US271145A

US271145A - Territory

Info

Publication number: US271145A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1900-01-23

Description

(No Model) WITNESS F. M. ST. G'LAIR.

DEVICE FOR UTILIZING THE FORGE 0F GURRENTS AND STREAMS. Patented Jan.23,1883.

DBL I! INVENTOR B Mfg ATTORNEYS.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN M. sr. CLAIR, or SILVER oIrY, IDAHO TERRITORY.

DEVICE FOR UTILIZING THE FORCE OF CURRENTS AND TPt'EAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,145, dated January 23, 1883,

Application filed September 13, 1882. (No model.) I

T o alien/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN MANLY ST. CLAIR, of Silver City, in the county ofOwyhee and Territory of Idaho, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Utilizing the Force of Currents and Streams, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates tofloating apparatus or structures for utilizing the power of water in rivers and streams; and it consists in a certain combination or combinations of parallel connected scows, one ormore interposed wheels or devices carried by said scows t'or actuation by the stream, mechanism operated bysaid wheels or devices for transferring the power, and laterally-adjustable gates forming a hollow wing-dam hinged to the forward ends ofthe scows and capable of being opened and closed at their outer or forward extremities, substantially as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 represents a plan of an apparatus or structure embodying my invention,-and Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same on the line so a: in Fig. 1.

A A indicate two scows or floats, wedge or how shaped attheir forward ends, and arranged parallel with one another at asuitable distance apart. These floats are to be anchored, as by cables I) b and spars, or otherwise, with their heads facing the stream, and are kept in position at a proper distance apart by cross beams or girders O O, which should be hinged or otherwise suitably connected with the floats to rise and fall with them.

Hinged, as at c c, to the bows of the floats are two buoyant sweeps or beams, l) 1), arranged to project out into the stream, and forming what I term an adjustable hollow wing-dam, having attached inner currentboards, E E, which project down into the water, and may be so fitted as to admit of their being raised or lowered in the current for the purpose of diverting the current and directing it with more or less force onto or against an undershot-wheel, G,or, it may be two or more wheels arranged between the scows or floats A A and supported by them.

The sweeps D D of the hollow wing-dam, with their attached current-boards E E, form both current directors or deflectors and gates, which may be opened and closed to regulate or shut off the force of the current on the wheel forward ends to act as side guards or fenders against driftwood or other floating obstructions, also as ice'guards to the scows and wheel or wheels arranged between them. In Fig. l of the drawings said gates or sweeps, with their attached current-boards, are represented as open in full lines and as closed in dotted lines. The opening and closing of them may be controlled by chains or other attachments connecting them with devices on the shore-as, for instance, by windlasses d dfon the one side of the stream, pulleys c e onthe opposite side of the stream, and ropes orchains ff connecting the outer ends of the sweeps D D with either Windlass d d-whereby the hollow wing-dam may not only be more or less or fully opened or closed, but be locked or held by the windlasses in their set position. Any other devices, however, may be employed to open or close them. When closed they form a wedge-shaped breakwater against the force of the current and to protect both the scows and their intermediate wheel or 'wheels against drift-wood or ice, as hereinbefore specified.

Ifdesired, the scows or floats A A may be bow-shaped and similarly provided with hollow wing-dams at both ends, to take advantage ofopposite or tidal currents alternately. There may also be any number of these scows .or floats and accompanying devices used in parallel. relationship with each other, and instead of one or more nndershot-wheels G being used any other suitable device or devices capable of being propelled by the current may be employed. It will suflice here, however, to describeasingle undershot wheelG. Thiswheel G may be hung in screw or other adjustable bearings, K, on both scows, to provide for the raising or lowering of it, and its shaftg be made to drive by any suitable gearing from either or opposite sides of its axis a countershaft, H, with or without reversing mechanism for utilizing the power, as required.

This improved apparatus may be used to drive centrifugal or reciprocating pumps to raise water for irrigating or mining purposes,

G, and when closed or partially closed at their for operating grinding, sawing, or dredging machinery, and for various other purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an apparatus for utilizing the force of currents or streams, the combination,with connected-together scows or floats arranged a suitable distance apart, and a wheel or device capable of being propelled by the stream, of the adjustable gates and deflectors pivoted to the scows or floats and adapted to be held in position as against the action of the current or water, and caused to approach or recede from each other by means of the ropes or chains passed through pulleys on one side of the stream and around windlasses or winding mechanism on the opposite side of the stream, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an'apparatus for utilizing the force of currents or streams, the combination, with the scows or floats A, arranged a suitable distance apart, and a Wheel or device, Gr, capable of being propelled by the stream, of the adjustable gates or deflectors D, having the current-.

boards E and pivoted to the scows or floats,

the ropes or chains ff, pulleys 0e, and the windlasses or winding mechanism 01 (1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an apparatus for utilizing the force of currents or streams, the combination,with connected-together floats or scows arranged a suitable distance apart, a wheel or device capable of being propelled by the stream and arranged between and supported upon the scows, mechanism for transferring the power actuated by said wheel or device,adjustable gates or current directors and deflectors pivoted to the scows and held in position as against the action of' the current of water, and caused to approach and recede from each other by means of ropes or chains passed around pulleys on one side of the stream and connected to windlasses or winding mechanism on the opposite side of the stream, substantially as set forth.

FBANKLINM. s1. CLAIR.

Witnesses:

GUY NEWooMB, MARK LEONARD.