US642624A - Sewer-gate. - Google Patents

Description

No. 642,624. Patented Feb. 6, |900.

E. mcLAumLm c. c. n. nono. SEWER GATE.

(Application ille! Oct. 14. 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD MCLAUGHLIN AND CHARLES H. DODD, OF BOSTON,

' MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWER-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent N o. 642,624, dated February 6, 1900..

Application filed October 14, 1899. Serial No. 733,616. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD MCLAUGH- LIN and CHARLES H. Donn, citizens of the United States, and residents of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewer-Gates, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a front elevation of a tubular sewergate frame provided with a pair of gates embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tubular sewer gate fram e,partly in section,showing a gate hinged thereto, the gate end of the frame slanting upwardly and inwardly or being vertically inclined inwardly in respect of the lengthwise axis of the tubular gate-frame. Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a transverse horizontal section on line 44 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail at line 5 5 of Fig. 1, of the adjustable hinge member which is socketed and clamped in a socket integral with the gate-frame. Fig. G is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an elastic obturating-strip of novel construction. Fig. 7 illustrates a modification in which the hinge member is adjustable in the socket in the masonry surrounding the gate-frame instead of being adjustable in a socket integral With the gate-frame as in the preceding figures. Fig. Sis another modification showing in a top plan viewa single gate hinged to a gate-frame, the gate end of which is in a plane at right angles to the lengthwise axis of the frame.

The object of our invention is to provide a sewer-gate which is water-tight when closed, admits of readyadjustment on and itting to both new and old sewergate frames, and even when submerged is adapted to close tight without the use of bridle-chains and weights or other exterior gate-closing devices.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of our invention and the best mode now known to us of applying that principle, A is a tubular sewer-gateframe of metal and is adapted for inclosure in the end of a sewerwall A'.

here shown in the preferred embodiment of our invention is adapted for double gates in- The particular form of .gate-frame stead of for single gates, and has its sides at the right and left of a vertical plane passing through its longitudinal axis inclined rearwardly, as at a a, as'shown in Fig. y3. The end 5 5 wall a or seat of the gate-frame also slants upwardly and rearwardly-that is, rearwardly from a vertical plane at right angles to its length-wise axis and in front of the gates.

Frame A is provided with the integral out- 6o wardly-extending lugs a3 a3 for one gate B and with the correspondinglugs a4 a4 for the other gate B'. The gates B and B' each comprises in its construction a plurality of timl bers b, that are bored coincidently at suitable v of slightly-greater diameter than the diame- 7o ter of the binding-rods, as shown in fulllines in Fig. 4 and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, in order that when the gate is subjected to the great force of tidal waters there may be a little yield or playof the gate-timbers b one in relation to another, so as to enable the gate to seat itself tightly upon the end Wall or seat a' of the gate-frame. The ends of the binding-rods b4 are provided with suitable heads b, one of the heads ordinarily 8o being an integral head and the other a nut, and these serving' to bind the timbers properly on the rods. The heads on the inner edge of the gates are contained in suitable recesses a5 for a purpose hereinafter set 85 forth, and it is desirable that the outer edges of the gates should be countersunk to receive the heads on the outer ends of the clampingrods, as shown, in order that the rod-heads may not form projections on which sewage 9o may lodge.

We have found in practice that sewer-gates made up of a plurality of timbers secured together upon transverse rods or bolts, as set forth, possess a certain degree of flexibility under the great pressure of tides and that this flexibility enables the tidal force to push the gates tight upon the seat formed by the inner edge or end wall a of the gate-frame,

the timbers even though swollen having some '1 oo littlc play or movability one in relation to another, which causes them to yield sufiicently to make a water-tight joint when the tidal force is exerted to hold the gates closed. The advantage of this tlexible gate is that under tidal pressure it will conform to the seat even though the seat be quite irregular. Each constituent timber will tend to conform and practically adjust itself under tidal pres- A tight jointin most cases at least.

sure to the shape of seat when the piececomes in contact therewith. The inner surfaces of the gate are provided with a novel form of obturating-strip D of elastic material, each strip D being a half-ring where double gates are used. Our new obturating-strip is made with a thick middle part al and with relatively thin margins d', through which the nails or fasteners d2 pass into the gate. The thick middle part is of a lengthwise shape that corresponds to the curve or shape of end Wall ct', and when the gate (or gates) is closed the thick middle part CZ, the surface of which is free from fasteners, is pressed hard against the end wall a. As the fasteners d2 are removed from the contacting surfaces of the end wall a and thick middle part d of the obturatingstrip, a practically perfect joint is insured when the gate is closed, the fasteners not being in said line of contact, as heretofore, and consequently not impeding the free and ready compression of the obturatingstrip. We prefer to make the middle part d of the obturating-strips of from half to three-quarters of an inch thick, according to the size of the gates, or even thicker, so that in case small pebbles or chips or the like are caught between the obturating-strips and wall a' when the gate is closing the same may be forced into the outer surface of the strip and at the same time lea've enough elastic material underneath the embedded substance to permit such compression as will still effect a water- The inner edge of gate B' is shown provided with an obturating-strip cl3, the inner outside margin of which contacts with the inner vertical corner of the gate B just before the gates are seated. The further seating movement of the gates B B consequently compresses the obturatingstrip d3 and forms a water-tight joint at the meeting of the gates.

To effect the closing of the gates (or gate) when they are submerged and the movement of the waters is not great enough to otherwise close the gates, (a condition that occasionally prevails, owing to extreme high tides and storm water,) We provide each gate with a weight W, embedded in the gate, the Weight being sufficiently heavy and of a specific gravity greater than that of the water to enable the gate to move through the inclosing body of water. The consequence is that the soweighted gate closes itself when submerged, the upward-and-inward inclination of the Wall or seat a', above described, and the corresponding upward-and-inward inclination of the gates upon their hinges facilitating the closing of the submerged gate under the influence of its weight.

It will be apparent that, first, the described obturating devices and, second, the combination ofaweighted gate for the purpose described with a sewer-gate frame the end wall or gate-seat of which is upwardly and inwardly inclined, as well as, third, the combination of a pair of gates with a sewer-gate frame the front wall of which slants rearwardly from a vertical plane, though the lengthwise axis of the gate-frame, are features of our invention which may be utilized in sewer-gates independently of the elastic or yielding construction thereof above described.

Another and very important feature of our invention lies in the means now to be described for adjusting the gates to the gateframes. The outwardly-extending lugs a3 and a of the gate-frame are bored horizontally at f in the direction of the lengthwise axis of the frame, and the bores freceive the Shanks of the hinge members f', which are a sliding fit in bores or recesses j' and which are held therein in any desired adjusted position by the set-screws f2,which pass through orifices in the outer portions of the lugs and impinge on the Shanks of the hinge members The outer ends of the set-screws f2 are formed with angular heads, which are contained within the annulus f3, extending outwardly on the lug. The outer ends of the setscrews are thus covered, so that they do not form projections for the lodgment of sewage, and are kept practically free for the ready application of a wrench. The hinge members f4 are connected with hinge members f' by suitable means, such as the pintle f5. Members f4 are preferably counterparts of members f', so as to be formed from the same patterns, and are a sliding iit in recesses f6 in the rear edge of the gate, each iirst passing through a suitable hole through the arm f7 of the two-armed bracket f8, fast on the gate. The holes through the bracket-arms f7 are coincident with the recesses f6 in the edge of the gate, which, with the bracket f8 fast on it, is adjustable edgewise onthe hinge members f4. Brackets f8 are provided with an orifice which receives a set-screw f, the inner end of which impinges on the shank of hinge memberf7 and holds the same tightly in theV gate, according to edgeWise-adjusted position thereof, the bracket-arm fT being against the outer edge of the gate and the other arm of bracket f8 being fast on the outer surface of the gate and extending only a short distance from the outer edge of the gate toward the inner edge thereof. By thus confining the short outer arm of the bracket to the margin of the outer portion of the gate the main body of the gate is left more or less flexible, accordingto its construction, and this arrangement of the outerarm-of the bracket is especially desirable wherev the `gates'are composed of a plurality of timbers bound together as above described and possessing the peculiar flexibility mentioned.

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If the outer bracket members extended from edge to edge of the gate, they would stien the gate and tend to overcome the desired elasticity thereof. The ends of the set-screws ff are preferably protected by being located XIS within tubular projections of the brackets.

In Fig. 7, illustrating a modification, We show the socket for the hinge members mounted in the masonry A', surrounding the gateframe, instead of in a recess in a lug integral with the gate-frame.

In Fig. 8, illustrating another modification, we show a single gate adj ustably hinged by the described adjustable hinging mechanism to a gate-frame, the gate end or seat of which is inclined rearwardlyin relation to the lengthwise axis of the frame.

What We claim isl. The combination, in a sewer-gate, with a plurality of gate-forming pieces mounted one against anotherand formed with coincident transverse bolt-holes, of a plurality of transverse locking-bolts through said holes, the bolts being of a diameter less-than the diameter of the holes.

2. The combination of a gate-frame; an eyebolt-socket therein; an eyebolt adjustable endwise in said socket; means for holding said eyebolt in said socket; ahinge member operatively connected With said eyebolt; and a gate mounted and edgewise adjustable on said hinge member.

3. The combination of a gate-frame; an eyebolt-socket thereat; an eyebolt adjustable endwise in said socket; means for holding said eyebolt in said socket; a hinge member operatively connected with said eyebolt;

v and a gate mounted and edgewise adjustable on the hinge member; the gate comprisinga plurality of pieces mounted one against another and formed with the coincident transverse bolt-holes and a plurality of transverse locking-bolts through said holes; the bolts being of a diameter less than that of the boltholes; and the contact of the hinge member with the gate being confined to the rear edge portion of the gate.

4. The combination of a sewer-gate frame having a reversely-beveled end and having lugs provided each with a socket and a screwhole with half-gates made up of a plurality of timbers secured together by transverse bolts and provided with hinged members, each comprising an eyebolt adjustable in said socket.

5. The combination of a sewer-gate frame having lugs provided each with a socket and screw-hole with half-gates made up of a plurality of timbers secured together by transverse bolts and provided with hinged members, each comprising an eyebolt adjustable in said socket.

6. The combination of a sewer-gate frame with a pair of gateseach made up of a plu-I rality of timbers secured together by transverse bolts; hinged members mounted transversely on said gates; means for adjusting said gates on said hinged members, complementary hinged members, and supports therefor; the complementary hinged members being adjustable toward and from the mouth of said fra-me.

7. In a gate, the combination of a gate; a hinge; a hinge-pin; an eyebolt sliding in a socket at the gate-frame; the said gate-frame; and means to secure said eyebolt in position in said socket.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a tidegate made up of two half-gates,the component parts of each half-gate being bound together by bolts extending transversely through the pieces from side to side of the half gate; the inner ends of the said bolts being countersunk; and the inner faces of both of said half-gates being faced with Waterproof packing, and the inner side of one of said halfgates being covered with waterproof packupwardly and rearwardly slantin g gate-frame with a gate and means for hinging the gate in operative relation to the gate-frame; with the top of the gate inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the vertical according to the upward-and-rearward' slant of the gateframe; said gate being weighted at its lower part whereby the gate automatically closes when submerged.

l0. In a sewer-gate, the combination of a gate-frame and a gate hinged thereat with an obturating-strip which has a thick obturating portion and relatively thin margins, the strip being attached by its margins, to the inner surface of the gate with the thick part of the strip in position to engage the gate-frame when the gate is closed.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD MCLAUGHLIN. CHARLES H. DODD. Witnesses:

E. A. ALLEN, EDWARD S..BEAOH.

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