IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Askew, of 27½, Charles Street,
Hampstead Road, N.W., in the County of Middlesex, Coppersmith,
and Alfred Reynolds, of 112, Jamaica Road, Bermondsey, S.E.,
Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Askew and
Alfred Reynolds at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 21st October 1873.
We, CHARLES ASKEW, of 271, Charles Street, Hampstead Road,
5 N.W., in the County of Middlesex, Coppersmith, and ALFRED REYNOLDS,
of 112, Jamaica Road, Bermondsey, S.E., Consulting Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
raising sunken ships and vessels. For this purpose we employ pontoons
of such a form as to fit to the sides of the sunken ship or vessel, and to

page_text: extend somewhat less than half way along it. Four such pontoons
are employed and they are very strongly hinged or jointed together in
pairs.
The pontoons are floated to the place where they are required, and
then sufficient water is admitted just to sink them and they are lowered
and hauled into position. One pair of pontoons is arranged on either
side of the sunken ship or vessel at the fore part, the joint which
connects the pontoons being at the bow of the vessel. The other pair of
pontoons is similarly arranged on either side of the vessel at the after part,
the joint of the pontoons being at the stern of the vessel. This having
been arranged a diver connects the two pairs of pontoons by a number
of strong chains on each side of the vessel, and these chains are all
strained tight by screws. The pontoons are also drawn together by
strong screws so as to cause them to nip the sides of the sunken ship or
vessel. All now being ready pipes are attached to the pontoons and air
is forced into them, and the water expelled until sufficient power of
flotation is obtained to cause the sunken ship or vessel to rise to the
surface when it is towed away to a place of safety.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Askew and Alfred Reynolds in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 20th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
ASKEW, of 272, Charles Street, Hampstead Road, N.W., in the County
of Middlesex, Coppersmith, and ALFRED REYNOLDS, of 112, Jamaica
Road, Bermondsey, S.E., Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Charles Askew and Alfred Reynolds,
Her special license that wc, the said Charles Askew and Alfred
Reynolds, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Charles Askew and Alfred Reynolds, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no
°

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Charles Askew and Alfred Reynolds,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our
or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or
them, 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.

page_text: flotation is obtained to cause the sunken ship or vessel to rise to tho
surface, when it is towed away to a place of safety.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood
and readily carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a general diagram of the arrangements; A is the sunken
vessel; B, the vessel which takes the pontoons to the place where they
are required; and C, C, are the pontoons; one pair is represented in
process of sinking.
Figures 2 and 3 show in plan and side view respectively the pontoons-
as they appear when secured to the vessel which conveys them to the
scene of action, and similarly they are secured to the vessel it is desired
to raise.
:
Figure 4. is a side view of one of the pontoons to a larger scale;
Figure 5 is a transverse section.
"
:
+
Each pontoon is an iron plated vessel closed air-tight, and so
constructed as to be as light as possible consistent with strength
to resist the force of the waves and internal pressure. The side of
the pontoon which comes next to the vessel to be raised is curved.
approximately to the form of the side of a ship, so that the pontoons ;
form a cradle around the vessel to which they are applied; a, a, is a
strong hinge joint connecting two pontoons; b is a powerful screw
connected by a swivel joint with one of the pontoons, forming a pair,
and on board the other, the screw passes through a nut with which the
spur wheel b¹ is connected by an universal joint. A worm b² gears with
this wheel and it is turned by a crank handle to draw the pontoons
together and cause them to embrace the vessel to which they are
applied; c is a cock by which water is admitted into the pontoon; dis
a water inlet valve which is lifted when it is desired that the pontoon
should take in water rapidly; it is always closed down tight as soon as
nearly enough water has been admitted; e is the air outlet valve.
is opened when the pontoon takes in water; f is a flexible hose extending
from the pontoon to the vessel at the surface, it consists of several small
pipes bound together into a bundle in order that it may be able the better
to sustain the internal pressure to which it will be subjected; g is a-
which
:]

page_text: valve by which the air inlet is closed, and h is a small blow-off valve for
the purpose of adjusting minutely the flotation of the pontoon; i, i, arc-
ring bolts used in lowering and adjusting the positions of the pontoons ;
k, k, are other ring bolts at the ends of the pontoon and strongly tied to
the bottom; they are to receive the chains by which the pontoon is bound.
to its neighbour on the same side the vessel to be raised; 1, 1, are these
chains, and 1, 1, are straining screws; m is a ring to receive chains
passed beneath the vessel to be raised; n is a man-hole in the pontoon;
it has a door which is always closed down air-tight before the pontoon is
sunk; o is a ladder descending to the bottom of the pontoon; p, p, are
openings through the pontoon to give free exit to the water thrown
back from the screw of the towing vessel.
The method of working is as follows:-The pontoons are fixed
around the vessel which is to take them to the wreck in the manner
shewn at Figures 2 and 3. On arrival the fastenings are removed and
water is admitted to one pair of pontoons until they just sink. A diver
goes down with them and he having control of the air and water inlets
can regulate the speed of sinking at pleasure. When near the wreck he
signals to the vessel on the surface, which manœuvres until the pontoons
are in place or nearly so, when the diver allows them to ground. If the
position thus attained is not quite what is required it is easily corrected
by properly regulating the motions of the vessel at the surface, and
partially floating the pontoons when the strain upon them is in the
direction desired. Afterwards the second pair of pontoons is similarly
placed and the two pair are bound together by the chains which are
drawn up tight by the screws P. The screws b are also brought into
operation to cause the pontoons to nip the vessel's side. The water is
then forced out of the pontoons at one end until one end of the vessel
lifts, and then for additional security a chain is passed beneath the
vessel connecting the rings m, m, so as to take any strain tending to
separate the pontoons of the pair. The other pair of pontoons are
similarly connected and other chains are passed between the rings m in
a diagonal direction.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that we
claim the arrangement of apparatus for raising sunken ships and vessels.
consisting of pontoons hinged together in pairs and capable of being
made to embrace the vessel to be raised, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Askew and Alfred
Reynolds, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
CHARLES ASKEW.
(L.S.)
ALFRED REYNOLDS. (L.S.)