Improvements in Apparatus for Removing Deposits of Sand or Mud from the Bottom of Rivers, Tidal Basins, Harbours, and such like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1887
Complete Left, 7th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 9th Mar., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Removing Deposits of Sand or
Mud from the Bottom of Rivers, Tidal Basins, Harbours, and
such like.
I, BRICE TYDEMAN of the Manor House, Crossness, Belvedere in the County of
Kent Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For removing deposits of sand or mud I stir up and agitate the deposit by a number
of jets of water under high pressure directed against it through a row of nozzles at the
lower end of a number of flexible pipes which descend from a floating barge or
vessel above. The nozzles are weighted so as to keep them resting upon the bottom.
The descending pipes are ranged in a row at right angles to the length of the vessel
and at equal distances apart. Each pipe at its upper end is secured to a horizontal
bar which preferably is of a trough section. The ends of this bar are carried upwards
on either side of the vessel and at their upper ends are coupled to the vessel by
horizontal pin joints.
From the pumps a separate flexible delivery pipe is led to each descending pipe.
One half of these flexible delivery pipes are led over one side of the vessel and the
other half over the other side. They are led down side by side within the side arms
of the bent bar and then along the bottom horizontal part of the bar and are coupled
each to its own descending pipe.
Chains are used to prevent strains from coming upon the descending flexible pipes
-they descend from the bar on either side of each descending pipe and at their
lower ends each chain branches off in two opposite directions one passing to the shoe
or weight which carries the delivery nozzle of the flexible pipe on one side and the
other to the shoe or weight which carries the delivery nozzle of the flexible pipe on
the other side.
The row of delivery nozzles is in this way all tied together and can be dragged by
the chains over the bottom of a river, tidal basin harbour or such like, just like a chain
harrow no strain coming upon the flexible pipes as they are kept looser than the
chains.

page_text: The joints upon which the ends of the bent bar turn are near to the bow of the
vessel so that by turning the bar on the joints it can be lowered down into the water
or lifted up in front of the bow and onto the deck. To raise and lower the bar chains
are passed from it over pulleys at the bow and to winding tackle other chains are
also passed from the bar to the stern of the vessel. When the bar has been lowered
into the water it can be held from swaying to and fro by tightening up these chains.
When the apparatus is not being used for removing deposit the bar and flexible
pipes can be lifted on to the deck. The flexible pipes can then all be uncoupled and
stowed away the bar also can be disconnected from the vessel and stowed away
whenever convenient.
All of the mud agitating apparatus can in this way be removed from the pumping
engines leaving the pumping engines free to be used for throwing jets of water for
extinguishing fires or as wreck pumps for pumping water from sunken vessels-the
vessel also be used as a tug so that it is available for a variety of useful purposes.
Dated this 7th dose of Mar 1007

page_text: I, BRICE TYDEMAN, of the Manor House, Crossness, Belvedere in the County of
Kent, Engineer, 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 :-
For removing deposits of sand or mud I stir up and agitate the deposit by a number
of jets of water under high pressure directed against it through a row of nozzles at
the lower end of a number of flexible pipes which descend from a floating barge or
vessel above.
The nozzles are weighted so as to keep them resting upon the bottom.
The descending pipes are arranged in a row at right angles to the length of the
vessel and at equal distances apart. Each pipe at its upper end is secured to a
horizontal bar which preferably is of a trough section. The ends of this bar are
carried upwards on either side of the vessel and at their upper ends are coupled to the
vessel by horizontal pin joints.
From the pumps a separate flexible delivery pipe is led to each descending pipe.
One half of these flexible delivery pipes are fed over one side of the vessel and the
other half over the other side. They are led down side by side within the side arms
of the bent bar and then along the bottom horizontal part of the bar and are coupled
each to its own descending pipe.
Chains are used to prevent strains from coming upon the descending flexible pipes
they descend from the bar on either side of each descending pipe--and at their lower
ends each chain branches off in two opposite directions one passing to the shoe or
weight which carries the delivery nozzle of the flexible pipe on one side and the
other to the shoe or weight which carries the delivery nozzle of the flexible pipe on
the other side.
The row of delivery nozzles is in this way all tied together and can be dragged by
the chains over the bottom of a river, tidal basin, harbour or such like, just like
a chain harrow no strain coming upon the flexible pipes as they are kept looser than
the chains.
The joints upon which the ends of the bent bar turn are near to the bow of the
vessel so that by turning the bar on the joints it can be lowered down into the water
or lifted up in front of the bow and on to the deck. To raise and lower the bar chains
are passed from it over pulleys at the bow and to winding tackle other chains are also
passed from the bar to the stern of the vessel. When the bar has been lowered into
the water it can be held from swaying to and fro by tightening up these chains.
When the apparatus is not being used for removing deposit the bar and flexible
pipes can be lifted on to the deck. The flexible pipes can then all be uncoupled and

page_text: stowed away the bar also can be disconnected from the vessel and stowed away
whenever convenient.
All of the mud agitating apparatus can in this way be removed from the pumping
engines leaving the pumping engines free to be used for throwing jets of water for
extinguishing fires or as wreck pumps for pumping water from sunken vessels-
the vessel also may be used as a tug so that it is available for a variety of useful
purposes.
Figure 1 of the drawings hereunto annexed shews a side elevation and Figure 2
an end view of a vessel fitted with apparatus constructed in the above manner.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on a larger scale and Figure 4 a horizontal section of
one of the joints by which the bar or frame to which the flexible pipes are secured is
jointed to the sides of the vessel. Figure 5 is an underside view of one half of the
bar and the junction pieces carried by it to which the flexible pipes are connected.
Figure 6 is a side elevation partly in section of this half of the horizontal portion of
the bar and Figure 7 is a vertical section of one half of the nozzles to which the lower
ends of the flexible pipes are secured.
A is the bent bar or frame of trough shape in cross section-B B are the joints by
which its ends are connected to opposite sides of a vessel at such a distance from the
bow or stern that the whole frame can as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 be turned
up so as to be brought into a position entirely above the deck of the vessel. C is a
chain passing over a pulley at the bow for raising the frame. D are chains passing
aft from the lower end of the frame-E E are flexible pipes coming from the pumps
three of them are led down each side piece of the bar A-One of these three is secured
at its end to a union piece A' a second to a union A2 and the third to a union A³ on
the bottom portion of the bar A. They are secured to the bar by bolts and nuts A* in
the manner shewn at Figures 6 and 6×.
FF are other union pieces with a right angled bend formed in them one end of
each of these enters the end of the union piece A¹ A2 or A³ and swivels within it-a
cup leather being placed between as shown at Figures 5 and 6 to make a watertight
joint. They are held up to the union pieces A¹ A² or A³ by a pin projecting from
their side opposite to and concentric with the ends of these pipes entering a hole formed
to receive them in bracket pieces G which are bolted to the bar A as shewn in
Figures and 6. These joints allow the union pieces F to swivel around a centre
concentric with the union pieces A¹ A² or A³ and the cup leather packings keep the
joints tight.
The other ends of the union pieces F have flexible pipes secured to them and these
at their opposite ends are secured to other union pieces to which are attached by
bolts I weighted nozzles G-H H see Figure 2 are chains of somewhat shorter
length than the flexible pipes passing from eyes fixed to the bar A to eyes at the ends
of the bolts I so that the weight of the weighted nozzles may not come upon the
flexible pipes J J are distance bars also jointed to the ends of these bolts to keep the
weighted nozzles at the requisite distance apart.
Figures 8 and 9 shew a side view and end view of an arrangement in which two
sets of flexible pipes are led directly from the pumps over opposito sides of a vessel
and at their lower ends are connected to one weighted nozzle pipe instead of each being
provided with a separate weighted nozzle. This nozzle is as in the arrangement above
described supported by chains so that its weight may not have to be supported by the
flexible pipes.
Figures 10 shews a cross section through the central portion of the perforated nozzle
pipe and Figure 11 a part plan of the same.
Figures 12 and 13 are vertical cross sections through the parts which connect the
perforated nozzle pipe to the flexible supply pipes.
K is the perforated nozzle pipe with a right angled bend at each end. To each end
is bolted a hollow socket piece L closed at its end and having on two opposite sides
sockets to receive the ends of two bent pipes M-the joints being made tight by cup
leathers and the two pipes being held together by bolts N (see Fig. 14). Union pieces
not shewn in the drawing are bolted to the other ends of the two pipes and to these

page_text: union pieces are secured the lower ends of the flexible pipes which pass downwards
from the pumps.
O is a weight secured by clamping pieces P to the perforated nozzle pipe K.
The cross bars of these clamping pieces may at their ends be formed into points as
shown so that they may penetrate any ground over which the nozzle pipe is being
dragged and stir up to assist the jets of water issuing from the pipe to loosen and
remove it.
By constructing apparatus for removing deposits of sand or mud in the manner
hereinbefore described it can be adapted with great ease for working in any depth of
water so that the work of removing deposit can be carried on with facility as the tide
rises or falls.
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. The arrangement of the bent frame A jointed at its ends to opposite sides of a
vessel near the bow or stern and the series of pipes led from pumping machinery along
the sides of this frame to flexible pipes which pass downwards from the bottom at
distances apart from one another and carry weighted nozzles at their ends substantially
as described.
2. Coupling the flexible pipes and coupling them to their nozzles by swivelling
joints made tight with cup leather packings substantially as described.
3. The combination of mechanism substantially as herein before described and
illustrated at Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings for removing deposits of sand or mud
from the bottom of rivers tidal basins harbours and such like.
4. The combination of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated at Figures 8 to 14.