US48781A - Improvement in water-wheels - Google Patents

Description

' UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JASON A. ALLEN AND ALANSON ALLEN, OE OAKHAM. MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN-WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,781, dated July 18, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JASON A. ALLEN and ALANSON ALLEN, of Oakham, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turbine or Horizontal Water-Vheels; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is afull, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a horizontal section through said water-wheel. Fig. L). represents a vertical central section through the same. Figs. 3 and 4 represent detached views, hereinafter to be referred to.

A represents the shell or case of the wheel, which is supported on the standards B.

C represents the horizontal water wheel, which has vertical flanges or buckets a, of the usual construction,upon which the water in the case A acts, and which, being a well-known operation, is not necessary to describe. The wheel() is keyed on and supported by its center shaft,D,whose step E is supported by the box F of the supporting-frame.

H represents the hub of the wheel. It is secured to the center shaft by means of a key. The position of this wheel has to be well adjusted upon its center shaft to operate well, and to enable the operator to accomplish this With facility I use an adjustable collar, I, on the shaft I) and under the hub H. In securing, therefore, the wheel upon its shaft the collar I is rst secured thereon in its proper position by means ofthe screw b, and the wheel is then let down upon the collar and secured toits shaft by means of its key. By the application of .this collar many diiiculties and much labor are Obviated, as turbine wheels have frequently to be looked after, chiefly in regard to the wearing down of the step, and the setting and properly adj ustingof the wheel are in uch facilitated, and in case the wheel should need any repair it can be raised on its shaft, can be supported in its raised position by the collar I, and can be repaired Without removing it from its sha-ft.

To the lower side of the case A we secure, by means of bolt c, a rim, K. This rim has a vertical flange, d, on its inner circumference, which extends into a corresponding groove, g, cut into a ange,j', on the lower face of the wheel. The several tlan ges are so arranged that a space, L, is left on the inner side of the rim K, and lower side of the wheel C, into which the water is pressed through the space x with the force of the full head, and the column of water thus exerts a pressure upon the part h ofthe lower wheel-face, thus to a great extent counterbalancing the pressure of the wheel upon its step, and thus not only materially reducing the friction thereon, but avoiding the rapid wear of the same,which has always caused so much trouble in the use of turbine Wheels. The dange d extends a sufficient length into the groove g to make a tight water-joint. It also has the advantage of retaining` the wheel in its position should pieces of wood, Src., enter the wheel,which frequently throw it from its step if supported and held in its position by said step only. We make the groove g of sufficient depth to allow for the Wearing down ofthe step E, so that there will be space for the flange or rim to enter should the step wear down about one inch. l If the flange d should wear down in use, the rim K can be detached and replaced by a new one.

M represents the neck of the wheel-case A,

and N the gate-box. We provide the latter at each of its ends with flanges m, by means of which it can be easily secured to the fiume and to the case-neck M.

O represents the gate. To obtain a nice it of the gate upon its seat we make the gate-seat P in a separate piece. (Represented in a perspective view at Fig. 4, and in sections at Figs. 1 and 3.) The sides of said gate-seat are made flaring or tapering, and are made to titnicely iuto the recess in the gate-box. The upper side of the gate-seat we provide with two lugs or projections, n, which are fitted against the inner face of the gate-box, and prevent the gate-seat from being pressed into its recess beyond a certain depth. By making the gateseat in a separate piece, as herein described, we are enabled to plane the faces on which the gate O slides very accurately and with great facility, which otherwise would be a difficult job, and we obtain atight tof the gate. Should the gate-seat become leaky by use, it can easily beremoved and replaced. By making the sides of the gate-seat flaring it can be driven tightly into the gate-box,where itwill remain Without the aid of other fasteniugs.

To prevent any water from escaping from the Wheel upward, We use the dome Q, whose circumference is secured to the upper face ot' the case A, and which adds steadiness to the center shaft, the latter passing through the bearing p ot' said dome.

Z represents a couplingboxmhich is secured to the upper end of the wheel-shaft D by means of the screws z, or otherwise. It is used for connecting another length ot' a shaft, Y, to the wheel-shaft. Notconstitutingpartofthispresent invention, a detailed description thereof` is not deemed necessary.

Having thus fully described the nature ot' our invention, what We claim herein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentpis- 1. Providing the lower side the wheel-case with a anged rim, K, for the purpose of caus-

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