Improvements in and in the Fitting Up of Apparatus for Employing the Ebb and Flow of the Sea as a Motive Power.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1899-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Fitting Up of Apparatus for Employing
the Ebb and Flow of the Sea as a Motive Power.
We, FRANCOIS JOSEPH SINGRUN and HENRI ALBERT SINGRUN, Constructing
Engineers, both of Epinal (Vosges), in the Republic of France, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is the improved fitting up of hydraulic turbines
and their accessories for utilising the ebb and flow of the sea as motive power.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a type of this fitting up and the
apparatus comprised therein.
Fig. 1 being an elevation in vertical and transverse section of the building
containing the turbines and their accessories.
Fig. 2 an elevation in vertical longitudinal section of the same building put
up on the bar or dam.
Fig. 3 represents in horizontal section at various heights the same building
containing the turbines and their accessories.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate some of the accessories on a
larger scale.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section on a larger scale of the turbine, the arrival and
escape channels the accessory parts and the means of controlling them.
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section showing one of the methods of tightly closing
the arrival or the escape channel adopted in order to allow of the repairing of
the turbine or of its accessory parts.
Fig. 7 shows details of ball bearings.
In these figures the same letters indicate the same parts.
A construction A B of masonry, iron, wood, cement, or other material is placed
across an estuary, which it thus separates from the sea. Whilst the tide is
rising the sea-water cannot flow into the estuary without passing through the
orifices formed in the dam, or above the last named, if it be considered advisable
to add this latter arrangement for regulating the levels at will at certain
moments.
In this dam B, two orifices C and D, either circular or of any section whatever
are formed for each turbine, running right through it. In this way, several
turbines may be placed in the same orifice.
One of the orifices C acts as a channel for the arrival of the water reaching
the turbine T. whether such water come from the sea or from the reservoir E
and the other orifice D as escape channel for the water which after passing
through the turbine T, runs away either into the sea or into the reservoir.
If the turbine T were reversed, and received the water from beneath the
orifice D would act as arrival channel and the orifice C as escape channel.
The arrival channel might thus be common to two turbines mounted on the
same shaft and each discharging into a third escape channel.
These arrival and discharge channels are not necessarily placed vertically one
above the other, although this arrangement would appear the most favourable

page_text: at first sight and they may occupy any position whatever in relation to one
another.
In the orifice are two valve sluices V and W and in the orifice D, two
others and W.
When the water has to pass from the sea into the reservoir and produce
motive power, the sluice is opened and the sluice W closed; the water is thus
obliged to pass through the turbine T in order to run off into the reservoir
through the orifice D the sluice belonging to which on the side of the sea is
shut, and 'the sluice W on the side of the reservoir, opened.
If, on the contrary, the level of the sea is lower than that of the reservoir,
the water comes in through the sluice W passes through the turbine and runs
away through the sluice Vinto the sea, whilst the sluices V and W are closed.
In order to prevent foreign substances, which may be carried along by the
water, from passing on to the turbines we place on the sea side and on the
reservoir side a large vertical iron grating S and S which is supported between
transverse irons leaded into counterforts E E¹ constructed in masonry, the bars
of such gratings, collected in sections, are guided in several places, and may
be raised or taken apart at will in order to afford admission behind the gratings
at low tides and access from outside to the sluice valves for purposes of inspection
or for effecting any work necessary for keeping the construction in order.
The gratings S and S instead of sliding vertically between the irons which
guide and support them, may also be arranged on frames which would be pivoted
like doors or valve flaps so as to open or shut in one piece or in several pieces,
and thus at certain moments to allow of the passing of the largest fishes or any
other body whatever through the orifices C and D.
All these gratings may be connected by means of a shaft with endless screw
and corresponding tooth gear which would actuate them all together or separately
like the shaft provided in the present invention for actuating the valve-sluices
placed in the passages C and D.
A second horizontal grating S¹, likewise movable is supported by the same
irons which support the vertical grating at the top; its purpose is to still further
enlarge the section of the water in order to reduce to the minimum the loss of
head caused by the passage of the water across the gratings.
Through the openings produced in raising or turning the horizontal and
vertical gratings, a fixed plug or a float, with flexible sides, is introduced, having
the form of and fitting exactly into the mouths of the passages C and D, at their
two extremities; this plug hermetically closes these orifices which are precisely
made on the same mould and in case of necessity allow of access for carrying
out any repairs, alteration of the masonry or in the fixing or repairing of the
sluice valves.
The mouths of the orifices C and D are carefully widened in order to reduce
to the minimum the contraction of the water which feeds the turbines.
In order that the water flowing from the sea towards the reservoir may pass
through the turbine, and vice versa, the passage through which the water runs
in must be opened on the side of the fall and closed at the other extremity,
whilst the passage acting as escape channel must be closed on the side of the fall
and open on the opposite side. This we effect by means of an arrangement at
once simple, practical, expeditious, certain and inexpensive which we are about
to describe.
At each end of the passages C and D, we form a group of two sluice-valves of
circular or any other shape, one arranged in the arrival channel and the other
in the escape channel, these valves rotate on the one axis, perpendicularly to
each other, when the water is to pass through the turbines.
The two sluice-valves of each group may be mounted on the one shaft, but
we have resolved the question more satisfactorily by mounting one of the valves
of the group on an interior shaft f, and the other on a hollow shaft g, through
which the shaft of the first valve runs.

page_text: When these two shafts are coupled, the two valves rotate the same time, as
though mounted on a single shaft.
But, in arranging them so that they can be coupled or made, independent at
will, each of these two valves of a group may be worked separately, and may
occupy any position whatever in relation to the other.
In consequence of this arrangement the two passages C and D may be used
simply as arrival and escape channels, or, further, as direct passages establishing
communication between the two sides of the bar or dam.
The result obtained by means of this arrangement is the power of increasing
at will the proportion which exist between the section of the orifices which
establish communication between the two sides of the bar, or dam, and the
superficial area of the reservoir, and thus at certain moments, of more quickly
lowering the level of the water in the reservoir, or more quickly
raising it in order to secure a greater fall, or a greater difference between the
level of the water on the two sides of the dam, or, again. to equalise these levels
more quickly without the necessity of working special sluices or of creating
supplementary passages in order to obtain this result.
We have succeeded in rendering the two sluice-valves of the one group
independent or united, at will, by means of a clutch coupling m (Fig. 4) sliding
on a fixed key or cotter, carried by the lower shaft f. Below this clutch coupling
is a sector which is mounted on the exterior shaft g the nave of which carries
in the upper part clutches corresponding with that of the clutch coupling m.
Above the same clutch coupling the nave of a second sector is guided outwardly
by a bearing with a cap or cover, formed by the support j and rotates freely in
this bearing.
The lower part of the nave of this second sector bears clutches corresponding
with those of the sliding clutch coupling m; moreover, the lower shaft f passes
freely in the axis of the nave of this second sector for the purpose of further
assisting in the guiding of the same.
Instead of a clutch coupling it is obvious that any other system of coupling
might be employed.
When the clutch coupling m is in engagement with the nave of the lower
sector the interior shaft f and the exterior shaft g are combined and any rotary
motion imparted to the sector 7 causes the two sluice valves of the same group
to rotate at the same time.
If on the contrary the sliding clutch coupling is in engagement with the
upper sector the interior shaft f can rotate alone, moreover each of the two
sluice valves can be operated separately and occupy any position whatever in
relation to one another.
The sectors of the two groups of sluice valves set up in the passages C and D
are connected together by two shafts P and P¹ so that if the lower shaft P be
rotated or actuated in any way the four sluice valves of the passages C and D are
worked at the same time, provided that the clutch coupling m be in engagement
with the lower sectors 1. On the contrary when the clutch coupling is in
engagement with the upper sectors, the sluice valves are worked two by two
in the same passage.
The shafts and 21 moreover carry endless screw gearings s and s¹ which are
controlled by shafts u and set in motion by electric motors Y or by any
mechanism whatever.
.
These shafts and enable all the sluice valves of an installation consisting
of a larger or smaller number of turbines to be joined together and worked all
at once or a certain number only, by means of a single motor controlled by one
man.
Thus a motor could be formed by a group of several turbines.
We have moreover provided uncoupling sleeves g and gland two fly wheels r.
and on each of the shafts p and p' (Fig. 6) which enables any sluice valve
to be separated from the general controlling arrangement and to be actuated

page_text: by hand either in the case of repairs or in order to modify the regulation of
the water flow in a permanent manner.
The upper mechanism of each group of sluice valves is placed below the level
of the stone work in a chamber R (Figs. 2 and 6) which is covered with striated
sheet metal. A small column n placed above this chamber carries a fly wheel
by means of which the clutch coupling m may be put into engagement at will
with the lower or upper sectors.
The top of the shaft
is held in a frame i which carries at the same time the
and the support k which maintain the shafts p and at each side of
the endless screw.
support
All the endless screws moreover employed in the installation rotate in an
oil bath so as to diminish friction and wear.
The sluice valves are placed in the crowns e which are turned inwardly and
leaded into the masonry.
In order to prevent the water from running up along the exterior shaft g, a
stuffing box is placed in the upper part of the crown of the sluice valve at
the top. Access to this stuffing box is obtained by descending through the
opening K into a well J also enclosing the intermediate bearing blocks guiding
the shafts g and f.
The solid shaft f of the lower sluice forms a pivot and is guided in the crown
by two bronze rings in order to ensure very easy working action.
The exterior hollow shaft g of the upper sluice rotates on steel balls and is
moreover guided outwardly above and below by ball bearings as shown. Balls
may be employed for the lower sluice valve.
The turbine T is placed in a water chamber H situated between the sluice
valves V and W. This chamber is widened in such a manner as to preserve at
least the same free section to the right and left of the turbine as in the passages C
and D.
The motive water passes through the turbine as indicated by the arrows
a and B (Fig. 6) accordingly as it arrives from the sea or from the reservoir.
For each turbine a large central shaft or well is formed in the masonry the
volume and cost of the latter being thus reduced. It enables the length of the
hollow vertical shaft c of the turbine to be reduced to the lowest limit and the
pivot to be placed as low as possible whilst affording access for lubricating or
repairs etc.
The lower part of this shaft or well is separated from the water chamber by a
cover which is supported by a crown a fitted into the masonry. The orifice of
the crown a is sufficiently large for the introduction or removal of complete
turbines in case of repairs.
The providing of this large central shaft or well has moreover considerable
importance in the sense that it allows of the placing of a large number of
arrangements which may be conceived for partially or entirely compensating
the differences of speed of the turbines when working with greater or smaller
falls.
This shaft or well also serves for placing the intermediate vertical blocks and
the beams or girders d and d¹ (Fig. 2) which support the extension of the vertical
motor shaft . This motor shaft transmits the power either to a dynamo
with vertical axis U or to gearings or shaftings of any kind.
On a level with each of the beams or girders d and is a flooring as likewise
two transverse galleries P.and Q which allow of a passage to the two stages for
inspection or repairs and the like. These galleries considerably diminish the
cubic volume of the masonry.
In the upper gallery are shaftings and (Figs. 3 and 4) and electro motors Y
by which they are actuated, the whole supported by pillars Q'.
A lower gallery O (Fig. 2) is arranged a little above the level of the covers b
and serves more particularly as a means of circulation in inspecting and keeping
in order the pivots of the turbines.

page_text: All the water of infiltration and that which may pass through the stuffing-
boxes collects in the wells L (Figs. 2 and 3) placed between each group
turbines.
of
These wells L are all connected with one another by means of a pipe L' and
the water from them is collected in a collecting well M, deeper than the others,
whence it is allowed to run off freely through a passage L closed by a sluice-
valve into the sea, at the times of low tide or whence it may be easily removed at
any moment by means of an electric or other pump. A float arranged in this
collecting well actuates an electric contact when the water has reached a
certain height and, thus by means of an electric bell arrangement, announces
automatically the time when it is necessary to remove the water from the
collecting well. Access to the wells L and M is obtained by a means of com-
munication N arranged between the wells and the gallery P.
Passages L' (Fig. 1) enable the water which may enter the chamber R, to run
off into the well J. From the well J the objectionable water passes through
the pipe L into the central well I or collects lower down than the cover b in
the crown a.
"
"
In the ribs a (Fig. 6) of this crown apertures are formed which thus
constitute a collecting reservoir for the waters of infiltration of each group,
and these run away into the wells L or M by way of the passages L.
The counterforts E¹ may be extended on the side of the reservoir to the full
distance considered necessary and are connected together by vaults F.
This arrangement enables all the necessary superficial area to be provided
very economically for the building of the works G above the turbines.
The whole of the works is served by means of an electric roller bridge Z.
In the counterforts E openings Ei are formed, which allow of circulation
over the whole width of the horizontal grating on the side of the reservoir.
A hand rail or balustrade X is arranged at the side of the stop-gratings as
well as on each side above the bar or dam.
It is obvious that, instead of creating the necessary superficial area for the
works. by employing counterforts E' on the side of the reservoir, the counter-
forts E could be extended along the sea side.
In place of being controlled by endless screws and toothed gearing, the toothed
sectors and 1 (Fig. 5) may be operated by toothed rods or racks actuated by a
high or low pressure hydraulic piston.
Fig. 7 illustrates two plugs y and y¹ exactly fitting the mouths of the orifices C
and D, their outer circumference being covered with india-rubber or other
elastic material, so as to assure the tightness necessary for keeping the passages
dry.
These plugs may be put in place by means of a boat which supports them by
a bar moving in slides and receding as soon as the plug is in position.
The plugs are temporarily kept in place by the outside and then thoroughly
tightened and retained by one or more chains with fastening hooks.
The chief commercial results obtained by the employment of the above-
mentioned means in utilising the ebb and flow of the sea as motive power, besides
those already indicated are as follows:
1. The same motor turbines utilise the water and create the motive power,
however great or little the fall may be this water passing from the sea into a
reservoir and flowing from the reservoir into the sea.
2. The construction of sluice-valves with axial pivot and balls, arranged in
the passages establishing communication between the two sides of the bar or
dam the two arms of which balance each other on each side of the axis, ensures
the reduction of friction to the minimum enabling these valves to be operated
with the minimum of strain, the greatest facility and at the highest speed,
even when the difference of level between the two sides of the valves is consider-
able, a thing practically almost impossible with plunging. or sliding valves or
those rotating around an axis not situated in the centre of the sluice valve.

page_text: 3. The employment of sluice-valves operated quickly and with certainty,
arranged in the passages of a bar, or dam, of which one only or the whole serve
for the placement of the turbines, enables the section of the water-flow from
the sea to the reservoir and vice versa to be enlarged at will without the necessity
of creating special or supplementary passages, in order to equalise quickly
the levels on each side of the bar or dam, or more quickly lower or raise the
level of the water in the reservoir for the purpose of increasing the fall acting
on the turbines and consequently the force created, and diminishing the times
of stoppage, or the periods during which the fall may be considered as too
insignificant for being practically employed in connection with the turbines.
This arrangement, moreover, effects a considerable saving in the costs of the
installation.
4. The same passages act indifferently as arrival or escape channels, for the
turbines, or as direct communication between the two sides of the bar, or dam,
and may be employed at the same time as arrival and escape channels and as
direct passages.
5). The two sluice valves of one and the same group, the one of which is
mounted on an interior shaft and the other on an exterior hollow shaft may be
worked either together or separately; the four sluice valves of the two groups
of the same turbine thus being capable of being worked either all together or
two by two in the same passages; finally the sluice valves of a complete installa-
tion of a larger or smaller number of turbines may be worked all at once or
the sluice valves of the arrival channels or those for the escape channels may
be operated separately only.
The maximum of elasticity for regulating the level in the reservoir is thus
obtained with the minimum strain; the management (hand-labour) is reduced
to the simplest form; the greatest speed and the most absolute certainty are
ensured and the major part of the ebb and flow may be utilised as motive power.
6). The simplicity of the sluice valves ensures durability and reduces the
maintenance to the simplest form.
7). The construction of the bar or dam with a large central well; with galleries
for circulation; wells affording access to the stuffing boxes of the sluice valves
pipes and collecting wells for the waters of infiltration, with automatic float
indicator; pipes for carrying off the waters of infiltration to the sea; chambers
below the level of the floor of the works for the mechanism controlling the sluice
valves; arrangement in the galleries of shaftings for the latter; vertical and
horizontal detachable or removable stop gratings; counterforts in front and
behind the bar or dam, the whole enabling the works employing the power to be
set up on the bar or dam itself; plugs with flexible sides to meet the case of
repairs; and finally, all the other parts previously described or illustrated in
the drawings, contributing to secure the commercial result in regard to the
possibility or facility of installation; economy in the cubic volume of the
masonry reduction in the loss of charges; increase of the fall; reduction in
the stopping times; quickness of operation; facility of keeping in order; of
altering, repairing, examining; means of circulation, profitable working, strength,
reliability economy in space, economy in cost of fitting up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The construction and installation intended for utilising the ebb and flow
of the sea as motive power comprising as a combination; one or more turbines T
arranged in a large central vertical shaft or well I connected on the one hand
with the sea and on the other with a reservoir E2 by means of galleries C D
serving at the same time as arrival and escape channels for the water; the said
galleries being closed by rotary sluice valves V V1 W W1 capable of being
operated by hand or by a motor either separately or all together or by groups

page_text: enabling these galleries to open or to close with the idea of more or less quickly
creating differences of level between the two sides of the bar or dam or of
equalising these levels; the said galleries being provided in front and in proximity
to their openings in the direction of the sea and in the direction of the reservoir
with movable detachable stop gratings, some vertical others horizontal, and
lifting, sliding or turning, rendering it possible to get behind them for the
purpose of cleaning them or affording free passage to large fishes at the moment
when direct communications are established between the sea and the reservoir;
the said parts being fitted up in a construction of masonry furnished with
counterforts E E' in front and behind and hollowed out; wells or pits affording
access to the sluice valve stuffing boxes, pipes and collecting wells for the waters
of infiltration with automatic float indicator for notifying the level of the water
in the collecting well, pipes for allowing the natural Howing off of the waters of
infiltration into the sea at low tides, with a chamber situated below the level of
the floor of the works for the mechanism which regulates the said valves, as
described and illustrated.
2. In the installation for utilising the ebb and flow of the sea as motive power,
the construction of flap valves rotating around one and the same solid shaft
carrying two flaps mounted perpendicularly or valves arranged with a solid
shaft placed in a hollow shaft one of the flaps or wings being fixed on the solid
shaft and the other on the hollow shaft, this arrangement enabling these flaps
or wings to be combined or made independent and to be operated together or
separately the shafts of these valves being furnished with stuffing boxes and
pivots and ball bearings and provided with two toothed sectors operated by endless
screws or by toothed rods or racks, with sliding coupling clutch or other means
of coupling; the said flap or wing valves being capable of being controlled by
electric motors together by groups or separately with the possibility of isolating
each of the valves of the group. as described and illustrated.
3. The employment--with the object of shutting off communication with the
reservoir and with the sea; of galleries CD so as to allow of their being entered
for the purpose of repairing, cleaning and replacing the parts which they
contain of plugs with hard or elastic external walls lodging in the widened
openings of the said galleries which they exactly fit into as described and
illustrated.
4. In the installation enabling the ebb and flow of the sea to be used as motive
power the arrangement on the side of the sea and on the side of the reservoir
receiving the water of valves--flap-winged, or other-for opening or closing
direct passages or arrival and escape channels in connection with the turbines
with the view of more or less quickly establishing differences of level between
the two sides or faces of a bar or dam, or of equalising these levels and of
obtaining motive power whatever the variations of the levels.
5. The various mechanical arrangements such as crowns of the winged valves
fitted into the masonry, crown with cover arranged as near as possible to
the turbine for the purpose of placing the pivot very low and reducing the length
of its vertical shaft, as described and illustrated.
Dated this 13th day of July 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.