IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING ROADWAYS UNDER WATER
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Chalmers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1861.
I, JAMES CHALMERS, of Montreal, Canada, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING ROADWAYS UNDER WATER,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing roadways
under water, and consists in submerging tubes of suitable dimensions and
construction, in place of having recourse to tunnelling as heretofore. The
shape and form of the tubular roadway, may be varied, but it is preferred
that such tubular roadway for deep water should be of a circular section,
having a rectangular inner way formed therein, as thereby the pressure of
the water at great depths may be divided between the tubes by allowing
the leakage of the outer or circular tube to collect between it and the
inner one until it obtains such pressure as the inner or square tube may
safely carry, then drawing it off through valves into the inner tube, thus
relieving by reaction the pressure on the outer or circular tube. The
lengths or sections of a tubular way have each bulkheads or partitions, one
near each end which are of a strength to resist the pressure of the water
when the length or section is submerged, and when it has been emptied

page_text: of water.
Each end of a length or section of the tubular way is also formed
with inner flanges as well as with an outer flange. The construction of a tubular
roadway may be commenced from either shore or bank, but it is believed
that generally it will be preferable to commence at a spot intermediate of the
two shores or banks, of the river, sea, or other water, through and submerged
in which a tubular roadway is to be constructed. In order to commence the
works at a point intermediate of two shores or banks a tower is first submerged
of such dimensions as to descend to the bottom of the water, and to ascend
to some height above its upper surface, provision being made for connecting
the ends of the tubular ways on opposite sides of the tower in like manner
to that in which the ends of the lengths or sections of the tubular way
are connected end to end when they are submerged. In the tower suitable
steam engines, pumps, and machinery are to be constructed in order to
pump away the water in the tower and to keep it free from water. The
lengths or sections of the tubular roadway are in succession floated out to
the positions they are to occupy, and are then submerged and coupled up,
and their inner flanges rivetted or connected by screw bolts and nuts, and
as each length or section of the tubular roadway is in succession coupled
up, the water used therein to aid in submerging it is allowed to flow from
it into the sections previously submerged, and thence to the tower where
the water is raised and pumped away. And in order to have a clear way
through the sections or lengths of tubular roadway between the tower and
the length next to the one last submerged, the bulkheads or partitions
are removed as the work proceeds, the outermost bulkhead or partition
remaining till another section or length has been submerged, and has been
affixed to the end of the one previously submerged, and the work is so
carried on that the pressure of the outer water acts on the last submerged
section or length of the tubular way to force it against the end of the one
previously submerged and fixed. In order to retain the sections or lengths
of the tubular way from floating when they are empty, each section is
formed with hollow chambers, which are open above, but enclosed on all
sides, and at the bottom these chambers surround the tubular way, and by
having deposited therein a quantity of stones retain them from rising when
once submerged and got correctly into position, the chambers being loaded
before running off the water contained in the section or length, and
before releasing the section or length from the tackle used in submerging
it. A section or length of the tubular way having been floated into the
position where it is to be submerged, it is made fast to the tackle employed,
and a quantity of water is allowed to enter, but not sufficient to cause it

page_text: to sink, the section or length retaining a quantity of its buoyancy is gradually,
drawn down under the water by means of tackle, and brought with its end.
against the end of the section or length previously submerged and fixed.
The tackle used for submerging the sections consists of chains which are
passed through blocks or suitable apparatus anchored or fixed below the.
water in such manner as to bear. the strain of submerging the sections or
lengths of the roadway, and such tackle and apparatus is so arranged and
worked that the section or length, which for the time is being lowered shall
be submerged to the proper depth, and the depth and position of it indicated
as the work proceeds. In order to ascertain when the end of a length or
section of the tubular roadway has been brought into position or nearly so,
there are openings in the bulkheads or partitions fitted with strong glass,
through which, by the aid of strong light from within the fixed part of the
tubular way, the presence of the end of the section or length which is being
brought into position may be seen, and so soon as the ends have come.
together correctly the end pressure will be greatly increased by withdrawing
some of the water which is in the space between the two bulk heads or
partitions of the two sections or lengths of the tubular way, which have by
the working of the tackle been brought together.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said. James Chalmers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th September 1861.
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CHALMERS, of Montreal, Canada, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give: and grant unto
me, the said James Chalmers, Her special licence that I, the said James
Chalmers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Chalmers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times.
thereafter 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 Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING ROADWAYS
UNDER WATER," upon the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Chalmers, 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 James Chalmers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
:
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing roadways
under water, and consists in submerging tubes of suitable dimensions and
construction, in place of having recourse to tunnelling as heretofore.. The
shape and form of the tubular roadway may be varied, but it is preferred that
such tubular roadway for deep water should be of a circular section, having a
rectangular inner way formed therein, as thereby the pressure of the water at
great depths may be divided between the tubes by allowing the leakage of the
outer or circular tube to collect between it. and the inner one until it obtains
such pressure as the inner or square tube may safely carry, then drawing it
off through valves into the inner tube, thus relieving by reaction the pressure
on the outer or circular. tube. The lengths or sections of a tubular way have
each bulkheads or partitions, one near each end, which are of a strength to
resist the pressure of the water when the length or section is submerged, and
when it has been emptied of water. Each end of a length or section of the
tubular
way is also formed with inner flanges, as well as with an outer flange.
The construction of a tubular roadway may be commenced from either shore
or bank, but it is believed that generally it will be preferable to commence at
a spot intermediate of the two shores or banks of the river, sea, or other
water, through and submerged in which a tubular roadway is to be constructed.
In order to commence the works at a point intermediate of two shores or
banks, a tower is first submerged of such dimensions as to descend to the
bottom of the water, and to ascend to some height. above its upper surface,
provision being made for connecting the ends of the tubular ways on opposite
sides of the tower in like manner to that in which the ends of the lengths or
sections of the tubular way are connected end to end, when they are sub-
merged. In the tower suitable steam engines, pumps, and machinery are
to be constructed, in order to pump away the water in the tower, and to keep
it free from. water. The lengths or sections of the tubular roadway are in

page_text: succession floated out to the positions they are to occupy; and are thén sub-
merged and coupled up, and their inner flanges rivetted or connected by screw
bolts and nuts, and.as each length or section of the tubular roadway is in
succession coupled up, the water used therein to aid in submerging it is
allowed to flow from it into the sections previously submerged, and thence to
the tower where the water is raised and pumped away. And in order to have
a clear way through the sections or lengths of tubular roadway between the
tower and the length next to the one last submerged, the bulkheads or
partitions are removed as the work proceeds, the outermost bulkhead or
partition remaining till another section or length has been submerged, and
has been affixed to the end of the one previously submerged, and the work is
so carried on that the pressure of the outer water acts on the last submerged
section or length of the tubular way, to force it against the end of the one
previously submerged and fixed. In order to retain the sections or lengths of
the tubular way from floating when they are empty, each section is formed
with hollow chambers; which are open above but enclosed on all sides, and at
the bottom these chambers surround the tubular way, and by having deposited
therein a quantity of stones retain them from rising when once submerged
and got correctly into position, the chambers being loaded before running off
the water contained in the section or length, and before releasing the section
or length from the tackle used in submerging it. A section or length of the
tubular way having been floated into the position where it is to be submerged,
it is made fast to the tackle employed, and a quantity of water is allowed to
enter, but not sufficient to cause it to sink; the section or length retaining a
quantity of its buoyancy; is gradually drawn down under the water by means
of tackle, and brought with its end against the end of the section or length
previously submerged and fixed. The tackle used for submerging the sections
consists of chains, which are passed through blocks or suitable apparatus
anchored or fixed below the water in such manner as to bear the strain of
submerging the sections or lengths of the roadway, and such tackle and
apparatus is so arranged and worked that the section or length which for the
time is being lowered shall be submerged to the proper depth, and the depth
and position of it indicated as the work proceeds. In order to ascertain
when the end of a length or section of the tubular roadway has been brought
into position, or nearly so, there are openings in the bulkheads or partitions
fitted with strong glass, through which, by the aid of strong light from within
the fixed part of the tubular way, the presence of the end of the section or
length which is being brought into position may be seen, and so soon as the
ends have come together correctly, the end pressure will be greatly increased

page_text: by withdrawing some or the water which is m the space between the twe
bulkheads or partitions of the two sections or lengths of the tubular way which
have by the working of the tackle been brought together.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a section or profile of a channel or river, and of the outline
of a tubular roadway; Figure 2 shews a section of ventilator; such ventilator
will be best constructed of iron and stone, e and d being two circular vertical
shells or tubes with stonework built between them. The bottom m may in
order to give strength) be a double cellular bottom, the cells may be filled.
with concrete when built, launched, and sunk in its place. The water between
the shells e and d may be pumped out, and the stonework built.
a is the
ventilator or chimney that draws the smoke and foul air from the flues f, f,
which are used when the width of the water is great; b is space for a light-
house where one is required, as. in a navigable channel; g, g, level of the road-
way, the space between the bottom m and the roadway is for drainage; h, h,
joinings of tubes to. ventilator, they will be joined in the same manner as they are
joined to each other, as hereafter described; h, i, one length or section of tubular
roadway sucli as may be submerged at a time. When the surface or bottom is
ascertained to be uneven, the chamber k can either be shortened by reducing
the height, or lengthened by adding blocks of timber, as shewn under chamber k,
and the other chambers may be partly open in the bottom, allowing material
to pass through and form a bottom on the bed of the stream or channel, as is
shewn at the chamber ; or when it is desirable to make something more per-
manent than a simple iron tube, by lining it with brick or otherwise, the whole
tube may be covered by an embankment as in section Figure 3. When required
at great depths the tubes may be double, a rectangular within a cylindrical tube,
and water may be allowed to collect in the spaces w, w, w, (Figure 4)
between them until it attains such a pressure as the inner or square tube may
safely carry, then drawn off through valves into the inner tube. The space f
is reserved for ventilation where required. a, a, a, a, Figures 4, 5, 6, and 8,
are the boxes or chambers for loading down the tubes, and b, b, b, Figure 8
are the open parts to renew the loading. These boxes will be best made of
iron plates, rivetted together and attached to the tubes by angle iron. Figure 5
shews method of joining the tubes together under water. Figure 6 shews an
elevation of the ends of two tubes joined together. Figure 7 shews a method
of guiding the ends together. The bolt h is fastened inside of tube A when

page_text: secured in its place. This bolt has attached to its end a wire cable (see
Figure 5) which, while a tube B is on the surface of the water, is passed
through a hole in flange b, and as the tube B descends to its place the bolt h
guides the flange b till it rests on the cone c; a circular cone surrounds the
bolt hole in the flange g, and the flange b is a semicircular projecting flange
which overlaps the flange g, and guides the end of the tube B to the end of the
one previously fixed in its place; when the ends are firmly brought together
they are joined as in Figure 5. Tube A is shewn to be fixed in its place, and
freed from water inside of the partition c. Through the dead lights in the said
partition c, aided by strong reflecting lamps, it will be seen when the flanges of
the ends of the tubes A and B come together; then the valve e is opened, allow-
ing the water between the partitions c and d to escape through tube A, when the
outer pressure on tube B will force the flanges 6 and 9 together, and as they
have an elastic or compressible substance between them a water-tight joint will
thus be made, and men will be able to pass into the space between the par-
titions c and d, and by bolting the flanges f, f, together they will make a
permanent joint. The tube B is then to be loaded down, the bolt h will be
withdrawn, the partition d will be removed. The operations will be repeated at
the other end of the tube B, when another length of tube is lowered.
tube B is furnished with a partition c and valve e, the same as in tube A, and
the work thus continued until the tubes reach the shore. When the depth is
not great a plain cylindrical tubular passage may be formed strengthened by
angle or T-iron, with floor and ceiling, as in section Figure 3, or with floor
only, as in section Figure 8.
The
In witness whereof, I, the said James Chalmers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JAMES CHALMERS. (L.S.)