CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND MACHINERY FOR DEEPENING AND EXCAVATING THE BEDS OF RIVERS, REMOVING SAND BANKS, BARS, AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS TO NAVIGATION
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
AFFLECK, of Dumfries, in the County of Dumfries, Scotland, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of December, in the fourth year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Affleck, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Thomas Affleck, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Affleck, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND MACHINERY FOR DEEPENING AND EXCAVATING
THE BEDS OF RIVERS, REMOVING SAND BANKS, BARS, AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS TO
NAVIGATION;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said Thomas Affleck, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, to cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Affleck, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My Invention of Certain Improvements in the Means and Machinery for
Deepening and Excavating the Beds of Rivers, Removing Sand Banks, Bars,
and other Obstructions to Navigation, consist in directing the natural current
of running waters to certain points or parts of the shallows by means of
apparatus and machinery which are intended to produce checks or obstructions
to the course of the stream, and thereby cause such pressure and agitation of
the waters at the desired points as shall be sufficient to disturb and wash away
the sand, mud, and other matters that have been deposited in the way of the
required channel. These effects I produce by the employment of various
apparatus, both fixed and moveable, which I am about to describe, and also to
point out the situations to which they are respectively adapted. But it would
be impossible to. contemplate the local peculiarities of every situation wherein
I shall therefore
my mode of operating might be beneficially applied.
proceed to describe only certain situations, and the apparatus and mode of
proceeding which I should employ under the respective circumstances.
Supposing the mouth of a tide river wherein the current runs principally on
one side, a low sand bank lying on the other side, which is generally the case
in a wide part of the river, and on the inner or lesser curve of every bend the
shallow occupying a very considerable portion of the breadth. If this bank
is below the level of the half flood spring tide, then a portion of the current of
the water will cross the low part of the bank and the line of the low water
channel, and before the half flood takes place, and after half ebb, the sand
bank becomes the conductor of the current into an erroneous course, the
smooth nature of that conductor, its line of direction, and the descending plain
from the bank causing the water to rush forward and to act forcibly upon the
next object that it meets with. From this cause it generally happens that the
mud and other matter disturbed by the force of the water are those being in
the outer part of the curve, which following the water in its circular eddy,
produces a deposit on the low part of the bank on the opposite side of the
channel, and by that means the bank becomes extended, and more influential
in conducting the current farther from its proper course. In order to remove
such obstruction to the course of the stream, I should first employ a stationary
apparatus, which I fix upon the bank or bed of the river in such a situation as
might not be objectionable or likely to obstruct the navigation. This appa-

page_text: ratus consists of a series of piles driven deep into the sand or mud in a row,
forming a line across the point of the jutting out part of the bank, which piles
may be connected together at top by timbers, as Figure 1. The current and
waves being impeded and directed by meeting with this obstruction, will, by
their pressure and force, wash a deep furrow in the bank at the obstructed
part, and this furrow will become the channel of the leading current, as is
invariably found to be the case in all deep parts of a running stream. On
sandy bottoms, over which the currents are great both in quantity and speed,
the top rails of timber should at first be so fixed to the piles that their upper
parts stand only a little above the surface of the bank, as the danger to be
apprehended from too great a resistance is that such an excavation might be
made at once as would cause the force of the current suddenly to undermine
the erection. The top of the timber should therefore be low in the first
instance, and as the excavation goes on, the piles should be driven in deeper,
and more timber be bolted on the top of the pile as the channel in the bank
becomes washed out. But loose sand banks sometimes rise in situations
where stationary piles and timbers cannot be conveniently placed. In such
situations an apparatus may be adapted to be anchored on the point of the
bank, in order to be brought into operation as close to the bank as possible.
Figure 2 represents a section taken across a river, the channel of deep
water being on one side, and the other side being filled up with a bank of sand
or mud. In this instance it is intended to obstruct the water to a con-
siderable depth or heighth from the bed. The simplest contrivance to effect
this would be to lower the hull of a vessel deeply into the water, to the sides
of which vessel a framework of timbers has been attached by bolts and bound
together by any convenient means; this framing of timber being so attached
as to stand at nearly right angles to the keel. This apparatus having been
thus partially sunk into the water, will cause a considerable obstruction to the
stream, and in so doing create a violent scour against the bank beneath and
for some distance round the spot where it is placed, dispersing the mud and
sand in the running water, which by the current will be carried away. In
order to avoid the inconvenience that might occasionally arise from vessels
requiring a free water way to pass, as well as to enable the machine to
be dragged against the current, I would under some circumstances connect
the wings of timber to the hull of the vessel by hinge joints, so as to fold up
close alongside, either towards the stem or stern, as might be required. The
bracings necessary for keeping these framings of timber suspended at right
angles with the keel may be ropes, iron bars, or chains, and the segment of a
toothed rack might be fixed to the top of each framing of timber for the

page_text: purpose of opening it out or bringing it alongside by means of a pinion or
endless screw mounted on board the vessel. The apparatus for taking the
wings or framings in and forcing them out upon their joints must be propor-
tioned to the weight and strength of the framing, and to the quantity and
speed of the current. As the force of the combined current would cause the
bank against which it is applied to be rapidly washed away, I should so regu-
late the hold of the anchor against the bottom so as to allow the vessel with
its wings to drift with the current by slow degrees, in order to bring the
scouring operation progressively to act upon an extended portion of the bank.
This may be done by employing a powerful crane on the deck of the vessel to
raise or lower the fluke of the anchor so as to enable it to hold on or slack
away, as the nature of the work requires; and the anchor may be so con-
structed as to drag the gravel and stones from the shallows into the deep parts
of the river as it advances.
This method of deepening or widening a river may be employed to any
extent of power, even so great as to force the whole flood and ebb of a river in
the half of its regular space, and with such power mud, sand, and even gravel
would move along with the same rapidity as the pure water. Several
machines of the simple construction described might be applied in a range
across a river, having the means of resisting or holding on so regulated as to
allow the slow drifting of the apparatus with the current. The hold of the
vessel must be loaded, in order to sink it to the proper draft of water, and the
depth of the current being changeable as the tide rises and falls, the depth
must be voided and regulated so as to allow the bottom current to continue to
act uniformily with the most efficient force, which can only be determined
from observation during the operation of the work. This regulating of the
depth of the apparatus may be done by dividing the inside of the hold into
water-tight chambers or cisterns, each of which cisterns or chambers has a
valve or spigot to admit water, and a pump to expel it; or pumps may be
employed capable of either injecting or expelling the water. These cisterns
are necessary in order to prevent the water from rushing to either side or end
of the vessel suddenly, and to keep the vessel upright, as well as by filling or
emptying some of the tanks to sink her down or raise her up to any required
state of buoyancy.
Another variety of the apparatus is shewn in two different views at Figures
3 and 4, consisting of a cross of timber, held together and weighted by a
strong cast iron central plate. The cross may be constructed of various
dimensions, from twenty to fifty yards expanse, and of twenty or thirty inches
deep, having iron feet which take hold of the sand. The cross is held on by

page_text: an anchor and chain cable; and the points are prevented from penetrating two
deeply into the sand by shoulders or other broad surfaces. The timbers thus
sunk into the water interrupt the courses of the current at bottom, and, pro-
duce a scour or washing out of the bed or bank beneath; and as the sand or
mud gives way the cross drifts slowly with the current to the extent of the
moving chain in one direction with the flood, and in the opposite direction
with the ebb tide. I prefer a cross framing, as shewn; but nearly the same
effect might be produced by a framing of three, five, or any greater number of
arms; and a buoy should be attached to the centre in order to point out its
situation. Under some circumstances I might make the framing of logs of
timbers properly braced, of sufficient beight to stop the whole depth of the
current in which it is immersed, and in that case should construct a large
tank in the centre for the purpose of loading or unloading the apparatus, as
might be required, and in this tank I should construct a cabin for affording
shelter to the workmen employed.
Having described the general features of my plan of proceeding, it will be
clearly understood that my Invention consists in partially confining and
restraining the currents of running waters, so as to bring an extraordinary
force or pressure of the water to act upon certain parts of the bank or bottom
desired to be removed, by means of which force the sand or mud is removed,
and new and deep channels produced, without the labour and expence of
dredging. As, however, various localities and circumstances may render the
employment of various constructions of apparatus more or less eligible, it may
be desirable for me to shew the several kinds of apparatus which I have
found useful in the course of my pract, without intending to confine myself
to the use of these alone.
Figure 5 represents one of a series of stakes or piles having a great depth
of hold in the bottom. Such in many situations will produce, by the action
of the waves and currents, a deep unchanging channel, the height and
distance of the piles apart to be regulated by circumstances. Figure 6 is
another construction of pile having a socket fixed to the upper part of the
pile rod, in which is inserted a block of timber. A series of these piles are
to be placed in a row along the middle of the intended channel, when the
bulk of the wood will check the current, and produce the scouring, as before
explained. Figure 7 is a line of flap gates or sluices suspended on long piles
fixed into the ground, the hinges being at top. These are intended to be
placed across a tideway to produce a deep river channel through an obstructing
bank. The ebb of the tide will cause an excavation on one side of the range
of piles, and the flow of the tide on the other side. Sometimes the flapgate

page_text: may occupy the whole space between the piles, but in very exposed situations the
flaps should be open at the upper part, to allow a portion of the wave to pass
These may in some situations require to be prevented from opening
beyond a certain extent, in which cases the lower part of the gate must be
secured by a chain to the piling.
over.
Figure 8 is a line of piling for keeping a stream from shifting its place.
It must be strong enough to resist the impulse of the greatest waves and
currents by which it can be reached, but should not be placed in the way of
any vessels.
A portable apparatus, formed like Figure 1, to be placed in sections, may
be set in any situations in the line, and crossing the line of the water way, to
prevent the accumulation of sand in the way of a required channel.
As it is often necessary to preserve the breadth as well as the depth of a
water way, I should in some such cases construct an apparatus as shewn in
the plan, Figure 9. Supposing one side of the plan to represent a wharf or
quay, I should erect swinging frames or wings of timber to obstruct the cur-
rent upon upright joints or hinges affixed to the breast of the wharf or driven
firmly into the ground. These wings may be allowed to open outwards across
the current by the fall of the tide, and to close in and lay flat against the breast
of the quay on the rising of the tide. The extent to which the wings shall open
may be determined by stops driven into the bed of the river or harbour or by
check chains. Frames of a similar construction might be made to turn upon
a central axle consisting of a rod of iron driven firmly into the bed of the
river, as shewn in the last-mentioned Figure. These frames might be made
to stand as obstructions to the course of the stream, either across or at any
oblique angle, for the purpose of directing the current against any sand or
mud bank, and they might be adapted to turn and lie in the direction of the
stream during the time the tide is rising.
Figure 10 is a timber log to be held as an obstruction to the current by
short chains connected to piles driven into the ground. This log may have
iron teeth on its under side to dig into the bed of the river, and disturb the
bottom, while the current carries off the substance raised. A series of logs
of this kind might be held by means of anchorage, as at Figure 11; and if
empty casks were affixed to the upper side of the beam or log, the motion of
the waves would cause the points to peck the ground continually. Figure 12
represents a series of these logs or beams placed at certain distances apart,
extending across a river in the middle of the stream, and connected together
by mooring chains attached to their ends or by any other convenient means.
This apparatus, by the obstruction it would cause to the flow of the current,

page_text: would cause the water to wash out the bed of the river to a considerable
depth during the run of one land flood. When there is no flood in the river.
the chain on one side might be let go, which would allow all the beams to fall
into a line on the side of the river; and when the flood came, this mooring
chain being again made fast on the opposite side of the river, the other chain
might be slackened down, and the beams brought across the current, as repre-
sented. In order to carry the operation along a considerable extent of the
river, the mooring chain might be at intervals progressively slackened down a
few inches at a time during the whole run of the flood, and by that means be
made to dig up and wash away the complete bed of the river to a considerable
extent at one flood. This application is most suitable for clay bottoms, par-
ticularly stiff clay; but, by continued action in several floods, gravel, and even
stones, might be disturbed and washed out by the force of the water. :
Figure 13 represents a line of agitators, consisting of short staves of wood
sheathed or pointed with iron,: severally passed through the link of a strong
chain. The alternate stave cross each other, and one of the ends of each
stave bears upon the ground. One end of the chain is secured by an an
anchor or mooring block, and the other end is attached to a floating buoy:
The ends of the bars thus arranged by the agitation of the water are made to
peck into the ground, and thereby to disturb the bottom, which being loosened
is washed away by the force of the current.
Figure 14 is a floating beam intended to direct the current, downwards:
It is held in its place by a mooring block and chain, and the length of the
arm extending below determines the proper angle at which it should float to
produce the required resistance to the flow of the water.
Figure 15 is a cross frame of timber on which is constructed perpendicular
rods or bars pointed at bottom. These are held by a framing which is floated
to any part, and fixed in the bed of the river by a central pile screwed or let
firmly into the ground; and as the current of water flows between them, they
are subject to such vibratory action, as cause their points to bore into and
break up the hard surface. The central part must be occasionally driven into
the ground in order to keep the points of the rods in operative situations.
Another apparatus for breaking up the bed of a river, when formed of hard
materials may be, constructed as Figure 16, which is a sort of porcupine
roller. A beam of wood, as an axle, carries a considerable number of radial
arms or rods securely braced together, and pointed at their outer extremities.
This roller being placed in the middle of a river, or in any situation where the
bottom is required to be deepened, may be made to roll over along the bed by
the labour of horses upon the banks upon each side, or by any other power

page_text: connected by chains or ropes to the ends of the axle. The effect of this
apparatus would be, that the points of the rods, by their vibration, would
break up the ground, and resistance opposed to the current "would cause
these loose materials to be washed away.
Figures 17 and 18 are an elevation and plan of a wedge-formed apparatus
embodying most of the features described in the foregoing Figures. It is
intended to be placed in a running stream, so as to receive the current at its
wide open part, and by confining it to cause such a rapid and powerful
discharge of water below as shall carry away the mud, sand, or other deposit
which formed the bank. The apparatus is constructed of timber on the sides,
with perpendicular rods of iron taking hold of the ground, and is secured in
its place by the anchors. The current, flowing in at the open part, becomes
restrained and confined by the enclined sides, and is thereby made to gush out
with great force at the under part, carrying the sand, mud, and other
materials with it. Casks are attached by transverse beams, in order to
render the whole buoyant in case of accident. This is a very safe apparatus
for exposed situations. One of these, constructed of American yellow fir, was
moved about at work in an arm of the Solway in very stormy weather, and
was every day in situations where distruction would have been unavoidable to
any sailing vessel. The power of a land flood in any river is so great with
this apparatus that it would be certain to clear out and equalize the depth of
the channel to a considerable extent in a few hours. In order to clear away
the sand and mud from the sides of a pier or jetty, supposing such erection
to be formed of timber, as Figure 19, I should enclose its sides by shutters
opening inwards, which would allow the waves as they rise to pass to the
interior, and being there confined and prevented from returning by the closing
of the shutters, the pressure of the confined water would gush out at the
bottoni of the erection, and carry with it all the mud, sand, or other materials
which had been deposited. The interior of the wooden pier or jetty should be
divided into compartments to produce the best effect, when each wave, by
opening the flap or shutter inwards, would be enclosed above the level of the
still water, and having no other escape would by its pressure force out the
materials from below, and thereby clean away the obstruction. The same
thing is applicable to the front of a stone quay or breast, and may be con-
structed by temporary piles driven into the ground a few feet from the face
of the pier.
Having described various apparatus and modes of working applicable to
my improved method of removing banks of sand or mud, I may add, by way
of conclusion, that the leading object of my Invention being to direct strong

page_text: downward currents of water against the bottom or bed of a water course, it
might be desirable under some circumstances to employ pumps driven by a
powerful steam engine, which should be capable of forcing water in jets
against the bottom to effect the same object.
Lastly, I have to repeat that it would be impossible for me to point out
every variation of implements, apparatus, or machinery which local circum-
stances might render convenient and applicable to the purposes of deepening
and excavating the beds of rivers, removing sand banks, bars, and other
obstructions to navigation. I, therefore, desire it to be understood that my
Invention consists in directing, impeding, confining, and restraining the
currents of running waters in the ways above described, for the purpose of
causing the pressure or rushing force of such confined streams to act with
increased power upon certain parts of the banks, beds, and shallows, and by so
acting to excavate and wash away the said obstruction, and to form thereby
new deep and capacious channels for the free course of the stream, in which
channels vessels of considerable burden may be navigable with ease and
perfect safety.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Affleck, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-four.
THOMAS (L.S.)
(L.S.) AFFLECK.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of March,
in the fourth year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the
said Thomas Affleck came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Eleventh day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-four.