NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED FOR CLEARING OR REMOVING THE WATER FROM THE INTERIOR OF SUBMERGED VESSELS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pullar, of North Finchley, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS
OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED FOR CLEARING OR REMOVING THE WATER FROM
THE INTERIOR OF SUBMERGED VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pullar at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st February 1879.
JAMES PULLAR, of North Finchley, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED FOR CLEARING OR
REMOVING THE WATER FROM THE INTERIOR OF SUBMERGED VESSELS."
The object of this Invention is as set forth in the title, the removing or clearing
the water from the interior of submerged vessels so as to facilitate the raising or
recovery of such structures, and it is in the means or appliances as hereinafter
described that my Invention consists.
Firstly. I make all hatchways or openings into vessels water-tight and I intro-
duce into any one or more of such hatchways or other coverings for such openings,
or into any part of the deck, or into any part of the vessels that may from circum-
stances be deemed most suitable, a pipe leading from above to the bottom of the
hold or compartment of the vessel to be cleared; such pipe is perforated or cut away
at its lower end. I then fit another pipe either into the same flange or plate which
carries the pipe first named or into an independent flange near to the first or at
some other convenient place. This latter pipe contains a check valve, and reaches,
say for example, about a foot beneath the deck or that part of the vessel where it
is introduced. To the exterior part of the pipe is secured an india-rubber or other
hose pipe leading to an air pump on the surface. As the air is thereby forced down
this the inlet pipe, it, displacing the water, forces it out of the pipe first named, the
outlet pipe. In so doing as the vessel rises the weight of the water on the mouth
of the outlet pipe is decreased, thereby allowing the compressed air to escape, and
rendering it impossible for the decks or sides of the vessel to be crushed either by
external or internal pressure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Pullar in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th July
1879.
JAMES PULLAR, of North Finchley, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
"NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED FOR CLEARING OR
REMOVING THE WATER FROM THE INTERIOR OF SUBMERGED VESSELS."
The object of this Invention is as set forth in the title, the removing or clearing
the water from the interior of submerged vessels so as to facilitate the mising or
recovery of such structures, and it is in the means or appliances hereinafter
described that my Invention consists.
Firstly. I make all hatchways or openings into the vessel watertight. I next
introduce into any one or more of such hatchways or other coverings for such
openings, or into any part of the deck, or into any part of the vessel that may from
circumstances be deemed most suitable or convenient, a pipe leading from above to
the bottom of the hold or compartment of the vessel to be cleared. Such pipe is
cut away or perforated at its lower end; I then fit another pipe either into the
same flange or plate which carries the pipe first named, or into an independent
flange near to the first, or at some other convenient place. This latter pipe contains
a check valve and reaches, say for example, about a foot beneath the deck or that
part of the vessel where it is introduced. To the exterior part of this pipe it
secured an india rubber or other hose pipe leading to an air pump on the surface. As
the air is thereby forced down this, the inlet pipe, it, displacing the water, forces it out
of the pipe first named, the outlet pipe. In so doing as the vessel rises the weight of
the water on the mouth of the outlet pipe is decreased, thereby allowing the com-
pressed air to escape and rendering it impossible by the decks or sides of the vessel
to be crushed either by external or internal pressure.
In order that the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which the same
is to be performed may be particularly described and ascertained, this Specification
is accompanied by a Drawing having letters of reference marked thereupon. The
Drawing represents a portion of a submerged vessel in section in which the inlet
pipe, that one provided with check valve, is marked A, the india rubber or other
the outlet
hose pipe leading to an air pump on a vessel at the surface is marked B;
pipe is marked Č.
The arrangement just described may be shifted from compartment to compart-
ment of the sunken vessel, if necessary, or two or more such arrangements may be
used.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by tho hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is, the raising of sunken vessels in the manner and by the
means in this Specification and in the accompanying Drawing illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pullar, hath hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JAMES PULLAR. (L.S.)