IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING DOCKS AND PONTOONS, AND THE MEANS OF CLEANING, PAINTING,. OR REPAIRING THEM
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Banks Rennie, of Holland Street, Black-
friars, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF FLOATING DOCKS AND PONTOONS, AND THE MEANS OF CLEANING, PAINTING,.
OR REPAIRING THEM."
Sealed the 1st March 1864, and. dated the 5th September 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Banks Rennic
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th September 1863.
I, GEORGE BANKS RENNIE, of Holland Street, Blackfriars, Engineer, do
bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING DOCKS AND PONTOONS, AND THE MEANS OF CLEANING,
PAINTING, OR REPAIRING THEM," to be as follows:-
I construct the base or pontoon of a floating dock with each end taper or
pointed, or made bow-like on the plan, instead of square; flat, or rectangular
as heretofore, and I carry the hollow side walls only as far fore and aft as tho
sides of the pontoon are straight. By this form and arrangement considerable
saving of material is effected, and the dock is better adapted for being moored
and moved in a current or tideway. I construct the base or pontoon portion
of a floating dock, whether constructed as just described, or of any other
form, in separate chambers, or distinct portions or pieces, so as to launch
them separately, and afterwards to rivet, bolt, or otherwise fasten them

page_text: together whilst in the water. For the purpose of effecting the rivetting,
bolting, or otherwise fastening together of two or more pieces or sections of
the base or pontoon, as before described, after they have been launched,
brought together, or assembled whilst they are floating in the water, I form
and construct a hollow box of rectangular or other suitable cross section, and
of a form or shape longitudinally suited to the contour of the transverse section
of the floating dock, or of the base or pontoon portion thereof, so that the
length of the hollow box-like apparatus between the two vertical ends or
columns thereof shall rather exceed the width of the dock. Along the sides
of the base portion of the said box-like structure, and forming the side walls
thereof, as also up the sides of the vertical portions or hollow columns for a
greater or lesser distance similar plates may be fixed, or sliding plates may be
adapted thereto, so as to fit so nearly the bottom and sides, or the external
surface of the two portions of the pontoon to be secured together, and by
means of elastic material projecting from the side walls, and capable of being
pressed into and out of them in contact with the exterior surfaces of the
pontoon or pieces of the pontoon, as to adapt themselves to any irregularities of
form, so that a water-tight joint may be made around the parts requiring to
be joined.
This apparatus being sunk is placed under the separate chamber
pieces or portions of the pontoon or base of dock intended to be joined
together, and the water being pumped out of the apparatus the pressure
between the external surfaces of the pontoons and the elastic cushions which
act as fitting pieces along the edges or top sides of the walls fit closely, and
effect a water-tight joint, and the water which is contained between the side
walls of the apparatus may either be pumped out direct by means of pumps,
or it may be allowed to flow into the hollow chamber formed by the horizontal
portion of the apparatus, and from which it may be pumped; and when
emptied the workmen enter thereinto for the purpose of rivetting, bolting, or
otherwise fastening the pieces of pontoon together. The same apparatus is
intended to be employed for disconnecting the parts of pontoons or the base
portions of floating docks, as also for the purpose of examining, repairing, or
painting the submerged portions of floating docks. The vertical portions or
columns being hollow, access is afforded by means of them to the horizontal
portions of the apparatus, and workmen may readily pass down and up, and
these vertical portions may also contain pumps, and the apparatus for
driving them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Banks Rennie in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th March 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGH
BANKS RENNIE, of Holland Street, Blackfriars, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-the, in the 27th year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Banks Rennie, Her special license that I, the said
George Banks Rennie, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Banks Rennie, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING DOCKS AND
PONTOONS, AND THE MEANS OF CLEANING, PAINTING, OR REPAIRING THEM," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Banks Rennie,
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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 George Banks Rennie, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, and accompanying 2 Sheets of Drawings:-
or
I construct the base or pontoon of a floating dock with each end taper
pointed, or made bow-like on the plan, instead of square, flat, or rectangular
as heretofore, and I carry the hollow side walls only as far fore and aft as the
sides of the pontoon are straight. By this plan and arrangement considerable
saving of material is effected, and the dock is better adapted for being moored
and moved in a current or tideway. I construct the base or portion of a
floating dock, such as that described in my Patent dated the Twenty-second
day of March One thousand eight hundred and sixty, and Numbered 746,
(whether constructed as just described, or of any other form,) in separate

page_text: chambers or distinct portions or pieces, so as to launch them separately, and
afterwards to rivet, bolt, or otherwise fasten them together whilst in the water,
and in the particular manner berein-after described and set forth. For the
purpose of effecting the riveting, bolting, or otherwise fastening together of
two or more pieces or sections of the base portion of the dock after being
launched, brought together, or assembled whilst they are floating in the water,
I form and construct a hollow box of rectangular or other suitable cross
section, and of a form or shape longitudinally suited to the contour of the
transverse section of the floating dock, or of the base or pontoon portion
thereof, so that the length of the hollow box-like apparatus between the two
vertical ends or columns thereof shall exceed the width of the dock. The
sides of the base portion of the said box-like structure are continued upwards
for a certain height, and the upper extremities of these prolongations are so
formed as to receive continuous cushion pieces of vulcanized indian-rubber,
leather, or other suitable yielding or elastic material, so as to fit the bottom of
the portions of the base of the pontoon or dock to be secured together, so that
a water-tight joint may be formed round the parts requiring to be joined.
This apparatus being sunk is placed under the portions of the pontoon or base
of the dock intended to be joined together, painted, cleaned, or repaired, and
the water being pumped out of the horizontal portion of the apparatus, the
presure of water acting beneath the same causes the elastic cushions to fit
closely and effect a water-tight joint between the apparatus and the external
surface or bottom of the dock to be operated upon under water, the water
which would then be contained in the trough-like space thus formed may be
allowed to fall into the chamber formed by the horizontal portion of the
apparatus, and from which it may be pumped; and when both those spaces
ure emptied the workinen enter thereinto for the purpose of riveting, bolting,
or otherwise fastening the base portions or pontoons together, or for the
purpose of cleaning, painting, or repairing them. The same description of
apparatus is intended to be employed for disconnecting the parts of pontoons
or the base portions of floating docks. The vertical portions or columns being
hollow, access is afforded by means of them to the horizontal portions of the
apparatus, and workmen may readily pass down and up, and these vertical
portions may also contain pumps, and the appar..tus for working them. To
these vertical portions similar projecting pieces or fitting strips to those herein-
before described may be attached, for the purpose of making water-tight
connection between the vertical sides of the floating dock, to enable access to
be given thereto for the purpose of operating thereon in the manner herein-
before described; or, instead of these fitting strips being attached, they may

page_text: be made to slide back and forth. The top of the rectangular box is provided
with a series of openings or man-holes, doors to allow of the workmen passing
therethrough.
In the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings I have shown in the several
Figures thereof some of the modes or methods in which I prefer to put my
said Invention into practice.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet No..1, illustrate by a longitudinal section, a plan,
and transverse section, the general construction and arrangement of a floating
dock in accordance with the first portion of my said Invention, in which
instead of the base A of the dock (which is composed of a series of pontoons)
being formed as a parallelogram, the two ends or extremities thereof A', A',
are formed tapering or bow-like, and may consist each of one or more separate
pontoons, the side walls B, B, of the structure being carried only so far
longitudinally as to correspond with that portion of the base of the dock which
is parallel sided. 'And the central portion or compartment C, shown in the cross
section, Figure 3, (and in the plan, Figure 34, of one of the pontoons forming
the rectangular portion of the base of the floating dock, shown at Figures
1, 2, and 3,) may be formed as and serve for an air chamber, the capacity and
floatative power of which would be such as to prevent each of such pontoons
from sinking when the remaining portions of each thereof become filled
with water.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, Sheet 1, illustrate the arrangement and the details
thereof which I prefer to employ for effecting the operation of riveting,
bolting, or otherwise fastening together, or of painting, cleaning, or repairing
of two or more pieces or sections of which the base of the dock consists after
they have been launched and brought together, and whilst afloat. Figure 4
being a longitudinal clevational view, showing the rectangular box D, E, F, G,
provided with vertical hollow columns or side walls H, H, which being sunk
is placed under the portions of the base A of the floating dock to be connected
together, the side walls H, H, serving as entrances to the rectangular portion
or box D, E, F, G, and may contain the necessary pumps, connections, and
the means for working them. The top of the rectangular box D, E, F, G, is
also provided with a series of man-hole doors or openings to allow of access
being had to the under side of the dock A, the water having been first pumped
out from the box D, E, F, G, as also that which was contained in the space
o, p, q, r, and which may be allowed to pass into the rectangular box through
suitable openings, valves, or sluices provided for that purpose. Figure 5 is a
cross section of Figure 4, taken on the line A, B. Figures 6 and 7 are
detailed views, added for the purpose of showing more clearly the arrangement

page_text: :
for ensuring a water-tight joint being effected between the prolongations of
the sides of the rectangular box D, F, F, G, shown to a small scale at Figures
4 and 5. In Figure 6 this portion is shown as being formed of two plates I, I,
receiving at the upper extremity thereof the thickness of india-rubber, or
other suitable material to serve as a cushion M, to allow of a water-tight joint
being made around the parts of the base of the pontoon or dock to be operated
upon. In Figure 7 a. modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 6 is
adopted, a single plate 1' only being employed, and strengthened with gusset
pieces or stays K, K, a trough or channel L being formed, which receives the
continuous cushion piece M.
Figures 8, 9, and 10, Sheet 2, show the mode or method which I employ
in accordance with my Invention for uniting the separate chambers. forming
the pontoon or the base of the dock,, as well as the longitudinal side walls
placed on top thereof. Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the pontoons a, a,
united by angle and plate iron b, b, having wood distance and packing pieces c, c,
serving also as fenders, as shown in cross section, and to a larger scale in
Figure 10, which is a section on the the line a, ß, Figures 8 and 9. Figure 9
shows a cross section of the side wall, and its mode of attachment to the
several pontoons of the base of the dock; for this purpose vertical plates & are
.united by angle or T-irons, in such a manner as to leave a distance sufficient
to enable a workman to have access to the stuffing box of the suction and
other pipes and connections with the machinery between the side walls and
the base of the structure, as shown at e.. The angle irons and plates are so
attached to the pontoons that they can be united when afloat without leaving
or making any holes in the water-tight chambers of the structure. These
plates are further stiffened by balks of timber, in the manner shewn, which
also serve as horizontal fenders or rubbing pieces.
Having now described my said Invention, and illustrated the same in the
accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, I wish it to be understood that I do
not claim the use or employment of separate fontoons for the purpose of
.forming the base portion of a floating dock, but only the particular mode or
_method of connecting them to each other, and to the side walls of such a dock
as that patented by me on the Twenty-second day of March One thousand
.eight hundred and sixty, and Nod. 746; but what I claiin is,-
First, constructing floating docks of the kind or description herein-before
described, with a taper or bow-like projection at each end thereof, in the
manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
Second; constructing the base portion of a floating dock, such as that
patented by me on the Twenty-second day of March One thousand eight
.

page_text: hundred and sixty, and No. 746, in separate pontoons having a central air
chamber, each side wall being a continuous structure, the base of the dock
only being made up of separate pieces or sections.:
Third, the mode or method of connecting together the parts of floating
docks or pontoons, as shown to enlarged scale in Figures 8, 9, and 10,
Sheet 2.
Fourth, the apparatus herein described for the purpose of connecting
together, disconnecting, cleaning, painting, or repairing the several portions or
pontoons forming the base of the "floating dock whilst afloat, as herein
described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Banks Rennie, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.
5 Witness,
GEORGE BANKS RENNIE. (L.S.)
JAMES STEVENSON,
19, Salisbury Street, Strand, W.C.