Improvements in or connected with Wreck Raising Appliances
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan, 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in or connected with Wreck Raising Appliances
We, JAMES BFII of 38 Rus an Drive West Derby, in the County of
Lancaster, Ship Owner, WILLIAM CHARLES MELVII LE, of 14 Coltart Road,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, ind JAMES WILLIAM FOSTER,
of 56 Littledale Road, Seacombe in the County of Chester, Salvage Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of his invention to be as follows
-
This invention has reference mainly to appliances namely, vessels known as
"camels,' and inchinery employed thereon, for rusing sunken wrecks, and it
consists of cert un improvements, or improved con tructions, hereinafter specified,
by which the employment of such vessels, and the operation of raising of wrecks
of large zes, and of various sizes, can be successfully and safely performed, and
without the assistance of the rise of the unde that is, they can be lifted or raised
mechanically by the aid of this invention, even in cases where the depth of water
over the wreck 18 say as much as 20 fathoms At the same time, it is to be stated,
the invention may also be applied with advantage to the raising of wrecks in cases
where the power for the actual lifting or raising is afforded by the rising to the
tide 01, it may also be applied and adapted to raise wrecl s partly by the
appliances within themselves, and partly by the 1st of the tide
According to this invention, a
" camel is provided with openings or wells
running athwartships, of comparatively narrow width, extending vertically, from
the deck to the bottom, and athwartships, to very considerable extent of the
beam of the vessel, and through these openings or wells, the different wire ropes
used for fastening under or to, and raising the wreck, will pass from the wreck to
By this construction, the
the deck of the camel, where they would be fastened
wire ropes could in all ca es, with ships of very different beam measurement, be
brought vertically up to and through the camel and being secured directly at the
point where they pa s through the deck of the camel, a vertical direct and fair
strain and pull is put upon the camel, and upon the ropes, also when two or more
camels are employed, side by side, the camels may be so adjusted that they will
keep off each other at their adjacent sides, and so obviate objectionable strains
being put upon them and prevent them becoming damaged
1 uither, in connection with each of these thwartships rope wells through the
camels, a winch 18 employed, said winch being adapted to be moved from one side
of the camel to the other, so as to tinverse the whole width of the well, and be
adjusted to any point thereon to effect the duect vertical pull and strain referred
to, and the ropes used are brought up through the well, and wound on the barrel
of the winches The winding part or barrels or drums of the winches will be
mounted in suitable frames, and driven by a steam engine or suitable motoi, from
say a central position on the deck, the winding barrel or dium being connected
up by suitable adjustable shafting, and tooth gearing of a suitable nature
Ihe camels themselves will, in form, be preferably flat bottomed vessels, and
iectangular in a plan, and divided up into a number of water tight compartments
by longitudinal and transverse bulkheads and, at one end, they would be tapered
In connection with the
oft o inclined so as to enable them to be easily towed
various compartments, pumping machinery would be employed and the pumps
will communicate by pipes and valves with the different compartments, and with

page_text: the sea, overboard By these, any of the compartments can be emptied or filled
In connection with the pumps in some cases, we use a valvular arrangement
compri ing chambers connected with the pump suction and discharge, and valves
thereon so aanged in connection with said chambers, that communication between
one com, artment and another can be cut off as requned, and by this means, in
conjunction with the valves above specified, one compartment or part can be filled
by water pumped from another, oi, the compartments can be filled by the pumps
from overboard, or emptied by discharging by the pumps overboard
On the decks we provided suitable bollards which in some cases are hollow and
made of steel and the valves connected with the compartments may be arranged
directly under these bollards, and the wheels or means of working such valves
disposed within the bollaids
In the case where the wreck to be raised is in deep water, and the camels placed
side by side above it, the full displacement and lifting power of the camels may be
utilized and applied, while in the cue of a wreck being in shallow water so that
the lifting camels must be disposed on either side of the wreck, e outside her
sides, the compartments on the outer side of the camels would be filled or partly
filled with water, those on the inner side being empty By these means the
flotation and behaviour of the camels in the required manner 18 obtained
this latter case the ropes would be brought up through the wells at their extreme
end so as to obtain as direct and vertical a pull and lift as possible Other 10pe>
may also be passed over the side of the camels and passed under the wicck
In
In one particular form of camel constructed as described, there will be fore and
aft bulkheads carried along a line coincident with the ends and forming the end
plates of the rope wells whilst the plating forming the sides of the rope-wells
con titutes transverse bulkheads, between the two longitudinal bulkhead and the
side of the camel The middle o central compartments may, if desired, be divided
up by longitudinal bulkheads The side compartments will be those which are
ordinarily used for lowering and raising the camels in the water, by filling them
and pumping them out
As regards the compartment valves, under one arrangement, the camel is provided
with a heelson at each side which serves as a conduit or pipe connecting the pump
chamber with the compartments, and the valves are fitted on the keelson, and
control the communication between it and the compartments through which
it runs
Dated this 6th day of May 1895
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants Patent Agents
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in or connected with Wreck Raising Appliances
We, JAMES BELL, of 38 Russian Drive, West Derby, in the County of
Lancaster, Ship Owner, WILLIAM CHARLES MELVILLE, of 14 Coltart Road,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and JAMES WILLIAM FOSTER,
of 56 Littledale Road, Seacombe, in the County of Chester, Silvage Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
This invention has reference mainly to appliances, namely, vessels known as
"camels,' and machinery employed thereon, for raising sunken wrecks, and it
consists of certain improvements, or improved constructions, herein ifter specified,
by which the employment of such ves els, and the operation of raising of wrecks
of large sizes, and of various sizes, can be successfully and safely performed, and

page_text: without the assi tance of the rise of the tide, that is, they can be lifted or raised
mechanically by the aid of this invention, even in cases where the depth of water
over the wreck is say as much as 20 fathoms At the same time, it is to be stated
the invention may also be applied with advantage to the raising of wrecks in cases
where the power for the actual lifting or raising is afforded by the rising of the
tide, or, it may also be applied and adapted to raise wrecks partly by the
appliances within themselves, and partly by the rise of the tide
According to this invention, a "camel" is provided with openings or wells
running athwartships, of comparatively narrow width, extending vertically, from the
deck to the bottom, and athwaitships, to a very considerable extent of the beam
of the ve sel, and through the.e openings or wells, the different wire ropes used
for fastening under o to, and raising the wreck will pass from the wick to the
dech of the camel, where they would be fastened By this construction, the wire
ropes could in all cases with ships of very different beam measurement, be brought
vertically up to and through the camel and being secured directly at the point
where they pass through the deck of he camel, vertical direct and fair strain
and pull is put upon the camel, and upon the ropes also when two or more camel-
arc employed, side by side, the camels may be so adjusted that they will keep off
each other at the adjacent side, and so obviate objectionable stiains being put
upon them, ind prevent them becoming damaged
Further, in connection with each of these athwartships 1ope wells through the
camels, a winch is employ ed, said winch being adapted to be moved from one side
of the camel to the other, so as to traverse the whole width of the well, und be
adjusted to any point thereon to effect the direct vertical pull and -train referred
to
and the ropes used are brought up through the well, an wound on the barrel
of the winches The winding put or barrels or diums of the winches will be
mounted in suitable frames, and driven by steam engine or suitable motor, from
say a central position on the dech, the winding barul or dium being connected up
by suitable adjustable shafting, and tooth gearing of a suitable nature
The camels themselves will, in form, be preferably flat bottomed vessels, and
rectangular in a plan, and divided up into a number of water tight compartments
by longitudinal and transverse bulkheads and, at one end, they would be tapered
off o inclined so as to enable them to be easily towed In conection with the
various compartments, pumping machinery would be employed and the pumps
will communicate by pipes and valves with the different compartments, and wi
the sea, overboard By these, any of the compartments can be emptied or filled
In connection with the pumps, in some cases, we use a valvular arrangement
comprising chambers connected with the pump suction and discharge, and valves
thereon so arranged in connection with said chambers, that communication between
one compartment and another can be cut off as required, and by this means, in
conjunction with the valves above specified, one compartment or part can be filled
by water pumped from another or, the compartments can be filled by the pumps
from overboard, oi emptied by discharging by the pumps overboud
On the decks are provided suit ible bollards which in some cist are hollow and
made of steel, and the valves connected with the computments may be ranged
directly under these bollards, and the wheels or means of working such valves
disposed within the bollards
In the case where the wreck to be raised is in deep water, and the camel- placed
side by side above it the full displacement and lifting power of the camel may be
utilized and applied, while in the case of the wreck being in shallow water so that
the lifting camels must be disposed on either side of the wreck, ze out ide her
sides, the compartments on the outer side of the camels would be filled or partly
filled with water, those on the inue ide being empty By these means the
floatation and behaviour of the camels in the required manner is obtained
this latter case the ropes would be brought up through the wells it their extreme
ends, so as to obtain as duett and vertical a pull and lift as possible
Other ropes
may also be passed over the side of the camels and passed under the wreck
In

page_text: In one particular form of camel constructed as described, there will be fore and
aft bulkheads carried along a line coincident with the ends and forming the end
plates of the rope-wells, whilst the plating forming the sides of the rope wells con-
stitutes transveise bulkheads, between the two longitudinal bulkheads and the side
of the camel The middle oi central compartments may, if desired, be divided up
by longitudinal bulkheads The side compartments will be those which are
ordinarily used for lowering and raising the camels in the water, by filling them and
pumping them out
As iegarls the compartment valves, under one arrangement, the camel is provided
with keelson at each side which serves as a conduit or pipe connecting the pump
chamber with the compartments and the valves are fitted on the keelson, and
control the communication between it and the compartments through which it runs
The invention the nature of which is above described, will be set forth with
refcience to the accompanying drawings
In the e drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan shewing the camel, or pontoons for raising a submerged or
sunken ship
Figure 2 shews in cross section the camels or pontoons and the ship to be
raised
Figure 3 is a cross section shewing the position of the camels or pontoons for
raising sunken, but not completely, or deeply submerged ship
Figure 4 is a plan of one of the incls or pontoons shewn to a luge scale
Figues 5 and 6 e longitudinal sections, and Figure 7 is a cross section of the
camel, taken at the Ines A A, B B, and C C, respectively, in ligure 4
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation, Figure 9 is a plan, and Figure 10 cross
section of valve and conquit controlled thereby, connected with pumps for emptying
and filling the different compartments of the camel or pontoon
1
On either side of the ship to be raised, we employ camels a, in most cases fout,
arranged as indicated in Figure 1 According to this invention, the camels ne
provided with transveise wells &unning from one side of the amel to the other
for the greater part of its width, by which construction, the ropes c, by which the
Tes-els are litted, can he tal en up vertically from the ship to and through the
camels, and direct pull or sti un is put upon the camels, and, no matter what
the beam of the sunken ship be, the sime set of camels can be used, and in all ca es
the ai in opes can be arranged truly vertically so as to get a direct pull
Aid,
mor covei with the dect pull, the adjacent sides of the camels, on the oppo ite
side of the wreck, do not press or bump against each other, the position of the
1opes bein aanged that a ufficient distance between the camels 15 always
maintained, which is very desirable
In connection with the e wells, and the lifting ropes, winche dare employed, by
which the apparatus is capable of using wrecks where practically no tide exists
The type of winch which is used for this purpose, is one wherein the ends of the
ropes are not cared and held on the winding bairel, but in each case, the end 18
held on a separate reel or bariel, which moves with the winding barrel
This ty pe
of winch, however, forms in itself no part of this invention, it being made the
subject of a separate application for Patent filed contemporaneously herewith
This method of stowing ind coiling the rope is employed because only one set of
coils of the rope can be coiled or the winding drum d' of the winch, it being
impossible to have coils one upon the other for purposes such as described, were
the weights to be used are enormous as coils one upon the other will damage the
rope, and would render it useless for further raising purposes after on use
Assuming the ship to be used is 2000 tons, and four camels each with five wells
in them, and fivc winches, be used to raise the ship, each winch will carry, and on
each wie rope at each side of the ship there would be, a weight of 100 tons, that
is, there would be a strain of a full hundied tons on each rope at each side
When the ship is rused by the winches alone, they will be adapted to haul on
the ropes at both ends equally
1
]

page_text: As regards the use of wire ropes, about 10 or 11 inches in circumference as at
present made, is the maximum size than can be handled by man under such
conditions as wreck raising, and therefore practically the limit of weight which
can be lifted, is in this sense governed by this fact, nevertheless, the weight which
may be lifted will vary accordingly as more or less ropes are placed under a ship,
and the camels are made larger or smaller
When a ship is to be raised by the tide, two ropes c are used in connection with
each well b, and used together side by side One 1ope is on one of the winch
barrels, and is passed through the well and under the ship up through a hole in the
bed plate of the winch-which stands over the well,-where it is turned at
right angles and taken horizontally and fastened to one of the bollards of the
opposite camel Thus, twice as many ropes, for raising ships by the tide can
be employed as can be used by the winches, and cousequently ships of twice
the size and weight can be raised under these conditions as when raising by
winches alone
P
In the act of lifting a ship, where the ropes c pass through the wells bin
any other way but through the centre, more weight or strain would be put on
one side of the camels than the other It is therefore necessary that this should
be equalized, and the camels hep level, and to do this the water tanks of the
Camels on the side on which the lesser stiain comes e partly filled with water,
as hereafter described, to keep the camels on an even level
When lifting ships which are not completely or deeply submerged as shewn in
Figure 3, by means of the winches, and where the camels have to be placed apart
on each side of the ship, as shewn, the winches are placed on the off side of the
camel, as far as possible to counter balance the weight which will come upon the
near side, and if this is not sufficient, the outside compartments of the amels
(hereinafter described) are partly filled with water to keep them even
As regards the special construction of camels shewn in the drawings, in Figure 4
the arrangements of bollards are shewn These consist of wrought metal hollow
cylinders of comparatively large diameter, say three or four feet in diameter,
rivetted to the deck, they being arranged in pairs so that the rope may be taken
turn and turn about on them alternately, the centre point between them bein in
the same line as the channels or wells b At the one edge of the camels over which
the ropes would be passed, in cases, as shewn in Figure 3, suitable rollers aie
provided to ense the movement of the rope over the bend
The position of he winding barrel- d' of the winches d (see the winch on the
left hand side of Figure 4) is directly over the wells b
Over the other four wells,
only the bed plates d² on the winches me shewn The winches are adapted to be
moved from one side of a camel to the other along the wells and in different
cases, they are moved so that the rope coming off from the winding barrels d¹
would be vertical, and the adjacent sides of the camels a suitable distance apart,
that is, such a distance that they will not touch in the raising operations
As regards the internal construction of the camels there is, running longitudinally
along them, a fore and aft bulkhead fat either side, which practically forms the
ends also of the wells b, and the spaces between these bulkheads and the sides of
the vessel are divided off by transver e bulkheads h running between the wells and
the vessel's sides, so that these side chambers are divided up into a number of
compartments, and strength is given to the vessel where the lifting ropes go over
the side when lifting as in Figure 3 These compartments are filled and emptied
as required, for balancing and manipulation in the raising operation, the supply of
water to them, and its discharge from them, being cared through the hollow box
keelson, running, practically, throughout the length of the vessel, and valves,
(for details of which see Figures 8, 9 and 10) are provided in the keelson in each
compartment for controlling the supply and discharge The water is forced into
and discharged from the compartments by suitable pumps k represented in dotted
lines in Figure 4 The discharge and inlet pipes of the pump are preferably both
taken overboard, k¹ being the intake pipes, and the discharge pipes

page_text: The chambers formed between and by the bulkheads f, and the wells b, with the
exception of those at the bow and stern, are used as engine, pump, and boile
rooms, and men quarter or any other useful purpose while those at the end can
be filled or emptied to raise or lower either end of the vessel The floor at the
bow of the camels is curved up as shewn, and when the camels are being towed, the
bow chambers are empty and the stern ones filled or partly filled with water
,
Referring to the detail of the valves 1, each valve is raised off and lowered onto
its seat by a rotatable rod 12, the actuating wheel 3 of which is disposed within
the hollow bollard e The valve seat is placed on the floor plate 2 of the
keelson 2 and below it is trunk 14 extending to near the bottom of the vessel, to
enable the compartments to be pumped out to the depth required The valve
rod pas es through a stuffing box 13, where it passes through the top of the
keel on, a cover being provided here for gaining access to the valve when
required
To obtain the required area for full flow of water and to pump out the
compartments dry if the camels be listed over or tilted, two valves are used in each
compartment of the camel, one being placed at either end and one of the valve
rods is placed in each of a pan of bollards e
As reguds the construction of bollaids e, these are, as stated, and as shewn in
Figures 8 and 9, of relatively large metallic steel cylinders having at the lowe
part an shaped plate e', which is rivetted to the deck of the camel, and to the
inner cylinder of the bollard and within it, ai angle iron and plate brackets e²
rivetted to the deck and the bollard cylinder
It is to be stated that the improvements desired to be covered under this
invention ie not restricted to the specific form of the appliances, or parts of
the appliances, illustrated or specified, as these may be carried out in various
modified 01 different ways without departing from the essential
or chief
characteristics of the invention As an instance of a modification in the
construction of the camel, the wells 6 of the camel in lieu of being constructed
a specified with reference to the diawings, may be carried quite across the camels,
in which case, the several parts in which a camel will then practically consist, will
constitute so many vessels, and these would be fastened together by suitable means
with distance pieces between them at their end so is to keep them separated at
the required distance apart to give the desired width of well Another modification
with aspect to this point of con truction of the appliance consists in providing a
number of wells in the form of tubulu perture through Camel, in 10WS
tianster cly acro the camel The modifications will suffice to show or point
ŉ general way, the degree and manner in which appliances under this
invention may be variously modified
out in
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
-
1 In appliances for raising sunken ships, a camel or pontoon having transversely
arranged wells or spaces through which the ropes used to lift the ship are passed,
by which such ropes may le placed and held at any desnud point literally on the
camel or pontoon, and a vertical substantially vertical pull or strain is put upon
-the camel o pontoon when raising the ship substantially as and for the purposes
described
7
and
2 In appliance for raising sunl en shp, 1 camel or ponto on having a plurality
of compatively 'o and how transy e walls in and through it, through
which the lifting ropes are ad iptel to be passed to the wiech at any point
longitudinal chamber running transver ely to said wells at each side of the imel
or pontoon, between the ends of said wells and the camel on pontoon sides,
substantially as described
3 In appliances for raising sunken ships, camels or pontoons adapted to be
placed and used on either side of the vessel to be raised, having transversely

page_text: arranged wells through them, through which the lifting ropes are passed and a
winch above each of said wells, having a rope winding barrel for hauling up the
lifting ropes, and a secondary revolving reel or barrel for holding the unused
portion of the ropes, substantially as described
4 A camel or pontoon for raising sunken ships, comprising a plurality of water
tight compartments at either side, formel by longitudinal bulkheads, as f, and
transverse bulkheads h, and intermediate chambers between said compartments,
substantially as set forth with reference to the drawings
5 Appliances for raisin sunken ships, comprising transverse wells through
which the luting ropes are passed, longitudinal compartments at each side of the
camel or pontoon between said wells and the sides of the camel or pontoon,
intermediate chambers between the side compartments and the well. duplex
hollow bollards e on the deck of the camel or pontoon at either side, and in line
with the transverse wells a hollow box keelson serving as a water conduit,
running through the side compartments a valve in each of said compartments in
said keelson, having its operating means disposed within said hollow bollards,
substantially as set forth with reference to the drawings
6 The wreck raising appliances constructed arranged, and operating particularly
as set forth with reference to and shewn in the drawings
Dated this 11th day of January 1896
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents