IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING AND MAINTAINING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES,; AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1865

page_text: Sealed the 23rd February 1866, and dated the 1st September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William. Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
September 1865.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING AND MAINTAINING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES,;
AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
One of the principal causes of the non-success of submarine cables, especially,
in transatlantic telegraphy, consists in the great length of the cable, which,"
occasions great loss in the case of imperfect insulation at any point, the
effect being to produce inductive currents which impede the free transmission:*

page_text: of messages, as also the rate of transmission. This Invention rélates, 1st,
to a method of dividing the cable into short lengths relatively to the distance
between the extreme points; 2ndly, to a method of suspending the cable in
the water at just a sufficient depth below the surface to be free of ships passing
over it. This double result is attained in the following manner, the cable
being connected to a certain number of submarine stations forming so many
relays.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings annexed represent a sectional elevation and
plan of one of the stations; Fig. 3 shows the cable and suspended float;
Fig. 4, the weight resting on the bed of the ocean and serving to maintain
the submerged floating station in position, while Fig. 5 represents 'the
general arrangement of the cable and apparatus.. The same letters serve for
all the Figures.
a, sheet iron case of double convex form and of sufficient size to possess
great ascensional force; it is held in position by the cable b, which descends to
the bottom of the sea, where it is held stationary by the weight c, Fig. 4,
consisting of a box filled with stones or other matters. The case a has thus
a constant tendency to rise, while the weight c holds it at a certain depth
below the surface of the water. In chamber a are disposed the offices and
other necessary arrangements for the convenience of attendants, who are to
remain therein; said chamber is surmounted with a chimney d, of sufficient
height for the top to be above the reach of the highest waves; the part e is
made of sufficient diameter to contain a staircase, while the part fis of smaller
diameter, in order to present less surface to the action of the waves; the stair-
case being exterior of said part f. The central tube or chimney d serves
as a stay for the staircase, and also for aerating the chamber a, for which
purpose it is divided into two parts by a vertical partition, one part forming a
smoke pipe for the stove i, while the other serves for the introduction of the
exterior air. The chimney is lastly surmounted with a lantern m. In order
that the apparatus may be kept in equilibrium, it should be sufficiently weighted
to prevent the waves from causing any great inclination of the chimney; for
this purpose, at the lower part of chamber a, Iplace a well tube n, provided
with ballast o at its lower part, by means of which the equilibrium of the
apparatus may be readily re-established when required.
In order to guard
against the effects of the mooring cable lengthening, or from other cause,
changing the position of the chamber a below the surface, the cable b may be
wound a certain number of times round a capstan barrel as at p, while the
part q, forming a continuation of cable 6, is of rod iron, and passes through a
stuffing box r. The chimney and lower well tube are both stayed and otherwise,

page_text: fixed to chamber a. This apparatus may be used with any description of
cable;.
but the latter being divided into lengths, it will be no longer necessary
to take the minute precautions usual, while the following simple construction
of cable may be adopted :-I form the cable of a copper wire's, enclosed in a
covering of gutta percha or india-rubber t; with a simple casing of hemp; the
cable will thus have a density but little greater than that of water, and' is.
readily suspended at a suitable depth by means of floats placed at distances.
apart. These floats are formed of hollow galvanized iron cylinders, connected
by a conical part with the suspending cord, carrying the cable in such manner
as to be out of reach of danger from floating objects. The cable is further
secured at long intervals from the action of the waves- and currents by
cables h; Fig. 5, weighted as seen in Fig. 4.. In Fig..5 the cable u is shown
suspended from floats v, v; and held in position by cables h passing upwards
into the floating stations before described and which are entirely submerged.
h,
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement in which the station is made to float on the
surface, the principle consisting in the application of a fixed vertical guide,.
on which a buoy rises and falls by the action of the waves. The vertical
guide is formed of a suitable body,-possessing sufficient ascensional force-
submerged at a certain depth, and retained-in position by means of a weight:
This apparatus forms a firm support for the cable at sea, and on the upright
stem is also placed a floating buoy to act as a guide, containing the offices
and chambers for the attendants. In this Figure 1 represents the submerged
body imparting the necessary ascensional force to the apparatus ;. 2, chimney:
serving as a guide for the floating.buoy 3, which slides up and down said tube,
and contains the necessary offices;: 4, lower stem or extension; 5; ballast; 6,
pipe for inlet of fresh air; 7, escape pipe of stove 8, serving to ventilate the
apparatus; 9,.9, 10, 10, struts; 11, 12, stays; 13, movable lantern top, which
may be raised or lowered into position by means of an endless cord 16; 14;
stairs; 15, platforms;, 17, traps or portholes; 18,. weight on the bed of the
oceau, serving to secure the apparatus in position by means of cable 19.-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st March 1866.
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME,. I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,. Engineer and
Patent Ageut, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, 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 LAYING
AND MAINTAINING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," a communication to me įfrom abroad by Amédée Mathurin
Gabriel Sébillot, Civil Engineer, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, 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 William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
One of the principal causes of non-success in submarine cables, especially in
transatlantic telegraphy, consists in the great length of the cable, which occasions
great loss in the case of imperfect insulation at any point, the effect being to
produce inductive currents which impede the free transmission of messages, as
also the rate of transmission. This Invention relates, 1st, to a method of
dividing the cable into short lengths relatively to the distance between the
extreme points; 2ndly, to a method of suspending the cable in the water at just
a sufficient depth below the surface to be free of ships passing over it. This
double result is attained in the following manner, the cable being connected
to a certain number of submarine stations forming so many relays.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings annexed represent a sectional elevation
and plan of one of the stations; Fig. 3 shows the cable and suspending float;
Fig. 4, the weight resting on the bed of the ocean, and serving to maintain
the submerged floating station in position, while Fig. 5 represents the

page_text: general arrangement of the cable and apparatus. The same letters serve for
all the Figures.
a, sheet iron case of double convex form, and of sufficient size to possess
great ascensional force; it is held in position by the cable b, which descends
to the bottom of the sea, where it is held stationary by the weight c, Fig. 4,
consisting of a box filled with stones or other matters. The case a has thus a
constant tendency to rise, while the weight c holds it at a certain depth below
the surface of the water. In chamber a are deposited the offices and other
necessary arrangements for the convenience of attendants who are to remain
therein; said chamber is surmounted with a chimney d, of sufficient height
for the top to be above the reach of the highest waves. The part is made.
of sufficient diameter to contain a staircase, while part f is of smaller diameter,
in order to present less surface to the action of the waves, the staircase g
being exterior of said part f. The central tube or chimney d serves as a
stay for the staircase, and also for aerating the chamber a, for which purpose
it is divided into two parts by a vertical partition, one part forming a smoke
pipe for the stove i, while the other serves for the introduction of the exterior
air. The chimney is lastly surmounted with a lantern m. In order that
the apparatus may be kept in equilibrium it should be sufficiently weighted
to prevent the waves. from causing any great inclination of the chimney; for
this purpose, at the lower part of chamber a, I place a well tube n, provided
with ballast o at its lower part, by means of which the equilibrium of the.
apparatus may be readily re-established when required. In order to guard
against the effects of the mooring cable lengthening, or from other cause.
changing the position of the chamber a below the surface, the cable 6 may be.
wound a certain number of times round a capstan barrel, as at p, while the
part q, forming a continuation of cable b, is of rod iron, and passes through a
stuffing box r. The chimney and lower well tube are both stayed and other-
wise fixed to chamber a. This apparatus may be used with any description
of cable, but being thus divided-into-lengths it will be no longer necessary
to take the minute precautions usual, while the following simple construction
of cable may be adopted :-I form the cable of a copper wire 8, enclosed in a
covering of gutta percha or india-rubber t, with a simple casing of hemp;
the cable will thus have a density but little greater than that of water, and
is readily suspended at a suitable depth by means of floats placed at distances
apart. These floats are formed of hollow tinned iron cylinders, connected·
by a conical part with the suspending rope, carrying the cable in such manner
as. to be out of reach of danger from floating objects. The cable is further
secured at long intervals from the action of the waves and currents by cables

page_text: h, Fig. 5, weighted as seen in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5-the cable - is shown sus-
pended from floats v, v, and held in: position by cable h passing upwards
into the floating stations before described, and which is entirely submerged.
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement in which the station is made to float on the
surface, the principle consisting in the application of a fixed vertical guide
on which a buoy rises and falls by the action of the waves. The vertical
guide is formed of a suitable body possessing sufficient ascensional force
submerged at a certain depth, and retained in position by means of a weight.
This apparatus forms a firm support for the cable at sea, and on the upright
stem is also placed a floating buoy to act as a guide, containing the offices
and chambers for the attendants. In this Fig. 1-represents the submerged
body imparting the necessary ascensional. force to the apparatus;. 2,. chimney
serving as a guide for the floating buoy 3, which slides up and down said
tube; and contains the necessary offices; 4, lower stem or extension; 5; ballast;
6, pipes for inlet of fresh air; 7; escape pipe of stove 8, serving to ventilate
the apparatus; 9, 9, 10, 10, struts; 11, 12, stays; 18, movable lantern top,
which may be lowered or raised in position by means of an endless cord 16;
14, stairs; 15, platform; 17, traps or portholes"; 18, weight on the bed of
the ocean, serving to secure the apparatus in position by means of cable 19.
The station may also be arranged as represented in Figs.. 7, 8, 9; and 10.
The form is oval, the well tubes carrying the ballast being three in number,
and inclined at an angle of, say, fifteen or twenty degrees to the axis. The
mooring cable passes through the axis of the cone, so as to have the centre
of oscillation within the body of the station; the cable thence passes-through
a. central tube, and is wound on a capstan barrel at about the water level.
Fig. 10 shows the interior arrangement of the apparatus. The telegraph
cable is connected to the stations in the following manner:-The vertical
part a is secured to a small buoy cat the surface, so as to guard against
rupture. It further carries connections 6 of sheet steel of spherical or
eylindrical form placed at suitable distances apart.
The part & connected to the station is of smaller diameter, so that should the
station drift away the fracture: would take place at that point, and the cable a¹
be recovered: intact. The general arrangement is represented at Fig. 11.
In the foregoing I have described and represented the cable as being.
suspended, but I may also with advantage make the cable to rest on the bed
of the sea, and I construct. either of a galvanized iron wire h¹, enclosed
in gutta percha i, Figs. 12 and 13, or the same may be further encased
in hemp, coated with.an indestructible composition, as in Figs. 14 and 15.
Lastly, to vender the laying absolutely sure I may provide the cable with

page_text: cork cushions ¹, Figs. 16, 17, and 18, which will permit of the cable laying
softly and smoothly on the bed of the sea.
Lastly, Figs. 19 and 20 represent an arrangement suitable for cables laid.
in exceptional depths of water. A series of mooring cables A, A, are held
in position by a weighted body on the bed of the sea, and maintained in
a vertical position by means of submerged connections B, B, the buoys C
simply serving to indicate the position of the cable. The vertical mooring
cables A, A, are connected horizontally by ropes D, serving to support the
telegraph cable. The line of supports being thus established, as seen in
Fig. 21, it will be understood that the chain of horizontal ropes D form a bed
on which to rest the cable, supposing it is not made too heavy, for which
purpose the cable should be without a metal casing, and furnished with hollow
sheet steel connections at intervals, whereby the weight may be greatly
reduced.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, the system of laying and maintaining submarine cables herein
described, which cable is divided by submarine stations, forming so many
relays.
2ndly, I claim the several arrangements of submarine stations herein
described, and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
3rdly, I claim the several methods herein-before described of suspending
cables in the water at a sufficient depth to prevent their being fouled by
ships.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
58, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)