US59304A - Improvement in water-wheels - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES Paritaria"l Carton.'

J. M. WILLIAMS, OF GONNERSVILLE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,304, dated October 30, 1866.y

To all whom it may] concern-.-

Be it known that I, JAMES M. WILLIAMs, of Connersville, Fayette county, in the State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vater-Wh eels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. f'

Figure l is a top View of the pen-stock, with the wheel-case and chutes therein. Fig. 2 is a view of the wheel removed from the chutecase. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the penstock and the chutes in their case. Fig. 4 is a view ofthe annular gate, with openings there-- in corresponding with the number and shape of the chutes.

My improved water-wheel, represented in Fig. 2', consists of the central top disk a, with a ring and stay-bar at the base, through which the mill-shaft b passes, and the shaft is rmly secured or keyed to these parts and in the center thereof; and between these, and standing tangentially to the top disk a and ring, the ends of the bucketsare attached in any suitable manner. The buckets c, at theouter lower corner, form a right angle. The bottom extends horizontally from the base-ring or annular ange to the periphery of the chute-case, which will be hereinafter described.

From the point of attach ment of the buckets to the disk a the upper edge of the bucket forms a spiral line, meeting the outer lower corner thereof, as seen in the drawings, and the inner ends of the buckets are sloped at an angle from the point of attachment to disk a to the point of attachment to the flange or ring at the bottom of the wheel. The ring is of greater circumference than the disk a. The object of this manner of constructing the inner portion of the wheel is to afford a sucient aperture for the free discharge of the water centrally throughthe bottom of the wheel. The buckets are curved vertically and form an irregular section of a cylinder.

The chute-case surrounding and inclosing the wheel (except the central circular opening at the bottom for the escape of the water) con sists of a crowning or convex cover for the wheel, and a plane .bottom with the circular opening for the discharge above referred t0.

The dome or cover extends in a regular curve from a point about halfway distant from the shaft to the bottom of the case, to which it is attached by any suitable fastenings. This form of the cover or top and sides of the chutecase corresponds with the upper and outer extremities of the buckets c.

The chutes d extend up from the top of the case, through which they pass, and are flattened tapering tubes with a continuous flange extending in a circle around horizontally near the circumference of the chute-case. Upon the horizontally-extending flange of the chutes the annular gate g, with openings correspond ing with the size of the chutes, rests, and is held in place by lips, and is operated by the pinion and rack e f. The lips are attached to the flange of the chutes, and are bent up and over the edges of the gate to retain itin place vwhen moved upon its scat.

The chutes are cast with thexcase, and incline from top to bottom at an angle of forty-five degrees from a perpendicular, and centrally in incline in order to give to the water a direction toward the central discharge-opening as it (the water) strikes the bucket. A cone-shaped brace, to support the wheel-shaft in a vertical line, is to be cast ou the top and center of thc chute-case.

The drawings represent the chute-case as connected at its perimeter wi-th'the lower portion of the pin-stock; but in constructing my wheel and chute-case with its gate it will be made separate from the pen-stock, and set within it in the usual manner of applying the turbine wheels with a central discharge.

The wheel-sh aft may be stepped in a suitable bridge-tree extending across the opening in the bottom of the chute-case, where the water is discharged. A suitable shaft extends up from the pinion which operates the gate, and by which the gate is operated from any desired elevation.

From the very simple construction of my improved wheel, as described, the operation will be readily understood.

The fore-bay or pen-stock bein glilled with wa= ter, and the gate being moved around by the shaft, its pinion, and the rack, any desired quantityof water is allowed to pass through all the chutes uniformly, and the chutes directthe pass:

ing Water into the buckets, which are of the form, internally, ofa trough. The chutes being` inclined from the top of the case inwardly to ward the Wheel-shaft, and the buckets standing tangentially, as represented, to the Wheel, the Water is caused to be promptly discharged through the opening in the bottom of the wheelcase as soon as its force is expended upon the wheel.

In constructing,` my Wheel of castiron, the top disk thereof, as well as the bottom rin g or ange and the buckets, will be made separately, and firmly bolted together with two or more bolts at the top and bottom.

The top or dome of the chute-case, with the chutes, may also be cast separately from the bottom of the wheel-case, and afterthe Wheel is brought into position the case will be placed over it. Of course, the bottom thereof will rest upon the floor of the pen-stock, which will have an aperture corresponding` with the discharge-opening of the chutecase or wheel-case, which is the same thing.

Having fully described my improvement in water-wheels, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as my invention, is

1. The water-wheel constructed as described, combining the disk a, and buckets o with an annular ange for a base, in the manner and

Images