Lewis v. Merritt, Chapman & Scott Corp.

MANTON, Circuit Judge.

The patent in suit is for a method of and apparatus for laying submarine pipes. The invention is directed to laying a line of connecting pipe sections from a floating vessel into a dredged trench under deep water and the apparatus for carrying on the work. It'is said that the apparatus provided minimized the strain *346on the pipe joints when the vessel is subject to fluctuations by the water. It consists of a launehway, admittedly known in the art, means of scraping the trench bottom in advance of the pipe, and buoyancy devices to lighten the launehway and to control the…