IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXPLORING UNDER WATER
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXPLORING UNDER WATER."-
A communication
Sealed the 30th May 1856, and dated the 26th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his l'etition, on
the 26th March 1856.
T, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXPLORING UNDER
WATER," to be as follows:-
The submarine exploring apparatus consists in a boat for submarine navi-
gation, and a diving dress, with their appurtenances, for breathing, and
raising sunken articles..
The submarine boat is made of an egg shape, and pointed at both ends,
and is made strong enough to resist the pressure of the water at the depth it
is intended to go. It should be made of iron, with stout ribs, to prevent
collapse. It is moved by a propeller turned by a crank by persons within, or
[Price S.1

page_text: by a clock spring or electro-magnetic machine. It has an ordinary rudder at
the stern, and an up and down rudder at the bow. It has two keels, so that
it will sit level upon them. Ingress is obtained at the man-hole at top, and
the boat should be made large in order to contain air suflicient for several
men to breathe as long so they may require to be under water without oppor.
tunity to ventilate it.
The boat being constructed air and water tight, with the windows and
ventilating apertures, it is ready for use. The crew enter it with ballast
sufficiently nearly to sink the boat. Then by means of a stopcock they admit
a quantity of water, and the boats sinks. Then by means of a force-pump,
they eject water until the boat is of such a specific gravity as will allow it to
rise or sink with equal facility. The boat is then propelled in the direction
required, and is governed by the two rudders. Within is a lamp or Drum-
mond light, shining through the windows, and the pilot can see through the
bow lights his direction, and the objects he encounters. When the air
requires renewal a little water is pumped out, and the boat rises to the
surface. The pipes are then thrust up about six feet above the water; their
valves are opened, and the air at the top part of the interior is pumped out,
and its place supplied by that which naturally flows in. Or, the air may be
purified in some degree by a small fountain of lime-water issuing in many jets
to absorb carbonic acid gas, and the issue from a meter of a small quantity of
oxygen gas. There may be a heavy ballast beneath the outside of the bottom
or under the shelves at the sides, which could be liberated from the inside at
a moment's notice. If the weight be under the bottom it could be liberated
by turning back a screw; if at the sides, the weights may be held by
hooks, the turning of which from within would liberate the ballast, and let
the boat rise suddenly to the surface. When divers are to accompany the
boat they sit upon the outside, and draw their breath from within by means
of pipes and a suction blower, the pipes being long enough to admit of their
operating at a distance from the boat. When desirable, the boat can be
supplied with ventilating pipes reaching above the surface, the circulation of
the air kept up by means of a suction blower within the boat, or above the
water. The boat can be drawn by a tow line by a steamer, or dragged by
the outside divers. A reservoir of air may be used for receiving and distri-
buting air to many divers.
The diver must have defensive armour to resist pressure of the water
if very deep, but in all cases must have a head piece, into which the
two ventilating pipes may be inserted. One of them, the exhaust pipe,
is connected with a suction blower or an air pump, by which the air

page_text: is constantly drawn out; the other is the supply pipe, and admits to
the diver the fresh air, which naturally flows down to supply the partial
vacuum caused by the exhaust pipe. When the defensive armour admits of
the pipes being contained within the casing which is round the body, the
exhaust pipe has a branch extending downwards to abstract the carbonic acid
gas. In deep water a lamp will often be necessary. A globe glass con-
taining a lamp has an exhaust pipe and a supply pipe, and is managed for
supply and exhaust of air the same as a diver would be. Such a lamp of
proper shape is also attached to the breast or head piece of the diver. the air
pipes of which are branches of his own breathing pipes. The breathing pipes
must be made flexible, and strong enough not to break by tension, and with
rings or wound wire within to resist collapse. At the junction of the pipes
with the diving dress there is in each of them a valve so constructed that if
the pipe should break and admit water, the valve would close and protect the
diver. In case of accident to the dress, so that it admits the water, the supply
pipe must be so situated that the diver can take it in his mouth and mako
sure of breath until he can rise to the surface and open a stop-cock, which
will communicate air to his mouth from above the water.
To recover submerged property when found in deep water, such as a ship,
I use gas bags, each one of which is calculated to float to the surface the
weight of about ten tons. Such a bag would be in cylindrical form, about
twelve feet six inches long and six feet in diameter when inflated. The bag
must be made air-tight, and strong enough to contain the gas. It has a valve
held closed by a spring and by the outside pressure, which will allow the gas
to escape whenever the pressure within is greater than is deemed safe. The
gas to inflate the bag is generated from chemicals. For instance, in the
drawer at the bottom of the bag, and which shuts water-tight, a quantity of
air alkali is put dissolved in water (or, say, magnesia in a granulated state);
amid this lies a bottle of acid (say, tartaric acid), besides this is an iron
shaft having a cam upon it, and a crank outside. When it is desired to
inflate the bag the diver turns the crank, and the cam is thrust against the
bottle and breaks it, the acid is diffused in the alkali, and a gas is evolved
which distends the bag and gives it a lifting power. Or, there may be iron
filings in the drawer of the box, or zinc, and in the bottle dilute sulphuric acid
to evolve hydrogen gas, or I can inflate it by burning a slow gunpowder. It.
is not in all cases necessary to have an artificial draught in the breathing
pipes. If they are made thick and non-conducting, the warmth of the body
and of the lamp will make a natural draught.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal l'atent Office
on the 20th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 60, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William Edward
Newton, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as T, the
said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVED APPARATUS FOR EXPLORING UNDER WATER," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, thai I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention has reference to a novel construction of boat for submarino
navigation, and to improved appliances for supplying air to divers, and also to
improved means for raising sunken articles.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings the submarine boat is shewn in
plan in Fig. 1, and in longitudinal section at Fig. 2.
It is made strong
enough to resist the pressure of water at the depth it is intended to go,
and to this end it is constructed of iron with stout ribs to prevent collapse.
I prefer to give it an egg shape with pointed ends. It is propelled by a screw
a turned by a crank b by persons within, or by a clock spring or electro-

page_text: magnetic machine. To this boat an ordinary rudder c is fitted at the stern,
and an up and down rudder d at the bow. It has two keels, so that it will
sit level upon them. Ingress is obtained at the man-hole e at top. The boat,
which forms an air reservoir, should be made large in order to contain air
sufficient for several men to breathe as long as they may require to be under
water without opportunity to ventilate it.
The boat being constructed air and water tight, with the windows and
ventilating apertures, it is ready for use. The crew enter it with ballast
nearly sufficient to sink the boat, and by means of a stop-cock they admit
a quantity of water, and the boat sinks. By the action of a force pump a
portion of this water is ejected until the boat is of such a specific gravity
as will permit of its rising or sinking with equal facility. The boat is then
propelled in the direction required, and is governed by the two rudders.
Within the boat is placed a lamp or Drummond light, shining through the
windows, and the pilot can see through the bow lights his direction, and the
objects he encounters. When the air requires renewal, a little water is
pumped out, and the boat rises to the surface. The pipes A, B, are then
thrust up about six feet above the water; their valves are opened, and the
air at the top part of the interior is pumped out, and its place supplied by
that which naturally flows in. Or, the air may be purified in some degree
by a small fountain of lime water issuing in many jets to absorb carbonic acid
gas, and the is ue from a meter of a small quantity of oxygen gas. There
may be a heavy ballast beneath the bottom or under the shelves at the sides,
which could be liberated from the inside at a moment's notice. If the weight
be under the bottom it could be liberated by turning back a screw. If at the
sides, the weights may be held by hooks, the turning of which from within
would liberate the ballast, and let the boat rise suddenly to the surface.
When divers accompany the boat they sit upon the shelves / outside, and
draw their breath from within by means of pipes and a suction blower, the pipes
being long enough to admit of their operating at a distance from the boat.
When desirable, the boat can be supplied with ventilating pipes reaching
above the surface, the circulation of the air being kept up or quickened when
required by means of a suction blower within the boat or above the water.
The boat can be drawn by a tow line by a steamer or dragged by the outside
divers to any spot required. Instead of using this novel construction of boat,
the Inventor proposes in some cases to employ an air reservoir like that shewn
at C, in Sheet II., for receiving and distributing air to a group of divers.
The diver should have defensive armour to resist the pressure of the water
at great depths, and in all cases he must have a head piece g, as shewn at

page_text: Fig. 3, with which the two ventilating pipes are brought into connection.
One of them, the exhaust pipe A, is connected with a blower or an air pump
by which the air is constantly drawn out. The other pipe B is the supply
pipe, and conducts to the diver the fresh air which naturally flows down to
supply the partial vacuum caused by the exhaust pipe. When the defensive
armour admits of the pipes being contained within the casing which is round
the body, the exhaust pipe should have a branch extending downwards to
abstract the carbonic acid gas.
In deep water a lamp, see the Diagram, Sheet 11., will often be necessary.
A globe containing the lamp has an exhaust pipe and a supply pipe, and the
supply and exhaust air eflected in the same manner as for a diver. A lamp of
suitable shape is also attached to the breast or head piece of the diver, the
air pipes of which are branches of his own breathing pipes.
The breathing pipes must be made flexible,and strong enough not to break
by tension, and with rings or coils of wire within to resist collapse. At the
junction of the pipes with the diving dress there must be in each of them
a valve so arranged that if the pipe should break and admit water the valve
would close and protect the diver. In case of accident to the dress, so that
it admits the water, the supply pipe must be so situated that the diver can
take it in his mouth, and make sure of breath until he can rise to the surface
and open a stop-cock, which will communicate air to his mouth from above
the water.
To recover submerged property when found in deep water, such as a ship,
gas bags, similar to that shewn at Fig. 4, Sheet 1., are used. Each one of
them is calculated to float to the surface a weight equal to about ten tons.
Such a bag would be in cylindrical form, about twelve feet six inches long and
six feet in diameter when inflated. The bag must be made air-tight, and
strong enough to contain the gas. 11. has a valve held closed by a spring
and by the outside pressure, which will allow the gas to escape whenever the
pressure within is greater than is deemed safe. The bags are connected to
the sunken vessel by chains, as shewn in the Diagram, Sheet II., and then
inflated.
The gas to inflate the bags may be generated from chemical substances
of various kinds. For instance, in the draw at the bottom of the bag, and
which shuts water-tight,a quantity of alkali is put dissolved in water (or, say,
magnesia in a granulated state), amid this lies a bottle of acid (say, tartaric
acid), beside this is an iron shaft. having a cain upon it, and a crank outside.
When it is desired to inflate the bag the diver turns the crank, and the cam
is thrust against the bottle and breaks it; the acid is diffused in the alkali,

page_text: and a gas is evolved which distends the bag and gives it a lifting power. Or,
there may be iron filings in the drawer of the box, or zinc, and in the
bottle dilute sulphuric acid to evolve hydrogen gas, or the vessel may be
inflated by burning a slow gunpowder therein.
The Inventor remarks, that it is not in all cases necessary to have an
rtificial draught in the breathing pipes. If they are made thick and non-
conducting the warmth of the body of the diver, and the heat given off by the
lamp which he carries will make a natural draught.
Having now explained the nature and object of the Invention of "Improved
Apparatus for Exploring under Water," as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to claim the
principle of constructing vessels capable of propulsion under water; neither do
I wish to claim the exclusive use of inflated vessels for raising and recovering
sunken ships or other property; but what I claim under the above in part
recited Letters Patent is,--
First, the arrangement of submarine vessel, as described, which is capable
of carrying the divers from place to place, and of supplying them with air.
Secondly, the arrangement above described for creating a circulation of air
through the diver's helmet at or near the usual pressure of the atmosphere.
Thirdly, I claim the construction of collapsible vessel, whereby the pressure
of the gas generated therein may be regulated as required.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the
year of cur Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)