IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF PONTOONS, OR AIR VESSELS, FOR USE IN THE FORMATION OF MILITARY BRIDGES, FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, AND FOR USE IN SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Hamlyn Williams, of Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, for an Invention of IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF
PONTOONS, OR AIR VESSELS, FOR USE IN THE FORMATION OF MILITARY BRIDGES,
FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, AND FOR USE IN SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY
AT SEA.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1882.
ALFRED HAMLYN WILLIAMS, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF PONTOONS, OR AIR VESSELS, FOR USE IN THE
FORMATION OF MILITARY BRIDGES, FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, AND FOR USE
IN SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA.
My Ivention [sic] relates to improved constructions of pontoons, or air vessels, for
use in the formation of military bridges, for raising sunken vessels, and for saving
life and property at sea, and for other like purposes.
According to one arrangement, my improved pontoon, or air vessel, is constructed
of thin sheets of iron, or other suitable material, and of any appropriate shape, and
is composed of two portions, or halves, which are of such shape or form that, when
not in use, these portions or halves may lie, and be packed one within the other,
thus economizing space for stowage, and rendering them readily transportable.
Each portion or half is furnished with a flange, one of which is provided with
packing, so that when the two flanged halves are put together to constitute the
pontoon, or air vessel, an air and water-tight easing or vessel is formed.
These flanged halves or portions, when fixed in place, are held together by clips,
or other fastening contrivances, which may be secured to one half or portion, so as
always to be at hand when required.
The flanges, at the ends of the half portions, are somewhat elongated, and are
slotted to form handles.
When this improved construction of pontoon, or air vessel, is to be used for
raising sunken vessels, a number of the same are weighted in any suitable manner,

page_text: and sent down to the diver who secures them by one of the handles to hooks, eyes,
or other fastenings, on the floors and decks of the vessel. On the weights being
removed the pontoons tend to rise. A number of these pontoons being thus
secured to various parts of the vessel, and the water in such submerged vessel
being thereby displaced, and replaced by, a sufficient number of these pontoons, or
air vessels, the effect will be to float the vessel.
In another arrangement, whereby space for stowage is also economized, the
pontoon, or air vessel, is formed of a sheet of metal of such a thickness as to be
capable of being readily rolled, or folded over, to form a cylinder or drum, the
meeting ends being flanged, and provided with packing, so that when brought
together, and secured in place, they form the cylinder or drum which is, however,
open at both ends, but which ends are afterwards closed by headings, caps or covers,
thus rendering the structure air and water-tight
This second arrangement of pontoon, when not in use, is laid out in its sheet
form, and the sheets lie one within the other, it being intended to build up the
pontoon only when required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1883.
ALFRED HAMLYN WILLIAMS, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF PONTOONS, OR AIR VESSELS, FOR USE IN THE
FORMATION OF MILITARY BRIDGES, FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, AND FOR USE
IN SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA
My Invention relates to improved constructions of pontoons, or air vessels, for
use in the formation of military bridges; for raising sunken vessels; for saving
life and property at sea, and for other like purposes, and it consists in constructing
the pontoons in detachable portions, as hereinafter described, and for the purposes
set forth.
My Invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which,
Figure 1, is a side elevation of one arrangement of my improved pontoons,
Figure 2, a plan thereof,
Figure 3, a transverse section on the line x, x, of figure 1,
Figure 4, a plan of one of the portions or halves detached.
Figure 5, a longitudinal section on the line y, y, of figuro 2, shewing the portions
or halves lying one within the other,
Figure 6, is a section (full size) of the upper and lower flanges, shewing the
method of forming the same, and the arrangement of the packing.
According to my Invention my improved pontoon, or air vessel, is constructed
in two detachable sections or portions A, A*, preferably halves, which are of such
shape or form that, when not in use, they may lie, and be packed one within the
other, as shewn in figure 5, for the purposes of economizing space in stowage, and
rendering them readily transportable. These portions are made of thin sheets of
iron, or other suitable material, and of any appropriate shape. Each portion or
half is furnished with a flange a, a, that marked a*, being provided with
suitable packing b, which may be held in place by the flange being turned over, as
shewn in Figure 6, so that when the two flanged portions or halves are put
together, to constitute the pontoon, an air and water tight casing, or vessel, is
formed.
The flanged portions, or halves, when fixed in place, are held together by
fastenings c, and these fastenings are secured to the flange a*, of the half or
portion A*, so as always to be at hand when required.
d, are handles, which are fixed at each end of one of the portions for the
purposes of readily manipulating and transporting the portions of the pontoon, or
the pontoon itself, when built up.
In another arrangement, not shewn in the drawings but readily imagined, and
whereby space in stowage is also economized, the pontoon, or air vessel, is formed
of a sheet of metal, of such a thickness as to be capable of being readily rolled or
folded over, to form a cylinder or drum, the meeting ends being flanged and
provided with packing, so that when brought together and secured in place, by
suitable fastenings, they form the cylinder or drum, which is however open at
both ends, but which ends are afterwards closed by headings, caps. or covers, thus
rendering the structure air and water tight.
This construction of pontoon, when not in use, is laid out in its sheet form, and
the sheets lie one over the other, it being intended to build up the pontoon only
when required.

page_text: Figure 7, shews my improved construction of pontoon, described under the first
system, as applied to the formation of a raft. f, are poles of suitable strength, to
which a sheet of canvas g, is attached, these poles, with the canvas sheet, are
secured by chains, or otherwise, to the pontoon, as shewa; a raft is thereby formed,
capable of sustaining a number of persons. When the raft is not in use, the poles
being jointed in the middle, can be folded up together with the canvas attached,
and can be stowed away in the pontoon.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim.
1. A pontoon constructed in detachable portions, which are adapted to lie and
be packed one within the other, when the pontoon is not built up, or in use,
substantially as herein specified, and for the purposes set forth.
2. A pontoon constructed in detachable flanged portions adapted to be fitted
together, and provided with packing, for the purpose of rendering the structure,
when built up, air and water tight, and means for securing such portions in place,
all substantially as herein specified, and as shewn in the drawings.
3. The construction of pontoons in the manner substantially as herein described
under the second arrangement, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourteenth day of February in the year 1883.
AH WILLIAMS
(TS)