Patent Publication Number: US-2020299915-A1

Title: Water Control Gate

Description:
This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of and priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/079,541, filed Aug. 23, 2018, which itself is the United States National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US2017/019222, filed Feb. 23, 2017 which claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/298,815 Feb. 23, 2016. Each said application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to large scale water control gates particularly suited for use as flood barriers in ship canals and for use as lock gates for facilitation navigation between pools of differing surface elevations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is comprised of one or more bottom hinged water barrier gates in conjunction with restraining means to prevent overturning of the gates in response to differential water pressure. The gate panels preferably incorporate controllable ballast chambers used to eliminate or minimize the actuating force required to raise the gates. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates to water control gates that may be used to block the flow of water against differential head. Conventional miter type lock gates utilize gate panels swung about vertical axes and are limited in width by the weight of the gate. Floating gates with vertical pivot axes have been built. But these require large and precise, and therefore expensive, foundations. Gates actuated by inflatable bladders have been built to heights of approximately  8  meters. Greater heights require very large inflatable bladders. Radial gates, hydraulic flap gates, pelican gates, slide gates and roller gates all require intermediate piers which may be unacceptable in the case of a shipping channel, for example. 
     The present invention utilizes gate panels comprised of a horizontal edge pivotably attached to the bottom of the channel in combination with one or more ballast chambers that may be controllably filled with either water or air in further combination with restraining means to prevent over rotation of the gate panels in response to the force of the water. The ballast chambers may be utilized to facilitate water transport of the gate panels from the fabrication facility to the installation site, i.e., the gate panels may be simply floated, and then sunk, into position. The hinge means is preferably a reinforced elastomeric hinge that serves as both hinge and seal. Seals between gate panels are preferably inflatable. The inflatable seals disclosed herein allow generous clearances between gate panels consistent with the dimensional tolerances and long term dimensional stability achievable with large scale earth and concrete structures while also providing a desirably tight seal against water leakage. Hydrostatic inflation provides a uniform sealing force throughout the vertical extent of the seal. Heating of rubber seals in accordance with prior art is difficult. This invention provides convenient and effective seal heating as well as a sealing force with a hydrostatic pressure gradient that closely matches the hydrostatic pressure gradient of the controlled water. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 4  are views of the gates in the raised position viewed from the high water side. 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are views of the gates in the raised position viewed from the low water side. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the gates in the lowered position. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic of a gate fitted with a hydrostatically inflated and fluid heated inflatable seal. 
         FIGS. 7, 8, and 9  show gate panel cross sections with inflatable seals. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the general features of the gate in  FIGS. 1 through 9 . The gate panels  1  are preferably fitted with internal pipes  30  for emptying either water or air from the ballast chambers  31 . Inflatable actuators  2 , which may be filled with air or water, for example, may be used in conjunction with buoyancy effects to raise gate panels  1 . Restraining means, such as restraining straps  3  may be used to prevent over-rotation of the gate panels and to resist hydrostatic loads resulting from water on the restraining strap  3  side of gate panels  1 . Gate panels  1  are preferably sealed to each other with interpanel seal assembly  7  and sealed to the abutments with abutment seal assemblies  8 . Clamps  25  may be used to secure inflatable actuators  2  and hinge flaps  22  to foundation  4 . With gate panels  1  lowered, barges  31  my pass between abutments  5 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , gate panel  1  is held up by inflatable actuator  2  and positioned at its pivot edge  32  by hinge flap  22 . Hinge flap  22  is in turn secured by clamp  25 . Clamp  25  is in turn secured by anchor bolt  23  in conjunction with nut  24 . Inflatable seal assembly  8  is provided, during freezing conditions, with circulating heated fluid through supply line  29 . Return line  28  returns fluid to tank  33 . Pump  26  circulates the fluid. Pressure control means  28  provides a controllable gas pressure above the fluid in tank  33 . The pressure on the seal varies with elevation and is usefully highest at the bottom of the gate  1  where differential pressure against the gate is greatest. 
     Due to the large scale of the gates and the large relative motions of the foundations, inflatable seals may be used to provide a tight seal under varying clearance conditions. 
     The inflatable seals my use circulated heated fluid to prevent ice problems. 
     Strong restraining straps may be used to prevent overturning of the gates. Shield plates with stops may be used for this purpose instead.