IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIVING-DRESSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIVING-DRESSES " to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to diving-dresses and comprises important improvements
as hereinafter set forth :-
Numerous attempts have been made to enable divers to descend and work under
water at great depths.
These various attempts up to the present time have not produced any practical
result; they have all failed by reason of the difficulties (which appear almost
insurmountable) experienced in moving without great effort under the enormous
pressure of deep water, in usefully employing the limbs, and more particularly the
hands, in avoiding with absolute certainty the multitudinous dangers of great
submarine depths, and finally in living and working at these depths in an almost
normal manner.
It is not sufficient, in order to solve this important problem, to combine for
instance an armoured dress or apparatus for resisting the pressure of the water
and thereby sheltering or protecting the diver from external pressure; a diver thus
clothed, will be no longer subject directly to the weight of the water, he can live,
breathe, and use his sight; but it is also necessary that he should be able to walk,
move and work without excessive effort and that the armour should, notwith-
standing the weight of the water, remain moveable, manageable and supple. This
is the real problem to be solved, and it has been solved completely, according to
the present invention, by the arrangement of articulations or joints in the diving
dress as hereinafter described.
The improved diving-dress, which can be used for descending to great depths, is
made of steel armour entirely covering the diver and provided at the joints or

page_text: articulations with impermeable linen or cloth, and, in the joined portions, with
india-rubber bands.
This armour comprises the four main portions or pieces bereinafter described,
which are connected by hermetic joints, viz, the helmet, which is spherical and is
provided with very thick glass lenses held in conical tubular pieces polished and
put in by means of red lead or putty.
The lenses.are of such dimensions and are so placed relatively to each other that
the diver can place his eyes opposite two lenses at the same time. One of these
lenses is screwed upon the helmet so as to permit its. removal when the diver is
out of the water.
Two special tubular pieces are fitted in the helmet, one at the upper part thereof
to receive the air admission tube; and the other at the left hand side of the diver's
head and within the reach of his mouth to serve for the evacuation of the air
through another tube which extends to the surface of the water.
The bust-piece which covers the breast and back and is formed in two parts or
pieces each of which carries an arm band or sleeve, constitutes the second and third
parts of the armour.
The legs or shanks form the fourth part of the armour and are connected to the
bust-piece by a joint.
.
Each of the three latter parts or pieces is composed of a series of articulations
which together permit the movements of the body of the diver.
These articulations, although differing in arrangement and proportions, are
all constructed on the same principle which is that of the equilibrium of the
pressures.
It is sufficient therefore to describe one of them, for example, the articulation for
one of the knees.
The upper and lower parts of each leg are connected at a point
which becomes the rotary axis of the articulation and at the same time the centre
of curvature for the different plates of which the said articulation is composed.
From this point as a centre a circle is described which is divided into two sectors
or segments. These segments' will evidently be similar and consequently will be
subjected to equal pressures which will act upon the axis or central pivot and
balance one another. Every strain caused by the pressures being thus transmitted
to this pivot, it is only necessary, in order to cause the plate to oscillate, to over-
come the friction of the plate upon this pivot and for this purpose there is a
leverage the ratio of which is that of the difference between the radius of the
pivot and that of the plate.
In armour thus combined there are essential points which it is important to
design in a .particular manner to render the armour absolutely tight without
impeding the movements of the plates; to close hermetically the joined parts;
and to cover the hands of the diver with a glove or protecting piece without
depriving him of the capability of seizing or holding either large or small objects.
These are the essential points which are hereinafter described.
Upon the spherical plates is placed impermeable cloth or similar material which
applies itself to the whole of the articulations, enters the spaces which separate the
plates, and covers the articulation all over. This cloth is secured above and below
the articulation in such a manner that it will not slip and will prevent the entrance
of water between the plate and the cloth. A sheet of lead or copper is soldered
upon the main plate, in which sheet the cloth is rolled and fastened; below is a
spring against which the cloth is pressed by means of brass wire.
At the extremity of the main plate at the point where the cloth is folded into
the intermediate spaces of the plates, this cloth inust be kept from wear and at the
same time the entrance of foreign bodies such as sand, seaweed or the like, into
the said intermediate spaces must be prevented; this difficulty is, according to the
present invention, overcome by simply glueing on at the proper place a band of
pig-skin with the hair on.
The joints of the connected parts are the more delicate to combine in this
respect, inasmuch as the pressures exerted upon the two pieces to be connected are

page_text: usually so great that the imperineable material which must be employed in order
to render these joints tight hardens under the pressure and loses its elasticity, thus
permitting the water to filter through when the apparatus rises from the bottom
and is subjected to lower pressures.
The above described method of jointing completely obviates this serious objection
by inserting the impermeable material into the joint, closed on all sides by flanges
or pieces one of which has grooves which fit small projections on the other piece,
so as to press the impermeable material at this point, one of the said flanges is
made with an annular projecting piece which encloses or surrounds the other flango
and prevents the impermeable material from working out of the joint; the joint
is held together by a bolt.
The glove or gauntlet is the most important part of an armoured diving-dress,
for if the diver can be protected from the pressures and enabled to move freely,
without danger and without any effort under the water; there remains the necessity
of affording him the capability of using his hands as he pleases, inasmuch as with
these only he can do any useful work at the bottom of the sea.
The hand cannot be replaced by a tool such as a hook or a pair of tongs, it is
requisite that it should operate with all its force expansion and mobility and its
complicated and diverse action.
The gloves or gauntlets are constructed according to the general system of the
plates, articulations and their joints, so that they are as movable and tight as the
other parts of the armour. They are formed of a main portion which extends
from the wrist to the fingers at the upper part of the hand; the fingers having
a peculiar folding movement on the palm of the hand, and being enclosed in a
single piece which permits this movement. The wrist turns upon itself for directing
the action of the hand. The wrist is formed of a plate sliding upon steel rollers
and separating the fore-arm from the glove or gauntlet.
Angle-irons, separated from each other by a suitable space, support the imper-
meable cloth which lines this space. When the wrist pivots upon the fore-arm,
the cloth moves into the interinediate space and rises to the edge of the angle
irons. In this action the strain of the pressures to be overcome is less in proportion
as the space is diminished; the surface subjected to this pressure is so small that
the diver has no difficulty whatever in overcoming such pressure.
The thumb requires a particular motion and a system of articulation differing
from the general system.
This special arrangement comprises steel rings upon which the impermeable
cloth is supported in a similar manner to a pair of smith's bellows, the small
surface presented by the spaces between one ring and another and between one
ring to the plate permits this very important arrangement of the parts.
The glove or gauntlet thus formed closely resembles a lobster's claw, one part of
which is very wide. The arrangement of the wide portion affords inoreover, very
great power to the hand of the diver; it enables him to hang by it, or to lift a
weight without fear of letting it slip. The upper part of the claw is bent and can
take hold of any object.
The specific gravity of apparatus even with the diver in it is less than that of
water, so that it floats easily. The lightness in the water is general as regards the
parts of the armour. Thus the diver can lift his arms and legs without difficulty
and by reason of the dimensions of the upper parts of the apparatus he can never
fall, the helmet and the shoulder-pieces being of much less specific gravity than
the lower part of the apparatus.
In order to cause the diving-dress to descend, it is necessary to provide it with
a more or less heavy weight according to the weight of the diver himself.
These weights are placed against the calves of the legs and the diver is able to
get rid of them in case of great danger.
The said weights preferably consist of rings of lead each of which is formed
of two pieces which close upon the calf of the leg and are kept locked by an
iron bar.

page_text: Whan the iron bar is withdrawn by means of a string, the rings separate and
the two parts fall one on each side of the divers foot.
It is obvious that the construction of the apparatus may be somewhat modified
without departing from the nature of the said invention.
Dated this 19th day of Anil 100%
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.
DIVINOS.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to diving-dresses and comprises various important improve-
ments bereinafter set forth.
Numerous attempts have heretofore been made to provide for enabling divers to
descend in and work at great depths under water. Such attempts, however, have
not, up to the present time, produced very satisfactory results, they have all been
more or less unsuccessful by reason of the almost insurmountable difficulty of
providing for enabling the diver to move without great effort under the enormous
pressure of deep water, to usefully employ his limbs and more particularly his
hands, and to live and work at great depths in an almost normal manner, and for
avoiding the multitudinous dangers to which the diver is exposed.
It is not sufficient, in order to solve this important problem, to devise, for
instance, an armoured dress or apparatus capable of resisting the pressure of the
water and thereby sheltering or protecting the diver against such pressure; a diver
thus clothed will not be directly subjected to the weight of the water; moreover
he can live, breathe, and use his sight under water; but it is also necessary that
he should be able to walk, move and work without excessive effort, and that the
armour should, notwithstanding the weight of the water, be always movable,
manageable and supple. This is the real problem to be solved, and its solution is
the main object of the present invention.
My improved diving dress consists of steel armour which entirely covers the
diver, and is made with joints or articulations and provided at the said joints or
articulations with impermeable or waterproof linen, cloth, or other material. The
said armour is made in parts which are united by flanges and bolts, the joints

page_text: Figure 12 a side elevation of another form or modification of my diving-dress.
Figure 13 is a section on the line y, y, Figure 12.
The said armour comprises four main portions which are connected by hermetic
joints, vizt-the helmet, the body or bust-piece which is formed of two parts, and
the lower portion or legs.
a is the helmet, which is spherical, or nearly so, and which is provided with very
thick glass lenses a¹ fitted in short conical tubes a³, and secured therein by means
of red lead or putty. These lenses are of such dimensions and are so placed
relatively to each other that the diver can place his eyes opposite either pair of the
One of the
said lenses according to the direction in which he desires to look.
tubes which carry these lenses is screwed upon the helmet, to permit its removal
therefrom when the diver is out of water. The said helmet is provided with a
pipe b at the upper part thereof to receive the air-admission tube, and with a
pipe b at the left hand side of the diver's head and on a level with his mouth, for
the evacuation of air through another tube, which extends to the surface of the
water.
The body or bust-piece c covers the breast and back of the diver, and is formed
in two parts or pieces c¹, c², each of which carries a brassart or sleeve d; these two
parts are provided with flanges c³ and are united by means of bolts, the joints
being made tight by means of india-rubber or other packing.
The helmet a, and the legs or shanks e, which constitute the lower portion of the
armour, are connected to the bust-piece c in a similar manner at ff. The said
lower portion and the arms or sleeves are provided with a series of articulations
which permit the movements of the body and limbs of the diver.
These articulations, although differing in arrangement and proportions, are all
constructed on the same principle, viz-that of the equilibrium of pressures, that
is to say, each articulation is so constructed that the pressures or forces acting upon
it, when under water, will balance each other, and therefore will not impede the
movements of the diver.
It will be sufficient to describe one of these articulations in order that their
construction may be understood. I will, therefore, describe the articulation for one
of the knees. The upper and lower parts of each leg are connected at a point g,
which is the axis of the articulation and is the centre of curvature for the different
plates of which the said articulation is composed, that is to say, the different plates
of the articulation are so curved and arranged that this point g is the common
centre of the curves of the said plates, consequently the forces or pressures to
which the articulation is subjected, when under water, will act through, or upon,
the axis or central pivot, and will balance each other. Every-strain caused by the

page_text: different pressures being thus transmitted to this pivot, it is only necessary, in
order to cause the plates to oscillate, to overcome the friction of the plates upon
the said pivot, and, for this purpose, there is a leverage available, which will be
more or less in proportion to the difference between the radius of the pivot and
that of the plates.
÷
In armour thus constructed, it is necessary to provide for rendering the joints
absolutely tight without impeding the movements of the plates, and for covering
the hands of the diver with gloves or gauntlets without depriving him of the
capability of seizing or holding either large or small objects.
Upon the spherical plates is placed waterproof cloth or similar material h,
Figure 3, which applies itself to the whole of the articulation when unfolded,
and which enters the spaces between the plates, and covers the articulation all
over, when folded. This waterproof material is secured above and below the
articulation in such a manner that it cannot slip, and the entrance of water
between it and the plates will be prevented. Figure 3 of the drawings shows the
manner in which two plates k, ke are arranged in making the articulations of my
driving-dress. i is a sheet of lead or copper, which is soldered upon the main
plate k, and in which the waterproof material is rolled and fastened as shewn ;
beneath this piece of lead or copper is formed a flange l, against which the said
waterproof material is pressed by means of brass wire, whereby it is secured upon
the armour above and below the said flange as at m, m.
At the extremity of the main plate k, where the waterproof material is folded
into the space between the plates, this material must be kept from wear; moreover,
the entrance of foreign bodies, such as sand, seaweed, or the like, into the said
intermediate space must be prevented; these results are accomplished, according to
the present invention, by simply fixing upon the said main plate at the proper
place, by any suitable means, a band n of pig-skin with the hair.or bristles left.
thereon.
The proper construction of the joints between the connected parts of armour of
the class above described is difficult, by reason of the fact that the pressure exerted
upon the said parts is usually so great that the india-rubber or other packing,
which must be employed to render these joints tight, hardens under such pressure
and loses its elasticity, thus permitting the water to percolate through even when
the apparatus rises from the bottom and is subjected to lower pressures. The above
described method of jointing, however, completely overcomes this difficulty as the
packing is enclosed in the joint, being covered by the flanges o, o' Figure 9; the
flange o has grooves o' which coincide with small projections or ribs o³ on the
flange o¹, so that the packing, at these points, is firmly gripped between the flanges
when the bolts of are tightened. The flange o¹ is made with an annular rim or
projection of, which encloses or surrounds the flange o and prevents the working
out of the packing from the joint.
The glove or gauntlet is one of the most important parts of an armoured diving-
dress, because, although provision is made for protecting the diver against the
pressure of the water and enabling him to move freely under water, without
danger and without great effort, yet there remains the necessity of affording him
the capability of using his hands as he pleases, which alone enables him to do any
useful work at the bottom of the sea.
The band cannot, without great disadvantage, be replaced by a tool, such as a
hook or a pair of tongs; it is, therefore, very desirable that the hands should be
free to operate with all their force and mobility and their complicated and diverse
action.
The gloves or gauntlets are, according to the present invention, constructed on
the general principle above mentioned, that is to say, with articulations and joints,
so that they are as movable and tight as the other parts of the armour. Each
glove or gauntlet is formed of the main portion 2, which extends from the wrist to
the fingers, the wrist-piece p¹, and the piece p³, which covers the fingers. These
pieces or parts are connected by articulations. The fingers are capable of folding

page_text: upon the palm of the hand, being enclosed in a single piece which permits this
movement. The wrist-piece is arranged to turn upon its axis to permit the free
use of the hand. The said wrist-piece is fitted to slide within the part d', Figure 8,
upon steel rollers p³. Angle-pieces q, q¹ separated from each other by a space q³,
support the waterproof material which, when the parts are in the position shewn,
fits within the said space. When the wrist is turned or moved upon the fore-arin
or part d, the waterproof material moves within the said space, and to the edge of
the angle-pieces. In this movement the pressure to be overcome is less in pro-
portion to the diminution of the said space; the surface subjected to this pressure
is so small that the diver has no difficulty whatever in overcoming such pressure.
The thumb-piece requires a peculiar motion and an articulation differing some-
what from those above described. Figures 6 and 7 shew a special arrangement of
this part, which permits a compound motion; r¹, r¹, are steel rings, upon which the
waterproof material is supported in a similar manner to the leather of a pair of
smith's bellows; the small superficial area.of the spaces between these rings, and
between one or other of the said rings and the adjacent part of the glove or
gauntlet, permits the requisite movements of the parts.
The glove or gauntlet thus constructed resembles a lobster's claw, one part or
jaw of which is very wide. The form and arrangement of the wide portion,
inoreover, afford very great power to the hand of the diver, enabling him to hang
or suspend himself by means of his hands or to lift a weight without the liability
of letting it slip. The upper part or jaw of the claw is capable of taking hold of
any object, by reason of the curvature of its inner surface.
The specific gravity of the apparatus, with the diver in it, is less than that of
water, so that it floats easily. This lightness in the water is general as regards the
parts of the armour, therefore the diver can lift his arms and legs without difficulty,
and, by reason of the dimensions of the upper parts of the diving-dress he cannot
fall, the helmet and the shoulder-pieces being of less specific gravity than the lower
part of the diving-dress.
To cause the diving-dress to descend in water, it is necessary to provide it with
more or less heavy weights according to the weight of the diver. These weights
are preferably placed upon the calves of the legs, and provision is made for
enabling the diver to get rid of them in case of great danger.
In Figures 1 and 10, I have shewn a peculiar arrangement of the weights, which
preferably consist of rings s of lead, each of which is formed of two pieces, which
close upon the calf of the leg and are locked by an iron bar or bolt t. When this
bar or bolt is withdrawn by means of the cord t, the rings separate and the two
parts of each ring fall one on each side of the diver's foot. This simple arrange-
ment for dis-connecting the weights will be readily understood by referring to
Figure 1.
It is obvious that the construction of the apparatus may be somewhat modified
without departing from the nature of the said invention.
The modification shewn in Figures 11, 12 and 13 will be readily understood
without further description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as cominunicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. A diving dress provided with articulations so formed or constructed as to
ensure equilibrium of the pressures to which they are subject when under water, as
above specified.
Second. The glove or gauntlet constructed and arranged substantially as, and
for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The employment, at the edges of the plates, of a piece of skin or hide
with the hair or bristles left thereon, as, and for the purpose, specified.

page_text: Fourth-The improved means for connecting the parts of the arinour or diving-
dress, substantially as described with reference to Figure 9 of the drawings for the
purpose specified..
Fifth. The improved means for securing to the armour or diving-dress the
waterproof material which covers the articulations, substantially as described with
reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, for the purposes specified..
Sixth. The combination of parts comprising the glove or gauntlet connected
with the part., substantially as set forth, whereby I provide for permitting the
free movement of the hand, as above specified.
•
Seventh. The employment of the rings of lead and means for attaching the
same to, and detaching them from, the diving-dress, as, and for the purposes,
specified.
Eighth. The improved diving-dress consisting of the parts constructed and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 9 of the
drawings for the purposes specified.
Ninth. The modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 11, 12 and 13 of
the drawings.