IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING DOCKS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Birkbeck, Engineer and Patent
Agent, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING DOCKS."-
.A communication from abroad by 'William Wain, of Copenhagen, in
the Kingdom of Denmark.
Scaled the 12th June 1860, and dated the 8th March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Birkbeck
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th March 1860.
I, GEORGE HENRY BIRKBECK, Engineer and Patent Agent, of 34, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING DOCKs,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in floating docks
by which such structures are brought more under control for placing them in
suitable positions for receiving and raising vessels out of the water for purposes
of repair, or examination, or such structures may-be employed for building
vessels, and lowering them into the water. For this purpose, the sides of the

page_text: floating dock are formed hollow and in compartments with spaces or openings
through them at intervals to facilitate the operations of docking, constructing,
repairing, or for the examination of vessels contained therein. The sides arc
formed on or connected with longitudinal hollow bottoms or bases of larger
sectional width than the sides, and the sides of the dock above the bases are
at all times filled with air. The bases of the hollow sides are firmly connected
with the bottom of the dock, which is also formed hollow and with transverse
and longitudinal compartments; and for convenience the bottom is of less depth
than the bases of the sides, and the compartments forming the bottom of the
dock are at intervals in its length permanently filled with air and the floating
power of the dock is so arranged that when the compartments of the bottom
and bases of the sides, (intended to be filled with water) are quite full the
dock will have sunk to a sufficient depth to receive the largest ship or vessel
the dock is constructed for. When the dock is sunk to its lowest position, tho
upper portions of the hollow sides are then above the surface of the water, and
form a gangway for the necessary operations to be carried on, and upon which
the necessary apparatus such as steam-engines, crabs, cranes, and pumps are
fixed to assist in conducting the various operations required in connection with
the dock. The compartments of the bottom are furnished with suitable ingress
and discharge valves, and with pipes, and stop cocks in connection with tho
hollow sides into which air is forced by. suitable pumps, and the pipes and stop
cocks in connection with the several series of compartments in the bottom are so
arranged, that any particular series of compartments may be filled or discharged
at pleasure so as to facilitate the placing of the dock in any desired position
or at any angle that may be required, and docks of this construction will be
found to be very convenient for hauling ships or vessels up inclines, or on to
slips, which may be of a temporary or permanent character, the engine power
employed for pumping being readily adapted to suitable apparatus for hauling
up the vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Henry Birkbeck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY BIRKBECK, Engineer and Patent Agent, of No. 34, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the. Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said George Henry Birkbeck, Her special licence that I, the said George
Henry Birkbeck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Henry Birkbeck, 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 FLOATING DOCKS,"-a communication to me from by abroad William
Wain, of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in floating docks by
which such structures are brought more under control for placing them in
suitable positions for receiving and raising vessels out of the water for purposes
of repair or examination, or such structures may be employed for building
vessels and lowering them into the water.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood I will proceed
to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section; Figure 2 a side elevation; Figure 3
a plan, and Figure 4 a transverse section of a floating dock constructed
according to this Invention; Figure 5 shows the position the dock may be
caused to assume when it is desired to haul a vessel on to a stage or slip. a
a, are the hollow sides of the dock formed in compartments, through which

page_text: spaces or openings are formed at intervals as shown at a', a', to facilitate the
operations of docking, constructing, repairing, or for the examination of vessels
contained therein. The sides a, a, are formed on or connected with the
longitudinal hollow bottoms or bases b, b, which are preferred to be of larger
sectional width than the sides and the compartments of the sides a, a, above the
bases b, b, are at all times filled with air. The bases b, b, of the hollow
sides a, a, are firmly connected to the bottom c, c, of the dock, which is also
formed hollow and with transverse and longitudinal compartments and for
,convenience the bottom c, c, is of less depth than the bases b, b, of the sides
and the compartments c', c', forming the bottom of the dock are at intervals
-of its length permanently filled with air, and the floating power of the dock is
so arranged that when those compartments of the bottom and the bases b, b,
of the sides (which are intended to be filled with water) are quite full, the
dock will then have sunk to a sufficient depth to receive the largest ship or
vessel that the dock is constructed to support and float. When the dock is
thus sunk to its lowest position by filling a certain number of its compartments,
the floating power is so arranged that the upper portions of the sides will then
be above the surface of the water as shown at Figure 2 of the Drawings, and
they will form gangways a² for the necessary operations to be carried on and
upon which suitable apparatus, such as steam engines, crabs, cranes, and
pumps are fixed to assist in conducting the various operations required in con-
nection with the dock. The compartments of the bottom are furnished with
suitable ingress and discharge valves d, d, and with pipes and stop cocks e, e,
in connection with the hollow sides into which air is forced by the pumps
when required, and there are stop cocks in connection with the several series
of compartments in the bottom so arranged that any particular series. of com-
partments may be filled or discharged; according as it is required to place the
dock in any desired position, or so as to elevate eitber. of its ends. or sides as
circumstances may require, and docks constructed according to this Invention
will be found to be very convenient for aiding and assisting the operations
necessary for hauling ships or vessels up inclines or on to slips, which may be
of a temporary or permanent character the engine power of the dock employed
for pumping, &c., being readily adapted to suitable apparatus for hauling up
the vessel; f is a cradle for supporting the ship or vessel. when raised out of
the water by the floating of the dock.
The mode of constructing hollow structures of iron, such as above described
being now well understood, I have not thought it necessary to enter into a
detailed description thereof beyond giving an-outline of the forms of the

page_text: several parts which it is preferred should be adopted in carrying out these
improvements, although the shape and dimensions of the parts may be varied
without departing from the Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
GEORGE HENRY BIRKBECK. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE, Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.