US7379A - Uwited btjltes f - Google Patents

Description

JOHN JACK, IOB NUNDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO ALFRED BELL.`

` wioKnrroR LOCK-GATES.

specification `of Letters Patent No. 7,379, dated May a1, 1850;

same, making part of this specification, in

whichi Figure l is a side elevation of a lock gate with my improved wicket applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the gate partially opened, its seat also being seen, and Fig. 3 is a section taken through the line A A of Fig. 2.

My invention and improvement consists in making and arranging a sliding wicket or sluice gate so that when shut, it shall rest upon its seat, so' as to make a tight joint, but when in the act of opening or closing shall be raised therefrom, and be carried on wheelsthereby diminishing the friction and the power required to operate it, the power for raising the gate being applied through a lever or its equivalent so as to move the gate very slowly, but with great force, until it is started from its seat and its weight is thrown upon the friction wheels, and then, to act upon it with less force, but to move it faster, until it is fully opened.

One leaf (A) of a pair of folding lock gates is shown in Fig. l with my improved sliding wicket (B) applied thereto; this wicket is of an oblong rectangular shape, and is fitted with friction wheels (h h) on which it runs when in the act of opening or shutting. The lower edge of the gate is iitted with aflange (le) which inclines outward and is of such width that the upward pressure of the water beneath it will be sufficient to counterbalance the pressure on the upper edge of the gate, added to the weight of the gate and its appendages; the inclination of this flange is such, that notwithstanding the effect of the een@ contracte, the issuing water will act against it, and tend to raise the gate with the same force after it is partially opened, as when it is closed.

The seat of the gate, as represented, consists in this instance, of a frame of metal having tracks formed on its ends for the end wheels of the gate to run on, and two arms (rr) `projecting upward from its upper side on `which tracks are formed for the side wheels` to run on, these several tracks are straight; throughoutthe greater part oftheir length but each is sloped off on its lower end, thus forming an inclined depressiony(g) down which the wheels run `to lower the: gate upon its seat, and thus make a `tightjoint` when it shuts; the depth to which^the wheels drop when the gate closes measuresthe distance which the gate raises off its seat `when moving toward or from its shut position. It is plain that the gate must be moved against the pressure of the whole column of water resting against it when it is run on its wheels up the inclined to the straight parts of the tracks, but after the wheels are once on the straight part o-f the tracks, there is no other resistance to be overcome than that of the friction caused by the pressure of the water, and the slight friction of the moving parts. Hence it will appear, that a far greater amount of force is required to start the gate from its seat and run the wheels up the in clined planes, than is afterward required to run it up the tracks to the wide-open position.

By referring to Fig. l it will be seen that the hand lever (P) by which the power is applied to move the gate is so arranged,

that its fulcrum is in a line with the' connecting rod (p) and the joints by which the rod is connected with the gate (B) and the lever (P) respectively, when the gate is shut, so that a small amount of force'applied to the upper end of the lever (P) in the direction of the arrow (e) will produce a strong pull through the rod (p) on the gate, and while the upper end of the lever (P) sweeps through a very considerable space the gate will be moved a very small distance, but suflicient to raise it from its seat, and throw its weight upon the friction wheels; as the motion of the upper end of the lever is continued, the effective length of its lower end will be rapidly increased, and will pull with less force upon the gate, and move it faster, but the gate being no-w raised from its seat and the wheels running upon the straight part of the track, requires less force to move it, and thus the varying resistance opposed by the gate in raising, is met by a correspondingly varying force produced through the changing position of the lever by a given extremity. This sliding Wicket may be made of the usual or any convenient form and of any suit-able material and may be varied in any of its details at the option of the construct-or, provided it rests upon its seat When shut, and is raised therefrom and supported by rollers in all other positions.

What I claim in t-he foregoing as my i11- vent-ion and desire to Secure by Letters Patent, is y l. Making and arranging a sliding Wicket gate in such manner, that When shut, it shall rest upon its seat and makev a tight joint, but when moving to or from its Closed position,

i shall be raised from its seat, and supported on Wheels to diminish the friction', and con-v sequently, the expenditure of power required to open or close it; the power for operating it, being applied through a lever (or it-s equivalent) so as to move the gate very slowly but With great force until it is started from its seat and the Weight thrown upon the friction Wheels, and then, to act upon it With diminished force but move it faster until it is fully open, thus counterbalanoing, as near as may be, the force and the resistance.

2. I do not claim the mere counterbalancing of the Weight'of the gate and the pressure of the Water on its upper edge, by means of the pressure -of the Water acting upon a Flange at its lower edge, but What I do claim, is, placing a liange for this purpose in an inclined position, substantially as described, so that the vena oomfmca shall not prevent t-he issuing Water from pressing against it.r

JOHN JACK.

Witnesses FREDERICK DAVIDSON, ROBERT HAYNES.

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