IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-WHEELS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Job Barlow of 48 Edwardes Square, Kensington
in the county of Middlesex, Architect for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN
WATER-WHEELS
of Vienna Austria
communicated to him from abroad by Franz Pallansch
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Job Barlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1883.
ARTHUR JOB BARLOW of 48 Edwardes Square Kensington in the county of
Middlesex Architect IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER WHEELS a communication to me
from abroad by Franz Pallansch of Vienna Austria.
This invention relates to certain improvements in Water wheels, the object being
to so construct a water wheel that notwithstanding the depth which it is submerged
it will work either in a horizontal or vertical position.
All water wheels, whether horizontal or vertical, besides requiring expensive
flumes will, when too deeply submerged cease to work
This improved wheel which is provided with peculiarly constructed and arranged
movable curved floats or wings will work with undiminished force even if covered
with several feet of water.
This wheel principally consists of an air tight drum, through the centre of
which passes the main shaft upon which said drum is fastened. Upon the cir-
cumference of this air tight drum curved float boards or wings are hinged in such
manner as to lie all in one direction close over each other, and around, and against
the circumference of said air tight drum when at rest.
When the wheel is to be put in motion, and the steam is turned on, the water
acting against the inner concave sides of the wings or floats on one side of the
wheel, swings them open upon their hinges, while on the opposite part of the
circumference of the drum or wheel, the floats or wings, which there lie in the
direction of the current are by its force closely pressed against said drum, thus
presenting to the stream on that side an almost perfectly smooth surface.

page_text: The opened floats or wings present a large concave surface to the water, and
greatly enlarge the radius of the wheel on one side, thus making it excentric and
exerting great force upon the main shaft, from which the power can be transmitted
to work machinery of any kind.
As the wheel revolves the floats or wings passing from the current are closed,
while those on the opposite side are in the same succession opened, and acted upon,
by its force and so on.
It is evident from the foregoing description that a water wheel so constructed
will work in any direction, either in vertical or horizontal position, or even under
water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Job Barlow in the Patent Office on the 17th January. 1884.
ARTHUR JOB BARLOW of 48 Edwardes Square Kensington in the County of
Middlesex Architect "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER WHEELS a communication to *
me from abroad by Franz Pallanch of Vienna Austria
"
All Water wheels and turbines hitherto used generally ceased to work when
flooded by high water and required expensive structures as dykes water ways and
so forth.
The object of the present invention is the construction of a drum water-wheel
which may be mounted horizontally as well as vertically and will work at every
level of the water even in a state of total submersion.
This improved water-wheel is represented in Fig: 3 of the annexed drawing
partly in elevation and partly in section and is composed of an air tight drum A
which forms the most essential part of the invention. Around the circumference.
or convex surface of the drum is arranged a set of movable float-boards or wings B
which are concave at their inner sides i and which are secured to the drum by
means of hinges or bolts C in such manner that when at rest and closed they lay
against the convex surface of the drum; whilst in working order, the float boards.
on that side of the drum where the concave surfaces, are facing the current of
water are unfolded and brought into a radial position and those on the opposite
side are closed. In wheels with horizontal axis the unfolding or opening of the
float boards is effected partly by their own weight and partly by the current and
in wheels with vertical axis it is effected solely by the current which seizes upon
the outwardly bent ends a and brings the float boards into a radial position; in
this position the float boards' are supported by means of the parts b.
The wheel may be mounted and used in many different ways-It may be
employed in open streams or rivers or in side channels at any level of the water
and without the use of any dikes; it may also be mounted upon stationary ships
or floats as represented in figs: 1 and 2 of the annexed drawing and set upon a
horizontal axis and may utilize the force of the water for different industrial
purposes for instance for the working of Dynamo-machines for the generation and
transmission of electricity. It may be arranged on a vertical axis in flowing water
in such manner that the current will act upon the float boards to the full extent
that is to say from the surface down to the bottom so that the effect of force
produced will surpass by far that of any other water wheel known. It may be
mounted vertically upon piles on the Sea shore to be actuated by ebb and flow
as the motion of the wheel is neither effected by a change in the level of the water
nor by an inversion of the current and the wheel will always turn in one and the
same direction.
This drum wheel may also be employed as a windmotor or as a ventilator
represented in figs: 4 and 5 of the Drawings.
The motor is set upon a vertical axis and may be arranged in such manner that
the movable float boards are formed by frames which may be covered over with
sail cloth or furnished with removable plates. so as to enable an adjustment of the
working surface in proportion to the force of the wind as is usual in windmills.
It is a fact of great importance that an adjustment of the position of this
windmotor that is of the wheel in relation to the direction of the current is
entirely unnecessary the wheel being in full working order at any position and no
further mechanism whatever is needed to bring the float boards into such a
position that they offer the requisite, surfaces of application at one side of the

page_text: wheel and no resistance at the other and that they are brought into the requisite
position simply by the wind or water. itself and that without making any other.
motion than that around their pivots.
The material of which these, wheels may be constructed varies according to
the character of the motive power and the employment of the motor-If the
wheels are to operate in large rivers the drum and the float boards are to be made
of steel or iron; for smaller rivers the use of wood and iron combined will be
sufficient. The windmotors and ventilators are constructed of a lighter material.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said invention I claim
Firstly The water wheel applicable horizontally as well as vertically characterized
essentially by the employment of a water tight closed drum A on which are
arranged the float boards Bbia, of somewhat concave shape at their inner sides
which are movably connected to the drum by means of pivots C or hinges
constructed and operating as and for the purpose' herein set forth and shewn in
figures 1. 2. and 3 of the drawings.
Secondly The application of the construction of wheel as described for the
purpose of a windmotor or. ventilator by arranging the whole apparatus on'a
vertical axis and constructing the float boards B in such manner that without any
change of the shape of their section their working surfaces may be increased or
decreased by means of sails or removable plates for the purpose of making
allowance for the force of the wind as herein set forth and shewn by Figures 4
and 5 of the drawings
•
!
In witness whereof I the said Arthur Job Barlow have hereunto set my hand
and seal this seventeenth day of January in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
ARTHUR. J. BAKLOW. (L.S.)