IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER SUBMERGED BODIES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Buchan Findlay, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER SUBMERGED BODIES."
Sealed the 12th August 1873, and dated the 19th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Buchan Findlay
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th February 1873.
I, DAVID BUCHAN FINDLAY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER SUBMERGED BODIES," to be
as follows:-
My Invention relates to a novel method of applying power to and
taking in chains or ropes used for raising sunken ships and other sub-
O merged bodies.
To carry this Invention into practice I make use of any suitable
lighter, lump, camel, pontoon, or other floating body or bodies. Across

page_text: the deck or upper part of the lighter or other floating body I place balks
of timber athwart ships, these balks of timber being of suitable strength
to suit the emergency of the case.
The balks of timber are made to
project slightly beyond the sides of the lighter, and through each end
of the balks there is formed a hole or slot to suit and to receive the
lifting chain. At each end of the balks and immediately over the lifting
chains I place blocks or cross heads of timber or metal. The lifting chain
also passes through these blocks or cross heads. Between the blocks and
the balks I place four or more hydraulic rams or screw jacks. The lifting
chains are passed round the sunken ship or submerged body to be raised.
The ends of the chain are passed up the holes or slots through the ends
of the balks on the lighter and through the blocks or cross heads
respectively, and there held in position by toggels or stoppers passing
through the links of the chain and resting on the block or cross head.
When each chain has been so fixed, the operation of lifting commences.
The hydraulic rams or screw jacks are simultaneously put into action.
They press on the under side of the blocks or cross heads, thereby lifting
the blocks or cross heads from the balks and raising the chains attached
to the submerged body. When the stroke of the rams or screw jacks
is completed, the chain is stoppered on the top of the balk by a second
toggel. The blocks are then lowered by the pressure being withdrawn
and the chain again stoppered above the block or cross head, this
process being repeated until the submerged body is sufficiently raised.
By this apparatus the raising chains may be fleeted link by link, or as
required.
In some instances the balks of timber may extend across two lighters,
the lifting arrangements being fitted on the inside of each lighter, the
submerged body can then be lifted clear. This arrangement is suitable
for shallow waters. In deep waters a single lighter or lighters lashed
together may be used.
This Invention is especially applicable to raising vessels where there
is little or no rise or fall of tide, or where the submerged body has
embedded itself into mud or sand and formed a dock out of which it has
to be raised.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Buchan Findlay in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
BUCHAN FINDLAY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said David Buchan Findlay, Her special
licence that I, the said David Buchan Findlay, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Buchan
Findlay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND OTHER
SUBMERGED BODIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
David Buchan Findlay, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Buchan Findlay, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to a novel method of applying power to and
taking in chains or ropes used for raising sunken ships and other
submerged bodies.
To carry this Invention into practice I make use of any suitable
lighter, lump, camel, pontoon, or other floating body or bodies. Across

page_text: -
the deck or upper part of the lighter or other floating body I place balks
of timber athwart ships, these balks of timber being of suitable strength
to suit the emergency of the case. The balks of timber are made to
project slightly beyond the sides of the lighter, and through each end of
the balks there is formed a hole or slot to suit and to receive the lifting
chain. At each end of the balks and immediately over the lifting
chains I place blocks or cross heads of timber or metal. The lifting
chain also passes through these blocks or cross heads. Between the
blocks and the balks I place four or more hydraulic rams or screw jacks.
The lifting chains are passed round or attached to the sunken ship or
submerged body to be raised. The ends of the chain are passed up the
holes or slots through the ends of the balks on the lighter, and through
the blocks or cross heads respectively, and there held in position by
toggels or stoppers passing through the links of the chain, and resting
on the block or cross head. When each chain has been so fixed the
operation of lifting commences. The hydraulic rams or screw jacks are
simultaneously put into action. They press on the under side of the
blocks or cross heads, thereby lifting the blocks or cross heads from the
balks, and raising the chains attached to the submerged body. When
the stroke of the rams or screw jacks is completed the chain is stoppered
on the top of the balk by a second toggel. The blocks are then lowered
by the pressure being withdrawn, and the chain again stoppered above
the block or cross head, this process being repeated until the submerged
body is sufficiently raised. By this apparatus the raising chains may be
fleeted link by link, or as required.
In some instances the balks of timber may extend across two lighters,
the lifting arrangements being fitted on the inside of each lighter, the
submerged body can then be lifted clear. This arrangement is suitable
In deep waters a single lighter or lighters lashed
for shallow waters.
together may be used.
This Invention is especially applicable to raising vessels where there
is little or no rise or fall of tide, or where the submerged body has
embedded itself into mud or sand and formed a dock out of which it
has to be raised.
The before going being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same

page_text: may be carried into practical effect, and for that purpose I have here-
unto attached a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of my Invention as will
enable any practical person to carry the same into effect. Like letters
and figures on the various views denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of a portion of a pontoon or
lighter fitted with lifting apparatus according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of same

page_text: are passed up through the holes or slots C and through the holes or
slots F, and there held in position by toggels or stoppers H, see Figures 5,
6, and 7, gripping the links of the chain, as shown in Figures 5, 6,
and 7, and resting on the blocks or cross heads D at L. When each
chain E, E, E, E, has been so fixed the operation of lifting commences.
The hydraulic rams or screw jacks G are simultaneously put into action.
They press on the under side of the blocks or cross heads D, thereby
lifting the blocks or cross heads from the balks B and raising the
chains E attached to the submerged body. When the stroke of the
rams or screw jacks G is completed the chain E is stoppered on
the top of the balk at K by a second toggel. The blocks or cross
heads D are then lowered by the pressure being withdrawn, and the
chain again stoppered above the block or cross head at L. This process
is repeated until the submerged body is sufficiently raised. By this
apparatus the raising chains E may be fleeted link by link, or as required.
The toggel shown at Figure 5 consists of a forked metal forging H with
a hinged locking piece M at one end and an eye N at the other. The
toggel shown at Figure 6 consists of the bar H and the hinged arm H³,
and the hinged locking piece M and eye N.
Having now described and illustrated the nature of my Invention, and 1
explained how the same may be carried out into practical effect, I wish
it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the dimensions of
the relative parts as shown, nor to the use of any particular lighter,
lump, camel, pontoon, or other floating body or bodies, as any suitable
floating vessel may be used, or the vessel may be built specially for the
purpose, nor do I claim the act of placing balks of timber across such
vessel as my Invention; but what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,―
Firstly. The combination of the floating body or bodies A, balks or
brackets B, with the holes or slots C, and the blocks or cross heads D,
with the holes or slots F, operated by the hydraulic rams or screw
jacks G, and raising the chain E, which is stoppered by the toggels H,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hercin-before described.
Secondly. The toggel shown and described at Figure 5 of the accom-
panying Drawings, substantially in the manner and for the purposes

page_text: Thirdly. The toggel shown and described at Figure 6 of the accom-
panying Drawings, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Buchan Findlay, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
DAVID BUCHAN
(L.S.) FINDLAY.
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.