US178423A - Improvement in water-elevators - Google Patents

Description

R. H. DOUGLASS.

WATER-ELEVATOR.

Patented June 6,1876.

A No. 118.423.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OgEEroE,

l ROBERT H. DOUGLASS, OF FORT OOLVILIJE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-ELEVATORS'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,423, dated June 6, 1876; application tiled April 28, 1676.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. DOUG- LAss, of Fort Colville, in the county of Stevens and Territory ot' .Vashillgtoil, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVater Elevators; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and'use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ot' this specification, in which- Figurel represents a front view of my improved water-raising apparatus and Fig. 2, a vertical section ot' the same, taken through the line x of Fig. l.

The object ot' my invention is to raise water by means of the natural ilow or current ot' a stream or river.

The improvement consists in forming a boat of suitable size and strength, `in' which is formed a channel, through which the surfacecurrent shall flow, and in arranging an undershot water-wheel therein, through which motion is `imparted. to an endless belt or chain, carrying a series of buckets for the raising of the water, in the manner of an'endlesschain pump, and which may be of' any known formv proceed to describe it in detail.

In carrying my improvement into practice the boat may be built in a single structure, having an open way or channel at or near its center, and so as to run from stem to stern; but I prefer to use two boats or scows, a a', with'lat bottoms, and then to connect them together by strong timbers b across the ends, and at such other position or positions between as will practically constitute them a single structure.

The peculiar shape of the bows is not material, although I prefer they should be of such form as will oi'er the least resistance to the ow of the stream. I also prefer to connect them firmly together by a system of timbers and planking, c, on the bottom, and so as to leave a channel, d, above the planking, between the two boats c a', for the passage of i the water between them, and for the reception of an undershot water-wheel, c.

Atthe front end ofchannel d is arranged a slide \vatergate,f, by means of which to shut the water oft' or let it on at will, according as it is desired to stop or start the water-wheel e. The channel d will be made of such depth and width as may be desired, to suitfthe size ot' the water-wheel.

Instead ot'two, three or more boats may be put together in the same manner to accommodate two or more water-wheels, all mounted upon the same shaft, or upon shafts so connected with each other in any known manner as to operate in unison together to drive the endlesschain pump; or,instead ot' operating a shaft common to all, each may operate an independent shaft and separate pump, the respective delivery-spouts of all ot' which, it' desired, may be made to communicate with a channel common to all for the delivery ot' the water in a single stream.

The water-wheel e may be constructed in any suitable and known manner for use as an undershot wheel, and is mounted, through its shaft g, in suitable bearings formed in or otherwise secured to the frame-Work ofthe boat at the sides of channel d. In that boat, or half, a, ofthe boat, next the bank ot' the stream is erected the frame-Work of the pump. A suitable frame-work for the purpose is represented in the drawings, and consists of four upright timbers, It, firmly erected upon and secured to theboat. Thesetimbers are securelyframed together by cross-timbers t, arranged at suitable intervals apart. The lower end of this framework is partitioned oft', so as to form a watertight compartment, yzo, with respect to the boat, but having free communication, through an opening,j, in its bottom, with the water of the stream, for the purpose of supplying the buckets of the endless chain pump with water. Within this frame-work, and rmly secured thereto, is arranged another frame, l,

forming a channel, i, on each side, within which the endless chain or belt m, which carries the waterbuckets or litters a, travels, and is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Endless belt m is mounted on two rollers, o o-the one, o, at the top, and the other, o', at the bottom, ofthe frame-work. The shafts of these Q sans rollers nd their bearings in the frame-Work. p represents the spout that receives the water from the buckets, and may be constructed and applied in the ordinary way of applying spouts to chain-pumps. lThis spout is made to communicate with a pipe, sluice-box, ditch, or other channel, for the purpose of conveying the water to the point at which it is to be used-as, for instance, for mining for gold by washing, or for other useful purposes.

To operate the pump through the waterwheel, a driving gear or wheel, a, is keyed fast to the shaft g of the water-wheel. A band,

' lv, from this wheel communicates motion to a pulley, s, on a shaft, s1, which,in turn, carries another driving-wheel, s2, from which another band leads around another pulley, t, on a shaft, t1, carrying a driving wheel, t2, which, in turn, drives another pulley, u, the shaft a of which carries the roller o, which drives the endless belt m and water-buckets n.

The object of this system of belting and pulleys is to increase the speed of the belt; otherwise the belt t need only to be passed around a pulley on the shaft that carries the roller 0 or 0. Both boats may carry an endlesschain pump, and be driven from'the same shaft, the spouts of which may be made -to communicate with the same delivery-channel, pipe, or ditch; but I prefer to use but asingle one, and that on the boat nearest the shore, balancing its Weight by rocks, dirt, or other means, such as Water in the other boat, so as to keep them on an even keel.

The operation is obvious. The apparatus is anchoredin the stream in any suitable way?-l as, for instance, in the manner shown in Fig.

v2. Whenit is desiied to put the pump in operation the slide-gate fis raised to allow the water to rush through the channel d, which,

in its passage, turns wheel e, and the latter, through its shaft g, driving-wheel r, and belt t, communicates motion to the endless belt m, through .the system of pulleys before referred to, causing the buckets in succession to dip into the water in the chamber w, there filled, and afterward elevated and discharged into the trough p, whence it is conducted wherever desired.

By connecting the two boatstogether at the bottom by a,plank bottom, the water is prevented, When the gate is closed, from surging up beneath the wheel, which, if permitted, would disturb and strain the machinery, and, in fact, keep the machinery constantly if slowly moving. Where, however, the machinery is intended to be kept in constant motion, it may be dispensed with; but I prefer to use it, as it adds much to the strength and rigidity of the whole apparatus, and gives a steadiness to its operation which it might not otherwise have.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

rIhe combination of a pumpand undershot water-wheell with a boat or boats so constructed or arranged in relation to each other as to form an inclosed channel on sides and bottom,

and such channel provided with a verticallymoving gate for regulating or stopping the flow vof the water, in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as of my own invention I affixmy signature 'in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT H. DoUeLAss.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. SIMMs, L. B. FENWIGK.

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