A Machine-Shop in a Diving-Bell 



A DIVING-BELL in a large sted 

 tank filkxl with clear water was 

 exhibited in a New York store 

 recently. The tank was fourteen feet in 

 diameter and ten in height. 



Suspended from a stanchion overhead 

 was an iron sphere about four feet in 

 diameter. It hung from the 

 stanchion by chains and 

 could be raised or lowered by 

 means of a triple expansion 

 block and tackle. A stout, 

 well insulated electric cable 

 ran into the sphere and 

 disappeared over the rim of 

 the tank to a strange-looking 

 switchboard. Protruding 

 from one side of the ball and 

 equally distant were four 

 powerful electromagnets. 

 The flat surfaces, or "heels" 

 of these were parallel. Fac- 

 ing them was a thick steel 

 plate suspended in the water. 

 From the external switch- 

 board, electric current was 

 sent through the cable and 

 into the electromagnets. 

 They exerted a pulling 

 force of four tons each which 

 drew them and the sphere to 

 which they were rigidly fast- 

 ened, against the steel plate. 

 The steel plate represented 

 the steel side of a sunken 

 ship. Another switch was 

 and a half-inch steel drill 

 truded from the sphere between the 

 four magnets commenced to turn until 

 it penetrated the steel plate. Another 

 switch was thrown on. The drill with- 

 drew from the hole it had bored and 

 wormscrews commenced to revolve which 

 shifted the position of the ball slighth', 

 and in a very few minutes another hole 

 was drilled. 



Under actual working conditions, this 

 sphere would be used to carry two men 

 to the sea bottom, who would attack the 

 side of a sunken steel or iron ship 

 exactly as the miniature sphere attacked 



the steel plate in the diving tank. In 

 the demonstrating apparatus, the stan- 

 chion represented the sea barge from 

 which the hollow iron ball carrying the 

 two workmen and their equipment would 

 be lowered to the depths in the vicinity 

 of the sunken ship, through the sides of 



CiNSULATEO CABLE 



.TO SWlTCHB0WU)3«v;i;=> 



FOR Shifting. 

 POiillCNS or MAGNET J 



The steel plate in the tank represents the steel side of a sunken 

 ship through which holes will be drilled for grappling hooks 



thrown on, 

 which pro- 



which holes would be drilled as the first 

 step toward raising it to the surface for 

 salvaging. 



When sufficient holes were drilled strong 

 hooks would be inserted to which would 

 be attached pontoons. When enough 

 hooks had been inserted and enough pon- 

 toons attached to them, the water would 

 be pumped from the pontoons from 

 above. The ship, theoretically, would 

 rise to the surface, and could then be 

 towed without further difficultj- to the 

 nearest dock. 



While the miniature apparatus per- 

 forms admirably, the "life-sized" diving 

 sphere has not yet been given a trial. 



All the specialized knowledge and information of the editorial staff of the Popular 

 Science Monthly is at your disposal. Write to the editor if you think he can help you. 



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