IMPROVEMENTS IN PONTOONS OR CAISSONS APPLICABLE TO BUILDING STRUCTURES IN WATER AND TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Symes, of Norfolk Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PONTOONS
OR CAISSONS APPLICABLE TO BUILDING STRUCTURES IN WATER AND TO OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES."
Sealed the 8th September 1864, and dated the 8th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Symes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th March 1864.
I, JAMES SYMES, of Norfolk Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PONTOONS OR CAISSONS APPLICABLE TO BUILDING STRUCTURES IN WATER AND TO
OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
pontoons or caissons applicable chiefly to the purpose of building bridges,
embankments, and other structures in rivers, channels, or other waters, on
beds of soft or yielding clay or earth, or on sand or rock, the pontoon or
caisson being also applicable to numerous other useful purposes.
I propose to construct the pontoon or caisson of iron of any required
dimensions; the proportions which I consider efficient would be about

page_text: 100 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, the bottom or floor consisting
of a horizontal division or partition placed about 20 feet from the top of the
caisson, so as to divide it into two chambers, the upper chamber being twenty
feet deep, and the lower chamber 10 feet deep, without a floor or bottom. A
large circular or square hatchway is made in the partition, and is provided
with vertical walls rising to the top level of the caisson, whereby communi-
cation is established between the upper and lower chambers. The hatchway
is furnished with a valve closing or opening the division as required. The
valve being closed the pontoon caisson is floated over the spot where a
foundation or other work in water is required to be performed. The valve is
then opened and the water let into the upper chamber, which sinks the
pontoon to the bottom, say, to a depth of 20 feet, and when the water in the
upper chamber is on a level with the water outside, the valve is shut and
water is pumped into the upper chamber until it is filled up 10 feet above the
level of the river or other water, (and the upper chamber must always be left
so filled up 10 feet above the level of the water), so that the 10 feet weight of
water will cause a downward pressure equal to counteract the upward
tendency of the pontoon caused by the withdrawal of water from the lower
chamber (as hereafter described). This extra weight of the chamber
upper
(which can be constructed larger in area than the lower chamber) will drive
or force the lower edge of the pontoon down into the clay and stanch the
lower chamber, which is then to be pumped out dry, when the workmen may
descend therein through the hatchway.
The work being finished; water is let into the lower chamber and pumped
out of the upper chamber, when the pontoon will rise. In tidal waters it is
evident that pumping may to some extent be dispensed with, since ingress
and égress by apertures and valves or taps may be arranged for the supply or
withdrawal of water. To operate upon rocky or hard uneven surfaces I
propose to apply a cushion of gutta percha or india-rubber under the lower
edges of the caisson, whereby the pressure may be communicated to the
inequalities of surface, and a water-tight union effected. Or I propose to
apply to the sides and bottom a chain or rope network and canvas, or other
strong flexible waterproof fabric, whereby when the caisson is lowered and
set the work may be begun on such fabric, and the edges afterwards cut
away, when the work is finished and the pontoon is to be raised.
The caisson may also be made of double sides, open at the bottom, and a
gutta percha or india-rubber wall inserted therein, so that the pressure of the
caisson may force the soft material to penetrate into unequal surfaces as
before. The caisson may also be made in vertical sections or divisions, and

page_text: held together by flanges, screw bolts, and nuts, with india-rubber washers
between the flanges for tightness. This arrangement will enable the caisson
to be readily removed from certain descriptions of work.
The pontoon or floating caisson is applicable to blasting rocks, deepening
5 harbours and rivers, fastening anchors, for batteries of war, for fishing for
eels, and numerous other useful purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Symes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SYMES, of Norfolk Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Symes, Her special licence that I, the said James
Symes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Symes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PONTOONS OR CAISSONS APPLICABLE TO BUILDING STRUCTURES WATER
AND TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Symes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after:
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Symes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of

page_text: pontoons or caissons applicable chiefly to the purpose of building bridges,
embankments, and other structures in rivers, channels, or other waters, or
beds of soft or yielding clay or earth, or on sand or rock; the pontoon or
caisson being also applicable to numerous other useful purposes.
I propose to construct the pontoon or caisson of iron, of any required
dimensions; the proportions which I consider efficient would be about
100 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, the bottom or floor consisting
of a horizontal division or partition placed about 20 feet from the top of the
caisson, so as to divide it into two chambers; the upper chamber being
20 feet deep, and the lower chamber 10 feet deep, without a floor or bottom.
A large circular or square hatchway is made in the partition, and is provided
with vertical walls rising to the top level of the caisson, whereby communi-
cation is established between the upper and lower chambers. The hatchway
is furnished with a valve closing or opening the division as required. The
valve being closed the pontoon caisson is floated over the spot where a
foundation or other work in water is required to be performed. The valve is
then opened and the water let into the upper chamber, which sinks the pon-
toon to the bottom, say, to a depth of 20 feet, and when the water in the upper
chamber is on a level with the water outside, the valve is shut and water is
pumped into the upper chamber until it is filled up 10 feet above the level of
the river or other water (and the upper chamber must always be left so filled
up 10 feet above the level of the water), so that the 10 feet of water
will cause a downward pressure equal to counteract the upward tendency of
the pontoon caused by the withdrawal of water from the lower chamber (as
heroafter described). This extra weight of the upper chamber (which can
be constructed larger in area than the lower chamber) will drive or force the
lower edge of the pontoon down into the clay and stanch the lower chamber,
which is then to be pumped out dry, when the workmen may descend therein
through the hatchway.
The work being finished, water is let into the lower chamber and pumped
out of the upper chamber, when the pontoon will rise. In tidal waters it is
evident that pumping may to some extent be dispensed with, since ingress
and egress by apertures and valves or taps could be arranged for the supply
or withdrawal of water.. To operate upon rocky or hard uneven ground or
surfaces, I propose to apply a cushion of gutta percha or india-rudder under
the lower edges of the caisson, whereby the pressure may be communicated
to the inequalities of surface, and a water-tight union effected. Or I propose
to apply to the sides and bottom a chain or rope network and canvas, or
other strong flexible waterproof fabric, whereby when the caisson is lowered

page_text: and set, the work may be begun on such fabric, and the edges afterwards
cut away when the work is finished and the pontoon is to be raised.
The caisson may also be made of double sides, open at bottom, and a gutta
percha or india-rubber wall inserted therein, so that the pressure of the
caisson may force the soft material to penetrate into unequal surfaces as
before. The caisson may also be made in vertical sections or divisions, and
held together by flanges, screw bolts, and nuts, with india-rubber washers
between the flanges for tightness. This arrangement will enable the caisson
to be readily removed from certain descriptions of work.
The pontoon or floating caisson is applicable to blasting rocks, deepening
harbours and rivers, fastening anchors, for batteries of war, for fishing for
eels, and numerous other useful purposes.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark, in conclusion, that I do
not limit myself to the precise details I have expressed herein, as the same
may obviously be modified or varied without in any way departing from the
principles on which my Invention is based; but what I claim as my Invention
and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent
are, the "Improvements in Pontoons or Caissons applicable to Building
Structures in Water and to other useful Purposes," substantially as herein
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Symes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
D. P. O'MEARA, Sol.,
30, Leinster Road,
Dublin.
JAMES SYMES. (L.S.)