IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Office for Patents
6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR." to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in placing in the sunken vessel by means of divers,
inflatable bags formed of approximately the same shape as the vacant spaces in
said vessel. These can be introduced very easily in case of necessity even by
cutting holes in the hull and inserting the bags. When the bags are inserted in
said spaces, they are inflated by means of an air pumping apparatus on a pontoon
or other vessel on the surface and pipes connecting with the nozzles of the bags.
Each of these nozzles has a cock to turn off or on. The mode of application is as
follows: The bags being placed in position, their nozzles are connected by pipes to
the air pumping apparatus and the pump set to work. If several are being inflated
at once their pipes can be led to an accumulator on the floating vessel weighted to
a given pressure. When the bags are inflated, no more air is forced in, as the
accumulator or air pump as the case may be, having a safety valve or self acting
pressure stop of any ordinary construction, stops the further addition of air.
diver now turns off the cocks, and unscrews the pipes, or if all are attached at
once, inflation goes on until the vessel rises. In practice however it will usually
be found most convenient, to inflate a few at a time, and to prevent straining the
véssel these should be scattered about different parts of the length of the vessel, or
so placed as not to put a heavy strain on the vessel, while the remainder are being
inflated. In passenger vessels bags of this sort could be carried strapped up to the
underside of the decks in various parts so that in case of danger of foundering
from springing a leak, they could be inflated and thus prevent the water entering.
Dated this Fifth day of January 1884.
A

page_text: I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Office for Patents
6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention consists in placing in the sunken vessel by means of divers,
inflatable bags formed of approximately the same shape as the vacant spaces in
said vessel. These can be introduced very easily in case of necessity, even by
cutting holes in the hull and inserting the bags. When the bags are inserted in
said spaces, they are inflated by means of an air pumping apparatus on a pontoon
or other vessel on the surface, and pipes connecting with the nozzles of the bags.
Each of these nozzles has a cock to turn off or on.
The mode of application is as follows: The bags being placed in position, their
nozzles are connected by pipes to the air pumping apparatus, and the pump set to
work. If several are being inflated at once, their pipes can be led to an accumulator
on the floating vessel weighted to a given pressure. When the bags are inflated,
no more air is forced in, as the accumulator or air pump as the case may be having
a safety valve or self acting pressure stop of any ordinary construction stops the
further addition of air. A diver now turns off the cocks, and unscrews the
pipes, or if all are attached at once, inflation goes on until the vessel rises. In
practice however it will usually be found most convenient to inflate a few at a
time, and to prevent straining the vessel these should be scattered about different
parts of the length of the vessel, or so placed as not to put a heavy strain on the
vessel while the remainder are being inflated. In passenger vessels bags of this
sort could be carried strapped up to the underside of the decks in various parts, so
that in case of danger of foundering from springing a leak they could be inflated
and thus prevent the vessel sinking.
For the better explanation of the Invention, the accompanying Drawings of the
apparatus are added. In these Fig. 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 a
sectional elevation shewing sunken vessel and the apparatus applied thereto for
raising same. A is the inflatable bag. B pipes leading from air pump to the bag.
C pump, for forcing air, of any ordinary construction. D nozzle of bag.. E tap on
nozzle. F pipe leading from nozzle to pressure guage G. H floating vessel.
I accumulator. J is the sunken vessel. K decks of same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, as communicated to me, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The improvement in the process of raising sunken vessels, which consists in
inserting inflatable bags in the various vacant places in the ship, and inflating
them, substantially as described.
2nd. The improvement in raising vessels sunken below their normal load line, by
inflating bags fixed below the decks in all vacant parts of the ship.
3rd. The improved apparatus for raising sunken vessels substantially as herein
described.

page_text: 4th. In combination with an inflating apparatus for inflating bags in sunken
vessel such as described, a valve weighted to the maximum necessary pressure on
the bags requisite to keep them sufficiently distended at the required depth.
Dated this 16th day of July 1884,
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Per J. O. O'Brien,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant,
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Per J. O. O'Brien,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.