An Improved Apparatus for Absorbing the Motive Force of the Tide or Current for the Purpose of Propelling a Vessel Against it, and for other Useful Purposes.
Year: 1884

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Absorbing the Motive Force of the
Tide or Current for the Purpose of Propelling a Vessel
Against it, and for other Useful Purposes.
BENJAMIN SAMUEL WESTON Engineer of 5 Parkholme Road Dalston in the
County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE TIDAL NAVIGATION OF RIVERS, to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the utilization of the tidal power or flow of
Rivers for purposes connected with its Navigation & viz :-
For automatically ascending rapids or towing craft against the tide.
Automatically Ferrying across Rivers where there are no Bridges.
Automatically Dredging the bottom of tidoways to remove obstructions and for
absorbing the motive force of the tide or current generally for Electric lighting
and other purposes.
For the purpose of carrying out my Invention for ascending rapids and towing
craft against the current or tide, I construct a platform of any suitable shape
having in its construction the necessary means of flotation and a channel in which
is fixed an undershot Water wheel or other such device to receive and absorb the
motive force of the tide or current, this water wheel is geared with one or more
chain or other pullies into which a chain or other cable or cables laid on the bed
of the river is made to work, it will be obvious that the power so obtained will
depend upon the rapidity of the current, the surface area of the float boards
immersed, and the diameter of the water wheel which absorbes the power and the
ratio of the gearing by which the power so obtained is transmitted to the chain or
other cable fixed to the bed of the river.
For Ferrying across the river instead of the cable laid along its length, an anchor
rail is laid across upon the bottom from side to side, above and below the ferry,
hese anchor rails are traversed by saddles which are connected by means of endless
chains or otherwise to the gearing of the Water wheel or device before mentioned
he necessary means of reversing the motion and providing for the rise and fall of
he tide & being used.
For Dredging purposes this platform may be moored, or it may travel along the
River as before mentioned, the Dredge elevator buckets being geared to the Water
wheel or device of the said platform.

page_text: As a means of absorbing the power of the tide or current the platform may be
moored off where necessary for supplying power for pumping Electric lighting and
other purposes, this being the system intended for floating piers which by being
fitted with Water wheels working dynamos and accumulators, would provide
electric light for their own and shore use.
An Improved Apparatus for Absorbing the Motive Force of the
Tide or Current for the Purpose of Propelling a Vessel 1
Against it, and for other Useful Purposes.
I BENJAMIN SAMUEL WESTON, Engineer of 5 Parkholme Road Dalston in the
County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ABSORBING TIDAL POWER AS ABOVE, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained 1
in and by the following statement:-
The action of this apparatus is that of a tug worked by the motive force of the
tide or current The construction of this Tidal Tug is as follows:-shown in
section Fig. 1. Plan Fig. 2 and cross section Fig. 3 A platform A is constructed,
having on its under side a channel running its length, through which the tide
flows, In the centre is placed an undershot water wheel B fitting the sides and
bottom rather closely, the sides of this channel are formed with air-tight chambers C
of sufficient displacement to bear the whole weight of the tug, leaving the platform A
upon the surface of the water, in order that the floatboards only, of the water-
wheel B may be immersed, and that the large area of the platform may resist the
downward force consequent upon the cable being attached to the bed of the river,
without sinking the Tug deeper in the water The platform has a gunwale D
running round it, furnished at the ends with air-tight cases or compartments E
into which water can be pumped when necessary to keep the platform level. The
water-wheel B is mounted upon the shaft by means of sunk or dished plates
shown Fig. 3 as also the bearing I attached to the deck to give room for the
gearing which by preference is that of a pinion H working upon a crown wheel G
of peculiar construction, shown in Figs. 4 and 5 representing the top side with
three rings of teeth J J & J and two connecting points K and K¹ having parallel
teeth, at these points it will be seen that a pinion can slide from one ring of teeth
to another, the difference between the 2 or 3 parallel teeth at the connecting
points, and the radial teeth next them may not appear strictly mechanical, but the

page_text: arrangement works well Fig. 5 shows the underside of the crown wheel it has
three concentric rings L cut therein with connecting points from one ring to another
but at opposite sides in such a manner that a pin working in these channels can
only pass from one ring to the next at one time.
These connecting points coincide with connecting points K in the rings of teeth
Fig. 4 the fork lever (not shown) which moves the pinion H has another arm
projecting under the wheel and carrying a pin which works in the channels
aforesaid, it will be seen that this lever can only be moved when the pin is opposite
a connecting point, which ensures the pinion H passing from one ring to another
at the right moment or passing out of gear at L this movement can take place
without stopping, with light power. If much power is being transmitted, it is
necessary to ease the driver slightly with the brake, at the moment of passing,
the lever is secured from shifting when not required to do so by a pin, or other
means. The power is transmitted from the crown wheel G by the mitre gear M to
the split chain wheel N. N. half of which it will be noticed is fixed on either shaft
allowing the connection B of the mooring chains which attach the cable A. (shown
in Fig. 1 sheet 3) to the river bed to pass between them. The split chain
wheels O&O (Fig. 1 sheet 1) prevent the Tug swinging round across stream, and
may be lowered, if the means of balancing by the ends E aforesaid is found
insufficient The remaining details are wheel casing (if necessary) to be airtight
to prevent water rising above float boards, the top of this casing is utilised for look
out man and carries the means of shifting the pinions of the crown wheels by
lever and connection (not shown) to wheel P Brake lever Q for applying brake to
edge of Water wheel, the action of which is shown Fig. 6 there are two Bars T T.
the ends U of which project through the top platform and grip the projecting
edges of the wheel, these Bars, are moved by means of a cam V action as shown
and are kept clear of the edge of wheel by spring when not in use, the other
lever R is communicating with an ordinary band brake (not shown) round the
edges of the crown wheels, which are flanged at bottom to prevent bands dropping
out of place, steps, cover the crown wheel gear to allow a passage past wheel
casings &c. To prevent floating rubbish &c passing with the water through the
channel a light bar grating S is fixed across the mouth at each end. For shallow
streams, and rapids, the Tug is made shallow, but of sufficient width to make up
in power for the smaller diameter of wheel; and also to obtain sufficient displace-
ment to keep the platform upon the surface of the water.
For Ferrying across Rivers a platform A sheet 2 Fig. 1 is used of greater depth
than for the Tug the Water wheel B preferably of small diameter and great width
to enable it to be placed under the platform where it is enclosed in an air tight
case down to the float boards to keep the water from rising and impeding the
wheel, the air chambers C are made wide and of considerable displacement to
enable a load to be carried, small power is required for ferrying purposes this being
transmitted by means of a bevel wheel D on the water wheel which drives a
similer wheel E fixed on the vertical shaft, this carries a pair of bevel pinions on a
sleve Feither gearing with a bevel wheel G carrying a chain wheel which
transmits the power by means of the endless chain to the shaft H and H' at the
ends of the platform, a pair of plain sheaves I are placed within the endless chain
to reverse the action for one end and also to take up any slack chain, The shafts
are divided in the centre H and H³ each shaft working by means of bevel gear H
in reverse directions, these divided shafts H and H³ carry chain wheels J & J
over which passes the endless chain K leading to the bed of the river, where it
passes round pulleys and chain wheels L fixed upon the saddle M, the chain
pulleys L carry pinions on the under side of the saddle which gear into racks on
the top edge of the anchor rail N which is securely fixed to the bed of the river
by screws or other means, the power of the water wheel B is thus transmitted to
the saddle M which travels across the river taking with it the ferry platform The
endless chain K on the platform end hangs down in a loop under the platform and
according to the height of the tide requires to be let out or taken up in order that

page_text: the platform may remain working between the same points across the river, this is
done by the levers O and O¹ which slide one or other of the short hollow shafts H¹
and H from its end clutch contact and into contact with the centre clutch P of
the other shaft when both turn in the same direction winding both sides of the
endless chain K either in or out according to which of the levers O or O' is moved
When the endless chain K is sufficiently let out or taken up the lever is moved
back and the shafts again reverse giving motion to the saddle M as before, the
movement of the pinion sleve F alters the direction in which the ferry platform
travels across the river.
For Dredging a similer machine to that shown on sheet one is used with the
elevator buckets slung at the side in the usual. way, motion being given to them by
the pinion H on the shaft F which is slid out of gear with the crown wheel G the
machine being allowed to move very slowly with the tide by means of the brakes
upon the crown wheel G a cable chain is moored by anchor over the part of the
river required to be dredged and moved on either side as often as required.
For absorbing the power of the river for electric lighting & at piers and other
places a platform of similer construction to that shown on Fig. 1 sheet 1 is used
but without the gunwale sides & the power being taken off at the shaft F and
stored by batterys.
.
The manner in which the cable is attached to the bed of the river is shown on
sheet 3, at various points along its length the cable A has short connecting pieces B
to the bottom eye of these the mooring chains C are attached these connecting
pieces B allow the mooring chains to be attached to the cable without interfering
with its passage through the split chain wheels N (shown on sheet 1) Fig. 2 shows
the manner in which these chains are arranged, supposing the chain cable lifted to
its highest point, Fig. 3 the manner in which the pull is taken by the mooring
chains as the cable passes over the wheels N, Fig. 4 the attachment of the mooring
chains to the river bed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Absorbing the motive force of the tide or current for the purposes and by the
means herein stated, substantially as described with special reference to the
channel or section in which the water wheel works.