US664844A - Dry-dock. - Google Patents

Description

No. 664,844. Patented lan. I, |901. o. EPPS. DRY DOCK.

(Application Bled Apr. 2B, 1900.]

(No Modal.)

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UNTTnn STnTns PATENT OFFICE.

-OBLO EPPS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRY-DOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,844, dated January 1, 1901.

Application led April Z8, 1900. Serial No. 14,675. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLO EPPS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented anew and useful Dry-Dock, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the dry-docking of vessels by means of a iioating basin which when in use rest-s on an artificial foundation prepared for it and which connects to a dock built on the shore above the level of the Water in the harbor. Said basin will when docking a vessel act on the principle of a canallock, but is designed to be movable and may be detached from the dock at pleasure and moved to and attached to each of several docks similarly constructed. This method obviates expensive excavations below waterlevel and heavy construction necessary to hold backwater pressures, also allows docks to be placed near each other, the sides being vertical, or nearly so, and it also provides an easy means of launching new ships when the dock is used for a building-slip, as describedl herein.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and in which- Figure I is a plan of three docks, the basin, and supports for basin. Fig. II is a vert-ical Fig. III is a vertical seotion on line 2 2. Fig. IV is a vertical section on line 3 3. Fig. V is a vertical section, to a larger scale, of the bottom of dock at the outer end. the connecting part of basin, and the joint arrangement.

Fig. I represents a plan showing three docks D D D", also the basin B, attached to dock D, and also the foundation T in front of dock D. The docksin this case are parallel to each other and at right angles to the sea-wall S. They may be built in any other relation to each other desirable. C represents a caisson closing the outer end of the basin when in use and can be removed to pass vessels in or out. Itmay be similar to the ones in common use in dry-docks or may be built as gates to a canal-lock. It is intended that it may be adjusted at different points of the side, so that the whole basin need not be lled when a short boat is to be docked. A similar arrangement may be used in the docks, if desired. T represents horizontal timbers placed in the bottom of the harbor, supported on and attached to piles and filled in between with earth and concrete to preserve them. A similar foundation is provided in front of each dock and will support the basin B when in use.

Fig. II represents a longitudinal section of the dock D, basin B, caisson C, timbers T, piles P, and sea-wallrS. G L is the grade-line and is just above the water-levelW L of the harbor. .W' L is the water-level inside the basin and dock in docking a ship. O is the joining of dock and basin.

Fig. III is a cross-section of the basin B, the sides and bottom of which are double, the outer skin extending above the Water-level in th'e harbor. F F are compartments, watertight, which when empty float the basin.

Fig. IV is a cross-section of the dock D. It can be of any length or width so long as its outer end corresponds to that of the basin B. It is built entirely above grade and may have water-tight doors at sides for entrance when the dock is dry, but closed when filled with water. It will be fitted with keel-blocks properly supported, and also appliances for cleaning and repairing vessels.

Fig. V shows a section through the joining of dock and basin, D being the door of the dock and B the inner end of the basin. E is a wrought-iron plate bent as shown and extending entirely across the end. Similar plates extend up the sides. R R are rubber plates fastened to the iron plate E and resting on the dock and basin, as shown. A is a bolt attached to the basin and extending through the plate E, a series of which bolts secure the plate E in position by means of nuts. The basin will be further bolted to the dock when in use to prevent slipping endwise.

In general the operation will be as follows: The water ballast being forced from the compartments of the basin, it is floated. and then moved in front of a dock. The compartments are then tilled, and when the basin rests on the timber foundation the joining-plates E are bolted in position and the basin bolted to the dock. The caisson fis removed and the vessel floated in. The caisson is then putin place and the basin and dock pumped full.

IOO

The vessel is then floated into the dook, when the water is allowed to ilow out and the vessel rests on the keel-blocks- The basin may be turned at right angles to the dock when it receives or discharges a vessel if the stream is narrow, and it maybe so placed when not in use. This method allows a narrow stream to be used for a shipyard-channel. It is also proposed to use the docks for building-slips for new Work, thereby obviating the necessity of building a vessel on the incline and of launching in the old way. When so used, the vertical beams or posts at sides of doek will be carried up to a considerable height and will support traveling cranes, roofs, derricks, dac.

I am aware that the principle of the canal lock is old and also that a dry-doek has been patented in which a shallow basin connects to a deeper one, all below the water-level of the harbor.

signed to raise a Vessel and float it into or out i ot' the dock as shown and described.

2. In a dry-dock as described, the combination of a dock and a detachable basin, said basin to be movable and fitted to be attached to one or more several docks, by means of a flexible joint as shown, and when so joined,

resting on an artificial foundation as shown and described. Y

oRLo EPP's. f

Witnesses:

S. J. MILES, J. A. MoDoWELL.

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