US71936A - Improved oukbs foe watee-wheels - Google Patents

Description

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Beit known that I, ALBERT WINTON, of Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin, and State of Pennsylvaniaphave invented and made new and useful Improvements in the Chutes of Turbine Water-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the improvements, showing the arrangement of the several parts.

Figure 2 is a top view of the improvements, showing the chutes open to their utmost extent, the dotted lines representing the position and form of the diaphragm-plates or water-guide gates.

The nature of my improvements, in water-whcels consists in the employment of serpentine-shaped or doublecurvcd adjustable'chute-gates, formed with tapering surfaces, combined with stationary or fixed diaphragmplates, arranged together alternately at suitable intervals apart, the said chute-gatasE being operated by an individual, circular, -or annular-shaped plate or ring, formed with several fork like arms, all ofwhich are designed to regulate simultaneously, in the most ready manner, the'inflow of water when passing into the buckets of the wheel. i

My present improvements relate to and are somewhat connected with those for which I obtained a patent January 2T, 1863, inasmuch as I employ the same form of turbine-wheel in combination with my present improvements, but instead of a succession of fiat, vertically arranged dividing-plates, and an up and down adjustable hoop or band-like gate, I employ a series of gates of a peculiar curved "form, all of which I now proceed to describe, inorder to enable others to construct, apply, and operate the same, and to be skilled in the use thereof.

In tig. 1, which is a perspective view` of my improvements, letters a a a a mark an annular rim of metal as the base. Letters b b mark the dome or metal casing, formed with a short neck-like part, e c c, which is perforated with a spindle-opening, cl clfgs. land 2, to receive the vertical shaft of the wheel. The broad part of this dome is formed with a rim, e e, of the same diameter as theriru marked a a, and is also formed with a ange formation; indicated by the red dotted linesff, of the same thickness as the rims a a c c. This iange is designed as a. narrow support or way for thc adjustable rim z' t' to rest and move on, and also forms a suicient spa-ce between the adjustable rim z' 't' and the base-rim e e of the dome, to give as little rubbing surface as possible. `'.lfhe dome b b b is also formed with a thicker rebate, g y, provided with a vertical fulcrum-pin, L, fig. 2. 'Around thc rebate gg, restingl on the flange ff, an annular metal rim, iz', of suitable thickness, having a vertical pin, J. The rim z' z' has formations 7c 7c 7c cast or affixed thereon, at equal distances apart, their ends beging bent or turned down, extending a suitable distance over the side or edge lof the rim. Thcends of these formations are split or forked, as at L L L, iig. 1. Over the pin L fits a crank-like lever-device, m, formed with Van oblong slot, n.. Letters O O O O O-mark several adjustable chute-gatcs, formed as shown, slightly curved in opposite directions from their centres, ltheir surfaces presenting convex and concave Shapes, tapering from their centres towards their ends, as well as can be described. Midway of their lengths are ear-like formations q q q q, through which passes a. vertical rod "or axle, 7931191), the lower end inserted into the base-rim a a, the upper end passing up through the rim c e of the dome b b.

The object of employing thechute-gates O O of the peculiar serpentine shape, or doublc-reverscd curves,

with tapering surfaces, is to enable theiru being operated as desired, within a slot or between the prongs of forked arms, the necessity of such peculiar shapes being readily understood by all practical mechanics. Moreover, if armere are or single curved form be used, theV concavity thereof being inward towards the centre of the wheel, the curved projecting ends of the chutes O O would be turned inwardly, thereby preventing the forked arms K L K L from moving the chutes in the direction desired.

Any other arrangement or form of chute-gates than that employed in my improvements would require the axis p p to be situated so far within and between the rims a e cl e as to allow against the surface of the chutegates O O too great a volume, witlrtoo much pressure of the inflow of water, all of which would so materially change the nature of arrangement of the-several parts, and so derange the mechanical operation, as to prevent the result sought.

4Letters 'r r r r, lig. 1, and dotted lines tig.A 2, marl: curvedN diaphragm-plates, of uniform thickness, their curve-being somewhat less than the curve of the chutes O O. These diaphragm-plates are situated immediately between the chutes O O, and are secured firmly in position, and are designed to divide and direct the inflow of water. The chutes and diaphragms, as described, are eight or more in number, as may be found requisite, and are arranged at equal distances apart around the space formed between the lower rim a a and dome rim e e, as shown in figs. l and 2. vvYhenthe annular rim z' z' z' z' is in position, the upper edge of the chutegates O O O O enters and rests between the forks or prongs of the devices K L K L, as shown in lig. l, the chutegates being suiieiently long to entend outwardly the required distance beyond the forks, as shownin figs. l and 2, so as to allow the chute-gates sufficient movement right and left, and te insure the operation of the fork devices K L K L.

The operation of my improvements is as follows, viz: rlhe wheel (not shown in the drawings) being placed in position within the area ef the annular rim an and the dome I1, the lever-handle or crank nz is moved, which causes theY annular rim z' z' z' to move ,right or left, more or less, as desired, which movement causes the chute-gates to open or close, which regulates the inflow of the water.y The forked devices striding the chutegates, whose surfaces are concave and convex, said surfaces perform an office similar to that of a cam, and also afford a leverage, the' forked devices K L K L being the actuating agents. The annular rim z'z'z'z'acts as a circular manifold lever in being moved around, each forledevice receiving an equal amount of leverage power,

causing the chute-gates to open and close, more or less, alternately, and to be operated very readily. As there are no radial lever-arms, or connecting-rods with joints, elbows, and pivots, there is little or no stiffness or rigidity, the forli-devices K L K L acting freely and smoothly in passing over the convex and vconcave surfaces 1 of the chute-gates.

In connection with many of the-turbine water-wheels in use, a series of jointed arms or levers is used, together with complicated devices of connecting-rodsand reacting springs, all 'of which are very objectionable and expensive, and are always liable to get out of order;moreover, they require increased or multiplied power to overcome the undue amount of friction they produce.

As my annular rim-device 2' z' z' a' is solely but one individual device, (having no joints, arms, pins, or bolts, or springs,) it can be east or formed most readily, and fitted' up at one and the same time, thus rendering the improvements cheap of construction, ready of erection, and substantial, aswell as practicable; and are, moreover, divestcd of friction, with little or no wear and tear, also being most readily operated. Hence, my improve* ments possess very great advantages over thevcomplieated construction and tcdiouscrection of all other turbine water-wheels having adjustable gates.v

vThere have been in use from time to time several combinations of the single curved and the straight chutes or floats, with straight or single curved diaphragms or scrolls," and in the p atent and reissue of J. Lelfel, 1862 and 1864, curved chutes are shown without any intermediate diaphragms, said chutes, as will be seen, presenting curves without tapering or sloping surfaces, and sufficiently different in form and arrangement as to betotally inapplicable as equivalents or substitutes for my peculiar chute-gates. x

` Deeming the foregoing description sufcient to convey acorreet understanding of my improvements, their construction and operation, and having represented vthe same bythe accompanying drawings, also having referred to what are old and well-known devices, arrangements, and combinations, I do not claim broadly the invention of curved chutes; but' j What I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows, viz:

1. I claim the serpentine or double curved chute-gates O O, when formed with surfaces tapering or sloping from their centres towards their ends, and so arranged, relative to intermedately situated diaphragme or plates r r, that one of the tapering ends of said chute-gates O O shall project beyond the cireumferences of the rims a a e e, and extend so as to enter slots, or between the prongs of fork-like arms K L K L, to be operated in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

2. I claim the annular adjustable rim or ring iz', provided with the fork-like arms K L K L, and with the moving lever or crank m, and the fulcrum-pin L, all arranged to operate the chute-gates O O, substantially as shown and described.

ALBERT WINTON.

Witnesses:

N. L. HECKERMAN J. N. SNIDER.

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