IMPROVE. MENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SINKING CYLINDERS AND OPEN COFFERS FOR FORMING FOUNDATIONS UNDER WATER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cochrane, of the Woodside Iron Works,
Dudley, Engineer and Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SINKING CYLINDERS AND OPEN COFFERS FOR
FORMING FOUNDATIONS UNDER WATER."
Sealed the 13th June 1862, and dated the 24th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cochrane at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
December 1861.
I, JOHN COCHRANE, of the Woodside Iron Works, Dudley, Engineer and
Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SINKING CYLINDERS AND OPEN COFFERS FOR
FORMING FOUNDATIONS UNDER WATER," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object "Improvements in Apparatus employed
in Sinking Cylinders and Open Coffers for Forming Foundations under
Water." For these purposes when sinking cylinders or open coffers of other
sections, there is formed at the upper part a chamber, with an opening into
it from the outer atmosphere, and also an opening into the cylinder or coffer
below. Both these openings are arranged, as heretofore, to be closed air-tight,
and are for the passage of the workmen into and out of the cylinder or coffer.
The required length of cylinder or coffer of other section is also, as here-
tofore, made in suitable lengths, provided with internal flanges to fix them
Price 811

page_text: together. The buckets to carry up the earth or materials as they are
excavated are caused to ascend and descend in a pipe or pipes which descend
from a point above the upper closed chamber down to and so as to dip into
a recess or well, if desired, where the work is being carried on. The
descending pipe is made in lengths corresponding with the longths of the
cylinder or coffer of other section, and is of such diameter as to allow a
bucket to pass up and down freely, leaving a space all round for the free
passage of water. By these means when the water is driven out of the
cylinder or coffer of other section by compressed air it will remain in the
pipe, and will stand at or about the same level as it does outside of the cylinder
or coffer. The buckets are raised and lowered by any suitable mechanism
outside of the cylinder or coffer, consequently the only workmen who will
be working in a compressed atmosphere will be those who are digging or
removing the earth or materials at the bottom of the coffer, and they will,
when they have filled a bucket, place it under the lower end of the pipe, and
attach it to a chain or rope, when the full bucket will be raised up through
the water in the pipe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cochrane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COCHRANE, of the Woodside Iron Works, Dudley, Engineer and Ironfounder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Cochrane, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cochrane, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Cochrane, 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 Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SINKING CYLINDERS AND OPEN COFFERS

page_text: FOR FORMING FOUNDATIONS UNDER WATER," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Cochrane, 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 Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be perforined, 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 John Cochrane, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 apparatus employed in
sinking cylinders and open coffers for forming foundations under water. For
these purposes when sinking cylinders or open coffers of other sections there
is formed at the upper part a chamber, with an opening into it from the outer
atmosphere, and also an opening into the cylinder or coffer below. Both
these openings are arranged, as heretofore, to be closed air-tight, and are for
the passage of the workmen into and out of the cylinder or coffer. The
required length of cylinder or coffer of other section is also, as heretofore,
made in suitable lengths, provided with internal flanges to fix them together.
The buckets to carry up the earth or materials as they are excavated are
caused to ascend and descend in a pipe or pipes which descend from a point
above the upper closed chamber down to and so as to dip into a recess or
well, if desired, where the work is being carried on. The descending pipe is
made in lengths corresponding with the lengths of the cylinder or coffer of
other section, and is of such diameter as to allow a bucket to pass up and
down freely, leaving a space all round for the free passage of water. By these
means when the water is driven out of the cylinder or coffer of other section
by compressed air it will remain in the pipe, and will stand at or about the
same level as it does outside of the cylinder or coffer. The buckets are raised
and lowered by any suitable mechanism outside of the cylinder or coffer, con-
sequently the only workmen who will be working ina compressed atmosphere
will be those who are digging or removing the earth or materials at the
bottom of the coffer, and they will when they have filled a bucket place it
under the lower end of the pipe and attach it to a chain or rope, when the
full bucket will be raised up through the water in the pipe.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.

page_text: In each of the views shown by the Drawings the same letters are used to
indicate the same parts. The cast-iron cylinders A, which in the present case
are assumed to be 6 feet diameter and 5 feet long (the dimensions, however,
may be varied) are jointed and pitched in the ordinary way, the lower cylinder
being provided with a cutting edge, and the upper one with a flange for the
attachment of other cylinders. As soon as the lower end of one of the
cylinders A is settled on the bed of a river or other place and properly adjusted,
a series of pipes B, jointed together so as to be air and water tight, is lowered
into the cylinder until the lower end of the bottom pipe is near to or on the
ground. The lower end C of these pipes is made telescopic, similar to the
sliding suction pipes used in pumps for sinking shafts, and the upper end is
provided with a flange for the attachment of other pipes. On the top of the
upper cylinder is then placed another cylinder D, having a close top E and
bottom F, so as to make it into a perfectly air-tight chamber. Through this
air chamber there passes a pipe B' similar to those in the cylinders A, and it
is jointed to the top and bottom cover plates E, F, of the air chamber in an
air-tight manner. The upper end of this pipe B' is open to the atmosphere.
The lower end of the pipe B¹ has a flange, by which it is joined to the pipe B
already fixed in the cylinders A. The joint between the air chamber and its
pipe B' and the cylinders A and their pipes is then firmly made with screw
bolts and with india-rubber packing or otherwise. In each cover of the air
chamber is a trapdoor G,G',opening inwards on a hinge, with proper packing
of india-rubber or other suitable material. In the upper trap door G is fixed
a glass bull's eye or lens H for the purpose of lighting the air chamber.
Through the side of the air chamber is a pipe J, which on the outside com-
municates with air-charging pumps; this pipe J passes through the botiom
plate or cover F, and thence into the cylinder A. The pipe J is fitted with a
reverse-action flap valve I fixed to its bottom end. In the air chamber are
fixed two small cocks, one at Lin the bottom plate to open a communication
between the cylinders A and the air chamber, and one M in the side to open
a communication between the air chamber and the outer atmosphere. The
cylinders A and air chamber having been fixed,as above described, the bottom
trap door G is shut and fastened, the two small cocks L and M are
closed, and the pumps are then set in action to drive air through the pipe J
into the cylinders A, so as to force out the water and charge the cylinders A
with air at a pressure equal to that due to the vertical height or "head" of

page_text: water through which the cylinders have passed. As soon as the water is all
forced out of the cylinders A,amandescends into the air chamber fastening the
upper door after him. He then opens the cock L and allows the air chamber
to fill with compressed air from the cylinders A. As soon as an equilibrium is
obtained he opens the lower trap door and goes down by ladders or otherwise
to the bottom of the cylinders A and commences to loosen and remove the earth,
taking care whilst doing so to have the lower telescopic pipe out at its full
length, so that in case the cylinders A descend before the earth is removed
from under the lower end of the telescope pipe it may when it comes to and is
resisted by the earth admit of the pipe B above it sliding freely within it, and
so as not to break the telescope pipe. During the operations the action of
the pumps is, of course, continued to maintain the requisite air pressure to
keep back the water. The man first excavates a well or hole under the
pipe B, and then proceeds to get the earth out of the cylinders A by loading
it into a tub or bucket, which he places in the well under the bottom pipe B,
and attaches it to a rope or chain which has been lowered from a windlass N
over the top of the pipes B. The bucket is then drawn up the pipes B
through the water. This operation is repeated as often as necessary, and
until the cylinder A has descended so far that it becomes necessary to put in
another length on the top. To admit of this being done the man ascends and
passes through the trap door into the air chamber, closing and fastening the
the door after him. He then closes the cock L, and opens the cock M to allow
the compressed air to escape. Having done this the upper trap door can be
opened to the atmosphere. He next opens the cock L to allow the air to
escape, and the water to rise in the cylinder A (the action of the pumps
having ceased when the man left the cylinder) and during its escape he takes
out the screw bolts which connect the air chamber to the upper cylinder A,
and afterwards goes through the lower trapdcor and takes out the screw bolts
which connect the air chamber pipe B! with the cylinder pipes B; it being
so arranged that this joint shall always be above water line. The air chamber
and its pipes B¹ is then taken off and laid aside, and another length of cylinder
is put on; the air chamber is again fixed as before, and the operation is repeated
until the series of cylinders A is sunk to the required depth. By thus con-
structing and combining the apparatus used in sinking cylinders or other forms
of open coffers, it will be seen that the only workmen who works in a com-
pressed atmosphere is the one who excavates or removes and loads the earth,
whilst the man or men who raise the earth work in the outer atmosphere.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
per-

page_text: forming the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any of
the parts of the apparatus separately; but what I claim is, the combination
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cochrane, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN COCHRANE. (L.S.)