US630104A - Apparatus for raising sunken vessels. - Google Patents

Description

No. 63o,m4. Patented Aug. l, |899.

- E. G. PETTIT. APPARATUS vF'Ol RAISING SUNKENVVESSELS. (Application led Feb. 27, 1889.)

No Model.) i Sheds-Sheet I.

MME runs me mw wAsnMwN n c No. 63o,|o4 Patented Aug. l, |899.

' E. G.' PETTIT.

APPARATUS FUR' RAISINB SUNKEN VESSELS.

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1899,)

M Rif. m 3.13 \%w m v/ h z Vprovide what may be termed a sinkable boat, so constructcdthat itis provided with a series of compartments in which are ar- UNirED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA G. PETTIT, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR RAl'SlNG` SUNKEN VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming partV of Letters Patent No. 630,104, dated August 1, 1899.

Application led February 27, 1899. Serial No. 707,025. (No modelJ' To all' whom, it may concern: f

Be it known that I, EZ'RA G. PE'r'ri'r, a citt zen of the United-States, residing at Zanesville, in the county of Muskingum andState of Ohio,I have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the-same.

This invention relates to boats,"and more particularly to that class of boatsemployed in raising sunken vessels or'otherobjects below the surface of the water.,v

The object of the presentinvention is4 to ranged inflatable sacks or bags from which pipes or tubes lead to an air-pump mounted upon and carried by another boat, lloat, or vessel upon the surface of the water, thereby enabling the first-named boat to be sunk to any required depth and tobe brought to the surface whenever desirable. The sinkable boat is constructed with special reference to the raising of sunken vessels-and after being submerged is designed to be lashed to the sunken vessel and to bring the sunken vessel to the surface with it when the bags or sacks are inflated in a manner hereinafter particularly described.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe drawings, and incorporated inthe claims.

In the accompanying draWingaFigure l is a sectional view showing a sunken vessel with two of the improved sinkable boats applied thereto, one on each side, the boats being shown submerged and in readinessgto elevate the sunken vessel to the surface of .thel

water. Fig. 2 is a similar view'showing the improved boat and the manner of arranging the air-bags in the compartments and placing 5o the same in communication with a 'pump on Similar numerals of reference designate cor-4 responding parts in all the views.

The improved boat contemplated in this invention may be given any desired form and :may be of any suitable size,according to the work to be accomplished thereby. The hull (indicated at l) is shown of the ordinary form, and the bottom thereof is preferably made flat for a' considerable distance, as indicated at 2, so as to allow the boat to rest evenly upon the bottom of a stream or bodyof water. The boat is also covered in by a deck' 3 and is divided into any desired number of compartments 4, in each ol which is placed an air-tight bag 5, having connected thereto an inflating-pipe (5, which passes through a suitable opening 7 in the deck or side of the vessel and leads from thence upward to an airpump 8, of any suitable type, mounted upon a wrecking vessel 9, which remains on the compartment or compartments controlled by said valve.' If desired, a separate valve may be employed for each compartment, although it is sufficient to provide one valve for two, three, or even a larger number of compartments.

In connection with the inliating-pipes 6, which are preferably flexible and of rubber suitably protected, I employ cut-off cocks or valves 13, so that the air compressed in,- the bags may be prevented from escaping 'after IOO 'bagst'snnglywithin their respective com- ,pgrtmentsand' when inflated occupy the entirelcompartmentgbearing against the walls Vthereof;fandth-uerelieving the bags Af rom unxo. due strain.

- Afterarrivi-ng at' the place where the sunken 1 vesselistobeiaisedgone, two, or more of the inkableboats'are arranged in proper vrelation to the sunkenve'seland the valves 10 opened,

thereby allowing-fitheboats to sink, the water .entering thrbn'ghthe'valve-openings and forcingthe air-:out of the bags 5, the stop-cocks 13 bengcp'ened vto admit of the escape of the air. In Fig. ,4 the bags are 'fully inflated, so

ze that the boat'will float upon vthe surface of the water-11u Fig. 3 the bagsare partially dell/ated and the compartments partially filled with water and the boat partially'submerged. yIn Figs. 1f and 2 the 'boat is shown as resting z 5 upon the bottom of a stream. After the boats are lowered, as shown in Fig. 1, they are bro ht toopposite sides of' the vessel tobe fai and' indicated at 14: and are lashed or votherwise conveniently-secured to said vesgh sel. 'In order to hold the several boats in proper relation vto .each other, I employ a float or-'beam 15, from which suitable stay ropes or cables 16 lead to the several boats. This or iioat also provides convenient means 3'5 for supporting the inflating-pipes 6, leading upward from the air-bags. After thc'boats have been properlyla'shed together the airpump S is brought into action and air is grad- 'nally forced into the bags 5. As these bags .4o fillfwith air they displace the water within the several. compartments in the boatsand force said'water out through the valve-openings belowthe'water-lines of the hulls of said boats. Vhenthe bags 5 are nearly or entirel-y inflated, the boats 1 rise to the surface and carry the sunken vessel upwith them.

Where lthe A,sunken vesselis very large and.

heavy, a number of sinkable boats may be sent down or slid downwardon suitable chains or cables and fastened to the sunken vessel inthe most convenient manner. The bags carried by said boatsmay then be iniated and 'the sunken vessel partially raised or' lightened, so that it can be towed-by a tug or other vessel into water which is more shallow. This operation may be repeated until thesunken vessel is brought in to water suffifciently shallow to enable it to berepaired, the'fleaks stopped, and the vessl pumped out in the ordinary manner. 1'

I do not desire to limit myself to theexact details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove set forth, but reserve to myself the right to modify the construction 6,5 of theboa't within the scope of this invention.

`It will be apparent that any desired number of compartments and air-bags may be employed and that the boat may be made 'of any desired size or general shape and construction without departing from the principle or sacriiicing any of the advantages f the Iinvention.

The valves are of course so placed in the bottom of the hull and are also of such shape that they will not come in contact with the air-bags or interfere with' the inflation and deflation thereof. It frequently happens that a vessel needs to be repaired near the waterline, in which event two of the improved boats carrying inflatable bags may be arranged one on ,each side of the vessel to be "repaired, thereby enabling the vessel to be elevated suiiiciently to enable access to be had to the places in need of repair. This can of course l be done without placing the vessel in drydock. It also admits of a vessel being scraped and painted without removing it from the water. Y

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A boat provided with a fixed compartment closed on all sides, a valve located be low the watenline for admitting Water to said compartment, and an air-tight bag arranged in said compartment and having provision for its inflation and deflation, substantially as described.

2. A boat provided with a plurality of xed compartments closed on all sides, one or more valves controlling the admission of water to saidl compartments adapted when inflated to ill its own compartment, an independent air-tight bag for each compartment, and an airpipe in communication with said bags, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A boat having one or morev xed compartments closed on all sides, and provided with a valve controlling the admission of wa-4 ter thereto, in combination with an air-tight bag arranged in each compartment and adapted when inflated to ll the same and expel IOO rio

the water therefrom and designed to be de- Hated by the action of the admitted water and to be inflated by the provision of an inliatng pipe andv a suitable pump, substantially asV controlling the admission of water thereto, in compartment; and assists in expelling then-air combination with an inflatable bag located from the bag. within said compartment and adapted When In testimony whereof I aiix my signature inated to fill the same and expel the water in presence of two Witnesses.

therefrom, the arrangement 'being such that EZRA G. PETTIT. when the bag is inated, Water is forced from Witnesses: said compartment and when the air is allowed B. B. MASSEY,

to escape from the bag, lthe Water enters the A. J. ANDREWS, J r.

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