IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Coppin, of 32, Camberwell New Road, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN
VESSELS, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 2nd December 1879, and dated the 7th June 1879.
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Coppin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th Juno 1879.
WILLIAM COPPIN, of 32, Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey.
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in raising sunken vessels, part of
which Invention is applicable to other purposes.
I construct powerful lifting ships or vessels specially adapted and arranged for
lifting sunken vessels or other heavy weights. They are divided by longitudinal
and transverse bulkheads into water-tight compartments. Each lifting ship has a
number of tubes placed vertically running from the bottom to the deck, for the
purpose of receiving wire ropes after they have been placed under the vessel or
attached to the material to be lifted.
Each pontoon is covered with an iron or steel deck, on which is placed in
suitable position geared rollers driven by steam or other power, and provided with
grooves of different sizes suited to various sizes of wire rope, and adapted to work
them without damage. The rope is passed in succession balf around each of a
series of three or more rollers, and to take up the slack without strain, a drum
driven by friction or like gearing is employed. Any desired friction on the rope
can be obtained by the application of friction clutches to the rollers.
To hold the rope, I employ sliding compressors controlled by hydraulic cylinders,
and by a gauge the strain on the rope at any moment is ascertained; or the sliding
31

page_text: of the compressor can, by gearing, cause pressure to be applied to a hydraulic
pressure gauge.
These arrangements are applicable wherever weights are to be lifted by steel,
iron, or other ropes.
In raising sunken vessels I proceed as follows:-
The ropes are first passed under the vessel to be lifted, and then through the
tubes of the lifting ships which are placed on the surface of the water one on either
side of the submerged vessel. Water is then pumped or admitted into the com-
partments, which causes the lifting ships to sink a certain distance. The slack of
the ropes is then taken up by the winches, and after the ropes have been made
fast the water is then pumped out, and as the lifting ships rise, the sunken vessel
rises with them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Coppin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th December
1879.
WILLIAM COPPIN, of 32, Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in raising sunken vessels, part of
which Invention is applicable to other purposes.
I construct powerful lifting ships or vessels specially adapted and arranged for
lifting sunken vessels or other heavy weights. They are divided by longitudinal
and transverse bulkheads into water tight compartments. Each lifting ship has a
number of tubes placed vertically, running from the bottom to the deck for the
purpose of receiving wire ropes after they have been placed under the vessel or
attached to the material to be lifted.
Each pontoon is covered with an iron or steel deck; I place on the deck over each
tube or opening through the deck a drum or barrel grooved spirally to suit the
steel wire lifting rope; each drum has the diameter for the rope and length of
barrel suitable to wind up sufficient rope in the spiral grooves, each drum to be
geared with powerful wheels and screw pinions, and driven by two high pressure
steam cylinders, and so arranged that each pound pressure of steam will indicate
one ton on each rope, such engine being supplied by one main steam pipe will give
an equal strain on each rope, say 50 lbs. steam will give 50 tons on each rope, and
each lifting ship, having, say 40, drums and ropes, will lift 2,000 tons, the two ships
4,000 without pumping in water.
In raising sunken vessels I proceed as follows:-
:-
The ropes are passed under the vessel to be lifted, and through the tubes of the
lifting ships, which are placed on the surface of the water, one on either side of the
submerged vessel. Water is pumped or admitted into the compartments, which
causes the lifting ships to sink a certain distance. The slack of the ropes is then
taken up by the winding drums, and an uniform strain is applied to the ropes. If
the vessel to be lifted is comparatively light, it will in this way be at once raised
from the bottom. In other cases the ropes are made fast, the water is then
pumped out, and as the lifting ships rise, the sunken vessel rises with them.
For heaving in the wire anchor pipes forward and aft, I employ geared rollers
driven by steam or other power, and provided with grooves suited to the wire
ropes, and adapted to work them without damage.
The rope is passed in succession half around each of a series of three or more
rollers, and to take up the slack without strain, a drum driven by friction or like
gearing is employed. Any desired strain on the rope can be obtained by the
application of friction clutches to the rollers. To hold the rope, I employ sliding
compressors controlled by hydraulic cylinders, and by a gauge the strain upon the
rope at any moment is ascertained; or the sliding of the compressor can by gearing
cause pressure to be applied to a hydraulic pressure gauge.
These arrangements are applicable wherever weights are to be lifted by steel,
iron, or other ropes.
The annexed Drawing represents one of my lifting ships.
Figure 1 is an elevation; Figure 2 is a plan, one half in section; Figure 3 is a
longitudinal section taken on the line a, b, in Figure 2; and Figures 4 and 5 are
transverse sections, the one showing the lifting ship floating light, and the other
sunk deep by the admission of water to the tanks.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,―
First. The construction and arrangements of lifting ships and their lifting gear,
substantially as described and represented in the annexed Drawing.

page_text: Second. The means of regulating the strain upon the lifting ropes by causing
them to be wound each on a separate drum driven by a separate engine of just the
power necessary to apply and maintain the strain required.
Third. The arrangement of roller gear for working ropes, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Coppin, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.