Depositing Concrete under Water.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 26th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
Depositing Concrete under Water.
I, HENRY HAY WAKE. of Thornhill Gardens, Sunderland in the county of
Durham Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The vessel or barge is built with one or more wells in which boxes to contain the
concrete, either in bags or otherwise, are suspended by chains or wire ropes. Each
rope or chain is connected, through suitable pulleys or other gear, to the ramof a
hydraulic cylinder; the interior of this cylinder is connected, by suitable pipes and
valves, with the cylinder of a hydraulic accumulator placed in a convenient position
on board the vessel.
When the concrete is to be lowered into place the valves between the ram cylinders
and the accumulator are opened, the water is forced out of the ram cylinders and
into the accumulator cylinder by the weight of the concrete, thus lifting the ram &
weights of the accumulator.
The boxes containing the concrete are fitted with hinged bottoms locked by suitable
gear capable of being opperated from the deck so that the concrete can be let out when
the proper position is reached. When the concrete has been discharged the boxes can
be brought back into position by putting the accumulator into communication with
the ram cylinders when the water is forced by the weighted ram into the the cylinders &
thus lifting the box.
An auxiliary pump is fitted to make up for any leakage.

page_text: Depositing Concrete under Water.
I, HENRY HAY WAKE of Thornhill Gardens, Sunderland in the county of Durham,
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to ho particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
:
The vessel or barge is built with one or more well in which boxes, to contain the
blocks or concrete, either in a loose state, bags or blocks, are suspended by chains or
ropes either of wire or other material. Each rope or chain is connected through
suitable pulloys or other gear to the ram of a hydraulic cylinder or the the whole
of the ropes or chains may be suitably connected to the ram of a single hydraulic
cylinder as is most convenient; the interiors of the cylinders are connected by proper
pipes and valves with the cylinder of a hydraulic accumulator placed in a convenient
position on board the vessel. Hydraulic cylinders with their rams connected directly
to the boxes may be used in combination with the accumulator instead of the above
arrangement.
When the block or concrete is to be lowered into place the valves between the ram
cylinders and the accumulator are opened, the water is then forced out of the ram
cylinders into the accumulator cylinder by the weight of the box and its contents thus
lifting the ram and the weights of the accuniulator.
:
The boxes containing the concrete or blocks are fitted with hinged doors or bottoms
locked by suitable gear or bolts capable of being operated from the deck so that the a
bag block or loose concrete can be let out when its proper position and depth are
reached when the concrete is deposited the doors float up into position and are again
locked. The boxes can then be raised and brought back to their original position by
putting the accumulator cylinder in communication with the ram cylinders when the
water is forced by the weighted ram of the accumulator into the cylinders thus lifting
the box.
An auxiliary pump is fitted to make up for leakage and in case of damage.
In order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same shall be
properly understood I hereunto append one sheet of explanatory drawings to be herein-
after referred to by reference letters similar letters denoting similar parts in the a
several views.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the vessel.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the deck partly removed.
B B, are the boxes, for holding the concrete, supported by the chains cc which
are passed over pulleys on deck and then connected to the rams of the hydraulic
cylinders. These cylinders are connected by tho pipes x, y, z, d, and the
valves V,
V 11, to the accumulator a. p is the pump for making up waste,

page_text: from the tank W. m is the momentum or relief valve for preventing any excess of
pressure in the pipes.
The operation of lowering the larger box is as follows:-the concrete or other
material is deposited in the box B, the valves . V₁.. are opened (all other valves
being shut) the water from the cylinders h. h. is forced through the pipes .. y.. d. into
the cylinder of the accumulator by the weight of the concrete in the box thus lifting
the weighted ram. The valve is then closed, the locking gear of the bottom of the
box disengaged, the hinged bottoms open thus depositing the concrete. The valve r
is now opened and the box brought to its original position by the weighted ram
descending and forcing the water into the cylinders h.
"'
The smaller box B, is operated the same way as the larger only using the
valves VV
The valves v are used when the pump has to be connected to the cylinders or the
accumulator.
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. A vessel or barge having one or more wells in each of which is suspended a box,
to bold concrete or similar substances, suitably connected to the rams of hydraulic
cylinders and an accumulator so that the box can be lowered, the concrete deposited
and the box lifted substantially as above described.
2. In combination with a vessel or barge an accumulator connected by suitable
pipes and valves to hydraulic cylinders which are connected to boxes for holding
concrete or similar substances, all arranged so that power is stored up in the accumu-
lator by the descent of the loated box and given out again in raising the empty box
after the load has been deposited substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In combination with a vessel or large the method of lowering concrete, either
in bags or otherwise arranged, rubble, stone, clay, or similar materials and depositing
such materials by means of the above described arrangement.
4. The combination of parts forming the herein before described improvements in
vessels and machinery for lowering and depositing concrete and similar materials
under water, all constructed and arranged and operating substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 25th of January 1888