Improvements in Canal Locks and in the Method of and Apparatus for Regulating the same.
Year: 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Canal Locks and in the Method of and Apparatus
for Regulating the same.
I, ALBERT LIVINGSTON BLACKMAN of Nashville, Tennessee, United States of
America 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 improvements in canal locks and in the method of and apparatus for regulating
them which form the subject of the present invention relate to the method of filling
and emptying the lock basin; to the method of establishing communication between
the lock basin and a series of side terraces or tanks in which the water is collected for
re-use as it leaves the basin and to the construction and mode of operating the lock
gates.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents an elevation in longitudinal section of the principal features of
my invention.
Fig. 2 a plan thereof and figure 3 a vertical cross section taken through line a-b
of figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3ª is a plan showing alternative
arrangement of pipes and conduits for filling the lock. Fig. 4 is a detail in end
elevation of the lower lock gate showing the method of working the same. Fig. 4
is a detail in sectional plan of the end of the recess in which the lower gate works,
showing the manner of flushing the recess. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of figure 4.
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing alternative method of working gates. Fig. 6 is a detail
in longitudinal vertical section of the lock about the upper gate showing end of filling
conduit and cylinders for opening the valve thereof. Fig. 7 shows detail of valves

page_text: controlling the outlet from lock and cylinders for operating said valves. Fig. 8 is a
detail in elevation of side tanks and apparatus for controlling same, figure 9 is a plan
thereof and figure 10 a section through line xx on figure 8. Fig. 11 is a section of.
upper lock gate and sill thereof showing the method of keeping the same free from
silt and preventing it from wedging in its guides. Fig. 11" is a detail of top of gate
showing manhole, and figure 12 detail of buffer.
A is the basin of the lock the central portion of which is broken away in figures 1
and 2. At the ends of the lock aro provided the gates B which resemble each other
in construction and are in the form of caissons the sides being inclined towards each
other from the bottom upwards. In the drawing figure 2 the upper gate is closed and
the lower one opened. The construction of the gate is such that when the water is at
the normal level and equal on both sides of the gate it is nearly or quite sufficient to
float or sustain the weight of the gate whereby the power required to move it is
reduced to that necessary to overcome friction and to effect the lateral displacement
of the water. If however the water be higher on one side than the other the excess
of pressure resulting therefrom directed against the inclined face will tend to force
the gate downwards and against the jambs c and so make a tight joint.
The gate is mounted on anti-friction rollers 6 figure 11 and has a horizontal end wise
movement at right angles to the direction of the canal a recess B' figure 2 being
formed in the masonry to receive the gate when it is desired to open the passage
through the lock.
The means employed for working the gates are shown on a larger scale in figures 4,
5 and 6 each gate being worked in the same manner by means of a turbine or pair
of turbines C located in a chamber formed in the wall of the lock the upper chamber
being open at the top and the lower one open at the side. The turbines are so
situated that the head of water contained in the upper level D at the higher section of
the canal can be utilized for supplying the requisite motive power the water passing
to the upper turbine by the branch c¹ figure 2 and to the lower one by a branch d
from the pipe D¹; see figures 2, 3 and 4. D2 and D³ figure 2 are the discharge pipes
which conduct the water from the turbines to the lower reach D of the canal the
pipe D2 delivering directly into the canal whilst the pipe D³ delivers into the further
end of the lower gate chamber and flushes away the mud or sand thereby keeping
the bottom clean (figures 2, 4 and 4). The pipe D³ is bent round, and extends across
the gate chamber from side to side and is cut away or entirely open in front so as to
enable the water escaping to sweep the whole width of the chamber, this is clearly
shown in the detail figure 4.
The operation of the turbines is controlled by hand wheels E connected with shafts E'
carrying worms E2 which gear with worm wheels E on the valve stems figures 4
and 5. The motion of the turbine is communicated to the lock gate by toothed
wheels C which impart rotation to a vertical shaft C on the upper end of which is
fixed a bevel wheel C³ gearing with another bevel wheel C on the shaft of which is a
worm C which gears with and imparts rotation to the worm wheel C. The latter is
fixed on the top of a vertical shaft B2 which is mounted in wall brackets B³ fixed to
the side of the recess B' which contains the gate. On the shaft B2 are two or more
pinions B which gear with an equal number of horizontal toothed racks B5 fixed to
the gate. In figure 5" I have shown a method of operating the gates whereby the
racks, pinions and worm and wheel for driving the latter may be dispensed with. In
this case a capstan 6 is mounted in or upon the wall and around this passes a chain b¹
which is made fast to the gate at each end thereof. On the capstan being rotated by
turbine such as C or other suitable means the chain is taken up by the capstan on one
side and paid off on the other thereby causing the gate to travel into or out of its
recess according to the direction in which the capstan turns. To steady the gate
during its passage across the lock, guide-chains 62 are attached to the ends on each
side thereof the points of attachment being indicated by a. These guide chains pass
around rollers or pulleys 63 situated as near as possible to the edge of the wall, some
distance away from the gate. As the gate is travelling these chains act as guys
to steady the front portion or prevent it from swaying laterally under the action of
66
""

page_text: the wind or water. It is obvious that the tension upon the chains would vary with
each movement of the gate if the guide rollers 63 were simply cylinders revolving
upon fixed axes. To keep the tension constant the guide rollers may be made to move
automatically nearer to or further from the gate or the rollers may be made with a double
taper with helical grooves like a "double fusee so that the paying out and taking up
of the chains could be made to vary at a predetermined rate.
To ease the lock gate which when closed would be firmly pressed against the side
of the recess by the pressure of water due to the higher level on one side of the gate
and rendered immovable thereby, two or more hydraulic cylinders or water buffers e
figures 11 and 12 are fixed inside the recess near the outer edge the plungers e¹ of
which are provided with anti-friction rollers e² which bear against the gate. Water is
admitted to the cylinders from the upper reach under heavy pressure which may be
obtained by means of pumps driven by the turbines or in some other convenient
manner and the pressure thereof acting against the plungers el releases the gate from
contact with the sides of the recess thereby leaving it free to move, or the rollers may
be mounted upon the gate and bear upon plates or rails fixed to the walls of the
recess. To prevent accumulation of silt near the bottom of the upper lock gates B or
in the channels in which the gates move a number of small sloping channels d²
figures 11 and 11 are formed in the sides of the channels on each side of the gates.
The gate itself is formed with a false bottom and with doors 62 enclosing the space
between the false bottom and the actual bottom which can be raised and lowered by
means of a suitable arrangement of levers and mechanism 6ª so as to leave a clear
way through the gate for the passage of the silt when it is desired to flush the same
through. If there is room this flushing may take place underneath the gate B instead
of through it, means such as doors 2 being provided to close the passage when not
required for use.
Manholes with covers e³ are provided in the top of the gate to afford access to the
interior for cleaning or repairs.
The lock is filled by means of side conduits F figures 2 and 3 which are laid in the
masonry and open into the upper reach D flush with the sloping wall F and terminate
in a similar manner in the lower reach G. Within the lock the conduits are con-
nected by pipes F2 the upper sides of which are perforated and level or about level
with the floor of the lock. As the water in the lock can never sink below the level
of the lower reach there is always a layer of water many feet in depth between the.
orifices in the pipes F and the surface of the water. This layer acts as a cushion
against the water issuing from the pipes F2 which would otherwise issue in jets rising
nearly to the height of the water in the upper reach. The upper ends of the conduits F
are closed by sliding sluice valves Fa see detail figure 6 which are operated by the
hydraulic cylinders H supplied with water through the pipes H by means of the
pump E2 which is located in the same chamber as the upper turbine Č by which it is
driven. The outlets from the conduits Fare controlled by valves F (figures 1 and 7)
operated by the two series of cylinders F which are supplied with water from the
upper reach by the pipes D¹ and d. In order to reduce the power necessary to work
the various valves which are subjected to great pressure as for instance the
valves F³, F and J2 they are provided with anti-friction or hydraulic relieving rollers.
A somewhat different arrangement of the pipes for filling the lock is shown in
figure 3. The main conduits, F instead of being carried parallel to the sides of the
lock and connected by cross pipes are connected together by a transverse conduit F*
at each end of the lock and these transverse conduits are connected by a series of
longitudinal pipes F7 laid parallel with the sides of the lock and perforated similarly
to the pipes previously described.
On each side of the lower reach of the canal is formed a series of tanks or terraces.J
for containing water. These tanks are arranged "en echelon" or staircase fashion
ascending by regular steps so that the top water line of one tank is about level with
the bottom of the next above it of the series. The whole of the tanks or terraces in
each series communicate with an inclined conduit J¹ which communicates with the

page_text: conduit F on the same side of the canal the communication being opened or cut off
by a valve J2 which is operated by the hydraulic cylinders J³ the two series of which
are supplied with water by the pipes D and d' respectively. There are preferably.
three of these cylinders J³ to each of the valves J2 and three cylinders F to each of
the valves F. The conduit J' may be formed of iron pipes similarly to the conduit F
as shown in figure 1 or it may be built in the masonry as shown in figure 10.
In the end of each terrace where it communicates with the conduit J' is a valve J
(see figures 8, 9 and 10) which works on a horizontal rod or axis j on the end of
which is a lever j¹ which is connected by a link to one arm of a bell crank lever J
which is fulerumined on a pedestal bracket J which rests on the wall of the tank.
The other arm of the bell crank lever is connected to a chain or equivalent K which
passes around a guide pulley K¹ mounted in bearings on the embankment and each
end of which is connected to the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder L a series of which
are arranged in pairs one over the other at a suitable incline and distance apart as
shown in detail in figures 8 and 9. L' is a lever with quadrant for regulating the
admission of water to the cylinders which work in opposite directions, one piston
.hauling in one end of the chain K and the other paying it out and vice versa according
as it may be desired to open or close the valves J. The water for supplying the
cylinders L is carried from the pipes D', d¹ by means of the branch pipes figures 2
and 9. Each terrace is provided with its own cylinders L chain K guide pulley K¹
and regulating lever Land in order to admit of these parts being arranged in parallel
series the terraces are shortened, each one, from the topmost downwards, being slightly
shorter than the one preceding it as shown in figures 2 and 9, or the valvos J may be
set back or otherwise arranged so as to effect the same result.
The mode of working the lock is as follows:-
Supposing the water in the lock to be level with that in the lower reach G that is
at the lowest working level and it is desired to let down a boat from the higher reach
the valves Fat the conduit inlets F in the upper reach D are opened and the valves F
at the conduit outlets in the lower reach being closed the water flowing down the
conduits will pass into the lock through the perforated pipes F2 (see figures 1, 2, and 3)
until the water reaches the level of the upper reach, both gates B being closed. The
conduit inlets are then closed by the valves F3 operated by the cylinders H figure 6,
as already explained and the upper gate B opened by letting water into the turbine C
as already explained for the passage of the boat into the lock after which it is closed
again. Water is then admitted through the pipe D' to the cylinders J³ for the purpose
of opening the valve J2 the valves J controlling the top terraces or tanks on each
side of the canal are also opened when the water will commence to flow out from the
lock through the perforated pipes F and conduit F up the inclined conduit J¹ and
into the top terraces J until it reaches approximately the same level in both the top
terraces and lock. The valves controlling the top terraces are then closed and those
next below opened and so on until all the terraces are filled when the water in the
lock will have reached approximately the level of the water in the lowest terrace. The
level of the water in the lock is still higher than that in the lower reach D and this
is got rid of by opening the valve F (after the valve J2 has been closed) and allowing
it to flow into the lower reach or this may be accomplished by raising the doors b² at
the bottom of the gate. The excess water in the lock having been thus got rid of the
lower gate B can be opened for the passage of the boat.
When it is desired to lift a boat from the lower to the higher level the boat is
admitted to the lock and the lower gate B closed. The top gate B is of course always
closed except while a boat is passing. The valve F is also closed and the valves J
opened. The valves controlling the terraces or tanks are then opened in succession
commencing with the lowest tanks and proceeding upwards the valve J of each being
closed as soon as the tank is emptied. The water thus released will flow back into the
lock through the conduits J¹ and F and perforated pipes F and when the flow ceases
the level in the lock will be nearly equal with that in the upper reach D and this
deficiency will be made up by admitting water from the higher reach D through the

page_text: conduits F the valves F3 being opened for this purpose and then closed again. The
upper gate B is then opened the boat passed into the upper reach D and the upper
gate again closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
-
1. In the working of a canal lock the complete cycle of operations involved in the
passing of a boat or vessel from the upper to the lower reach and consisting of
(a) The opening of the valves F³ and the admission of the water from the upper
reach through the conduits F and perforated pipes F' into the lock and the closing of
the valves F3 when the lock is filled.
(b) The opening of the upper gate B the admission of the boat into the lock and
the closing of the upper gate B.
(e) The opening of the valves J2 and the passing of the water from the lock
through the perforated pipes F2 and conduits F' and J to the terraces or tanks J. in
succession commencing with the top one.
(d) The closing of the valves J2 and the opening of the valves F or the doors 62
to equalize the level of the water in the lock and lower reach and the closing of the
valves F the opening of the lower gate B and the passing of the boat out of the lock
into the lower reach D the whole substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In the working of a canal lock the complete cycle of operations involved in the
passing of a boat or vessel from the lower to the upper reach and consisting of
(a) The admission of the boat or vessel into the lock and the closing of the lower
gate B.
(b) The opening of the valves J2 the successive opening of the valves J* com-
mencing with the lowest and the return of the water stored in the tanks J by the
conduits J and F and perforated pipes F2 into the lock and the closing of the
valves J.
(c) The opening of the valves F³ to make good any loss of water that may have
occurred and raise the level of the water in the lock to the same level as that in the
upper reach and the closing of the valves F³.
(d) The opening of the upper gate B the passing of the boat or vessel into the
upper reach and the closing of the upper gate B; the whole substantially in
the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The method of passing a large volume of water rapidly and without shock or
damage into or out of a canal lock by means of perforated pipes such as F* opening
into the lock below the surface of the water when at its lowest level substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a canal lock of two conduits such as F one at each side of
the lock connected by perforated pipes such as F2 and having their openings into the
upper and lower reaches of the canal controlled by valves substantially in the manner
and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with a canal lock of one or more conduits such as at the side
or sides of the lock connected with perforated pipes such as F2 and having their
openings into the upper and lower reaches of the canal controlled by valves sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
6. The combination with a canal lock of conduits such as F and F connected by
longitudinal perforated pipes such as F' and having their openings into the upper
and lower reaches of the canal controlled by valves substantially in the manner and
for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination with a canal lock of two series of tanks such as J arranged in

page_text: terraces rising one above the other each tank controlled by an independent valve or
sluice communicating with the conduit J¹ itself controlled by the valve J² the
communication between lock and tanks being by a series of perforated pipes such as F
the whole constructed and operating substantially in the manner described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
8. In a canal lock the combination with the recess B' into which the lock gate slides
of a pipe or conduit such as D³ extending across and opening into the end of the said
recess for the purpose of flushing out the recess and clearing it of silt substantially as
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
9. The method of clearing out the silt from the channels in which the gates B slide
consisting in providing small channels such as d² in the sides of the main channels
and doors such as 6 in the bottom of the sides of the gates B in such manner that
when the said doors 62 are opened the water will pass by the channels d² and doors 62
through or under the gates B and remove the silt substantially as described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.