Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-20
THE cuLvER-cRow WATER POWER.
DERBY, Kan, Jan. 16.

Derby, and as various notices have APP
peared in different papers, both of this
state and others. l deem it viii be of in
terest to your readers to submit the fol-
| lowing facts regarding what bids fair to
| revOlutiOnize the manufacturing inter
ests not only of Kansas, but of the entire
country. The central idea in the motor
is to place in the channel Or current of
the river fiume which shall extend
| down stream sufficient dis
lance to give free discharge
| thus holding no backwaters. This fume
is solidly built upon piling driven into
the bottom of the river. Connecting
with the upper end of this fiume is a
| forebay, consisting of two arms thrown
out, one from each side of the fiume.
and standing or extending out at an
angle of fifteen degrees from the line of
the t1ume. This forebay, it will be seen,
will be wide at its mouth and narrow
down, SO as to connect with or enter the
fiume, which arrangement will direct
the large body OF water entering the
wide-mouthed forebay into the narrow
| f1ume, hence increasing It's natural
velocity many fold. The fiume and
| forebay are planked water-tight.
The fume we are building here is IL
feet wide, 12 feet deep and 500 feet long
and high enough to protect from high
water or floating ice. in which we are
building a train of three wheels, each
having diameter of 26 feet, inches,
and nearly 12 feet breast, each wheel
having Is hinged paddles or floats. each
paddle being feet wide and nearly IL
feet long, made of hard pine and weigh
ing about $50 pounds. These paddles
raise from the water without backslash-
ing or lifting any water behind the
wheel and as they raise fold back toward
the center of the Wheel rendering the
wheel lighter on that side by the weight
of each paddls SO folded back.
because when they pass the
the vertical center of the wheel they
unfold out again. 1t will he seen that this
arrangement of paddles brings down
the question of friction to a minimum.
These three wheels will be geared to-
gether by means of an endless chain,
and the power transmitted through a
pondrous shaft to the shore distance
of some thirty feet. There a large fly
wheel will be mounted from which a
line shaft will extend geared to the
requisite span for the attachment of
machinery. Some will reason that a
train of wheels SO geared together
will be drawn by the first
wheel and that we would get
more power by using one wheel than by
train of wheels. l will simply say that
this would be exactly what would occur
provided no means We're used to insure
an equal play of water on each wheel,
but if the water plays equally upon each
wheel then the power that is applied
against the first wheel must be trans
mitted alike to each wheel in the train.
Now then how is it that the power is
multiplied by increasing the number of
wheels: says one. Simply by the lever
age in each wheel. Every time you
double the length of lever you double
the effectiveness of the power, do you not.
| will add in this connection that by
very simple device we insure an equal
play Of water upon each wheel and COM
pei each wheel to do its duty.
Now then. should you be a little matbe-
matically inclined and desire to know
the power that these three wheels will
yield, | will give you the data and you
can make the calculation for yourself.
First, the velocity of the water in the
river at low water is about three and one
eighth feet per second; the mouth of our
forebay is $50 feet wide. and the water
averages one and one-half feet in depth,
the tiume being twelve feet wide and
carrying water three feet in depth. We
will readily see that at the ordinary
velocity of the current in the river 3,5
cubic feet will enter the fore bay while
but 36 feet pass out, since the forebay Is
SO extended that no water can back
around its wings. What must take place:
The water flows into the fore bay and
must get out in the same space of time
in order to maintain an equilibrium,
hence the velocity at the outlet or fiume
must increase to such an extent that the
same amount or volume of water passing
out of the fore bay in a given space OF
time shall exactly equal that flowing in.
Now, then, at velocity of 3 Is feet per
second 36 cubic feet flows out, while 315
cubic feet (say for convenience 1850
cubic feet flows in; how many
times must the outlet in
crease its velocity to produce an
equilibrium in flow? Any school boy |
would say as many times as $50 contains !
36 or 10 times This will bring the We
locity of the water in the tiume up to |
81 IA feet per second. or 1915 feet per !
minute. and vertical heighth or head 8 |
feet Trautwines formula for conlput- |
ing the horse power will then stand:
Cubic feet per minute g., SOOxVertical |
heighth oft )x62 3-33, 900 horse power of !
this volume of water.
Now take 4-10 of this sum and you
have the available horse power of said |
body of water. Now. this power strikes |
a wheel with leverage of II feet, count /
ing 26 inch sprocket. Now, you must |
multiply the available horse power al
ready found by -. which gives you the /
available horse power of one wheel. /
Multiply this bv and we have |
the horse power of three wheels.
You will notice that the wheels make at
least twelve 12) revolutions per minute,
and see how YOU stand. Does IT strike
you that we are eXtravagant when we
expect to realize 500 horse power from
these three wheels: From the above
brief remarks | think that anyone may
see that we are not building a ju-
venile toy but constructing motor
which for cheapness or economy. simpli-
city of construction and magnitude of
power, may well challenge the wonder
Gus admiration of all. 1t is to be
at. then. that the serious at
tention of engineers and manufacturers
from all parts of the country Is
being directed toward this motor;
for In its cheapness and availability
they see at a glance that the great
obstacle to the esta blishment OF manu-
featuring enterprises throughout the
country, viz. expense of fuel. engines,
engineers, firemen, boilers, dangers of
explosion, fire. &c, always following in
he wake of steam is effectually and