US148714A - Improvement in means for raising sunken vessels - Google Patents

Description

H. F. KNAPP.

Means for Raising Sunken Vessels, &e.

No.l48,7l4, Patentedmarcmnm STATES HENRY F. IINAII, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

HWPROVEMENT IN MEANS FOR Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS, lcc.

December 9, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY F. KNAPP, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Process of Raising or Floating IVrecks and Stranded or Sunken Vessels, of which the following is a specification This invention, which is alike applicable to deep or shallow water, consists in a novel process of raising or floating wrecks and stranded or sunken vessels by means of what may be termed hydro-pneinnatic jacks, or fullopen-bottom camels, operated as follows: First, said jacks are sunk or deposited, as required, alongside the vessel in any desired proximity to it, with the sharp or narrow edge of the full-open bottoms of them resting on the sand or mnd, and then, or after manholes which are provided for the sinking of the jackshavebeen closed, the air, or air and water, is exhausted from the jacks. This causes the superincumbent pressureto force the full-openbottom jacks down deep into the sand or mud, and after the same have been suitably secured to, or connected by lifting devices with, the vessel, the air is compressed or forced into the camels, which thus, and independent'of buoyancy, act as jacks to raise the vessel, the sand or mud forming the fulcrum or resistancesurface, at least during the early operation of the jacks.

In the accompanying, drawings Figures 1 and 2 represent end views of a vessel or wreck with a pair of full-open-bottom camels or jacks applied thereto, at diiferent stages in their operation, in illustration of my improved process, and Fig. 3, a view in perspective of one of the camels, as seen from beneath, in illustration of a certain, though not absolutely necessary, construction.

A is the vessel or wreck to be raised out of the sand or mud B, the water C, in the present instance, being represented as very shallow, and the mud B, in which the vessel is embedded, as much deeper, for the purpose of more clearly explaining my invention. D are the full-open-bottom jacks or camels, formed of inverted tanks, with sharp or clear edges to cut their way into the sand or mud, and with upper man-holes and covers E 5 also, with one or more air-suction and blast pipes or conneca tions, G, that are attached by hose or pipe with a pump, which may be arranged on another vessel or elsewhere. There may be any number of these jacks D used about or around the vessel, and the same or a certain number of them be connected, if desired, by a pipe or pipes, H, fitted with a stop-cock, b, whereby a single suction and blast pipe, G, will suffice forltwo or more of the jacks, and by the stop-cock an excess of lifting action ymay be given to one jack over the other, should circumstances require it. Said jacks may be braced internally, as shown in Fig. 3, both to give strength and to provide means, if desired, for attachment of a lifting-chain; but it is preferred to attach the lifting-chains I, where such are used, to the out-side of the jacks, as represented. Instead, however, of these liftingchains, which are shown as passing under the vessel, being used, the jacks may be bolted to the sides of the vessel, or bear under brackets secured to the sides of the vessel; or other means for establishing the lift of the jacks on the vessel may be adopted.

llhe process consists in rst exhausting the air, or air and water, from the jacks after the latter have been let down to their places, so that they are forced down deep into the sand or mud by superincumbent atmospheric pressure, or, in case of deep water, of atmospheric and water pressure combined, the full-open bottoms ofthe jacks providing for such action. After the jacks have been thus embedded in the sand or mud, as represented in Fig. 1, and the requisite attachment of them made to lift on the vessel, air is forced or compressed into the jacks, so as to lift the latter and the vessel along with them out of the mud, as represented in Fig. 2, the air acting first against the sand or mud, (with or without a small intervening quantity of water,) which gives a solid or powerful purchase, and not until the jacks are fully out of the mud will the pressure of the air act specially, as it were, on the water only, and this, if the jacks extend t0 or below the vessels keel7 will not be Vices in the sand or mnd7 and afterward until the lift is eased by the extraction of the attaching them to the Wreck, and then forcing vessel from the sand or mnd. in air to lift the jacks and vessel to which What I claim as my invention isthey are attached7 substantially as specified. The process of raising or floating wrecks I HENRY F KNPI,

and stranded or sunken vessels by means of hydro-pneumatic full-epen-bottom jacks, Vitnesses: v from which the air, or air and Water7 is first MICHAEL RYAN, exhausted to ei'ect the embedding of said de- FRED. HAYNES.

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