New or Improved Machinery or Apparatus for Transferring Ships and Boats and other Vessels from One Level to Another on Ship and other Canals and Rivers.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Dec., 1887
New or Improved Machinery or Apparatus for Transferring Ships
and Boats and other Vessels from One Level to Another on Ship
and other Canals and Rivers.
We EDWARD JOHN LLOYD of Hatton in the County of Warwick Civil Engineer
and WILLIAM SALT of Boldmere Sutton Coldfield in the County of Warwick Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of machinery or apparatus constructed in the manner herein-
after described by the use of which machinery or apparatus ships and other vessels
may be rapidly and with little expenditure of motive power transferred from one level
to another.
We will describe our invention in connection with a ship canal.
The machinery or apparatus constituting our invention is constructed essentially as
follows. At the part of the canal where a change of level occurs and at the lower level we
construct side by side two wells or pits of a depth about twice as great as the distance
between the two levels. These wells or pits are preferably oblong in horizontal section
their horizontal area being somewhat greater than that of the largest ship employed on
the canal. A pipe nearly of the figure of the letter U connects these wells. The lower
horizontal part of the said pipe is situated below the bottoms of the wells and the
vertical branches of the said pipe passes through the bottoms of the wells. The top
open ends of the said pipe terminate a short distance below the tops of the wells.
the middle of the said U shaped pipe is a valve by which communication between its
vertical branches may be opened and closed. We will hereinafter call this valve the
bottom valve. The said wells are filled about two thirds full of water.
At
An air vessel having preferably the same figure as the pits or wells but somewhat
smaller and open at one end is placed its open end downwards in each pit or well and
in the working of the apparatus as hereinafter described the said air vessels rise and
fall in the said pits exactly as an ordinary gas holder rises and falls in its well or pit.
On the top of each air vessel is a caisson or tank of a size and shape suitable for the
reception of the largest ship employed in the canal. These caissons or tanks when in
use as hereinaftor described are partly filled with water. The said caissons are furnished

page_text: with vertically rising and falling gates at their ends by means of which gates the said
caissons can be put in communication with or isolated from the ends of the higher and
lower levels of the canal. By the raising of the gate at one end when the caisson is at
the higher level a ship to be lowered may be floated into the said caisson and by
opening the gate at the other end after the caisson has been lowered the ship may be
floated out at the lower level.
When each air vessel is half filled with air and the caissons on the tops of the said
air vessels are filled with water and the hottom valve open the two caissons are in
equilibrium and a comparatively small addition to the load on one caisson or diminution
of the load on the other is sufficient to determine the descent of the heavier caisson
and its air vessel and consequently the ascent of the lighter caisson and air vessel. By
closing the bottom valve the passage of air from one air vessel to the other may be
stopped and the action described prevented.
The action of the machinery or apparatus is as follows:-We will suppose one caisson
to be at the higher level and the other at the lower level the latter having had floated
into it a ship to be raised to the higher level. We will call the first named caisson the
first caisson and the last named the second caisson. The second caisson has in it less
water than the first the height of the water in the second caisson being about six inches
less than the height of the water in the first. How this difference between the height
of the water in the caissons is brought about we will hereinafter explain. The
additional six inches of water in the first caisson is sufficient (the bottom valve being
open) to cause it to descend and force the air contained in the air vessel carrying it
through the U shaped tube into the air vessel of the second caisson and raise the said
second caisson to the higher level. The precise height to which the caissons rise and
descend is determined by stops.
When the second caisson reaches its highest point.
the level of the water in it is six inches lower than the level of the water in the upper.
level of the canal and before the gate of the second caisson can be lifted and the ship
floated out to the upper level of the canal the level of the water in the said second
caisson must be raised six inches. This having been done the gate of the caisson can
be raised and the ship floated out. The position of the parts of the machinery or
apparatus first supposed has by the action described been reversed that is the second
The second
caisson is at the higher level and the first caisson at the lower level.
caisson at the upper level has had an addition of six inches of water and the first caisson
now at the lower level has had its water level reduced by six inches. The first caisson
The said
is consequently now the lighter one and the second caisson the heavier one.
second caisson will consequently descend (the bottom valve being open) and raise the.
first caisson to the higher level.
From the description given it will be understood that each caisson on reaching the
lower level of the canal has its water level reduced by six inches and on reaching the
higher level has the six inches of water restored and thus this difference in the height
of the water in the cassons gives to one or other of them such a preponderating weight
as to cause it to descend and in its descent to lift the lower one.
Having described generally the essential construction and action of the mechanism
or apparatus constituting our invention we will proceed to describe some minor
appliances which are required in the practical working of our invention.
We have stated that when a caisson reaches its lower level six inches of water are
run off. This lightening of the load of the air vessel carrying the caisson diminishing
the pressure of the air in the air vessel the said air would expand and raise the air
vessel and cassion if means were not taken to provide against it.
To prevent this air
is allowed to escape from the air vessel at the same time that water is being run off
from the caisson. But after the ship has been floated off the caisson into the lower
level the air in the air vessel requires to be restored to its normal pressure before the
lower valve is opened and the two air vessels put into communication. This is effected by
the introduction into the air vessel of compressed air from an accumulator.
compressed in this accumulator by any convenient air compressing machinery worked
preferably by a turbine or other hydraulic motor. The pressure of the air in the
accumulator is considerably higher than that in the air vessels and Hows from the
Air is

page_text: said accumulator into the air vessel by the opening of a tap or valve. The accumulator
may consist of a vessel inverted in water like a gas holder or it may be a closed vessel.
The reduction and restoration of the level of the water in the caissons is effected by
the action of sluices in the gates.
We do not consider it necessary here to describe in detail the various parts of our
invention but we will indicate briefly such of the said details and modifications as are
most important. The air vessels are guided in their up and down motions by rollers
and guides similar to those used in guiding the motions of gas holders. The said air
vessels are made preferably of plates of iron riveted together after the manner of gas
holders and may be strengthened by internal braces and stays.
The gates of the caissons are supported by chains and counterbalance weights so that
little force is required to raise and lower them and by means of india rubber or other
elastic material the closing of the gates is made approximately watertight. The caissons
are provided with buffers to neutralise the momentum of the incoming ship and to
prevent shock or strain on the gates.
Although we have described and prefer to employ a separate well or pit for each air
vessel yet one well or pit of sufficient size to receive both air vessels may be
employed.
By means of connections and gearing the machinery or apparatus may be operated
from one building if desired.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Machinery or Apparatus for Transferring Ships
and Boats and other Vessels from One Level to Another on Ship
and other Canals and Rivers.
We EDWARD JOHN LLOYD of Hatton in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer
and WILLIAM SALT of Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield in the County of Warwick, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of our Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our invention consists of machinery or apparatus constructed in the manner
hereinafter described by the use of which machinery or apparatus ships and other
vessels may be rapidly and with little expenditure of motive power transferred from
one level to another.
We will describe our invention in connection with a ship canal.
The machinery or apparatus constituting our invention is constructed essentially as
follows: At the part of the canal where a change of level occurs, and at the lower
level, we construct side by side two wells or pits of a depth from about one and a half
to twice as great as the distance between the two levels. These wells or pits are
preferably oblong in horizontal section their horizontal area being somewhat greater
than that of the largest ship employed on the canal. A pipe nearly of the figure of
the letter connects these wells. The lower horizontal part of the said pipe is
situated below the bottoms of the wells and the vertical branches of the said pipe pass
through the bottoms of the wells. The top open ends of the said pipe terminate a
short distance below the tops of the wells. At the middle of the said U shaped pipe
is a valve by which communication between its vertical branches may be opened and
closed. We will hereinafter call this valve the bottom valve. The said wells are
filled about two birds full of water. An air vessel having preferably the same
figure as the pits or wells but somewhat smaller and open at one end is placed its
open end downwards in each pit or well and in the working of the apparatus as
hereinafter described the said air vessels rise and fall in the said pits exactly as an
ordinary gas holder rises and falls in its well or pit.
On the top of each air vessel is a caisson or tank of a size and shape suitable for the
reception of the largest ship employed on the canal. These caissons or tanks when in
use as hereinafter described are partly filled with water. The said caissons are
furnished with vertically rising and falling gates at their ends by means of which
gates the said caissons can be put in communication with or isolated from the ends of
the higher and lower levels of the canal. By the raising of the gate at one end when
the caisson is at the higher level a ship to be lowered may be Hoated into the said
caisson and by opening the gate at the other end, after the caisson has been lowered,
the ship may be floated out at the lower level.
When each air vessel is half filled with air and the caissons on the tops of the said

page_text: air vessels are filled with water and the bottom valve open the two caissons are in
equilibrium and a comparatively small addition to the load in one caisson or
diminuition of the load on the other is sufficient to determine the descent of the
heavier caisson and its air vessel and consequently the ascent of the lighter caisson
and air vessel. By closing the bottom valve the passage of air from one air vessel to
the other may be stopped and the action described prevented.
The action of the machinery or apparatus is as follows:-We will suppose one
caisson to be at the higher level and the other at the lower level the latter having had
floated into it a ship to be raised to the higher level. We will call the first named
caisson the first caisson and the last named the second caisson. The second caisson
has in it less water than the first, the height of the water in the second caisson being
about six inches less than the height of the water in the first. How this difference
between the height of the water in the caissons is brought about we will hereinafter
explain. The additional six inches of water in the first caisson is sufficient (the
bottom valve being open) to cause it to descend and force the air contained in the air
vessel carrying it through the U shaped tube into the air vessel of the second caisson
and raise the said second caisson to the higher level. The precise height to which the
caissons rise and descend is determined by stops. When the second caisson reaches
its highest point the level of the water in it is six inches lower than the level of the
water in the upper level of the canal and before the gate of the second caisson can be
lifted and the ship Hoated out to the upper level of the canal the level of the water in
the second caisson must he raised six inches. This having been done the gate of the
caisson can be raised and the ship floated out. The position of the parts of the
machinery or apparatus first supposed has by the action described been reversed, that
is, the second caisson is at the higher level and the first caisson at the lower level.
The second caisson at the upper level has had an addition of six inches of water and
the first caisson now at the lower level has had its water level reduced by six inches.
The first caisson is consequently now the lighter one and the second caisson the
heavier one.
The said second caisson will consequently descend (the bottom valve
being open) and raise the first caisson to the higher level.
From the description given it will be understood that each caisson on reaching the
lower level of the canal has its water level reduced by six inches and on reaching the
higher level has the six inches of water restored and thus this difference in the height
of the water in the caissons gives to one or other of them such a prepondering weight
as to cause it to descend and in its descent to lift the lower one.
Having described generally the essential construction and action of the mechanism
or apparatus constituting our invention we will proceed to describe some minor
appliances which are required in the practical working of our invention.
We have stated that when a caisson reaches its lower level six inches of water are
run off. This lightening of the load of the air vessel carrying the caisson diminishing
the pressure of the air in the air vessel the said air would expand and raise the air
vessel and caisson if means were not taken to provide against it. To prevent this, air
is allowed to escape from the air vessel at the same time that water is being run off
from the caisson. But after the ship has been floated off the caisson into the lower
level the air in the air vessel requires to be restored to its normal pressure before the
lower valve is opened and the two air vessels put into communication. This is
effected by the introduction into the air vessel of compressed air from an accumulator.
Air is compressed in this accumulator by any convenient air compressing machinery
worked preferably by a turbine or other hydraulic motor. The pressure of the air in
the accumulator is considerably higher than that in the air vessels and flows from the
said accumulator into the air vessel by the opening of a tap or valve.
The
accumulator may consist of a vessel inverted in water like a gas holder or it may be a
closed vessel.
The reduction and restoration of the level of the water in the caissons is effected by
the action of sluices in the gates.
We will now indicate briefly some of the details and modifications which are most
important.

page_text: The air vessels are guided in their up and down motions by rollers and guides
similar to those used in guiding the motions of gas holders. The said air vessels aro
made preferably of plates of iron riveted together after the manner of gas holders and
may be strengthened by internal braces and stays.
The gates of the caissons are supported by chains and counterbalance weights so
that little force is required to raise and lower them and by means of india rubber or
other clastic material the closing of the gates is made approximately watertight.
The caissons are provided with buffers to neutralise the momentum of the incoming
ship and to prevent shock or strain on the gates.
Although we have described and prefer to employ a separate well or pit for each
air vessel yet one well or pit of sufficient size to receive both air vessels may bo
employed.
By means of connections and gearing the machinery or apparatus may be operated
from one building if desired.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section taken through one of the air
vessels and its caisson or trough; Figure 2 in transverse vertical section and
Figure 3 in plan, machinery or apparatus constructed according to our invention for
transferring ships and boats and other vessels from one level to another ou ship and
other canals and rivers.
Figure 4 represents a transverse vertical section of the said machinery or apparatus
drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1. 2 and 3, the said Figure 4 exhibiting many
details not shown in the smaller view Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents in longitudinal section, drawn to a large scale the arrangement
of the junction between the ends of the caisson and the upper and lower levels of the
canal and the counterbalanced gates at the ends of the caisson and at the upper and
lower levels of the canal and Figure 6 represents in longitudinal section drawn to the
same scale as Figure 5 one of the buffers and appliances used for preventing damage
to the gates of the caisson: Figure 7 represents in longitudinal section and Figure 8
in plan a single lift arrangement constructed according to our invention one single
lift arrangement being connected with another single lift arrangement at another part
of the canal, that is, instead of arranging the two air vessels and caissons side by side
they are arranged one in advance of the other, tandem fashion.
We will first describe the arrangement represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
drawings.
The apparatus consists of two air vessels Q and R open at one end their open ends
being placed downwards in and balanced upon the water in a single tank or in two
separate tanks A, N which are excavated to a sufficient depth and secured with
masonry. The said tanks A N are filled with water to the level indicated in Figure 4.
The said air vessels Q and R are guided and rise and fall in the tanks A, N in the manner
hereinafter described. The said air vessels Q and R are constructed preferably of
sheet iron and are either cylindrical or rectangular in figure and have upon their
summits or closed ends girders A M and A L which carry the caissons or troughs S
and T containing water in which the ships or boats U and V float. The caissons S
and are formed of sheet iron and are stayed with tee and angle irons and have
gates A R and A T at either end (see Figure 4 where the gates are represented lifted
from the ends of the caissons) to admit of the ingress and egress of the ships or
boats U and V and prevent the escape of water, the said gates being made water
tight by means of an india rubber or flexible joint or packing A X attached to the
caisson (see Figures 5 and 6) and each gate is provided with a sluice or valve for the
discharge of the water to and from the upper or lower levels of the canal and to and
from the caissons as required. The upper and lower levels of the canal are provided
with gates similar to those in the caissons. The sluices or valves in the gates and
ends of the canal are marked W, X, Y, Z in Figure 4. Attached to the air vessels Q
and R and the caissons S and T are rollers A V which work upon guides A H (fixed

page_text: to the tank walls A N and to the framing AQ for supporting the same) for preserving
the air vessels in their vertical position. Connected with the guide framing AQ are
lattice girders A I carrying platforms by which access to the caissons when elevated
can be obtained. The said girders A I also act as stops to the girders A, M and A L
upon which the caissons S and T are supported thus preventing the said caissons
from being raised beyond the proper level for making the connection with the upper
level of the canal. Stones or other suitable materials are built into the tank wall to
act as stops or rests A J to the girders A, M and A L carrying the caissons S and T
for limiting their descent to the point at which the connection with the lower level of
the canal is made. The caissons S and T are so arranged that when they are at their
highest or lowest positions they will be level with the respective highest and lowest.
levels of the canal or river they are intended to connect. The junction between the
ends of the caissons and the upper and lower levels of the canal are made by an india
rubber or other flexible joint or packing A Y (see Figure 5) secured in a groove in
the end of the canal level which end is slightly inclined. The ends B J of the caisson
are planed to a corresponding inclination so that in ascending or descending the
junction between the caisson and the upper or lower level of the canal is automatically
made by the compression of the flexible joint A Y by the ends of the caisson. The
gates at the caissons and at the upper and lower levels of the canal are counterbalanced
by means of weights A B and chains A E carried over pulleys A C (see Figures 4
and 5) the counterbalance being equal to about 70 per cent. of the weight of the gate.
The gates are lifted by means of hydraulic presses A F placed at the lower level of
the canal and worked by water from the upper level. When the height of the lift is
insufficient for the profitable application of hydraulic presses, pneumatic presses may
be substituted or the counterbalance may be increased and hand worked crabs he
employed. The hydraulic presses A may be arranged upon the framing as shown
in Figures 1, 2 and 3 or underground at the lower level in the position shown in
Figure 4. The air vessels QR are connected together by means of the double
branched pipe or conduit O P the branch passing into the air vessel being
marked and that passing into the air vessel R being marked P. The pipe or
conduit OP is carried to a well A U suitably placed and in which well is arranged a
valve J by which the admission of air to either of the air vessels is regulated or
stopped. The whole of the gearing necessary to manipulate the different valves and
presses may be connected by means of wire lines, rods or other suitable connections
and concentrated in a house A D so as to be under the charge of one attendant, the
house being elevated and placed in such a position as will command a view of the
whole apparatus as represented.
The air accumulator in communication with the pipe or conduit OP consists of a
tank C (see Figure 4) in which is placed an inverted air vessel A balanced upon
water in the said tank the said vessel A being constructed of sheet iron and carrying
thereon a second tank B in which is contained water which second tank serves the
purpose of ballast for compressing the air contained in the air accumulator A. to a
suitable pressure.
Both the air accumulator A and the tank B above it are fitted with
rollers AP which work upon guides A O attached to the lower tank whereby the
preserving of the air accumulator A and its tank B in a perpendicular line is ensured.
The air accumulator is connected to the air vessels Qand R of the lifting mechanism by
means of a pipe F carrying the valve J and the said pipe F is provided with valves G H
and I moved by hydraulic or other power. The accumulator is charged with air
through the pipe E D by means of air compressing pumps which may be worked
from a turbine (or other suitable motor) the said turbine being supplied with water
from the upper level of the canal. Relief valves K and L are provided for drawing
off any excess of air power in the lifts when not required as is the case when the
water is run off from a caisson just described and for the release of air in the air
vessels and R due to expansion by an increase of temperature.
In order to prevent damage to the gates of the caissons, buffers A Z and BA (see
Figures 1 and 6) are placed at either end. The baffer A Z situated at the end

page_text: adjoining the upper level of the canal but at the level of the lower pond is hinged and
connected to a chain and counterbalance B B of greater weight than that required to
raise the buffer A Z. The descending caisson is provided with guide pulleys BC
which engage with a projecting bar B, D on the chain of the counterbalance B B of
the buffer AZ and in this way lower it into position. When the caisson rises the
guide pulleys B, (release the chain and the buffer A Z is raised by the counter-
Balance B B into the position indicated in dotted lines clear of the caisson and gate.
The buffer B A (see Figure 1) at the outer end of the caisson is so placed that when
the rising caisson comes to rest it is in position to receive thrusts from the incoming
boats or ships and is or may be connected to the upper level by means of land ties
which terminate in coil or other springs in order to absorb the momentum of the
boat or ship striking it.
may
The action of the machinery or apparatus and the method of working it are as
follows:-
The tanks A N, A N containing the air vessels and R are first filled with water
to a suitable height. The caissons S and T of the lift are filled with water at the
lower level the gates BE and BF (see Figure 1) being previously lowered into
position and the valves in the said gates are closed. The air valve J is opened to
admit of free communication between the air vessels Q and R and the air accumu-
lator A until the said vessels are just balanced upon the water in the tanks A. N. The
air valve J is then closed so as to cut off the air from the vessel Q and the other
vessel R is raised to the upper level of the canal by the air from the accumulator A.
In order to pass the ship or boat U into the lower caisson S the gates BE and BF
(see Figure 1) of the said lower caisson and lower level of the canal adjoining are
both raised and the ship or boat U is floated into the said caisson when the gates BE
and B F are lowered and the water between the gates run off.. The caisson S with
its vessel U is now ready for raising. There being a difference between the level of
the water in the raised caisson T and that of the upper level of the canal (the water
of the caisson I being the lowest) the difference is made up from the upper water
level by opening the sluices Z and Y in the gates of the caisson T and those at A T
When the level of the water in the
(see Figure 1) in the upper level of the canal.
caisson and that of the upper level of the canal are the same, the gate of the
caisson T and the gate at A T of the upper level (see Figure 1) are raised and the ship
or boat V is floated into the said caisson T when the gates are again lowered the
sluices closed and the water drawn off from between the gates. The caisson T is now
ready to descend. The valve J is next opened and in consequence of the greater
quantity of water in the said upper caisson T it will descend and by its descent drive
up the other air vessel with its caisson S and ship or boat U to the stops A I. The
valve J is again closed. Before the connection can be made between the caisson T
which has just descended and the lower pond of the canal the water in the said
caisson T being higher than that of the lower level of the canal, a quantity of air
(equal to the difference which will be caused by running off water from the caisson to
the lower level) must be withdrawn from the vessel R by means of the relief valve L
and pipe N otherwise when the excess of water of the caisson T is run off to the
level of the lower pond the said air vessel R and its caisson T will rise (due to the
expansion of the air consequent upon the diminished load) and destroy the connection
between it and the lower level of the canal. The upper caisson S will require to be
filled to the level of the upper pond of the canal by the operation before described in
order that the gates BI and AR (see Figure 1) may be raised and the ship or boat U
towed out. Before the lower caisson T can again be raised a sufficient quantity of air
should be taken by means of the pipe D F through the valve I from the accumulator A
and passed into the air vessel R to compensate for the loss of air in the prior operation.
Or the accumulator A may be connected with the highest lift for the time being after
the valve J is closed but in all cases the pressure of air in the accumulator should
slightly exceed the greatest load upon the higher lift after the additional quantity of
water necessary for adjusting the levels is run into the caissons.

page_text: In place of hydraulic pressure for raising the gates and actuating the various valves
and sluices, air from the accumulator may be used in presses of sufficient capacity for
the required operations.
From the foregoing description with respect to the arrangement of the air vessels
and appliances abreast or side by side, the arrangement of single air vessels and
appliances one in front of the other or tandem fashion as represented in Figures 7
and 8 will be readily understood. The air pipe or conduit O P in the said Figures 7
and & connecting the air vessels arranged at a distance apart is the analogue of the
double branched air pipe or conduit ŎP represented in Figure 4.
In this arrange-
inent the height of the lift would only be about one half that which would be necessary
if the lifts were arranged abreast of each other.
Instead of using double lifts or two lifts connected together, our invention may be
applied to single lifts working with an accumulator and air compressor only.
The tanks and air vessels may have any required form given to them and two or
more air vessels may be employed and the air vessels may be made with telescopic
air tight joints in order that a greater height of lift may be attained without any
additional depth of tank.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention and
in what manner the same is to he performed we declare that what we claim as our
invention of "New or improved machinery or apparatus for transferring ships and
boats and other vessels from one level to another on ship and other canals and
rivers";
First The arrangement or combination of large air vessels supported and balanced
in a water tank or water tanks carrying troughs or caissons for the reception of the
ships boats or barges to be transferred from one level to another, the said air vessels
and caissons and parts connected with them being constructed and operated and acting
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
whether the said air vessels and the appliances connected with then be arranged side
by side or one in advance of the other.
Secondly-The air accumulator and relief valves the parts of which are constructed
combined and work substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly The arrangement or combination of the parts of the valves for controlling
and cutting off the supply of the compressed air to the air vessels supporting the
troughs or caissons herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Dated this Second day of November 1887.
EDWARD JOHN LLOYD.
WILLIAM SALT.