IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE APPLICABLE TO RAISING OTHER SUBMERGED BODIES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Turner at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 4th September 1876.
HENRY TURNER, of the Canada Works, Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
and of 14, Eaton Road, Claughton, also in the County of Chester, Managing
Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING
SUNKEN SHIPS, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE APPLICABLE TO RAISING OTHER
SUBMERGED BODIES."
My Invention relates,―
Firstly. To certain means to be used for sealing or closing the open parts of
sunken ships, such as port holes, hatches, hawse holes, and other apertures.
Secondly. To a certain method of and appliances for forcing compressed air into
the holds or 'tween decks of submerged ships, and to certain appliances, being
safety pipes used to regulate the pressure of air in the hold or 'tween decks as the
sunken vessel rises, and to act as overflow pipes for the escape of the water from the
'tween decks or holds as the air is forced in.
Thirdly. To combining the method of raising sunken ships by compressed air with
the auxiliary aid of pontoons or floating structures, actuated by differential sub-
mersion and the rise and fall of the tide.
Fourthly. To lifting sunken vessels with the before mentioned appliances, and
shallowing their water by stages, and after the last stage is reached repairing
or sealing up the damaged part by the method of the first part of my Invention
That my Invention may be understood I will describe the method of carrying it
out by taking for example the case of Her Majesty's ship "Vanguard," at present
sunk in twenty fathoms in the Irish Channel.
The position of the vessel is, she is laying with a list to port, embedded in about
eleven feet of sand; her total weight, which must be considered in lifting, is about
four thousand tons.
I proceed as follows:-I seal up each port hole from the outside by means of a
plate, which is passed to the inside as a whole or in parts, and held securely against
the inner skin of the vessel by means of a dog or clamp, as used for man hole doors.
I then fill in the port with hydraulic cement, either alone or mixed with pieces of
brick or stone, having uneven surfaces. I next fill up the hawse pipes and other
like openings in manner similar, namely, by the use of hydraulic cement. In
tronting the hatches, skylights, chimney casing, and other like parts, I use ▲ irons

page_text: placed with the flanges down, thus, 111, the onds being fastened to the combings
or deck, and between such 1 irons I place hydraulic cement. Having thus sealed
or closed the open parts I proceed,-
Secondly. To provide a series of certain safety pipes or outlet pipes for the over-
flow or escape of the water, and to regulate the pressure of air in the hold or 'tween
decks; such pressure will be from three to four pounds to the inch, and as the vessel
rises such pressure will always be kept the saine by the safety pipes, which will
allow for the differential pressure as the ship lifts, and prevent the giving way or
bursting of any parts. The safety pipes can be set in the 'tween decks opening
out through the port holes, or they can open out through the deck, being placed as
low down as required
In the case of Her Majesty's ship "Vanguard," I propose to drive compressed
air into the 'tween decks until I obtain a lifting power of about three thousand
tons, which will leave a balance of about one thousand tons to be supplied.
Secondly. By the third part of my Invention, which consists in the use of four
twin pontoons capable of exerting a floating power or lift of about one thousand
five hundred tons. These twin pontoons I use in duplicate, namely, two sets at the
bow, and two sets at the stern of the sunken vessel. The pontoons are provided
with duplicate chains, which may be attached to shoes which are placed under the
fore and aft ends of the vessel, and lashed or otherwise fastened to the ship's sides.
The pontoons carry the air compressing engines, and also a water pumping engine.
They are fitted with suitable valves or sluices for admitting water when it is
equisite to submerge them.
•
The chains can be placed under the vessel by divers, or by working under the bow
and stern The cement is also applied by divers.
The operation of lifting may be thus summarised -The vessel is first sealed and
fitted with suitable pipes and screw couplings, leading to each compartment
throughout the ship, then the compressed air is forced into her through such pipes,
the pontoons being attached and submerged to the depth intended at low tide.
The vessel is then raised by means of pumping out or emptying of the pontoons,
and the combined rising of the tide.. The vessel is then shallowed, and a second
hold taken of her by the pontoons, and the operation repeated until the decks are
above water, after which the rent or damage is repaired by building up an internal
wall of hydraulic cement and bricks or stone. After being pumped out the vessel
is in a condition to be taken to graving dock.
It will be obvious that the third part of my Invention, namely, the use of the
differential submergable pontoons is applicable to the raising of submerged bodies
other than sunken ships.