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April, 1913 New Floating Dry Dock at Seattle The new floating dry dock of the Seattle Construction & Dry Dock Co., Seattle, Wash., has been put into com- mission. The dock is of the Rennie type and is of the following dimen- sions: luength:. on. kéel. -blogks, 468 . 7. width between walls, 90 ft.; height of walls above deck of pontoons, 35. ft.; lifting power, 12,000 tons. The six pontoons of which the dock is composed are identical in size and construction. Each pontoon contains 18 trusses on 4-ft. centers; the trusses are formed of arch member on top and longitudinal timber on the bot- tom, these two connected by tie rods and by struts and blocking between members. The deck of the pontoons upon which the walls are fitted is open to the walls, giving free communication for water between the walls and pon- toons. 'Heavy limbers The. center line' bulkhead) of. the pontoons upon which the keel blocks rest, and which takes the weight of the vessel, is built up of heavy timbers and is watertight. On each side of the center are three bulkheads, one under the inboard side of the tower and two under the bilge blocks. The connection between the steel towers and pontoons is made _ by heavy straps which are bolted to the sides of the towers and to heavy steel straps on the side of the pon- . toons. The connection on the inboard side of the towers is made in the same way. The framing of the steel towers is cross-braced and stiffened by diag- onals. The towers are divided into six watertight compartments by bulk- heads. A watertight steel flat extends fore and aft 9 ft. below top of towers. This serves as a machinery deck where all the pump and capstan mo- tors are located. Any pontoon may be detached and self-docked at any time, thus making every part of the whole structure accessible for painting and repairing. Keel blocks are 4 ft. centers and are built up of 12-in. by 12-in. timbers. The two bottom timbers are of hol- low wood and tapered so that they can be driven out and the blocking removed under the keel of a vessel while on the dock. Bilge blocks are built up of fir timbers and so ar- ranged that they can easily be altered to suit the shape of different vessels. The bilge blocks are pulled into po- sition and removed by steel wire THE MARINE REVIEW ropes running to hand winches on top of towers. When a vessel is in the dock, bow and stern lines are passed to the cap- stans on the towers and the vessel placed in position so that the keel is on the center line of the keel blocks. This position is indicated by centering chains extending across from tower to tower at-each end of the vessel and having a plumb bob sus- pended at the center link. The pumping plant consists essen- tially of six 18-in. vertical, motor- driven, centrifugal pumps, having a combined capacity sufficient to dock a 12,000-ton vessel in two hours. Pumps are of the Kingsford Foun- dry & Machine Works, Oswego, N. Y., make. They are of the vertical, submerged volute type, each having a capacity of at least 500,000 gallons of water per hour against a static head varying from 4% in. to 18 ft. 5 in. Each pump<is driven by a 60 H. P., 390 R. P. M., three-phase, 60-cycle, 440-volt, constant speed' vertical type induction motor of Westinghouse manufacture. All the pumps, and the operating house from which the entire dock is controlled, are situated on one side of the dock, the operating house be- ing located at one end of the tower on the upper or running deck. One pump is located in each pon- toon near the bottom of the pontoon and is mounted on a cast iron ped- estal. : The suction splits into two 12-in. 'branches, each one of which is pro- vided with a quick-opening gate valve. 'Each branch serves one of the two watertight compartments of the pon- toon. Control of Valves The twelve 12-in. gate valves are mechanically controlled, through rods and countershafts, by hand levers ar- ranged in the operating house. The motors are located on the ma- -chinery flat in the tower, each being arranged directly over its respective pump, to which it is connected by a vertical shaft. A flexible coupling is fitted above each pump and for carry- ing the weight of shafting, etc., a suitable thrust washer and collar is provided in the pump. . Each motor is independently con- trolled from the operating house by an oil immersed auto starter with automatic overload and no voltage re- lease attachments. For lowering the dock water is ad- mitted through the pumps and 12-in. lines. The athwartship trim of the dock can at once be read by a pendulum 141 inclinometer fitted on the wall of the operating house. For the fore and aft trim, a hori- zontal pointer, fitted with a lever, is used, a graduated scale and adjust- ment being provided for one end. The head of water in each com- partment of the dock is recorded by an altitude gage located in the op- erator's house. From this gage a small pipe leads to a suitable. place in the respective compartment, and terminates in an inverted cup. A compressed air tank is provided, with a connection to each indicator pipe, so that all water can be forced out of the pipe, thus insuring an accurate read- ing of the head of water carried by the air pressure. For warping ships into position in the dock, the running deck of each tower is provided with eight bollards and three capstans, the capstans be- ing located one at each end of tower and one in center. Auxiliary Machinery These capstans are each driven by a 25 H. P., 440-volt, A. C. 720 R. P. M, motor. The motors are located on the machinery deck below, each motor driving its capstan through gearing and a worm and wheel. The worm wheel is fitted on the lower end of the vertical shaft passing up through' the running deck and fitted into the capstan at its upper end. The capstans are of cast iron, and are designed so that they can be released from the vertical shaft for hand turning, six sockets being pro- vided in each capstan. : A cast iron base provided with groove and ball bearings carries the weight of capstan and. shafting. The directors of the Lake Carriers Association recently met in Cleveland and adopted a resolution that the three-watch system for firemen be extended to all vessels of the 'asso- ciation. This system is now in. vogue on some of the steamers. John D. Gilchrist, who was recently appointed manager of the boats re- maining in the Gilchrist fleet, and Harry C. Doville, who was dispatcher for the Gilchrist Transportation Co., have opened offices at No. 854-856 Rockefeller building, Cleveland, O. The ore and coal handlers on the docks at Lake Erie ports will get an advance in wages when the shipping season opens. No demands' were made by the men, the advance being entirely spontaneous on the part of the dock managers.