Improvements in Apparatus for Maintaining Torpedoes, Sub- marine Mines, Buoys, Floating Breakwaters, Floating Piers, or other Floating Bodies at a Constant or nearly Constant Depth below the Surface of the Water.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Maintaining Torpedoes, Sub-
marine Mines, Buoys, Floating Breakwaters, Floating Piers,
or other Floating Bodies at a Constant or nearly Constant
Depth below the Surface of the Water.
We, RICHARD MATTHEWS RUCK of Prospect Row Chatham in the County of
Kent Captain R.E. and EDWYN JONES of Woodcote Dower House Wallington in
the County of Surrey Barrister at Law do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING TORPEDOES,
SUBMARINE MINES, BUOYS, FLOATING BREAKWATERS, FLOATING PIERS, OR OTHER
FLOATING BODIES AT A CONSTANT OR NEARLY CONSTANT DEPTH BELOW THE
SURFACE OF THE WATER" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for maintaining
torpedoes, submarine mines, buoys, floating breakwaters, floating piers or other
floating bodies at a constant or nearly constant depth below the surface of the
water when the depth of water is increased or decreased either by rise and fall of
tide or by any other means at the same time giving no indication of the presence
of these bodies at, or above the surface of the water.
The Invention is applicable to :-
(1). The concealment of floating bodies and explosive charges when placed under
water in positions where fluctuations of the water level occur.
(2). The construction of floating breakwaters and floating piers in similar
positions in such cases the caissons or other floating bodies which support the
upper structure can be kept at such a depth below the surface as is required to
protect them from wave and wind action: at the same time the moorings can be
maintained "taut" so that the position on plan of the breakwaters or piers will not
be altered whilst the water level fluctuates.
The way in which these objects are obtained is as follows: the method is
illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
In Figures 1 and 2, A represents the floating body, B is what we term the
counterpoise, C is a chain graduated in size and weight, P is a pulley and S is the
anchor or sinker, D is the mooring rope or chain.
•
The counterpoise B consists of a metal case of suitable size and weight either
open at the bottom or closed by a flexible waterproof diaphragm.

page_text: The counterpoise may also consist of a compressible waterproof bag completely
closed and weighted in a suitable manner.
The chain is constructed of a certain number of different sizes and lengths of
ordinary metal chain or it may be specially manufactured to consist of a number
of links of different weights. The heaviest part of the chain is at the bottom and
the lightest is next the counterpoise. It is not absolutely necessary that this part
of the system should be chain: a weighted rope might do, and it need not pass
round the pulley but the light end would be attached to the counterpoise whilst the
heavy end rested on the ground-in this case the counterpoise would be connected
to the floating body A by a mooring rope or chain of uniform size passing round
the pulley.
The pulley is made of suitable size and material, and is provided with means of
attachment to the anchor or sinker either by swivel or otherwise; guards are also
provided to keep the chain in position whilst passing round the pulley and also to
prevent cables from being carried round the block thus causing it to jamb.
In Figure 1 the floating body is represented in position at the time of low water
whilst in Figure 2, it is shewn at the time of high water.
The principle of the Invention is as follows:-
Supposing the time to be that of low water, as the water level rises, the pressure
on the air in the counterpoise increases, more water therefore enters through the
aperture at the bottom, or in the case of a collapsing bag the volume of air becomes
smaller, hence the buoyancy of the counterpoise will decrease and it will sink: as
it sinks however, the chain will pass round the pulley and the floating body will
rise; a certain weight of chain will then be suspended from the floating body
instead of from the counterpoise and a new position of equilibrium will then be
taken up another rise of water level will produce a similar result and thus the
floating body will rise as the water level rises as the water level falls, the inverse
action takes place and the floating body falls whilst the counterpoise rises.
By calculating the weights of chain for every foot of rise of water level, the
system can be so arranged that the floating body will maintain a constant depth
below the surface whilst the water level fluctuates.
In very shallow water, the floating bodies can be moored by means of two
pullies as shewn in Figure 3.
In rather deeper water the method of mooring shown in Figures 1 and 2 can be
adopted, and in deep water, either of the arrangements shewn in Figures 4, 5 and 6
can be used.
The mooring rope or chain of the floating body can be made to pass through a
ring or rings attached to the counterpoise in order to prevent any twisting action :
this is shewn in Figure 7.
Where a cable is attached to the floating body it can be led away as shewn in
Figures 8, 11 and 12.
In Figure 11 a small portion of the cable near the ground is wound into a spiral
which acts as a spring and this allows no slack cable whilst the buoy it is attached
to rises and falls. In Figure 12 the cable is shewn wound spirally round or
attached to the mooring rope or chain as far as the pulley where a spiral is made of
sufficient length to allow for the rise of the buoy A.
In some cases it may be desirable to keep the floating bodies at or near the
bottom until required at any particular time: this can be done by the methods
shown in Figures 9 and 10 where L is the explosive link usually employed for such
a purpose in Figure 10, two sinkers or anchors S¹ and S* will be required.
It may be desirable in certain cases to employ one counterpoise with a number of
floating bodies: one pulley for each buoy &c. would be required and one drum or
large pulley for the counterpoise.
Instead of using a pulley, a wheel and axle arrangement might be used, or a
drum, the ends of the chain and mooring rope being made fast on to the wheel and
axle or drum. Or the weighted chain may be dispensed with altogether and a
spring used instead in connection with the pulley wheel and axle or drum. In this

page_text: case the mine and counterpoise would be in connection round the pulley, wheel and
axle or drum by an ordinary mooring rope or chain-as the pulley revolves one
way it would compress a spring in connection with it, and on revolving in the
opposite direction, the compression of the spring would be reduced.
In the case of floating breakwaters and piers, large caissons will have to be used
of a size suitable to the work and position, they could be moored as shown in
Figure 13.
A wire rope from the caisson passes round each pulley and is attached to the
counterpoise and the heavy chain rests on the ground-or it may also be arranged
as in the case of the submarine mines where the chain forms part of the mooring
of the buoys or counterpoise.
In the case of a floating breakwater or pier, all the caissons for buoys and
counterpoises would be attached together, that is to say chains or rigid structures
would connect all the buoys together and the same with the counterpoises.

page_text: We RICHARD MATTHEWS RUCK of Prospect Row Chatham in the County of
Kent Captain R.E. and EDWYN JONES of Woodcote Dower House Wallington in
the County of Surrey Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING TORPEDOES,
SUBMARINE MINES, BUOYS, FLOATING BREAKWATERS, FLOATING PIERS, OR OTHER
FLOATING BODIES AT A CONSTANT OR NEARLY CONSTANT DEPTH BELOW THE
SURFACE OF THE WATER," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for maintaining
torpedoes, submarine mines, buoys, floating breakwaters, floating piers, or other
floating bodies at a constant or nearly constant depth below the surface of the water
when the depth of water is increased or decreased either by rise and fall of tide
or by any other means at the same time giving no indication of the presence of
these bodies at, or above the surface of the water.
The Invention is applicable to :-
(1) The concealment of floating bodies and explosive charges when placed under
water in positions where fluctuations of the water level occur.
(2) The construction of floating breakwaters and floating piers in similar
positions in such cases the caissons or other floating bodies which support the
upper structure can be kept at such a depth below the surface as is required to
protect them from wave and wind action, at the same time the moorings can be
maintained "taut" so that the position on plan of the breakwaters or piers will not
be altered whilst the water level fluctuates.
The way in which these objects are obtained is as follows:-the method is
illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
In Figures 1 and 2, A represents the floating body, B is what we term the
counterpoise, C is a chain graduated in size and weight, P is a pulley and S is
the anchor or sinker, D is the mooring rope or chain.
The counterpoise B consists of a metal case of suitable size and weight either
open at the bottom or closed by a flexible waterproof diaphragm.
The counterpoise may also consist of a compressible waterproof bag completely
closed and weighted in a suitable manner.
The chain is constructed of a certain number of different sizes and lengths of
ordinary metal chain or it may be specially manufactured to consist of a number
of links of different weights. The heaviest part of the chain is at the bottom and
the lightest is next the counterpoise. It is not absolutely necessary that this part
of the system should be chain; a weighted rope might do, and it need not pass
round the pulley but the light end would be attached to the counterpoise whilst
the heavy end rested on the ground-in this case the counterpoise would be
connected to the floating body A by a mooring rope or chain of uniform size
passing round the pulley.
The pulley is made of suitable size and material, and is provided with means of
attachment to the anchor or sinker either by swivel or otherwise; guards are also
provided to keep the chain in position whilst passing round the pulley and also to
prevent cables from being carried round the block thus causing it to jamb.
In Figure 1 the floating body is represented in position at the time of low water
whilst in Figure 2 it is shewn at the time of high water.
The principle of the Invention is as follows:-
Supposing the time to be that of low water, as the water level rises, the pressure
on the air in the counterpoise increases, more water therefore enters through the
aperture at the bottom, or in the case of a collapsing bag the volume of air becomes

page_text: smaller hence the buoyancy of the counterpoise will decrease and it will sink; as
it sinks however, the chain will pass round the pulley and the floating body will
rise; a certain weight of chain will then be suspended from the floating body
instead of from the counterpoise and a new position of equilibrium will then be
taken up another rise of water level will produce a similar result and thus the
floating body will rise as the water level rises-as the water level falls, the
inverse action takes place and the floating body falls whilst the counterpoise rises.
By calculating the weights of chain for every foot of rise of water level, the
system can be so arranged that the floating body will maintain a constant depth
below the surface whilst the water level fluctuates.
In very shallow water, the floating bodies can be moored by means of two
pullies as shewn in Figure 3.
In rather deeper water the method of mooring shown in Figures 1 and 2 can
be adopted, and in deep water, either of the arrangements shown in Figures 4, 5
and 6 can be used.
#
The mooring rope or chain of the floating body can be made to pass through a
ring or rings attached to the counterpoise in order to prevent any twisting action,
this is shown in Figure 7.
Where a cable is attached to the floating body it can be led away as shewn in
Figures 8, 11 and 12.
In Figure 11 a small portion of the cable.near the ground is wound into a spiral
which acts as a spring and this allows no slack cable whilst the buoy it is attached
to rises and falls. The cable is a light armoured cable rendered spiral by winding
it upon a bar. The bar is taken. out and a spiral spring cable is the result;-In
Figure 12 the cable is shown wound spirally round or attached to the mooring
rope or chain as far as the pulley where a spiral is made of sufficient length to
allow for the rise of the buoy A.
In some cases it may be desirable to keep the floating bodies at or near the
bottom, until required at any particular time; this can be done by the methods
shewn in Figures 9 and 10 where L is a small explosive charge attached to a link
in a short length of chain; on exploding the charge the chain is severed; in
Figure 10 two sinkers or anchors S₁ and S. will be required.
It may be desirable in certain cases to employ one counterpoise with a number
of floating bodies, one pulley for each buoy &c. would be required and one drum or
large pulley for the counterpoise.
Instead of using a pulley, a wheel and axle arrangement might be used, or a
drum, the ends of the chain and mooring rope being made fast on to the wheel and
axle or drum. Or the weighted chain may be dispensed with altogether and a
spring used instead in connection with the pulley, wheel and axle or drum. In
this case the mine and counterpoise would be in connection round the pulley,
wheel and axle or drum by an ordinary mooring rope or chain-as the pulley
revolves one way it would compress, a spring in connection with it, and on
revolving in the opposite direction, the compression of the spring would be
reduced.
:
In the case of floating breakwaters and piers, large caissons will have to be
used of a size suitable to the work and position, they could be moored as shewn in
Figure 13.
A wire rope from the caisson passes round each pulley and is attached to the
counterpoise and the heavy chain rests on the ground-or it may also be arranged
as in the case of the submarine mines where the chain forms part of the mooring of
the buoys or counterpoise.
In the case of a floating breakwater or pier, all the caissons for buoys and
counterpoises would be attached together, that is to say chains or rigid structures
would connect all the buoys together and the same with the counterpoises.
The application of the Invention to breakwaters and piers is further illustrated
by Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17.
The break water or pier will consist of one or more rows of buoys placed at

page_text: intervals as shewn in plan by Figures 15, 16 and 17 the number of rows and the
intervals at which the buoys are placed being dependent on the size of waves
likely to be met with in any position.
The buoys will be constructed of metal or of artificial stone: their size and shape
will be somewhat as shown in Figures 18 and 19 but this will be dependent on the
size of waves and amount of fluctuation of the water level.
If manufactured of steel or iron the thickness of the plating will be about "
and it will be strengthened by 2" angle and 1 iron ribs and struts rivetted to the
plates.
If the buoys are constructed of artificial stone the thickness of the shell will be
about 9"
The buoys will be moored in the manner shewn in Figures 14 or 20 which shew
two alternative methods.
In these Drawings the rise and fall of tide is assumed to be 15 feet and the
depth of water at low water to be 60 feet: two rows of buoys are assumed to be
necessary.
The counterpoise cases will be constructed in a similar manner to the buoys, but
are cylindrical in shape. There is an aperture about 1 foot in diameter at the base
of these cases, and a waterproof bag folding flat may be placed inside them: this
bag would have an aperture in it the collar of the aperture being fitted to the
aperture of the case so that water would enter the bag but not against the sides
of counterpoise.
Attached to the counterpoise is a heavy graduated chain the other end of which
rests on the ground on the counterpoise moving upwards the weight of a portion of
the heavy chain will be borne by the counterpoise and thus equilibrium will be
again established. The chain shewn in sketch will weigh about 1 tons and will
be constructed either of metal or of stone blocks attached to each other by chain
or wire rope. Chains or wire ropes will be used to connect the buoy and counter-
poise the rope passing round a pulley 2 feet diameter which is attached to a sinker
or anchor.
The sinker will be either metal or stone and in the example under consideration
will weigh about 10 tons.
The buoys in each row will be connected to each other by girders as shewn in
Figures 15 and 16 these girders will be placed below the buoys so that they will
not be influenced by wave action.
Figure 16 shews the buoys attached by one girder and in Figure 15 two girders
are shewn in the first case (Figure 16) the buoys may be made to pivot round
the point of attachment of the girder in order to present their ends to the waves
whatever direction they come from.
The front and rear rows of buoys may be connected together by chains hauled
"taut."
Hollow iron cylinders may project from the upper part of the buoys and on these
may be built a pier in the usual manner.
The advantages claimed for these improvements as far as the same relate to
breakwaters and piers are as follows.
(1) That such breakwaters and piers can be used in places where the water level
fluctuates without the necessity for "slack" mooring chains or ropes at low water:
thus the position (on plan) of the structure will remain constant.
(2) That the whole of the breakwater or as much as is thought desirable can
be kept at any depth required below the water level notwithstanding any fluctua-
tions in this level. Thus the structure need not be exposed to wind pressure and
the strain on the moorings will be lessened thereby.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
First. The means for maintaining torpedoes, submarine mines, buoys, floating
'breakwaters, floating piers or other floating bodies at a constant or nearly constant

page_text: depth below the surface of the water; such means consisting in connecting the
floating body with a "counterpoise" and a weighted chain or like appliance the
said counterpoise being a vessel containing air which is compressed by the water
above the counterpoise and the connections being such that as the floating body
ascends the counterpoise descends and vice versa and such that the counterpoise as
it descends becomes progressively more and more relieved from the weight or the
downward strain applied by the chain or like appliance substantially as described.
Second. The several arrangements substantially as represented in the Drawings
annexed.