Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Lock Gates and Dams.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 18901
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Lock
Gates and Dams.
I, WILLIAM LUCIEN SCAIFE, residing at Allegheny City, in the County of
Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to the movable dams or lock gates to be employed in
connection with canals or in rivers, where a navigable way is provided, which
can be opened when the body of water is sufficient to float through the boats or crafts
without the necessity of locking them through the dam; its objects being to
provide a lock gate or movable dam in which the several gates can be raised and
lowered from the side of the lock or navigable way without the necessity of employing
manual power to operate the gates, so that the gates may be at all times under
the control of the operator, and can be quickly raised or lowered as may be desired;
and also to arrange such gates so that where such power is applied to them, they can
be operated without requiring a high floor or weir for the support of the lifting
mechanism, and can be supported in their raised position by means independent of
the raising mechanism, so preventing injury to such mechanism on account of the
heavy pressure and jars necessarily sustained by the movable gates.
To these ends my invention consists, generally stated, in combining with the
lock gate, having its axis at the base thereof, a mechanical lift or motor acting to
raise the gate, and a prop acting to support the gate independently of the motor; it also
consists in combining with the gate a hydraulic jack, provided with a ram or plunger
and a inovable connecting rod fitting within and journaled at the base of and
swinging within the plunger, whereby I dispense with the usual cross-head and slides
employed with such mechanism, reduce the space necessary for containing the same,
and I am enabled to use such lifting mechanism with a floor low enough for a
navigable way or pass. It also consists in certain other improvements in the
construction of the dam, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe
the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a movable gate or dam, embodying my invention;
Figure 2, is a front view thereof;
Figures 3 and 4, are detail views, of the hydraulic jack or plunger, and-
Figures 5 and 6, are side views, showing other forms or modifications of my
said invention.
In the preferred form of my lock gate or movable dam, which is shown in
Figures 1 and 2, the gate, A, is formed of the I-beams, a, having their axes at
the base thereof, being journaled at the base in the pillow blocks, b, secured to the
sill, B. The body of the gate is formed of heavy planking, a', which is bolted to
the beams, a, the several gates fitting close to each other, as shown in Figure 2.
The gate is provided with a suitable mechanical lift or motor, C, which in
Figures 1, 2 and 5, is shown in the form of a hydraulic jack, this form being
well suited for the purpose; while in Figure 6, the lift or motor is shown in the
form of a screw operated by a worm-wheel, which is in turn rotated by a worm on a
shaft running along the floor of the dam or lock. The hydraulic jack, D, is
formed of the cylinder, d, and the ram or plunger, e, this ram or plunger being
formed hollow and closed at its base, as shown; a pocket f', being formed at the base
of the hollow portion, f, and the connecting rod, g, resting against or being journaled
in said pocket, f', and its upper end being connected either to the prop, H, as in

page_text: Figures 1 and 2, or directly to the gate, A, as in Figure 5. To provide for the
movement necessary in the upper end of the connecting rod, as it is forced out-
wardly to raise the gate the hollow portion, f, of the ram is made upwardly
flaring, so that sufficient space is left at the upper end of the ram to permit the
swinging of that end of the connecting rod when the lower end is journaled at the
base of the ram, as above set forth. In order to protect this hollow portion. f, of
the ram from the sand or dirt carried over by the water passing over or through the
dam, I employ the cover plate, e¹, which fits in suitable dove-tail guides, e³, at the
upper end of the ram, e, and is so held in place and acts to cover or close the hollow
portion of the ram, this plate having in it a suitable hole or opening corresponding
in shape to that portion of the connecting rod, g; which connecting rod extends
through this opening, and as it swings from one side to another, draws said plate back
and forth within its guides, e³. the plate closing the upper end of the ram no
matter what position it may be drawn to. The connecting rod, g, is preferably held
within the hollow ram or plunger, e, by means of a collar, e², on the rod, g, below
the cover plate, e¹, and the rod can be removed from the ram by unscrewing the
guide plates, e, which are bolted on the top end of the ram. The collar, e², also
assists in preventing the entrance of dirt or sand within the hollow of the ram.
The prop or buttress for the gate is shown in two different forms, the form
preferred, being a toggle joint and lever supporting the same, such as shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 5, though an unjointed bar may be employed, as shown in
Figure 6. The toggle form of prop, H, is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, and
consists of the arms, h, h¹, jointed at, k, and supported by the lever, M, the upper
arms, h, being connected to the gate at, i, and the lower arms, h, being connected to
the floor, B', at, 1, being journaled thereto in pillow blocks. In order to properly
brace each gate, I generally employ two of these props for each gate and connect
them together to the gate and to the floor by cross shafts, as shown, this form of prop
being found to be sufficiently strong to properly brace and support the gate. In
Figures 1 and 2, the connecting rod, g, of the hydraulic jack engages with the cross
shaft, k, forming the knee of the toggle joint, and in raising the gate, the pressure
is applied to said knee, and by straightening the toggle, it acts to raise the gate, while
when the gate is to be lowered as the fluid under pressure is permitted to escape
from the jack, the toggle joint folds together and fits under the gate, which lies flat
on the sill and floor, as can easily be seen in the construction shown in the drawing.
In order to support the toggle arms, h, h¹, independently of the hydraulic jack,
to avoid the necessity of maintaining a heavy hydraulic pressure during all the time
that the gate is held in its raised position, and to prevent the gates from lowering
on account of possible leakage, at any point of the hydraulic pressure system, I
employ the levers, M, which are secured to a shaft, m, mounted in pillow blocks, n, on
the floor, B, said shaft, m, being turned by any suitable power applied at the side
of the navigable way. Said levers, M, are arranged to be raised and to support
the toggle arms the levers in Figures 1 and 2, having their upper ends formed
hollowed or forked, as at, m', forming a seat to engage with the prop, and, in said
Figures 1 and 2, this seat extending across the end of the lever, M, in such
direction that it engages with the cross shaft or knee, k, of the toggle joint.
In Figure 5, is shown substantially the same construction, except that the
hydraulic jack, D, acts directly upon the gate, its connecting rod, g, engaging
there with instead of with the toggle arms, and that the lever, M, is mounted in the
shaft, m, which is placed nearer the lower end of the toggle arms, each lever, M,
engaging directly with the lower arm, ', of the toggle joint, and the seat, m³,
extending in such direction across the end of the lever, that the forks on each side of
said seat may fit on each side of the arm, h¹. In Figure 6, the same general
combination is employed, but the lift, C, instead of being formed of a hydraulic jack
is composed of the screw, p, which engages directly with the gate and passes
through the worm wheel, r, mounted in a ring which turns on suitable journals, r
The journals extend within the wheel, which is formed dish-shaped or hollow, to
receive the ring and journals, so that the worm wheel can both turn in the ring and

page_text: swing on the journals, while it is held in engagement with the worm, S, which
is secured to the shafts, s, mounted in suitable pillow blocks on the floor, the shafts
being rotated by suitable power at the side of the lock or navigable way, and by the
rotation of the worm wheel, forcing the screw, p, up or down, and so raising or
lowering the gate. The screw, p, can enter the tubular holder, p', and is protected
therein from injury. Another form of prop is also shown in connection with this
Figure, the prop, H, being formed of a single arm, h², connected to the gate and
having its lower end free to slide over the floor, and as the gate is raised, the
lower end of the prop dropping over a buffer, which sustains the weight of the gate ;
and in order to raise this prop free of the buffer, I employ the lever, M, on the
shaft, m, mounted in pillow blocks on the sill, as above described.
In order to exclude dirt and debris from the lower side of the dam, containing its
movable parts, I employ sheathing plates as at, u, secured to the props of the gates,
these sheathing plates being supported on the two props of each gate, and corre-
sponding in width to the gates, so that they form an apron or slide over which the
mass of rubbish, brush or timbers will pass without interfering with the working parts
below.
When my improved lock gate or dam is in use, the form shown in Figures 1 and 2,
is raised by admitting the fluid under high pressure from a pump, accumulator or
other source to the several cylinders of the hydraulic jacks, either through a pipe
common to them, or through a pipe for each cylinder, or through a combination of
pipes, the rams, e, are forced out of the cylinders and through the connecting rods, g,
they raise the props, H, and, as they straighten out, the toggle joints raise the
gates, A, the said connecting rods, g, swinging on their pivotal points or journals at
the base of the hollow rams, e, and the hollow portions, f, of said rams permitting
sufficient movement of the connecting rods to enable them to straighten out the
toggles of the props. In the latter position, the toggles are not quite straight, so
that they may move downward when the water is allowed to escape from the jacks.
The pressure of the fluid within the jack can be used to sustain the gate after raising
it, and where it is employed as a lock gate, which is frequently operated, it is
desirable that it shall be sustained by such pressure. Where, however, the gates are
employed in a movable dam, as above referred to, which is operated but seldom, as it
is not desirable to depend on such pressure within the cylinders to sustain the
props, H, I raise the levers, M, by the shaft, m, until the seats, m¹, at the ends
thereof engage with the toggle arms, and by slightly lowering the rams, e. the said
toggle arms are lowered onto the levers, m, which sustain the toggle arms indepen-
dently of the motors or lifting mechanism, and so relieve the latter of all heavy
strains and jars, which might bend or, otherwise injure the lifting mechanism, and
render it inoperative. In this way I am enabled at any stage of water, first, to lower
or raise singly or simultaneously, any number of gates, by hydraulic or like powerful
means, operated from the side of the lock or navigable way, and subsequently to
support said gates in their raised position by means entirely independent of the lift
or inotor. When it is desired to lower the gates, the pressure in the hydraulic jacks
is raised so as to lift the toggle props from the supporting levers, M, and through the
shaft, m, these levers are dropped out of the way, and the gates can then be lowered
by the jacks either quickly or gradually as may be desired.
In the form of apparatus shown in Figure 5, the operation is substantially the
same, as the gates are raised by the hydraulic jacks, and in so doing they open out
the joints of the props or toggles, and as soon as they are raised to their highest
position, the levers, M, are raised so that they act to support said toggles, when the
pressure in the jack may be removed or lessened. In the apparatus shown in
Figure 6, when it is desired to raise the gate by rotating the shafts, s³, by power
applied from the side of the navigable way, the works thereon are rotated, causing
the worm wheels r, to turn and so force upwardly the gates by means of the screw, p;
and as the gates are being raised in this manner, the props, 12, are being drawn
forward by the gate until their ends drop over the buffers, t, and by rotating the
shafts, s', in the opposite direction, a few turns, all weight or pressure will be removed

page_text: from the screws, p, and be sustained by the props, H. When it is desired to lower
the gates, all that is necessary is to first raise them slightly by the rotation of the
worm wheels, as above set forth, thus drawing them free from the buffers, t, and
then through the levers, M, raise the free ends of the props above said buffers, thus
leaving the gates free to be lowered by the rotation of the worm wheels in the opposite
direction.
I am thus enabled by my improvements to operate these movable dams and lock
gates from the side of the lock or navigable way, bringing them entirely under the
control of the operator, and at the same time to brace and support the gates by
means entirely independent of the lift or motor so that injury to that part of the
apparatus on account of the sustaining of strains or jars is prevented. The connec-
tions between the gate and the hydraulic jack enable me to arrange the apparatus
within a comparatively small space, and to provide for the use of such jacks in the
navigable ways of rivers, without materially changing their courses when the dam
is lowered. The apparatus is simple in construction and not liable to get out of
order, and it gives at all times complete control of the lock gate or dam to the
operator, without the necessity of handling the gates or wickets by manual labor
within the stream, which greatly detracts from the value of a movable dam in
navigable streams.
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. In lock gates or dams, the combination with a gate having its axis at the base
thereof, of a mechanical lift or motor acting to raise the gate, and prop mechanism
to support the gate independently of the motor, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate, of a hydraulic
jack provided with a ram or plunger and a movable connecting rod fitting within,
journaled at the base of and swinging within the plunger, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
3. In lock gates or dams, the combination with a gate having its axis at the base
thereof, of a prop formed of a toggle, or two jointed arms connected to the gate and
floor, and a mechanical lift or motor for raising the gate, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
4. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate having its axis
at the base thereof, of the support connected thereto and the lever having its
axis on the floor and engaging with said support, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
5. In lock gates or dams, the combination with a gate having at its axis at the
base thereof, of a toggle or jointed arms connected to the gate and floor, and a lever
pivoted to the floor and engaging with said prop to support it, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
6. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate having its axis at the
base thereof, of the toggle or jointed arms conneted to the gate and floor, the
mechanical lift or motor having its connecting rod jointed to the knee of the toggle,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate having its axis at the
base thereof, of the toggle or jointed arms connected to the gate and floor, the
mechanical lift or motor having its connecting rod jointed to the knee of the toggle,
and the lever having its axis on the sill and engaging with said toggle, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
8. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate, having its axis at the
base thereof, of the support connected thereto, and the lever having its axis on the
sill and provided with a hollowed or forked end to engage with the support, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
9. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate, having its axis at the

page_text: base thereof, of the supporting arms connected to the gate, and the sheaths secured
to said arms and extending between two such arms, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
10. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate, of a hydraulic jack
provided with a hollow ram or plunger, a connecting rod fitting within and
journaled at the base of said plunger, and a cover plate fitting around said
rod, and sliding at the top of the plunger, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
11. In lock gates or dams, the combination with the gate, a hydraulic jack
provided with a hollow ram or plunger, a connecting rod fitting within and resting
in a pocket at the base thereof, a cover plate fitting around said rod and sliding.
at the top of said plunger, and a collar on said connecting rod under said cover
plate, whereby the rod is held within the ram, substantially as and for the purposes.
set forth.
Dated this 14th day of Jenny 1800
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.