US1391380A - Deep-sea construction - Google Patents

Description

W. GRIESSER.

DEEP SEA CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. I920.

PatentedSept. 20,1921.

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1,391,380. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

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DEEP SEA CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAYVIS. 1920.

1,391,380. P entedSept- 20, 1921.

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W. GRIESSER.

DEEP SEA CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15, 1920.

1,391,380.. PatentedSepfl 20, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

3 vwentoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM GRIESSER, 0F .l'OPLIN, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM C. GRIESSER, OF

I PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

, DEEP-SEA CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed Kay 15,

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that I, WILHELM GRrEssER, a citizen of the United States,-residing at Joplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Deep-Sea Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a protective and supporting construction for use in forming wharves, piers, docks, seawalls, jetties, cofferdams and other similar constructions and adapted for installation or erection in various bodies of water as seas, lakes, rivers, etc. The improved construction may also be advantageously employed in building foundations and for use in the construction of bridges and also as a supporting means for superstructures adapted to be maintained above a water level or to be protected from water pressure, as for instance sea waves.

The primary object of my invention however, is to provide a novel, construction which may be readily built in deep water. To accomplish this object, the vertical sup porting members of the structure are gradually sunk by being filled with a heavy plastic material such as concrete, until they lodge on the sea bottom.

The distinguishing feature of the improved construction consists in the provision of tubes, tanks, or hollow piles of cylindrica'l form which are disposed vertically and adapted to be attached to each other by braces or connectors of various forms which are so arranged that an automatic settling or vertical "movement of the tubes, tanks, or piles may ensue relatively to irregularities of contour of the bottoms of bodies of water in which the improved construction may be erected, the several tubes, tanks or hollow piles being so associated as to resist accidental detachment by lateral strains brought to bear thereon, or by direct front impacts of bodies of water. The tubes, cylinders or hollow piles ma also be arranged to form a'wall of any s ape by properly disposing and connecting the braces or other attaching devices therefor, and .in some instances a number of the tubes, cylinders or hollow ,50.

, tied to each other to form as a unit a pillar piles may be closely associated and strongly or pedestal. The tubes, c linders or piles after being arranged in t e form desired Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 381,538.

may be completely filled with cement or concrete 'to thereby strengthen and give the same material weight with obvious advantages in maintaining the protective and supporting features of the improved construction, and moreover, by thus completely fill-' ing the tubes, cylinders or piles with cement the said components will be more firmly embedded on the sea bottom and therefore sections on sections, as the successive sec-- tions sink under the weight of the concrete contained within the tubular member and as may be required to obtain a uniform top level and also to so dispose the braces or connectors in relation to various parts of the tubes, cylinders, tanks, or piles as will give the best results from a strengthening and reinforcing standpoint.

The improved constructlon 1s illustrated in various forms in the accompanying drawings, and therein Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a number of the units of the improved construction shown assembled and the tubes, cylinders, tanks or piles in part fully depressed and in part in different stages of settling.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a number of the tubes, cylinders, tanks or piles assembled in wall and supporting form and attached by various forms of braces and connectors.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating two of the tubes, cylinders or piles and a double bracing means therebetween.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the structure shown by Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing the bracing means in single form.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through interlocking bracing means and connectors for use with the various arrangements of the tubes, cylinders or piles.

Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectionof a further modification of assembling the parts of the bracin means.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic lan view showing the manner of assembling a plurality of the tubes, cylinders or piles as an inclosing wall or as a support for a superstructure. The essential units of the improvedconstruction comprise tubes, cylinders, tanks or hollow piles 5 and braces or connectors 6 disposed between the units 5 for holding the latter in upright position and also in some instances to contribute to the formation of a water tight inclosure. In the structure as shown by Fg. 1 the tubes, cylinders, or hollow piles constituting the units 5 are composed of a plurality of sections 7 which may be of various lengths and also differ in diameter, the general dimensions of these units 5 depending upon the'character of the structure of which the form a part. The units 5 and 6 as shown y Fig. 1 will have the appearance in to plan view as shown in the upper art of ig. 2, each unit 5 being provided with a plurality of units 6 radiating from the outer sides thereof either at diametrically'opposite points or at intervals between such diametric points'in accordance with the attachment thereto of the connectors or bracin means between the several units 5. The units 6, as shown more clearly by Fig. 2, are in the form of I-beams which are connected to the outer sides of the units 5 in an suitable manner, and the sim plified attaching means or connectors, or units 6, as shown. by Fig. 1 and the upper ortion of Fig. 2 consist of opposite channel irons 7 bolted together asv at 8 and having the outer flanges of the'I- beams projecting from adjacent units5 held loosely within the channel irons. This same scheme is carried out in all of the bracin organizations, or the units 6 attached to t e units 5 are utilized in various ways, or analogous flanged devices are associated with channel irons of various types in accordance with the angles at which the bracesor'connectors are disposed.

, In Fig. 2 a part of the units 6 at the inner portions of the units 5 movably engage channel irons 10 having securing flanges 11 attached to elongated braces or connectors 12, the latter being dis osed in various angular positions relative y to the inner supporting units 5 which are in all respects similar to the units 5 and are'equipped with units 6 of I-beam form in various positions as shown to accommodate the disposition or particular arrangement of the braces illustrated by Fig. 2. From one 'unit 5 a brace 13 may extend and be secured to a group of thechannel irons 10 adjacent to one of the supporting units 5, or two of these similar braces 14 and 15 may intersect at an angle and movably engage a junction coupling 16' strengthened by a brace or connector 23 of suitable length. It will be understood that all of the connections of these braces, or the flanged heads engaging the channel iron terminals and junction organizations, will be free to move, or the flanged heads will be movable in the channel ironsso as to accommodate a settling of the parts. Again, referring to Fig. 1 and particularly to the tubes, cylinders or hollow pipes constituting the units 5, it will be seen that the said units have closed conical bottoms 24, and at suitable elevations within these units are T-ledges 25 to strengthen the'parts of the unit 5 in which they are disposed sufficiently to resist crushing strain thereon, particularly when the said units 5 are depressed in water of considerable depth where there is a stron pressure and prior to filling the tubes, cylinders or hollow piles in a manner which will be presently explained. After the tubes, cylinders or hollow piles, or the units 5 settle, sections 27 will be secured to the upper ends thereof of different widths to accommodate the differentiation in settling movement of the said units 5 and to.

have the upper end of each unit terminate level with the upper ends of adjacent units and also with the upper ends of the braces or connectors 6 for these units.

'As shown by Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the connecting braces between the units 5.may be of open structure and comprise a plurality of vertically disposed T-beams 28 engaging intermediate channel irons 29 bolted to each other as at 30 between these open units, the T-irons or beams 28 adjacent to the units 5 being movably embracedby channel members 31 secured to the units 5 .as shown by Fig. 4. Extending horizontally across and.

diagonally between the T-beams or irons 28 are metal braces 32 terminally secured to the said beams or irons and also to each other. In Fig. 3 two of these open brace structures are illustrated between each pair of units 5, j

and in Fig. 5 a' single similar open bracing unit is show between each pair of units 5 and is of the'same construction asthe bracing units just described and has similar ref e'rence characters applied thereto.

In Fig. 6 a brace junction is illustratedand is particularly adapted for connection to a plurality of units 5 or other bracing devices arranged therearound, this junction organization comprising I-beams 33 secured to the intermediate portion of a longer I -beam 34 arranged at right angles thereto, the outer flanged heads of these I-beams 33 and 34 being movably held between the between seat members 39 secured to the web of an I-beam 40, the seat members 39 being disposed in opposed pairs and also serving to receive angle members 41 secured on a brace or connector 42 which may be suitably attached to one of the units 5 or to ther bracing means. The outer flianged head or end of the I-beam 38 engages channel irons 43 similar to the channel irons 35 hereinbefore explained.

In Fig. 8 a plurality of units 5 and 6 are shown in diagrammatic form and disposed to form an inclosure of irregular outline, it being intended to modify an inclosure of this character as may be found necessary, and in some instances to construct an inlet or harbor recess 44 and whereby boats may run into said recess or harbor inlet and be shielded from storms or heavy wave effects.

When n inclosure is produced as shown by Fig. 8 it may serve as the base or foundation support for a superstructure and the wall thus roduced around the inclosure will be fui ther strengthened by the body of water inclosed thereby after the manner of a lagoon.

After the units 5 have been sunk in their proper positions by being partially filled with concrete it is proposed to fill the same with cement or concrete completely and thereby give them stability and placement and also strengthen them to resist strain and effectivelyperform the function forwhich they have been erected. I

From the foregoing it will be seen that the units 5 and the braces intheir various forms generalized under the. units 6 with the several modifications hereinbefore explained will be applicable for various purweight to sink said units until the closed bottoms thereof rest upon the sea bottom, means extending between said units having longitudinal slidable connections therewith,

whereby said tubular units may have an automatic settling movement with relation to said means, and tubular sections of different widths applied to the upper ends of the tubular units to give the latter a uniform top level.

2. In a deep sea construction comprising tubular units having inner annular ledges secured thereto for strengthening the same, means extending between the tubular units, connecting devices between said meansand units permitting relative vertical movements thereof, and material contained in said tubular units of sufiicient weight to sink said unitsto a firm foundation on the sea bottom so that in case of an irregular bottom said tubular units may have an automatic settling movement in relation-tosaid means.

3. A deep sea construction comprising tubular units consisting of a plurality of superposed sections, the lowermost sections being closed at one end, a filling medium for said units adapted to cause successive sections of the tubular units to sink until sufiicient sections have been secured together to enable the closed end to rest upon the sea bottom and the upper ends of said tubular units to project above the water level,

flanged elements secured to each section andfilling of plastic material and said tubular units becoming a part of the completed structure.

5. A structure of the class described comprising tubular units having'lowr closed ends, means extending between said units,

devices connecting said means and tubular.

units and so arranged as to permit relative vertical. movements thereof, tubular sections secured to the upper ends of the tubular units to give the latter a uniform top level in accordance with their settling movements, and a filling of plastic material introduced into the tubular unitsfor sinking the same, said tubular units resting permanently'i-n position and forming a part of the finished structure.

6. -A structure of the class described comprising tubular units, connecting units for the tubular units consisting of a plurality of braces with which the tubular units are slidably associated for permitting automatic settling movements, means connecting a plurality of said braces so as to permit relative vertical movements thereof, and a filling of plastic material in the tubular units for sinking said units to a solid foundation, at the sea bottom and forming part of the finished structure.

7. A structure of the class described comprising tubular units, attaching means secured to said units and projecting therefrom, connecting units disposed between the tubular units and slidably engaging said attaching means whereby the tubular and connecting units may have relative vertical movements to provide for an automatic settling movement, and a plastic. filling in the tubular units forming part of the finished structure and of sufficient Weight to sink said units untilthe lower ends thereof reach the sea bottom.

8. A construction of the class described comprising, tubular units, connecting units for the tubular units consisting of brace devices extending in various directions from the several tubular units to other similar units, and means connecting said brace devices and tubular units for permitting relative movements thereof, and a filling medium in said tubular units of sufficient weight to embed the lower ends of the latter in the sea bottom.

9. A construction' of the class described comprising, tubular units, connecting units,

for the tubular units, consisting of brace devices running from one tubular unit to another and intersecting, means located at the intersection of said brace devices for connecting the latter and permitting relative vertical movements thereof, and a plastic filling in said tubular units of sufficient weight for sinking the. latter in place.

10. A construction of the class described comprising tubular units disposed in outer alined and inner supporting groups, connecting units for the tubular units consisting of brace devices extending between the several groups and from one unit'to another and intersecting at various angles, and means located at the intersection for connecting the brace devices for connecting the latter and permitting relative vertical movements thereof, and a plastic filling material in the tubular units.

In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set my hand in presence of a subscribing witness.

- WILHELM GRIESSER.

Witness CHAS. S. HYER.

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