GB152749A - An immersible salvage vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

152,749. Lee, A. J. F. July 17, 1919. Salvage vessels.-Relates to improvements in submersible vessels, of inverted U-shaped crosssection of the kind described in Specification 104,700, for raising sunken ships.. A watertight door 16, Fig. 2, is provided at the stern, or at both the bow and stern, of the submersible vessel and is hung on horizontal hinges, so that it may be raised to the horizontal position when the vessel is propelled on the surface of the water and lowered into and secured in the vertical position so as to enclose the central tunnel 5, Fig. 1, when the vessel is being used for repairing or raising the wreck. The door is held closed against the air pressure in the tunnel by ropes or chains 25, Fig. 2, and by sliding wedges 19 provided with racks operated by pinions 21 on spindles 22. The depending sides 4, Fig. 1, of the vessel are provided with pig-iron or other ballast, and are divided into compartments which may be emptied or filled with water to vary the buoyancy. A tower 7 is provided amidships, the struts 7<A> being formed as trunks for the supply of fresh and the removal of contaminated air. A platform 9 is fitted at the top of the tower and access to the vessel is obtained by means of a lift 10 which is fitted as an air lock. The vessel, after having had its buoyancy suitably reduced, is hauled down so as to enclose the wreck bv winches 13 and cables 11 previously attached by divers. Rams 12 are provided for raising the wreck by means of cables attached to the hull in subsequent operations. For the purpose of expelling water from any sound hold of the wreck, a chamber 30, Fig. 4, in the submersible vessel is provided with a pipe 28 which is passed into the hold B and another pipe communicating with the atmosphere, these pipes being fitted with valves 29, 31 respectively. A third pipe, fitted with a valve 32, communicates with the tunnel. By closing the lastmentioned valve and opening the other two, water will flow free from the hold into the chamber 30, whence it may be expelled by suitable means. Pipes 33 opening into the tunnel at varying depths and connected through valves 34 to a common pipe 35, enable the air in the tunnel to be exhausted and replaced by fresh air. These pipes may also be used by exhaustion of the enclosed air to vary the water level within the tunnel. Workmen may be carried down to the submerged salvage vessel by an air lock 36, Fig. 5, the tapered bottom 40 of the lock fitting a correspondingly tapered ring 39 in the pontoon deck of the salvage vessel, and the lock being secured in position by bolts 44 with oval.or rectangular heads which are passed by operators within the lock through slots in the ring 39 and turned so as to engage with the ring before the nuts 46 are screwed up. Access to the vessel is obtained through doors 47, 48. A car C, Figs. 6 and 7, is suspended from trolleys which run on a rail passing completely round the roof of the tunnel. Airsupply pipes are carried from the salvage vessel to the car and maintain the air therein at atmosphere pressure. Electro-magnets 51 are advanced through openings 50 in the front of the car to make contact with the plating of the wreck, and openings 52 are provided with double doors 53, 54 which form air locks. Lug plates 55 are supported by rods 56 attached to cables suspended from the roof of the tunnel. When the car has been adjusted to the side of the wreck the doors 53, 54 are opened and the plates 55 welded or otherwise secured to the wreck, the car then being moved to another position. A rubber gasket 63, divided into small squares 64, is secured to the front of the car and excludes water from the car when the latter has been drawn to the wreck by the electro-magnets and the doors have been opened. A scraper 65 is carried on an endless wire or band 66 passing round drums 67 secured to spindles 68 at the ends of the car. These spindles may be rotated by bevel gearing 69 and skew gearing 70, the scraper being thereby drawn across the plating of the wreck before the magnets are applied thereto.