IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND OTHER HEAVY BODIES FROM THE BED OF THE SEA OR RIVER, THE SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINE STRUCTURES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Charles Henderson of 47 Museum Street Oxford
Street in the Parish of Bloomsbury and County of Middlesex for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN
VESSELS AND OTHER HEAVY BODIES FROM THE BED OF THE SEA OR RIVER, THE
SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINE
STRUCTURES communicated to him from abroad by François Baptiste Picot,
Architect of the city of Nantes in the Department of the Lower Loire in the
Republic of France
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Arthur Charles Henderson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st September 1883.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street, Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF, AND IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, AND OTHER HEAVY BODIES
FROM THE BED OF THE SEA OR RIVER, THE SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINE STRUCTURES communicated to me from abroad
by François Baptiste Picot, Architect of the city of Nantes in the Department of
the Lower Loire in the Republic of France
Up to the present time the raising of sunken vessels or other heavy bodies has
been a difficult and expensive matter: the object of this invention is to facilitate
this dangerous operation and lessen expense.
This is effected by the employment of buoys sunk to the bottom and around the
object to be raised from the bed of the sea or river.
Communicating and connected with these buoys are two flexible pipes, one being
an air pipe and the other a water pipe, the buoys and the vessels being raised to
the surface by aid of the said pipes, the water pipe being worked by suction and
force pumps, and the air pipe by air pumps, or by some other convenient method,
the buoys being previously firmly fixed to the object to be raised.
On reference to the accompanying drawings a conical buoy is illustrated, with
the air and water pipes shown in connection therewith, the whole embodying the
invention.
Fig 1 is an elevation, and Fig 2 a section of a buoy with air
attached to it. In Fig 1 the buoy is shown as of a conical form,
be of any other suitable shape at its lower end is an eye bolt a,
1-
"
.
and water pipes
but it may also
the branches of

page_text: which are fixed to the outside of the buoy, to this ring or eye the chain b, with
hook c, is attached: several chains with hooks may be however employed when
necessary and the branches may be fixed inside the buoy instead of outside if
deemed advisable..
The upper part of the buoy is provided with a large lid or cover d, fixed or
removed by bolts, so that the inside can be examined and cleansed when required.
To this lid two pipes fand g are connected, one ƒ for the water, the other g for air,
their length and internal diameter varying according to requirements, and the size
of the buoy.
Round the lid outside the buoy a number of rings h. h are fixed for the reception
of chains or cords for working the apparatus.
In Fig 2 which is a sectional view of the buoy, the water pipe f¹ is shown,
which serves to fill or or empty the water in the buoy the upper part of this pipe is
fixed to the lid d, and is in direct communication with the external pipe f, which is
a continuation of it, the lower end of this pipe which reaches to near the point is
furnished with one or more supports K fixed to the inside of the buoy, to keep the
pipe steady, this internal part f₁ of the pipe f, is by preference of metal, whilst
the external part f, as well as the air pipe are of flexible and sufficiently strong
material. Inside the lid also and close to the water pipe is the orifice g, of the air
pipe g which extends only outside the apparatus.
According to the dimensions of the buoy, so it is strengthened inside by
strengthening bars to resist the force of external pressure of the water, or other
causes and so to protect its sides. In the elevation and section it will be observed
that both the pipes g and ƒ are here and there united by the rings X., but any
other means of coupling them that will answer a like purpose can be employed,
these pipes are also provided with joints so that they can be lengthened as required.
They are also provided at the ends which communicate with the pumps and
compressing machines, with a screw or other joint to fix them to these machines.
The buoys are of metal and may be made any shape or size.
The following is the modus operandi in raising a sunken vessel: in the first
instance the head and stern of the vessel are marked as nearly as possible by two
buoys, this is effected by a diver, who also ascertains to which side the vessel has
heeled, or whether it is straight.
Two boats, are then anchored off at a certain distance and placed as near as
possible to the sides of the vessel: on these boats are the suction and force
pumps of the water and the blowing or compressing engines for the air, worked
either by hand or steam and in connection with the air and water pipes of the
buoys
The buoys for raising the vessel are arranged round it in the following manner :-
After having fixed the end of the water pipe of a buoy to a suction and force pump
in one of the two boats, and leaving the free end of the air pipe there, the buoy
is brought to the point where it is to be plunged, then by the aid of the suction
and force pump, water is introduced into the buoy by means of the water pipe,
the air making its exit by the air pipe; when the buoy is ready to sink, the pump
is stopped, and the diver who has previously fastened a rope to the hook of the
buoy, descends into the water, passes the rope through a temporary hook or ring
which he has fixed where the buoy is to be connected to the vessel, and ascends to
the surface with the other end of the rope.
One or two persons take the rope and draw it, and the buoy descends directly
to the point fixed by the diver, who has again descended and firmly fixed the hook
of the buoy to the vessel, he then removes the temporary hook he had fixed, and
the rope which served to guide the buoy in its descent, and then places them in
the position he requires for the guidance of another buoy: the diver then again
returns to the surface and a number of buoys are thus fixed round the vessel in
accordance with the weight to be lifted
When all the buoys are so fixed in the position required in equal numbers on
each side of the vessel, and are there firmly bound to each other with chains or

page_text: ropes in the direction of the length and across and above the vessel, and if the
latter is tilted on one side which is most probable, the partial raising of this side
of the vessel is commenced with, so that it is raised first, this is done by filling the
buoys with air by aid of the blowing machine, and the air pipe: the water being
forced out of the buoy through the water pipe.
Having thus emptied the water from the buoys the diver descends to see what
movement of the vessel has been effected, and if it is straight, the air machines are
worked to empty the buoys of water in the same proportions on the opposite side,
this done and the whole being in equilibrium a signal is given and all the air
machines are set working and all the buoys are simultaneously emptied: being now
considerably lighter the tendency is to rise to the surface, and being closely
connected to the vessel, if there are sufficient buoys they lift the vessel to the
surface, and if more buoys are required they are easily added.
It often happens that the vessel is sunk in very deep water, in this case the air
machines can be replaced by suction and force pumps, but in both cases the air and
water pipes are necessary.
The system may also be advantageously employed for lifting heavy bodies, and
also for transporting and fixing in position blocks of masonry or otherwise, for
constructing jetties light houses and so forth where the water is deep and sea
rough, in this case the buoys may be provided with one or more lids, valves, or
taps placed at the lower part of the buoys or near the point, these lids or taps as
the case may be are opened or closed by the diver for sinking or raising them,
and are used instead of the pipes, but where the water and air pipes can be used it
is advisable to so employ them.
The advantages of this method of raising vessels are as compared with the
systems at present employed relatively less complicated and therefore less expensive,
the apparatus
easy of conveyance from one point to another as the appliances
are floating, and the operations may be considered almost free from danger as
they can be carried on at a sufficient distance from the sunken object to ensure
safety.
Another and no less advantage is the rapidity with which the operation can be
conducted, the material being as it were ready to hand when once prepared it is
always in readiness for use for the various purposes enumerated.
Having thus described the invention and the manner of carrying it into effect
what is claimed as new is
1 The construction of buoys which the inventor terms "plunging or diving
buoys" as herein described, a number of which being filled with water to
sink them, are then fastened round the vessel or body to be raised, and are
then emptied of the water and filled with air, so that all the buoys act simul-
taneously on the object to be raised and kept above the water.
2nd The construction of the said buoys with rings a, chains b, and hooks c, water
pipes ff, and air pipes g, with the object and for the purposes herein
explained, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3rd The application of the said buoys or plungers for raising vessels or other
heavy bodies for conveying and fixing in situ, blocks of masonry, or other
building material used in the construction of jetties, light houses, dams,
and generally in the construction of all marine structures.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur Charles Henderson have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty first day of September in the Year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three