IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH SUBMARINE CABLE GRAPNELS AND THEIR APPLIANCES AND IN MEANS OF ESTABLISHING ELECTRICAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GRAPPLING VESSEL AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OR POSITION OF CABLE OR THROUGH THE CABLE GRAPPLED TO THE SHORE
Year: 1882

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Sir James Anderson of Old Broad Street and Walter
Claude Johnson, of 16 Union Court Old Broad Street in the city of London
for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH SUBMARINE CABLE
GRAPNELS AND THEIR APPLIANCES AND IN MEANS OF ESTABLISHING ELECTRICAL
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GRAPPLING VESSEL AND THE BOTTOM OF THE
SEA FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OR POSITION OF CABLE OR THROUGH THE
CABLE GRAPPLED TO THE SHORE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir James Anderson and
Walter Claude Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 17th May 1882.
Sir JAMES ANDERSON of Old Broad Street and WALTER CLAUDE JOHNSON of
16 Union Court Old Broad Street in the city of London IMPROVEMENTS
CONNECTED WITH SUBMARINE CABLE GRAPNELS AND THEIR APPLIANCES AND IN
MEANS OF ESTABLISHING ELECTRICAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GRAPPLING
VESSEL AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OR POSITION
OF CABLE OR THROUGH THE CABLE GRAPPLED TO THE SHORE.
To attain the object of our invention. First-the grappling rope is made to
contain one or more insulated electrical conductors the "inboard" ends of which
are connected to suitable batteries, telephones, galvanometers, or other suitable
apparatus for generating and measuring an electric current. Secondly. Arranging
the conductor or conductors within or near that portion of the grapnel which
comes in contact with the cable which is grappled with. Thirdly The arrange-
ments provided on the grapnel for acting upon the electrical conductor so that
when the cable is received within the prongs of the grapnel the conductor may be
punctured, cut or otherwise acted upon either mechanically or electrically by
conduction or otherwise so that the presence of the cable which is grappled may
be indicated on board the vessel or the presence of the grapnel may be made

page_text: evident by signals received at the shore ends of the cable by means of induced
currents passed from the vessel through the grapnel to the cable which is grappled.
By this means the vessel which is grappling may not only detect the presence
of a cable within the grapnel but if prearranged signals are sent from the shore
ends the operator on board the repairing vessel may know that the desired cable
is grappled or failing to receive the signal he may be aware that the grapnel has
hooked a wrong cable.
Swivels are provided in the grapnel rope as required to allow the "turn" to
circulate. These are made with contacts to keep up electrical connection and the
internal parts are preferably enclosed in a suitable oil or like substance so that
there need be no air spaces to protect from the pressure of the surrounding water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sir James Anderson and Walter Claude Johnson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 17th November 1882.
Sir JAMES ANDERSON of Old Broad Street, and WALTER CLAUDE JOHNSON of
16 Union Court Old Broad Street in the City of London IMPROVEMENTS
CONNECTED WITH SUBMARINE CABLE GRAPNELS AND THEIR APPLIANCES AND IN
MEANS OF ESTABLISHING ELECTRICAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GRAPPLING
VESSEL AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OR POSITION
OF CABLE OR THROUGH THE CABLE GRAPPLED TO THE SHORE
This Invention relates to improvements connected with submarine cable grapnels
and their appliances and in means of establishing electrical communication between
the grappling vessel and the bottom of the sea for detecting the presence or position
of cable or through the cable grappled to the shore.
To attain the object of our Invention
First the grappling rope is made to contain one or more insulated electrical
conductors the "inboard" ends of which are connected to suitable batteries, tele-
phones, galvanometers, or other suitable apparatus for generating and measuring
electric currents and signalling.
Secondly-arranging the conductor or conductors within or near that portion
of the grapnel which comes in contact with the cable which is grappled with.
Thirdly: the arrangements provided on the grapnel for acting upon the
electrical conductor so that, when the cable is received within the prongs of the
grapnel, the conductor may be punctured, cut, or otherwise acted upon either
mechanically, or electrically by conduction or otherwise so that the presence of
the cable which is grappled may be indicated on board the vessel, or the presence
of the grapnel may be made evident by signals received at the shore ends of the
cable by means of induced currents passed from the vessel through the grapnel to
the cable which is grappled and messages may be exchanged in this way between
the ship and the shore.

page_text: By this means the vessel which is grappling may not only detect the presence
of a cable within the grapnel but if prearranged signals are sent from the shore
ends, the operator on board the repairing vessel may know that the desired cable
is grappled or failing to receive the signal he may be aware that the grapnel has
hooked a wrong cable.
Swivels are provided in the grapnel rope as required to allow the "turn" to
circulate. These are made with contacts to keep up electrical connection and the
internal parts are preferably enclosed in a suitable oil or like substance so that
there need be no air spaces to protect from the pressure of the surrounding water.
Our Invention will be clearly understood from the annexed sheet of drawings in
which the improved grapnel and the improved swivel are shown.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed we declare that we claim :-
First: The submarine cable grapnel constructed and arranged in the manner
and for the purposes herein before described and substantially as shown.
Secondly-The construction and arrangement of swivels for submarine cable
grapnel apparatus as described and substantially as shown on the annexed
drawings.
In witness whereof we the said Sir James Anderson and Walter Claude
Johnson have hereunto set our hands and seals this Sixteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty two
JAMES
ANDERSON.
(L.S.)
W. CLAUDE JOHNSON (L.S.)