IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas McComas, of Old Broad Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING SUNKEN
VESSELS." A communication from abroad by Samuel William Maquay,
of the Borough of Footscray, near the City of Melbourne, in the County
of Bourke, in the Colony of Victoria.
Sealed the 15th November 1867, and dated the 20th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas McComas at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th May 1867.
I, THOMAS MCCOMAS, of Old Broad Street, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS," (a communication from abroad by Samuel William
Maquay, of the Borough of Footscray, near the City of Melbourne, in the
County of Bourke, in the Colony of Victoria, to be as follows (that is
to say) :-
The Invention has reference to facilitating the raising of sunken ships or
vessels in deep or shallow waters by employing for the above purpose the
generation and expansion of hydrogen or other acriforin gases within any

page_text: suitable apparatus, by the agency and buoyancy of which the said ships or
vessels are raised, and consists of a number of bags or like receptacles
rendered water-tight by a coating of gutta percha or otherwise being placed in
the hold or otherwise attached to the ship or vessel by a network of cords of
proportionate strength to the size and weight to be raised, which said bags
are then inflated or charged with hydrogen or other light gases generated
within strong boxes, barrels, or otherwise by the action of acids on metals or
other substances, the said operation being effected either underneath or on
the surface of the water, as may be found suitable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas McComas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MCCOMAS, of Old Broad Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas McComas, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas McComas,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
McComas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at 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
RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS," (a communication to him from abroad by Samuel
William Maquay, of the Borough of Footscray, near the City of Melbourne, in
the County of Bourke, in the Colony of Victoria,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas McComas, 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 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 Thomas McComas, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention has reference to facilitating the raising of sunken ships and
vessels in deep or shallow waters by employing for the above purpose the
generation and expansion of hydrogen or other aëriform gases within any
suitable apparatus, by the agency and buoyancy of which the said ships or
vessels are raised, and consists of a number of bags or like receptacles
rendered water-tight by a coating of gutta percha or similar substance being
placed in the hold or otherwise attached to the ship or vessel by a network of
cords of proportionate strength to the size and weight to be raised, which said
bags are then inflated or charged with hydrogen or other light gases generated
within strong boxes or barrels by the action of acids on metals or other
substances, the said operation being effected either underneath or on the
surface of the water, as may be found suitable.
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect I now proceed to describe it by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures thereon
marked (that is to say) :-
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of my improved gas generating apparatus
to be employed in raising sunken vessels; Fig. 2, top or plan view thereof;
Fig. 3, transverse vertical section taken through the dotted line a, a; Fig. 4,
side view of one of the inflated bags or gas holders employed by me for raising
sunken vessels; Fig. 5, a side elevation of clamp to be used in securing the
gas holders to the ribs of iron vessels through the medium of the above-
mentioned network; Fig. 6, wood screw for holding the aforesaid netting to
the timbers of wooden ships; Fig. 7, sectional side elevation of a sunken
vessel representing the mode in which the inflated bags are arranged and
secured thereto. In each Figure the same letters of reference denote similar
corresponding parts.
A, A, cast metal cylinder; B, B, flanges for securing the top and bottom
covers to the said cylinder; C, C, jar or vessel (of earthenware or other
similar fragile material) containing the sulphuric or hydrochloric acid C³,
as shown; D, D, stopper fitting within the neck of the said jar, the
object of which is to tighten and steady the action of the rod for breaking
the jar; F, F, stuffing box passing through the cap of the cylinder to prevent
the escape of gas therefrom; G, G, clippings of zinc, iron, or otherwise
placed within the said cylinder; H, H, sea water to be united with the acid
and metallic clippings, by the decomposition of which the hydrogen or inflating
gases above referred to are obtained; I, I, wooden stand upon which the

page_text: jar containing the acid is placed so as to admit of being readily broken when
required for liberating, and enabling the said acid to mix or unite with the
water and metallic clippings, and thereby disengage the hydrogen gas
aforesaid; J, J, lugs cast upon the side of the said generating cylinders for
lifting or enabling the same to be secured to the deck of the vessel or
otherwise, through the medium of the wood, screws K, K, Fig. 6, as shown;
L, L, screw clamp employed for fixing the network to the ribs of iron vessels ;
M, M, lifting bags or gas holders composed of canvas or other suitable textile
fabric rendered gas-tight by solutions of india-rubber, gutta percha, or
otherwise; N, N, network securing the said bags to the vessel through the
medium of wood screws and clamps aforesaid; 0, 0, stop-cock, by which the
gas may be allowed to escape; P, P, hinged guard for retaining the striking
piston in position when under pressure; Q, tube for conducting gases to the
buoyant bags or cases; R, R, circular opening for the escape of gas when
rising through the water.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed and carried
into effect, I would have it clearly understood that I do not intend to confine
myself to the precise details herein-before set forth and described, as the same
may be otherwise varied without departing from the general principle of this my
said Invention; nor do I claim as new and of my said Invention the exclusive
use of the several parts, combinations, and processes herein-before described,
except when the same are employed in and for the purposes of my said
improvements, which I hereby declare to consist in raising sunken ships or
vessels by the generation and buoyancy of hydrogen or other light gases in
conjunction with portable apparatus, in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas McComas, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
THOMAS MCCOMAS. (L.s.)
Witness,
T. M. CORNOCK,
Clerk to Messrs. Weatherdon & Co.,
Law Chambers,
Chancery Lane.