MENTS IN AUTOMATIC FEATHERING WATER WHEELS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Megow and John Luis
Markel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1882.
CHARLES MEGOW and JOHN LUIS MARKEL, of San Francisco in the County of
San Francisco State of California one of the United States of America. IMPROVE
MENTS IN AUTOMATIC FEATHERING WATER WHEELS."
"
"1
The objects of this Invention are to provide a water-wheel having a minimum
of friction in its parts, and one which will require but a small amount of power to
operate.
In carrying the said invention into practice we provide a drum or shell in which
the water-wheel operates, this drum being formed of two discs connected at their
edges by a rim so as to form a narrow chamber within which the wheel revolves.
Within this shell, chamber, or case is placed our peculiarly constructed wheel keyed
upon an axle or shaft which extends through and has bearings in both sides of
the shell. Within circular apertures formed at, or near, the periphery of the disc
or wheel we pivot at the top and bottom and upon a radial line extending from
the centre to the circumference of the said wheel movable floats or buckets. The
outer end of the pivot upon which the float turns is stepped in the web or rim
of the disc while the inner end is carried up through a radial slot extending
inwardly from the aperture within which the float is placed, and having a
transverse strip in which the pivot or axle of the float is journalled. The upper
end of this axle is bent over at right angles to the length of the axle so as to form
a finger which is projected or extended in a direction parallel with the transverse
axis of the float. The wheel and shell or case are set in a curved pipe through
the upper side of which is made a slot for that purpose.
The case simply forms a close connection with the upper surface of the curved
pipe while the disc or wheel extends within said pipe and its rim or periphery
travels in a groove made in the lower face of the curved pipe the inner diameter of
which is about equal to the diameter of the float.
A feather or curved spline is attached to one side of the upper or discharge end
of the curved tube while upon the opposite side of the casing or shell is formed a
curved slot which commences at a point nearly opposite the upper end of the

page_text: feather and extends around the shell or casing to the point of connection between
said casing and the curved tube at which point it gradually decreases in depth or
"dies out.
As water is admitted to and flows through the curved pipe it is brought into
contact with, and impinges upon, the floats, pressing them inward and producing
revolution of the wheel, shaft, and connected mechanism.
a
As the floats approach the upper end of the curved pipe they successively
impinge upon the feather and are gradually turned flatwise, and by the time they
have left the bore of the pipe are turned completely within the side faces, lines, or
walls of the wheel and do not rasp or scrape against the inner sides of the casing
within which the wheel revolves. As the float is being turned flatwise or feathered
within its carrying wheel, the finger, which up to this time has been lying within
an enlargement formed at the head of the slot, is turned outward, and, projecting
at right angles from the face of the wheel, enters the head of the slot and travels
therein until the wheel has made a partial revolution, and the float is about to
again enter the pipe, when the lessening depth of said groove will cause the finger
to be moved back to its original position thereby turning the buckets or floats
broadside to the current flowing through the pipe when the operation hereinbefore
described is repeated, each float in the wheel being successively turned flatwise to
the current when entering the curved tube and then turned edgwise when about
to enter the casing or box.
By having the casing fit snugly upon the wheel, no appreciable amount of water
can enter said casing and the whole head or volume of water be employed directly
upon, and against, the floats, and there is no wastage or back-water.