Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
I, JOHN HENRY CHARD LEUTY, Master Mariner, Marine Surveyor and Salvor, of
39, Navarino Road, Dalston, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the raising of stranded or sunken ships and the like, by
means of compressed air.
I take any suitable steam force pump such as is generally used for forcing water,
and by substituting specially prepared valves and seats, adapt the pumps to force air
into any compartment of the vessel as may be required.
I also modify and adapt the ordinary salvage, flexible, steel and iron pipes, valves
and other salvage appliances for the conveyance of air, and construct air locks and air
trunks as may be necessary.
To carry my invention into effect I arrange to cover the hatchways on the main
deck, and if necessary on the tween decks also, with strong timbers lapped and
jointed with rubber between the joints and bearing surfaces so as to make every-
thing air tight.
I also arrange, between the covers of main deck hatch-ways and tween deck hatch-
ways a large trunk connection preferably of grooved boarding also with rubber in the
joints so that the air lock may be formed by means of small hatch doors in the
planking covering the hatchways themselves.
I also arrange strong timber shores between the decks bolted together and with
stout diagonal bolts from the underside of the beam and near the lower hatchways, to
the frames or lower stringer bars. Each of these bolts would preferably be provided
with long stretching screws.
The air lock itself as well as the planking of the hatchway inust also be provided
with stout timbers bolted to the planking to be of sufficient strength to prevent them
breaking when the air is forced into the vessel.
All openings in the deck must be secured and the tween deck well shored to the
deck above, and every part of the air lock made perfectly air tight under a pressure
sufficient to balance the external water pressure.
The arrangement of the pump valves may be varied to suit the type of pump to be
converted from a water to an air pump or a special pump may be arranged to
suit both purposes, with or without the alteration or addition of both or only one
set of valves. In the case of pumps having a large clearance space it may be
necessary to temporarily fill this space by blocks, or keep a small supply of water
running into the pump to take up the clearance.
It will be readily understood that when a sunken vessel is shored up as described
air can be pumped into it of sufficient pressure to discharge the water and keep
it out thus allowing the vessel to rise. The air locks will be necessary to give
access to the holds for the purpose of inspecting progress of the operations as well
as for passing gear in and out and for repairs as required.

page_text: The usual salvage pumps pipes and fittings may be employed by using proper
jointing material, and the connections of these pipes to the deck of the vessel
must be air tight.
G. T. HARRAP.
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in the Method of Raising Sunken Vessels and the like.
I, JOHN HENRY CHARD LEUTY, Master Mariner, Marine Surveyor and Salvor, of 39,
Navarino Road, Dalston, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to the raising of stranded or sunken ships and the like, by
means of compressed air, its object being to provide a method of closing the hatch-
ways and openings and rendering the vessel air tight, at the same time allowing, by
means of the air-lock hereafter described, access to the holds while the operations are
in progress.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood, I have caused to be
attached hereto two sheets of drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar
parts.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one of the hatches showing the construction of
the air-lock.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the hatch.
Fig. 3 is a section through the pump shewing delivery valves only.
The hatch covering is composed of planks A A bolted down to the hatch coam-
ing B B by means of hook bolts C C and by long bolts D D to the cross timbers E
which extend under the deck at each end. The hatch covering is further strengthened
by carlings FF, to which the timbers G G forming the sides of the air lock are
fastened. The air lock can be entered by door H which is fastened from the outside
by crossbars J and bolts K and doors are also provided, as at L to give communi-
cation with the various compartments of the vessel from the air lock. The whole
of the timbers forming the air lock are provided with tongued and grooved or
lapped joints and india rubber or other suitable packing can be inserted to render
them air and water tight. I also strengthen the decks by struts, as M M, and
tierods or chains N secured to the beam ends and to the frames or stringer bars, the
said tie rods being preferably provided with long screws for tightening.
Having constructed the air locks as described shored up the decks and stopped all
holes in hull and decks, I take any suitable steam force pump Fig. 3 such as is
generally used for forcing water and adapt the pumps for compressing air by replacing
the ordinary water valve S and seat T with any well known form of air valve P
and seat R, the type and shape of which will vary according to the descrip-
tion of pump that is being altered. The compressed air will be taken to the various
compartments of the ship by means of ordinary pipes or the ordinary salvage flexible
steel and iron pipes, valves and other salvage appliances may be adapted for this
purpose.
In the case of pumps having a large clearance space it may be necessary to
temporarily fill this space by blocks or keep a small supply of water running into
the pump to take up the clearance.
When it is necessary to enter the vessel to inspect the progress of the operations
the method of doing so will depend upon whether the ship is totally submerged and

page_text: under air pressure or whether the ship being under air pressure the portion con-
taining the air lock is above water. It will be readily understood that if the ship is
not under air pressure it can be entered through the doors of the air lock in an
ordinary manner whether the ship is submerged or not, divers being employed if
necessary.
If the ship is totally submerged and under air pressure two divers will be sent
down, one of whom will enter the air lock through the door H, the other diver will
then secure the door H and attend to the air tube and life line of the diver
inside.
The door H may be provided with suitable openings to enable the air tube and
life line to pass through. These openings will preferably be at the edge of the door
and if desired may be fitted with india rubber or leather packings in the form of a
split pipe secured to door or an ordinary gland and stuffing box may be used but it
will be readily understood that any leakage that may occur will be so comparatively
small as to be disregarded. The diver inside by means of suitable plugs or air cocks
fitted in the air lock will then either allow the water to escape or the air pressures
to be equalized according to circumstances; he can then open the door L and pass
into the hold of the ship.
If the ship is under air pressure and the portion containing the air lock is above
water then the ship will be entered as follows. The air lock will be entered through
the door H which will then be secured by someone outside. The person inside the
air lock by means of the plugs or air cocks previously mentioned will then allow
either the water to escape or the air pressures to be equalized according to the
circumstances: he can then open the door L and pass into the hold of the ship.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In methods of raising sunken vessels and the like, the method of strengthening
the decks and rendering the hatchways watertight, as and for the purposes herein
described.
"
2. In methods of raising sunken vessels and the like, the use of an air lock, as and
for the purposes herein described.
3. In methods of raising sunken vessels and the like, the use of a water pump
which can be adapted for pumping air, as and for the purposes herein described.
Dated this Thirtieth day of May 1899.
G. T. HARRAP,
Agent for Applicant.