US73566A - Edwin bell - Google Patents

Description

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Letters- Patent No. 73,566, dated January 21, 1868.

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Be it known that I, EDWIN BELL, of St. Paul, in the county-ot` Ramsey, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Geiler-Dams; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making 'part` of this specification, and to the letters of reference markedv thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur. i

To enableothers skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

My invention consists in making a new and improved iloatingcoffer-dam, forremoving the water, so that snags, wrecks, dirt, or rocks may he conveniently removed from the bottoms of rivers Aor harbors, or so that walls or piers may be conveniently huilt'or rocks blasted. In the" drawings- Figure 1 represents a top plan view, and

Figure 2 represents a vertical section on the lines :c :v and my of tig. 1.

In constructing my coder-dam, I make a strong barge, A, of anydesired size,rliavng two water-tight com partments, B B, one on each side of the barge. Between these compartments B B, I leave a largeopeniug, C, Y which I surround with, two frames, D E. These frames D E, I connect at their sides with one another,and also with the water-tight compartments, and at their ends w-ith the main frame of the barge, placing them atea short' distance from each other, and over the opening C in the centre. Each of the frames consists of two parallel pieces of timber, placed farenough apart toallow boards or plank to be passed between them, as shown in Afig. 1. In the opening between the frames D and at its lower side, and around its whole extent, I place a bag or sack, F, made of India rubber, India-rubber cloth, or' any {lexible water-tight material, having a strong, wide bottom, and an extension-apromG, ofisimilar material, at the top, and long enough to reach and stretch over the frames D E, or, at least, above the water-line. In the bag F, I place short, flat pieces of iron, c, as shown in fig. 2, whehare attached'to a line running through it, `so as to bevmoved. These ilat pieces of iron serve to hold the bag Il' close to the ground.

My barge is so/constructed that one end of the coffer-dam may be opened by turning onthe hinge a, and, when closed, is fastened by the -hook 6,' as shown in fig. 1. The water-tight compartments I provide with holes and plugs, so that, at any time, by removing the plugs, the whole barge may be readily and easily sunk.

In operating my movable co'er-dan1, after moving it to the place where it is to be used, I pull the plugs out of the water-tight compartments B B, and sink the whole barge. Then I drive boardsc through .the openings in each ofthe frames DE, and down into therground, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. I use boards of diiIerent widths, if necessary, so as to adjust them to the lay and character of the ground, and also in case of their coming in contact with rocks of uneven surface, that they may be made to fit them the more closely. After driving down vthese two tiers of boards c through the frames D E, I pass the bagpr sack F around between them, sinking it, by meansl of the flat pieces ofiron o, iig. 2, and holding itt-hen by means of long strips of boards, which are keyed down againstit. I then draw up the aprons G, which are attached to the bag F, and fasten them up above the water-line. This done,'I fill the bag F with air orwater, when it serves to maken Water-tight packing along the lower sides`oi the boards c, and, in connection with the apron G and the boards c, n either side, makes a water-tight wall. I then pump the water outot` the opening or coller-dam C, as well as out of the space between tbe two tiers ot' boards c, by steam or other power, which leaves the bottom'within the Colfer-dam exposed for such operations as may be desired.

Instead of using a pump, thewater may be drawn out ofthe coder dam by means of a screw, cl, shaped like a propeller, and turning in a tubeor proper opening in the side ofthe dam, and worked by a pitman connecting it with the engine.' In the use of a large coiIer-dnm, two or more such screws may be used, or, whena small one is employed, the water may be removed by the use of the .Archimedes screw.

Whenever it is desired to move the Colfer-dam, I insert the plugs in the water-tight compartments, then pull up tbe boards L', raise and empty, if necessary, the bag F, and pump the water out of the water=tight compartments B B. This done, the whole is ready to befloated to such other place as may be desired.

In streamsor' rivers where the current is strong and rapid, other barges may be attached to the movable coller-dam, in order to anchor it or bold it more steadily in place.'

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combinetion with e floating coger-dam, construeted substantially as described, the flexible bag, sack, or pipe F, for packing the same, and excluding the water.

2. I claim, also, the use of an apron, of rubber cloth, canvas, or other iexible material, made water-proof, for packing the joints between the tiers of planksforming' the inner wallsof the dem, substantially as described.

EDWIN BELL.

Witnesses:

E. M. DEANE, S. S.`MURDOCK.

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