US1184062A

US1184062A - Wicket for dams.

Info

Publication number: US1184062A
Application number: US4379215A
Authority: US
Inventors: Guy B Bebout
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1915-08-05
Filing date: 1915-08-05
Publication date: 1916-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1933-05-23

Description

G. B. BEBOUT.

WlCKET FOR DAMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5. m5.

IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 23, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' WITNESSES G. B. BEBOUT.

WICKET FOR DAMS.

APPLICATION FILED mm, 1915.

Patented May 23,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- NVENTOR.

ATTOR EY WITNESSES:

GUY B. BEBOUT, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

WIGKET FOR DAMS.

Application filed August 5, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY B. BEBOUT, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of lVheeling, county of Ohio, and State of lVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wickets for Dams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to improvements in wicket dams, and specifically to a collapsible wicket for such dams.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of movable dam-section or wicket which may be readily moved from a reclining to an elevated position, and Vice versa, irrespective of the pool level or head of water.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a wicket which is self-lowering at predetermined elevations of water in the upper pool, means being thus afforded for automatically regulating the depth of such upper pool; to provide a wicket which may be conveniently connected toy and disconnected from the foundation, and thus to materially reduce not only the initial cost, but also the cost of operation and maintenance of movable dams; and to provide a wicket the body of which may be made of reinforced concrete.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a wicket constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating the collapsible anchors; Fig. 2 is a detail section showing a preferred hinge connection for the wicket; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the invention, showing-a modified form of hinge connection; Fig. 4 is a front face view of the wicket body with'cover plates removed; to show the lowering mechanism; Fig. 5 is a substantially central longitudinal section taken through Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections taken respectively on lines6'6 and 7-7, Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of collapsible or folding anchor; and Fig, '9 is a detail View showing in rear elevation the Joint between the members of the anchor shown in Fig, 8.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several vews-1 indicates a shutter which may be formed of any appro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Serial No. 43,792.

priate material, preferably reinforced concrete, and which is free at both ends, neither of said ends being hinged or otherwise connected toany fixed object. Pivotally connected to said shutter at a point below the middle thereof is a frame by means of which it may be firmly supported in elevated position, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 8. Said frame comprises, essentially, one or more metal props 2, a pair thereof being preferably employed, and one or more metal anchors each of which consists of two members 3 and 4 placed end to end and pivotally connected. Said props have a parallel disposition and are pivotally connected at their upper ends, as to a horizontal rod or shaft 5' mounted in bearings 6 located on the downstream face of the shutter, and are pivotally connected at their lower ends to shoes 7 which rest on a foundation 8, said props thus occupying parallel inclined bracing positions with respect to said shutter when the latter occupies its elevated position. The lower ends of the anchor members 3 are fixed upon a rod or shaft 9 which is journaled in the adjacent ends of a pair of bars 10; and the upper anchor members 4 have their upper ends fixed to the shaft 5. Each member 4 is provided with an extension 11, L-shaped in cross section, one member of which is designed to engage the connected member 3 on its downstream face and thus limit the extension movement of the anchor members, preventing said members, for a purpose which will hereinafter be made apparent, from assuming positions in direct alinement.

The bars 10 in the ends of which the rod or shaft 9 is journaled, as aforesaid, occupy substantially reclining positions upon the foundation 8 and have'their opposite ends attached to the shoes 7, as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite ends of the shaft 9 project outward from the bars 10 and are received underneath hook-shaped lugs 12 which are formed on or attached to the downstream side of a metal sill 13 which is disposed transversely of the bed of the streamand is permanently fixed to the foundation 8. Foot-portions 14 or equivalent devices are formed on the under sides of said bars 10 for resting upon the foundation to support the said ends of shaft 9 at a height which will prevent chance disassociation of said shaft from the lugs 12, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, said foot-portions being located at points sufficiently far removed from the connection of said bars with said shaft that they will not, when the bars are elevated somewhat to an inclined position, interfere with the introduction and removal of said shaft into and out of interlocking engagement with said lugs.

The sill "13 has an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion 15 constituting a seat upon or against which the lower endv of the downstream face of the shutter rests or abuts when thelatter occupies its elevated position and by which downstream move- 'ment of the lower end of the shutter is limited. I The wicket is normally maintained in its elevated position, not only by the force of gravity acting on the nearly vertical shutter, but also by the pressure exerted by the impounded water against said shutter. To

lower the wicket, either a horizontal force suflicientto overcome the forces maintaining it upright may beapplied in a downstream direction to the upper end of the shutter,

or a force may be applied in an upstream direction to the lower end of the shutter. In either case said shutter is rotated counter clockwise on the adjacent ends of the props 12 to a point where the said forces tending to maintain the shutter upright are overcome, when, by gravity, the frame collapses,

' allowing the Wicket'to assume substantially the-lowered position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As is obvious, whenthe said forces tending to maintain the shutter upright have been overcome, as above explained, the weight of the shutter and frame causes the anchor members to close n sub stantially jack-knife fashion, said members turning at their point of pivotal connection and the rods or shafts 6 and 9 to which their ends are connected rotating in their bear V ings. Due to the fact that said members are and proportioned that it will be tripped automatically when the upper pool, or impounded water,reaches a predetermined elevation,it has been found desirable from an 7 administrative standpoint to eliminate all uncertainty by the provision of positively actuated mechanism whereby automatic tripping of the wicket at a predetermined pool elevation is accomplished. Said mechanism comprlses, essentially, an auxiliary shutter 16 located in an opening 17 pro-' vided in the main shutter 1 below the point of s'upportof the latter, said auxiliary shutter having trunnions 18 journaled in the main shutter at opposite sides of said open ing 17. Said trunnions are located belo w the middle of said auxiliary shutter and thus below the center of pressure of water to which it may be subjected, so that it nor mally occupies the open position shown dotted lines in Fig.5, permitting water to pass in a substantially unobstructed manner maintain the upright position of the main shutter. V Said auxiliary shutteris held in upright position closing the opening 17 by means of a spring pressed latch '19 which operates through a casing 20 which .is fixed in'a recess 21 provided in the downstream; V

Said latch is face of the main shutter. suitably connected to 'a'lever 22 intermediate the ends of the latter, one of said ends being through said-opening, thus relieving to alarge extent the pressure. which tends to pivoted to said main shutter .and theopporod 23 which lies longitudinally of said shutter and has its upper end pivotally'con- 'nected to a transversely disposed lever 2a in- 7 site end being pivoted to the lowerend of a p termediate theends of the latter. Saidlever 24 has one end pivotally connectedto the main shutter and has anarm 25 on its free 7 end directed forward through a'slot 26 in the rear wall'of a bucket 27 whichisrigidly mounted on the downstream face of the main shutter'adjacent to the upper end ered by a screen Hand is adapted toreceive water therein when the latter reaches'a thereof. Said bucket has its upper end covlevel where it flows over the top of the shut ter 1. Located within said bucket is a fi oat '28 movable on suitable guides 29 and having the arm 25 rigidly:attached/thereto. Said to be elevated by airconfi'ne'd therein. when water rises around it.

27 andrises about the float 28, the latteris caused to rise by thelbuoy'ant' air confined therein, and, through the intermediate levers actuated by said float, the latch 19 is withdrawn from supporting relatio'n'to the auxilia'ry shutter, which latter immediately-- swings forward on its trunnions due to unbalanced water pressure, and thus relieves the, pressure on the lower end of the main shutterto such an extent that the latterbecomes unbalanced and, swingse'n bascule, causing the supporting frame therefor to collapse. VVhen themain shuttenl has assumedv the reclining position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the auxiliary shutter again assumes a position closing the opening 17; and, the air having'been permitted to escape froln the open ended float 28, the

latch is'again projected into supportinglrelation to said auxiliary shutter, being actue ated by'suitable means, as the latch-spring 10s 7 i float has itslower end open and is designed I In practice, when water enters the bucket iso- 40 and a retractilecoilspring 30 interposed between the lower end of the lever 23 and a fixed part ofthe main shutter. Thus, when the main shutter is again elevated, the auxiliary shutter will be disposed in its upright position.

The various levers described are located in a suitably shaped recess 34: provided therefor in the downstream face of the main shutter and preferably work in heavy grease. A cover plate 35 fitted in said recess serves to protect said levers and to retain the grease.

A small aperture 31 is provided in the bottom of the bucket to permit water carried by the latter when elevatedto drain therefrom, as also water deposited in the bucket by waves or during rains.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modified. form of hinge connection between the supporting frame and the sill, the modification consisting in dispensing with the hookshaped lugs 12 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and substituting openings or sockets 32 in the downstream face of the sill. l3, and in providing rearwardly extending upturned hooks 33 on the adjacent ends of the bars 10*, said hooks being designed for introduction in said sockets, as shown.

A modified form of anchor is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the same com rising members 3 and l the adjacent ends of which have integral forwardly projecting arms 36 connected at their ends by a pivot pin 37. Interengaging lugs 39 and 38 carried by the adjacent faces of said members 4 and 3 respectively prevent a forward swinging of member l with respect to member 3 from their alined positions. Since the point of pivotal connection 37 is located in a forward position with respect to the axis of the members 3 and t, but slight resistance is offered to the collapse of said members in a manner similar to that of the members 3 and at hereinbefore described. 7

A closed tank 42 may be, and preferably is fixed on the front, or downstream, face of the auxiliary shutter 16 adjacent to'the upper edge thereof, the same being adapted for containing air whereby said shutter is rendered sufficiently buoyant that it will automatically swing to closing position when the main shutter is partially elevated from its collapsed position.

What is claimed is 1. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a sill located in fixed position thereon, a shutter having both ends free, props pivotally connected to said shutter intermediate its ends and adapted to support the same in an elevated otal connection with the lower ends of said props, and foldable anchors interposed between the upper ends of said props and the upstream ends of said bars.

2. A wicket comprising, in combination ed to support said shutter in an elevated 7 position with its lower end seated against the upstream face of said sill, bars resting on and independent of said foundation, said bars having their upstream ends detachably connected to said sill and having the lower ends of said props pivotally connected to their downstream ends, and foldable anchors pivotally connecting the upstream ends of said props to the corresponding ends of said bars whereby the extent of elevation of the former is limited.

3. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a sill located in fixed position thereon, a shutter having both ends free, props pivotally connected t'o-said shutter below the middle thereof and adapted to support said shutter in an elevated position with its lower end seated against the upstream face of said sill, bars resting on and independent of said foundation, said bars having their upstream ends detachably connected to said sill and having the lower ends of said props pivotally connected to their downstream ends, and anchors connecting the upstream ends of said props to the corresponding ends of said bars whereby the extent of elevation of the former is limited, each of sa1d anchors consisting of a pair of pivotally connected members which. lie in substantial alinement when the shutter occupies elevated position and which are collapsible to folded position, the pivotal connection of said members being out of alinement with the connections of the opposite ends of said members.

4:. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a sill located in fixed position thereon, a shutter having both ends free, props pivotally connected to said shutter belowthe middle thereof and adapted to support said shutter in an eleagainst the upstream face of said sill, bars resting on and independent of said foundation, said bars having their upstream ends detachably connected to said sill and hav ing the lower ends of said props pivotally connected to their downstream ends,'foldable anchors pivotally connecting the up stream ends of said props to the corresponding ends of said bars whereby the extent of elevation of the former is limited, and automatically controlled means for releasing the pressure of water tending to maintain said shutter in elevated position.

&

5. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a sill located in i fixed position thereon, a shutter having ;both ends free, props pivotally connected to said shutter below the, middle thereof and adapted to support said shutter in an elevated position with its lower end seated connected to their downstream ends, foldable anchors pivotally connecting the up-- stream ends of said props to thecorresponding ends of said bars whereby the extent of elevation of the former is 'lim-- ited, and automatically controlled means whereby the pressure of impounded water against the lower portion of said shutter is relieved. 7

6. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a transversely disposed sill fixed thereon, a shutter having both ends free, collapsible means pivotally' stream face of saidsill, said shutter having an opening therethrough adjacent to its lower end, 'an' auxiliary shutter pivotally' mounted in said opening for closing the latter, meansnormally holding said auX1liary shutter inclo'sing position, and means carried by said shutter and adapted to be actuated by the water when a predete r mined pool level has been reached whereby said holding means is withdrawn torallow f 40 said auxiliary shutter to open, relieving the. water pressure tending to hold the main shutter upright. o 7

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presenceof two subscribingwitnesses. v V

' GUY B. 'BEBOUT.

'VVitnesses: r

s. R. 1am, V H. E. Donner.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theflcommls s'i oner of Patents.

' 7 Washington. D. 6.? r A g