US2829615A - Salvaging apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1958 J. F. PETRAUSKY ET AL 2,829,615

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United States Patent O SALVAGING APPARATUS Joseph F. `letr'ansky and Peter J. Petrausky, Kenosha, Wis.

Application March 25, 1955,Serial.No. 496,762

4 Claims. (Cl. 114-53) This invention relates to improvements in method and means for raising sunken vessels.

An important object of the invention is to provide more practical and etlicient means for raising a sunken vessel without removing or disturbing cargo present in the vessel, the said means involving means to m-ore readily control thelling of `pontoons with water for sinking the raising apparatus and for subsequently expelling the water and displacement thereof with air so as to raise the apparatus and a sunken vessel resting thereon.

The above and `other objects may be `attained by employing a iloat adapted to be submerged in abody of water adjacent the `bow of a sunken vessel and in longi tudinal alignment with t-he keel thereof, comprising a keel beam, rows of pontoons carried by the keel beam and extending upwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof in parallel relation thereto, a keel lift on an end of the keel bearrrfor engaging under the keel of a sunken vessel and guiding it upwardly and onto the keel beam, means carried by the lkeel beam and adapted to be connected to the sunken vessel forbodily moving said vessel longitudinally up the keel lift and onto the keel beam, and means connected to the pontoons and operable from the surface of the body of water for controlling the buoyancy of saidpontoons.

Other features include improved means for regulating the flow of water into and out of the pontoons to control the buoyancy thereof, a harness to be engaged around the` stern of the sunken vessel, contractible means carried by the keel beam and connected to the harness for moving the vessel up the keel lift and onto the keel beam, and means connected to the contractible means yand operable from the surface of the body of water for contracting said means.

Still other features include a post carried by the keel beam and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote fromthe keel lift, contractible means con nected to thepost and connectible to the sunken vessel adjacent the bow thereof for moving the vessel up the keel lift and onto the keel beam, means connected to the contractible means and operable from the surface of the body of water for contracting said contractible means, and means connected to the pontoons and operable from the surface of the body of water for controlling kthe buoyancy of the pontoons.

In the drawings:

Figure `1 is a sideview partially in section showing improved salvage apparatus according to the present invention partially submergedand illustrating in broken lines the position of an initial apparatus relative to a sunken vessel.

`Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus showing the manner in which it is connected to the bow of the sunken vessel;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1,.

showing the vessel being advanced onto the keel beam of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view` through a ICE portion of the apparatus showing the sunken vessel -in position thereon ready for Heating to the surface ofthe water;

Figure `5 is a View similar to Figure 4, showing the manner in which water is expelled from the pontoons and replaced with air for exerting lifting effort on opposite ends of the apparatus to maintain the vessel in a horizontal position;`

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5, showing an inter-` mediate stage of expulsion of the water from the pontoons;

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figures 5 and 6, showing a further expulsion of water from the pontoons as the vessel is being brought to the surface of the water;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan View of the apparatus;

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional View through the apparatus;

Figure l0 is a diagrammatic view showing the pump manifold and valve system by which the ow of water into and out of the pontoons is produced; and

Figure ll is an enlarged plan View of a valve dial.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the illustrated apparatus comprises a keel beam 10 provided on its forward end with a longitudinally extending downwardly curved keel lift 12 and on its rear end with an upstanding` post 14. Longitudinally spaced parallel cross members 16 are fastened to the underside of the keel beam 10, and mounted upon longitudinally extending support members 18 and 2i) which are in spaced parallel relation to the keel beam, and secured upon the outer ends of the cross members 16, are longitudinal rows 22and 24 of pontoons 26 and 2S. Opening through the bottom walls of the pontoons Z6 and 28 are water ports 3l) and 32, and opening through lthe top walls of the pontoons 26 and 2S are air ports 34 and 36. Sets of air tubes 38 and 40 communicate with the pontoons 26 and 28 through the. air ports 34 and 36, respectively, and lead to control valves designated generally 52, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Carried by the rows 22 and 24 of pontoons 26 and 28 and projecting longitudinally from opposite ends thereof adjacent the keel lift 12 are ears dal, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Connected to the post 141 and extending; longitudinally therefrom above the keel beam 10 between the rows 22 and 24 of pontoons 26 is a contractible member designated generally i6 which comprises a pulley block 48 which is connected to the post 14 and a sheave assembly 50 carrying hooks 52 which are adapted to engage in the anchor holes at the bow `of the sunken vessel V. A cable 54 is connected to the sheave assembly 5l) and leads to a windlass 56 carried by a tender T ailoat on the surface of the body of water in which the vessel V is sunk. Ob viously, when the cable S4 is wound upon the windlass 56, the shea've assembly 5@ will be contracted toward the post 14 so as to cause the sunken vessel to be pulled rearwardly along the keel lift l2 and onto the keel beam 10, so that the vessel will rest on the keel beam betweenV the two rows 22 and 24 of pontoons 26 and 2S.

While in some instances the contractihle `member 46` may be adequate to move the sunken vessel up the keel lift 12 and onto the keel beam ll), there are occasions* when additional effort must be exerted on `the sunkenvessel, in which event a harness 58 is extended aroundy the stern of the vessel, as illustrated in Figure 3, the harness 53 including blocks 6? detachably connected to the ears 44 and extensible members, designated generally 62, to which blocks are connected conventional tackles? 64 which arelconnected to .the harness 5B and includes a cable 66 which leads upwardly to the windlass 5`6-onV the tender T so that when the `windlass is operated, bothj the -cablel 54 Aand `the cable 66 `will be wound fthereonti to contract the contractible Vance the sunken vessel onto the keel beam 10 of the salvage or raising apparatus.

A suitable pump 68 is carried by the tender T and is driven by a suitable prime mover 70, also carried by the tender, and this pump is connected to an air manifold 72 to which two-way valves 42 are coupled by shut-off valves 74. The valves 42 are provided with valve casings having opposed ports 76 and 78 to which the tubes 38 and 40 are respectively connected. The valves 42 are also provided with opposed ports 80 and 82 which are perpendicular to the ports 76 and 78 and are connected to the valves 74 through the ports 80, while the ports 82 are open to atmosphere. Each valve 42 is provided with a rotatable half-circular plug 84 which is arranged to selectively establish communication between the ports 76 and 78, the ports 76 and 80, the ports 76 and 82, the ports 78 and 80, and the ports 78 and 82, according to which of the pontoons are to be activated. Obviously the air in the pontoons 26 and 28 is exhausted through the ports 82 so that the apparatus is sunk by allowing water to enter the pontoons through their respective bottom water ports 30 and 32. After the apparatus has been sunk to the proper position adjacent the bow of the sunken vessel, the valve plugs 84 can be turned to admit air from the manifold 72 through the shut-off valves 74 to the tubes 38 and 4t) and into pontoons to expel water from the pontoons 26 and 28 in order to raise the apparatus and. the sunken vessel. By manipulating the valves 42, the water may be expelled from selected pontoons, as suggested in Figures 5, 6 and 7. By expelling the water from the endmost pontoons 26 and 28 in the initial stages of the raising of the vessel and then subsequently and progressively expelling water from the intermediate pontoons, the vessel may be elevated in an upright and level position so as to avoid shifting of cargo present in the vessel.

In Figure l1, there is shown a dial 86 for each two- Way valve 42 carrying suitable indices 88 on its surface and mounted on each Valve plug 84 is a handle 90 which moves over the face of its respective cover plate 86 to selected positions on the dial whereby the position of the valve plug is shown, and the rapidity with which the pontoons connected to the respective valves 42 are being flooded or emptied of water can be determined.

In the preferred form of the invention, a mud anchor 92 is connected to the rear end of the keel beam 10 for engagement with the bottom, as illustrated in Figure 4, to anchor the rear end of the keel beam so as to avoid tilting of the keel beam during movement of the sunken vessel into .position thereon.

In operation, the salvaging or raising apparatus is towed by a tender T into position in front of the bow of the vessel to be salvaged. Water is then admitted to the pontoons 26 and 28 by operating the pump 68 on the tender in a direction to evacuate the pontoons of air. As the evacuation of said pontoons takes place, water flows into the pontoons through the water ports 30 and 32 so as to submerge the apparatus. With the apparatus submerged in front of the bow of the sunken vessel V, as suggested in Figure 1, the contractible member 46 is coupled to the bow of the Vessel to be salvaged, as suggested in Figure 1, and upon operating the windlass 56, it will be evident that the vessel V will be ldrawn toward the apparatus and will ride up the keel lift 12 onto the keel beam 10. With the vessel positioned on the apparatus, as illustrated in Figures 4 through 7, inclusive, the endmost pontoons 26 and 28 are first placed under air pressure to expel the water therefrom through the ports 30 and 32 and then the valves 42 are manipulated so as to expel the water from the next adjacent pontoons until the Water is expelled from the centermost pontoon, thus causing the apparatus to oat to the surface with the vessel V in place thereon. Upon reaching the surface, the apparatus can be towed by the tender or other suitable towing means to a desired location where the operamembers 46 and 62 and adi tions on the raised vessel V can be conducted with comparative ease.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for raising a vessel sunk in water, an elongated keel beam having forward and rear ends, longitudinally spaced cross members iixed to said keel beam and having ends at opposite sides of the keel beam, longitudinal rows of pontoons mounted on said ends of the cross members and spaced from opposite sides of the keel beam, said rows of pontoons having rear ends spaced forwardly from said rear end of the keel beam, contractable means mounted on the rear end of the keel beam and extending forwandly therefrom, said contractible means having a forward end having thereon means for connection to the bow of a sunken vessel, said contractible means being operable to pull a sunken vessel rearwardly onto the keel beam into position between and along the rows of pontoons, and pump means having valved pipes connected to the pontoons for expelling water from the pontoons and for introducing air or water into the pontoons for elevating and depressing the apparatus in the water.

2. In apparatus for raising a vessel sunk in water, an elongated keel beam having forward and rear ends, longitudinally spaced cross members fixed to said keel beam and having ends at opposite sides of the keel beam, longitudinal rows of pontoons mounted on said ends of the cross members and spaced from opposite sides of the keel beam, said rows of pontoons having rear ends spaced forwardly from said rear end of the keel beam, contractible means mounted on the rear end of the keel beam and extending forwardly therefrom, said contractible means having a forward end having thereonA means for connection to the bow of a sunken vessel, said contractible means being operable to pull a sunken vessel rearwardly onto the keel beam into position between and along the rows of pontoons, and pump means having valved pipes connected to the pontoons for expelling water from the pontoons and for introducing air or water into the pontoons for elevating and depressing the apparatus in the water, said pontoons having open water ports, said pump means including an air manifold, said pipes leading'from the manifold to different ones of the pontoons, two-way valves in said pipes having exhaust ports, shut-off valves in the pipes between the two-way valves and the manifold, said two-way valves having individually operable plugs arranged to connect selected.

pontoons of either row to the exhaust ports so as to enable exhaust of air from and entrance of water into selected pontoons, and operable to close the exhaust ports and connect the manifold to selected pontoons to expel water therefrom and introduce air thereinto for leveling and erecting the apparatus and a vessel thereon preliminary to and while raising the apparatus and the vessel.

3. In apparatus for raising a vessel sunk in water, an elongated keel beam having forward 'and rear ends, longitudinally spaced cross members xed to said keel beam and having ends at opposite sides` of the keel beam, longitudinal rows of pontoons mounted on said ends of the cross members and spaced from opposite sides of the keel beam, said rows of pontoons having rear ends spaced forwardly from said rear end of the keel beam,4 contractible means mounted on the rear end of the keel` beam and extending forwardly therefrom, said contractible means having a forward end having thereon meansrk for connection to the bow of a sunken vesseLsaid convalved pipes connected to the pontoons for expelling water from the pontoons and for introducing air or water into the pontoons for elevating and depressing the apparatus in the water, and a forwardly declining keel lift on the forward end of the keel beam upon which a vessel is adapted to be drawn by said contractible means in advance of being drawn rearwardly onto the keel beam.

4. In apparatus for raising a vessel sunk in water, an elongated keel beam having forward and rear ends, longitudinally spaced cross members xed to said keel beam and having ends at opposite sides of the keel beam, longitudinal rows of pontoons mounted on said ends of the cross members and spaced from opposite sides of the keel beam, said rows of pontoons having rear ends spaced forwardly from said rear end of the keel beam, contractible means mounted on the rear end of the keel beam and extending forwardly therefrom, said coutractible means having a forward end having thereon means for connection to the bow of a sunken vessel, said contractible means being operable to pull a sunken vessel rearwardly onto the keel beam into position between and along the rows of pontoons, and pump means having valved pipes connected to the pontoons for expelling water from the pontoons and for introducing air or water into the pontoons for elevating and depressing the apparatus in the water, a forwardly declining keel litt on the forward end of the keel beam upon which a vessel is adapted to be drawn by said contractib'le means in advance of being drawn rearwardly onto the keel beam, and second contractible means cooperating with the rst mentioned contractible means, said second contractible means being engageable around a portion of a vessel and connected to a forward part of the apparatus for assisting said first contractible means in moving a vessel up said keel lift and onto the keel means, and single operating means for said first and second contractible means.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,250,787 Breault Dec. 18, 1917 2,084,246 Diamantides June 15, 1937 2,614,518 Carter Oct. 2l, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,498 Great Britain of 1878

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