Improvements in or connected with Caissons or Bridges to Close and Open, or Bridge Across and Leave Clear as required, the Entrances to Graving Docks, Wet Docks, Harbours, Rivers or Estuaries, or for analogous purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Caissons or Bridges to Close
and Open, or Bridge Across and Leave Clear as required, the
Entrances to Graving Docks, Wet Docks, Harbours, Rivers or
Estuaries, or for analogous purposes.
I, WALTER ROBERT KINIPPLE of No. 3 Victoria Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be
as follows:
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with caissons and bridges
for closing and opening or bridging across and leaving clear the entrances to
graving docks, wet docks, harbours rivers or estuaries or for analogous purposes the
said caissous or bridges providing as required for the transmission of railway road-
way and pedestrian traffic over a waterway and admitting of ship or other traffic
being carried on in such manner as to dispense with what are commonly known as
swing bridges, and also the rails, and trollies, and roller boxes, and keels and
folding decks or platforms of caissons and bridges such as have hitherto been
used.
According to my present invention I provide a travelling, caisson or bridge with
a jib or cantilever, from the head of which cantilever the caisson or bridge is
wholly or partly suspended or hung from a pin the weight of the said caisson or
bridge and of the over-hanging portion of the cantilever being counteracted entirely
or nearly so by displacement tanks or compartments in the lower or that portion
of the body of the caisson or bridge which is submerged at all times of tide.
The carriage or tail of the said cantilever is attached to rollers, which run on a
rail laid on an inclined shelf or bench and against an upper or inverted rail, secured
to the underside of a corbelled or projecting course formed in each side of the
recess or berth (for the reception of the caisson or bridge when withdrawn) under
quay or other place adjoining the entrance or waterway, crossed by a caisson
or bridge the said rails being at such levels in the recess as to be easy of access
and free from mud and deposit usually found in caisson chambers and berths.
the
Motion is given to the travelling carriage and cantilever (for hauling the bridge
or caisson, into or out of the recess) by screws, hydraulic rams, endless pitch
chains or by special engines fitted in the tail or carriage of the cantilever with
driving gear attached, and worked by any suitable motive power such as steam air
water gas or electricity.
To open an entrance to a graving dock closed by a caisson, or a waterway crossed
by a bridge or for like operation the cantilever is hauled into the recess under a
quay or other place and immediately the cantilever is set in motion, the heel or
recess end of the caisson, or bridge, is depressed by rollers coming in contact with
a. curved nosing girder, across the mouth of the recess, with the effect that the
heel is brought down sufficiently low to enable it to pass under the covering plat-
form into the recess which provides for the safe housing of the whole length of
the bridge or caisson.
With the depression of the heel of the caisson or bridge motion is given by a
rack and quadrant or by levers in such manner as to cause the handrailings
simultaneously and automatically to fold or lower down below the roadway or deck
along the outside faces of the bridge or caisson so as to clear the underside of the
covering platform of the recess.
In closing an entrance, or waterway, the opposite action of lowering the nose

page_text: end of the bridge or caisson may be effected, by rollers attached to the head of the
bridge, or caisson, which in coming in contact with an abutment or an inverted
depressing plate causes the nose which consists of curved spurs with seating or
bearing plates to be so depressed and brought down as to rest firmly on to seatings
similar to those on which ordinary girders rests.
Or the cantilever may be extended across a waterway, or an entrance to a dock,
and its head be connected by a hinged joint with the nose end of the bridge or caisson
leaving the heel of the bridge or caisson free to be depressed by rollers, coming in
contact with nosing plates at the mouth of the recess which so lowers the bridge or
caisson as to enable it to pass under the covered platform, and the reverse action
of raising the heel of the bridge or caisson takes place when it is moved out of the
recess during the operation of closing the waterway or entrance. The bridge or
caisson at its heel end is kept so buoyant as to rise to quay level immediately it is
clear of the nosing plate or a similar action of raising and lowering may be
effected by placing the set of rollers nearest to the bridge or caisson on a plate or
seating which may be raised or lowered by means of screws hydraulic rams or
otherwise. By this arrangement the outstretching or overhanging arm of the
cantilever may be dispensed with and the carriage or tail end of the cantilever may
be rigidly connected with the heel of the bridge or caisson thus making the rollers
at the tail end of the carriage a fulcrum or turning point. The bridge or caisson
and carriage are caused to be so waterbourne by the displacement compartments
aforesaid that the weight to be dealt with in hauling into or out of the recess or
raised or lowered in the entrance is practically neutralized. Under this arrange
ment the rails in the recess may be laid on level instead of on inclined shelves or
benches.
When the bridge or caisson is closed, projecting spurs or seatings may be turned
or forced out from the sides of the entrance to the under seatings in the nose and
heel ends of the bridge or caisson and so the bridge or caisson be converted virtually
into an ordinary girder while the traffic is passing over it.
Provision is made for lowering the bridge or caisson down on to its bearings by
the use of adjusting tanks placed in the top portion of the bridge or caisson above
the highest water lever into which tanks water is run out or in so as to adjust the
raising or sinking of the bridge or caisson which is kept practically at all times in
a state of flotation by the displacement compartments being kept constantly
submerged. The adjusting tanks may also be used for raising the bridge or caisson
and lowering it during the operation of being passed into and out of the recess
which action may also be assisted or controlled by raising and depressing screws.
Provision is also made by allowing sufficient freedom at the centre pin or on the
rails for the bridge or caisson to freely move and fall against the cills and vertical
stop quoins on one or both sides of the caisson or entrance berth.
The caisson by the above arrangement may be grounded on the floor of the
caisson berth and by disconnecting the cantilever head or carriage which is drawn
into the caisson recess the caisson will be left free to be floated out of its berth for
repairs or other purpose.
Dated this 26th day of March 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Caissons or Bridges to Close
and Open, or Bridge Across and Leave Clear as required, the
Entrances to Graving Docks, Wet Docks, Harbours, Rivers or
Estuaries, or for analogous purposes.
I WALTER ROBERT KINIPPLE of No. 3 Victoria Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with caissons and bridges
for closing and opening or bridging across and leaving clear the entrances to
graving docks, wet docks, harbours, rivers or estuaries or for analogous purposes
the said caissons or bridges providing as required for the transmission of railway
roadway and pedestrian traffic over a waterway and admitting of ship or other
traffic being carried on in such manner as to dispense with what are commonly
known as swing bridges, and also the rails, and trollies, and roller boxes, and keels,
and folding decks or platforms of caissons and bridges such as have hitherto
been used.
According to my present invention I provide a travelling caisson or bridge with
a jib or cantilever, from the head of which cantilever the caisson or bridge is
wholly or partly suspended or hung from a pin the weight of the said caisson or
bridge and of the overhanging portion of the cantilever being counteracted entirely
or nearly so by displacement tanks or compartments in the lower part of the caisson
or bridge or that portion of the body of the caisson or bridge which is submerged
at all times of tide.
The carriage, or tail of the said cantilever is attached to rollers, which run on a
rail laid on an inclined shelf or bench and against an upper or inverted rail, secured
to the underside of a corbelled or projecting course formed in each side of the
recess or berth (for the reception of the caisson or bridge when withdrawn) under
the quay or other place adjoining the entrance or waterway, crossed by a caisson or
bridge the said rails being at such levels in the recess as to be easy of access and
free from mud and deposit usually found in caisson chambers and berths.
Motion is given to the travelling carriage and cantilever (for hauling the bridge
or caisson into or out of the recess) by screws, hydraulic rams, endless pitch chains,
or by special engines fitted in the tail or carriage of the cantilever with driving
gear attached and worked by any suitable motive power such as steam, air, water,
gas or électricity.
'
To open an entrance to a graving dock closed by a caisson or a water way
crossed by a bridge or for like operation the cantilever is hauled into the recess
under a quay or other place and immediately the cantilever is set in motion the
heel or recess end of the caisson, or bridge, is depressed by rollers coming in contact
with a curved nosing girder, across the mouth of the recess, with the effect that
the heel is brought down sufficiently low to enable it to pass under the covering
platform into the recess which provides for the safe housing of the whole length of
the bridge or caisson.
With the depression of the heel of the caisson or bridge motion is given by a
rack and quadrant or by levers in such manner as to cause the handrailings
simultaneously and automatically to fold or lower down below the road way or deck,
along the outside faces of the bridge or caisson, so as to clear the underside of the
covering platform of the recess.
In closing an entrance or waterway the opposite action of lowering the nose end
of the bridge or caisson may be effected by rollers attached to the head of the
bridge or caisson, which in coming in contact with an abutment or an inverted
depressing plate causes the nose which consists of curved spurs, with seating or

page_text: bearing plates, to be so depressed and brought down as to rest firmly on to seatings
which may be similar to those on which ordinary girders rest.
The.
Or the cantilever may be extended across a waterway or an entrance to a dock,
and its head be connected by a hinged joint with the nose end of the bridge, or
caisson, leaving the heel of the bridge, or caisson free to be depressed by rollers
coming in contact with nosing plates at the mouth of the recess which so lower the
bridge or caisson as to enable it to pass under the covered platform and the reverse
action of raising the heel of the bridge or caisson takes place when it is moved
out of the recess during the operation of closing the waterway or entrance.
bridge or caisson at its heel end is kept so buoyant as to rise to quay level
immediately it is clear of the nosing plate or a similar action of raising and lowering
may be effected by placing the set of rollers nearest to the bridge or caisson on a
plate or seating which may be raised or lowered by means of screws hydraulic
rams or otherwise. By this arrangement the outstretching or overhanging arm of
the cantilever may be dispensed with and the carriage or tail end of the cantilever
may be rigidly connected with the heel of the bridge or caisson thus making the
rollers at the tail end of the carriage a fulcrum or turning point. The bridge or
caisson and carriage are caused to be so waterborne by the displacement
compartments aforesaid that the weight to be dealt with in hauling into or out of
the recess or to be raised or lowered in the entrance is practically neutralized.
With this arrangement the rails in the recess may be laid on level shelves or
benches instead of on inclined shelves or benches. When the bridge or caisson is
closed projecting spurs or seatings may be turned or forced out from the sides of
the entrance to underneath the bearing faces of seatings in the nose and heel ends
of the bridge or caisson and so the bridge or caisson be converted virtually into an
ordinary girder while the traffic is passing over it.
Provision is made for lowering the bridge or caisson down on to its bearings by
the use of adjusting tanks placed in the top portion of the bridge or caisson above
the highest water level into which tanks water is run out or in so as to adjust the
raising or sinking of the bridge or caisson which is kept practically at all times
in a state of floatation by the displacement compartments being kept constantly
submerged. The adjusting tanks may also be used for raising the bridge or caisson
and lowering it during the operation of being passed into and out of the recess
which action may also be assisted or controlled by raising and depressing screws.
Provision is also made for lateral movement by allowing sufficient freedom at the
centre pin or on the rails for the bridge or caisson to freely move and fall against
the cills and vertical stop quoins on one or both sides of the caisson or entrance
berth.
The caisson in the above arrangement may be grounded on the floor of the
caisson berth and by disconnecting the cantilever head or carriage which is drawn
into the caisson recess the caisson will be left free to be floated out of its berth for
repairs or other purpose.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon that is
to say -
Figure 1 is a transverse section of an entrance or waterway to be bridged, and a
longitudinal section of the caisson chamber or bridge, the caisson being shewn in
elevation with part broken away the cantilever being shewn in elevation showing
the hauling machinery and adjuncts.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the caisson chamber and cantilever showing the
hauling machinery and adjuncts.
Figure 3 is a part plan of the deck of the caisson and a plan of the cantilever and
hauling machinery and adjuncts..
Figures:4, 5 and 6 are respectively a side view, an end view and a plan of the
hauling machinery....

page_text: A is a travelling caisson or bridge (I will refer to it as a caisson) having a jib or
cantilever B from the head of which jib or cantilever the caisson is wholly or partly
suspended or hung from a pin C. The weight of the said caisson and of the
cantilever being counteracted entirely or in great part by displacement tanks or
compartments in the lower portion of the caisson which is submerged at all states
of tide.
The carriage or tail D of the said cantilever is attached to rollers F which run
on rails E laid on an inclined shelf or bench and against an upper or inverted rail E'
secured to the underside of a corbelled or projecting course formed in each side of
the recess or chamber G under the quay or other place adjoining the entrance or
waterway crossed by the caisson the said rails being at such levels in the recess as
to be easy of access and free from mud and deposit usually found in caisson
chambers, berths and dock entrances. The recess or chamber G is for the
reception of the caisson when withdrawn.
Motion is given to the travelling carriage D and cantilever B for hauling the
caisson into or out of the recess by means of a hydraulic engine H carried by the
end of the tail D of the cantilever B and giving motion by the gear wheels hi to a
drum I which is divided into two sections having one end of a rope (or chain)
secured to each of them. The end of the one rope J is fixed to the back of the
nosing girder at J¹ and the end of the other rope J2 is fixed to the masonry at J³.
Motion may however be given to the cantilever by other suitable means such as by
racks, screws, endless pitch chains or rams worked by any suitable motive power
such as steam, air, water, gas or electricity.
To open the entrance to a graving dock (for instance) closed by a caisson, the
cantilever B is hauled into the recess or chamber G under a quay or other place
and immediately the cantilever is set in motion the heel or recess end of the caisson
is depressed, by a roller or rollers K at one or at each side of the said caisson
coming into contact with a curved nosing plate or girder L, across the mouth of
the recess so that the heel of the caisson is lowered sufficiently to enable it to pass
under the covering platform M into the recess G which will house the whole length
of the caisson.
With the depression of the heel of the caisson motion is given by elbow levers M
secured one to the cantilever B and one to one of the standards of the rails O or by
rack, and quadrant or other suitable means in such manner as to cause the hand
rails simultaneously to be folded or turned down below the roadway or deck P
along the outside faces of the caisson so as to clear the underside of the covering
platform of the recess, the said rails returning to their raised position when the
caisson is removed from its recess to close the waterway.
Or, the cantilever may be extended across the waterway or the entrance to a
dock, and its heel be connected by a hinged joint with the nose end of the caisson,
leaving the heel of the caisson free to be depressed by rollers coming in contact
with the nosing plates at the mouth of the recess which lower the caisson so as to
enable it to pass under the covered platform. The reverse action of raising the
heel of the caisson takes place when it is moved out of the recess during the
operation of closing the waterway or entrance; the caisson, at its heel end, is made
sufficiently buoyant to rise to the level of the quay immediately it is clear of the
nosing plate. Or a similar raising and lowering may be effected by placing the set
of rollers nearest to the bridge or caisson on a plate or seating which may be raised
or lowered by means of screws, hydraulic rams or otherwise. By this arrangement
the outstretching or overhanging arm of the cantilever may be dispensed with, and
the carriage or tail end of the cantilever may be rigidly connected with the heel
of the caisson thus making the rollers at the extreme tail end of the carriage a
fulcrum or turning point. The caisson and carriage are caused to be waterborne
by the displacement tanks or compartments T aforesaid so that the weight to be
dealt with in hauling the caisson into or out of the recess, or raising or lowering
it in the entrance is practically neutralized. With this arrangement the rails in

page_text: the recess may be laid level instead of on inclined shelves or benches as shewn in
Figure 1.
When the caisson is closed projecting spurs or seatings Q may be turned or
forced out from the sides of the entrance to come under the seatings R in the nose
and heel ends of the caisson. The nose end of the caisson may also be made to rest
on the bottom of the caisson berth at S the caisson by these means being virtually
converted into an ordinary girder while the traffic is passing over it.
Provision is made for lowering the caisson down on to its bearings by the use of
an adjusting tank or adjusting tanks U placed in the upper portion of the caisson
above the highest water level, into or from which tank or tanks water can be run
so as to adjust the raising or lowering of the caisson which is at all times kept
practically in a state of floatation by the displacement tanks or compartments T
being kept constantly submerged. The adjusting tanks U may also be used for
raising the caisson, and lowering it during the operations of passing it into, and out
of, the recess G which action may also be assisted or controlled by raising and
depressing screws.
Provision is also made by allowing sufficient freedom laterally at the centre
pin C or in the rails E for the caisson to freely move and fall against the cills and
vertical stop quoins on one, or both sides of the caisson berth.
The caisson by the above general arrangement may be grounded on the floor of
the caisson berth, and by disconnecting the cantilever head, the cantilever with its
carriage or tail can be drawn into the caisson recess when the caisson will be left
free to be floated out of its berth for repairs or other purposes. Although I have
described the drawings with reference to a caisson at the entrance to a graving
dock it will be understood that the invention is also in like manner applicable to
caissons or bridges to close and open or bridge across and leave clear as required
water ways or entrances generally.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In combination with caissons or bridges for the purposes hereinbefore
indicated a cantilever from which the caisson or bridge is suspended and by which
it is withdrawn into and moved out from the housing recess substantially as herein-
before described.
2. In combination with caissons or bridges for the purposes herein before
indicated a cantilever from which the caisson or bridge is in whole or in part
suspended and of displacement tanks or compartments by which counter-balancing
or partial counter-balancing is effected substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In combination with the subject matter of either of the preceding claiming
clauses a shelf or bench and guideways and means for imparting movement to the
caisson or bridge substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In combination with the subject matter of either of the preceding claiming
clauses the means substantially as described for depressing the heel or recess end of
the caisson or bridge below the covering platform of the housing recess.
5. In combination with the subject matter of either of the preceding claiming
clauses means substantially as described for causing the band railings to be folded
or lowered and unfolded or raised.
6. The combination with caissons or bridges for the purposes herein before
indicated adjusting tanks or compartments and means for admitting water thereto
and discharging water therefrom to raise and lower the caisson or bridge at the
required times substantially as herein before described.
7. A travelling caisson or bridge with depressing rollers at the heel thereof
working against a curved nosing plate, and drawn into a recess by means of a
cantilever fixed to a pin in the centre of the caisson, and travelling on rails fixed in
the sides of the said recess suitable motive power being provided in the tail of the

page_text: said cantilever or in other suitable position in the chamber or elsewhere substantially
as hereinbefore described.
8. In combination with the last preceding claiming clause of a cantilever fixed to
the nose end of the bridge substantially as hereinbefore described.
9. In combination with a caisson or bridge having a cantilever rigidly fixed to
the heel end thereof and of hydraulic rams by which the caisson or bridge is lifted
into its place or to coping level the said rams being placed under the rollers
carrying the carriage or tail end of the cantilever and thus acting as a fulcrum as
hereinbefore described.
10. The arrangement and combination of parts as a whole constituting a caisson
or bridge and means for operating it substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of Dicember 1809
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.