Method and means for erecting lighthouses, breakwaters, bridge-piers and similar structures

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING LIGHTHOUSES AND THE LIKE OF SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL FORM COMPRISING AN ASSEMBLY OF A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED CYLINDRICAL ELEMENTS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING A BUOYANT CAISSON HAVING SUFFICIENT BUOYANCY TO FLOAT SAID ASSEMBLY, MEANS FOR REDUCING THE BUOYANCY OF SAID CAISSON TO LOWER SAID ASSEMBLY IN A CONTRACTED STATE UPON A WATER BED, MEANS FOR VERTICALLY EXPANDING SAID TELESCOPIC ASSEMBLY WITH THE LOWERMOST EXTREMITY OF THE OUTERMOST CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID WATER BED, CONDUIT MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A HEAVY FILLING AGGREGATE WITHIN THE LOWERMOST CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT WHEN SAID ASSEMBLY IS IN ITS EXPANDED STATE, SAID OUTERMOST TELESCOPIC ELEMENT BEING CLOSED AT ITS LOWER END AND THE INNERMOST TELESCOPIC ELEMENT BEING CLOSED AT ITS UPPER END, AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL PIPE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE CLOSED UPPER END OF SAID INNERMOST ELEMENT AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR THEREOF, SAID PIPE BEING CLOSED AT ITS UPPER END, A VERTICAL COLUMN SECURED AT ITS LOWER END TO THE CLOSED END OF SAID OUTERMOST ELEMENT AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY IN SAID VERTICAL PIPE, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE WITHIN SAID VERTICAL PIPE TO RAISE THE INNERMOST TELESCOPIC ELEMENT RELATIVE TO THE OUTERMOST TELESCOPIC ELEMENT.