Improvements in Water-wheels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1895-Accepted, 29th June, 1895
Improvements in Water-wheels.
I, JOHN FORSYTH HOPKINS Jr. of Paita in the Republic of Peru, Commission
and Forwarding Agent, but at the time of this application residing in Liverpool,
England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is an improved water wheel which may be adapted
to any body of running water. It is of simple construction and for equal power
may be made much lighter than water wheels hitherto employed. The stand or
frame carrying the wheel may be arranged on the bank of a stream or river or may
suitably be attached to a raft or other floating body. Arranged in a slanting
position over this stand or frame and fixed thereto by means of suitable supports
is a circular table, ring or curved track.
Passing up through the centre of this table or ring and carrying suitable trans-
mission gearing on its lower part is the driving shaft. On the top of this shaft
which may be made adjustable for height, but which preferably extends just above
the table or ring is fixed a casting or head. To each of the projecting parts of
this casting or head is pivotally connected one of the arms or paddles of the
wheel. At the points where these arms cross the periphery of the table or ring,
are attached small wheels or rollers, by means of which rollers bearing on the
ring, the arms or paddles can rotate in a slanting plane. The blades may be of
ordinary construction and are suitably arranged on the ends of the arms so as to
dip into the water during the lower position of their circular travel. The arms or
blades may be adjusted as to the depth to which they enter the water to suit water
of varying depths.
It will also be seen that logs, pieces of wood and floating debris will not in any
way affect or choke this improved water wheel. If, for instance, one of the blades
or arms were to come down onto a floating body it would simply rest on such body
and continue in its circular course until raised from such obstacle by its upward
motion.
of course so
This improved water wheel can be placed in water flowing at any speed, it
simply being necessary to adjust the shaft gearing to such speed. The frame or
stand carrying the sleping table or ring with its various connections,
arranged with regard to the river that when the paddles or arms are actually in
the water they are receiving the full force of the current. Moreover, it will be
seen that the ring or annular track may be made adjustable, so that the slant can
be altered and the immersion and emersion of the floats adjusted at pleasure..
Dated this 17th day of August 1894.

page_text: пиртомещению
I, JOHN FORSYTH HOPKINS Jr. of Paita in the Republic of Peru, Commission
and Forwarding Agent, but at the time of this application residing in Liverpool,
England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is an improved water wheel which may be driven
by a stream, river, or other body of running water. It is of simple construction
and for equal power may be made much lighter than water wheels hitherto
employed.
The invention will be best understood from the accompanying description,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a plan of the water wheel with track removed to show under
framing;
Figure 2, a cross section with the driving shaft E broken away to show the
hinges C more clearly; and
Figure 3, a detail view of the frame.
In these,
A is the water wheel, B is the stand or frame which may be arranged on the
bank of a stream, river or tidal estuary, or may be suitably attached to a raft or
floating body. Arranged above this frame B and hinged thereto by means of the
hinges C is a table D with suitably shaped track D', said table being thus capable
of being tilted into any required inclination and fixed at that inclination by the
rack d. Passing up through the centre of this table D and carrying suitable
transmission gearing on its lower part is the driving shaft E. On the top of this
shaft which may be made adjustable for height but which preferably extends just
above the table D, is fixed a casting or head F and to the projecting parts of this
head F are pivotally connected the arms a of the water wheel. Attached to these
arms immediately over the table or ring D are small wheels or rollers G. These
wheels or rollers bearing on the track support the water wheel so that it rotates in
a diagonal plane. a¹ are the blades or floats which are preferably arranged
diagonally on the ends of the arms a so as to present their full surfaces squarely at
the point of greatest. immersion, the object being that the blades shall be as nearly
as possible horizontal when they are fully submerged.
The mode of action is as follows:-
To drive the water wheel, the slope of the wheel and its supporting track is
adjusted by means of the rack d so that as the wheel revolves the blades at one side
shall dip into the water, while at the other they shall be raised up clear thereof.
The force of the current therefore acts upon about one third of the blades at a
time, each blade after entering the water being driven forward by and receiving
the full force of the current, thus rotating the wheel and driving the shaft E. As
the slope of the wheel can be so easily adjusted, the depth of immersion of the
blades can be readily regulated at pleasure to suit water of various depths, or they
can be regulated to suit the difference in height caused by the ebb and flow of
the tide.
It will be seen that logs, pieces of wood and floating debris, will not in any way
affect or choke this improved water wheel. If, for instance, one of the blades or
floats were to come down on a floating body all that would occur would be that that
particular arm would be lifted on its hinge and simply rest on such body, until such
time as it was raised above such obstacle by reason of its rotating in a slanting
plane.

page_text: This improved water wheel can be worked by water flowing at any speed, it
simply being necessary to adjust the transmission gearing on the shaft to give a fast
or slow speed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvement in water wheels, which consists in forming them of a wheel
having a series of blades or floats projecting laterally therefrom, in combination
with a sloping table or track upon which the water wheel is mounted so as to
rotate thereon in a plane diagonal to the surface of the water substantially as
described.
2. A water wheel having a series of radial arms and blades, the former hinged
to a head fixed to a vertical driving shaft, in combination with a table or track
forming a support for the wheel and upon which it revolves, the said table or track
being hinged or arranged in such a manner that it can be fixed at any required
angle of inclination whereby the water wheel will rotate in a plane diagonal to the
surface of the water, and its angle of inclination be adjusted at pleasure substan-
tially as described.
3. In water wheels which rotate in a plane diagonal to the surface of the water,
arranging the blades or floats substantially in the manner described, so that they
shall present their full surfaces and be as nearly as possible horizontal at the point
of greatest immersion.
4. The improved water wheel constructed and arranged substantially as herein
set forth.
Torto
Dated this 17th day of May 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.