward from the pontoons.
The adjust-
ment of these cross connections may be effected by racks or otherwise.
upper and lower cross connections may be beams adjustable by racks.
the pontoons with water-tight compartments provided with valves as usual, and I
provide suitable passages for workmen leading to chambers provided with windows;
the ventilation of the passages and chambers I effect through suitable air passages
Both the
I construct

page_text: open to the atmosphere. The pontoons may be provided with boring apparatus so
arranged that after the pontoons have been placed in position and tightened up
against the respective sides of the vessel, holes may be bored through those sides,
and the boring bars left protruding into the vessel so as to support the vessel to be
raised during the raising operation. The lowering and raising of the pontoons may
be effected by admitting and ejecting water in the usual way.
For raising objects not requiring very large floating power I may sometimes
dispense with the pontoons and employ tubes (which may be ballasted by water or
otherwise) in conjunction with cross connections or ties above and below water, so
that the tubes after being lowered at the respective sides of the object to be raised
may be caused to approach each other and to securely grip the said object between
their lower or submerged parts, substantially as herein-before described with
reference to the raising of sunken vessels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Alexander Westerman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th April 1879.
JOSEPH ALEXANDER WESTERMAN, of Genoa, in the Kingdom of Italy, and late
temporarily residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS
AND OTHER OBJECTS."
My Invention has for object to raise sunken vessels and other objects.
For raising sunken vessels I use pneumatic pontoons designed to be lowered
independently at each side of the vessel to be raised. These pontoons I provide
with connections or cross ties, and hydraulic or other apparatus (it may be ropes
and blocks) whereby the pontoons may be moved from or towards each other and
inay be caused to grip between them the vessel that is to be raised.
Suitable brackets or parts secured to the pontoons overlap the sunken vessel at
both sides serving to support the pontoons whilst they are moved towards each
other for the purpose above mentioned. The pontoons are also steadied by
connections or cross ties above the water level, supported by tubes or columns
extending upward from the pontoons. The adjustment of these cross connections
may be effected by racks or otherwise. Both the upper and lower cross connections
may be beams adjustable by racks.
I construct the pontoons with water-tight compartments provided with valves as
usual, and in such pontoons I provide suitable passages for workmen, leading to
chambers provided with windows. The ventilation of the passages and chambers I
effect through suitable air passages open to the atmosphere.
The pontoons may be provided with boring apparatus so arranged that after the
pontoons have been placed in position and tightened up against the respective sides
of the vessel, holes may be bored through those sides, and the boring bars left
protruding into the vessel so as to support the vessel to be raised during the raising
operation. The lowering and raising of the pontoons inay be effected by admitting
and ejecting water in the usual way.
For raising objects not requiring very large floating power I may sometimes
dispense with the pontoons and employ tubes (which may be ballasted by water or
otherwise) in conjunction with cross connectious or ties above and below water, so
that the tubes after being lowered at their respective sides of the object to be raised
may be caused to approach each other and to securely grip the said object between
their lower or submerged parts, substantially as herein-before described with reference
to the raising of sunken vessels.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 shows in side elevation
a submerged vessel with apparatus, according to my Invention, in position to com-
mence the raising operation.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section.
Fig. 3 is a plan partly in section.
a, a, are pontoons of sheet iron, with frames, bulkheads, decks, and beams like
iron vessels, and each having three columns or series of columns c, c', (they may be
either double as at c, or single as at c², Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) which columns rise up at
suitable distances apart through the decks to such a height that they may extend,
say, 20 feet above the maximum immersion.
The pontoons a, a, are shown attached to the sides of the sunken vessel b ready
to begin the operation of raising. The columns c, c', are stayed to the pontoons by
steel wire ropes c²; d, d, are longitudinal bridges or girders connecting the tops of
the columns together. e, e, are the beams, connections, or cross ties connecting the
tops of the columns transversely.
These connections or cross ties are provided on the under sides with racks in gear
with pinions e¹ at the upper ends of columns c. By turning the pinions the racks

page_text: will move the upper ends of the columns of the respective pontoons nearer together
or further apart.
The end columns c of each pontoon are safety ones, and are therefore hermetically
closed to both air and water, the middle column c¹ only being open to the
atmosphere.
ff, are additional beams, cross ties, or connections between the pontoons, and are
connected to hydraulic apparatus f¹ or other operating apparatus, so that when the
pontoons have been lowered at the respective sides of the sunken vessel they may
be moved towards one another and caused to grip it.
Packings or fenders of wood, rubber, ropes, cork, sail cloth bags filled with old
canvas, or similar soft material, or air or water cushions, or metallic springs are
placed on the sides of the pontoons to preserve the vessel from injury. Hydraulic
blocks may be used for the same purpose, and to distribute the pressure evenly on
the vessel.
g, g, are brackets secured to the pontoons so as to overlap the sides of the sunken
vessel, and to support and guide the pontoons whilst they are being moved towards
one another. h, h, are passages leading from the lower ends of the iniddle columns c¹
to the working chambers i, thus giving access to workmen from above. The
passages and working chambers and sides of pontoons are lighted by bulls-eyes or
windows.
Each working chamber is provided with one or more sets of boring apparatus ;
the boring bars 2 pass through stuffing boxes in the sides of the pontoons, so
arranged that when the pontoons have been tightened up against the sides of the
vessel to be raised holes may be bored therein and the boring bars left protruding
into the vessel so as to support it during the raising operation.
The whole of the pontoon decks are made water-tight and of great strength to
resist external or internal pressure, the only opening to the atmosphere being, as
already stated, through the middle columns c¹.
The hydraulic apparatus f' for adjusting the distance apart of the pontoons are
arranged between decks. Hydraulic presses arranged to give either compressive or
tensile strain over the working chambers i and all pipes, valves, and cocks, are laid
in the passages for convenience of access.
The steam power to work the large water pumps or air compressors and accumu-
lators for hydraulic cylinders may be placed on the bridges or girders d connecting
the columns, or inside the columns c¹, or in a special chamber, or it may be in an
attendant steam barge.
The operations are carried on in the following manner :-The pontoons in pairs
are hauled over the vessel to be raised and set at the proper distance apart by the
cross ties f connected to the hydraulic apparatus f'; the pontoon valves are opened
and the pontoons are gradually sunk, one on each side of the wreck, until arrested
by the brackets g coming in contact with the upper part of the sunken vessel.
When all the pontoons are sunk the hydraulic apparatus f¹ is operated so as by the
beams, cross ties, or connections f to draw the pontoons towards the respective sides
of the vessel until a firm hold of it has been obtained, the fenders and hydraulic
blocks, or their equivalents as described, preventing damage.
The boring bars i² are started, and when all the holes have been bored in the sides
of the vessel the boring bars are thrust forward some distance into the vessel; the
water is then ejected from the pontoons, care being taken that the amount of water
ejected from each pontoon is so regulated that the wreck may be raised horizontally
or inclined, as desired. After the vessel is brought to the surface it is beached or
docked in the usual manner for repairs. If the vessel is beached the pontoons must
be removed before the water recedes, and to effect their release a quarter turn is
given to the hydraulic piston rods which frees them from the cross ties uniting the
pontoons, and the hydraulic apparatus may act, after the manner of hydraulic
presses, repulsively against the sides of the vessel b in order to free the pontoons if
they stick.
The gripping action of the pontoons may be obtained by means of blocks and

page_text: steel wire ropes, arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 4, instead of by hydraulic
apparatus, as already described; or the gripping action may be obtained by a
second set of cross connections or beams supported on the decks of the pontoons
fitted with racks and pinions and arranged to be worked from above the water
Jevel.
For raising vessels with planked hulls, or objects having soft sides, instead of
boring apparatus I may use sets of sharp steel wedged prongs or points fitted on
the working sides of the pontoons. The pontoons are drawn together by a strong
pressure which causes these steel points to enter the wood and so obtain sufficient
hold for raising the vessel.
In raising armour plated vessels with a projecting ledge of armour I may dispense
with the boring apparatus and fasten brackets on to the sides of the pontoon in such
a manner that the brackets catch under the ledge of armour, and so obtain a suffi-
cient hold of the vessel to be raised without the necessity of boring its sides.
In cases where the objects to be raised will not bear much compression, I attach
long sharp wedges to the lower parts of the pontoons, so that as the pontoons are
drawn nearer together the wedges will be forced underneath the object to be raised,
and so obtain a hold of it.
The pontoons may be provided with propelling power and made so that they can
be navigated anywhere.
Fig. 4 shows an arrangement of apparatus for raising objects not requiring very
large floating power. c, c, are double tubes or shells intended to contain water in
the annular spaces between the inner and outer tubes or shells for lowering the
apparatus, and provided with suitable valves for that purpose, as well understood.
e is an upper beam or cross connection; k, k, are wire ropes; L, l, are barrels or drums
driven through gearing, as shewn at m; n, n, are pulleys; b* is an object in position
for being raised.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, show different arrangements of tubes which may be used in pairs,
as shewn in Fig. 4, for raising objects not requiring very large floating power, and
also for exploring purposes below the surface of the water. These tubes have a double
shell for containing water as well as metal ballast; they also have bulls-eyes let
into their sides and may be provided with marine lights.
Fig. 5 shows a tube at the bottom of which two wheels o, o, are fixed so as to rest
on the ground and support the tube.
These wheels are fitted to a shaft passing through stuffing boxes into the interior
of the tube. The shaft may be rotated by a crank or gearing, and thus the tube is
moved along the bed of a sea or stream for exploring or other purposes.
Fig. 6 shews a tube fitted at the bottom with two vertical rods p, p, sliding
through stuffing boxes, and which are thrust into the ground to fix the tube and
resist the effect of the boring apparatus ; they may also regulate the vertical
position of the tube.
Fig. 8 shews a tube fitted at the lower. end with a lover t, hinged at u, and
operated by a connecting rod v passing into the tube through a stuffing box in such
a manner that a grip may be obtained of the object 6* to be raised, as shewn in the
Drawing.
Where the bottom of the water offers great resistance to the detaching of the
object to be raised, cartridges or charges of some explosive material placed at a
proper distance apart may be used, which when exploded will produce vibration and
facilitate the starting of the object to be raised.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained in what
manner the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
would have it understood that what I consider to be novel and original, and there-
fore claim as the Invention secured to me under the Letters Patent herein-before in
part recited is,—
1. Lateral compression combined with penetration applied by the use or employ-
ment for raising sunken vessels or other objects of pneumatic pontoons provided
with connecting beams, connections, or ties, and with hydraulic or other apparatus

page_text: whereby the pontoons may be moved from or towards each other, and may be
caused to grip between them the vessel or object to be raised, substantially as
described.
2. The method, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated, of sup-
porting submerged vessels or bodies during the operation of raising by the use, in
conjunction with pontoons or tubes and suitable operating apparatus, of boring bars
caused to protrude into the vessels or objects to be raised.
3. The constructing and arranging appliances for raising sunken objects, sub-
stantially as herein-before described with reference respectively to Figs. 1, 2,
and 3, to Fig. 4, to Fig. 5, to Fig. 6, and to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Alexander Westerman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOSEPH ALEXANDER WESTERMAN. (L.S.)
JOSEPH ALEXANDER WESTERMAN. (L.S.)