CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR DIVING AND WORKING UNDER WATER, AND INSPECTING PROM ABOVE OBJECTS WHICH ARE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BETHELL, of Mecklenburgh Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Thirty-first day of January, in the fifth year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Bethell, His especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Bethell, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Bethell, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, shall at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in His said Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR DIVING AND WORKING UNDER WATER, AND INSPECTING PROM ABOVE
OBJECTS WHICH ARE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John Bethell, to cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the said
John Bethell, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, is particularly described and ascer-
tained, in and by the following description thereof,. reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon 5
(that is to say):
:-
My Invention of Certain Improvements in Apparatus for Diving and
Working under Water, and Inspecting from above Objects which are
beneath the Surface of the Water, have for their object the more perfect
arrangement and construction of the various apparatus to be used for that 1
purpose, and consist,-
First, in several improvements in the diving apparatus, or helmet and dress
worn by the diver, and the mode of steadying him, and the baskets or
buckets used to bring up articles from below against the action of the tide or
current.
Secondly, in the mode or method of enabling the divers to converse with
each other, and with the persons in the attendant boats or vessels above.
Thirdly, in protecting the divers or pearl fishers from sharks or other fish
of prey.
Fourthly, in suspending the divers in cages, or on stages, to enable them to
be moved over the surface of the bottom of a ship or vessel, or along the
sides of walls of docks or piers, or other such places where a footing cannot be
obtained for the diver.
Fifthly, in illuminating the ground or objects under water by reflectors or
mirrors directing the sun's rays upon the parts required to be illuminated,
.and in the mode of supplying air to lamps burning under the water for the
purpose of more perfectly supporting combustion therein.
Sixthly, in an improved construction of portable diving bells formed of
air and waterproof cloth, or fabrics protected by framework.
Seventhly, in an improved construction of single-action force pumps for
supplying the divers or bells with air.
Eighthly, in the application of an bydraulic engine, similar in its action to
an hydraulic press, where the expansive force of compressed water is exerted
upon a piston in a cylinder to obtain the required power to raise heavy weights
or wrecks of ships, or vessels sunk under water.
Ninthly, in the improved method of surveying and inspecting from above
objects which are beneath the surface of the water, by illuminating such objects,
or the bed of the sea, and inspecting with telescopes or tubes, partially im-
mersed in the water, to enable the persons above to see more distinctly below.

page_text: My several improvements in the diving apparatus, or helmet and dress worn
by the diver, and the means of steadying him against the action of tides or
currents upon the air pipes, &c., and forming the first part of these improve-
ments, consists in an improved mode of preventing the escape of the fresh air
out of the helmet or dress, excepting through the proper exit pipe, and in the
mode of letting out from the helmet or getting rid of the foul air, or that
exhaled from the lungs of the diver; also in furnishing him with an extra
weight attached to a cord or rope to enable him to ascend or descend in the
water at his own pleasure, without the aid of ladders or assistance from the
persons in the attendant vessel above. And, further, in steadying, the diver
against the action of tides or currents upon the air pipes or tubes and signal
lines by passing them through rings connected with a moored or steadying
rope; and in an improved construction of diving helmet or hood formed of
india rubber, or air and waterproof cloth, and distended, if desired, by a
skeleton framing, all of which improvements are represented by the several
Figures referred to in the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 represents a front and side view of a diver equipped with a dress
and helmet having some of my improvements adapted to it, a, a, is the helmet
formed of metal, connected to the waterproof dress b, b, by rivets, and fitted with
glasses to enable the diver to sec out of the helmet in the usual manner. The
lower part of the dress c is connected to the upper part b, after being put on, by
tying them tightly one over the other, with a cord passed round a metal hoop
or ring at d (shewn detached at Figure 2, and in section at Figure 3), the cord
pressing the two parts of the dress into the angular recess formed in the hoop,
and thereby making an air and water tight connexion, by which means the
escape of the fresh air out of the dress is prevented; the diver being
supplied with air by a force pump through the pipe e in the usual manner,
and the foul air is taken off by a short pipe placed on the inside of the helmet
(shewn by dots at fin Figure 1), which pipe is open at one end to the interior
or top part of the helmet. The lower end is connected to the short flexible
pipe 9 on the outside, extending sufficiently below the helmet to enable the
diver to place the mouth-piece h into the ends of pipes attached to air and
water proof bags, for the purpose of fitting them with the exit superfluous and
foul air, when required to lighten, buoy, or bring up any part of a wreck or
article, and to assist the divers in their operations under water; but which
air bags are not new, and form no part of my Invention. By this pipe f the
exit air is only allowed to escape. It will be seen by this method of pre-
venting the escape of the fresh air, and getting rid of the exit air, that the foul
air must be first carried off; from its being lighter than the fresh air, it con-

page_text: sequently rises to the top part, where it is first to escape, by this means the
diver has a much better supply of fresh air to breathe, without its being mixed
with that he has exhaled. i, i, are the usual weights placed on the body of the
diver, but which are not of themselves sufficient to overcome the buoyancy of
the air in the helmet. is an extra weight placed in a pocket formed
on the side of the dress, which, with the weights i, i, is sufficient to keep
him below the water. This weight is connected to a cord or rope 7,
which is coiled round the cleet m, fixed to the dress when the diver is at
work. When he wishes to ascend to the top of a wreck or any higher situa-
tion, he has only to take the weight out of his pocket and drop it, when the
buoyancy of the air in his helmet and dress, will cause him immediately to rise
in the water to the height desired, the diver uncoiling the cord or rope
from the cleet as he rises; when he has arrived at the proper height, and has
steadied himself against any part of the wreck, he proceeds to pull up the
weight, winding the cord round the cleet, and places the weight again in his
pocket, when is free to walk about as before. When the diver wishes to
descend into the hold of a vessel, or down the sides of a wreck, to a lower
situation, the weight is to be again dropped, and as soon as it reaches the
bottom, the diver can pull himself down by the cord; the weight is then
to be placed in the pocket, and the diver proceeds with his operations.
Figure 4 represents several divers at work on a wreck, with the attendant
vessel containing the air pump, &c.
The diver at A is in the act of rising,
having dropped the weight k, and is unwinding the cord 2. and letting it slide
through his hands. The diver at B has risen to the top of the wreck, and is
in the act of drawing up the weight k; the divers at C, D, are at work on
the wreck. In order to steady the divers against the action of streams or
tides, and facilitating the delivery of the air pipes and signal lines to their
movements, I adopt the following means. p, p, is a steadying rope, extending
from the attendant vessel to weights on the wreck, or at the bottom, or to
mooring blocks or anchors. q is another rope or line, having double rings or
hoops lashed on to it at r, r, r. The rope p passes through one set of these
rings or hoops, and the air pipes or tubes e and signal lines through the other
set, shewn more particularly in the enlarged partial view at Figure 5. When
the diver is about to descend, the steady rope p is first passed through all the
rings on one side of the rope 7, and the air pipes e and signal ropes through
the other. The weight or mooring anchor of the steady rope is then cast
overboard, and when at the bottom the upper end of the rope is made fast
to some part of the attendant vessel. The diver then descends, and as
he is going down the ladders, the rope 7, with its rings, is delivered out to

page_text: his movements, at the same time the air pipes and signal lines are allowed to
go overboard, the rings sliding down the steady line p into the position shewn
in Figure 4, and when the divers arrive at the bottom, the pipes and signal
lines are free to slide through their rings or hoops as required. By these
means the air pipes and ropes are kept from entangling, and the divers
released from the action of the current or tide upon them. The same effect
may be obtained by rings furnished with hooks, by which they are to be
attached to the rope ladder as the diver descends. Figure 6 is a represen-
tation of one of these rings or hoops. t is the ring through which the air
pipes and signal lines are passed. w, the hook by which they are attached to
the rope ladder. In order to steady the baskets or buckets in which articles
are brought up from the action of tides or currents, and to facilitate their
being raised or lowered, I use a moored steadying rope or line, and a ring or
hoop affixed to the basket or bucket, which slides up and down the steadying
rope as the basket or bucket is pulled up or let down by the persons in the
attendant vessel. I would here remark that I prefer supplying each diver
with air from a distinct pump, and through a distinct air tube, and when two
or more divers are at work to pass all their air pipes through another open
pipe or casing of canvass to keep them from entangling. Figure 7 is a repre-
sentation of one of my light helmets, formed of indian rubber or other air and
waterproof cloth, and may be distended, if required, by a slight skeleton
framing of metal or other material represented at Figure 8. a, a, is the
framing, which, in this instance, is formed of strips of thin sheet metal.
b, b, is the hood or helmet, and c, c, the lower part of the dress, the pieces of
cloth forming the hood and dress being connected by air and water tight
seams in the usual manner of making waterproof dresses.
d is the supply
pipe for the air, and e the exit pipe.
My second improvement consists in the adaptation of speaking pipes or
tubes through which the divers can converse one with another, and with the
person in the attendant vessel, such pipes or tubes being conected to the
helmets opposite the ears of the divers, and extending from one diver to the
other, or from them to the persons in the attendant vessel, and are furnished
at one end with a covering of membranous substance, such as bladder,
through which the sound of the voice can be conveyed, at the same time
preventing the air from passing. In Figure 1, n, n, represents the speaking
pipe communicating from one diver to another, and is open at one end to
the interior of the helmet of one diver, and the other end is also open to
he interior of the other helmet, opposite the ear of the other diver, but
is covered with bladder, through which the sound of the voice of .onc

page_text: diver can be heard by the other. The pressure which this bladder has
to withstand is only that occasioned by the difference between the depths
the divers are at, each diver being supplied by a separate force pump and air
pipe, consequently the density of the air in their helmets is according
to the different depths they are below the surface of the water, and it is the
pressure caused by this difference of density only that the bladder has to
withstand. o, o, is the speaking pipe leading from one of the divers to the
boat or attendant vessel. The upper end of this pipe must be covered with
bladder of sufficient strength to withstand the pressure according to the depth
the diver is below the surface of the water. This pipe is to be supplied with a
stopcock near the bladder, by which the person in the attendant vessel can pre-
vent the escape of the air from the helmet of the diver in case of the bladder
bursting, and such person above may be furnished with a hood to exclude
external sounds, if desired. I would here remark, that other membranous sub-
stances or flexible diaphragms may be used, but I prefer bladder as being most
convenient; and it will be evident that this mode of enabling the divers to
converse one with an other, and with the persons above, may be also applied
to divers in diving bells, by which they may converse with the persons in the
attendant vessel above.
My third improvement is shewn in Figure 9, and consists in protecting the
divers, where there is danger from fish of prey, by strong metal cages
furnished with straps to be passed over the shoulders, by which the divers can
lift and carry them from one place to another, and air bags to be filled from
These cages
the exit pipe to the helmet, so as to buoy up or lighten them.
are lowered from the attendant vessel with the divers. The air bags are
furnished with short flexible pipes, with bell-shaped mouth-pieces hanging down
inside the cage to about the level of the diver's breast, by which they are
filled with the exit air by the diver, and are fastened to the top part of the
cage in any convenient manner, and have valves at the top by which the diver
can allow the air to escape when requisite, the valves being furnished with
cords passing from the tail of the valve through the pipes. The divers shewn
at Figure 9 represents pearl fishers, who receive their supply of air through
two distinct pipes. The diver at A is at work, the air bag of his cage being
empty; the diver at B has filled his bag with as much air as will buoy up
or lighten the cage sufficiently for him to carry it about. Figure 10 represents
one of these bags detached.
My fourth improvement, viz, that of suspending divers for the purpose
of working under water, is shewn in Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 represents
a sketch of a cage with a diver at work cleaning a ship's bottom. The is
cage

page_text: formed of pieces of metal, which may be jointed one to another, so as to
allow its being accommodated to suit the shape of the side or bottom of the
vessel, and is furnished with small rollers or wheels to facilitate its being
moved from one part to another. The diver rests himself on the cage or
frame, and is suspended by chains or ropes extended from one side of the
vessel, and is kept in contact with the bottom by other ropes or chains passed
under the keel, and up the other side of the ship to the deck. The frame
or cage is passed over the surface of the bottom of the vessel by the persons
on deck moving it about as required by the diver. a is the cage or frame.
b, b, the chains and ropes by which it is suspended. c, the rope or chain for
keeping it in contact with the side or bottom of the vessel.
e is a rope
extending from the head and stern of the vessel to steady him against the
tide or currents. The diver should be supplied with a lamp capable of
burning under water, as herein-after described. In Figure 12 the diver is
represented working suspended at the side wall of a dock or pier. The diver
is placed on the frame or platform a, and suspended by a chain or rope from
the crane b, mounted in the carriage c, which must be weighted so as to
counterbalance the diver and cage, and should also carry the air pump to
supply the diver, the carriage being moved along the walls as required, or he
may be suspended from a boat or raft, if more convenient.
My fifth improvement consists in illuminating objects under water by.
reflectors directing the sun's rays to illuminate objects under water, or by
lamps supplied with air in the manner herein-before described. Figure 13
exhibits the manner of using reflectors or mirrors to direct the rays of the sun
to a particular spot, or to illuminate the wreck or part where the divers are
at work. The reflectors should be mounted in proper adjustable frames placed
in the attendant vessel or boat. a, a, are the reflectors placed in the ad-
justable frame b, b. The persons attending and adjusting. the reflectors are:
furnished with dark glasses or spectacles, to enable them to look into the
mirrors, and also with telescopic tubes c, with hoods to exclude the rays
of light from their eyes; these tubes being partially immersed in the water
will greatly facilitate their seeing what is going on below. Figure 14
represents a section of a lamp intended to be used under water, with my
improved mode of supplying air to support combustion applied to it.
a, a, is
a bell-shaped glass case, which is securely fastened air and water tight to the
bottom part or stand b. c is the lamp. The air to support combustion is
admitted from the force pump through the pipe d into the hollow part of the.
stand e, and from thence it passes through channels or spaces f. f, formed
round the lamp, and escapes into the glass case close round the wick, by which

page_text: means the fresh air is always brought immediately in contact with the wick,
and may be furnished with a chimney glass i, if thought desirable. The exit
air escapes by a pipe g, with a bell-shaped mouth-piece open at one end to
the interior of the upper part of the bell-glass, and the other end is conducted
through the stand where the air escapes. h is the part for taking out and
putting in the lamp, which is screwed water-tight into the bottom of the
stand. k, k, is the handle by which it is suspended and let down from the
attendant vessel.
My sixth improvement, namely, that of constructing portable diving bells of
indian rubber, or air and water proof cloth or fabric, protected by skeleton
framing formed of metal or other material, is shewn in Figures 15 and 16.
Figure 15 is a side view of one of these diving bells, and Figure 16 is a
vertical section of the same. a, a, a, is the metallic skeleton framing; b, b, the
air and water proof cloth. c, c, are the glasses properly secured in the cloth
to admit the light, and allow the divers to look out. d, d, are the chains or
ropes by which the bell is suspended, the seats for the diver being formed by
ropes suspended from the top part. The weights necessary to cause the bell
to descend may be of iron, lead, or stone, as most convenient or at hand, and
should be fastened round the bottom part of the framework at e. g, g, is the
supply pipe for the fresh air, which is connected to the pipe h, h, extending
round the inside of the bell, and has a number of small holes pierced in it,
through which the air escapes into the bell. The exit and foul air is taken off
by the pipe i, i, one end of which is open to the interior of the bell at the
top, and the other end is open for the escape of the exit air below. The
lower end of the pipe i should always be a little above the bottom part of
the bell in order that the air may escape easier by the pipe than under the
sides of the bell. If it should be thought desirable, the bell may be further
protected and strengthened by a gauze or network of wire or cords placed
within the metal framing, or the framing itself may be formed of wire
network in segments, to render it portable, so as to be put together when
wanted; and, if desirable, the bells may be furnished with air bags, to be filled
by the divers, in order to allow of their being carried about by them, such
bags being furnished with pipes passing through the air and water proof cloth
by an air and water tight connection, and having stop valves on their ends.
The bags are also furnished with valves at the top, to allow the air to escape
when requisite. In Figure 16 is represented a section of one of these air-
bags. is the bag; 1, the pipe by which the bag is filled with air by the
diver in the bell; m, the stop valve at the end of the pipe; n, the top or
escape valve, which is opened by the diver pulling the wire o, placed in the

page_text: valve m, and thereby pulling the cord p, which is attached to the wire o and
tail of the valve n. The framing should be fastened together by screw nuts
and bolts, so that it may be readily taken to pieces when required.
The object of my seventh improvement is to obtain a more constant or
5 continuous stream of air from a single-action force pump than can be
obtained by those of the common construction, and is shewn in the vertical
section of the pump at Figure 18. a is the cylinder of an ordinary
single-acting pump; b, the piston working in the cylinder, and connected
to the rod c, which is attached to the lever d, having its fulcrum on
any part of the framework of the pump. e is the valve to admit the air
into the cylinder, and f is the foot or exit valve. This pump is worked by
forcing up and down the lever d, precisely in the way of working common
single-action pumps, my improvement being the application of the air
regulating chamber and apparatus, which I shall now describe. The air as it
is forced from the cylinder a at every down stroke of the piston passes
through the foot valve f, along the passage g into the chamber ; this chamber
is furnished with an air-tight flexible bag or diaphragm i securely fixed air-
tight round its edges at the flanges k, and divides the lower part of the
chamber h from the upper part 1. Previous to working the
pump the upper
part of the chamber contains air of the common atmospheric pressure, or of
a greater density, if required; but when the pump is set to work and the diver
is descending, the air in the chamber h increases in density and the air in the
upper part of the chamber becomes compressed, the flexible diaphragm giving
way to the pressure of the infected air, and as at each up stroke of the piston
there is a cessation of the injection of air from the pump into the chamber h,
at this time the elastic force of the compressed air in the upper part of the
chamber at acts upon the flexible diaphragm, and expanding in volume
expels the air from the lower part / until the next down stroke of the piston,
when a reaction takes place. By these means the elastic force of the com-
pressed air above the diaphragm acts alternately upon that below, and thereby
keeps up a more continuous stream than can be obtained by a single-action
pump of the ordinary construction. m is the pipe leading to the divers.
My eighth improvement, viz, the application of hydraulic engines to raise
heavy weights or wrecks of sunken ships or vessels, or drawing up piles from
under water, is shewn in Figure 19. A, A, represents sections of two buoyant
essels properly strengthened internally by timbers. B represents a wreck of
ship or sunken vessel. C, C, are the cylinders of two hydraulic engines in
which water is forced by pumps in the manner of the common hydraulic
ress, the expansive force of the compressed water being exerted upon a
iston attacked to the rods and cross heads D, D, moving in parallel guides

page_text: F, F; to these cross heads strong chains G, G, are attached, which are passed
through tubes, trunks, or pipes II, II, the lower ends of which protrude
through the bottom of the vessel, and are open to the water. The chains
G, G, are attached to other chains I, I, passed round the wreck or other heavy
weight. These chains may be further secured and fastened by a number of
screw bolts to the vessel. There are stoppers at K, K, which are made to
take hold of the chains as soon as the piston has arrived at the top of its up
stroke, and retain them while the pistons and cross heads are descending to
take hold of a fresh length of chain, which operation is repeated until the weight
is brought to the required height; by these means the wreck or other heavy
weight may be raised up to the buoyant vessels, when they may be floated or
towed into harbour or shallow water. It will be evident that the same power
may be applied to draw up piles or remove other obstructions. And I would
here remark that I propose to assist the raising sucli vessels and wrecks by
screwing into their sides screw bolts with ring heads, such as represented in
Figure 20, and to attach to such bolts air-proof bags, casks, or cases of metal
or wood, by hooks fastened to them, which bags, casks, or cases are to be
filled with the exit air from the diver's helmet, but such air-proof bags, casks,
or cases are well known and form no part of my Invention.
My ninth and last improvement, viz, in the method of surveying and
inspecting from above objects which are beneath the surface of the water
consists in illuminating the bottom or bed of the sea, or the wreck of a vessel
or particular spot, by reflectors directing the sun's rays, or by sunken lamps o
lights, in the manner herein-before described, and in inspecting and surveying
from above the bed of the sea, or the objects so illuminated, through oper
tubes or trunks partly immersed in water to prevent the ripple on the surface
interfering with the sight, into which tubes or trunks telescopes of the ordinary
construction may be placed; by these means the party surveying will be
better able to distinguish from above objects below the surface of the water
Figure 21 represents surveyors at work in a boat. a is the light lowered b
the rope bon to the bottom or bed of the sea; c is the air supply pipe; d th
tube partly immersed in water to prevent the ripple of the surface interruptin
the view, and into which the surveyor places his telescope; or when use
without a telescope the top of this tube should be furnished with a hood fittin
the face to exclude the glare of light.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bethell, have hereunto set m
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lo
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
JN° (L.S.) BETHELL.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirty-first day of July, in the
sixth year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the said
John Bethell came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Thirty-first day of July, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-five.