IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIRS OR ANNICUTS, AND IN SLUICES THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Applegath, of No. 24, Bloomfield Street, Upper
Westbourne Terrace, in the County of Middlesex, Colonel in the Madras Staff
Corps, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIRS OR ANNICUTS, AND IN
SLUICES THEREFOR."
Sealed the 9th June 1876, and dated the 30th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Applegath at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1876.
FRANCIS APPLEGATH, of No. 24, Bloomfield Street, Upper Westbourne Terrace, in
the County of Middlesex, Colonel in the Madras Staff Corps: "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEIRS OR ANNICUTS, AND IN SLUICES THEREFOR."
My Invention relates to weirs or annicuts erected across rivers or streams in
order to retain or store up the water for the purposes of navigation or irrigation.
According to my present Invention, I construct such weirs or annicuts of iron in
the following manner :-
'
According to one arrangement applicable for small or temporary weirs that inay
be readily removed from one point of a stream to another, I construct the same of
upright cast or wrought iron sheets or plates of convenient lengths rivetted or
bolted together, and strengthened by ribs, flanges, or stays, the plates being sunk
to any required distance into the bed of the river, and being by preference bevilled
off to a thin edge at bottom to facilitate their penetration. At the surface of
the bed they have by preference fixed or formed on them horizontally projecting
flanges, either on one side or on both sides, for increasing their stability, and to
serve on the overflow side as an apron for preventing the falling water from under-
mining the bed. Such apron may extend some distance in front of the weir, and may
be fixed down on the bed by projecting ribs entering the soil, or by serew or other
piles to which the apron is fixed. A flange projecting upwards may also be formed
at the end of the apron so as to retain a certain quantity of water upon the same,
and thus break the force of the water falling upon it. The weir may have apertures
at one or more points of its length for allowing a stream of water to flow through,
and such openings may or may not be provided with doors or valves to act as sluices.
According to another modification, I construct the weir or annicut of wrought or
cast iron plates rivetted or bolted together so as to form a hollow wall of any
required thickness, which is then filled in solid with 'concrete, brickwork, sand or
[Price Gd.1

page_text: rubble. This wall is supported upon a foundation of either screw piles or of brick
cylinders sunk into the bed of the river. I provide the same with under sluices
closed by doors, by opening which a sufficient scour of water may be obtained to
wash away any accumulation of silt that may occur in front of the weir. By
preference I form such under sluices as narrow V-shaped openings in the weir, in
which are fitted corresponding wedge-shaped pieces constituting the doors, which
are secured in the openings by their wedging action. The lower part of the weir
may be extended some distance in front so as to constitute an apron, and it may be
provided with a ridge at the end so as to form a shallow basin to retain a certain
depth of water upon it for the before mentioned purpose. A further extension
of the apron may be formed by iron sheets or plates, as in the first described
arrangement.
According to another arrangement, I form the weir as a hollow or tubular iron.
structure serving as a tunnel for allowing communication from one side of the
river or canal to the other, and which may be protected against the action of the
water by rough stones placed on each side. The bottom of the tunnel may be
raised a sufficient distance above the bed of the river to allow of under sluices
being formed beneath the same, the doors to which may be conveniently worked
from inside the tunnel. An apron may be formed on the overflow side of the weir
in the same manner as described in the previous arrangement.
According to another arrangement, I construct the weir or annicut of a number
of vertical iron bars or tubes placed at small distances apart across the river, and
tied at top and bottom by cross-bars or beams, the weir being thus made to act as
a grating through the interstices of which the water and sand or silt may flow.
In combination with the said fixed bars I employ other moveable bars constituting
a sliding grating, by means of which the apertures between the fixed grating
can be more or less closed, and thus the flow of water through the same be
regulated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Francis Applegath in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th September
1876
FRANCIS APPLEGATH, of No. 24, Bloomfield Street, Upper Westbourne Terrace, in
the County of Middlesex, Colonel in the Madras Staff Corps. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEIRS OR ANNICUTS, AND IN SLICES THEREFOR."
My Invention relates to weirs or annicuts erected across rivers or streams in
order to retain or store up the water for the purposes of navigation or irrigation.
According to my present Invention, I construct such weirs or annicuts of iron in
the following manner :-
According to one arrangement applicable for small or temporary weirs that may
be readily removed from one point of a stream to another, I construct the same
of upright cast or wrought iron sheets or plates of convenient lengths rivetted or
bolted together, and strengthened by ribs, flanges, or stays, the plates being sunk
to any required distance into the bed of the river, and being by preference bevilled
off to a thin edge at bottom to facilitate their penetration. At the surface of the
bed they have by preference fixed or formed on them horizontally projecting flanges,
either on one side or on both sides, for increasing their stability, and to serve on
the overflow side as an apron for preventing the falling water from undermining
the bed. Such apron may extend some distance in front of the weir, and may be
fixed down on the bed by projecting ribs entering the soil, or by a screw or other
piles to which the apron is fixed. A flange projecting upwards may also be formed
at the end of the apron so as to retain a certain quantity of water upon the same
and thus break the force of the water falling upon it. The weir may have
apertures at one or more points of its length for allowing a stream of water to

page_text: flow through, and such openings may or may not be provided with doors or valves
to act as sluices.
According to another modification, I construct the weir or annicut of wrought or
cast iron plates rivetted or bolted together so as to form a hollow wall of any
required thickness, which is then filled in solid with concrete, brickwork, sand, or
rubble. This wall is supported upon a foundation of either screw piles or of brick
cylinders sunk into the bed of the river. I provide the same with under sluices
closed by doors, by opening which a sufficient scour of water may be obtained to
wash away any accumulation of silt that may occur in front of the weir. By
preference I form such under sluices as narrow V-shaped openings in the weir,
in which are fitted corresponding wedge-shaped pieces constituting the doors,
which are secured in the openings by their wedging action. The lower part of
the weir may be extended some distance in front so as to constitute an apron, and
it may be provided with a ridge at the end so as to form a shallow basin to retain
a certain depth of water upon it for the before mentioned purpose.
extension of the apron may be formed by iron sheets or plates, as in the first
described arrangement.
A further
According to another arrangement, I form the weir as a hollow or tubular iron
structure serving as a tunnel for allowing communication from one side of the
river or canal to the other, and which may be protected against the action of the
water by rough stones placed on each side. The bottom of the tunnel may be
raised a sufficient distance above the bed of the river to allow of under sluices
being formed beneath the same, the doors to which may be conveniently worked
from inside the tunnel. An apron may be formed on the overflow side of the
weir in the same manner as described in the previous arrangement.
According to another arrangement, I construct the weir or annicut of a number
of vertical iron bars or tubes placed at small distances apart across the river,
and tied at top and bottom by cross-bars or beams, the weir being thus made
to act as a grating, through the interstices of which the water and sand or silt
may flow. In combination with the said fixed bars I employ other moveable
bars constituting a sliding grating, by means of which the apertures between the
fixed grating can be more or less closed, and thus the flow of water through the
same be regulated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings are shewn various arrangements by
which my before described Invention may be carried into effect.
Figs. 1 to 7 shew various forms of small or temporary weirs or annicuts that
may be removed from place to place. Fig. 1 shews a cross section, and Fig. 2 a
part elevation of a cast or wrought iron weir consisting, firstly, of the part A
rising above the bed of the stream to any desired height to which it may be
required to dam up the water; secondly, of the part B, which is bevilled off at
bottom and sunk into the bed; and, thirdly, of the part C projecting horizontally
from A and B in front thereof, and lying upon the bed of the stream, so as to form
an apron for preventing the water falling over the weir from undermining the bed,
the apron being secured to the bed by means of bevilled flanges on its under side,
driven into the bed as shewn. The several parts may be rivetted or bolted together
in any convenient manner, and, if requisite, gusset plates, as indicated at D,
may be
provided at intervals in front of the weir or annicut to afford it support against
the pressure of the water, or the plates may be stayed by guy rods E, as shewn
at Fig. 6. Figs. 3 and 4 shew sections of small weirs or annicuts having a flange C
of limited extent projecting either from both sides or from one side only for
forming the apron; Fig. 5 shews a construction of weir of a saddle form, consisting
of two iron plates driven at an angle into the bed and secured together by bolts
at top. The plates forming the weir may either be lap jointed or butt jointed with
joint plates, as shown in the elevation at Fig. 7, or they may be formed with flanges
bolted or rivetted together like tank plates. The weir or annicut may either extend

page_text: In this
right across the stream or river, or it may project only a certain distance from either
bank, so as to leave a small opening in the middle for the water to flow through in
a good stream, thereby confining the stream to a narrow bed of sufficient depth to
allow of summer navigation for boats of light draught. Fig. 8 shews a cross section
of an annicut formed as an iron tunnel E affording communication from one bank
of the river to the other, the tunnel being protected from the action of the water by
rough stones F, and resting upon screw piles G, or other suitable foundation. Fig. 9
shews another form of such tubular annicut H, having an iron apron I extending
some distance in front of it, with projecting rims I¹ for retaining a layer of water
on the apron in order to break the force of the water falling over. Under sluices K
are formed beneath the tunnel and part of the apron for allowing a scour of
water when required, the sluices being closed by slides K¹ at other times. In both
the above arrangements the tunnel may be constructed either of a single shell of
strong iron plates, or of a double shell of thinner plates, with the space between them
filled with sand, rubble, or other material. The annicut shewn in cross section at
Fig. 10 is constructed of iron plates L, bolted or rivetted together to form a hollow
wall, which is filled in solid with concrete, brickwork, sand, or rubble, and is
supported on screw or other piles or brick cylinders sunk into the bed. Li, L², Lº,
are as before, aprons of different heights for breaking the force of the falling water.
The annicut may either be provided with under sluices, such as those shewn at
Fig. 9, or sluices or openings may be formed at intervals of its length extending
from top to bottom of the annicut, and these may either be formed of a wedge shape,
as shewn at M, M, in the elevation at Fig. 11, which are closed when required by
corresponding wedge-shaped slides, or by preference I construct such sluices as shewn
at Figs. 12 to 14, Fig. 12 shewing a part front elevation, Fig. 13 an enlarged cross
section of the sluice, and Fig. 14 an enlarged sectional plan of the same.
arrangement the parts N, N, of the annicut being constructed solid, cither as shewn
at Fig. 10, or of strong iron plates, as shewn at the section, Fig. 15, the parts O
constituting the sluices are constructed of strong iron bars, by preference of the
section shewn at Fig. 14, small spaces being left between the bars for the passage
of the water, mud, silt, or deposit, which spaces are closed by wood or metal slides P
fitting in grooves in the bars O, as shewn. When the spaces are closed by the
slides during the summer months, the recesses between the bars on either side may
be filled with cement or caulking so as to prevent any leakage of water past the
slides. At the end of the summer season the slides may be withdrawn by a
derrick Q. The bars O may be secured in any convenient manner, thus they may
have flanges O¹ at bottom by which they are bolted down to the plates C forming
the apron, which in their turn are fixed either to screw piles G or to brick cylin-
ders S sunk into the bed, as shewn at Fig. 12. At the upper ends the sluice bars
are supported by a strong longitudinal cap or girder T, which may extend also along
the solid part of the annicut, as shewn at Fig. 15, the cap as also the bars O and
plates N being supported by gusset plates D fixed at intervals to the apron C.
The part N of the annicut, if constructed of plates, as at Fig. 15, may also be bolted
to the apron as shewn. The scour of the water in flowing through the under sluices
when open will effectually remove any deposit of silt or sand in front of them,
thus preventing any permanent raising of the river bed, while triangular banks of
sand, indicated at U, U, Fig. 16, will be left in front of the solid part N of the
annicut, thereby adding to its stability. Instead of constructing the annicut with
the under sluices O only at intervals of its length, these may be made to extend
along the whole or the greater part of its length. On reference to Fig. 15 it will
be seen that it is only at the commencement and towards the end of the floods,
when the water has risen to the level at about a, that the apron will be subject to
any serious blow from the falling mass, since as the water rises higher and higher
the difference of level of the water in front and in rear of the annicut will decrease,
as indicated at the levels b, c, and d, and thus also the risk to the annicut will
diminish in like proportion.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim-
First. Constructing weirs or annicuts of iron plates having a part sunk into the
bed of the river, and another part lying upon the bed, so as to serve as an apron to
receive the impact of the falling water, substantially as herein described with
reference to Figs. 1 to 7 of the Drawings.
Second. Constructing such weirs or annicuts of saddle form, substantially as herein
described with reference Fig. 5 of the Drawings.
Third. Constructing such weirs or annicuts of vertical iron plates fixed to hori-
zontal plates forming the apron, and secured to a foundation, consisting either of
screw piles or of brick wells sunk into the bed of the river, substantially as herein
described with reference to Figs. 12 and 15 of the Drawings.
Fourth. Constructing such weirs or annicuts of iron plates of box form, filled
with cement, rubble, or the like, substantially as herein described with reference to
Fig. 10 of the Drawings.
Fifth. Constructing such weirs or annicuts as iron tunnels or tubular structures
for allowing communication between the two banks of a river, substantially as
herein described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9 of the Drawings.
Sixth. Constructing such iron weirs or annicuts with under sluices, substantially
as and for the purposes herein described.
Seventh. Constructing such iron weirs or annicuts with openings of wedge-shaped
form constituting sluices, and closed by wedge-shaped slides, substantially as herein
described with reference to Fig. 11.
Eighth. Constructing such iron weirs or annicuts with sluices consisting of vertical
bars or plates having spaces between them which can be closed by slides, substan-
tially as herein described with reference to Figs. 12 to 14 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Applegath, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
FRANCIS A DDT CATE
FRANCIS APPLECATH
(L.S.)