IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING DOWN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES, IN OBTAINING SOUNDINGS, AND IN ASCERTAINING THE POSITION OF AND RAISING SUBMERGED ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES AND OTHER BODIES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Dering, of Lockleys, in the County.
of Hertford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING DOWN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES, IN OBTAINING SOUNDINGS, AND IN ASCERTAINING
THE POSITION OF AND RAISING SUBMERGED ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES AND
OTHER BODIES."
Sealed the 5th March 1858, and dated the 18th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Dering
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th September 1857.
I, GEORGE EDWARD DERING, of Lockleys, in the County of Hertford, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING DOWN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES, IN OBTAINING SOUNDINGS, AND IN ASCERTAINING THE
POSITION OF AND RAISING SUBMERGED ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES AND OTHER
BODIES," to be as follows:-
My improvements in the laying down of submarine telegraph cables consist
as follows:-
First, the use of self-acting "governors," to regulate or adjust the breaks
or other controlling power to the rate at which the cable is running out.
Secondly, the use of what I call a "safety governor," acting conversely to
the last, and so arranged as to operate only when the cable is subjected to

page_text: undue strain, and would be in danger of parting, and in such case to moderate
or withdraw the breaks or other controlling power.
Thirdly, the use of sheaves or other supports for the cable to pass over
before leaving the vessel, so held in position by springs that they will yield
when the cable is subjected to any undue jerk or strain, and gradually recover
their position as the strain ceases. And in some cases I employ such arrange-
ments in connexion with the sheaves or other supports that they shall gradually
yield as the strain is increased, and in yielding increase the force of the breaks
or other controlling power, or, if desirable, moderate or withdraw it instead, or
increase it up to a certain strain, and moderate or withdraw it if the strain
approach a dangerous degree.
Fourthly, a means of accommodating the action of the breaks or other con-
trolling power to the pitching of the vessel in a rough sea, by employing
weights, acting or ready to act in opposition to springs or other suitable force,
actuating or allowing to act the breaks or other controlling power, but of
rather inferior force. The effect of this arrangement is, that in consequence
of momentum being imparted to the weights when the vessel drops with the
water, they will, on the vessel reaching her lowest position, have a tendency
beyond their mere gravity to fall lower, and thus they counteract the springs,
etc. with which they are almost in equilibrium, and relieve the breaks; and,
further, when the vessel is rising with the water, the inertia of the weights
giving them at this time superior power, the breaks are moderated and the
strain prevented which would tend to snap the cable.
Fifthly, the use of fans or other resisting surfaces moving in the air or in
the sea or other water wherein the vessel floats, or in water or other liquids or
gases suitably contained on board, and put in motion by the descending force
of the cable, to regulate its delivery into the water, and the like employment
of pumps tending to produce a vacuum.
Sixthly, the use of revolving drums of a conical or equivalent form around
which to pass the cable, breaks or other controlling power being applied to
the drums, the peculiar form of which admits of the cable making several
revolutions without danger of one coil overriding another.
Seventhly, the use of breaks pressing directly upon the cable itself, or
against which it is pressed, to moderate or stop its descent into the water.
Eighthly, the use of self-acting bells or other alarms to give notice if the
cable is subjected to undue strain.
Ninthly, the use of parachutes or equivalent arrangements, having in at
least one direction but little resisting vertical surface in proportion to the
horizontal area, and buoys similarly shaped, for the purpose of moderating the

page_text: descent of the cable, whilst presenting but a small amount of surface to the
influence of horizontal currents; and the use of surfaces set at suitable
angles, to act as rudders to regulate and guide the descent of the cable, par-
ticularly when subject to horizontal currents.
Lastly, my improvements consist in the following methods of ascertaining
the position of and raising telegraph cables or other submerged bodies, and
taking soundings for telegraphic or other purposes:-First, the employment of
conductors for electrical communication, or pipes for pneumatic or hydraulic
communication between the grapnel or other instrument employed and the
ship or other vessel, and so constructing the former that when it comes in
contact with the object sought, a signal shall be communicated to the ship;
and in some cases I employ like means to indicate from below the amount of
strain upon the cable, or to give notice when it exceeds a certain degree.
Secondly, the formation of the cable, by which the grapnels are dragged, of
gradually increasing size or strength from the grapnel end; they may be of
rope or chain of any description, or of other construction, but steel wire rope
is preferred. Thirdly, the use of anchor-like grapnels, having the "stock" or
its equivalent placed behind the "arms." Fourthly, the use of grapnels
having jaw-like, and by preference spiked or barbed apertures, of such form
that a cable will be held firmly therein; or of such form as readily to wholly
or partially sever a cable, retaining hold of one part thereof; or of such form
as readily to wholly or partially sever a cable without retaining hold of either
part. Fifthly, the use of grapnels of the various kinds just described, with the
addition of means of closing the "jaws" upon an object entering them, which
may be either self-acting by springs or otherwise, or accomplished from the
ship or other vessel employed. Sixthly, an instrument for ascertaining sound-
ings, especially in deep water, constructed upon principles analogous to a
self-registering "sympiesometer" or "aueroid barometer," modified to sustain
and indicate the pressure of the column of water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Edward Dering in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EDWARD DERING, of Lockleys, in the County of Hertford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Edward Dering, Her special licence that I, the said
George Edward Dering, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Edward Dering, 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 DOWN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES, IN OBTAINING
SOUNDINGS, AND IN ASCERTAINING THE POSITION OF AND RAISING SUBMERGED ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPH CABLES AND OTHER BODIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said George Edward Dering, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands 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 George Edward Dering, 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, that is to say:-
My improvements in the laying down of cables, ropes, chains, wires, or
other like means of connexion for submarine telegraphic communication
consist as follows:-
First, I employ self-acting "governors" to regulate or adjust the breaks or
other controlling power to the rate at which the cable, etc. is running out, by
which means an uniform delivery of cable, or nearly so, is ensured in various
depths of water, and under varying strains from other circumstances. The
governor is put in motion by the descending force of the cable; and it may be
constructed upon like principles to the governor of a steam engine, or modi-
fications thereof may be adopted, its action being applied to control the breaks
of the paying-out machinery, instead of to regulate the passage of steam
from the boiler to the steam engine.
Secondly, I employ "governors "acting upon like principles to steam-engine
governors, to moderate or withdraw the breaks or other controlling power
when the cable, etc. is subjected to undue strain, and would be in danger of
parting, the operation of the governor in this arrangement being the converse
of that above described. And in some cases I combine the functions of both
in the same apparatus.

page_text: Thirdly, I employ sheaves or other supports for the cable, etc. to pass wholly
or partly around before leaving the vessel, so held in position by springs or
otherwise that they will gradually yield as the strain upon the cable, etc.
increases, and in yielding increase the force of the breaks or other controlling
power, or, if desirable, increase it up to a certain strain, and moderate or
withdraw it if the strain approach a dangerous degree. The object of this
arrangement is to ensure an uniform delivery, or nearly so, of the cable under
varying circumstances of depth of water, etc., and at the same time to prevent
rupture in case of the strain becoming excessive. I am aware that it
has before been proposed to employ traversing sheaves in cable paying-out
machinery, not, however, in the manner above described.
Fourthly, in order to accommodate the action of the breaks or other con-
trolling power to the pitching of the vessel in a heavy sea, I employ weights
acting or ready to act in opposition to springs or other suitable force actuating
or allowing to act the breaks or other controlling power, but of rather inferior
force. The effect of this arrangement is, that in consequence of the weights
acquiring momentum when the vessel drops with the water, they will, on the
vessel reaching her lowest position, have a tendency beyond their mere gravity
to fall lower, and thus they counteract the springs, etc. with which they are
almost in equilibrium, and relieve the breaks; and further, when the vessel
is rising with the water, the inertia of the weights giving them at this time
superior power, the breaks are moderated and the strain prevented, which
would tend to snap the cable.
Fifthly, for the purpose of regulating the delivery of the cable, etc., into
the water, I employ fans or other resisting surfaces, put in motion by the
descending force of the cable, and moving either in the air or in water, or
other liquids or fluids suitably contained on board the vessel, means being
provided for varying the area, or angle, or velocity of the resisting surfaces;
and in some cases I employ similarly pumps tending to produce a vacuum.
These arrangements afford the means of retarding the exit of the cable by an
uniform unvarying resistance, but which at the same time admits of being
adjusted with absolute accuracy, either by hand or by the automatic regulators
herein-before described. The various defects which are inseparable from the
friction breaks and other arrangements ordinarily used, such as the heating
and wearing away of the rubbing surfaces, the uncertainty and variations in
the amount of friction, and the tendency to become fixed and stop, and the
consequent continual jeopardy of the cable, are thus obviated, and the
retarding strain can be adjusted to within a few ounces of the desired
amount.

page_text: Sixthly, I employ revolving drums of a conical or equivalent form around
which to pass the cable, etc., breaks or other controlling power being applied
to the drums, the peculiar form of which admits of the cable making several
convolutions without the risk of one coil overriding another.
Seventhly, I employ friction breaks pressing directly upon the cable, etc.
itself, or against which it is pressed, to moderate or stop its descent into the
water.
Eighthly, I employ self-acting bells or other alarms to give notice if the
cable is subjected to undue strain. These signals may be conveniently
worked by the movable sheaves above described, or other arrangements may
be adopted for accomplishing the same object.
Ninthly, I employ parachutes or equivalent arrangements, having at least
in one direction but little resisting vertical surface in proportion to the
horizontal area, and buoys similarly shaped for the purpose of moderating
the descent of the cable, etc., whilst presenting but a small amount of surface
to the influence of horizontal currents; and I make use of surfaces set at
suitable angles to act as rudders to regulate and guide the descent of the
cable, particularly when subject to horizontal currents.
I am aware that buoys and "resisters" have been before proposed in
connexion with submarine telegraph cables, not, however, to the best of my
knowledge, of a like character to the above.
My improvements consist next in the following methods of ascertaining the
position of and raising submerged telegraphic cables, ropes, chains, wires, etc.,
or other submerged bodies.
First, I make use of conductors for electrical communication or pipes for
pneumatic or hydraulic communication between the grapnel or other instu-
ment employed and the ship or other vessel, and I so construct the former
that upon its coming into contact with the object sought a signal will be
communicated to the ship. And in some cases I employ like means to
indicate from below the amount of strain exerted or to give notice if it exceed
a definite amount. Various methods of putting into practice this part of my
Invention will suggest themselves to the practical electrician and mechanic.
Perhaps the most simple arrangement for announcing to those on board ship
the moment of contact between the grapnel and the cable, etc., consists in
enclosing within the cable by which the grapnel is dragged two separate
insulated wires, the inboard ends of which are placed in circuit with a voltaic
battery of low intensity and an electro-magnetic alarum or indicator, and the
other ends exposed within the "jaws" of the grapnel, not actually in contact
with each other, but in such a position that upon the grapnel coming into

page_text: contact with the submarine cable sought for, its metallic coating will complete
the electric circuit, thereby causing the alarm or other signalling instrument
to operate, giving notice to those directing the expedition to stop or reverse
the engines or alter the vessel's course, and adopt measures for raising the
cable, and thus is avoided the imminent risk of unconsciously severing the
cable sought for, especially if of light construction, which attends the ordinary
use of grapnels in deep water. Means may be adopted for dispensing with
one of the conducting wires, the water being employed to complete the
circuit as in the usual method of working the electric telegraph, and numerous
other modifications of the system may be resorted to.
Secondly, I form the cable by which the grapnels are dragged of gradually
increasing size or strength from the grapnel end; they may be of rope or
chain of any description or of other construction, but steel wire rope is
preferred.
Thirdly, I employ anchor-like grapnels having the "stock" or its equivalent
placed behind the "arms."
Fourthly, I employ grapnels having jaw-like and, by preference, spiked or
barbed apertures of such form that a cable will be held firmly therein, or of
such forin as readily to wholly or partially sever a cable retaining hold of one
part thereof, or of such form as readily to wholly or partially sever a cable
without retaining hold of either part.
Fifthly, I employ grapnels of the various kinds above described with the
addition of means of closing the "jaws" upon an object entering them, which
may be either self-acting by springs or otherwise (the mechanical arrangement
being upon somewhat like principles to a gun lock), or accomplished by ropes
or otherwise from on board the ship or other vessel employed.
My Invention consists, lastly, in obtaining soundings for telegraphic or
other purposes, especially in deep water, by the use of an apparatus con-
structed upon principles analogous to the well-known "aneroid barometer,"
the instrument being self-registering and calculated to indicate the pressure
of the column of water.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the details which I have given of my Invention, as the mode of
carrying out the same may be greatly varied; but what I claim is,-
First, each and all of the various arrangements described for use in the
laying down of cables, ropes, chains, wires, or other means of connexion
for submarine telegraphic communication, and any combinations of such
arrangements.

page_text: Secondly, each and all of the various means described for ascertaining the
position of and raising submerged telegraph cables, ropes, chains, wires, etc.,
or other submerged bodies, and any combinations of such means.
Thirdly, the instrument described for obtaining soundings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Dering, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
GEORGE E. DERING.. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY WILLIAM CARPMAEL.