AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER SUBMERGED SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Kylo, of Southend, in the County of Essex, for an
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES
FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER
SUBMERGED SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Kyle at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th June 1880.
PAUL KYLE, of Southend, in the County of Essex. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS,
APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER SUBMERGED SUBSTANCES."
Nets, netting, or cages so constructed as to be sunk and attached to the ship or object
to be raised, and in that position to be filled with balls or blocks, either by material
or construction of less specific gravity than water, for the purpose of applying
the lifting power produced by the combined bouyancy of the balls or blocks to the
ship or object, and thus raise or suspend it. The nets or cages to be made of any
suitable materials, and of any shape or form, but constructed so as to receive and
hold the balls and blocks. They are to be attached to or connected with the ship
or object by ropes, chains, levers, or other ordinary appliances. The balls or blocks
to consist of wood, cork, or other materials of less specific gravity than water, with
or without waterproof covering, or of hollow vessels or balls of wood or metal, to bo
in all cases lighter than water. The guides along or through which the balls or
blocks are forced into the sunken nets or cages to consist of tubes or framing of any
ordinary materials and construction. They are to be placed so as to lead from
fixed or floating stages or vessels at the surface of the water to the nets. The balls
or blocks are forced down these guides so as to escape into, ascend, and fill the nets
or cages.
In some cases the nets or cages may be filled with the balls or blocks before
sinking them. Caissons or other vessels constructed or adapted to hold the balls
or blocks may be used to aid as auxiliaries to or independently of the nets or cages.
The balls or blocks can be injected through the guides into available spaces in the
interior of the ship to act in addition to the external nets.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Paul Kyle in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 14th December
1880.
PAUL KYLE, of Southend, in the County of Essex. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS AND VESSELS,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER SUBMERGED SUBSTANCES."
My said Invention relates to a combination and construction of apparatus and
appliances for raising sunken ships, vessels, and other submergod substances in a
more effectual and economical manner than is accomplished by any means at
present in use.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a side elevation or
side view of a sunken ship having nets attached to it, and also a vessel or floating
stage on the surface of the water; Figure 2 shews an end view of the same;
Figure 3 shews an end view of the ship and a longitudinal view of a caisson fixed
transversely over it. The sunken ship delineated on the Drawings is to be taken
for and to represent thercon any other submerged substance to which my Invention
may be applied. It will be seen that those parts only which are necessary for
explanation are drawn in detail.
A is the sunken ship; B, B, are the nets sunk and attached to the ship or
substance to be raised; C, C, are cables or chains extended on each side of the ship;
D, D, are cross chains or ropes extending between and connected with the main
cables C, C; E is a floating stage or vessel on the surface of the water; F, F, are
guides down which the balls or blocks H are forced; G, G, are weights applied to
sink the balls and blocks; H, H, are the balls and blocks in process of filling the
nets; I, 1, represent mooring chains or cables to the vessel E; J, J, are pendulous
oscillating segments connected with the guides F, F; Figure 3 represents a caisson
K fixed transversely over the sunken ship A; L, L, are bent levers connected with
the caisson; M, M, studs or fulcra on which the bent levers L work; N, N,
adjustable bars acting against the upper arms of the bent levers L.
The nets B, B, shewn on Figures 1 and 2 are made of hempen rope, iron wire,
links of iron connected by rings, or of other ordinary materials, and by any
ordinary process of manufacture. The meshes are adapted to the strain and
requirements of the operation, the only limitation of their openings being that of
preventing the escape of the balls and blocks. The cages are constructed of rigid
frames of bar or angle iron having ties and stays internally to strengthen them,
and having wire or other netting attached where required. The shapes and
dimensions of the nets and cages vary according to requirements, and the degreas
of their flexibility depend on the materials of which they are constructed. The
nets are rendered easily manageable in the water by filling them in part with the
balls or blocks before sinking. The nets B, B, when sunk are attached to the ship A
or substance to be raised by means of cables or chains C, C, extending externally
from end to end, or between any intermediate parts of the ship along the keel or
other lowest accessible parts thereof. These cables or chains may be in one length
on each side of the ship, or in several lengths to be united when sunk, the nets and
cages being attached to the cables C, C, by means of shackles and eyes, or other
usual methods of connecting such. The cables or chains C, C, are connected with
cach other or with the ship by bolts, chains, or other ordinary means of connection
applied to or through the keel, ribs, or other parts having strength sufficient to
resist the lifting strain, and also by the cross chains or cables D, D, which pass
through or under the ship. The nets and cages can also be held in the required
positious by beams or girders passing through or out of the ports of the ship, or
other apertures made for the purpose in it, or attached to the ship in any ordinary

page_text: manner, so as to project over or through the nets or cages. The nets and cages
B, B, are attached to any accessible parts of the sunken ship.
The letters H, H, Figures 1 and 2, represent the balls and blocks. The balls are
constructed of pieces or shavings of cork or other light woods and materials brought
by pressure into globular shapes of the required dimensions, and covered with india.
rubber, gutta percha, canvas prepared with oil and paint, or with other waterproof
materials. The blocks are constructed of pine or other of the lightest woods in
hollow cubical forms, having the joints made watertight by white lead or other
means; they may be filled under pressure with cork or other light materials, but
they aro to be empty by preference where the joints are thoroughly watertight.
Solid balls or blocks of light wood saturated in oil, or first charred and then
saturated, may also be used. Hollow balls of copper or other metals, or balls of the
samo in part hollow having internal stays of poplar, cane, or metal tubing, or other
materials are also applicable. The forms of the balls and blocks vary from the
globular and cubical where necessary, and their dimensions also vary according to
requirements.
The letters F, F, Figures 1 and 2, represent the guides through which the balls
or blocks are forced down into the sunken nets B, B. They consist of four angle
or tec irons held together by transverse flanges or frames at their ends and at
equal distances from each other, and from the theoretical centre line of tho
descending column of the balls and blocks. For convenience of operations the
guides are constructed in lengths, each length terminating in an intermediate
transverse frame. These frames are bolted or screwed together as the continuous
guide is formed and descends in the water. Cylinders or tubing of iron or other
metals in flanged lengths may be joined together and act as guides. The guides
F, F, are suspended from and their weights are carried by the vessel E, from
whence they descend to the lowest parts of the sunken nets B, B, where apertures
are provided, so that the balls and blocks on reaching these apertures ascend into
the nets, and in due process fill them. The guides F, F, may be made to enter into
the tops of the nets, extend inwards and downwards to near the lowest parts, so
that the balls, or blocks would be set free to ascend. The lower end of a guide F
delivering blocks into a net B is shown on the Drawing, Figure 1, at the net next
to the head of the ship A. G, G, are rams of sufficient weight to sink the columns
of the balls and blocks in the guides, so that one of the balls may escape into the
nets or cages B, B, at each stroke. The mechanical arrangements for working the
rams G, G, and the hoppers for feeding the guides F, F, with balls are not shewn
on the Drawings, as any machinery in common use actuated by manual or steam
power is applicable. J, J, are pendulous oscillating segments working on centres
on the angle irons or transverse frames of the guides F, F, and resting over the
columns of depressed balls and blocks, so as to act against their upward tendency
in the intervals between the strokes of the ram G. A slot in the ram allows the
segment J to fall within it, and at the same time over the descending ball or block,
where it remains until the next stroke of the ram acting on the next ball descending
forces the segment outwards. In cases of unusual depth of water, intervening
storms, sets of tide, or other conditions, lines may be used for taking down one or
a few balls at a time, and by means of disengaging links or gear setting them free
to enter the nets B, B.
The caisson K, shewn at Figure 3 on the Drawings, may be used independently
of or as auxiliary to the nets B, B. The caisson is constructed of deal or other
wood in the shape of an oblong rectangular box, having the under side or bottom
open, the-ends- and other sides being closed, or partially so, and perforated with
holes of smaller diameter than that of the balls and blocks. They are strengthened
and stayed-inside-by-ties-and-struts,-so-as-to-resist the lifting strain. They_may_
also be constructed of various shapes and sizes, and of iron or other metals, and
need not necessarily be perforated in all cases. The caissons are attached to the
sunken ship by the same appliances used for attaching the nets B, B, hereinbefore
described, and they can be also filled by the same appliances of the guides F, F,

page_text: with the balls or blocks B, B. They may also be attached as the nets and cages
are, either to the sides of the sunken ship, or transversely or otherwise over or
under it. The caisson K can also be attached to the sunken ship A or substance
to be raised by a self acting arrangement. The bent levers L, L, Figure 3, work
on studs or fulcra M, M, fixed to the caisson; their lower arms clutch the ship, tho
ends being armed with shields or fenders, so as to distribute the pressure.
Transverse projecting bars N, N, on the upper side of the caisson act against the
levers, so that when the lifting force of the balls or blocks within the caisson
exerts itself the lower arms of the levers will press against the ship. The studs
M, N, work in slots in the levers. Cross pieces are bolted to the upper side of
the caisson, so that the bars N, N, may be adjusted between any two, so that the
bent levers will fall in with the curvatures of the ship or substance to be
raised.
Detail of description or Drawings with reference to the filling of available spaces
in the interior of the sunken ship with the balls or blocks would bo superfluous, as
the arrangements for filling tho nets and caissons hereinbefore described are
applicable to that purpose by directing the tubes or guides F, F, into the interior
spaces through the hatch ways or openings specially made, care being taken to
strengthen the deck or other parts where any lifting strain injurious to the ship
would come into action."
And having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the
precise details or arrangements which I had occasion to describo or refer to, as
many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or
main features of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Kyle, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.