UTILIZING TIDES AND STREAMS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
We WILLIAM WALTON of Murton House Bishopwearmouth Sunderland in the
County of Durham, Schoolmaster (late Engineer Student), and GEORGE THOMAS
IRVING of Murton House Bishopwearmouth Sunderland in the County of Durham,
Student in Arts, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for UTILIZING TIDES
AND STREAMS to be as follows :-
The invention consists of two cisterns or; reservoirs hereafter referred to as
respectively the "Tidal Reservoir" and the "Sump," In the case of the Tides, the
Tidal Reservoir is placed on or near the shore, at or about the level of high tide,
and connected with the sea by means of sluices or otherwise, so as to allow of the
water's running freely into it at any point where the tide may be of a higher
level than the water in the reservoir.
At high tide the reservoir would contain its full quantity of water, and the
water would be prevented from returning to the sea, on the fall of the tide, by
aluices or other means. On the land side of the Tidal Reservoir is fixed a water
wheel which is intended to be turned by the fall of water from the reservoir.
Beneath the water wheel, & about the level of low tide is the sump, intended for
collecting the waste water. From the sump a syphon is carried to the low water
mark on the beach or lower, as convenience may direct, for the purpose of taking
away the waste water. In the syphon pipe may be placed turbines to be utilized
in the production of electricity or otherwise. At any time when there may be a
superabundance of inflowing water this can be utilized in working other machinery
or in storing up water at a higher level.
In case it should be required to have the plant at some distance inland the water
could be conveyed by means of a syphon, which would be called the motor syphon,
& the working would proceed as mentioned above for the Tidal Reservoir, the
waste water being got rid of as before by a waste syphon.
In the case of rivers the water could either be collected in a reservoir or shot
directly upon the wheel by means of a channel from the river & then conveyed
from the sump by means of a waste syphon to a point sufficiently far down the
river to allow the syphon to work, or by means of a drain or channel.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1884. .
WILLIAM WALTON.
GEORGE THOMAS IRVING,-

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan showing the arrangement of our improved system or apparatus
for utilizing the tides of the sea or of tidal rivers.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional view showing an auxiliary tank or reservoir on the shore
or beach.
Figure 4 shows our improvements applied to the operation of an overshot
water-wheel by a river or stream.
"
We prefer to arrange our apparatus as near the coast or river as possible and
especially in a natural gully, but, as hereinafter explained this is not necessary for
its successful working. In figures 1 and 2, A represents the sea or tidal river, the
line A indicating low-water mark and the line A high-water mark. C is the
"tidal reservoir" in which water is stored for use when the tide has fallen too low
for the water to flow from the sea or tidal river directly on to the wheel or at other
desired times, and D is the "sump" or waste reservoir. L is a water-wheel
revolving in bearings M over the "sump "D from which wheel motive power may
be communicated by drums N or in any other suitable or convenient manner.
The "tidal reservoir C, "sump" D and wheel L may be at any reasonable
distance from the shore, B in the drawing representing the distance intervening
between the shore and the said "tidal reservoir" C. There may also be any
reasonable distance between the "tidal reservoir "C and the "sump" and water-
wheel. The top of the" tidal reservoir" C is at about the level of high-water and
the bottom of the said reservoir is at about half tide level or a few feet above it.
The bottom of the "sump" D is at about the level of low-water. E and Fare two
syphons. The syphon E or motor syphon conducts the water from the sea or river
to the wheel Land the syphon F or waste syphon conducts the waste water from
the "sump" D back to the sea or river. The highest point of the waste syphon is
less than 34 feet above low-water mark and as near the level of high-water mark
as convenient. In the motor syphon the highest point may under certain
circumstances be at any height not exceeding 34 feet above its working point or
discharge end, which is considerably above low-water mark. The syphon E is
smaller than the syphon F and its outer or sea end or opening is arranged at about

page_text: the level of half tide shown in the drawing at El or at any point below that, as
may be more convenient. The syphon E is carried inland and turned on to the
water-wheel L. over the "sump" D the said syphon being provided with a sluice
valve at O. or other suitable means for closing its discharge end. The said aluice
valve is arranged as low as possible on the discharge end of the motor syphon, its
use being to close the end of the syphon and exclude the air at any time that it
may be necessary to draw the air out of the syphon by means of the valve H in
connection with the air-pump. The syphon E may be carried across the "tidal
reservoir" C and the said reservoir may be filled by a branch pipe El from the
said syphon. Or the "tidal reservoir" may be filled by using a third syphon or
by channels regulated by sluices or by any other suitable means. When the," tidal
reservoir" is not in connection with the motor syphon E a separate syphon or other
means must be provided for discharging the contents of the said reservoir on to
the wheel. L.
:
The waste syphon F conducts the waste water, from the "sump" D back to the
sea or river and both its ends are at about low-water level. A valve G is arranged
in the motor syphon E for the ingress of the water and a similar valve I is
arranged in the waste syphon F for the outflow of the waste water, the said valves
being capable of regulation from the outside. When the syphons are arranged as
shown a similar valve K is placed in the motor syphon E at its junction with the
pipe E which fills the "tidal reservoir." Under other arrangements, modifica-
tions of, the valves are made. The sluice valve O at the wheel end of the syphon E
may be used together with the valve H at the highest point of the syphon so that
if air is inadvertently admitted to the syphon it may be drawn off by a pipe
leading from the valve H to an air-pump. A similar valve J is arranged on the
highest part of the waste syphon F and the said syphon may be provided with
sluices at each end though they are not absolutely necessary. The passage of the
water through the syphons or channels or both may be made to revolve wheels
arranged within the said syphons and channels and used for storing power.by;
producing electricity or for other purposes.
The operation of our invention, when the arrangement of syphons is as shown in
the drawing, is as follows. Both syphons E and F being full of water (in which
condition the valves are intended to keep them) and the water having risen to the
point E¹ of the syphon E the valve G is opened. The syphon E will then convey
water directly to the wheel L or the whole of the water may be discharged into
the "tidal reservoir" C through the pipe E" or the water may be discharged
partly on to the wheel and partly into the reservoir C the discharge into the said
reservoir being regulated by the valve K. The latter course being taken the
wheel L will continue to work until the tide has risen to high-water mark and
again fallen to about half water mark when the connection with the sea or river
will be cut off by the valve G. The water in the "tidal reservoir" C can then be
discharged on to the wheel L and thus a continuous power be obtained. The water
as it falls from the wheel collects in the "sump" D. When the tide has fallen
sufficiently the valve I in the waste syphon is opened. and the water in the "sump
which by this time will be above the level of the sea or river will discharge itself
until the "sump" is empty at or about the time of low tide. The above-described
operations can be repeated at each tide.
"
The relative sizes of the "tidal reservoir," "sump," syphons and other: parts. of
our apparatus or system will be calculated so as to ensure the maximum result
according to the prevailing tides and other circumstances in the locality where
they may be. employed. Instead of the wheel L we may use any other suitable
machine or apparatus which can be operated by the discharge of water from the
syphon E. During spring tides, during strong sea breezes or at any other time when
there may be a superabundance of inflowing water this can be utilized in working
other machines or in storing up water at a higher level... The valves in the syphons
may
be of any ordinary construction suitable for the purpose

page_text: Figure 3 shows an auxiliary tank a which may be formed on or near the beach
for the purpose of collecting the water which by wind or tide will flow up an
incline above the ordinary high-water mark a!. Syphons or channels may be
employed for conducting the water into this tank and the water from this tank
may be discharged by the syphon b either into the "tidal reservoir" C or directly
on to the wheel L. all in this figure represents low-water mark.
Figure 4 shows our method of working an overshot water-wheel from a river or
stream. O is the height of the river in the locality of the mill. The water is
directed on to the wheel P by means of a channel or syphon Q either direct from
the river or from a reservoir in which the water from the river or stream could be
stored. The wheel P revolves in a mill tank R the top of which is above the level
of the surface of the river and the bottom at any convenient depth not more than
about 34 feet below the level of the surface of the river or reservoir, the said mill
tank being an equivalent of the "sump" D. The waste water is withdrawn from
the mill tank R by the syphon S having its discharge at a point a sufficient
distance down the river to allow the said syphon to work. The said syphon is
provided with a valve at T (being the highest point in the syphon) for the
occasional withdrawal of air by means of an air-pump and the said syphon may be
above ground or at any suitable depth below the surface, or it may be along the
surface of the river or beneath the surface of the river. The vertical distance from
the highest part of the syphon at T to a point, level with the bottom end in the
mill tank R should not exceed about 34 feet. The method above described may
also be conveniently applied to the working of a breast-wheel of about double the
size of an overshot wheel thus giving increased power with slower motion. The
diameter of overshot wheel may be up to about 30 feet, and the diameter of the
breast-wheel up to about 64 feet, that is allowing in each case about 4 feet for
depth of syphon, and clearance of wheel at the bottom of mill tank.
We do not restrict ourselves to the exact details and arrangements herein shown
and described as the same may be modified and varied in various ways according
to circumstances.
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: —
First: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of motive
power the combination of the "tidal reservoir " C and the "sump" D substantially
as set forth.
Second: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of motivo
power, the auxiliary tank a and syphons or channels leading into and out of the
said tank substantially as set forth.
Third: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of motive
power, the "tidal reservoir" C and "sump" D in combination with the auxiliary
tank a and its syphons or channels for conducting water into and out of the said
tank substantially as set forth.
Fourth: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of motive
power the motor syphon E with or without the pipe E" constructed and operating
substantially as set forth.
Fifth In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for, the production of motivo
power the waste syphon F constructed and operating substantially us set forth.
Sixth: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of motive
power the combination of the syphons E and F (with or without pipe E") substan-
tially as set forth.
Seventh: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of
motive power, the combination of the syphons E and F or water channels with
wheels arranged in the said. syphons or channels and operated by the flow of the
water therein as described,

page_text: Eighth: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides for the production of motive
power the combination of the valves G H K or any or either of them with the
motor syphon E and the combination of the valves I and J or either of them with
the waste syphon F substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Ninth: The method of working a water-wheel from a river stream or reservoir,
substantially as set forth.
Tenth: In a system or apparatus for utilizing tides or streams for the production
of motive power the general combination and arrangement of parts substantially as
herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
T. N. PALMER & Co.,
For the Applicants.