Year: 1884

page_text: To effect this all batchways and other openings leading to the interior of the
submerged vessel are securely closed up and mado watertight.
A suction pipo fitted with a hose coupling at the top is passed through the deck-
The lower or suction end is provided with a suitable strainer and valve and is.
firmly secured to the keelson or skin of the vessel while the upper end is made
water tight in and securely fastened to the deck.
A suction hose of corresponding size is coupled to such suction pipe above the
deck and leads to above the surface of the water where it is connected with any
suitable pump for drawing the water out of the vessel.
In the same compartment of the vessel a short pipe of suitable diameter is
inserted in the deck-The lower end thereof passes through to the under side of
the deck, and is securely fastened thereto and made water tight therein.
The upper end of this pipe is fitted with a hose coupling to allow of a suitable.
suction hose being coupled thereto which hose leads to above the surface of the
water and is connected with an air compressor.
Also in the same compartment of the vessel a half inch pipe or less is passed;
through to the underside of the deck and made watertight therein, and securely,
fastened thereto.
!

page_text: The top of this pipe is fitted with a hose coupling and a suitable suction hose is
coupled thereto abovo the deck and leads to above the surface of the water where
it is attached to a suitable gauge that indicates the strain in or on the vessel
whether inwards or outwards during the process of raising the same.
The strain or pressure in lbs per square inch being thus ascertained air at that
pressure is forced into the vessel-the pump at the same time drawing the water
out.
Both the pump and air compressor are worked simultaneously so that the gauge
shews equilibrium or no strain either inwards or outwards during the operation of
raising and inasmuch as when air is substituted for the water contained in the
vessel the requisite buoyancy is obtained the vessel is thus caused to float to the
surface.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ROBERT THORBURN TURNBULL of 83 Southampton Buildings Holborn London-
Communicated by George Ross New Zealand-do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR 'RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective apparatus for
raising sunken ships and vessels.
It is obvious that when air is substituted for the water contained in a
submerged vessel the requisite buoyancy is obtained and the vessel is thus caused
to float to the surface.
My invention is therefore based upon the following principles that is to say
1stly Forcing air, into a submerged vessel at a pressure per square inch propor-
tionate to the depth of water around the vessel thus enabling a pump to draw
the water out of the vessel at any depth.
2ndly Substituting an equal quantity of compressed air for the water so drawn
out and thus simultaneously maintaining equilibrium with total absence of strain
on any part of the vessel during the operation of raising the same.
I would here observe that by the careful manipulation of the air compressor
and water pump presently described the movements of the vessel are brought
completely under control during the operation of raising the vessel.'
I first securely close up and make water tight all openings leading into the
interior of the submerged vessel-A suction pipe (k) of any suitable diameter is

page_text: then passed through the deck and fitted at the top with a hose coupling (m) while
its lower end is provided with a suitable strainer and valve and firmly secured to
the keelson or skin of the vessel-The upper end of such suction pipe is then made
wator tight in and securely fastened to the deck and a suction hose (u) of the same
diameter as the suction pipe and of approved strength is coupled thereto above the
deck-This hose leads to above the surface of the water where it is connected to
any suitable pump for drawing the water out of the vessel.
I then pass a short pipe (1) of any suitablo diameter through the deck in the
same compartment-The lower end of this pipe is securely fastened to the deck
and made water tight therein while its upper end is fitted with a hose coupling to
allow of a suction hose of suitable diameter and strongth being coupled thereto-
This hose leads to above the surface of the water and is connected to an air
compressor..
In order to regulate the strain on the vessel during the operation of raising her
I. fit two safety valves in the same compartment in the deck-One of such
valves (n) acts as an air escape valve and its weight regulates the weight the deck
is to carry from absolute equilibrium to pounds per square inch-The other (o)
acts as a reverse valve and serves to regulate the inward strain.
Both valves are mounted in a single frame plate which is screwed to the deck
by studs (pp) and made water tight by an india rubber joint.
The reverse valve is fitted with a guide plate (t) which can be screwed down on
a coiled spring (8) thereby forcing the valve into its seat and allowing of its boing
readily adjusted to suit any inward strain.
-
By the careful adjustment of these valves the rupture or collapse of the deck
becomes impossible.
The strain or pressure in pounds per square inch due to the depth of water
around the vessel being known air at that pressuro is forced into the vessel the
pumps at the same time drawing the water out-Both the pumps and air
compressor are simultaneously worked and managed and during the operation of
raising the vessel can be easily maintained in equilibrium by accelerating or easing
the velocity of the pumps.
In practice it will be found most effective to fit the fore and aft water tight
compartments of a vessel with my improved raising apparatus as by so doing it
will facilitate operations, as the necessary fittings can be made on the surface ready
to be placed in position while the vessel can be easily maintained in equilibrium by
accelerating or easing the velocity of the pumps at either end as required.
:
The accompanying drawing which is divided into two sections A B shows a
transverse section of a submerged ship fitted with my improved raising apparatus
attached to a tender containing the necessary pumping and air compressing
machinery diving apparatus and other requisites-The following is an explanation
of the letters of reference and figures appearing upon such drawing-In Section A
(a) is the surface of the water nearly level with the deck of deep loaded vessel
(b) the inward pressure of the water at 10 feet below the level of the surfaco (c) the
inward pressure of the water at 20 feet below the level of the surface (d) the depth
of the vessel inside between the bottom and deck-Section B shews the inward
and outward strains on the same vessel loaded being raised out of 90 feet deep of
water the deck in equilibrium and the strain on the bottom only increased one
pound more than that suffered before sinking;-the strain being less than that
suffered by a deep loaded vessel in an ordinary sea (f)-the surface of the water
70 feet deep above the deck-(g) the deck of the vessel-(h) shews the inward and
outward strains at 10 feet below the deck-(i) the outward strain on the bottom of
the vessel 20 feet below the deck-(3) the inward strain on the bottom of the vessel
at the same depth-(k) shews the suction pipe by which the water is drawn out of
vessel() shews a short pipe passed through the deck and to which is attached the
compressed air hose-(2.) by any suitable coupling or flange-(m) shews the water
suction hose coupled to suction pipe by flange and bolts-(n) shows an air escape
valve-The weight of valve to regulate the strain the deck is to carry from

page_text: absolute equilibrium to pounds per square inch—(0) shews a reverse valve in the
same frame as the escape valve-(PP) shews two studs fixed in valve frame plate
and screwed for some inches from top (q. r.) nuts by which the guide plate (t) can
be screwed down on the spring (a) thereby forcing the valve in its seat to any
required adjustment of inward strain-(u) the tender containing the necessary
pumping and air compressing machinery-diving apparatus and necessary materials
for closing holes in vessel-(vw) water and compressed air hose leading from pump
and compressor to the submerged vessel.
By the careful adjustment of the air escape valve (n) and the reverse or inward
valve (o) to the requirements of the particular case the rupture or collapse of the
deck is rendered impossible while they allow of operations being conducted in
unfavourable weather Both these valves may be made, circular and fixed in one
frame plate which can be screwed to the deck and made watertight by an india
rubber joint.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
=>
The improved apparatus for raising sunken ships and vessels constructed
-combined arranged and- fitted-substantially in the manner hereinbefore described