IMPROVING THE MEANS OF DOCKING AND LIFTING SHIPS OUT OF THE WATER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXAMINING AND CLEANING THEIR BOTTOMS, EFFECTING ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS, FIXING NEW SCREW PROPELLOR, RUDDER, RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR WHICH IT IS DESIREABLE TO GET AT ANY PORTION OF A VESSEL GENERALLY UNDER WATER
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Russell, of 1, Grove Cottage, Southampton
St., Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, and Jonathan Russell, of
6, Devonshire Terrace, Queen's Road, Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVING THE MEANS OF DOCKING AND
LIFTING SHIPS OUT OF THE WATER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXAMINING AND
CLEANING THEIR BOTTOMS, EFFECTING ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS, FIXING NEW
SCREW PROPELLOR, RUDDER, RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR
WHICH IT IS DESIREABLE TO GET AT ANY PORTION OF A VESSEL GENERALLY UNDER
WATER."
Sealed the 13th January 1860, and dated the 24th August 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Russell and
Jonathan Russell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th August 1859.
We, DANIEL RUSSELL, of 1, Grove Cottage, Southampton St., Camberwell,
in the County of Surrey, and JONATHAN RUSSELL, of 6, Devonshire Terrace,
Queen's Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVING THE MEANS OF DOCKING AND
LIFTING SHIPS OUT OF THE WATER FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXAMINING AND CLEANING
THEIR BOTTOMS, EFFECTING ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS, FIXING NEW SCREW PROPELLOR,
RUDDER, RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR WHICH IT IS DESIREABLE

page_text: TO GET AT ANY PORTION OF A VESSEL GENERALLY UNDER WATER," to be as
follows:
Our Invention consists in the employment of a number of pontoons or
decked barges, of any convenient form or capacity, connected together side by
side by ropes, chains, or other method, forming collectively a dock or float of
sufficient length and capacity to carry the ship requiring to be docked or lifted
out of the water. Our Invention also consists in providing at each end of
every pontoon a regulating float chamber, into which water can be admitted
by means of valves or cocks, to regulate the sinking of the pontoons to any
required depth to allow of the ship requiring to be docked or lifted being
brought over the pontoons, or the pontoons brought under the ship, whichever
is found to be most convenient. The regulating float chambers permit of the
pontoons being used in deep water, or in any other situation where it would
be impossible to form a level bottom to sink the pontoons on, so that it is not
necessary for the pontoons to be sunk to the bottom to permit of their being
used effectually.
Water is admitted into the pontoons to sink them, and on the ship being in
position, the water is removed from the pontoons by suitable pumps, worked
by either hand or steam power, and air is admitted into the pontoons down
pipes provided for the purpose, which pipes always reach above water; the
ship is thus raised, and may then be removed into very shoal water, if found
necessary. The pontoons may be used to lift one end of a ship only. The
pontoons may also be used as lighters, and depots for the ship's cargo and
stores while the ship is undergoing examination or repair.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Daniel Russell and Jonathan Russell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd February 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
DANIEL
RUSSELL, of 1, Grove Cottage, Southampton St., Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, and JONATHAN RUSSELL, of 6, Devonshire Terrace, Queen's Road,
Peckham, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Daniel Russell and Jonathan Russell, Her special licence.

page_text: that we, the said Daniel Russell and Jonathan Russell, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Daniel Russell
and Jonathan Russell, 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 "In-
PROVING THE MEANS OF DOCKING AND LIFTING SHIPS OUT OF THE WATER, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF EXAMINING AND CLEANING THEIR BOTTOMS, EFFECTING ANY NECESSARY
REPAIRS, FIXING NEW SCREW PROPELLOR, RUDDER, RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, OR
ANYTHING ELSE FOR WHICH IT IS DESIREABLE TO GET AT ANY PORTION OF A VESSEL
GENERALLY UNDER WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Daniel Russell and Jonathan Russell, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Daniel Russell and Jonathan
Russell, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:-
Our Invention for improving the means of docking and lifting ships out of
the water, for the purpose of examining and cleaning their bottoms, effecting
any necessary repairs, fixing new screw propellor, rudder, raising sunken
vessels, or anything else for which it is desirable to get at any portion of a
vessel generally under water, consists in the employment of a number of hollow
pontoons or decked barges of any convenient form or capacity, connected
together side by side by ropes, chains, or other method, forming collectively a
dock or float of sufficient length and capacity to carry the ship requiring to be
docked or lifted out of the water. Our Invention also consists in providing
at each end of every pontoon a hollow chamber, called a regulating float
chamber, built on the deck of the pontoon, and rising to the height of twenty
feet or more, as may be required.
By means of ordinary valves or cocks, water is admitted into the pontoons
to sink them, and water can also be admitted into the hollow chambers to

page_text: regulate the sinking and level of the pontoons, also to trim the pontoons.
The pontoons being sunk, the ship requiring to be docked or lifted is brought
over the pontoons, or the pontoons brought under the ship, whichever is found
most convenient. The water is then removed from the pontoons and hollow
chambers by means of suitable pumps, worked by either hand or steam power.
The ship' is thus raised on the pontoons above water, and may be removed on
the pontoons to any place required to effect repairs. Air is admitted into the.
pontoons at the same time that the water is being pumped out by means of
air pipes or tubes, that are always above water. By means of the hollow
chambers or regulating float chambers, the pontoons can be sunk to any
depth required, and thereby permit of the pontoons being used in deep water
or in any situation where it would be impossible to form a level bottom to sink
the pontoons on.
The pontoons do not require to be sunk to the bottom of
the water to allow of their being efficiently used. The pontoons can be used
to lift one end of a ship only, and they may be further used to float a stranded
vessel. The hollow float chambers and pontoons may be used as depôts for the
ship's cargo and stores while the ship is undergoing repairs or examination.
The pontoons and regulating float chambers are constructed of wood or
iron, as may be found most convenient, caulked, and made perfectly water-
tight.
The Drawing is on the scale of one-sixteenth of an inch to one foot, and
Fig. 1 shows the pontoon a in end elevation; b, b, the hollow chambers or
regulating float chambers; c, c, the sliding bilge blocks; d, d, keel blocks, are
of the ordinary kind; f.f, are the air pipes.
Figs. 2 and 3 show four pontoons a, a, a, a, in elevation and plan, united by
chains e, e, e.
c, c, are the sliding bilge blocks; d, d, keel blocks; and f, f,
air pipes.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, represents the plan, elevation, and end view of a sliding
pontoon, constructed in two pieces, and united with sliding timbers or
plates x, x, each alternate timber or plate being secured to the opposite half
of the pontoon, the timbers and plates being properly fitted to slide in grooves
and cavities side by side under the bottom of each pontoon.
The pontoon is constructed in the above manner so that it may be opened
to suit the breadth of ship to be docked, and to permit of the ship being taken
into very shallow water, and over bars in rivers and harbours. y, y, are
regulating float chambers; 2, 3, body of pontoon; f. f, are air pipes, as in
ordinary pontoons, Figs. 1, 2, 3.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention for improving the
means of docking and lifting ships out of the water, for the purpose of

page_text: examining their bottoms, effecting any necessary repairs, fixing new screw
propellor, rudder, raising sunken vessels, or anything else for which it is
desireable to get at any portion of a vessel generally under water, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be
understood that under the above in parts recited Letters Patent we clain,―
Firstly, the using of hollow pontoons, connected together side by side, for
docking ships and other purposes.
Secondly, attaching to each pontoon hollow chambers, by admitting water
to or removing water from which the sinking and trimming of the pontoons
can be easily regulated.
Thirdly, the construction of sliding pontoons.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Russell, on behalf of myself
and the said Jonathan Russell, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
TTOYזנב