Improvements in Utilising the Rise and Fall of Tidal Waters, and other Waters which are Caused to Rise and Fall Alternately.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1898
Improvements in Utilising the Rise and Fall of Tidal Waters, and
other Waters which are Caused to Rise and Fall Alternately.
We, WILLIAM JOSEPH HEWITT, Holly Villa, Formby, near the City of Liverpool,
Gentleman, and ALBERT EDWIN DEARDEN, 33, Poole Road, Darnall, City
of Sheffield, Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same has to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to a method of and means for utilising the energy of
tidal waters, and other waters which are made to alternately rise and fall, for
various purposes.
The accompanying drawings illustrate an arrangement of machinery employed
for carrying out our invention, but it must be understood that we do not bind
ourselves to the exact construction of such machinery, which is simply drawn
from a model and is for example only.
Fig. 1, is an elevation of one side of the apparatus hereafter described.
Fig. 2, plan of the gearing of same.
Fig. 3, plan of the cylinders, suction pipes and delivery pipes, of half the
apparatus.
For the purpose of carrying out our invention, we build or otherwise construct
a tank, dock, chamber or other water reservoir A, provided with an inlet or
communication with the sea or other tidal water, or water which is caused to rise
and fall alternately by any means, such for example as admitting running water into
a reservoir and automatically permitting its escape when it has reached a given
height, preferably retaining a supply of water within the reservoir or tank when the
tide is down, or the other water is at its lowest point.
Upon a suitable base B, preferably situated above the water level, we erect two
cylinders C and C2, fitted with pistons and rods D, and D2, to act as pumps, raising
and forcing out water alternately at each movement of the piston or plunger.
Each cylinder is provided with inlet or suction pipes and valves E and E², through
which water is drawn from the reservoir A, or from other supply; also with outlet
pipes and valves F and F2, through which the water from the cylinders is forced
either directly or indirectly to a turbine, or other motor, or to be employed in any
other way which may be desirable.
To the piston rods D and D2, we attach racks G and G2, suitably supported in
guides H and H2, which engage with the teeth of a centrally placed spur wheel I,
on opposite sides.
The wheel I, and its shaft J, with the adjacent mechanism is carried by a
framework K, of any design suited to the position and size of the apparatus.
We prefer to duplicate the mechanism already described, and thus use four
cylinders with their supports and all details, the shaft J, being carried forward and
supported at its opposite end upon a framework similar to that shown in Fig. 1.
Between the two sets of cylinders, and centrally or thereabouts between the two
wheels I, we secure upon the shaft J, another toothed wheel I., which may vary in
its diameter as required, and this wheel is in gear with a segmental rack or lever
LD077

page_text: having a toothed quadrant M, the opposite end of such pivotted lever being connected
directly or indirectly to a floating body N, which may take the form of a landing
stage, pontoon or a specially constructed float.
We prefer to arrange the weight of the float so that it shall exert the same power
upon the pistons when descending by its gravity as it does when it is raised by the
flow of the tide, or rise of the water.
Instead of the float N, operating a lever with a quadrant M, as described and
shown, a vertical rack may be substituted, having its lower end connected with the
float, or in some cases the rack may work horizontally under the wheel L, by means
of an arrangement of levers and cranks as will be well understood.
From the foregoing description of the nature of our invention, it will be seen that
when the float N, is raised by the tide, or other rising water the shaft J, will be
caused to revolve by the action of the segmental rack or its equivalent upon the
wheel L; the wheel I, will consequently force down the rack G³, with its connected
piston, and will force the water in the cylinder up the pipe F, and through the
outlet pipe F3, at the same time the rack G, will be raised and the water above its
piston in cylinder C, will be forced through pipe F, to pipe F3. During this forcing
action of the pistons water is also drawn into the cylinders ready to be forced out
by the return of each piston, through corresponding valves and pipes F2; (which are
also connected with the outlet pipe) when the tide ebbs, or the water falls.
To retain a continuous pressure of water during the interval of comparative rest
between the ebb and flow of the tides, we may carry a proportion of the forced water
into an accumulator, which during such interval would give off a portion of its
contents at the desired pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is :-
1-The apparatus for utilising the energy of the tides or the rise and fall of any
body of water, as herein before described and set forth.
2 In apparatus for utilising the rise and fall of tidal waters, or other waters, the
combination of cylinders C and C2, provided with pistons and racks G and G²,
a central wheel I, operating said racks, with a floating body N, arranged to rotate
the wheel I, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
3-An apparatus for utilising the rise and fall of a body of water, by means of a
float carried by the said water, and which through an arrangement of mechanism
alternately raises and lowers the pistons or plungers of two or more pumping
cylinders, as herein before described and set forth.
Dated way
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicants, Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield.