IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUBAQUEOUS OPERATIONS
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Page at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th May
1870.
I, THOMAS PAGE, of the Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUBAQUEOUS OPERATIONS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to be used for
working beneath the water at great depths, for which purpose I employ
a tube terminating preferably in a close water-tight chamber in which
the divers descend beneath the water. This chamber which must be of
sufficient strength to withstand the external pressure of the water at
great depths, is made preferably of an oblate spheroid form, and is con-
structed with compartments near the base for the reception of water
introduced by a pump located within the chamber. The chamber is
constructed in one with a short section of tube at the upper part, which
tube, for the sake of strength, may be continued downwards to the floor
of the chamber. This tube is of sufficient diameter to contain a spiral
or other staircase or ladder, and is provided with rings or other means

page_text: of attachment for mooring the apparatus. The top of the tube is formed
to receive the end of another length of tube of similar construction, also
containing a staircase or ladder, and other similar sections or lengths. of
tube are in turn superposed and connected, a water-tight joint being
effected between each. The chamber, which may be furnished with legs or
supports, having been floated or otherwise conveyed to the spot where the
operations are to be conducted, water is pumped into the compartment.
or cells to ballast and submerge the chamber. As the latter sinks gradually,
sections or lengths of tube constructed with an interior staircase or ladder
as above described, are successively superposed and connected until the
chamber reaches a state of rest at the bed of the sea, the whole being.
rigidly connected together and forming a continuous tube containing a
staircase by which easy access may be had from the surface of the water
to the submerged chamber. This chamber is constructed with a passage
closed by three or more valves or doors through which the diver (having
descended into the chamber) passes out into the surrounding water for
performing the operations desired. Within the chamber is also placed
the necessary apparatus for conveying air to the divers which may thus
be supplied at or near the ordinary atmospheric pressure. The pumps
for supplying the water ballast to the chamber may also be employed in
connection with the valves through which the diver passes from the
chamber into the surrounding water for preventing any influx of water
when the next diver passes out. If desired the submerged chamber may
be of but small dimensions or dispensed with altogether for operations on
a small scale, the tube and staircase alone being employed, in which case
the lower end of the tube would be closed and provided with an exit
passage closed by valves as before. To enable the divers to withstand
the pressure of water at such depths I employ a suitable dress which
will not collapse and be forced into contact with any part of the person
by the external pressure of the water upon it, which dress however forms
no part of the Invention.