AN IRON FLOATING DOCK TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING AND REPAIRING SHIPS, STEAMERS, BARGES, AND FLOATING VESSELS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Rogerson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th May
1862.
I, JOHN ROGERSON, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the County of Northumber
land, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IRON FLOATING
DOCK TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING AND REPAIRING SHIPS, STEAMERS,
BARGES, AND FLOATING VESSELS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS," to be as follows:-
On account of the dock not being required to take the ground for the
purpose of docking or undocking vessels, it can be placed in any place where
there is sufficient depth of water underneath the dock to allow the lifting
platform to be sunk to the required depth for docking or undocking ships; the
bottom of dock or lifting platform is made of iron, and is divided longitudinally
and transversely with strong wrought-iron partitions into several water-tight
compartments, and in each compartment there is a sluice fixed with valves,
rods, all complete, for opening and closing the sluices. When the lifting platform
is required to be sunk there is likewise in each water-tight compartment
pumps placed which are worked by a steam engine to pump the water out of
the lifting platform; when the platform is required to be raised to the surface
in order to lift a vesel out of the water, the sides, end, and gates of the dock
are made of wrought-iron, box-shaped, perfectly water-tight, having sufficient
floating power to carry the weight of the columns, machinery, upper platform,

page_text: and the weight of the lifting platform; when sunk the lifting platform is con-
nected with the sides of the dock by strong wrought-iron guide rods, which
are turned and made to work perfectly true inside of the columns, which are
placed at suitable distances along the sides of the dock; the lower ends of the
columns are securely attached to the sides of the dock, and the heads of
the columns are securely attached to each other by wrought iron girders
extending all round the top of dock; and the guide rods or pistons which
work inside of the columns are securely attached at one end to the lifting
platform, and have a strong eye worked on the other end, to which a
strong chain is attached working over a sheave, for the purpose of regulating
the depth to which the lifting platform is required to be sunk when docking
or undocking a vessel. After a vessel is floated into the dock and placed in
proper position above the keel blocks, and the pumps set in motion to pump
the water out of the lifting platform, as the platform rises to the surface, the
guide rods, which work inside of the columns, guide it exactly into its position ;
and as soon as the keel blocks take the vessel's keel, and she begins to
free, then the bilge blocks are immediately hauled in underneath the bilge
to keep the vessel upright. as she is lifted out of the water. The dock
gates are opened and shut at pleasure by means of two powerful winches, one
placed on each side of the dock to work each gate. The engine for working
the pumps is placed at the end of the dock, and the shafting is brought along
each side of the dock, working in carriages underneath the upper platform,
and immediately above the column heads. On the shaft, in way of the pumps,
are excentric sheaves for pumping. A hand rail is continued all round the
dock on the upper and lower platform similar to model.