STOPPING SPRINGS, WATER VEINS, AND CREVICES AND FISSURES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Peter Joseph Martini and Adam Wilhelin Müller, both of
IMPROVEMENTS IN
Danzig, in the Kingdom of Prussia, for an Invention of
STOPPING SPRINGS, WATER VEINS, AND CREVICES AND FISSURES, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Joseph Martini and
Adam Wilhelm Müller at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
25th May 1880.
PETER JOSEPH MARTINI and ADAM WILHELM MÜLLER, both of Danzig, in the
Kingdom of Prussia. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPING SPRINGS, WATER VEINS, AND
CREVICES AND FISSURES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Heretofore various modes and apparatus have been used for stopping up springs
or veins of water when met with in making foundations for various structures, or
in other building operations above ground, in mines, and below water, or for
stopping up crevices in brickwork, or rock, or concrete, or other materials in
general.
Now the object of this Invention is to provide a simpler, readier, cheaper, and
more effective mode and apparatus for the above purposes, and such as shall be
applicable in all cases, all as hereinafter described.
We will describe the Invention with special reference to a spring, such as may be
met with in making a dock. The well hole is first lined with an earthenware or
iron pipe passing down into the concrete bed, and with gutter outlet above.
According to this Invention, and as the general or main feature of same, the spring
water in the well hole is forced back by a superior pressure from without, and
solidifies then first any sand or loose layers it may meet with by this reversal of
the flow of the water, and all hollow spaces are finally, and under an increasing
pressure, filled with cement mortar, the pressure thereon being retained till the
cement has become thoroughly set.
In carrying out this Invention, a cylinder, by preference made of wrought iron,

page_text: is employed, which is placed on a joint ring resting on a cement bed cast on a
concrete foundation round the place of exit of spring or vein, and weighted, say, by
weights placed on an annular platform formed or placed thereon. The cylinder is
open below and closed at top, something like a diving bell, and is formed or
fitted with an upper chamber having a trap door communicating with the
atinosphere; there is also a glazed trap door between upper and lower chamber
similar to that used for pneumatic chambers employed in building the lower part
of bridge piers and other subaqueous structures.
The above cylinder being placed in position, air is forced into it so as to
counteract and drive it back or down the spring or water vein into and below the
well hole through the concrete sole, the space or spaces so evacuated of water are
then, under increased pressure, filled with slaked cement or other suitable stopping
or binding material which is pumped in; while this cement sets or hardens, the
pressure is retained, and when set, the vein or well hole, and any crevices, or faults,
or sandy or other loose layers in connection therewith or below the concrete sole
are all effectually stopped up with such cement. This cylinder takes the place of
the enclosing walls heretofore specially built up around a spring or well hole, or
may, in some cases be used in combination therewith.
The level to which the spring will rise in the above pneumatic cylinder while
open having first been ascertained, the pressure required to be used in the working
should be about one atmosphere more than the pressure corresponding to that level,
and in order to keep the joint tight the cylinder must be ballasted with one
atmosphere more than the working pressure. The engineer then enters the upper
chamber of the cylinder with a workman, bringing with them a few pieces of
cement and a trowel, the trap door to the atmosphere is then closed; being glazed
with thick, strong, transparent glass, communication is kept up with the outside by
writing. Compressed air is then forced into the cylinder, the pipe therefore
terminating below the cross partition, there is a large air vessel between the pump
and the pneumatic cylinder. The mortar or slaked cement may conveniently be
supplied by a "Noel" pump, and enters the pneumatic cylinder by a passage in
a three-way cock, another passage of which leads to the atmosphere or through a
hose back to the slaked cement supply trough; by manipulating this cock the
cement supplied is regulated as required. While the pumping is going on dry
cement is added by the operators in the cylinder as required.
When the air pump has fulfilled its function, which, towards the close of the
operation, only consists in assisting to keep the required pressure in the cylinder,
a cold water pump is used, as required, for forcing some cold water in to keep the
cement covered with water in order to prevent the compressed air from forming
holes and depressions in the setting cement. Before the cylinder is removed the
space immediately around the bore is made level, and a correspondingly ballasted
iron plate with interposed asphalt, plaster, or other joint packing is placed
thereon.
In cases where a long surface fissure has to be stopped according to this
Invention, cross walls are first built in about equal distances along the fissure, and
after suitable preparation of each section, and especially forming a lined well hole in
each, the apparatus is used for each successively, the others being meanwhile
temporarily closed by weighted covering plates on joint rings.
The cylinder may be arranged to be lifted off the ground by screws and be
placed on wheels for transport.
In cases of springs under very high pressure a cylinder is employed which is not
adapted to be entered by the operator, as just described. A somewhat taper bell
is used (without cross partition or trap door for entering into it) and all the fittings
are arranged on the cover, one of these is the three-way cock, the other the cock
for admission of air pressure as before; the pipe for the introduction of the fluid
cement is central and conical, and close to it passes through the cover an adjustable.
gauge tube in connection with a small three way cock and adjusting screw; this

page_text: tube is for ascertaining how high the water, the fluid cement, or the air stand
inside the cylinder.
An accumulator may be used in connection with one of the passages of the
small three way cock, and thus the pressure to be used after the manipulation can
be easily preserved.
Sometimes for very high spring pressure a diving bell is used, inside of which is
applied a cylinder or air vessel, open below and closed above; it terminates below
in a half spherical base; a large ring resting on a joint ring is placed round the air
vessel, the fluid cement pumped in through a three way cock forces the air out of
the lower part and compresses it into the upper part of the air vessel; an accumu-
lator is also used in the diving bell. This apparatus is also specially applicable for
closing fissures in walls.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Joseph Martini and Adam Wilhelm Müller in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 25th November 1880.
PETER JOSEPH MARTINI and ADAM WILHELM MÜLLER, both of Danzig, in the
Kingdom of Prussia. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPING SPRINGS, WATER VEINS, AND
CREVICES AND FISSURES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Heretofore various modes and apparatus have been used for stopping up springs
or veins of water, when met with in making foundations for various structures, or in
other building operations above ground, in mines, and below water, or for stopping
up crevices in brickwork, or rock, or concrete, or other materials in general.
Now the object of this Invention is to provide a simpler, readier, cheaper, and
more effective mode and apparatus for the above purposes, and such as shall be
applicable in all cases, all as hereinafter described.
We will describe the Invention with special reference to a spring, such as may
be met with in making a dock. The well hole is first lined with an earthenware or
iron pipe passing down into the concrete bed, and with gutter outlet above. According
to this Invention, and as the general or main feature of same, the spring water in
the well hole is forced back by a superior pressure from without, and solidifies then,
first any sand, or loose layers it may meet with by this reversal of the flow of the
water, and all hollow spaces are finally and under an increasing pressure filled with
cement mortar, the pressure thereon being retained till the cement has become
thoroughly set.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section through an
apparatus which may be used for carrying out this Invention, and Figure 2 a
plan of same; S, T, is a cylinder, by preference made of wrought iron; it placed
on a joint ring g, say of iudia-rubber, resting on a cement bed c cast on a concrete
foundation round the place of exit of spring or course A, and weighted say by
weights placed on an annular platform p formed or placed thereon, this is in the
first instance only for the purpose of ascertaining the hydrostatic pressure of the
spring. The crevice to be stopped is here supposed to extend down through the
concrete bed c; a, a, are chambers specially built and so as to enclose the crevice,
and m is brick work intended to weight the chamber or chambers a. The cylinder S, T,
is open below and closed at top, something like a diving bell, and is formed or
fitted with an upper chamber S having a trap door k¹ communicating with the
atmosphere; there is also a glazed trap door / between upper and lower chamber,
similar to that used for pneumatic chambers employed in building the lower part
of bridge piers and other subaqueous structures.
Should the height of the apparatus not be sufficient for the height corresponding
to the spring pressure, a special stand pipe may be fitted to the cover of the
chamber S and provided with a shut off cock, the trap door ke¹ being closed.
The above cylinder being placed in position, air is forced into it by the pipe 1 so
as to counteract and drive back or down the spring or watercourse into and below
the well hole A through the concrete sole C, the space or spaces so evacuated of
water are then under increased pressure filled with slaked cement or other suitable
stopping or binding material, which is pumped in through the cock d and pipe r;
while this cement sets or hardens, the pressure is retained, and when set the vein or
well hole A, the spaces a, and any crevices or faults, or sandy or other loose layers
in connection there with through or below the concrete sole, are all effectually
stopped up with such cement.
Having thus shortly indicated the mode of working, we will now describe the
same more minutely.
The level to which the spring or water course will rise in the above pneumatic

page_text: cylinder S, T, while open, having first been ascertained, the pressure required to be
used in the working should be about one atmosphere more than the pressure a
corresponding to that level, and in order to keep the joint tight the cylinder must
be ballasted, say on its platform p, to one atmosphere more than the working
pressure. The engineer then enters the upper chamber S of the cylinder with a
workman, bringing with them a few pieces of cement of handy size and a trowel,
the trap door k to the atmosphere is then closed by assistance from without, being
glazed with thick strong transparent glass; communication is kept up with the
outside by writing; compressed air is then on a given signal from within the
chamber S forced into the cylinder, the pipe / therefore terminating below the cross
partition; the compressed air from the air pump first enters by a pipe or hose sinto
a large air vessel W; between the pump and the pneumatic cylinder the vessel W
has a pressure guage.
In order that as much water as possible may be used for consolidating and
slaking the cavity k, it is at first important to keep the water level in the apparatus
even, and to adapt the increased air pressure thereto by a successive closing of the
three way cock d, which is easily done, when all the variations of water level in
the chamber S are signalled at once. The bore of the three way cock should be so
large that when the water column has become quiet and has been measured,
such water column has been lowered to below the pipe . The retreat of the
water in the spring course only begins after the three way cock has been quite closed,
and the fall in water level has then to be signalled at about every two inches in order
that the working of the air pumps and the preparation of a plentiful supply of
hydraulic cement mortar may be so arranged in accordance therewith, that by two
inches water level the pressure guage may indicate a atmospheres during the space of
time that the cement mortar has been prepared. The latter must be just thin enough
to be pumped. The mortar or slaked cement may conveniently be supplied by a
"Noël" pump, and enters the pneumatic cylinder T by a passage in the three way
cock d, another passage of which leads to the atmosphere, or through a hose back to
the slaked cement supply trough, according as the passage leading to the piper is
closed, by manipulating this cock d so the cement supplied is regulated as required.
The "Nöel "pump, which is started immediately the hydraulic cement mortar
has been mixed, acts in the first instance as a stirring apparatus. When the water
level in the bell has fallen to the top of the joint ring g, the order "cement" is
signalled from within, the three way-cock dis then gently turned so as to
direct the flow of mortar to the pipe 7. As regards the air pumps the order
"cement" means that they are to be worked to their full power, as the terminal
pressure a +1 atmospheres must be reached while the mortar is yet thin fluid, that
is, in about five to ten minutes time from the beginning of the pumping. While
the pumping is going on, dry cement is added by the operators in the cylinder as
required.
"
Then also keep stirring the mortar with the trowel, all the time watching and
keeping up communication with the ouside as to all that takes place within and
without. The compressed air must not under any circumstances enter the well
hole A. It is advisable to regulate the working of the "Nöel
pump so that the
mortar in the bell T keeps about the same level of 2 inches. Following this
injunction affords the desired opportunity to be able to wash out the "Nöel "
with clean water (the cock d being turned) as soon as the mortar begins slowly to
fall, a few minutes after the maximum air pressure has been reached. The remaining
quantity of dry mortar required has then to be added while fluid mortar is pumped
in again, and in a so much better consistency because the pump is clean.
pump
The compressed air divides the superfluous water from the mortar by its pressure;
it therefore produces a comparatively quick setting, and, at the same time, takes
advantage of every accidental lowering of the level to produce deep hollows.
"
About 15 to 20 minutes after the order "cement" the order" water should issue
from within the apparatus, showing that the cement mortar has acquired a certain
consistency and will not penetrate any further.

page_text: When the air pump has thus fulfilled its function, which towards the close of the
operation only consists in assisting to keep the required maximum in pressure of
a1 atmospheres in the cylinder, a cold water pump is started instead for forcing
some water in to keep the cement covered with water in order to prevent the com-
pressed air from forming holes and depressions in the setting cement; this pump is
not shown in the Drawing; it may conveniently be bolted to the chamber T.
When the pressure gauge goes back this water pump is put to work three or four
strokes, and the water goes through a pipe curved backwards and then slanting into
the chamber, flowing down the inner walls. The water level having thus risen to the
upper edge of the bottom angle iron of the chamber T, the two men go out of the
apparatus carefully, closing the entry flap ⁄² after them, and the air cock / to the
air chamber S, having first been opened from without on their signal. After some
15 to 18 hours the apparatus is entered again. It need hardly be said that by
charging of the chamber S the air cock h², and immediately after by the removal of
the water from the bottom of the chamber T, the threeway cock & must be mani-
pulated in accordance with the work done by the air pumps.
The object is now to supersede the pneumatic pressure on the cement mortar by
iron ballast enclosed into the chamber and placed on the mortar, so that the
apparatus may be lifted off and removed, and used in some other place. The pipe
is removed, and the fresh cement mortar, in a radius of about fifteen inches round
the spring hole A, is removed down to the firm cement layer c. In order to
transfer the pressure between the somewhat more deeply situated cement core in A
to the ballast bed plate (which may be of wrought iron, about one inch thick and
twenty inches square) we use a layer of thick tar cement (consisting of cement, tar,
and unslaked lime) placed over the spring hole A to about one inch over the cement
layer c.
If the iron covering plate or bed plate when ballasted per square inch of the
spring hole with a + 1 atmospheres shows about the same play at the corners over
the cement layer c, then it may be assumed that the stopping is effectual, and will
not be impaired by taking off the pressure of the compressed air.
The weights having been removed from the platform p, the apparatus is lifted off
from the place by means of the screws v forced against wooden planks, and may be
transported further on greased ways.
In case of springs under very high pressure a cylinder is employed, which is not
adapted to be entered by the operator, as just described. A somewhat taper bell
is used (without cross partition or trap door for entering into it), and all the
fittings are arranged on the cover, one of these is the three way-cock, the other the
cock for admission of air pressure as before; the pipe for the introduction of the
fluid cement is central and conical, and close to it passes through the cover an
adjustable gauge tube in connection with a small three way cock and adjusting
screw; this tube is for ascertaining how high the water, the fluid cement, or the air,
stand inside the cylinder.
An accumulator may be used in connection with one of the passages of the
small three way cock, and thus the pressure to be used after the manipulation can
be easily preserved.
Figure 3 is a vertical section, and Figure 4 a plan of such an apparatus. The
lid of the conical bell T contains all the required fittings. The compressed air is
conducted to it by the bent pipe l, and the cement mortar by the three way cock d
and the concentric pipe r, which tapers downwards to the bottom in order that the
stream of mortar may be directed unbroken to the spring hole; h is the outlet cock ;
the test or gauge tube w is fitted with three way cock v and passes through a
stuffing box in the cover by means of the hand wheel on the screw spindle a
passing through the nut m, the tube w may be raised or lowered, and by opening
the three way cock v and judging of the quality of the jet issuing therefrom it can
be ascertained how high the water, the cement, mortar, or the air stand inside the
lower part of the bell T.
The three way cock v is by a hose pipe connected to an accumulator serving to

page_text: ascertain the height a of the spring pressure.
In a similar manner may be
measured the water pressure b which is obtained when the three way cock dis
fully opened, and this is, so far, of importance, as the compressed air must enter
the bell T with this initial pressure b, in order to avoid shocks and to prevent the
spring water from entering the pipe Z. Having ascertained these things the
accumulator ceases to fulfil any office until after completed spring stopping, when
in conjunction with a cold water pump and loaded to a +1 atmospheres it is
intended to supersede the pneumatic terminal pressure by an equivalent, less
dangerous, and casier maintained hydraulic weighting of the fresh hydraulic cement
mortar.
When commencing the stopping operation the pressure gauge must show b
atmospheres before the cock of the air pipe is opened; the three way cock dis
gradually closed while the air pressure rises towards a atmospheres, and must be
quite shut when the compressed air flows out of the hitherto open outlet cock h..
Now the air pumps are worked very slowly and the three way cock v is opened,
the gauge tube w being in its highest position; this tube is, when the air blows out,.
first lowered a couple of inches, indicating the speed with which the spring water
falls in the lower part of the apparatus, so that the Noël pump may be started
when the level has fallen to a couple of inches.
For this second apparatus we must state that the raising of the air pressure from:
a to a +1 atmospheres and the retaining of such pressure is to be especially effected
by the cement pump, and the air pump is only to be used when the gauge tube
shews that the cement stands higher than about seventeen inches.
By connecting the accumulator about half an hour after the beginning of the
cement pumping, the working expenses for retaining the terminal pressure may, as
compared with the employment of the air pumps, be very considerably reduced.
Nevertheless, and in spite of the about four times greater cost of apparatus No. 1.
(the one described with reference to Figures 1 and 2) it will be found cheaper to
use it if there is work enough for it, because it stops a spring in 24 hours, while
the last described apparatus inust be left standing in situ 5 to 7 days, that is, till.
the cement has become completely hardened. The advantages of the last apparatus,
apart from special circumstances, are thus reduced to this, that it is not only
suitable for hydraulic building operations, but also in mining, where the spring
pressure is 2 atmospheres and more, and where thus the apparatus cannot be
entered into.
Sometimes when the great quantity of water delivered cannot be removed by the
pumping appliance at hand, a diving bell is used, such as T, shown in Figures 7
and 8, inside of which is applied a cylinder or air vessel, such as w, shewn in
vertical section in Figure 5, and in plan in Figure 6; it is open below and closed
above; it terminates below in a half spherical base, a large ring R, shown in Figure 7,
resting on a joint ring is placed round the apparatus, the fluid cement pumped in
through a three way cock forces the air out of the lower part and compresses it into
the upper part of the air vessel. An accumulator is also used in the diving bell.
The large ring R rests on a water cushion or other joint ring.
The compressed air forces the level of the spring water down to the line n, n.
The water accumulating at m is drawn away by the pipe Z.
The peculiar features of this apparatus partly arise from the confined space
within the bell T, and partly from this that the compressed air in the diving bell T
by itself counterbalances the spring pressure a. The ballasting of the platform p
is diminished, and what is more important, the air pumps may be dispensed with
as it is only necessary in the first instance to accelerate the work of the Noël
pumps, in order by means of the increasing cement column to drive the air out of
the half sphere, and to drive it into the absolutely tight air vessel W, reducing
it to half its volume, so that the required excess pressure of one atmosphere is
attained. If the "Noël" pumps carry some air with them along with cement mortar,
there is a danger of the compressed air finding its way into the spring excavation.
We therefore provide the half-sphere shewn in Figure 5, with gauge cocks for

page_text: ascertaining the interior level of the cement during the stopping operation and
thus to control it, and by manipulation of the three way cocks w and d to
substitute fresh cement mortar instead of the excess of air without causing a
difference of pressure.
In Figure 7 the prepared cement mortar is pumped down to the apparatus by
the pipe and three way cock d, and on the other side returns to the mortar
supply vessel by the rising pipe 3, when for the time it is not needed in the
apparatus. Within 20 or 30 minutes after beginning the cement pumping the
accumulator A situated in the bell itself is put into connection.
This apparatus is also specially applicable for closing up fissures in strong
enclosing walls. The fissure having been cleaned out well with water, it is enclosed
with a 9 inch wall on each side, see Figure 9.
Between the half-sphere K and the air vessel W we connect a knee piece w¹, in
order that the cement mortar may be made to fill all the hollow spaces right down
to the lowest level by pumping, and be forced up to the air valve q on the top
closing wall. Four screw jacks are screwed up against the platform p until the
same pressure is produced against the india rubber joint ring as could be produced
by weight as above described.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention,
and in what manner the same is or may be carried into effect, we declare that
we claim,-
First. The combined method of application of pneumatic or hydraulic pressure
for, in the first instance, stopping the outflow of water from springs or water courses
and hollows in concrete beds, rock fissures, and other places, and then increasing
such pressures for and by forcing in cement mortar or other suitable thin fluid
binding material, and so thoroughly closing up the spring courses or fissures and
hollows, substantially as set forth.
Second. The construction of the various apparatus herein described, as used in
combination with any well known pneumatic and hydraulic pumping apparatus,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Peter Joseph Martini and Adam Wilhelm
Müller, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth day of
November, in the year or our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.
PETER JOSEPH MARTINI. (L.S.)
ADAM WILHELM MÜLLER. (L.S.)