CERTAIN IMPROVED APPARATUS .FOR LAYING DOWN AND RECOVERING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHIC CABLES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Carl Schiller, of London, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVED APPARATUS .FOR
LAYING DOWN AND RECOVERING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHIC CABLES."
Sealed the 7th January 1859, and dated the 7th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Carl Schiller at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th July 1858.
I, HENRY CARL SCHILLER, of London, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVED
APPARATUS POR LAYING DOWN AND RECOVERING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHIC CABLES,"
to be as follows:-
The objects of this Invention are,-
Firstly, to support the cable at intervals and deliver it from the carrying
ship or vessel safely at the bottom of the ocean.
Secondly, to recover the same by underrunning it in any circumstances
which make its recovery desirable.
And, thirdly, to discover and indicate the increase or decrease of depth or
soundings during the laying down or underrunning of the telegraphic cables.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention, the vessel carrying the cable

page_text: is to tow astern a requisite number of small steam vessels or steam tugs
travelling at the same speed, and connected with her and with each other by
means of hawsers, chains, or any other gear best adapted for the purpose
of keeping each at a given relative distance from each other, the weight of the
hawsers or chains between the vessels to be supported by means of buoys or
floats. Each of these small steam vessels or tugs is to carry a sling, the
upper end of which passes over a windlass on board, which is connected to
the steam engine, and the lower end carries a block with two sheaves or
pulleys, one above the other, between which the telegraph cable passes; slings
may also be attached to the buoys if necessary. Each sling is to be attached
to its preceding and succeeding ones by suitable diagonal braces or other gear.
These slings are to be of a proportionately greater length relative to their
respective distance from the leading vessel (which carries the cable), so as in
the division of the aggregate distances from her and that of the extreme
of each from the surface, to produce the angle requisite for the safe suspension
(at intervals) and delivery of the cable at the lowest soundings required, the
shortest sling being nearest to the leading vessel and the longest sling furthest
:from.it.
In underrunning the cable for the purpose of recovering it when required,
the same apparatus is employed, but reversed, that is to say, the first vessel
carries the longest sling, and on board of the last vessel the cable is to be
hauled in and coiled.
The indicator consists of a buoy of suitable form and size, connected to one
end of a sling, the other end of which is attached to a windlass on board of
the last vessel of the flotilla. On the "bight" or lowest part of the bend of
this sling a travelling block runs freely, and between the two sheaves of this
block the telegraphic cable passes; this block must be higher than that of the
lowest sling on the last vessel, and forms the final support of the cable before
it reaches the bottom.
.
As the cable is delivered through the travelling block upon this sling, any
sudden shoaling or increase of soundings would have the effect of causing this
buoy to recede from or approach to the vessel, or to be partially or totally
submerged, and the action of this buoy would always show any increase or
decrease of depth, and thus indicate to the last vessel of the flotilla, which
would signalize the other vessels, whether to haul in or pay out their respective
slings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Carl Schiller in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CARL SCHILLER, of London, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Carl Schiller, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Carl
Schiller, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Carl Schiller, 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LAYING DOWN AND RECOVERING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHIC
CABLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Carl
Schiller, 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 Henry Carl Schiller, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
perfornied, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:
The objects of this Invention are, firstly, to support the cable at intervals,
and deliver it from the carrying ship or vessel safely at the bottom of the
ocean.
Secondly, to recover the same by underrunning it in any circumstances which
make its recovery desirable.
. And thirdly, to discover and indicate the increase or decrease of depth
or soundings during the laying down or underrunning of the telegraphic cable.
In. carrying out the first part of my Invention, the vessel carrying the cable
is to tow aştern a requisite number of small steam vessels or steam tugs,

page_text: travelling at the same speed, and connected with her and with each other by
means of hawsers, chains, or any other gear best adapted for the purpose of
keeping them at a given relative distance from each other, the weight of the
hawsers or chains between the vessels being supported by means of buoys or
floats.
Each of these small steam vessels or tugs is to carry a sling, the upper end
of which passes over a windlass on board, which is connected to the steam
engine, and the lower end carries a block with two sheaves or pulleys (one
above the other) between which the telegraphic cable passes. Slings may also
be attached to the buoys if necessary.
Each sling is to be attached to its preceding and succeeding ones by suitable
diagonal braces or other gear; but if the slings be so arranged as that they
hang between the vessels, each vessel (excepting the first and last) sustaining
two ends of the slings, viz, the after end of that preceding, and the
forward end of that succeeding her, then the diagonal braces will not be
required.
These slings are to be of a proportionately greater length relative to their
respective distances from the leading vessel (which carries the cable) so as in
the division of their aggregate distances from her and that of the extreme of
each from the surface, to produce the angle requisite for the safe suspension
(at intervals) and delivery of the cable at the lowest soundings required, the
shortest sling being nearest to the leading vessel, and the longest sling furthest
from it.
In underrunning the cable for the purpose of recovering it when required,
the same apparatus is employed, but reversed, that is to say, the first vessel
carries the longest sling, and on board of the last vessel the cable is to be
hauled in and coiled.
The indicator consists of a buoy of suitable form and size, connected to one
end of a sling, the other end of which is attached to a windlass on board of the
last vessel of the flotilla.
On the "bight" or lowest part of the bend of this sling, a travelling block
runs freely, and between the two sheaves of this block the telegraphic cable
passes. This block must be higher than that of the lowest sling on the
last vessel, and forms the final support of the cable before it reaches the
bottom.
.
As the cable is delivered through the travelling block upon this sling,
any sudden shoaling or increase of soundings would have the effect of
causing this buoy to recede from or approach to the vessel, or to be partially
or totally submerged, and the action of this buoy would always shew any

page_text: increase or decrease of depth, and thus indicate to the last vessel of the flotilla,
which would signalize to the other vessels, whether to haul in or to pay out
their respective slings.
Such being the nature and objects of my said Invention for "Certain Im-
proved Apparatus for laying down and recovering Submarine Telegraphic
Cables," I will proceed to describe more in detail the manner of carrying the
same into practical effect.
And in order that my Invention may be more readily understood, I have
annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative of the same, and have
marked thereon figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in
the following explanation thereof.
In Drawing No. 1, Figure 1 represents the apparatus as arranged for laying
down the cable, with the slings hanging between the vessels, and Figure 2
represents the same apparatus arranged for recovering the same. I would
here remark that for obvious reasons the relative dimensions or proportion
of the various parts are greatly exaggerated, the principle and not the details of
construction being what is desired to be illustrated.
In Figure 1 A is the cable carrying ship or vessel, towing astern the small
steam vessels B, B, B, and buoys C, C, C, attached to her and to each other
by the hawsers or chains R, R, R; D, E, F, are three slings suspended
betwen the vessels, the ends inboard being led over windlasses connected with
the steam machinery of each vessel, to enable her to Jengthen or shorten the
sling by paying out or hauling in upon it, with any rapidity that circumstances
may require. Upon each of these slings D, E, F, runs a free travelling block
G, G, G, carrying a second block H, H, H, containing two pulleys situated
vertically to each other. Above the stern of the cable carrying vessel, and at
the greatest practicable distance from the paying out apparatus, is to be
suspended from a frame constructed for that purpose, a short sling sustaining
a double armed spring, upon the principle of a coach spring. From the
extremities of the arms of the spring are to depend braces carrying a block
with a pulley, over which the cable is to pass after leaving the paying out
apparatus, to which, in fact, this spring and pulley are to be considered as an
addition.
In Drawing No. 2, Figure 4 is a representation of a spring upon the
principle described. The one there delineated is for use under water. The
flanges are small, therefore proportioned to the medium they would be required
to act against, the flanges of the one above described would require to be
larger in proportion to the lesser density of the medium it is intended to be
employed in. The uses of this spring .are to obviate the sudden strain by a
a

page_text: jerk upon the cable from a heave or lurch of the ship. The spring at the
. extremities of its arms, and on each side; may be fitted with hinged flanges or
vanes.. The hinges to allow of the flanges folding upwards only. These
flanges should be of a wide spread, somewhat hollow above, and convex on
their under sides. Their effect would be, upon any violent heave of the ship;
which would necessarily jerk the cable (the great danger to be guarded
against) by their resistance to the atmosphere, to produce a greater play of the
arms of the spring, and thus reduce a sudden jerk to a gradual strain.
The cable (represented by the red line in Figure 1) is to be led from the
paying out apparatus through the block suspended by the spring and sling,
over the stern of the cable carrying vessel, from thence through the blocks
the slings D, E, F, successively, being supported by the lower pulley in
each, over which it passes.
upon
The indicator consists of a buoy I of a cylindrical form, and of a suitable
length and diameter, constructed to float in a vertical position when balanced,
as presently described, and of a capacity of buoyancy adjusted to the cir-
cumstances herein-after mentioned. It is to be towed by a sling K, K, astern
of the last steam tug of the flotilla. The sling K attached to the indicator is
carried by it, and the steamer by which the indicator is towed. The end
attached to it (the indicator is to be fixed, but that on board the steamer is
to be led over a windlass to enable the sling to be paid out or hauled in with
the rapidity which circumstances may render necessary. The length of the
sling suspended between the last steamer and the indicator (governed by the
windlass on board the said steamer) must be kept invariably somewhat shorter
than the final sling F, belonging to the suspending apparatus, one end of which
is also carried by the same steamer. Upon this sling K, K, (that suspended
between the indicator and the last steamer,) runs a free travelling block and
pulley L, sustaining below it a block with two pulleys, vertically situated with
regard to each other (precisely as in the slings of the suspending apparatus).
The lower of these two pulleys is the final support of the cable before it
reaches the bottom. The buoyancy of the indicator is to be calculated to
sustain at, say, half its immersion, the sling, &c., and a length of cable (that
between the previous sling and the bottom in equal parts) which may be
determined upon.
The cable, after leaving the final sling F, F, of the
suspensory series, is to be led through the block appended to the travelling
block L upon the sling K, K.
The uses of this apparatus are these:-When the bottom is even, the indi-
cating sling would carry only its estimated length (and consequently weight)
of cable,) and the indicator would maintain its equal immersion in the water

page_text: and distance from the towing ship; but should the bottom shoal, a part of the
cable lying at rest upon the bottom would relieve the sling of so much of its
weight, and the indicator becoming more buoyant in consequence, the fact
would be apparent to those regulating the slings on board the steamer, not only
by its floating higher, but also by its extending its distance from the steamer,
and give immediate evidence of the state of the bottom, and indicate the
necessary action, the hauling in of the sling. But again, in the event of the
bottom deepening, an additional length, and consequently weight of cable,
would be thrown upon the indicating sling, which, if gradual only, would cause
the indicator to be deeply immersed; if gradual and continued, ultimately pull
it under the surface; and if sudden (by the bottom becoming abruptly
precipitous) the direction the cable would take after passing over the pulley
supporting it in the indicating sling, would not only have the effect of partially
or wholly pulling the buoy under the surface, but of pushing the travelling
block forward in a direction opposite (so to speak) to that of the cable and
towards the preceding sling. Therefore the action of the block forward would
necessarily be to pull the indicator in the same direction, as well as to deflect
it from its normal state afloat, and by both or either of these indications shew
the necessity for those managing the slings to pay them out until by the
indicator resuming its normal position it should be ascertained that the point
of safe working was attained.
In Drawing No. 2, Figure 3 represents a different arrangement of slings
for support of the cable. These slings D, E, F, G, at their extremities are to
be fitted with and carry blocks with double pulleys H, H, H, as in those
previously described. Their ends inboard, except that of the sling D, are also
to be carried over windlasses steam worked, for paying out or hauling in.
Each sling to be connected by sufficient gearing or braces M, M, to its
preceding and succeeding one; the final attachments to be fixed a little above
the blocks H, H, H, H; the braces or gear should range upwards and down-
wards diagonally from sling to sling to prevent all chance of such gear coming
in contact with the cable, and by friction injuring its coating.
At the shortest distance astern of the leading ship, that the flexibility of the
cable makes it practicable, the first or second buoy C* of the hawser sustaining
series of buoys should be adapted to carry a sling D of such length that the
appendages hereafter described shall under all circumstances of weather be
safely sunk below any surface agitation of the water. The appendages, in
which the sling terminates downwards, are a double-armed spring, Figure 4,
N, N, similar in principle to that previously described with hinged flanges
Q, O, of the same construction, but smaller, as the resisting medium would be

page_text: of greater density. From the extremities of the arms would depend similar
braces P, P, carrying a block H, &c., as in the former case. Additional
braces of sufficient strength and of length enough not to interfere with the
play of the spring, should be attached from the sling above the head or centre
of the spring to the block, that in the event of any accident to the spring the
block should remain in safe suspension to the sling.
Figure 5 represents another arrangement of this part of the apparatus, in
which a spiral spring Q, Q, is substituted. I would here remark, that in the
event of this arrangement of slings being employed, each of the perpendicular
slings should be provided with one or other of these appendages, in order to
neutralize the effect of any sudden jerk or strain upon the cable.
"
In order to prevent the loss of the end of the cable in the event of its
breaking whilst passing over the stern of the vessel (the most likely place for
such an accident to occur), and also to prevent its forming a "kink," the
following apparatus is to be employed;-On reference to Drawing No. 1,
Figure 1, it will be seen that after passing the paying out apparatus on board
the leading ship A, the cable passes through the spring sustained block over
the stern, then through the block H appended to the sling D. I propose that
this part of the cable should carry a travelling block, sustaining a weight of
sufficient gravity to prevent the cable from forming a "kiuk," and as it is
here, if anywhere, that a weak place in the cable would subject it to fracture,
especially with the additional rider block and weight, I propose that the said
block should be fitted with the following apparatus for arresting the cable in
the case of its breaking:-Upon the bight" of the cable (between the
leading ship A and the first block H) a pulley R runs freely, (see enlarged view,
Figure 6, Drawing No. 2.) The axes of this pulley support two levers S
(one on each side) carrying a weight T. The upper end of the lever is pro-
vided with a slot, which embraces a pin on the end U of the moveable jaw of
the nipper, which vibrates on a fulcrum at V. As long as the cable is entire
this apparatus will run freely in the position, as shewn in Figure 6, but upon
the fracture of the cable the falling of the weight would immediately straighten
the elbow W, and thus cause the jaws of the nippers to close upon and hold
the cable. The result would be, that in case of a fracture of the cable, it
would be caught at this point, and as the cable ran through the block on the
sling D, carrying the apparatus suspended or attached to it, the points of the
forceps entering the aperture of the block H attached to the sling D would
there finally arrest the secured end of the cable.
In Drawing No. 1, Figure 2, shews the general arrangement of the
apparatus when destined for underrunning or recovering the cable. B is

page_text: the leading vessel, which tows the secondary steamers B, B, B, by means of
the hawsers C, C, C, and also tows the indicator I by means of the sling
K, K. In this arrangement of the apparatus the last steamer A of the.
flotilla is the cable receiving ship, and is to be furnished with hauling-in
apparatus of a suitable construction.
In underrunning the cable for the purpose of recovering it, the whole
order of the apparatus is reversed, and certain modifications in the arrange;
ments are also necessary. Thus the cable-carrying ship becomes the rearmost
to receive, haul in, and coil away the cable in its ascent by steps through each
succeeding sling from the bottom; the secondary steamers carrying slings
preceding instead of following her. It will also be necessary to have an
additional steamer, which, assisted by the indicating buoy, is to carry the
indicating sling and apparatus. The said steamer to be the leading one of
the flotilla, and consequently the indicating buoy would take its place between
her and the first secondary steamer carrying the suspending apparatus, to
which she must be attached by hawsers buoy, supported as in the case of the
other ships, but with a greater extent of distance between the two than is
necessary between the other vessels of the flotilla to allow of the proper action
of the indicating buoy and sling. In the event of a deep sea telegraphic
cable breaking after it had been laid down, or receiving injury to the extent of
necessitating its being raised, it seems possible by two flotillas starting from
opposite shores, each carrying a double apparatus (viz. that for underrunning
and that for laying down) to raise and lay down the cable as they proceed
until meeting at the place of fracture or injury, it (the cable) might be spliced
or repaired.
It would then be necessary to release the cable from the blocks which
support it, and by means impossible to be accidentally operative. To effect
this, I propose to construct the blocks H, H, H, H, Drawings 1 and 2, with
sides fixed to iron bands closed at top by a hinge, and below by a pin fitting
apertures in the overlapping ends of the bands, behind which is a chamber,
into which also the pin fits, and thus secures the block for working purposes.
I propose to charge the above chamber with gunpowder, to be fired by an
electric battery, the conductor wire being attached to or wove into the strands
of a deep sea line of sufficient strength to support and carry it without frac-
ture, and which is to be carried by the vessel of the flotilla to which the block
belongs. The block should contain in addition a spiral spring compressed when
the sides are closed, but of power to expand them upon the expulsion of the
pin. The effect would be the liberation from the blocks of the sheaves and the
cable. By signal the operation might be simultaneous throughout the flotilla.

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Certain Improved Apparatus for Laying down and Recovering Submarine
Telegraphic Cables," I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my
Invention the general construction and arrangement of apparatus for effecting
these objects, as shewn in the Drawings, and above more. particularly
described, or any mere modification thereof, by which the same ends might be
attained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Carl Schiller, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, the Sixth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
HENRY CARL SCHILLER. (L.S.)
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Sol & Patent Agent,
1, Scrle Street, Lincoln's Inn.