IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS.
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Otto Wolff, Engineer and Patent Solicitor, of 12, Schloss
Strasse, in the City of Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony and German
Empire, for an Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING
SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS.". A communication by Andreas Lehmann,
of the City of Dresden aforesaid (Shipowner and Proprietor of a Stone
Quarry).
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otto Wolff at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1881.
OTTO WOLFF, Engineer and Patent Solicitor, of 12, Schloss Strasse, in the City
of Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony and German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS." [A. communi-
cation by Andreas Lehmann, of the City of Dresden aforesaid (Shipowner and
Proprictor of a Stone Quarry).]
This Invention consists in a novel construction of balloons or similar vessels to
contain air or other suitable fluid to be used in the raising of sunken ships or
vessels, and also in means for attaching these balloons to the sunken ship.
In carrying out this Invention, the balloons are formed with an under lining of
india rubber or caoutchouc, with an intermediate layer of linen cloth or web.
Over this interior lining lies the outer shell, casing, or covering made of tarred
sailcloth. Over this outer covering is a net work of strong cords, the meshes of
which are about 4 inches square, so as to render the balloon more capable of
resistance, and also to protect it from injury. The cords of this network, which
are made progressively thicker, are attached to a stout ring of iron or other
suitable material.
Inside this ring the balloon is provided with a spout, to which a cock is attached,
and this cock is so formed that a hose in connection with an air pump can be
readily coupled thereto.
In order to raise a sunken ship, a number of these balloons are distributed round
the ship at equal distances apart by divers, the balloons being at such time empty
to facilitate the attachment of the same to the ship.

page_text: The attachment is effected by means of strong clamps, the jaws of which grasp
the required part of the ship, whilst the arms are so attached to the iron ring of
the balloon by means of chains or their equivalent, that as the balloon ascends, the
jaws of the tongslike clamps take a firm hold of the part of the ship to which they
are attached.
When the required number of balloons is attached to the ship, the air pump
hoses is coupled to a balloon, and air is pumped into them.
When the balloon is almost filled with air, the cock or valve is closed, and the
hose is removed and coupled to the next balloon. The filling of the balloons is
continued until they are able to raise the ship. As soon as the balloons reach the
surface of the water, they cease to rise further. Consequently, in order to bring
the ship or vessel to the surface of the water, other balloons are attached to the
lower part of the ship or vessel to be raised.
This is effected by drawing a suitable cable or a number of cables under the keel
of the ship, to the ends of which cable fresh balloons are attached and filled in the
same manner with air.
The number of cables and balloons is increased, until the ship or other vessel is
raised to the surface of the water, so that it can be towed or removed to a place of
safety.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Otto Wolff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th July 1881.
21
OTTO WOLFF, Engineer and Patent Solicitor, of 12, Schloss Strasse, in the City
of Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony and German Empire. IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING' SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS." A communi-
cation by Andreas Lehmann, of the City of Dresden aforesaid (Shipowner and
Proprietor of a Stone Quarry).
This said Invention of improvements in apparatus for raising sunken ships or
other vessels or matters consists principally in a balloon of globular or other
suitable form, which is constructed in the manner as described in the following
Specification, and shewn in the accompanying Drawings, and in the means of
attaching the said balloons to the sunken ship, vessel, or other object. Fig. 1 is a
vertical section of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 is the section
of a ship with the apparatus attached to the same.
Fig. 4 is the plan or top view of part of a ship with the apparatus attached to
the same.
:-
The globular or spherical balloons A are constructed as follows:-
The inner walls or lining a of the said balloons A consist of india rubber or
caoutchouc material with an intermediate layer of linen cloth or web. Over this
interior lining lies the outer shell, casing, or covering 6 made of tarred sail cloth.
Over this said covering b is attached or arranged a net work of strong cords c, the
meshes of which are about four inches large, so as to render the balloon more
capable of resistance and also to protect the said balloons from injury. The cords
of this said net work c, which are made progressively thicker, are then joined so as
to form a number of ropes (or one cable), the ends of which said ropes are attached
to a stout ring d of iron or other suitable material.
Inside this ring & the balloon is provided with a spout or hose like projection to
which a cock e is attached, which said cock e is so formed that a hose can be
readily coupled or attached to the same.
In order to raise a sunken ship a number of balloons are distributed over the
bulwarks of the quarter deck or other suitable part of the said ship or vessel at
equal distances apart by divers (see Fig. 4); the said balloons are at such time
empty to facilitate the attachment of the same to the bulwarks or other suitable
parts of the ship or vessel. The balloons are attached to any suitable part or parts
of the ship which offers a suitable hold by means of strong clamps f (Fig. 3), the
jaws of which grasp the required part of the ship, whilst the arms are so attached
to the iron ring d of the balloon by means of chains or their equivalents, that by
the balloon ascending the jaws of the tong like clamps take a firm hold of the part
of the ship to which they are attached.
After as many balloons have been attached to the ship as are considered requisite
for raising the same, air is pumped into the said balloons by means of a suitable
pump, and the afore mentioned cock e with the thereto attached hose.
As soon as the one balloon is filled or almost filled with air or its equivalent, the
cock or valve e is closed or shut off, the hose removed and then coupled to the
next balloon, and so on, until the said balloons are able to raise the ship or
vessel.
As soon as the balloons reach the surface of the water they cease to rise further,
consequently in order to bring the ship, vessel, or other matter to the surface of the
water, a further number of balloons are attached to the lower part of the ship, vessel,
or other matter to be raised. This is attained by drawing a suitable cable or a
number of cables under the keel of the ship or under the other object to be raised,

page_text: to the ends of which said cable or cables balloons are attached as afore mentioned
and the same filled with air. The number of cables or chains and balloons is
increased until the ship or other object is so raised above the surface of the water
that the same can be towed or otherwise removed to a place of safety.
Having now described the nature of this Invention for "Improvements in
Apparatus for Raising Sunken Ships and other Vessels," as communicated to me
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. Constructing vessels to contain air to be used in the raising of ships or
other objects, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Second. The means, substantially as herein shewn and described, for attaching
the air containing vessels to the ship or other object to be raised.
In witness whereof, I, the said Otto Wolff, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Twenty third day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
OTTO WOLFF. (L.S.)