IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH DIVING APPARATUS, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO DEEP SEA DIVING." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gotthilf Henry Heinke, of the Firm of C. E. Heinke and
Company, of Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex, Submarine
Engineers, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
DIVING APPARATUS, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO DEEP SEA DIVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gotthilf Henry Heinke at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1881.
GOTTIILF HENRY HELNKE, of the Firm of C. E. Heinke and Company, of
Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex, Submarine Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH DIVING APPARATUS, SPECIALLY
APPLICABLE TO DEEP SEA DIVING."
The object of my Invention is to construct diving apparatus in such manner as
to relieve the diver from a portion of the pressure now experienced when working
in very deep water.
For the purpose of my Invention I fit a length of air hose to a metal connection
(provided with a valve under the control of the diver), and I attach such con-
nection to a valve on the breast plate of the diver's helmet. At the other or outer
end of the air hose I provide a valve, and I fit the same into an air chamber,
which is maintained at a certain height above the head of the diver, and which is
kept in position by means of a metal buoy secured thereto.
In some cases, and in combination with the aforesaid apparatus, I employ a
metal suit for the purpose of protecting the body, arms, and thighs of the diver
from pressure. This suit is worn over his flannels, and fits close around his body,
and around his arms and thighs. Over this metal suit the usual diving dress with
helmet and other appurtenances are fitted.
I prefer to supply air to the above described apparatus by means of our double
action pump, with self acting water pump attached, as by means of the same a
stream of cold water is kept continually passing round the cylinders of the air
pump, thus rendering the air always cool when received by the diver, a most
important necessity when working in deep water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gotthilf Henry Heinke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th December 1881.
GOTTHILF HENRY HEINKE, of the Firm of C. E. Heinke and Company, of
Great Portland Strect, in the County of Middlesex, Submarine Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH DIVING APPARATUS, SPECIALLY
APPLICABLE TO DEEP SEA DIVING."
The object of my Invention is to construct diving apparatus in such a manner as
to relieve the diver from a portion of the pressure now experienced when working
in very deep water, and to thus enable him to descend lower and to remain
below for a considerable time longer than heretofore.
By means of my improved construction and combination of apparatus the diver
is free to regulate the same at will, thus obtaining greater freedom for his move-
ments, whilst ensuring additional safety.
"
For the purposes of my Invention I fit a length of air hose to a metal connection,
provided with a combined valve and tap, of special construction under the control
of the diver, and on the breast plate of the diver's helmet. At the other or outer
end of the air hose I provide a valve (also of special construction), and I fit the
same into an air chamber, which is maintained at a certain height above the head
of the diver, and kept in position by means of a metal buoy.
In combination with the aforesaid apparatus I employ a metal suit for the
purpose of protecting the body, arms, and thighs of the diver from pressure. This
suit is worn over his flannels, and fits around his body, and around his arms and
thighs. Over this metal suit the usual diving dress with helmet and other
appurtanances are fitted.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I proceed to describe same aided by the accompanying
Drawings.
Figure 1 represents my improved construction of metal suit or armour; it
consists of a body piece A, arm pieces B, and thigh pieces C. This suit is worn
over the flannels of the diver. The body portion A is secured to the diver by
means of leather straps a attached to the back part of such piece, and after passing
through leather shoulder straps or pieces b of double thickness are brought to the
front, where they are attached to buckles a¹ on the said body piece. The arm
pieces B are rivetted or sewn to the leather shoulder pieces b, and the thigh
pieces C are secured to the body piece A by leather thongs c, these pieces B and C
being so attached as to allow free play to the arms and legs of the diver. D is an
iron stay extending from front to back of the body piece, and serving to strengthen
the body piece, and to protect the " crutch of the diver. The india rubber dress
is worn over this suit, and is secured to the helmet by screws and thumb nuts in
the usual manner.
"
The object of the employment of this iron suit in combination with the usual
flannels and rubber dress is to relieve the diver from a portion of the pressure now
experienced when working in deep waters.
On the breast plate of the helmet I fit my combined valve and tap, shown in
position in Fig. 1, and in full size in horizontal section detached in Fig. 2.
This combined tap and valve consists a screw cap E formed in a piece with
the plug e, around which the tap E¹ is free to work, so as to accommodate itself
and the air hose to the various positions of the diver. In the cap E is screwed the
valve seat e²e is a sot screw, which, by abutting against the end of the set screw
thread, prevents the cap from coming off. G is a valve whose spindle works in a

page_text: guide g contrived in the said seat e³. The valve is retained in position by a coiled
spring g abutting against the end of the screw cap E. The end of this seat is in
communication through orifices with the bore of the plug e, which bore also
communicates with an annular groove ex cut in the inner face of the seat of the
said plug and on the plug e itself.
By means of the handle T working a second plug of ordinary construction in the
tap E¹ the diver is able to regulate the passage of the foul or exhaled air (at will)
to the air hose H, the lower end of which is secured to the nozzle of the tap E', the
length of such hose being proportionate to the amount of pressure which the diver
can throw on to the metal suit; for example, by employing an air hoso 20 feet long,
the diver will be able to throw 8 lbs. pressure upon every square inch of his iron
suit, thus relieving his body of such amount.
At the upper end of this hose is a union joint h, to which is screwed another
valve M, M, of special construction (hereinafter fully described), the object of
which is to permit the escape of the foul or exhaled air, whilo excluding the entry
of water. It is retained in an upright or vertical position above the diver by
means of a submerged buoy, which is secured thereto by a link j. I prefer to
construct this buoy with internal air tight compartiments, so that in case one of the
compartments should become damaged the air in the remaining ones will still keep
it in position. This combination is clearly shewn at Fig. 5, in which J is the buoy,.
N an air chamber, in which is fitted the valve M, M', and H the air hose.
Figs. 3 and 4 refer to my improved construction and combination of valve and
air chamber (herein before mentioned), which are secured to the upper end of the
air hose, Fig. 3 being a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a plan of the under side of same
in full size. This latter Figure shows the method of retaining the valve in an
upright position within its air chamber by means of the set screws n, which are so
arranged as to permit the valvo casing turning freely, so as to adapt itself to the
movements of the hose.
The lower portion M of the valve seat is provided with a perforated flange m
and is secured to the valve seat M¹ by means of a screw thread, and is rendered
hermetic by means of a leather washer p. The valve seat M contains the valve s,
whose spindle s' works in a guide s². This valve is maintained in working position
by means of a coiled spring abutting against a perforated screw cap S terminating
the valve seat. Immediately below the valve is a deflector or dome shaped cover P,
cast in a piece with the valve seat, and surrounding a tubular extension M2 formed
in the lower portion M of the valve seat. The part connecting the dome or
deflector with the valve seat is provided with orifices r, through which the foul or
exhaled air escapes, and passes out through the passages and valve to the air
chamber or casing N in the direction shewn by the arrows.
Fig. 6 shews the equipment of the diver in his flannels, metal suit, and helmet.
To this last named piece tho valves, air hose, and buoy are connected, the india
rubber suit being omitted for sake of clearness.
2,2, are eyes secured to the buoy, by means of which a cord y may be attached
to the signal line, in order to prevent the buoy from drifting with the current.
Air being supplied to the diver in the usual manner, and passing over and
around his face the foul or exhaled air is expelled through the combined valve and
tap on the breast plate, and passes through the air hose to the second or upper
valve and its air chamber or casing, and thence escapes into the water, the diver
being able to regulate the passage of the air by means of the handle T, as before
explained. Thus, should the diver experience what are termed " pressure pains,"
he can by means of my combined apparatus reduce the excess of pressure upon his
extremities, and throw the same upon the metal suit, and that by simply turning
the handle T. In event of his omitting to open this tap the pressure will be
relieved by the ordinary head valve shewn at Z. By these means he will be enabled
to pursue his operations with comparative ease and safety.
I prefer to supply air to the above described apparatus, and consequently to the
diver, by means of our double action pump, with self acting water pump attached,

page_text: as by means of the same a stream of cold water is kept continually passing around
the cylinders of the air pump, thus rendering the air always cool when received by
the diver, a most important necessity when working in deep water.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner tho
same may be performed, I declare that I claim,―
1. The construction and employment of the articulated metallic suit adapted to
be worn over the flannels of the diver, for the purpose of relieving the body, arms,
and thighs of the diver from pressure, as herein described and shewn.
2. The construction and employment of the combined valve and tap, adapted to
be fitted on the breast plate of the helmet, and under the control of the diver, for
the purpose of regulating the escape of the foul or exhaled air, substantially as
herein described and shewn.
3. The construction and employment of the valve for permitting the escape of
the foul or exhaled air, without permitting the entry of water, and the combination
of same with the air chamber or casing, all substantially as described and shewn.
4. The employment of the submerged buoy in combination with the valve and
its air chamber for the purpose of keeping such valvo in its vertical position, as
described and shewn.
5. The employment of the air hose in combination with the combined valve and
tap, and with the valve and air chamber, as described and shewn.
6. The arrangement, combination, and employment of apparatus substantially as
herein described and shewn, by means of which the diver is relieved of a portion of
the pressure heretofore experienced when working in deep water, and is enabled
to descend to a greater depth than formerly.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gotthilf Henry Heinke, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the year 1881.
2
HEINKE (LS)