IMPROVE- MENTS IN DIVING BELLS, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of the firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DIVING BELLS, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH."-A communication.
Sealed the 23rd March 1853, and dated the 29th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 29th January 1853.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of Robertson,
Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING BELLS, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CON-
NECTION THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention is intended for effecting explorations and other
operations below the surface of water, and is in that respect analo-
gous to other machines devised for the same purpose. One pecu-
liarity of this Invention is in the manner of supplying the air and

page_text: water for effecting buoyancy and sustaining life also. Second, a
means of maintaining an equilibrium of pressure within and without,
so that very light and comparatively weak materials may be em-
ployed in its construction. By the ability to alter the specific
gravity of the diving chamber the workman may rise or descend,
or remain in suspension at pleasure, without any aid or force derived
from without by manual power, provided the preparation have been
properly made.
The construction and operation is as follows:-The diving chamber
seen at A is in shape that of the frusta of two cones joined at their
bases. At the top is an opening by which the workman enters; it
has a cover fitting air-tight, which may be secured from within, as
shewn at a, Fig. 1. The bottom also has a hole through it, with a
as seen at b; around the edge a rim sets up, a portion
of which is seen at c, the remainder being represented as broken out
to allow of the representation of other parts. The use of this rim
is to retain within the vessel any object. the explorers may take in
through the bottom; at d are a series of tanks. around around the
sides of the diving chamber; these are the air and water reservoirs
for regulating the gravity of the chamber. Each tank is connected
to the others by two sets of pipes, the one set at the top as shewn
at and the other at the bottom as seen at f. The upper pipe is
for the supplying of air, and the lower one for water. The supply
of air is obtained from a reservoir (supported upon a boat or float)
by means of a flexible tube extending from the diving chamber to
said reservoir, as seen in Fig. 1; B is the reservoir. It is by
filling the tanks & with air or water, wholly or partially, that the
buoyancy of A is regulated. g, is a pipe, to which the flexible air
tube leading from the reservoir B is connected upon the outside.
Inside one end terminates by a branch, having a stop-cock d¹ into
one of the tanks d, the other end passes down near the bottom,
and discharges by another stop-cock into the general chamber A;
there is also another discharge into A from a cock near the top at
g. At h is a pipe for discharging air from the tanks d; this has a
stop-cock in it, and is besides covered by a valve of common con-
e₁

page_text: struction on the outside, and opening outwards. At i is a pipe for
emptying the tanks of of water, this discharges outside also through
the bottom, there being here a valve of common construction
opening outwards. Each of the tanks d may discharge by a
separate pipe if thought preferable. The air may likewise be
introduced, and discharged into the tanks by separate pipes, an
arrangement which will sometimes be required, as the proper
balancing of the vessel will depend upon it. The chamber is
further supplied with an arrangement for anchoring it to the bot-
tom of the river, &c., for holding it in place, or to afford the
means of shifting its position.
The
The anchor may be of common construction, it is attached
by a cable k through a traversing shcave or block k¹, and the
end, after passing over this, is taken in through a hole in the
bottom, and may be wound upon a windlass or other device.
The block is fixed to an endless chuin passing over two
rollers, one near the bottom and the other near the middle
of the diving chamber A, as shewn in Fig. 1. The upper roller
being fixed to a shaft which passes through A, and terminates
in a crank by which it can be turned round, this effects the
traverse of the pulley k up and down, and in doing so changes
the angle or direction of the pull upon the anchor, as seen.
various positions of the block k¹ thus afford a means of regulating
the degree of force with which the chamber is held down to the
ground; for if the cable is adjusted to pull from the bottom of the
chamber A, it is evident it will exert little force in keeping it upon
the ground. On the contrary, if the block is raised up it will, by
raising the point of attachment above the level of the anchor, tend
to hold the chamber down upon the ground. At l is a propelling
rudder; this is a common screw fixed upon a shaft passing
through into A, having a crank to revolve it. The box supporting
the shaft is formed on the principle of a ball and socket joint, thus
any direction may be given to the shaft, so that by it the chamber
A may be propelled within a certain arc in various directions,
the anchor forming the centre point. The flexible air tube is seen

page_text: at C; it is so constructed as to be capable of being coiled up or
uncoiled, and without and without intermitting the passage of air;
for this purpose it is connected with a hollow shaft reel m. The
end affixed to the reel opens in the hollow shaft, one end of which
is stopped, the opposite end entering the reservoir B, through a
stuffing box at m², thus the air may pass out of B through said
shaft, thence through the tube coiled upon it, and thence discharged
into A; by this means no more tube need be in the water than
sufficient to reach the diving chamber.
The air reservoir B must be constructed of a material capable
of sustaining a great degree of pressure. The operation is as fol-
lows: The diving chamber floating upon the surface of the water
is anchored so as to stand over the bed of the wreck or other
object to be explored as nearly as may be. The reservoir B is
then charged by means of an air pump with as much air as can be
forced into it; the flexible tube Ċ is attached to A: The workmen
enter with such tools as they require, and the top is shut down and
fastened. The tanks dat first contain only air at the pressure of one
atmosphere. The cock in his opened, and also a cock in f; this latter
allows water to flow into the tanks, and forces the air out, which de-
creases the buoyancy of A so much that it sinks. As the chamber
descends the cock g¹ is opened so far as to allow a sufficient
amount of air to be sent in from the reservoir B to supply for
inhalation, and also to counterbalance the pressure of the water
outside, for the ascertaining of which proper gauges may be em-
ployed. The specific gravity of the vessel may be regulated for
any depth of water it is to go to by properly proportioning the
water and air in the tanks d, so that it may be held in suspension
at any depth the operators may please; the up and down motions
are thus effected; the traversing motion along the bottom is by
means of the anchor and rudder. If the apparatus lies in a
current it can be worked along it by means of the cable k,
being wound or unwound within, while to go from side to side
the propeller rudder is worked. As soon as the chamber is over
the proper spot the cover to the hole is taken off. The water

page_text: being kept back by the pressure of the air from within, the work-
men can thus operate. Light is admitted within the vessel by the
insertion of heavy plate glass or "bulls eyes" in the top and
sides. The buoyancy of A is to be such that on emptying the tanks
of water and filling them with air it will rise to the surface with the
additional weight of such articles as may have been taken from the
bottom. As soon as it is desired to rise to the surface water is
expelled from the tanks by the force of the air from the reservoir
B, which is then'admitted in at the top at d', the water passing out
by the bottom pipes f, from which there is a communication with
the outside between the cocks, and shown in Fig. 1 at f¹.
equality of pressure in the open part of the diving chamber will, in
ascending, maintain itself, for as the pressure is taken from the
outside the air will escape from the bottom, or through valves
in the shell opening outwards, and which are provided for the
purpose.
The
In regard to the cables, although the operation with one is
described, yet the use of several is contemplated; these lead to
anchors placed at different angles, and thus, by drawing upon
them in the several directions, the diving chamber may be directed
in accordance therewith, or kept stationary, by reason of the draft
or pull upon them acting on several sides. It is intended to com.
bine with the diving chamber a second chamber placed below the
lower opening, and to be formed of several pieces, and is intended
to act as a movable coffer dam. A plan view is seen in Figure 3,
showing the bottom opening of the diving chamber; at n are two
plates of metal capable of affording great resistance to pressure,
and placed parallel; o, are the end pieces abutting against flanges,
which thus forms a box, open at the top and bottom. When the
diving chamber has this attachment, and operations are to be
effected with it, the whole is sunk together, and the lower edges of
the coffer chamber are forced down into the sand of the bottom
either by the weight of the chamber, or other force may be applied.
The interior space bounded by n, n, o, o, may now be excavated,
and any structure formed within, as masonry, pipe, telegraph wire,

page_text: &c. The diving chamber is then raised, and the coffer dam ad-
vanced to the next step, &c. In laying pipe or telegraph wire so
as to be below the line of anchors in rivers, as soon as they are
down at the bottom of the excavation the ends o may be removed,
and allow the sides to fall in, and with them the sand will flow in
and fill up the trench; the surplus within the chamber may be dis-
charged also within it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of Robertson, Brooman,
& Co., of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DIVING BELLS, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THERE-
WITH," communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be perforined,

page_text: .
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the Drawings annexed, that is to say:
This Invention is intended for effecting explorations and other
operations below the surface of water, and is in that respect analo-
gous to other machines devised for the same purpose. The pecu-
liarity of this Invention consists, first, in the manner of supplying
the air and water for effecting buoyancy and sustaining life; and,
second, in a means of maintaining an equilibrium of pressure
within and without, so that very light and comparatively weak
materials may be employed in the construction of the apparatus:
By the ability to alter the specific gravity of the diving chamber
the workman may rise or descend, or remain in suspension nt
pleasure, without any aid or force derived from without by manual
power, provided the preparations have been properly made.
The construction and operation of the apparatus as represented
in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings annexed are as follows:-
The diving chamber seen at A is in the shape of the frusta of
two cones joined at their bases. At the top is an opening by which
the workman enters; it has a cover fitting air-tight, which may be
secured from within, as shewn at a, Figure 2. The bottom also has
a hole through it with a cover as seen at b. Around the edge a rim
sets up, a portion of which is seen at c, the remainder being broken
away to allow of the representation of other parts. The use of this
rim is to retain within the vessel any object the explorers may take
in through the bottom. At d are a series of tanks arranged around
the side of the diving chamber; these are the air and water reser-
voirs for regulating the gravity of the chamber. Each tank is con-
nected to the others by two sets of pipes, the one set at the top as
shewn at e, and the other at the bottom as seen at f. The upper

page_text: pipe is for the supply of air, and the lower one for water. The
supply of air is obtained from a reservoir (supported upon a boat
or float) by means of a flexible tube extending from the diving
chamber to said reservoir, as seen in Figure 1, where B is the
reservoir. And it is by filling the tanks d with air or water,
wholly or partially, that the buoyancy of A is regulated. g, is
a pipe, to which the flexible air tube leading from the reservoir B
is connected upon the outside. Inside one end terminates by a
branch, having a stop-cock d' into one of the tanks d, the other
-end passes down near the bottom, and discharges by. another stop-
cock into the general chamber A; there is also another discharge
into A from a cock near the top at gl. At .h is a pipe for dis-
charging air from the tanks d; this has a stop-cock in it, and is
besides covered by a valve.of common construction on the outside,
.and opening outwards. At is a pipe for emptying the tanks of
water, this discharges outside also through the bottom, there being
here a valve of common construction opening outwards. Each of
the tanks & may discharge by a separate pipe if thought preferable.
The air may likewise be introduced and discharged into the tanks
by separate pipes, an arrangement which will sometimes be required,
as the proper balancing of the vessel will depend upon it. The
chamber is further supplied with an arrangement for anchoring it
to the bottom of the river, &c., for holding it in place,. or to afford
the means of shifting its position.
d
The anchor may be of common construction, it is attached by a
cable k through a traversing sheave or. block k¹, and the end, after
passing over this, is taken in through a hole in the bottom, and may
be wound upon a windlass or other barrel. The block k¹ is fixed
to an endless chain passing over two rollers, one near the bottom
and the other near the middle of the diving chainber A, as shewn in
Figure 1. The upper roller is fixed.to a shaft which passes throug
A, and terminates in a crank by which it can be turned round
this effects the traverse of the pulley k up and down, and in doing s
changes the angle or direction of the pull upon the anchor as scen
The various positions of the block thus afford a means of regulatin

page_text: the degree of force with which the chamber is held down to the
ground, for if the cable is adjusted to pull from the bottom of the
chamber A, it is evident it will exert little force in keeping it
upon the ground. On the contrary, if the block is raised up it
will, by raising the point of attachment above the level of the
anchor, tend to hold the chamber down upon the ground. At lis
a propelling rudder; this is a common screw fixed upon a shaft
passing through into A, having a crank to set it in rotation. The
box supporting the shaft is formed on the principle of a ball and
socket joint, thus any direction may be given to the shaft, so that
by it the chamber A may be propelled within a certain arc in
various directions, the anchor forming the centre point. The
flexible air tube is seen at C; it is so constructed as to be capable
of being coiled up or uncoiled, and without intercepting the pas-
sage of air; for this purpose it is combined with a hollow shaft reel
m. The end affixed to the reel opens in the hollow shaft, one end
of which is stopped, the opposite end entering the reservoir B,
through a stuffing box at m¹, thus the air may pass out of B
through the said shaft, thence through the tube coiled upon it, and
thence be discharged into A, so that by this means no more tube
need be in the water than is sufficient to reach the diving chamber.
The air reservoir B must be constructed of a material capable of
sustaining a great degree of pressure. The mode of operating with
the apparatus is as follows:-The diving chamber floating upon the
surface of the water is anchored so as to stand over the bed of the
wreck or other object to be explored, or as nearly as may be.
The reservoir B is then charged by means of an air pump with as
much air as can be forced into it, and the flexible tube C is
attached to A. The workmen enter with, such tools as they.
require, and the top is shut down and fastened. The tanks
d at first contain only air at the pressure of one atmosphere..
The cock in h is then opened, and also a cock in f. This
latter allows water to flow into the tanks, and forces the air
out, which decreases the buoyancy of A so much that it sinks.
As the chamber descends the cock 7' is opened so far as to allow:

page_text: a sufficient amount of air to be sent in from the reservoir B
to supply that requisite for inhalation, and also to counterbalance
the pressure of the water outside, for the ascertaining of which
proper gauges may be employed. The specific gravity of the vessel
may be regulated for any depth of water it is to go to by properly
proportioning the water and air in the tanks d, so that it may be
held in suspension at any depth the operators may please; the
upward and downward motions are thus effected; the traversing
motion along the bottom is obtained by means of the anchor and
rudder. If the apparatus lies in a current it can be worked along
it by means of the cable k, being wound or unwound within, while
to go from side to side the propeller rudder is worked. As soon as
the chamber is over the proper spot the cover to the hole b is taken
off, the water being kept back by the pressure of the air from within,
and the workman can then begin operations. Light is admitted
within the vessel by the insertion of heavy plate glass or "bulls
eyes" in the top and sides. The buoyancy of A is to be such that
on emptying the tanks of water and filling them with air it will
rise to the surface with the additional weight of such articles as
may have been taken from the bottom. As soon as it is desired to
rise to the surface water is expelled from the tanks by the force of
the air from the reservoir B, which is then admitted in at the top
at d', the water passing out by the bottom pipes f, from which there
is a communication with the outside between the cocks, as shewn in
Figure 1 at f. The equality of pressure in the open part of the
diving chamber will, in ascending, maintain itself, for as the pressure
is removed from the outside the air will escape from the bottom,
or through valves in the shell opening outwards, and which are pro-
vided for the purpose.
In regard to the cables, although the employment of one
only is described, yet the use of several is contemplated; these
may lead to anchors placed at different angles, and thus, by
drawing upon them in the several directions, the diving chamber
may be directed in accordance therewith, or kept stationary, by
reason of the draft or pull upon them acting on several sides.

page_text: It is intended to combine with the diving chamber a second
chamber placed below the lower opening, and to be formed
of several pieces, which is intended to act as a moveable coffer
dam. A plan of such an arrangement is seen in Figure 3, shew-
ing the bottom opening of the diving chamber. n, n, are two
plates of metal capable of affording great resistance to pressure, and
placed parallel to each other. 0, 0, are end pieces abutting against
flanges, thus forming a box open at the top and bottom. When
the diving chamber has this attachment, and operations are to be
effected with it, the whole,is sunk together, and the lower edges of
the coffer chamber are forced down into the sand at the bottom
either by the weight of the chamber, or by force otherwise applied..
The interior space bounded. by n, n, o, o, may now be excavated,
and any structure formed within, as masonry, pipe, telegraph wire,
&c. The diving chamber is then raised, and the coffer dam
advanced to the next step, &c. In laying pipe or telegraph wire so
as to be below the line of anchors in rivers, as soon as they are
down at the bottom of the excavation the ends o may be removed,
and the sides allowed to full in, and with them the sand will flow in
and fill up the trench; the surplus within the chamber may also be
discharged into it.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim in respect thereof is,―
First, the combination with the diving chamber of a reservoir of
compressed air floating upon the surface of the water, and following
the movement of said chamber by means of its connection therewith,
as described.
Second, the hollow shafted windlass in combination with the
air reservoir and flexible tube in the manner described.
Third, a series of tanks in the diving chamber, and so connected
together by air and water pipes that they may be filled in whole
or in part by either element at the will of the operator, situate
vithin the said diving chamber, for the purpose of varying the
buoyancy and balancing the same as described.

page_text: Fourth, the traversing block in combination with the anchor and
chamber for varying the angle or direction of the cable and anchor
and chamber as described.
Fifth, the universal joint in combination with the rudder and
steering apparatus.
And, sixth, the moveable coffer dam as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day
of July, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.