AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUBMERGING OR LAYING UNDER WATER ELECTRIC CABLES, WIRES, OR LINES, AND FOR THE RECOVERY THREEOF
Year: 1858

page_text: vy the 2c.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by Albert Baker at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th August 1858.
I, ALBERT BAKER, of the City of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, in
the United States of America, & of No. 6, Lambeth Road, Southwark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUBMERGING OR LAYING UNDER WATER ELECTRIC CABLES,
WIRES, OR LINES, AND FOR THE RECOVERY THREEOF," to be as follows:
A kink indicator and self-inflating buoyant & retarding floats, in connection,
the latter with self-attaching and self-detaching nippers, and manner of using
the same allowing of paying-out cable from ship without strain, & also without
waste, and of winding it in at pleasure effectively should a kink make & go out-
board, and admitting of the recovery of cable should it part & go entirely from
ship; and also admitting of the following & much more without cutting, parting,
or in any way severing of the cable, 'namely:-of the stoppage of ship or turning
from her course to avoid collision with another ship or other object, or of
stopping to repair machinery or otherwise, or to splice cable in mid-ocean
after having paid about all out from one ship, having commenced at a shore
station, or of bringing ship's head to wind & waves in a gale, & so keeping it
till abating of the latter, and of a companion ship going & bringing coals or
other supplies from port to paying-out ship, and of stopping ship for ice to
move out of the way, or for fog to clear away, so land may be sighted prepa-

page_text: ratory to landing cable, &c. The Invention also admits of the ships' advancing
rapidly with safety. The foregoing being only an outline description of the
nature & utility of the Invention.
I must now proceed to describe it somewhat fully:-Should a kink at any
time make in cable, immediately it makes the same, shall virtually tell the
engineer in his room of its own existence, so that he at once reverses the
engine & stops ship. This from cables travelling on & between rollers in a
deep narrow recess of a hinged weighted upright lever, latter having attached
to its lower.end a wire or other line leading into the engine room, there con-
nected to a bell or other indicator. The cables guided by means of tubes,
trumpet, tunnel, or funnel-shaped, to roller in lever recess named & else-
where as required, admitting of levers turning from an upright to a horizontal
position, when kink in cable encounters the open recess in its upper end, so
that cable immediately becomes entirely detached from lever, kink passing
on; &c., this from kinks having been reduced to suitable dimensions by means
of the peculiar forin, position, &c. of the guiding and reducing tubes.
A tell-tale apparatus such as described, arranged, if deemed necessary, near
stern of ship, so that it may be. know in a dark night when kink has
passed entirely from the ship. Tubes having openings in their upper sides
with hinged covers, admitting of detaching cable at pleasure, guiding and
preventive rollers at the back ends of tubes.
Now to a description of the floats, &c. -Two pieces of board, each say,
six inches square, hinged each to one side of a board say, four inches wide,
& of length to correspond to the former. Two other boards, say, each twenty-
one inches long & of reasonable width, hinged also to the narrow board named
& to the side opposite the other hinged boards, the long boards comparatively
wide at their obious ends, and having suitable water & air-proof flexible
material, say, textile fabric attached by means of Mr. Jeffrey's marine glue, or
otherwise to their edges, & also to the narrow board to which they are hinged,
and this when boards are opened out one from the other sufficiently, thus
enclosing air. A screw plug in the most desirable place, and also projections as
handles, in such positions; the object in question somewhat on the principle of a
pair of bellows (blowers) a deep wide groove say, of semicylindrical form in the
inner side of one of the nipper boards, & that near its outer-end at the greatest
allowable distance from the hinges. The other nipper board having on its
inner side a tongue or clapper, form, position, &c., corresponding to that of the
groove so as to nip cable & relinquish the same most effectively. As a pre-
ventive clapper if not groove, two covered with india-rubber, gutta percha,
or other suitable material, the wire covering of cable when forced into the

page_text: elastic material indicated, shall keep the combined nipper and float in posi
tion. Eyes at the edges of each nipper board immediately back of the groove
& tongue, (clapper); eyes of one board having india-rubber springs in the form
of'
straps or. rings permanently attached to them; eyes of the other board
receiving the bites or extreme other ends of said springs, latter having inserted
in their bites, & resting on the eyes of board in a chamber or recess; togglo
pins composed of suitable chemical properties, or otherwise, to dissolve in water
within a given (required) time; cleats on the boards or other devise, allowing
springs to be of sufficient length so that they are expanded somewhat when
jaws of nippers are closed, cleat also admitting of the deep groove described:
A landle on the jaw of each nipper board for effective opening of former.
Form & position of the chamber corresponding to that of the toggle pins, so
that the latter cannot escape from the gripe of the springs before dissolving;
this done, the springs are released & leave the eyes from their (the springs)
contraction; for some occasions each board of the float proper is divided and
hinged together, & handles attached near the joint indicated, so when the
float is inflated the two longest boards will be parallel, or nearly so, one with
the other say, for two-thirds the entire length of the float, rendering it of much
greater buoyant capacity than if tapering or narrowing throughout its entire
length as in the former case. For example, or convenience sake, I have par-
tially given the float & nipper board's dimensions (while having in my mind's
eye the Atlantic cable), but they may be varied according to circumstances,
tastes of different men, &c. The principle also admits of the combined float
& nipper being of any required size applicable to a cable of great weight
and specific gravity, & when too large to open by hand, opened by means of a
lever, the same hinged to a slide, latter working on bearings, lever having at
its obvious end suitable instantaneous relinquishing appendages.
.
For laying some cables the board that connects nipper and float is divided
lengthwise & kept in position as before severing, relatively, this for a limited
time by means of suitable steel spring keys in staple, eye, or clasp bearings
at their ends or otherwise, one of the divisions carrying a long roller mounted
on bearings to swivel or otherwise. The two ends of a line attached to either
end of roller; that is to say, one end attached to one end of the roller, & the
other end to the other end of the said roller. One end of a single line, say,
thirty feet long, attached to bite of former, and its other end to bite of a line of
V. form at the other division or half of connection board. Line turned on to
the roller & kept from unwinding for a time, by means, say, of a single thread
of twine, that shall break as required.. For some occasions, if required, a
steel spiral spring of little comparative power is arranged between nipper

page_text: boards to force open their jaws; but this can scarcely ever be needed in addition
to the power that cable will constantly exert to open nipper's mouth, &
escape when the confining. springs become powerless.
Boards for purposes named may be made up advantageously by combining
larch wood in the form of veneers, with cork do., this by means of Mr. Jeffrey's
marine glue, observing to cross the fibres or grains of the wood in a manner to
give much strength.
An open walk platform in position at the stern of ship outboard, constructed
as follows-Bars of metal crossing one another in a manner to give much
strength, making a section of sufficient surface, the same hinged to stern of
ship, a section similar to the one named hinged to it, a third, if required,
hinged to the latter, all to turn up snug against stern of ship in an obvious
manner out of the way when opened out in a horizontal position, kept so by
means of metallic supporting rods connected to platform & ship by means of
eyes, pins; &c.
Construction of platform such as to admit of waves sweeping over it
without knocking it away.
Now to the mode of using the floats, &c.
The boards are opened out by means of their handles, air rushes in & fills
the vacuum space; the plug having been screwed into its place, the float is
taken by a man standing on the platform, & while the electric cable is travelling
from guide rollers in a deep narrow recess at the_taffrail, the man in question
lays the combined float & nipper on to an inclined guide way or channel,
immediately back of the recess named, bringing lips of nipper at the cable &
parallel to it, then opens nipper by pulling on upper nipper handle & bearing
down on the other, same time drawing nipper with its float in a latteral
direction two or three inches, bringing cable into the groove of nipper, taking
his hand from its handle the springs contract, thus bringing clapper on to
cable in groove, & firmly; immediately, as if shot, float goes with cable, taking
water gracefully, this because a portion of the cable to which floats adhere for
the time becomes a fixture in the water, this not only from cables being floated,
but from floats being resisting wings to it, so as float after float is added, they,
descend to the water in the manner indicated from ships going from them,
while if they were partially drawn from ships by the sinking, cable might take
water with too much force. The floats being hinged, immediately one touches
water, cable descends, taking the lowest place, bringing the large & most
buoyant end of float uppermost, position as indicated of both floats & cable,
being the ones described, & the only ones from which satisfactory results
could possibly be obtained. A sufficient number of floats having been attached

page_text: to cable, space between every two, what it should be so that cable takes &
keeps relatively a desirable position, the hindmost float leaves the cable & floats
comparatively high on the water; a steam ship or ships following in the track
of the paying-out one, float is taken from the water by means of a platform such
as described (latter at the side of ship outboard) & a dipper of peculiar con-
struction & working; as float after float are attached to cable at ship do those
at the greater distance from ship become detached, thus keeping the number at
cable limited to that intended. After many floats have been taken up they
are transfered to paying-out ship, again used, taken up, & so on indefinitely.
For laying a cable in a sea filled comparatively with vessels, such as the
North Sea, (German Ocean), one-half of the floats used have the roller
arrangement described and applied to cable as follows, namely, first one with
a roller, then one without a roller, then one with a roller, & so on; this floats
position at the cable is as the other relatively, till reaching water there is
buoyant power keeping it at the surface of the water, while the spring keys
draw, thus separating the connection board's cable from uncoiling of the line,
descending thirty feet or more according to the length of line used, carrying
down with it the other floats, the latter one-half of the whole number at the
cable, virtually imparting to it from their position in dense water sufficient
retarding power. The arrangement described permitting ships & other vessels
crossing the track of paying-out ship without touching cable, & also admitting
of companion ships doing likewise, as may be necessary in a dark night, the
better to follow the line of floats, this, say by means of suitable illuminating
lights at mast heads, and other arrangements for guidance of ships in question
& for the steamers appointed to pick up the floats; as well as many as three
floats per minute I doubt not could be attached to the running cable, but two
per minute, ship going 6 knots, would give 20 to the mile, weighing each with
their appendages, say 5 lbs., and possessing, say, 100 lbs. floating capacity,
each cable weighing in water 1500 lbs. to the mile, a mile of cable would
effectively submerge the ten floats, aggregate capacity of the latter being
500 lbs. short, if enough to float, former aggregate capacity of the twenty
being 500 lbs. more than sufficient to float the mile of cable would keep latter
suspended in position all right, while waves sweep over floats gracefully without
injury to them or cable, floats showing themselves often enough for obvious
purposes; lightness, size, & capacity of floats admitting of opening them out
by hand quickly & easily & nippers as well. It is to be expected that a few
floats will be lost under some circumstances, but I doubt not the largest
portion will be saved generally. In paying out a cable, should a kink make, it
could not possibly be back of the nearest float to ship, therefore only necessary

page_text: to back ship a little distance, same time winding in cable, &c. Should
cable even part while paying-out from any check on board ship, on stopping,
the end could but be between the 2nd float & paying-out hatchway, and most
likely not back of the 1st or nearest one to ship, so after such an occurrence,
the end of cable having gone entirely from ship, it would only be necessary
to back ship, & by means of a grapnel hook up cable, nippers being good
holders to hook, keeping it in position, so cable could not possibly slip on hook
& be lost. Or if cable liad been suspended below the waves from floats with
roller appendages, a ship or ships following the paying-out one, each having in
readiness a grapnel in connection with an india-rubber spring, suspended
weight, or other indicator, immediately the paying-out ship signals to the
others that cable had parted, grapnel would be dropped into the sea, & ship
cross the track of paying-out one & at right angles to same, & when indicator
informs that grapnel is fast to something, pull up, &c. while paying-out ship
puts back & takes the end floats, holding to cable during the time used in
making the splices, so that a strain on the cable does not become a serious
affair.
Practical manufacturing chemists having each a nipper left with them,
could, by resorting to a series of experiments in sea water, with toggle pins in
position in bite of spring in chamber, be able at short notice to produce horse
loads of pins variously compounded to dissolve as required when laying, for
example, some in one quarter of an hour, some in an hour, some in do.
1 do. 2, 3, & some in 4 hours, & so on to suit circumstances that may arise
such as I carly shadowed forth. For instance, when a ship is soon to be
stopped in mid-ocean for the purpose of making a splice, commence using at a
proper time floats with 4 hour pins, so a sufficient length of cable is floated
for all contingencies. On stopping ship, cable would allow about 4 hours for
the work named, before taking a vertical position from having left the floats,
then on going ahead, floats same time being attached to cable, waste of latter
could not occur without the use of floats, ship starting from a state of com-
parative rest; under circumstances such as named cable would run down the
incline rapidly & quickly occasion many miles of extra waste even if it did not
part, to say nothing now of waste ordinarily. The floats in question will
prevent cable spining around as it leaves ship, and even were it possible for
cable to untwist, floats would turn with it all right, thus keeping one position
relatively, the cable, however, will not be inclined to twist as when paid out
from heavy wheels & broke; because strain is what causes the spinning.
..It may be advisable under certain circumstances to attach to a running
cable, permanently, nippers such as described, with the exception of the groove

page_text: and clipper, which should be further back from the end, thus causing the latter
to project or extend considerably beyond the cable; such nippers might render
the cable recoverable from ground, as they would prevent former slipping:
away from grapnel after being hooked by it.
Should it be necessary at any time to attach weights to a running cable.to
make it sink more rapidly than it otherwise would, it can be done after the
following manner, viz, get up for purposes indicated a sufficient number of:
heavy cast-iron nippers or leaden do., this upon the principle already set forth,"
varying however their forms, so that they offer the least possible resistance to:
the water when sinking. In casting or running the lips or jaws, the following
would at the same time be formed, viz, groove & clapper, eyes for the springs,
apertures for the same, & for hinge springs or other fastenings, projections, or
recesses, as handles for opening out, & perhaps projections for keeping grapnel
hook in position. It will be perceived, that by means of floats & nippers,
such as described, any cable, however constructed, can be rendered a floating
sinking cable of a character to suit the taste or judment of any man.
getting up nippers for purposes indicated, perhaps wood might sometimes be
combined with metal advantageously.
In
For laying a very heavy cable, it might be well to use a combination of
floats & regular retarders, the latter constructed as follows, viz, in getting up
the combined float & nipper dispense with the use of textile fabric, so that air
is not enclosed, neither the float boards opened out; attach a board to their
front edges, & in a manner so it can be detached and attached at pleasure
easily & effectively. The board in question will be wide at its upper end,
& narrow or pointed at its lower do. It might, however, be best to set the
said board a little back from the edges of the others, thus forming a cell or
chamber for more effective resistance to water. The outside boards boards
should be cut diagonally or longitudinally, & get rid of some useless lumber.
Should any portion of the steam machinery of the paying-out ship give out, &
she stops with no prospect of moving ahead again for many hours, a com-
panion ship might at once take her in tow, while, for instance, floats with
12 hours pins were attached to the running cable. After a sufficient number
had been attached to float cable over, night ships could then become
detached, &c.
And now, having described the nature of my Invention, manner of carrying
it out, some of the advantages to be derived from its use, &c., I think it very
proper to say what I claim, & what I do not claim. I will say, first, that
notwithstanding my Invention comprises all that I have described, I will not,
& do not claim broadly & generally the following when not constructed as

page_text: described, or equivalent thereto, mechanically, viz., self-inflating floats, or self-
attaching floats, or self-detaching do. ; or floats combining the two qualities of
self-attaching & self-detaching; or self-attaching nippers, or self-detaching
do.; or nippers combining the two qualities of self-attaching or self-detaching,
or guiding tubes; but I claim & claim only the described kink indicator
apparatus, & the described self-inflating, buoyant, & retarding floats, also the
self-attaching & self-detaching nippers, whether used, the latter in connection
with the floats, or otherwise, & whether constructed principally of wood or
metal, or a combination of both.
I will here observe, that a guiding curved platform with channel might be
used instead of tubes, as described.
I do not claim combining larch wood & cork do.