IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF RAISING BODIES IN WATER AND AIR, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Kesseler, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the
Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor, for the Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF RAISING BODIES IN WATER AND AIR, AND
IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from Wilhelm Raydt, of
Hanover, in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 8th April 1879, and dated the 16th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Kesseler at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th October 1878.
CARL KESSELER, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of Germany,
Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF RAISING
BODIES IN WATER AND AIR, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication
from Wilhelm Raydt, of Hanover, in the Empire of Germany...
The raising is effected by balloons filled with gas condensed in a closed reservoir,
with which they are in safe connexion. These balloons are let down in a flaccid
state in any convenient way and fixed to the object to be raised, and are then filled
all together at the moment when the raising is to take place by opening the tubes
of communication with the reservoirs, and so set to work. The balloon is made of
strong sail cloth steeped in a solution of gum or other suitable matter, and coated
inside with a thick layer of gum or an equivalent therefor; at top and bottom, the
balloon is held by metal plates, to which is fitted a net of straps which serve to
strengthen it. These two metal plates are connected by a metal tube provided
with openings. On the lower plate is fixed the connexion to be screwed on the
reservoir together with the feeding tube, which can be closed by a cock. The
reservoir is made of strong galvanized metal, and made as far as possible without
rivets, by welding; it may be of any convenient form. The gas used for filling
must be that which becomes liquid under a moderately high pressure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Carl Kesseler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th April
1879.
CARL KESSELER, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of Germany,
Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF RAISING
IN WATER AND AIR, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from
Wilhelm Raydt, Hanover, in the Empire of Germany.
The raising is effected by balloons filled with condensed gas from a reservoir,
with which they are in safe communication. These balloons are fixed in a flacid
state in any convenient way to the object to be raised, and are simultaneously filled
at the moment when the raising is to take place by opening the tubes of commu-
nication with the reservoir, and thus set to work. The balloon A, represented on
the annexed Drawing, is made of strong sail cloth steeped in a solution of caout-
chouc or other suitable matter, and coated inside with a thick layer of caoutchouc.
At top and bottom the balloon is held by metal plates, a, a, to which is fitted a net
of straps which serve to strengthen it. These two metal plates are connected by a
metal tube b provided with openings. On the lower plate a is fixed the connexion
to be screwed on the reservoir, together with the feeding tube, which can be closed
by a cock. The reservoir B is made of strong galvanized metal, made as far as
possible without rivets, by welding; it may be of the shape represented by the
Drawing or of any other convenient shape. For the admission and discharge of
gas, a metallic neck c is screwed on the reservoir. This neck is provided with a
valve d, the communication with the balloon being effected by means of the piece e
provided with an ordinary stop-cock f. The gas used for filling must be of a kind
which becomes liquid under not too high a pressure. When used on a large scale,
carbonic acid gas, on account of its cheapness and of its special properties, is the
best.
The filling may take place by means of an air-compression pump. When the
reservoir B has to be filled with gas and the latter compressed, the tube c is screwed
on first, then the auxiliary piece g, shown in Fig. 3. The pipe of the latter is put
in communication with the force pump; at i, a pressure gauge is screwed on, in
order to know when the filling of the reservoir is complete. This pressure gauge
shows by a sudden rise when the atmospheric air enclosed with the liquid carbonic
acid in the reservoir is compressed more than necessary for the condensation of the
carbonic acid. By means of the small cock k, the highly compressed air is then
blown off until the pressure gauge shows a pressure of not more than 36 atmos-
pheres. Subsequently the valve d is safely closed, the auxiliary piece g removed,
and the reservoir can be kept in store, artificially cooled if necessary. In order to
carry the load, each baloon is provided with a number of strong hemp straps p, the
total strength of which corresponds with the weight of the load to be raised. These
straps are fixed all together on an iron ring on the under side of the balloon, and
from which the rods m extend, bearing the shackle n, which is attached by any
convenient means to the load to be raised.
The manner of using the apparatus will easily be understood. For instance,
when a sunken ship has to be raised, the baloon with its reservoir is sunk from a
convenient ship by means of a crane. Under the water, the diver lets in as much
gas as will bear the balloon and its accessories, then closes the feeding tube, and
fastens the chains on the object to be raised. The manner of fastening will vary
according to circumstances. A baloon having a diameter of 3 metres has, in sea
water of a temperature of 10° Cels., a buoyancy of 116,464 kilogrammes. For
raising a ship having in water a weight of 5,000 (metric) tons it would be sufficient
to have
equal to 43 balloons of 3 metres diameter. When the balloons are
5000000
116464'

page_text: put in operation, the main valves of the reservoirs are opened by the divers, and, if
possible, at the same time, the cocks of the feed pipes, also by the divers, or from
the top by means of cords. Should the cold produced by the expansion of the gas
partly congeal the gas flowing out, the only disadvantage would be to render the
filling somewhat slower. The surrounding water will hardly freeze, because the
currents caused by the sinking of the particles of water that become heavier
by cooling will continually renew the water. As, during the rise of the balloons,
the external pressure gradually decreases, air valves have been fixed in the lower
plate of the balloon, which open automatically and discharge gas in proportion to
the decrease of pressure, these valves being regulated so as to give to the gas a
pressure exceeding that from without, just as much as is necessary for keeping the
balloon inflated. Each balloon fully mounted should first be tested separately in
the air by means of a pressure gauge. After being filled, the balloons raise the
object nearly to the surface of the water. By means of other balloons joined in
pairs by strong chains under the keel, the ship can be raised higher, kept afloat, and
dragged into dock. These balloons may also be applied for saving divers when an
accident has happened to the ordinary diving apparatus, if each diver takes down
two balloons in a flacid state fixed to a common reservoir. This reservoir may be
carried on the breast of the diver, the two balloons folded together being crossed on
his back and joined in front of his neck by a hook that may be easily detached.
In the moment of danger the diver releases the hook and at the same time a screw
which serves to keep the two feeding tubes closed. The balloons are rapidly filled
with gas, and carry the diver quickly to the surface.
Anmoniacol gas may
advantageously be used for filling instead of carbonic acid gas, because the former
becomes liquid already under a pressure of 4 atmospheres, the reservoir will be
lighter, and there will be less danger of explosion resulting from the heat of the
human body. These balloons for divers would require to have a radius of 25 centi-
mentres for raising 120 kilogrammes. A reservoir containg half a gallon of liquid
anmoniacal gas would therefore be sufficient at a depth of 60 metres to fill a
balloon. The reservoirs of compressed liquid gas may also be used for filling air
balloons in cases where it would be difficult to prepare the gas on the spot, for
instance, in using air balloons in war on land or at sea. In that case, anmoniacal
gas is recommended, becoming liquid to 10° heat under a pressure of 6½ atmos-
pheres. Such a reservoir to be used in war may be fixed on a carriage, and placed
into a water-tight casing or tank for cooling the liquid. The same carriage is pro-
vided with a force pump, the air balloon being being placed upon a second carriage,
carrying a windlass for holding the cable of the balloon. When used, the second
wagon is drawn alongside the first, and the filling takes place by the feed pipe
screwed on the balloon. While the filling proceeds the balloon is held by cords,
and provided with a convenient basket to hold the observer and his instruments,
and allowed to rise like any other captive balloon. Of course, the wagon carrying
the cable has to be properly weighted, which may be done by soldiers sitting on it.
When the observations are made, the balloon is drawn down by the cord and put
in communication by a tube with the force pump, and the gas is pumped back into
the reservoir. On account of the heat which is thereby set free, the reservoir
should be cooled by water or in any other convenient way, and a pressure gauge is
applied to the reservoir to prevent any danger of explosion. Claims:-1. The
raising of bodies in water and air by balloons expanded by gas kept in a condensed
state in portable or other reservoirs, and the recovery of said gas or some of it after
use, and pumping it back into the reservoir. 2. The connexion between the reser-
voir containing the condensed gas and the balloon to be filled. 3. The connexion
between the reservoir and balloon together with the tube b and the plates a and a¹.
4. The air valves in plate a. 5. The auxiliary connection for filling the reservoir
with liquid gas, together with screw attachment to screw on a pressure gauge.
6. The communication of the carrying straps p connected to the metal ring 7, the

page_text: suspansion rods m, together with the shackle n, all substantially as and for the
purposes described, and set forth in this Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Kesseler, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of April, A.D. 1879.