US1393578A - Tubular-flood or sluice gate - Google Patents

Description

P. SAMAIN.

' TUBULAR FLOOD 0R SLUICE GATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26, 1919- Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

\XZIIETEEEBS v gate. The gates only UNITED STATES PIERRE SAMAIN, OF GUSY, FRANCE.

TUBULAR-FLOOD Specification of Letters Patent.

OR SLUICE GATE.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Application filed August 26, 1919. Serial No. 320,053.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PIERRE SAMAIN, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Cusy, Haute-Sane, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tubular-Flood or Sluice Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tubular flood or sluice gates.

By this invention the tubular gates are provided with floats, and means for varying their buoyancy and thus without having recourse to any external force the opening and closlng of the gate is controlled or its degree of opening is merely regulated.

In order to facilitate the operation of the gate, springs may also be employed which partially counter balance the weight of the comprise a single movable member, namely the tube or shaft, the weight of which with an equal discharge, is from three to six times less than that of ordinary gates. They require no adjustment and do not necessitate any operating gear, the operation being done on the spot or at a distance by merely drawing water from a reservoir. The invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, shows by what means the invention is put in practice.

Figure l is a sectional elevation through the axis of the tubular flood gate.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 shows a valve arrangement for the re-admission of air into the pipe in case of a vacuum occufing.

Now referring to the Figs. 1 and 2, the gate forming a float is constituted by a tubular body 1 which is closed at its lower part by a bottom 2. At the center there is a pipe 3 starting from the bottom and extending the whole height of the gate; it places the part beneath the gate in communication with the atmosphere. Two or more helical springs 4 have their ends fixed to the bottom 2 of the gate and also to a cross-piece 5 by means of bolts 6 which enable the tension of the spring to be regulated. The cross-piece 5 is mounted on the reservoir wall. The tension of the springs is calculated so as to keep the sluice gate open and causing an abutment fixed in the interior of the tube 3 to lie with slight pressure against the lower end of the screw 19 which is screwed into the cross-piece 5 to regulate the degree of opening of the flood gate.

The interior of the gate can be placed in communication with the water of the up stream reservoir 8 by an aperture formed in a pipe 9 discharging at the side of the gate.

This aperture serves as a seat for a valve, the spindle of which is indicated at 10 and the end of this spindle may be attracted by an electromagnet 11 when the coil of the latter is energized by'an electric current.

Another aperture formed in the bottom of the gate allows of the interior being placedin communication with the pipe 12 for discharging down stream and this aperture serves as a seat for a valve, the spindle 13 of which is controlled by an electromagnet 14. The electromagnets 11 and 14 are fixed to the tubular gate and electric wires connect them with the remote station'from whence the gate is controlled.

The sluice gate is maintained in its rising and descending movement by lateral guides 15. The gate rests on its seat 16 by means of an annular groove 17 placed on the periphery of its base and provided with a tight packing.

The working of the gate is as follows The drawing shows the gate open. It is held in this position by its buoyancy and the tension of the springs which counter bal ance its weight with a slight preponderance, the weight of the valve being also capable of being regulated by water introduced into the float. 7

To close the gate, electric current is transmitted to the electromagnet 11 which lifts the spindle 10 and places the interior of the float in communication with the water of I the upstream reservoir and it enters the float weighting the gate 11. As the load of water increases the buoyancy of the gate lessens and acts contrary to its springs so that the gate progressively descends until the annular groove 17 rests on its seat 16 and thus the valve is completely closed. By switching off the current at the electromagnet 11 the valve falls on its seat and the gate.

against the screw 19 screwed into the cross bar 5. By switching off the current at the electromagnet 14, the valve of the rod-13 falls back on its seat and the gate remains 5 open.

It is evident that this same arrangement may serve for regulating the opening of the gate by charging the float to a greater or lesser degree and thus this gate becomes a means for regulating the discharge.

Thus the gate also acts automatically for holding up the water of the reservoir in case of fracture of the pipe. Incase of fracture of the down stream pipe, the water leaving the pipe 12 produces suction which causes a vacuum beneath the bottom of the float and the atmospheric pressure acting above, presses it down on its seat. At the same timethe central pipe 3 allows of a rapid entry ofair into the top of the pipe and'protects it for a certain time against the crushing effect of the atmospheric pressure due to the instantaneous vacuum which may be produced inside the pipe.

The arrangement hereinbefore described has the great advantage of not comprising any gearing. The motive force for operating the gate is provided by the water of the reservoir aided by the action of the springs,

'30 the work of which is consequently very 11mited and there is no frictional member which dispenses with the necessity of adjustment.

, In addition to the pipe 3 for the admission of air into the head of the down stream pipe when the gate is closed in order to complete the security there is an automatic valve added to it which is shown in Fig. 1. This valve 20 is in the form of a cup or basin to allow of a spring 21 being located therein 40 which counter-balances its weight.

In the case of vacuum in the pipe, the atmospheric pressure acts on the upper side of the valve 20 and moves the valve against the spring to allow air to pass round the basin. Valves of .the same kind may, if desired be suitably distributed along the pipe;

Instead of placing the valve on the pipe, it may be also placed beneath as shown in Fig. 3. A spherical valve 22 resting on a seat 23 fixed to a tube 24 for the admission of air may be employed. An arch 25 above the valve prevents the ball from escaping from its lodgment.

I declare that what I claim is 1. A flood or sluice gate comprising in combination a tubular body closed at the bottom forming a float, communicating means between the reservoir and said float, communicating means between said float and the down stream, valves controlling the flow of water in and out of said float whereby the position of said float is regulated and a tube extending from bottom to top of said tubular body to connect the underside of the float with the atmosphere.

2. A flood or sluice gate comprising a tubular body forming a floating valve, means of communication between the reservoir and the down stream forming a valve seating, ports in said valve whereby water may enter or leave, means to regulate the position of said valve relatively to said seating by the amount of water contained in said valve, and guiding means to insure the correct. vertical position of said valve relatively to its seating.

3. A flood or sluice gate comprising in combination a float, ports allowing the communication of the inside of the float with the reservoir and down stream respectively, valves controlling said ports, means to operate said valves, a down stream channel forming a seating for said float, and means to regulate the vertical position or said float relatively to said seating.

4. In a flood or sluice gate thecombination of a float, valve controlled ports allowing the flow of water in and out of said float electro-magnetic means to operate said valves to allow a predetermined quantity of water to enter said float, and means to oppose the downward motion of said float and thewater contained therein.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto.

signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

p PIERRE SAMAIN. Witnesses:

MORAND,

L. BORWERET;

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