IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING WRECKS AND SUBMERGED VESSELS, BEING SAILING OR STEAM SHIPS, AND OTHER SUNKEN BODIES. AND IN Apparatus EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Troughton Grindrod, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING
WRECKS AND SUBMERGED VESSELS, BEING SAILING OR STEAM SHIPS, AND OTHER
SUNKEN BODIES. AND IN Apparatus EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
"
Sealed the 25th July 1873, and dated the 1st February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Troughton
Grindrod at the Office of tho Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st February 1873.
I, JOHN TROUGHTON GRINDROD, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FLOATING WRECKS AND SUBMERGED VESSELS, BEING SALLING OR
STEAM SHIPS, AND OTHER SUNKEN BODIES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERE-
FOB," to be as follows:-
The principle at present chiefly employed for getting off stranded, and
floating sunken ships is by the use of extraneous aid, such as camels,
lighters, balloons, hollowed timber frames, or such like floating mediums,
which are attached to the vessel to be raised. The difficulties attendant

page_text: upon using such apparatus are the method of attachment, cost, liability
to destruction by gales or collision, difficulty of adjustment by means of
bulk, also the large amount of surplus power requisite, as the lifting
medium has not only to overcome the weight of the sunken vessel, but
also to overcome to an extent the weight of water contained in such
vessel.
Now my Invention consists in displacing, expelling, or dispersing the
water contained in the sunken vessel to such an extent that the vessel
herself will become the lifting power, and float to the surface by
herself.
To carry my Invention into practice I make use of air or gas recep-
tacles, or cases from which all air or gas has been exhausted. These air
or gas receptacles or cases are of a novel construction, namely, they are
made tubular or oval, or of such shape as to give a maximum amount
of strength, and they must be stayed at intervals with strengthening
bands, and of such size that they can be easily distended; also, whero
requisite, of shape to adapt themselves to the shape of the portion of the
vessel to which they are applied. Further, these air cases are so placed
in the vessel to be floated that they will not press one against the other.
This I arrive at by placing strong timber projecting guards of form to
suit the air cases, and of such shape as to hold the air cases in position.
The air cases are all fitted with self-acting non-return valves, or their
mechanical equivalents.
The air cases are constructed by preference of a material composed of
layers of canvas and india-rubber. These air cases, when exhausted of
air, I place in the interior or hold of the vessel to be lifted, taking care
to stay or lash each one in position under the deck beams, between decks,
and in deck houses, or other suitable available space. I connect tho
cases by means of pipes or otherwise to an air pump, which drives
atmospheric air or gas into them, thereby inflating the cases, and
expelling the water from the interior of the sunken vessel. Should
there be cracks or leaks the cases will be forced into such cracks or leaks
by means of the expansive force employed. When a sufficient number of
theso air cases have been employed the vessel will float by herself.
The power employed for filling and distending the air cases may be an
ordinary air pump or other suitable contrivance, driven by hand, steam,
or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Troughton Grindrod in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TROUGHTON GRINDROD, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, sond
greeting.
year
of our
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Troughton Grindrod, Her special licence
that I, the said John Troughton Grindrod, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Troughton Grindrod, 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, usc, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FLOATING WRECKS AND SUBMERGED VESSELS, BEING SAILING OR STEAM SHIPS, AND
OTHER SUNKEN BODIES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Troughton Grindrod,
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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Troughton Grindrod, 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 statement:-
The principle at present chiefly employed for getting off stranded, and
floating sunken ships, is by the use of extraneous aid, such as camels,
lighters, balloons, hollowed timber frames, or such like floating mediums,
which are attached to the vessel to be raised. The difficulties attendant
upon using such apparatus are the method of attachment, cost, liability

page_text: 1
to destruction by gales or collision, difficulty of adjustment by means of
bulk, also the large amount of surplus power requisite, as the lifting
medium has not only to overcome the weiglit of the sunken vessel but
also to overcome to an extent the weight of water contained in such
vcsscl.
Now my Invention consists in displacing, expelling, or dispersing the
water contained in the sunken vessel to such an extent that the vessel
herself will become the lifting power, and float to the surface by
licrself.
To carry my Invention into practico I make use of air or gas recep-
tacles, or cases from which all air or gas has been exhausted. These air
or gas receptacles or cases arc of a novel construction, namely, they are
made tubular or oval, or of such shape as to give a maximum amount of
strength, and they must be stayed at intervals with strengthening bands,
and of such size that they can be easily distended; also, where requisite,
of shape to adapt themselves to the shape of the portion of the vessel to
which they are applied. Further, these air cases are so placed in the
vessel to be floated that they will not press one against the other. This
I arrive at by placing strong timber projecting guards of form to suit the
air cases, and of such shape as to hold the air cases in position. The air
cases are all fitted with self-acting non-return valves, or their mechanical
equivalents.
The air cases are constructed by preference of a material composed of
layers of canvas and india-rubber. These air cases, when exhausted of
air, I place in the interior or hold of the vessel to be lifted, taking care
to stay or lash each one in position under the deck beams, between
decks, and in deck houses, or other suitable available space. I connect
the cases by means of pipes or otherwise to an air pump, which drives
atmospheric air or gas into them, thereby inflating the cases, and
expelling the water from the interior of the sunken vessel. Should
there be cracks or leaks the cases will be forced into such cracks or leaks
by means of the expansivo force employed. When a sufficient number
of these air cases have been employed the vessel will float by herself.
The power employed for filling and distending the air cases may be
an ordinary air pump or other suitable contrivance, driven by hand,
steam, or otherwise.
In the manufacture of air cases to carry out my Invention they should
bc so constructed that the cloths or breadths of canvas and india-rubber

page_text: should thoroughly overlap cach other, and all butts to be covered with
strips, and all lappings to be so pitched as not to come in linc, thus
insuring maximum strength.
In placing the air cases in the interior or hold of ships they may be
lashed together, and so arranged that cach intermediate air case is of
smaller size, so that the small cases may be filled first to hold and keep
the others in position.
Inside the air cases and attached to the inflating pipe I fix a wood or
metal perforated cup guard, and inside the air case I fit an internal
perforated pipe. In some instances the air cases may be inflated at both
ends at once by an internal pipc.
In applying this Invention I by preference make use of a diver's boat
of novel construction, as will be herein-after further described. I also
make use of a raft or scow of novel construction, and adapt it for the use
of divers and the working of the air cases.
For exhausting and inflating the air cases I by preference use a double
acting blowing apparatus so arranged that it will exhaust the air from
the cases, or inflate the cases by a simple alteration of the valves. Where
greater pressure is required for extreme depths I make use of a double-
acting blowing engine of novel construction, and so arranged that the
valves can be easily reversed for exhausting purposes.
The before-going being the nature and object of my Invention I will
now proceed to describe and illustrate more fully how the same may be
practically carried out, and for that purpose I have hereunto attached
two Sheets of Drawings, marked with letters and figures of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation. Like letters and
figures are used to denote similar parts throughout the various views.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, illustrates an air case of form most suitable for
strength and size to bo used in carrying out my Invention. Figure 2,
Sheet 1, is an end view of same. These Figures are drawn to the scale
of half an inch to the foot.
Figure 3, Sheet 1, is a full sized section of material used, being four
fold layers of india-rubber and canvas.
Figure 4, Sheet 1, shows an arrangement of lashing the air cases
together, the cases being alternately large and small.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 1, show arrangements of internal pipes for
inflating cases at both ends simultaneously.
Figure 7, Sheet 1, shows arrangement of boarding to prevent the
cases from chafing and jamming or coming up between the beams.
Figure 8, Sheet 1, an end section of same. These last five Figures are 5
drawn to the scale of quarter of an inch to the foot.
Figures 9 and 10, Sheet 1, represent a method of attaching the cases
to ships' kelsons. Figure 11, Sheet 1, is a half section of a ship, showing
the spaces where the air cases are placed.
Figure 12, Sheet 1, is a section of a boat to be used by divers.
These last three
Figure 13, Sheet 2, is an clovation of a scow or raft to be used by
the divers. Figure 14, Sheet 2, is a plan of same.
figures are drawn to the scale of half an inch to the foot.
10
These two li
Figure 15, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation of a blowing and exhaust-
ing apparatus. Figure 16, Sheet 2, is an end view of same.
Figures are drawn to the scale of two inches to the foot.
Figure 17, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation of a blowing engine for
greater depths, drawn to the scale of one inch to the foot.
Referring to Figure 1, Sheet 1, A is an air casc or chamber used for
inserting into the interior of sunken or stranded ships, for the purpose of 20
displacing, expelling, or dispersing the water contained in the sunken
vessel to such an extent that the vessel herself will become the lifting
power, and float to the surface by herself. These air cases may be placed
between decks at A', Figure 11, Sheet 1, or in the hold B', Figure 11,
Sheet 1, to any extent required. The air case or bag is constructed of 2
layers of india-rubber and canvas, Figure 3, Sheet 1. In all cases the
scams B overlap at least one foot, whether the scams be vertical or hori-
zontal. The air cases are fitted with roping C, and with handles, loops,
or eyes at D.
The cases are by preference made cylindrical, with spherical ends, this 3
form insuring greatest strength. The inflating pipe E is fitted with a
cock or non-return valve F, and a perforated wood or metal cup-shaped
guard G, and there is also attached an internal perforated pipo H.
In applying the air cases under the beams it is sometimes advisable
to lash them together, as shown at Figure 4, Sheet 1, the small cases A² 3
being inflated first, and keeping the length in position under the beams.

page_text: In inflating the cases it is material that both ends should be innatea
at the same time. For this purpose I make use of an internal pipe, as
arranged at I, Figure 5, Sheet 1, or J, Figure 6, Sheet 1.
In Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1, Kare timber chafing, or supporting pieces
to prevent chafing, and to keep the air cases in position.
Figures 9 and 10, Sheet 1, L, L', are dogs for attaching the air cases
to kelsons, if required.
Referring to Figure 12, Sheet 1, it will be seen that the diver's boat is
constructed of two half sections M, M³, with a space N in the centre, the
two sections being bound together by the beams O. The spaces between
the beams can be utilized for cabins, blowing apparatus, or other pur-
poses. The great utility in this twin boat tender is that it may be
employed in going off to wrecks with the divers, air cases, apparatus, and
a gang of men to work at the wreck. If the compartments M and M¹
were filled with cork the boat would be a perfect lifeboat, requiring no
ballast; she cannot sink or capsize. The way her deck is constructed if
a sea is shipped it escapes freely through the opening N between the
two boats. The boat will be very fast under canvas, and thoroughly stiff
and suitable for working in a surf.
Referring to Figures 13 and 14, Sheet 2, P is a scow or raft constructed
of two pontoons R and S. These pontoons are bound together by the
beams T, enclosing a space U. The centre portion V of the scow is
decked over. W, W₁, are davits or cranes for lowering the air cases,
and other purposes. X, blowing apparatus. From the construction of
the scow still water can always be obtained in the space U for diving
operations.
Referring to Figures 15 and 16, Sheet 2, a, a, are uprights, which
support and carry an air chamber b. Above and below this air chamber
are fitted circular blowers c, c', which are made in the form of a bellows,
and are actuated by the rods d, d', which rods are worked by the cccen-
trics and gear e, e¹. f,f', are suction valves; h, h', are delivery valves.
The air is forced through the nozzle and pipe i for the purpose of
inflating the air cases. is a safety and indicating pressure valve, fixed
in any suitable position.
When it is required to use the apparatus for exhausting air, instead of
blowing, the valves fand f¹ and hand ' will have to be reversed. The
apparatus then can be used for withdrawing air from the cases.

page_text: Referring to Figure 17, Sheet 2, which illustrates a blowing engine,
is a cylinder; l, piston; m, m', suction valves; n, n', delivery valves.
The apparatus is worked by the fly wheel and gear, as shown, and can
be used for supplying air for inflating the cases, or by reversing the
valves as an exhauster.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and the best means I am acquainted with
for carrying the same into practical effect, what I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,—
Firstly. The method of floating wrecks and submerged vessels, being
sailing or steam ships, and other sunken bodies, substantially in the
manner as herein-before described and set forth.
Secondly. The apparatus employed for floating wrecks and submerged
vessels, being sailing or steam ships, and other sunken bodies, substan-
tially in the manner herein-before described, set forth, and illustrated. ;
In witness whereof, I, the said John Troughton Grindrod, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-eighth day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
thiree.