IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN AND STRANDED VESSELS AND THEIR CARGOES. AND FOR RAISING AND LOWERING OTHER BODIES INTO AND OUT OF THE WATER PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO RAISING WEIGHTS GENERALLY
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Coppin, of Strand Foundry, Londonderry,
Marine Architect and Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN AND STRANDED VESSELS AND THEIR CARGOES.
AND FOR RAISING AND LOWERING OTHER BODIES INTO AND OUT OF THE WATER
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO RAISING WEIGHTS
GENERALLY."
Sealed the 6th December 1859, and dated the 25th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Coppin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th June 1859.
I, WILLIAM COPPIN, of Strand Foundry, Londonderry, Marine Architect
and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN AND STRANDED VESSELS AND THEIR
CARGOES, AND FOR RAISING AND LOWERING OTHER BODIES INTO AND OUT OF THE
WATER. PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO RAISING WEIGHTS
GENERALLY," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for raising
sunken and stranded vessels and their cargoes, and for raising and lowering
other bodies into and out of the water, part of which improvements are
[Price 8d.]

page_text: applicable to raising weights generally. For this purpose I employ two iron
vessels of unequal capacity connected together parallel to each other at a
given distance; each vessel is divided into a number of water-tight compart-
ments by longitudinal and transverse iron partitions, and the two vessels are
united together as one body by iron girders, forming a continuation of the
upper parts of the transverse partitions, there being also between these girders
diagonal tie bars. The two vessels are also connected together by transverse
girder bridges of iron, which project above and extend over the deck of both
ships. One of the vessels carries the hoisting apparatus, and this vessel is of
greater capacity than the other, and when a wrecked or sunken vessel is being
lifted by the hoistingapparatus, pumps are worked by a steam engine pumping
water into the water-tight compartments of the smaller vessel, so as to
counterbalance the weight of the vessel being lifted.
The hoisting apparatus is composed of a series of shears of a novel con-
struction and application placed at distances along the larger vessel, and at
either end. The slack leg or stay of each shear is secured to the upper part
of a transverse girder bridge, so that when a vessel is being lifted by the shears,
the tendency is to raise the smaller vessel out of the water by reason of the
connection by the transverse girder bridges, which are made of suchrequisite
strength for this purpose as to diffuse the lifting weight and strain over both
vessels equally. The purchase chain of each shear is worked by an bydraulic
press, into which water is forced by steam engines; such press is formed with
a hollow piston rod, and the chain of the shears passes down through the rod,
and the rod is furnished in the lower part with an apparatus for holding the
chain, so that when the piston is moved downwards by water being pumped
into the cylinder on the upper side, the chain is drawn down with it,and when
the piston has moved at the lowest point, the chain is taken hold of by a fixed
holding apparatus, and the holding apparatus on the piston rod is released from
the chain. The piston is then moved up to the top of the cylinder by water
being pumped in beneath it, a pump throwing a greater quantity of water
being for this purpose brought into action, so as rapidly to bring back the
piston to the top of the cylinder. The holding apparatus ou the piston rod is
then caused to take hold of the chain, and the fixed holding apparatus to
release its hold of the chain, and water is then again pumped into the cylinder
on the upper side of the piston by the smaller pump, which is then brought
into action. The chain from each of the shears as it is drawn down by
the hydraulic press is wound on a drum caused to rotate by the engines, for the
purpose of taking in the slack chain. Hydraulic pumps constructed in the
manner above described are applicable for raising weights generally, either on

page_text: the water or on land. The double vessel is fitted with a paddle wheel, which
is placed in the centre between the two vessels, and is driven by steam
engines from either or both sides, and the propelling power is so protected
as to be free from any injury, and in the execution of work offers no obstruction.
Both vessels, in addition to the connections before mentioned, are covered
and bound together by one deck in the same level, making them as rigid as
one ship. The rudders, one forward and one aft, are at a distance from the
ends, and in the centre of the space between the two vessels, and can be
used when going backwards or forwards with equal effect.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Coppin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COPPIN, of Strand Foundry, Londonderry, Marine Architect and Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Coppin, Her special licence that I, the said William Coppin,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Coppin, 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN AND STRANDED VESSELS AND THRIB
CARGOES, AND FOR RAISING AND LOWERING OTHER BODIES INTO AND OUT OF THE
WATER, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO RAISING WEIGHTS
GENERALLY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Coppin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
ny, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Coppin, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for raising
sunken and stranded vessels and their cargoes, and for raising and lowering
other bodies into and out of the water, part of which improvements are
applicable to raising weights generally. For this purpose I employ two iron
vessels of unequal capacity connected together parallel to each other at a given
distance; each vessel is divided into a number of water-tight compartments
by longitudinal and transverse iron partitions, and the two vessels are united
together as one body by iron girders, forming a continuation of the upper
parts of the transverse partitions, there being also between these girders
diagonal tie bars. The two vessels are also connected together by transverse
girder bridges, of iron which project above and extend over the deck of both
ships. One the vessels carries the hoisting apparatus, and this vessel is of
greater capacity than the other, and when a wrecked or sunken vessel is
being lifted by the hoisting apparatus, pumps are worked by a steam engine
pumping water into the water-tight compartments of the smaller vessel, so
as to counterbalance the weight of the vessel being lifted.
The hoisting apparatus is composed of a series of shears of novel construction
and application placed at distances along the larger vessel, and at either end
the black leg or stay of each shear is secured to the upper part of a transverse
girder bridge, so that when a vessel is being lifted by the shears, the tendency
is to raise the smaller vessel out of the water by reason of the connection by
the transverse girder bridges, which are made of such requisite strength for
this purpose, as to diffuse the lifting weight and strain over both vessels
equally. The purchase chain of each shear is worked by an hydraulic press,
into which water is forced by steam engines. Each press is formed with a
hollow piston rod, and the chain of the shears passes down through the rod,
and the rod is furnished in the lower part with an apparatus for holding the
chain, so that when the piston is moved downwards by water being pumped
into the cylinder on the upper side, the chain is drawn down with it, and when
the piston has moved at the lowest point the chain is taken hold of by a fixed
holding apparatus, and tho holding apparatus on the piston rod is released from
the chain. The piston is then moved up to the top of the cylinder by water
being pumped in beneath it, a pump throwing a greater quantity of water
being for this purpose brought into action, so as rapidly to bring back the
piston to the top of the cylinder. The holding apparatus on the piston rod is

page_text: then caused to take hold of the chain, and the fixed holding apparatus to
release its hold of the chain, and water is then again pumped into the cylinder
on the
upper side of the piston by the smaller pump, which is then brought
into action. The chain from each of the shears as it is drawn down by
the hydraulic press is wound on a drum caused to rotate by the engines
for the purpose of taking in the slack chain.
Hydraulic pumpa constructed in the manner above described,are applicable
for raising weights generally, either on the water or on land. The double
vessel is fitted with a paddle wheel, which is placed in the centre between
the two vessels, and is driven by steam engines from either or both sides,
and the propelling power is so protected as to be free from any injury, and
in the execution of work offers no obstruction. Both vessels, in addition
to the connections before mentioned, are covered and bound together by one
deck in the same level, making them as rigid as one ship. The rudders, one
forward and one aft, are at a distance from the ends, and in the centre of
the space between the two vessels, and can be used when going backwards
or forwards with equal effect.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an apparatus constructed according
to this Invention; Figure 2 is a side view, and Figure 3 a transverse sec-
tion of the same. a, a¹, are two vessels, by preference of iron, separated
from each other, so as to form a channel, wherein a paddle wheel or wheels
may work, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Each vessel is divided into a number
of water-tight compartments by partitions, by preference of iron, running
longitudinally and transversely. These partitions will act as girders, in order
to distribute the weight throughout during the process of lifting. The inner
sides of the two vessels are united together by a number of small girders b, b,
forming continuations of the transverse partitions of the two vessels; these
small girders are tied together at top and bottom by diagonal tie bars c, c.
The two vessels are also united together by the transverse girder bridges d, d
which project above and extend over the decks of both vessels a, a¹, as shewn
at Figures 1 and 3, and both vessels, in addition to being united together as
above described, are covered and bound together by a deck a². The vessel a,
on which the lifting apparatus is fixed, is made, by preference, of greater
capacity than the vessel a', which is to be used as a counterpoise. When a
body is about to be lifted, water is allowed to enter through openings fitted

page_text: with valves into one or more of the compartments of the vessel a' until the
level of the water inside the vessel is equal to that of the water outside the
vessel; the valves are then closed, and a quantity of additional water is
pumped by pumps worked by engines not shewn in the Drawings, into the
already partially filled compartments, until its weight is sufficient to counter-
poise that of the body being lifted.
The hoisting apparatus consists of several shears, placed at convenient
distances along the side of the vessel a; and there may also be one at each
end of the vessel. Each set of shears consists of two pairs of shear legs, one
pair e, e, fixed in a vertical position, with a stay f running from its head to the
crown of one of the girders d, d, as shewn at Figure 3. The second pair c¹, e¹,
hangs over the side, and is kept at a convenient angle by bars or chains g,
containing rollers for the support of the main lifting chains. Each shear
head is furnished with a pulley, around which the main lifting chain passes.
The end of the chain is secured to the outer or hanging shear head. The
chain then descends and passes around a pulley block h; it then passes
upwards and around the pulley on the shear head, and then passes down to
one of the hydraulic pumps i. Each pump is formed with a hollow piston
rod, and the chain of the shears passes down through the hollow piston rod.
On the lower end of each piston a cross-head is fixed, working in guides.
Beneath this cross-head a key is fitted capable of being slid forward into the
links of the main pitch chain,so as to secure the cross-head to the chain before
the hydraulic power acts upon the piston. This key is worked in and out by
a screw or lever, or it may be moved by a small cylinder. The main chains
having passed through the hollow pistons, are carried round pitch wheels,
serving also as leading pullies. To these are connected ratchet wheels, with
pawls for the prevention of any back movement in the chains on their
liberation from the pistons. k,k, are drums for winding up the main chains
as the pistons descend; these drums are worked by spur and friction gear,
motion being communicated from the engine or engines working the pumps.
The drums are suitable for heaving up or slackening out the main chains
when not laden, or for lifting comparatively light weights without the aid of
the hydraulic pumps. A tank is provided for supplying oil or other fluid by
means of suitable forcing apparatus to the hydraulic pumps. The fluid is
conveyed to the chambers of the hydraulic pumps by branches leading from a
longitudinal main pipe, regulating cocks and pressure guages being applied
to the branches and chambers. An overflow valve is provided loaded to the
pressure which may be considered necessary. The return stroke of the
Pistons when the latter are liberated from the chains may be accomplished by

page_text: the pressure of a column of oil or other fluid placed inside one of the hollow
legs of each pair of vertical ehears, this column being fed by a reservoir at the
shear head; or the return of the piston may be effected by means of the forcing
apparatus, by which the downward stroke is worked, or by a pump throwing a
greater quantity of fluid. is a paddle wheel, placed in the centre between
the two vessels; this wheel is shewn to be driven by steam engines m, m, one
in each vessel, or it may be driven from one side only.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Coppin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
WILLIAM COPPIN. (L.S.)