Improvements in Diving Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Diving Apparatus.
I, HUBERT SCHON, of corner of Kaiser and Haslage Avenues, Spring Hill,
Allegheny, in the County of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, United States
of America, Moulder, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus more
especially designed for locating sunken vessels preparatory to raising the same.
The invention consists principally of a casing provided with frames having
augular flanges bolted together, panels set and fastened in the said frames, a top
bolted to the upper end of the casing and adapted for connection with a cable, and
a bottom bolted to the lower end of the said casing and carrying a weight.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims,
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement, on the lines 1-1 of
Figures 2 and 3 ;
Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a like view of the saine, on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
The improved diving apparatus is constructed of four side frames A, A',
A2 and A, each provided with vertical flanges A* extending at an angle of about
forty-five degrees to abut on an adjacent flange of the next following side, the said
abutting flanges being rigidly connected with each other by suitable bolts B.
The upper ends of the side frames A, A', A³, A³ are formed with horizontal
flanges A, forming one continuous flange around the casing to receive the top C,
fastened by bolts B¹ to the several flanges A'. A bottom D is bolted to flanges A
on the lower ends of the said frames, as plainly indicated in Figure 1, so that a
casing is formed composed of the said frames, the hollow top C, and the
corresponding bottom D. The top C is connected with a cable E for raising or
lifting the apparatus.
In the bottom D is arranged a stuffing box D', through which extends a rod Fl
screwing at its lower, threaded end F into a nut F' held on a saddle F' attached
to the weight F. The latter serves to lower the apparatus under water to the

page_text: vessel or other object, the proper location of which is desired. From the weight F
extends a lug F', resting on an arm D' depending from the bottom D, so that the
weight will not turn when it is desired to screw the rod F out of the nut F³ to drop
the weight F to permit the apparatus to rise to the surface of the water in case the
cable E breaks or for other reasons. On the upper end of the rod F¹, and within
the casing, is arranged an arm F, to enable the diver in the casing to turn the said
rod for disconnecting and dropping the weight whenever desired. On the extreme
upper end of the rod F¹ is secured a table F' for holding tools, instruments, books
and other articles.
Each of the side frames A, A1, A2, A' is provided with a horizontal cross-bar A'
in the form of a T, so as to divide each side frame into an upper and lower portion,
of which the upper portion is formed with openings like a grating A³, on the outside
of which is fitted a panel of glass H, or other transparent or translucent material,
the said panel being securely fastened in position by a frame I, bolted or otherwise
attached to the side frame. The lower portion of each side frame is open and is
adapted to be closed by a panel J, made of bronze or other suitable material.
Now, by the arrangement described, the upper portion of the casing admits light,
and the glass panels also permit rays of light to pass from the inside of the casing
to the outside-that is, through the surrounding water to the object to be
located.
In one of the sides, as shown, the side A', see Figure 3, is arranged a manhole K,
and in the adjacent side A is arranged an indicator L, preferably attached to the
corresponding panel J and serving to indicate the pressure of the surrounding
water. The top C is provided with a valved air-pipe N, and a similar air-
pipe N¹ is arranged in the lower portion of the casing, the said devices serving to
admit air to or exhaust air from the said casing.
In the upper portion, at the gratings A³, are arranged electric lights O, fed or
supplied with electricity from accumulators P, arranged in the bottom D of the
casing. The latter is also provided with legs D³ to permit of supporting the
apparatus on the top of a vessel or on the ground.
Now, it will be seen that by the arrangement described a diving apparatus can
be constructed of sufficient size to permit two or more persons to occupy the casing
for several hours without requiring a change of air. The apparatus, by being
lighted from the inside, permits the occupants to closely examine and locate a
sunken vessel or other object at the time the apparatus is lowered from a wrecking-
steamer by the cable E.
It is understood that the device is primarily intended for locating the position
of sunken vessels, but it is evident that the device may be readily utilized for other
purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. A diving apparatus, comprising a casing provided with side frames having
angular flanges bolted together, panels set and fastened in the said frames, a top
bolted to the upper end of the said casing, and adapted for connection with a cable
or other lifting device, and a bottom bolted to the said casing and carrying a weight,
substantially as shown and described.
2. A diving apparatus, comprising a casing provided with side frames having
flanges bolted together, panels set and fastened in the said frames, and electric lights
held in the said casing, and adapted to shed their light through the said panels,
to permit the occupants of the apparatus to observe the surrounding water and
objects therein, substantially as shown and described.
3. A diving apparatus, comprising a casing provided with side frames having
angular flanges bolted together, panels set and fastened in the said frames, a top
bolted to the upper end of the said casing, and adapted for connection with a cable
or other lifting device, a bottom bolted to the said casing and carrying a weight,

page_text: and means, substantially as described, for disconnecting and dropping the said
weight from within the said casing, as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of September 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.