IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING DOCKS AND IN PONTOONS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Turnbull, of 4, Knapp Road, Bromley-
by-Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Naval Architect, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING DOCKS AND
IN PONTOONS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
"
Scaled the 16th January 1872, and dated the 18th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Turnbull at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th July 1871.
I, ROBERT TURNBULL, of 4, Knapp Road, Bromley-by-Bow, in the
County of Middlesex, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING
DOCKS AND IN PONTOONS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," to be as
follows:-
These improvements relate to the construction of floating docks with
two sides and an open space between them from the stern to the stem
or inside part of the bow, so that vessels or other bodies on one or more
pontoons can be run or floated in and made secure, the after end of
the dock being afterwards closed by a gate or caisson.

page_text: I construct the dock of metal plates as usual, but without a central
bottom or floor, and I connect one end of the two sides, say the stem,
in a rigid manner. The lower part of the inside surfaces of the dock are
formed with longitudinal recesses or grooves for the sides of the pontoon
to slide in in a loose manner. The compartments of the dock may be
isolated from one another, so that water can be let into any of them for
the purpose of submerging it to the proper depth to permit of the
pontoons being drawn into the grooves, and the water can be expelled
from them by an engine, so that the whole of the structure can rise
with the vessel and the pontoons if the dock is being used for docking
purposes. The after part of the dock may be temporarily connected
by a transverse girder of metal or of timber, and the end can be closed
by a gate or caisson which can be held in close connection by bolts,
keys, or hinges. The dock can be so made that the fore end piece or
connection can be removed and the two sides brought together to form
a vessel of itself, which can when provided with screws or other
auxilliary means of propulsion be taken to any part of the world, the
end connection with the pontoons being stowed on or between the two
sides in any convenient manner. Felt or other material may be used
to make a watertight scam where the pontoons touch the dock.
The pontoons are constructed of arched form either at the top or the
bottom, or at both top and bottom, to obtain strength, and they are made
with sides to slide into the grooves of the dock. When the pontoons
and the dock are to he lifted they are connected by flexible hose for
removing the water.
In lieu of forming recesses or grooves at the sides of the dock walls,
projections, or ribs may be formed for the pontoons to rest upon, or for
kooning them daum
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Turnbull in the Great Seal Patent Office 30
on the 18th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
TURNBULL, of 4, Knapp Road, Bromley-by-Bow, in the County of
Middlesex, Naval Architect, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Turnbull, Her special licence that I,
the said Robert Turnbull, my executors, dministrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Turnbull, my executors, administrators,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF FLOATING DOCKS AND IN PONTOONS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Turnbull, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, 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 Robert Turnbull, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
These improvements relate to the construction of floating docks with
two sides and an open space between them from the stern to the stem
or inside part of the bow, so that vessels or other bodies on one or more
pontoons can be run or floated in and made secure, the after end of the
dock being afterwards closed by a gate or caisson if required.
I construct the dock of metal plates as usual but without a central
bottom or floor, and I connect one end of the two sides, say the stem,
in a rigid manner. The lower part or the inside surfaces of the dock
are formed with longitudinal recesses or grooves for the sides of the
pontoons to slide in in a loose manner. Felt or other material may
be used to make a water-tight seam where the pontoons touch the dock.
The compartments of the dock may be isolated from one another so that
water can be let into any of them for the purpose of submerging it

page_text: to the proper depth to permit of the pontoons being drawn into the
grooves, and the water can be expelled from them by an engine so that
the whole of the structure can risc with the vessel and the pontoons,
if the dock is being used for docking purposes. The after part of the
dock may be temporarily connected by a transverse girder of metal
or of timber, and the end can be closed by a gate or caisson which can
be held in close connection by bolts, keys, or hinges. The dock can be
so made that the fore end piece or connection can be removed and the
two sides brought together to form a vessel of itself, which can when
provided with screws or other auxillary means of propulsion be taken
to any distant part or place, the end connection with the pontoons
being stowed on or between the two sides in any convenient manner.
The pontoons are constructed of arched form either at the top or
the bottom, or at both top and bottom, to obtain strength, and they are
made with sides to slide into the grooves of the dock. When the
pontoons and the dock are to be lifted they are connected by flexible
hose for removing the water.
The Invention will be understood by referring to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the following detailed description thereof :-Figure 1
is an clevation of a floating dock composed of two side walls A, A, cach
of double thickness from top to bottom or for a part thereof, the space
between the thickness being such that the floating or lifting properties
are sufficient for raising a vessel of large tonnage which can be drawn
into the dock and secured as shown in the plan view, Figure 2. One
end of the dock only is closed either by a rigid bow or by a rigid stern
piece as the case may be, or by a movable bow or a movable stern piece,
which piece B may or may not be formed hollow so as to assist the
sinking or submerging of the dock of which it forms part. The dock
has partitions at intervals to divide it into compartments, each com-
partment being capable of having water forced into it by a pump,
or run into it on the necessary valves being opened; the dock will then
sink to the required depth taking the pontoon C with it so that the
vessel D can be floated in, the water is then forced out of the compart-
ments, and the whole rises gradually until the vessel upon the pontoon
is above the ordinary water level E. This will be seen by reference
to Figures 3, 4, and 5, where in Figure 3 the pontoon C is shown in
place in the dock A, and in the act of sinking, the water being supposed
to be entering the dock compartments for that purpose, and the top of

page_text: the grooves or recesses E bearing upon the pontoon C to push it down,
which it will do until the required depth be attained, when the vessel
can be floated in as in Figure 4, the water is then pumped out of the
dock compartments and the structure rises with the vessel therein
until the keel blocks G are above the ordinary water level E, and the
vessel sits high and dry so that she can be repaired with facility.
The pontoon C with the vessel D upon it can be floated out of the
dock A. by withdrawing more water in order to lift it high enough for
the grooves T to clear the pontoon C, the floating powers of the
pontoon alone being sufficient to support the vessel and to enable it
to be moved to be berthed or otherwise, after which the dock A can
have another pontoon drawn into it and be again submerged for
lifting another vessel.
The dock can as before stated be made with a loose bow or stern end
picce B, and if so made the two sides A, A, can be brought together
as seen in Figure 6, and be bolted in a rigid manner so that a vessel
shaped structure is formed capable of being transported from port to
port as occasion may require it with perfect safety. The pontoon C
may be constructed in sections of such a size as to be packed or stowed
upon the decks or floorings H, as also the end piece B and the gate
or caisson I, should the dock be provided with one.
1
I propose to fit trunks J, J, in or to the dock to communicate with
the water compartments at the lower part, some of which trunks may
have the pumps in them and some to form passages from one deck to
the other, so that the engine and other machinery or mechanism can
be got at should the dock be provided with auxilliary steam or other
power for moving her.
The dock walls may be of any shape and the open end may have
one or more transverse girders K attached to keep them the required
distance apart. The top portions of the dock may also be open above,
say the flooring H, H, or only above the line L, L, in which case
cabins for the men, store rooms, and workshops can be arranged in any
convenient positions.
The pontoon is preferably composed of girder shaped transverse beams
or trusses, the belly being below as shewn, or above, or both below and
above, to give the necessary strength, the girders being held by stays,
tics, or rods, and the whole or a part covered with plating to make
the pontoon hollow, the compartments thus formed being available.

page_text: for water should it be found requisite to sink or submerge it with or
without the dock at any time.
In lieu of forming recesses or grooves at the sides of the dock walls
projections or ribs may be formed for the pontoons to rest upon or for
keeping them down.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
Firstly. The construction of floating docks without a bottom and
when made with grooves or their equivalents for receiving one or more
pontoons, substantially as described and shown.
Secondly. I claim the construction of pontoons to be used with floating
docks in which recesses or grooves are formed or equivalent thereof
substantially in the manner described and shown.
And thirdly. I claim the construction and employment of floating
docks composed of side walls only which can be submerged and used
in connection with pontoons also submergable by themselves or by
the docks, as before explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Turnbull, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.
ROBERT TURNBULL. (L.S.)