US11327A

US11327A - Felix huston

Info

Publication number: US11327A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1854-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1871-07-18

Description

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX HUS'ION, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

MODE OF RAISING VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,327, dated July 18, 1854.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX I-IUs'roN, of the city of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, have `invented a new and Improved Mode of Raising Sunken Vessels and of' Carrying Ships, Steamers, &c., over Bars or Shallow Water; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying perspective drawingsand to the letters of reference marked thereon.`

The nature of my invention consists in distributing the weight of the vessel to be raised over three bottoms, by weights and levers, arranged ashereinafter described.

I construct two strongly built vessels of as light draft as possible, and place them, one on each side' ofthe vessel to be raised, as represented in the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which--` i A represents the vessel to be raised, and

B, B, the auxiliary vessels.

C,'C, and D, D represent the levers. el, cZ, are derricks or `shears `fitted on the outer ends of the levers 0,0, and e, e, e, e,

are cars, containingstones, cannon or other weight. y

f, f, f, f, are the fulcra of the levers.

g, g, g, g, are strong windlasses, or other contrivances for fastening the chains, which pass under the vessel to be raised, where that is practicable, or are otherwise made fast to the vessel to be raised, as its position will best admit.` `The levers, C, C, andD, D, are made of strong :frames of timbers, resting each, on `a fulcrum f, placed in the center line of the auxiliary vessels B, B. On the levers, is a railway or track s, s, s, s, for the cars, e, e, 6, c, containing the weights, so that they may be run from one end of the levers to the other. At the outer ends of the levers C, C, derricks or shears, fl, CZ, are attached to the levers, with a hinge, so that, by suitable tackle, `they may be partly extended out, as at al, and entirely extended out, as at d, thus lengthening the outer arms of the levers, and greatly increasing the power, by throwing the weight p, p, out beyond the sides of the auxiliary vessels B, B. The same obj ect may be effected,'without the derricks, by making the levers D, D, each, in one entire frame, project over the sides of the vessels B, B, as at D, D. The number of levers, and their distances from each other, may be regulated according to cir- In taking hold of the vessel cumstances.

to be raised, the inner arms of the levers may be depressed, either by capstans and tackle, or by running the cars e, e, e, e, with the weights to the inner ends of the levers. When the chains are passed under, or othere wise made fast to the vessel to be raised, the cars, e, e, e, c, are run to the outer ends of the levers D, D, or on their reachingl the derricks d, d, of the levers C, C, the weights may be taken from them, and thrown by means of the derricks and suitable tackle, over the sides of the vessels B, B, to any distance, which may be required, in order to give the necessary power of leverage.

In addition to the power of the levers, as above described, the auxiliary vessels B, B, may be made to serve as levers, bv careening them on the side next to the vessel to be raised, and then, after passing the chains under the vessel to be raised, or otherwise fastening them to it, as its` position may admit, running the cars, filled with the weights, to the outer sides of the vessels B,

B, or to the extremities of the several levers, if needed, so as to bring them to an even keel. This .will give a compound leverage of vast power. In addition to their application to the purposes of commerce, the auxiliary vessels B, B, might be used as floating batteries `for the defense of harbors, where they are stationed, and in that case, the armaments may be used for the weights. It will be observed, that the operation is entirely above water.

I-Iaving thus fully described the nature of my invention, I would state that I lam fully aware that auxiliary floats to raise vessels have been used, some `of which have been so geared as to be rotated for winding up the raising lines or chains; and that levers and. weights have been used in connection with dry docks for raising vessels in said docks. These I do not claim but- What I do claim herein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The raising of sunken vessels by means of the careening motion of the side or auxiliary vessels, whether such careening motion is procured by weights run across the decks from side to side of said vessels, or aided by arms projecting beyond said sides, substantially as represented.

FELIX HUSTON.

Witnesses:

W. Gr. SNETHEN, J oHN RICHARDS.