IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN DREDGING OPERATIONS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Jules Albert Berly at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th May 1877.
JULES ALBERT BERLY, of 21, New Bridge St., London.
"IMPROVED APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN DREDGING OPERATIONS." A communication from abroad by Louis
Vasset, 37, Boulevard des Batignolles.
The improvement consists in sending a current of water either by pressure or by
aspiration in the pipe A, B, placed in the bottom of the apparatus, either closed or
open, which contains the dredged spoil; this pipe A, B, which runs through the
whole length of the receiving capacity, has several openings 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, at its
lower part, which openings are closed while the said capacity is filled with the
spoil, either by dredgers or otherwise, by means of the sluice V, moved by the
small wheels VI, V, V, which works the rods T, passing through the sheath F
which isolates them from the sand.
The apparatus can be worked in two different manners.
Firstly. Emptying by Forcing.-In order to bring a current of water to work,
induced by pressure or forcing, I place the pipe A, B, in communication with the
pipe, shewn in full lines, Fig. 2, B, G', which pipe is connected with a reservoir of
water placed at a sufficient height above the spoil receptacle to create a current of
water, or with a pump which, taking the water out of the river, forces it through
B, A, K; on this pipe G, B, is adapted a small sluice R' which sends water under
pressure in the pipe T which enters into the receptacle; these pipes, closed at their
extremity, are perforated with numerous holes, like, the pipes of watering carts.
The way in which the apparatus works is as follows:-The receptacle for mud or
sand being fitted; as above described, and the sluices C, C¹, being closed, I start the
pump which is on the pipe G¹, B, after having opened R¹ and pipe M which com-
municates with an air compressor; as soon as the water runs into B, A, I open
successively the sluice V by means of the several wheels V, V, VI, so that only
that amount of stuff, sand, or spoil will run through the openings 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
which the current of water can carry away without choking the pipe A, K, which
goes to the delivery; the sluice V can be made either in one or several parts;
the sand pressed by the atmosphere and set loose by the water which arrives by the
pipe T which I have placed along the sides, necessarily falls into the canal A, B,
whence it is carried away by the current of water and pressure of the air.

page_text: Secondly. Discharging by Suction.-When this system is used, it is not necessary
the receptacle for the sand or mud be closed, but it may have the form shewn by
the letters a, b, c, d, e, Fig. 1. The pipe A, B, is placed at the bottom, as before
described, and communicates on one side with the tube B, G, which prolongs itself
after the sluice R into the water, and at the other end joins the tube A, B, on which,
at the most convenient place, is connected the pump P, the forcing pipe of which
is prolonged to the place where the spoil, &c., has to be discharged. The sluice V
worked by the rods and fly wheels T¹, T, T¹, and the wheels V¹, V, VI, are
arranged, as before described, the rods being protected against the sand by the
sheath F, F; the pipe B, G, can take the water through the side of the boat or over
as B, G¹.
Working of the Apparatus. - The receptacle being filled with the mud or sand,
I work the pump P which sucks the water through G, B, A, P, after the sluice R
has been opened. When the current is started, I open the sluice V gradually, and
the sand pressed by the atmosphere falls into the aspired current and is carried
away to the discharge pipe, through the pump P with the water; if there was a
tendency, it would only be necessary to lower partly the sluice V for greater facility
for using the reservoir, and to meet the two cases of pressure or aspiration; the
cylindrical receiver can be made in two halves, joined together at the joint c, d.
Should it be deemed to work by pressure, the cylinder remains, as it is shewn,
but should it be desired to work by suction, the cylinder can be equally left, as it is
shewn, but the valve C, C¹, must be left open. Or in other cases the top half of
cylinder can be taken away and the sides a, b, c, d, e, Fig. 1, fitted in, either in
plank or otherwise, and the top half of the cylinder may be used in a second barge;
in that case the rods T¹ and wheel V₁ must be carried by a cross timber going from
A to E.