IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS AND DRESSES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREWITII
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Coppin, of Park House, 32, Camberwell New
Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DIVING HELMETS AND DRESSES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREWITII."
Sealed the 13th June 1876, and dated the 25th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Coppin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1876.
WILLIAM COPPIN, of Park House, 32, Camberwell New Road, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS AND DRESSES, AND APPARATUS
USED THEREWITHL."
The object of this Invention is to enable divers to work in much deeper water
than is at present practicable, and remain under water for several hours.
For this purpose I employ in addition to the air supply tube now used for con-
veying air to the helmet of a diver, another tube to convey away the vitiated air
from the helmet to above the surface of the water, this escape tube being secured to
the supply tube and terminating near to the air pumping apparatus by which fresh
air is delivered to the supply pipe. At the upper end of the escape pipe I place an
escape valve which can be loaded to any pressure desired, so that the pressure of
air supplied to the diver can be regulated as desired. There is also an indicator to
indicate the pressure. By this arrangement a diver when working in deep water
may be supplied with air at less pressure than that of the water in which he is
working, and to prevent undue pressure of water upon the body of the diver the
diver is enclosed in a cage of wire or other material of sufficient strength to support
the outer dress against the pressure of water on its exterior. This cage is properly
jointed together so as not to impede the free action of the diver.
The arrangement above described will consequently enable a diver to work in
deeper water than now practicable, and also to work for a much longer time at
depths at which divers can now work for a short time only.

page_text: *SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Coppin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
September 1876.
WILLIAM COPPIN, of Park House, 32, Camberwell New Road, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING HELMETS AND DRESSES, AND APPARATUS
USED THEREWITH.
The object of this Invention is to enable divers to work in much deeper water
than is at present practicable and remain under water for several hours.
For this purpose I employ in addition to the air supply tube, now used for con-
veying air to the helmet of a diver, another tube to convey away the vitiated air
from the helmet to above the surface of the water, this escape tube being secured
to the supply tube and terminating near to the air pumping apparatus by which
fresh air is delivered to the supply pipe. At the upper end of the escape pipe I
place an escape valve which can be loaded to any pressure desired, so that the
pressure of air supplied to the diver can be regulated as desired. There is also an
indicator to indicate the pressure. By this arrangement a diver when working in
deep water may be supplied with air at less pressure than that of the water in
which he is working, and to prevent undue pressure of water upon the body of the
diver the diver is enclosed in a dress of sufficient strength to support the pressure
of water on its exterior. This dress is constructed so as not to impede the free
action of the diver. The arrangements above described will consequently enable a
diver to work in deeper water than now practicable, and also to work for a much
longer time at depths at which divers can now work for a short time only.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings represents a diver clad in a diving dress
constructed according to my Invention, and as he appears when at work beneath
the water. Figure 2 represents the pumping apparatus by means of which he is
supplied with air. I employ two dresses, an inner and an outer dress. The outer
dress is made of stout india-rubber fabric, perfectly waterproof, and it is supported
throughout with metal or other hoops or rings attached to the inner dress, which
also 1 prefer to make of waterproof material. The hoops or rings are placed close
together so as to sustain exterior pressure.
It is an essential feature of my
arrangement that the pressure inside the helmet and dress is less than that of the
water on the outside, although it may be more and considerably more than that of
the atmosphere. The dresses fit in a perfectly water tight way around the wrists
and cover the feet of the wearer, and the helmet is adapted to the dresses with a
watertight joint as is usual. The helmet is provided with two air tubes; one is the
usual supply tube taking down air from the air pumps, and the other is a return
pipe which leads back the used or vitiated air to the apparatus. Figure 2, within
which the return pipe terminates beneath a loaded valve like a safety valve. There
is a pressure gauge which indicates the pressure at which the air is supplied to the
diver, and the person attending to the pumping apparatus adjusts the load on the
escape valve so as to maintain any pressure the diver may desire less than that due
to the depth of water in which the driver is working. By means of these arrange-
ments a diver will be enabled to work in deeper water and with more comfort than
at present, as he is supplied with air of much less density than he would be under
similar circumstances if working with the ordinary diving dress, and yet the water-
tight dress is exposed to no more pressure than it may safely be trusted to bear.
Although I prefer to employ a double dress as described a single dress similarly
strengthened may be employed.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is the construction

page_text: of diving helmets, dresses, and apparatus, substantially as herein described, and in
such manner that the pressure of air maintained therein may be less than that due
to the depth of water in which the diver is working, and yet in excess of the
atmospheric pressure.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Coppin, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Twentieth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM COPPIN. (L.S.)