IMPROVEMENTS IN ENABLING PERSONS TO REMAIN UNDER WATER, AND IN NOXIOUS VAPOURS
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
AMABLE DE SAINT SIMON SICARD, Chemist, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day
of August (One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two), in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Pierre Amable de Saint Simon Sicard, my exors, adiñors, and
assigns, Her special license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said Pierre Amable de Saint Simon Sicard, my exors, adiñors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Pierre Amable de Saint Simon Sicard,
my exors, adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENABLING PERSONS TO REMAIN
UNDER WATER, AND IN NOXIOUS VAPOURS;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Pierre Amable de Saint Simon Sicard,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in

page_text: which clamps the metal ring at the neck of the dress tightly around the ring
on the helmet. The helmet, Figure 2, is of metal, and is nearly sperical in
form; it has three glasses inserted in front; the centre one is round, and the
two side ones are of an oval form; it has a valve at the top to let out any
impure air, if necessary; it is also furnished with two tubes V and c', the use
of which will be hereafter explained. The cuirasse consists of two parts to
enable the diver to enter; the one in front is marked 1, the one behind r,
they can be fastened together with a sort of hinge joint, with a moveable pin,
as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The box or knapsack which the diver carries
on his shoulders is divided into two compartments; the one r is divided by
means of pipes and plates, as shewn at u, Figure 7) in such a manner as to
cause the air which enters by the pipe y to traverse it from top to bottom
many times before it again issues by the pipe 6. The passage f', which is
closed by a screw plug when the apparatus is in use, is for the purpose
of emptying and cleaning the machine; a similar passage at the top e' is for
the purpose of introducing the chemicals with which the vessel is to be
charged, which must be of such a nature as rapidly to absorb carbonic acid;
but I prefer to use a mixture of subacitate of lead with caustic potash,
the intention being to absorb the carbonic acid which the man forms in
breathing. The other compartments is for the purpose of containing oxygen
at a pressure of about twelve atmospheres; it is filled by means of a force
pump through the tap 9, which has a covert to protect it when the apparatus
is in use. The oxygen is drawn out of this vessel for use by means of the
small cock h, which is turned by means of an endless screw which is in con-
nection with the rod K', by means of which the diver regulates the quantities
of oxygen.
After passing this tap h¹ the oxygen passes by the small tube d*
into the tube b just as it leaves the absorbtion compartment. Thus the
contaminated air which leaves the helmet by the tube V looses its car-
bonic acid in the vessel r, after which it passes through the tube d², and
is again supplied with oxygen, and returns by the tube c' in a fit state
to be again respired. The girdle, Figure 5, consists of three pieces of
metal, which are jointed together and fastened in front by means of the
screw n. To this girdle is attached the ballast weights q, q, the weight of
which will depend on the depth to which it is desired to descend. The
cords p, p, pass over the shoulders and are fastened in front by means of
the rings i, i. The lamp, Figure 9, consists of a chamber A', which is filled
with compressed oxygen and hydrogen through the cock N, the mixed gases
issue through the cock 0 (which is turned from the handle P by means of an
endless screw), through a safety apparatus B, consisting of several thicknesses

page_text: of wire cloth, and afterwards is caused to pass frequently through water
contained in the tubes C. The gases again pass through wire cloth at D, and
then pass to the burner G, where they are ignited in contact with a piece of
pure lime contained in a spiral of platinum wire, as seen at H. The lantern I
is closed at J by means of a glass, which is retained in its place by a ring of
metal which is screwed into the circular hole in the lantern. The steam
which is formed by the combustion passes out at K into the tube L, which
is bent into a serpentine form to increase the surface in contact with the.
external water, by which means the steam is partially condensed, the con-
densation being completed in the condenser M, which is furnished with two
valves T and U, the former being used to let out any uncondensable gas which
may accumulate, and the latter to let out the condensed water after use. The
chair, Figure 11, consists of a seat U, perforated with holes to enable the
water to pass through with facility; it has also a foot board X, and two boxes
at the sides Y, Y, which may be used for containing tools. The whole is
raised and lowered by means of a rope attached to a ring on the top of the
upright bars Z, Z.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would remark, that the diver's dress is for the
most part similar to what has before been used; I do not, therefore, claim the
same. But what I claim is, the combined apparatus herein described for
enabling a person to remain under the water, or in noxious vapour and gases,
without being supplied with air from the surface of the water or from the
external atmosphere; and I also claim the combination of apparatus for
enabling a lamp to burn under the water.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Amable de Saint Simon Sicard,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
P. A. DE ST SIMON (L.S.) SICARD.
Taken and acknowledged by Pierre
Amable de Saint Simon Sicard (party
hereto), at Paris, in the Empire
of France, this 16th day of Feb-

page_text: This is the Specification referred to in the Affidavit of Samuel Carpmael,
sworn before me this 19th day of February, 1853.
D. DREW.
Samuel Carpmacl, of Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
maketh oath and saith, that he is acquainted with the manner and character of
the handwriting of Thomas Pickford, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at
Paris, in the Empire of France; and this Deponent further saith that the
signature "Thomas Pickford," set, subscribed, or written in the margin of the
Specification hereunto annexed, marked A, and dated the Sixteenth day of
February now instant, and purporting to be executed by Pierre Amable de
Saint Simon Sicard, of Paris aforesaid, Chemist, whereby it is stated that the
said Specification was acknowledged by him, the said Pierre Amable de Saint
Simon Sicard, before the said Thomas Pickford, on the Sixteenth day of Feb-
ruary, at Paris aforesaid, is of the proper handwriting of the said Thomas
Pickford.
Enrolled the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.