Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF RAISING SUNKEN, SUBMERGED, OR STRANDED VESSELS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Russell, of Westbury Villa, Camberwell,
in the County of Surrey, Master Mariner, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF RAISING SUNKEN, SUBMERGED, OR STRANDED
VESSELS."
Sealed the 7th August 1862, and dated the 15th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonathan Russell at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
February 1862.
I, JONATHAN RUSSELL, of Westbury Villa, Camberwell, in the County of
Surrey, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF RAISING SUNKEN, SUBMERGED, OR STRANDED
VESSELS," to be as follows:-
Hitherto in raising sunken or stranded vessels the process adopted has been
by means of floats, pontoons, caissons, air barrels, or other such like apparatus
attached or placed in connexion with the exterior of the ship to be raised.
The chief feature of my Invention consists in the application of floats,.
pontoons, or caissons, air barrels, or such like apparatus to the interior of the
vessel to be raised. To apply my Invention, I take a number of metallic
pontoons or floats partly filled with water, so as to be about the specific gravity
of the water in which they are to be sunk (if they are to be submerged), these
I place fore and aft under the beams of the ship to be raised, the water being
then forced out in the usual manner, and air introduced, the floats being fitted
with the necessary stop-cocks and pipes. In other cases, and generally, I prefer
to introduce within the hold of the vessel and under the beams a number of air
and water-tight bags or floats, shaped so as to give the greatest strength, these

page_text: are in a collapsed state, and may either be attached and communicate with each,
so as to form a series of communicating cells and valves between or detached,
or isolated, air is then forced into them from above the water by means of
hand or machinery, and through the requisite pipes, cocks, and valves attached
to the floats and pumps; as soon as the specific gravity of the ship with the
floats exceeds that of the water it will rise.. I prefer to make these bags or
floats of alternate layers of canvass, india-rubber, or of hides or leather.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jonathan Russell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONATHAN
RUSSELL, of Westbury Villas, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Master
Mariner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jonathan Russell, of Westbury Villas, Camberwell, Her special licence,
that I, the said Jonathan Russell, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Jonathan Russell, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF RAISING SUNKEN, SUBMERGED, OR
STRANDED VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Jonathan Russell, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing, under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-.
ticularly 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 Jonathan Russell, do hereby declare. the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is, to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment-

page_text: Hitherto in raising sunken or stranded vessels the process adopted has been
by means of floats, pontoons, caissons, air barrels, and other such like apparatus
attached or placed in connection with the exterior of the ship to be raised.
The chief feature of my Invention consists in the application of the floats,
pontoons, caissons, air barrels, or such like apparatus to the interior of the
vessel to be raised. To apply my Invention I take a number of metallic
pontoons or floats partly filled with water, so as to be about the same specific
gravity of the water in which they are to be sunk, these I place fore and aft under
the beams of the ship to be raised, and secure them in any convenient manner.
The water being then forced out in the usual manner, and the air is then
introduced, these floats being fitted with the necessary stop-cocks and pipes,
the vessel becomes consequently buoyant, and raises to the surface of the water.
In other cases, and generally, I prefer to introduce within the hold of the
vessel, and under the beams a number of air and water-tight bags or
floats, shaped so as to give great strength; these are in a collapsed state, and
may either be attached or communicate with each other, so as to form a series
of communicating cells with valves between or detached, and isolated; air is
then forced into them by means of machinery, worked either by hand or steam
power, through the pipes, valves, and cocks attached to the floats and pumps;
as soon as the specific gravity of the ship with the floats inside exceeds that of
the water it raises to the surface, and can be towed into safety. I prefer to
make the bags or floats of intermediate layers of canvass and india-rubber, or
of hides or leather, and of any convenient size or shape.
Having now described my Invention, and the mode in which I effect the
raising of the ships, I wish it to be understood what I claim is, the introduction
into the interior and between the beams of the vessel, these floats pontoons,
caissons, air barrels, or such like apparatus, and also the bags or floats of a
flexible nature, as before described, by the introduction of air into the inside
of these floats, pontoons, caissons, air barrels, or any such like apparatus or
bags of flexible material, and thereby displacing the water out of the hold and
between decks of the ships operated upon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonathan Russell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two.