US34696A - Improvement in water-wheels - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OEEIcE.

TITUS H. RUSSELL, OF NIORTHFIELD, .VERMONT IMPROVEMENT vIN WATER-WH EELS. y

Y Specification forming a part of Letters Patent No.l 34,696, dated March 18, 1862. y

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known 'that I, TITUs H. RUSSELL, of Northfield, in the county of Washington and State of `Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Water-Wheel; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clearand exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in`whicl1v Figure l is a vertical section of Vmy invention, taken in theline x m, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line y y by it; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectionof the gate, chutes, and wheel, taken in the curved line z e, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detached plan ortop view of the chutes; Fig. 5, a sidev view of a portion ofgate and chute-case; Fig. 6, a detached side view 'of the mechanism employed for raising and lowering the wheel and shaft; Fig. 7, a horizontal section of Fig. 6, taken in the line x Fig. 8, a detached plan or top view of the base of Fig. 6.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Thisinvention relates to an improved waterwheel of that class which is placed on a vertical shaft inclosed within a case, and is provide'd with an annular gate and chutes to direct the water properly to the buckets.

The invention consists in a peculiar arrangement ofthe chutes and buckets of the wheel, as hereinafter shown and described, whereby it is believed that the water is made to act more efficiently upon the wheel than hitherto.

The invention also consists in a novel arrangement of the gate, whereby the same may be operated (opened and closed) with but little friction and the bearing of the same on the chute-case regulated, as may be required.

The invention also consists inl a peculiar mechanism employed for raising and .lowering the wheel and shaft, whereby the 'latter may be readily. adjusted vertically for the purposeof admitting of the equal or uniform wearof gearing connected with the wheelshaft, or for other purposes hereinafter described.

The invention also consists in a novel way of packing the wheel, so thatthe same may run water-tight in the lower part of its case; and the invention also consists in providing .BA l n A Athe case of the wheel with a man-hole and having the tops of the chute-case provided with eyes and the topv of the wheel-*case provided with openings, all being sov arranged that the wheel may at 'any time be easily rendered accessible' for repairs.

l To enable those skilled in the art to fully I understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a cylindrical case, which is clsed at its upper end by a topplate et and is provided at its lower end with an annular iiange b, the plate a and Iiange b being secured formed of a central hub f and rim g, with the buckets h interplaced between. The buckets are of concave form, as shown clearly in Fig. 3,

their lower parts being rather less curved than their upper` parts and the spaces between their lower ends, commonly termed issues, narrower than the orifices or spaces between their upper ends. The wheel D is fitted within the Iianges 0B, and the packing@ is made to press water-tight against the rim g by forcing upward the iiange B by means of the screws d, the liange B expanding'the packing 4laterally and pressing it against the rim g.

The wheel D is itted'on a vertical shaft E,

which extends upward and centrally through the case A. The lower end or part of the hub f of the wheel is made concave, so as to form alliollow semi-sphere h', which is fitted on a'semi-.sphere z', that is placed centrally at the bottom orbase of framing F, which supports the Hang-e b and .case A. The semispherei is allowed to turn freely in the framing F, and on .the lower part of the semisphere there is secured a ring G, the lower edge of which is formed of inclined surfaces j, which rest on corresponding surfaces 7c on the base of framing F.

(See Figs. 6 and 8.) The ringG has a toothed segment H attached to it, and into this segment H a pinion I gears, said pinion being at the lower end of a vertical shaft J,which has its bearings in the flange b and top plate a of the case A.

' Within the caseA there are placed a series of chutes K, the upper parts Z of which are of curved form and thev lower parts m inclined, with parallel tops and bottoms. The lower parts m of the chutes K are inclined at such an angle as to direct the water at right angles to the upper parts of the buckets h of the wheel D, while the upper parts b are so curved that they will receive the water vertically through the orifices of the gate L and direct it to the lower partsm of the chutes with the least possible friction. (See.l arrows, Fig. 3..) The chutes K are in a circular plate or case M, which is provided with ears or flanges, through which screws u pass vertically and rest on the flange b. (See Fig. l.) The chutes K- are directly over the bucketshof the Wheel D-, and the upper surface of the chute-case M has recesses o in it, so as to form two concentric annular projections p p, with radial ribs` q between. (See Fig. 4.) p p and ribs q form a bearing-surface for the gate L.

The gate L is of annular form, and it hasa rack r at its side, into which a pinion s gears,

' the latter being at the lower end of a vertical rod M', which passes through the top plate a, of the case A. The gate L is formed of an annular plate having holes or openings t in it, which correspond in form and dimensions tothe orifices of the chutes K. (See Fig. 2.)

The case A is provided-witha man-hole N,

which when not in use is provided with a suitable door, which may be fitted water-tight to it and the top plate a of the case A has two openings u u made in it, which openings when not in use are illed or closed by screws` n fv. The chute-case M has twoeyes or staples w w attached to it near its center, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The gate L has three horizontal strips or cleats O, attached to the outer surface at equal distances apart, and these strips or cleats are directly over curved ways P, which rest on vertical screws a', which pass through the flange b. (See Fig. l.) Between the strips or cleats O and the ways P friction-rollers c are placed. These friction-rollers c ease the bearing of the gate L on the chute-case M, so i the recesses o, concentric proj ectionsp p, and radial projections q, as and for the purpose that the gate may be turned and adjusted with the greatest facilityand incase sand or any substance should chance to work its way between the gate Land the chute-case M the gate may be readily raised by turning the screwsa and the article or substance allowed to escape.

From this description it will be seen that i the wheel D and shaft E may be readily raised'by turning the shaft J, and any gear in g connectedV with the said shaft may be sub- The projections facility, the rollers C obviating friction, while ljected to equal Wear, as the whole surface of the cogs or teeth may be acted upon by adjusting the shaft E from time to time, and in case where a millstone is directly applied to shaft E said stone may be raised and lowered to graduate the iineness of the article being ground by adjusting shaft E, as specified. In case the wheel D should become clogged or choked with driftwood or any parts pertaining thereto become deranged,it may be renderedvery accessible by opening the man-hole N and removing the screws or plugs o v from the holes u u in the top plate a, so that the ropes of a windlass may be passed throughv said holes into the case A and said ropes connected to the eyes or staples fw by a person in the case, the person passing through the manhole into the case. This arrangement admits of the gate and chute-case being readily V vraised so as to expose the wheel, no other parts requiring to be removed. The packing C, as previously stated, may be adjusted water-tight around the wheel D by sim ply screw- A ing up the flange B, and the gate L may be adjusted, opened, and closed with the greatest by the adjustment of the ways Pl the bearing `of the gate L on the chute-case M may bey lightened or eased, 'as required, and any foreign substance removed with facility from between the gate L and chute-case M.

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

1. The socket h', se1ni-sphere fi, ring G, provided with'the inclined surfaces j, and frame v F, provided with the inclined surfaces la, in combination with the toothed segment H and pinion I, all arranged as shown, for the purpose of raising and lowering the wheel D and shaft E, as set forth.

2. TheV packing C' Awhen applied to the Wheel by means of the shoulder@ of thel flange b of the case A, and the adjustable flange B,

connected to and arranged with flange b, as, shown, for the purpose of expanding the packing and fitting it snugly and water-tight around the wheel, as described.

3. The chutes K when constructed as shown and arranged relatively'with the-buck ets h of the wheel D, to operate asandl for the purpose specified.

4. Thearrangement, with chute-case M, of

set forth.

5. The strips or cleats O, attached tothe lannular gate L, in combination with the adjustable ways P andfriction-rollers c', sub.- stantially as and for'the purpose set forth. 'II'IUS H. RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

DUDLEY C'. DENIsoN, E. F. PERKINS.

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