US141826A - Improvement in water-wheels - Google Patents

Description

2`Sheets--S`heet 2.

B; sT'ETsuN. Water-Wheels.`

Patented August 12, 1873..

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MWJ r' UNITED STATES ATENE OFFICE.

BRADFORD STETSON, OF FITGHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT iN WATER-WHEELS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent N0. HILSQG, dated August l2, 1873; application filed February 7, 1873. v

` To all whom it may concern:

. connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

The invention relates to details of construction of that class of Water-wheels in which, the

wheel being horizontal, the water enters its peripheral buckets from the outside, and discharges at the center, the water entering through a suitable encompassing-curb, and its entrance being governed by anannular and adjustable gate. f

The spindle-foot of the wheel is supported at bottom and rotates upon a suitable step; and one part of my invention consists in supplying to this step water under pressure, so that the spindle in effect turns upon a thin hlm of water constantly supplied to it. I also combine with such provision for lubrication of the step a lterin g mechanism, by means of which only clear water can reach the step, and this mechanism I so apply that either automaticallyor by hand at certain intervals, the direction of the current of water may be changed so that the ltering medium will be freed from all accumulations of foreign matter.

The application of the iilter and the provision for cleansing the filtering medium constitute portions of the invention.

When the wheel is running the water creeps through and fills the space over the wheel or between the top of the wheel and the plate just above it, and as there is generally no escape for it the pressure of this water is of course downward upon the top of the wheel. To provide Afor escape of the water and thereby relieve the wheel from its pressure, (which pressure of course forces the foot of the wheelspindle down upon its step,) I run one or more pipes through the top of the curb-plate, and extend the outer end of said pipe through the wheel-case. The pressure upon the wate c, of course, forces it through this pipe, which thereby constitutes a pressure relief.

This provision constitutes another feature of my invention.

To incase the wheel I apply the curb to a Y circular dat plate or ring mounted on pillars extending up from a base-plate, (the step being made adjustable centrally within the basering for reception of the spndle,) and upon this ring to which the curb is fixed I mount a hemispherical dome,which is cast with the spout or conductor for introducing the water to the wheel, with a neck for receiving the bearing for the wheel-spindle, and another neck for receiving the spindle that operates the gate, this dome having a cylindrical base or lower part, at the bottom of which is a iian ge that fits upon and is bolted to the flange of the plate that holds the curb. This dome covers and protects all of the mechanism, affords the proper height for the bearing of the wheel-spindle, and enables all the mechanism to be inspected .by its removal, or set up before it is applied to cover the mechanism, it also furnishing in one piece a perfectly tight and strong cover and protector to the wheel mechanism. l

The hemispherical dome thus formed and applied constitutes another .feature of my'in.

vention.

The drawing represents a machine embodying my improvements.

Figure lis a sectional elevation, showing, i particular, the step lubricating and filtering mechanism. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, showing the 'relief-pipe, 8vo.

d denotes the stationary base or frame having pillars b, upon the top of which is the ring c, to uvhich the iiange cl of the stationary curb e is fastened, the parts a b c being formed as one casting or frame, and the curb being iiXed upon and with relation to the same. Within this frame is the step f fixed in the neck g of an adjustable step support or plate, h, which plate is sct to center and plumb the step by vertical adjusting or set screws i and horizontal adjusting or set screws 1c. The cylindrical curb-ring e, the wheel m, and the rotating Water-controlling gate n are relatively arranged to operate as in other wheels of mine before patented, and need not be particularly described. The spindle-foot o is formed with a concave bottom'resting upon and lltting to the convex top surface of the sepf.V In the support h is a chamber, p, into which a pipe, q, enters, and from which ex tends a vertical passage, r, which passage leads centrally through the step f to the top or bearing surface thereof. The pipe q leads to the chamber p from a vertical pipe, j, and the pipe j extends directly or indirectly from the entering-spout s, from which spout water is taken by the pipe j, and conveyed through it andthe pipe q, chamber 12, and passage r to the top of the step f, the water being thusV conveyed under a head or pressure, and affording a constant supply of water to keep the step lubricated.

Instead of thus supplying water oil may be supplied in precisely the same manner, but for ordinary purposes the water is a perfect lubricant.

It is, however, generally advisable, and often absolutely necessary, to cleanse or filter the water in order to prevent passage of foreign and gritty matters to the step, which matters would soon destroy or injure the surfaces in contact. To preserve the step from such injury, I interpose between the conductor and the step a filtering mechanism, which, by preference, I construct and arrange as follows: d2 denotes a cylinder, containing a disk, t, lled with perforatrons a, and fixed to the bottom of a loose spindle, o, said disk fitting the cylinder, and being covered by a disk of felt, or other fibrous material, fw. Over these disks is another disk, w2, on the foot of a tubular stem, x, into which the spindle v extends, and this disk w2 is also filled with perforations, and is also covered by one or more iibrous disks, z, and, preferably, by a perforated metal disk on top of the disks z.

When the wheel is running the filteringdisks are pushed to the bottom of the cylinder, and water enters the cylinder from the conductor through a passage, a2, located above the disks, the water being iiltered through and by the disks, and so that only the cleansed water passes down through the case into the pipe j, leading from its lower end. The tubular spindle x extends through the screw-cap b2 of the cylinder, and is made with a series of Y perforations, y, leading through the spindle into the space surrounding the spindle c. When the iiltcr is to be freed from foreign matters lodged upon the filtering-disks, the tubular stem rv is drawn up, so as to carry the disk w above the inlet a2. When thus raised part of .the perforations y will be within the cylinder, and part of them above it, and the upward pressure of the water will dislodge the foreign substances above the disks and expel them through the perforations.

Previous to raising the tubular stem the downward low of the water is or may be arrested by a stop-cock, f2, but the lower ilter ing-disk t will prevent any foreign substances from passing into the pipe.

A mechanism may be arranged to be actuated from the shaft or spindle g2 of the wheel to intermittently and automatically raise and let fall the filtering-disks.

For change or replacement of the disks w z the cap b2 may be removed, the spindles bcing then readily Withdrawn from the cylinder.

Between the top plate h2 of the wheel and the bottom ,y of the top plate i2 of t-he curb is the space k2, pressure of water in which tends to press down the wheel. To remedy this I lead from this space a pipe, Z2, which, for compactness and convenience, I turn and carry down through the plate e to discharge the water, the water under pressure finding an escape through this pipe, which thus becomes a relief-pipe to withdraw all downward pressure from the wheel, enabling it to run upon the step fi, or the lm of water upon the step without pressure other than that exerted by its weight. The ring or plate is made with a iiange, m2, and shoulder n2, and upon this iiange and against the shoulder rests the flange o2 of the hemispherical dome p2, this dome being a casting covering the mechanism, as shown iu the drawing, and having the conductor s leading into the dome-chamber, and thus to the wheel, the neck r2 for receiving the bearing s2 of the spindle g2, and the neck t2 for receiving the bearing a2 of the spindle c2, which carries the gear-pinion rc2, that, by a suitable gearing-connection, operates the cylindrical gate u, the dome making the most desirable form for all of these purposes, and for ready access to the wheel mechanism by raising it from position, it being fastened in position by screw-bolts :r2 and nuts y2, which are readily applied or removed.

The passage r, that leads to the top of the step, may communicate with a passage, z2, in the spindle-foot o, this passage z2 extending to a chamber, c2, which, being kept charged with water, will always tend to keep the step from heating.

I claiml. A waterwheel having, in combination with the pipe j, the lter-cylinder d2, substantially as described.

2. A water-wheel having, in. combination with the step f and the central passage r, the passage z2 leading to the chamber c2, substand tially as shown and described.

3. In combination with the wheel m and space k2 above it, the relief-pipe Z2, operating substantially as described.

4. In combination with the curb-supporting rin g or plate, the hemispherical dome 192, form ed and applied substantially as shown and de scribed.

BRADFORD STETSON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS GoULD, M. W. FROTHINGHAM.

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