Improvements in Tools for Diving Bells, Diving Tubes, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tools for Diving Bells, Diving Tubes, and the like.
I, WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E., of 62, Saint Vincent Street, in the City of
Glasgow, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(as communicated to me by Bergnings-och Dykeri Aktisbolaget Neptun, Stock-
holm, Sweden,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus by means of which a gripping tool such
as a grapnel, hook or the like may be easily attached to an immersed object to be
recovered.
The object of this invention is to provide a tool by means of which grapnels,
hooks or the like may easily be placed in position to grip or catch an object that is
to be hoisted out of the water, the said tool being manipulated inside a diving-bell,
diving-tube or the like.
The invention consists in providing a bar, frame or the like, on which the
grapnel to be manipulated is placed so that it will be detached from the same
as soon as the hoisting commences, said bar or frame being so hung or journaled
outside the diving bell or the like and so connected to suitable mechanism, passing
through a ball-joint or the like in the wall of the diving-tube that by means of
the same it may be turned around as well as raised or lowered to a certain extent by
an attendant inside the diving-bell, diving-tube or the like.
The invention may of course be carried out in many ways one of which is shown
in the accompanying drawing, where Figure 1 is a side-elevation and Fig. 2 a
front-elevation of a tool constructed according to this invention. Figures 3 to 5
show details of the same.
The part of the tool outside the bell 1 is supported by a horizontal tube 2
sliding through a pierced ball 3, which latter can be turned in a water-tight
journal 4 attached outside an opening in the wall of the bell. The outer end
of the said tube rests in a guide 5, which is journaled to the bell by brackets so as
to allow the apparatus to swing.
A guide 7 for an up and down movable frame 8 is firmly fixed to the outer end
of said tube 2. In this frame is journaled a vertical shaft 9 to which is fastened
another frame 10. The latter is supplied with one or more hooks 11 for the
hanging of the grapnel 12 or the like. For raising or lowering the apparatus
a tubular shaft 13 passes through the tube 2. To the outer end of said shaft 13
is fixed a pinion 14 meshing with the teeth of a rack 15 fixed to the frame 8, and
the other end of the said shaft inside the bell is provided with a ratchet-wheel 16
in which a pawl 17 catches so as to prevent the sinking down of the apparatus on
account of its weight after it has been raised to the desired height by turning
the ratchet-wheel.
In order to turn the frame 10 around the axle 9 a horizontal shaft 18 is journalled
in the tubular shaft 13. The outer end of this shaft 18 is provided with a bevel-
wheel 20 sliding up and down on the shaft 9. The bevel-wheel is held in gear
with the pinion 19 by gravitation. The frame 10 and hook 12 may thus be turned

page_text: round the axle 9 by turning a hand wheel 22 or the like attached to the inner end
of the shaft 18. A spring 23 bearing on the wheel serves to hold the frame 10 in
position.
In order to be able to turn the apparatus about a horizontal axis the inner end
of the outer tube 2 is provided with a handspike 24 which can also used in
pushing the apparatus in the longitudinal direction as well as in turning it. It
is obvious that by means of the described arrangement the hook to be fastened
to an object in the water may be turned, raised or lowered until it is in the right
place.
When the hook, grapnel or the like is hoisted upwards by means of a rope cr
wire fastened to it at the eye 25, it is automatically loosened from the tool, and at
the same time the jaws 26 grasp the object so as to raise the same.
Dated this 10th day of Anril 1897
Improvements in Tools for Diving Bells, Diving Tubes, and the like.
I, WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E., of 62, Saint Vincent Street, in the City of
Glasgow, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an apparatus by means of which a gripping tool such
as a grapnel, hook or the like may be easily attached to an immersed object to be
recovered.
The object of this invention is to provide a tool by means of which grapnels,
hooks or the like may easily be placed in position to grip or catch an object that is
to be hoisted out of the water, the said tool being manipulated inside a diving-bell,
diving-tube or the like.
The invention consists in providing a bar, frame or the like, on which the
grapnel to be manipulated is placed so that it will be detached from the same
as soon as the hoisting commences, said bar or frame being so hung or journaled
outside the diving bell or the like and so connected to suitable mechanism, passing
through a ball-joint or the like in the wall of the diving-tube that by means of
the same it may be thrust out or drawn in and turned around, as well as raised or
lowered to a certain extent by an attendant inside the diving-bell, diving-tube or
the like.
The invention may of course be carried out in many ways one of which is shown
in the drawing left with the Provisional Specification, where Figure 1 is a side-
elevation and Fig. 2 a front-elevation of a tool constructed according to this inven-
tion. Figures 3 to 5 show details of the same.
The part of the tool outside the bell is supported by a horizontal tube 2
sliding through a pierced ball 3, which latter can be turned in a water-tight
journal 4 attached outside an opening in the wall of the bell. The outer end
of the said tube rests in a guide 5, which is journaled to the bell by brackets so as
to allow the apparatus to swing.
A guide 7 for an up and down movable frame 8 is firmly fixed to the outer end
of said tube 2. In this frame is journalled a vertical shaft 9 to which is fastened
another frame 10. The latter is supplied with one or more hooks 11 for the
hanging of the grapnel 12 or the like. For raising or lowering the apparatus
a tubular shaft 13 passes through the tube 2. To the outer end of said shaft 13
is fixed a pinion 14 meshing with the teeth of a rack 15 fixed to the frame 8, and

page_text: the other end of the said shaft inside the bell is provided with a ratchet-wheel 16
in which a pawl 17 catches so as to prevent the sinking down of the apparatus on
account of its weight after it has been raised to the desired height by turning
the ratchet-wheel.
In order to turn the frame 10 around the axle 9 a horizontal shaft 18 is journalled
in the tubular shaft 13. The outer end of this shaft 18 is provided with a bevel-
pinion 19 meshing with a bevel-wheel 20 which slides up and down on the shaft 9.
The bevel-wheel 20 is held in gear with the pinion 19 by gravitation. The
frame 10 and hook 12 may thus be turned round the axle 9 by turning a hand
wheel 22 or the like attached to the inner end of the shaft 18. A spring 23 bear-
ing on the wheel 22 serves to hold the frame 10 in position.
In order to be able to turn the apparatus about a horizontal axis the inner end
of the outer tube 2 is provided with a handspike 24 which can also be used in
pushing the apparatus in the longitudinal direction as well as in turning it. It
is obvious that by means of the described arrangement the hook to be fastened
to an object in the water may be turned, raised or lowered until it is in the right
place.
When the hook, grapnel or the like is hoisted upwards by means of a rope or
wire fastened to it at the eye 25, it is automatically loosened from the tool, at
the same time the jaws 26 grasp the object so as to raise the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination with a diving-bell, diving-tube or the like, of a bar,
frame or the like, adapted to hold a grapnel or the like until the hoisting com-
mences and so hung or journaled outside the bell that it may be thrust out and
turned as well as raised or lowered, and means for thrusting out or drawing in
and turning said frame as well as for raising or lowering the same from the inside
of the bell, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with a diving bell, or the like, of a tube capable of sliding
through a ball-joint in the wall of the tube and on the inner end provided with
a suitable handle, a guide for said tube journaled in brackets or the like outside
the bell, another guide fixed to the outer end of said tube, a frame moveable up
and down in the last mentioned guide, another frame journaled in the first men-
tioned frame so as to be turned and provided with hooks or the like for holding a
grapnel or the like, a tubular shaft adapted to turn in said tube, on the outer end
provided with a pinion or the like in gear with a rack on the first mentioned frame
and on the inner end provided with a ratchet-wheel or the like, a shaft fitted to
turn in said tubular shaft, on the outer end provided with a bevel-pinion or the
like in gear with a bevel-wheel or the like on the last mentioned frame and on
the inner end provided with a hand-wheel or the like, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Januar 1900