THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING SUBMARINE ELECTRICAL TELEGRAPHIC WIRES, LINES, CABLES, OR OTHER CONTRIVANCES OF A LIKE SORT
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Reinhold Edward Kaulbach at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th October 1865.
I, REINHOLD EDWARD KAULBACH, of No. 9, Grove Road, St. John's Wood, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR
LAYING SUBMARINE ELECTRICAL TELEGRAPHIC WIRES, LINES, CABLES, OR OTHER
CONTRIVANCES OF A LIKE SORT," to be as follows:-
The formation of a permanent way or bridge beneath the surface of the
ocean for the support and carrying through of the said wires, lines, cables, or
other contrivances of a like sort, by means of which it may be intended to
transmit the electric current from shore to shore; the said permanent way
or bridge to consist of a series of vessels or condensers stationed along the
whole of the intended line of communication at distances to be determined
according to circumstances or requirement, sunk to an average depth of seven-
teen fathoms, and firmly moored to the bed of the sea. The said vessels or
condensers are constructed of copper, steel, iron, or any other metal of suffi-
cient strength and tenacity, and are of the form shown in Fig. I. (side
elevation) and Fig. II. (end elevation), which form however may be varied
for the sake of convenience without in any way affecting or departing from
the nature of and principle whereon the said Invention is founded. Tho
aforesaid. vessels or condensers are perfectly air-tight, and of sufficient strength
to resist a pressure of eight or ten atmospheres. Each vessel or condenser.
is traversed by a longitudinal tube A, B, Figs. I. and III., also. of copper,

page_text: steel, iron, or any other metal of sufficient strength and tenacity. The said
tube widens, and is open at both ends, where it becomes somewhat bell-
shaped, and allows of a free passage for the water through the entire length
of the vessel. These mouths of the aforesaid longitudinal tube are respec-
tively provided with a clasp, which is placed at the neck or narrowing of the
tube, as shown at C, Fig. II.; C, C, Fig. III.; and C, Fig. IV. The said
clasps are of metal, and are intended to receive and attach to the vessel or con-
denser the aforesaid wires, lines, cables, or other contrivances of a like sort.
The lower half of each clasp is a fixture, and is supplied with semicircular
grooves e, f, g, h, i, Figs. II. and IV., wherein the aforesaid wires, lines,
cables, or other contrivances of a like sort rest. The upper half, supplied
with corresponding semicircular grooves, is not only moveable as a whole, but
each groove is separately moveable, and may be raised from or brought into
contact with its corresponding semicircular groove in the lower half of the clasp
by means of a screw 8, 8, Figs. I. and III., each separate groove having a
distinct screw, worked by a key common to all. By this arrangement the
whole or a portion of the upper half of each clasp may be screwed down till
it firmly grips and secures all or any one of the said wires, lines, cables, or
other contrivances of a like sort, while on the other hand any one of the said
wires, lines, cables, or other contrivances of a like sort may be removed,
changed, or repaired without disturbing or otherwise interfering with the
working of the adjacent wires, lines, cables, or other contrivances of a liké
sort. In addition to the aforesaid longitudinal tube each of the said vessels
or condensers has two vertical tubes a, b, Fig. III., and a, b, a', 61, Fig. IV.,
the lower extremity of these tubes descending to within one inch of the
bottom of the aforesaid vessel or condenser, while the upper extremity is
supplied with a valve box V, Fig. III.; V, V, Fig. IV. Into this valve box
about half way descends a shorter vertical tube d, Figs. I., II., and III., and
d', Fig. IV., but of the same diameter as the longer tube just mentioned;
the aforesaid shorter vertical tube being closed at its lower end by a valve v,
Fig. IV., connected by a rod r, Figs. I., II., III., and IV., with the lever L,
Figs. I. and III; the necessity of having a separate lever for each valve
being obviated by springing a semicircular are from each fulcrum, and
starting the beam from the summit of the said arc. Finally, each of the
aforesaid vessels or condensers is provided with a manhole M, Figs. I., H.,
III, and IV., a gauge cock G, Fig. III., and an air cock P,.Fig. III., the
two latter having respectively a moveable metal cap m, ml, Figs. I. and II.,
for the sake of protection. The principle on which the aforesaid apparatus is
worked is as follows:-The air cock P, Fig. III., is opened while the con-

page_text: necting rod r, Figs. I., II., III., IV., is detached from the lever so as to
allow the valve v, Fig. IV., to drop. The buoyancy of the aforesaid
vessel or condenser being known, also the collective weight of the said
wires, lines, cables, or other contrivances of a like sort attached thereto,
and of the moorings whereby the said vessel or condenser is made fast to
the bottom of the sea, it is clear that if the remaining buoyant power after
deducting the aforesaid collective weight of the wires, lines, cables, or other
contrivances of a like sort, and the moorings be equally counterpoised, the
said vessel or condenser will sink. It is equally clear that the said vessel or
condenser thus sunk if relieved of the aforesaid counterpoise or additional weight
will instantly rise again to the surface. It is necessary therefore that. the
aforesaid counterpoise or additional weight shall be of such a nature as to be
easily cast off below water whensoever it may be required, and then only. To
supply this desideratum the very element in which the said vessel or con-
denser is immersed presents itself. The air cock as above stated being open,
the requisite quantity of water is let into the body of the vessel through the
aforesaid vertical tubes; that being done the valves are again connected
with the lever, which by its own weight causes them to remain hermetically
closed. A condensing pump is then attached to the air cock, and air is
forced into the said vessel until it reaches the required pressure of eight to
ten atmospheres. These conditions being fulfilled, the vessel or condenser as
already said will sink, but in so doing it will deposit at the bottom of the
ocean a proportionate length of chain or cable whereby it may be moored
until its specific gravity becomes equal to that of the surrounding element,
when its downward course will cease. But better to ensure the position of
the aforesaid vessel or condenser at a given depth beneath the surface, and its
maintenance there, the above principle is carried out in a different way, that
is, at a distance of one hundred feet or so from the anchorage end of the
chains or cables, whereby the said vessel or condenser is moored, a certain
weight is attached, while only the requisite complement or proper quantity of
water is put into the vessel or condenser to cause it to sink until the aforesaid
weight has been deposited at the bottom. To denote the position of the said
vessels or condensers below water a buoy floating on the surface is attached to
each from the ring O, Fig. I. Thus one continuous line of buoys will denote
the course of the aforesaid submarine electrical telegraphic bridge or per-
manent way from shore to shore. To each buoy there is likewise hooked a
chain in connection with the extremity o, Fig. I., of the lever. When it is
required to bring the vessel or condenser again to the surface, the said chain in
connection with the lever is detached from the buoy, and carried on board ship,

page_text: attached to a windlass, when sufficient power. being applied to raise the lever
and open the valve, the pressure exercised by the. condensed. air within the
vessel being thrice that of the outward pressure of the water, the water within
the vessel is expelled through the now open vertical tubes, and the said vessel
or condenser thus gradually losing its weight and becoming more buoyant
rises to the surface. Furthermore, messages may be sent from mid ocean
along one or all of the said wires, lines, cables, or other contrivances of a like
sort for the transmission of the electrical fluid by any ship or ships lawfully
privileged to use the same, and this is done in the following manner :-At one
end only of the. longitudinal tube A, B, Figs. I. and III., already mentioned,
and about one foot from the mouth of the said tube, small insulated wires
branching off from the main wires, lines, cables, or other contrivances of a
like, sort, pass through corresponding holes e, f, g, h, 2, Fig. II., in the
upper portion of the bell, and immediately uniting in a tube of gutta percha
or other non-conducting material are held by the fastening F, Figs. I., II.,
and III., whence they are carried upwards and through the buoy, to the top
of which they are finally secured in a close group, each wire terminating in a
loop and a small bead, the said beads being each of a different colour, each
colour denoting the particular place with which its corresponding wire, line,
cable, or other contrivance of a like sort is connected. The ship then attaches
its own wire to either of the aforesaid loops, and the message is thus trans-
mitted in the ordinary manner, and by means of the usual telegraphic appa-.
ratus, the surface termination of the aforesaid group of wires being covered with
a moveable metal cap to protect it when not in use. Finally, the aforesaid
vessel or condenser is fitted with a side rail, rope, or chain R, R, Figs. I., II.,
and IV., for the convenience of boats or other purposes.