IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LAYING HOLD OF SUNKEN VESSELS TO ALLOW OF THEIR BEING RAISED, AND IN SUBMARINE CUTTING AND BORING APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THIS OBJECT, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Standfield and Josiah Latimer Clark, both of
6, Westminster Chambers, in the City of Westminster, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LAYING HOLD OF SUNKEN VESSELS TO
ALLOW OF THEIR BEING RAISED, AND IN SUBMARINE CUTTING AND BORING
APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THIS OBJECT, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Standfield and
Josiah Latimer Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
9th November 1881.
JOHN STANDFIELD and JOSIAH LATIMER CLARK, both of G, Westminster
Chambers, in the City of Westminster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
LAYING HOLD OF SUNKEN VESSELS TO ALLOW OF THEIR BEING RAISED, AND IN
SUBMARINE CUTTING AND BORING APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THIS OBJECT,
WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
In raising vessels according to our present Invention we make attachment to
their bulwarks and combings. These bulwarks are of various forms and are some-
times of timber and sometimes of iron, and they require therefore various modifi-
cations of the apparatus for working the necessary attachments; these attachments
we call gripping dogs, and they are intended to be used in conjunction with the
lifting apparatus or gripping camels described in our Patents No. 170 of 1877,
No. 985 of 1877, and No. 4527 of 1878, but they may obviously be used alone.
Our first plan consists of a large box of plate iron of tubular construction,
which has a large slot or mouth cut out of it which fits over the bulwarks of a
vessel; within this mouth it contains two gripping curtains or jaws which close
together like a vice, and which are forced together by hollow bags inflated with
compressed air or other gas, which bags are supported behind by the tubular box
and are thrust forward by the compressed gas so as to seize and retain hold of the
bulwarks.

page_text: These curtains or jaws are formed of links like chain armour, and are faced
with steel jaws full of small teeth, so as to hold on to the bulwarks over a large
surface on both sides of the plate and to hold it like a vice.
These boilers when lowered may be full of air or gas at high pressure, so that
when towed into position by opening a tap the flexible jaws may be forced
together so as to grip the bulwarks. To this gripping camel or gripping dog any
number of air bags may be attached by eye bolts and inflated in the usual way.
Instead of giving the pressure by means of air bags it may be given by hydraulic
presses, which are so placed in the mouth of the camel as to drive forward the jaws
and seize hold of the bulwarks, and when these bulwarks are of plate iron we
sometimes arm these jaws with punches and dies, so that the punches are driven
forward by the hydraulic pressure with sufficient force to punch through the
plates and form shackle pins, securely holding on to the bulwarks; in this case the
pressure is supplied from above by hydraulic pipes acting on air cylinders or
hydraulic presses.
When the thickness of the plate is considerable, we prefer in some cases to
employ an explosive compound in the punching cylinder which forces forward the
punch, and at the same time the resultant gases may be allowed to escape into the
camels or air bags and help to give buoyancy.
It is not necessary that the frame work of this machine should be of tubular iron
work, but it may if preferred be made solid like the body of a shackle or hydraulic
punching machine, to which any additional lifting appliances may be attached.
In other cases we use a large vice or pair of shears, such as are used in lifting
stoues, consisting of two levers with vertical jaws which grip the bulwarks, the
longer arms of the levers projecting horizontally. To the ends of these horizontal
levers air bags or similar floating contrivances are attached, and the action is
consequently such that the greater the vertical strain applied to these levers the
greater is the pressure which the jaws exert on the bulwarks. The faces of these
jaws are armed with rocking. pieces jointed at their centre, and armed on their
faces with numerous steel teeth which are intended to penetrate the bulwarks and
grip them securely.
In the case last described the leverage is double, a lifting camel being applied to
the end of each lever, but it is evident that the same result may be obtained by a
single lever, the strain in this case having a tendency to put a side wrench on the
bulwarks or combings as well as to lift them; in order to make the grip more secure
we sometimes arm the jaws with steel wedges or rollers inside them having a
tendency to run inwards, or oval or eccentric gripping pawls may if preferred be
used, so as to grip harder the greater the strain applied to them.
It is evident that when a number of these gripping jaws have been secured to
the bulwarks and combings of a vessel, any number of air bags or floating camels
may be attached to them until sufficient buoyancy has been obtained to raise the
vessel, or if preferred a second vessel may be brought over the sunken vessel and
the attachments may be made to this vessel.
In other cases these gripping dogs may be employed, with large tubular girders
or camels floated across the sunken vessel and attached to it by the dogs, the
water being pumped out of these tubular camels so as to give buoyancy, and if
preferred barges or other vessels may be brought alongside and secured under the
ends of these girders so as to assist in raising the vessel. In many cases it is
required to bore holes in the sides of vessels to be lifted.
To effect this we fix on the end of a shaft a drill of the ordinary form, or a
tubular drill with file or diamond teeth on its circular face, and upon the same
shaft we fix a number of rotating electro magnets, or an electro magnetic ring
coiled with copper conducting wires, or coils of wire only in the form that is
usually employed for dynamo electro machines, and these being acted upon by a
series of exterior magnets in the usual manner cause the shaft and drill or saw to
revolve with great rapidity and force.
This motion may also be converted into a filing, sawing, or jumping movement,

page_text: so as to work jumping drills or rotary saws under water; the power may be
increased by wheel gearing or worms and wheels.
In order that the dynamo apparatus may not be affected by the water we encloso
the whole in a water tight case, with the drill axle alone projecting through the
exterior, and we give suitable pressure to the drill by a lever or screw and springs.
And we further connect this case by means of a tube with a pump or reservoir,
furnishing a small and constant supply of compressed air, the excess of which
escapes round the axle. The interior machinery is thus kept dry, and the
revolution of the magnets takes place in air.
In order to attach the apparatus to the sides of an iron vessel, we cause two or
preferably three poles of a large electro magnet to project through the outer casing
of the machine, in such positions as to surround the head of the drill concentrically;
whenever it is desired to attach the machine to any part of a vessel the apparatus
suspended from ropes is brought into the desired position for a moment; a handle
or switch is then turned, which allows the electric current to circulate round the
magnet and causes it to adhere to the vessel with great force.
These electro magnetic poles may with great advantage form a part of the
exciting magnets by which the revolving magnets are attracted.
In order to facilitate the manipulation of the machine when it is used under
water, we make the exterior casing of such dimensions that the displacement of
the whole machine in water is just equal to its weight, so that it has no tendency
either to sink or swim.
In order to give the diver sufficient power and purchase to operate the machine
when under water, we provide him at the same time with one or more magnetic
chairs, consisting of an ordinary electro magnet through which a current is kept
circulating, and by which it is instantly fixed in any position on the vessel, and
provided with a switch for its attachment and detachment; and to this magnet is
fixed a curved bar or seat of any convenient form on which the diver may sit or
stand while using the apparatus, and by means of which he can apply any force
where required, and can move about the side of the vessel.
In some cases the attachment of the drilling machine to the vessel is made by a
tripod of three suction pads, under which a vacuum is produced by the action of a
small pump or pumps worked within the machine or by pumps on the attendant
steamer, and the chairs may be attached in a similar manner; this method is
especially applicable to wooden vessels.
The holes when made may be advantageously plugged by steel screwed plugs
with hooks or loops standing at right angles to them, to which air bags, barrels,
or other similar floating apparatus may be attached.

page_text: a
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Standfield and Josiah Latimer Clark in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th May 1882.
"
JOHN STANDFIELD and JOSIAH LATIMER CLARK, both of 6; Westminster
Chambers, in the City of Westminster. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
LAYING HOLD OF SUNKEN VESSELS TO ALLOW OF THEIR BEING RAISED, AND IN
SUBMARINE CUTTING AND BORING APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THIS OBJECT,
WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Our Invention consists of improved methods of raising sunken vessels by making
attachments of a novel form to their bulwarks or sides.
These bulwarks are of various forms and are sometimes of wood and sometimes
af iron, and therefore require various modifications of apparatus for making the
necessary attachments, and we call these attachments gripping dogs when they are
of such a form as to lay hold of the bulwarks of the vessels.
Our first plan of a large box of plate iron of tubular construction, as shewn
in Figure 1, which has a large slot or mouth cut out of it which fits over the
bulwarks of the vessel; within this mouth it contains two gripping curtains or
-jaws-which-close-together-like-a-vice-and-which-are-forced-together-by-hollow-
bags inflated with compressed air, water, or gas, the bags being supported behind
by the tubular box, and are thrust forward by the pressure of the gas or liquid
so as to seize and retain hold of the bulwarks; these bags are marked a, a, in
Figure 1. The curtains or jaws are formed of links of steel faced with small teeth
so as to hold firmly to the bulwarks over a large surface of the plate and to hold it
like a vice. The compressed air or water may either be supplied from pumps
above, or the air may be contained in a chamber within the gripping dog, the
pressure being allowed to come on to the bags by opening a valve whenever
required; by means of another valve a certain quantity of air may be admitted
into the whole interior of the camel so as to give it buoyancy. To this gripping
dog any number of air bags may be attached by means of the shackles b, b, and
inflated in the usual way, or wire ropes may be attached for hauling on in the
ordinary manner.
Figure 2 shows a somewhat similar arrangement in which the hollow plate iron
dog is replaced by a massive steel "bear "supporting the air bag a, in front of
which is a steel curtain jaw c which acts in the manner before described. Instead
of using flexible bags for giving the pressure, it is obvious that a small hydraulic
press or presses may be employed, being so placed in the mouth of the gripping
dog or bear as to drive forward the jaws and seize hold of the bulwarks; and when
these bulwarks are of plate iron we sometimes arm these jaws with punches, and
provide dies behind so that the punches are driven forward with sufficient force to
punch through the plates of the bulwark and form a secure hold; in this case the
pressure is supplied from above by flexible hydraulic pipes conveying water to the
presses or bags below. Such a hydraulic press is shown in Figure 3, and is
marked d with its flexible connecting pipe e.
We prefer in some cases to employ an explosive compound to drive forwards the
punch into the plates of the bulwarks or sides of a vessel, and to fire the charge by
electricity. Such an arrangement is shewn in Figure 3 at f with its electrical
connecting wire g, f being a small mortor or gun loaded with powder.
Figures 4 and 5 and 10 shew arrangements in which the gripping dog is formed
of two pieces jointed in the centre, the power being applied in one case by a sliding
wedge h, and in the other by a pair of links i, i, and in the other case by the air

page_text: bag a, so as to close the jaws and grip the bulwarks. It is obvious that in either
of these cases a short hydraulic cylinder and piston may be placed in the upper
jaws in place of the wedge or links so as to force the lower jaws together, and drive
punches through the plates in the manner above described. To these dogs any
number of air bags or chains may be attached as before mentioned.
Figure 6 shews a somewhat similar arrangement in which the jaws are hinged at
top, and the pressure is applied by a sliding link k which tends to slide up tho jaw
and close it when the strain comes upon the ropes or chains 1, l.
Figure 7 shews a dog or bear which contains within its faces a pair of short
sliding and oscillating jaws, which traverses up and down within the inner faces of
the bear, which is of a horse shoe form. When the apparatus is being lowered it
is supported by two chains or lines m, m, attached to the sliding jaws, and holding
them at the top of their slide at the point n, n, where there is sufficient width to
allow of their passing over the bulwark; but as soon as these lines are slackened
out and the strain is taken on the lifting bar o, these jaws run down and grip the
bulwark firmly.
Figures and shew other forms of gripping dog in which the jaws are
excentric, or hinged links which remain open while being lowered over the
bulwarks by means of lowering cords m, m, but close firmly as soon as the strain
is taken on the lifting links o, o.
Figure 11 shows a gripping dog formed like a pair of shears, the upper portion
of the arms projecting horizontally; they are lowered by the cord 7 which keeps
them open, but when the strain is taken by the arms o, o, they are drawn together
with great force so as to grip the bulwarks.
Figure 20 shews a mode of drilling holes in the bulwarks and sides of a sunken
vessel or any other body.
To effect this we employ one of the well known forms of machines for the
transmission of power known as dynamo-electric machines. It is well understood
that one of these machines may be driven by another with great force when one of
the two is rotated by mechanical power, and the other is connected to it by a
suitable wire or wires.
We employ one of these machines of suitable construction, and we pass through
the centre of the revolving shaft a spindle a, Figure 20, with its end suitably
formed for carrying a drill or bore; the rotation of the shaft is communicated to
the spindle a by spur and wheel gear, as shown at b, b, and the drill is pressed
forward to its work by the screw c, or by any similar contrivanco. The drill may
be armed with a circular cutter, as in Figure 14, with fine teeth, or with an edge
like a file, or studded with diamonds where the object is to cut into rock, or it may
have revolving cutters, as in Figure 21.
The whole of this machine is enclosed in an iron case or canister, and the joints
where the screw and spindle pass to the outside are made as watertight as possiblo
by stuffing boxes, so as to prevent the entry of water within the canister, but in
order still further to exclude the water a pipe d is conveyed down to the case
from the surface of the water, and air is constantly supplied to this pipe from a
reservoir under a pressure superior to that of the water at the depth at which it is
submerged, so that the water is perfectly excluded from the canister and if any
leakage occurs it is a leakage of air outwards. It is obvious that the arrangement of
the spindle and wheelwork and of the whole machine will admit of a great variety
of forms, and it is by no means necessary that the spindle should pass through the
axis of the dynamo machine.
When the surface to be drilled is of iron we prefer to make the attachment of the
apparatus by magnetism; in this case the armatures of the electro magnet of the
dynamo machine are prolonged through the canister and furnished with flat or
rounded ends or with three poles arranged triangularly, as in Figures 15 and 20,
or if preferred three separate poles of an independent electro magnet may protrude
through the caso, and in such case two of the poles will be north and one south,
or vice versa. These poles may either be magnetised by the ordinary current of

page_text: the machine or an independent circuit, or a branch circuit may be employed for
their magnetisation. In either case "switches" are brought to the outside of the
case by which the electric current or currents may be turned on and off at will.
The currents are conveyed to the electromagnets of the machine by suitable
insulated wires led down to the drill from a dynamo electric machine worked by a
steam engine on board the attendant steamer or by any equivalent source of electric
power. The canister containing the drill is of such magnitude that the specific
gravity of the whole apparatus is about the same as that of the water, so that it
has no great tendency either to sink or float; it is suspended by wire ropes, which
also serve to carry the conducting wires, so that the attendant diver can easily
adjust its position, and by turning the switch can cause it to adhere to the iron
plate with great force; at the same time the current is turned on to the revolving
drill, causing it to revolve with great rapidity and force and to perforate a hole
through the plate or the side of the vessel of any desired size.
When the vessel or substance to be drilled is of wood or other non-magnetic
material we prefer to substitute in place of the magnetic poles three flat circular
suckers of leather or india rubber, such as are often used by boys to obtain ahesion
to a stone or other flat object, and these are all connected together by a small pipe
which communicates with a small exhausting syringe, which is worked by the
revolving shaft and which constantly tends to maintain a vacuum under the
suckers and to exhaust any air or water which may leak under them, so as to cause
the three suckers to adhere with considerable force to the object, a force which will
be greater when the depth of water is considerable than when it is only acting in
the air. This exhauster may also be used.for-expelling-any-water-from-the-canister-
itself.
The construction of a boys sucker is so well understood, and its connection
by a pipe with an exhausting syringe is so simple that it is unnecessary to give
any Drawing of this part of the apparatus.
It is evident that the same system of magnetic attraction or of pneumatic
attachment by a leather sucker may be employed to form a handle or seat which
can be attached at will to any part of the vessel, so as to enable the diver to
support himself conveniently while working the drill or other apparatus, and it is
also obvious that the atmospheric suction or vacuum may be supplied by a
pipe from above instead of by the working of a pump or syringe within the
apparatus.
The revolving motion given by the spindle may be employed to drive a circular
saw under water, or by means of a cam movement it may be caused to actuate a
jumper for drilling rocks under water, or for driving a centrifugal pump for the
purpose of removing sand and silt, and for all purposes when a rapid and powerful
rotatory motion is required under water. The magnetic or pneumatic attachment
of the drill is equally applicable for drilling flat surfaces, either under water or on
land. When the holes are drilled in the sides of a sunken vessel the attachınent
is made by a hook with suitable notches on its interior face, as shown in Figures 16
and 17, or with a hook of steel with a screwed conical plug, so that it may bo
screwed into the hole like a screw tap, or bolts may be passed through a gripping
dog and through the sides of the vessel or the bulwarks, as shewn in Figures 12
and 13.
The various attachments we have described may be utilized for the raising of a
sunken vessel by the employment of air bags in the usual fashion, or they may be
used in connection with an apparatus such as that shewn in Figures 18 and 19,
which consists of a framework of iron resting on two barges or steamers, and
carrying a number of small steam engines, each working independently and each
putting a certain strain on its own rope or chain, and their action is received direct
from the pistons without the intervention of wheel gear, so that in the event of an
excessive strain coming upon any of them it is immediately reversed and forced
back, the steam being driven into the boiler; these small engines are by preference

page_text: combined into three groups, one group acting on the fore part of the vessel and
the other two on the hinder part.
The framework carrying the small engines is so arranged that it rests on a
raised frame work on the barges, as shewn in Figure 19, and when not in use it
can be removed by resting it or depositing it on a fixed pier or staging, as
shewn in Figure 18, leaving the two barges or steamers free to proceed on other
work.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim,—
First. The several forms of grippers and apparatus connected therewith, adapted
for laying hold of sunken vessels, and for raising the same, substantially as
herein described.
Second. The arrangement of dynamo electric apparatus, as described, for giving
motion under water, including especially:-
-
(a.) The method of enclosing it in a floating water tight case, so as to give it
buoyancy and keep it dry, with the means of expelling the water by compressed
air.
(b.) The magnetic or pneumatic method of attachment of the machine and of
other supports for divers, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Latimer Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JOSIAH LATIMER CLARK. (L.S.)