US20030026660A1

US20030026660A1 - Automatically opened and closed water gate

Info

Publication number: US20030026660A1
Application number: US09/922,905
Authority: US
Inventors: Chun-Ching Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-08-01
Filing date: 2001-08-01
Publication date: 2003-02-06

Abstract

An automatically opened and closed water gate includes a water gate and an opening and closing mechanism combined together. The opening and losing mechanism consists of an oil pressure cylinder with a movable piston rod for driving movable pulleys for pulling or releasing wire ropes extending around a plurality of stationary pulleys and fixed with the water gate. Then the water gate is pulled up and down by means of the wire ropes operated by the opening and closing mechanism to pull up or lowering down the water gate automatically, for adjusting water level of a canal, a watercourse, an irrigation channel, etc.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a automatically opened and closed water gate, particularly to one having a simple structure for easy operation, and capable to be opened and closed automatically according to the height of water level.

Water gates are widely used for irrigation, for draining sewerage, and for adjusting water levels of canals, and mostly are located for away from towns, cities, so they are better operated by automation than by manual work. Moreover, it should be easily maintained and repaired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to offer an automatically opened and closed water gate, having a simple structure for easy operation.

The invention has the following features.

1. The water gate is opened and closed by a wire rope moved around movable pulleys and stationary pulleys by moving up and down the movable pulleys driven by a piston rod of an oil cylinder.

2. Two wire ropes are provided for two movable pulleys and two pairs of stationary pulleys so as to pull up and down the water gate for opening and closing water passage.

3. The water gate can be installed to swing up and down or move up and down, and in case of moving up and down, the water gate may have two portions, an upper and a lower half gate, for easily separating from each other to keep a proper water level.

4. When the water gate have two portions, the upper half gate can automatically moved up for a certain height with the lower half gate kept stationary, forming a gap between the upper and the lower half gate for water to flow out until a set water level is acquired. Then the upper half gate may automatically be moved down to close on the lower half gate to stop water flow. In case that the water level rises up higher than the preset one, the upper half gate is first moved up and then the lower half gate is also moved up to allow a large volume of water flow out.

5. If the water gate is made to swing up and down for exhausting water, a float is made use of for starting an oil cylinder to operate an opening and closing mechanism for exhausting water when the float is moved up by water buoyancy to drive a control valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0010]
FIG. 1 is a front partial view of a first embodiment of an automatically opened and closed water gate in the present invention; [0011]
FIG. 2 is a front partial cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of an automatically opened and closed water gate in the present invention; [0012]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the water gate in the second embodiment in a closed condition in the present invention; [0013]
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the water gate in the second embodiment in a half-closed condition in the present invention; [0014]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the water gate in the second embodiment in an opened condition in the present invention; [0015]
FIG. 6 is a front partial view of a third embodiment of an automatically opened and closed water gate in the present invention; [0016]
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the water gate in the third embodiment in a closed condition in the present invention; [0017]
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the water gate in the third embodiment in an opened condition in the present invention; [0018]
FIG. 9 is a diagram of an oil route used for an oil pressure cylinder in the automatically opened and closed water gate in the present invention; [0019]
FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an opening and closing mechanism in the present invention; and, [0020]
FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an opening and closing mechanism in the present invention.[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of an automatically opened and closed water gate in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a [0022] water gate 1 and an opening and closing mechanism combined together.
The [0023] water gate 1 is placed in a gate opening 30 of a concrete frame 3, having a plurality of sliding wheels 10 at two vertical sides for sliding along a vertical post to keep smooth up and down movement of the water gate 1, a plurality of water seals 11 fixed on proper positions of the water gate for sealing water from leaking through the water gate 1. Further a rope base 12 is respectively mounted on two sides of an upper surface of the water gate 1, bound with ends of two wire ropes 40, 41, which extend around two stationary pulleys 13 respectively located at two opposite sides of an upper surface of the concrete frame, and then reach an opening and closing mechanism 2.
The opening and [0024] closing mechanism 2 includes an oil cylinder 20 having a piston rod 200, and the end of the piston rod 200 is fixed with a shaft 212 of two movable pulleys 21, 21′. The two ends of the shaft 212 are fitted movably in two sidewalls of a housing 23 of the opening and closing mechanism 2, permitting shrinking and extending movement of the piston rod 200 move up and down the two movable pulleys 21, 21′ by means of two wire ropes 40, 41. Further, two upper stationary pulleys 210, 210′ are provided respectively at two upper sides beside the two movable pulleys 21, 21′ and two lower stationary pulleys 211, 211′ are provided respectively at two lower sides beside the two movable pulleys 21, 21′. The two wire ropes 40, 41 separately extend around the pulleys 211, 211′, 210, 210′ and 21, 21′ and then have their upper ends 400, 410 fixed firmly above the two movable pulleys 21, 21′. Then the two movable pulleys are made to move up and down by means of the two ropes 40, 41 pulled by the piston rod 200 operated by the oil pressure cylinder 20 functioned by oil moving in an oil route shown in FIG. 9. Then the water gate 1 is moved up and down accordingly, opened and closed.
The opening and [0025] closing mechanism 2 may have a second embodiment as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, including an oil cylinder 20 having a piston rod 200, and an end of the piston rod is fixed with a shaft 212 of two movable pulleys 21, 21′, with two ends of the shaft 212 fitted movably in two sidewalls of a housing 23. Then shrinking and extending movement of the piston rod 200 causes the two movable pulleys 21, 21′ move up and down. Further, two upper stationary pulleys 210, 210′ are provided at an upper side beside the movable pulleys 21, 21′ and two lower stationary pulleys 211, 211′ are provided at a lower side beside the movable pulleys 21, 21′. The two upper stationary pulleys 210, 210′ are fixed on a shaft 213, and the two lower stationary pulleys 211, 211′ are fixed on a shaft 214. Then two wire ropes 40, 41 separately extend around those pulleys orderly and then upper ends 400, 410 of the wire ropes 40, 41 are fixed above the movable pulleys 21, 21′. Then the piston rod 200 of the oil pressure cylinder 20 shrinks or extends by the cylinder 20 operated by the oil moving in the oil route shown in FIG. 9.
Next, a second embodiment of an automatically opened and closed water gate is shown in FIGS. [0026] 2-5, having the same structure of an opening and closing mechanism 2 as the first embodiment, but the water gate 1A has a different structure from that in the first embodiment. The water gate 1A is divided in two portions, an upper half gate 5 and a lower half gate 6, combined together. The upper half and the lower half gate all have a plurality of sliding wheels 10 of the same structure as those in the first embodiment for maintaining up and down movement of the water gate 1A, and a sloped lower surface 50 and a sloped upper surface 60 respectively. The advantage of the sloped contact surfaces 50 and 60 is to remove water pressure against the upper half gate 5 by raising up for a certain height only the upper half gate 50 for water contacting with the upper half gate to flow out first so that water pressure against the water gate 1A may be alleviated. Further, at least two linking rods 51 are provided vertically through the upper half and the lower half gate 5 and 6, and each linking rod 51 has a large diameter head respectively formed at an upper end and a lower end and is fixed with the upper half gate as integral or movable. So when the upper half gate 5 is moved up for a certain height, the lower ends of the linking rods 51 may contact an inner lateral wall of the lower half gate and lift up the lower half gate as the upper half gate is continued to be moved up. Then there is not only a gap formed between the upper and the lower half gate, but also a gap formed between the lower half gate and a bottom of the gate opening of the concrete frame. This two stages of lifting up of the two half gates for opening the water gate can save water volume and also lessening water pressure against the water gate. And it depends on the length of the linking rods that the two stages of opening the water gate can be realized possible.
In order to permit the second embodiment of the water gate automatically opened and closed, a [0027] float mechanism 8 is added to the water gate, having a float 60 provided in a float chamber 31 formed in the wall of the concrete frame 3, and the float chamber 31 has an inlet 310 for water to flow therein to keep the same water level with that of the water gate. When the float 80 is lifted to a preset level, a float rod 800 fixed upright on the float 80 may contact a micro switch 81 so as to start the oil pressure cylinder to operate the opening and closing mechanism to raise up the water gate automatically. When the water level falls down to a preset height, the float rod 800 may also fall down, not contacting the micro switch 81 to activate the oil pressure cylinder of the opening and closing mechanism to close the water gate.
Next, FIGS. 6, 7 and [0028] 8 show a third embodiment of an automatically opened and closed water gate, including a water gate 1B to be swung up and down, a stationary pulley 32 in the concrete wall 3, a horizontal shaft 70 fixed at a lower end of the water gate 1B to let the water gate 1B possible to swing down and up. Then the third embodiment also has a float 80 contained in a float chamber 31 in the concrete frame 3 and an inlet 310 formed in the bottom of the float chamber 31 in the same as the second embodiment. Then the water level in the float chamber 31 is the same as that of the water gate. Further, a vertical rack 801 is connected upright with an upper end of the float rod 31, extending out of the float chamber 31, and a gear 802 is placed beside the rack 801 and engages both the rack 801 and a gear 830 fixed on a manual rod 83 with a shaft having a one-way bearing. When the gear 802 is rotated by up movement of the float 80, the gear 830 is rotated at the same time, but the float 80 may be kept positioned in place in case of reaching a preset point owing to the one-way bearing so the water gate may be started to swing down to open. If the manual rod 83 is moved to separate the gear 802 from the gear 830, the float 80 may fall down because of no resistance, so the water gate may be closed by handling manually after the water level falls down.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. [0029]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An automatically opened and closed water gate comprising;

A water gate installed in a gate opening of a concrete frame and having a rope base respectively fixed on two opposite sides of an upper surface thereof;

Two wire ropes respectively having a lower end fixed with each said rope base of said water gate, and an upper end fixed with an opening and closing mechanism after extending around a plurality of stationary pulleys and two movable pulleys;

Said plurality of stationary pulleys fixed on an upper surface of said concrete frame;

Said opening and closing mechanism consisting of an oil pressure cylinder, said oil pressure cylinder having a piston rod, an end of said piston rod fixed with a shaft of said two movable pulleys, two ends of said shaft of said two movable pulleys movably fitted in two sidewalls of a housing fixed on the upper surface of said concrete frame for housing an opening and closing mechanism;

Two pairs of stationary pulleys respectively fixed on an upper side beside said movable pulleys and on a lower side beside said movable pulleys, said two wire ropes separately extending around said two pairs of stationary pulleys, another ends of said two wire ropes fixed immovable; and,

Said oil pressure cylinder operated by oil moving in an oil route to pull in or extend out said piston rod for pulling up and down said two wire ropes extending around said two movable pulleys, said movable pulleys moved up and down thereby and accordingly lifting up or lowering down said water gate to open or close.

2. The automatically opened and closed water gate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water gate consists of an upper half gate and a lower half gate, said upper and said lower half gate both having a sliding wheel respectively at two vertical sides, a vertical post respectively provided at the two vertical sides of the water gate for said sliding wheel to slide along up and down so as to enable said water gate move up and down smoothly, said upper half gate having a sloped lower side to contact closely a sloped upper side of said lower half gate, said upper half gate possible to be lifted for a certain height to form a gap between said lower half gate for water contacting said upper half gate to flow through first, water pressure pushing said water gate reduced accordingly by water flowing through said gap, a plurality of linking rods provided vertically in said upper half gate and said lower half gate, each said linking rod having a larger diameter head respectively fixed at an upper end and at a lower end, said linking rods fixed firmly with said upper half gate to move up and down together, said linking rods contacting an inner lateral wall of a rod hole in said lower half gate to lift up said lower half gate after said upper half gate has been lifted up for a certain height, said lower half gate forming a gap between a bottom of said concrete frame for water to flow through after lifted by said linking rods.

3. The automatically opened and closed water gate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water gate has a horizontal shaft provided in its bottom for said water gate to swing up and down with said horizontal shaft as a pivot, and a stationary pulley additionally provided in said concrete frame for guiding a wire rope having a lower end fixed with an upper end of said water gate to pull up said water gate after swung down.

4. An automatically opened and closed water gate comprising;

A water gate positioned in a gate opening of a concrete frame, having a rope base fixed respectively on two sides of an upper surface thereof;

Two wire ropes respectively having one end bound with each said rope base of said water gate, extending around a plurality of stationary pulleys fixed on said concrete frame, and connected to an opening and closing mechanism;

Said opening and closing mechanism consisting of an oil pressure cylinder, said oil pressure cylinder having a piston rod, an end of said piston rod fixed with a shaft of two movable pulleys, two ends of said shaft of said two movable pulleys respectively fitted movable in two sidewalls of a housing of said opening and closing mechanism, said piston rod moved to shrink and extend to pull up or lower said two movable pulleys, two stationary pulleys provided respectively at an upper side and at a lower side beside said movable two pulleys, two sets of said two stationary pulleys respectively having a same shaft, said two wire ropes separately extending around each of said two stationary pulleys and each of said two movable pulleys and having its outer end fixed immovable; and,

Said oil pressure cylinder operated by oil moving in an oil route to push out or suck in said piston rod, said piston rod pulling and releasing said two wire ropes to pull up or lowering said two movable pulleys so that said water gate is swung up and down to open and close.