An Improved Construction of Water Wheels with Moveable Floats or Paddles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 24th Aug., 1888
RESERVE C
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Water Wheels with Moveable Floats
or Paddles.
I, JULES FRANCOIS LEFORT of 56 Rue de Lanery Paris, France Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention for which I have applied for Letters Patent in France duted and
June 1887, relates to water-wheels that are partly immersed in a stream or flowing
water so as to receive motion therefrom. Such wheels have heretofore been made
with fixed floats or paddles, and have not met with great application on account of the
loss of effect due to the resistance of the padtiles in rising on the tail side. According
to my present invention I obviate this defect by suspending the paddles on pivots and
so arranging them that they are automatically held in fixed positions as they enter on
the stream side, but become perfectly free so as to remain in a vertically suspended
position as they leave the water on the tail side. For this purpose the paddles or
Hoat are suspended by pivots from radial arm the pivots being so placed that the part
of the paddle below them is heavier than that above, so that they tend to hang
vertically or nearly so.
To the front face of the upper part of each paddle is fixed a curved projecting arm,
which, as the paddle, in revolving with the wheel, begins to descend on the stream
side, comes in contact with a fixed roller, whereby the paddle is partially turned on its
pivots and brought into a horizontal position its lower part is then brought in
contact with a second fixed roller situated below the first one which turns it still
farther in the same direction, and in doing this, two projecting studs on the sides of
the upper part of the paddle are made to pass down behind forked catches on the
wheel frame. The pivots of the paddle are carried in slots formed in the radial arms
of the frame, and while the paddles are performing the above described movements,
their pivots are situated at the inner ends of the said slots.
As the arm continue to descend with the paddles, the pivots of these slide by gravity
outwards and downwards in the slots, thus shifting the paddles to a corresponding
extent farther away from the centre of the wheel.
My invention for which I have applied for Letters
June 1887, relates to water-wheels that are partly immersed in a stream or flowing
water so as to receive motion therefrom. Such wheels have heretofore been made
with fixed floats or paddles, and have not met with great application on account of the
loss of effect due to the resistance of the padiles in rising on the tail side. According
to my present invention I obviate this defect by suspending the paddles on pivots and
so arranging them that they are automatically held in fixed positions as they enter on
the stream side, but become perfectly free so as to remain in a vertically suspended
position as they leave the water on the tail side. For this purpose the paddles or
Hoat are suspended by pivots from radial arm the pivots being so placed that the part
of the paddle below them is heavier than that above, so that they tend to hang
vertically or nearly so.
To the front face of the upper part of each paddle is fixed a curved projecting arm,
which, as the paddle, in revolving with the wheel, begins to descend on the stream
side, comes in contact with a fixed roller, whereby the paddle is partially turned on its
pivots and brought into a horizontal position its lower part is then brought in
contact with a second fixed roller situated below the first one which turns it still
farther in the same direction, and in doing this, two projecting studs on the sides of
the upper part of the paddle are made to pass down behind forked catches on the
wheel frame. The pivots of the paddle are carried in slots formed in the radial arms
of the frame, and while the paddles are performing the above described movements,
their pivots are situated at the inner ends of the said slots.
As the arm continue to descend with the paddles, the pivots of these slide by gravity
outwards and downwards in the slots, thus shifting the paddles to a corresponding
extent farther away from the centre of the wheel.

page_text: In consequence of this, when the lower heavier end of the paddle passes away from
the second above named roller, and it consequently tends to drop down again, the
before mentioned studs on the upper end, in rising again, pass into the forks of the
catches, and thus the paddle becomes fixed, in an approximately radially projecting
position, in which it now enters the water on the streain side and takes the pressure of
the water.
As the paddle begins to rise out of the water on the tail side, the preponderance of
its lower part causes it to maintain its vertical position, turning on its pivots, and
moving the studs out of the catches again. When the paddle has been raised by the
arms to such a point that the slots in the arms are inclined downwards at the inner-
ends, the pivots of the paddle slide back to the inner end of the slots, whereupon the
above described operations are repeated.
Instead of causing a curved arm on the paddle to come in contact with a fixed
roller as described, the roller may be carried by the paddle and be brought in contact
with a fixed cam-shaped surface that effects the turning of the paddle as described.
Dated this 26th day of October 1887.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Water Wheels with Moveable Floats
or Paddles.
I, JULES FRANCOIS LEFORT of 56 Rue de Lanery Paris, France 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 for which I have applied for Letters Patent in France dated 2nd
June 1887 relates to water wheels that are partly immersed in a stream or flowing
water so as to receive motion therefrom. Such wheels have heretofore been made
with fixed floats or paddles; and have not met with great application on account of
the loss of effect due to the resistance of the paddles in rising on the tail side.
According to my present invention I obviate this defect by suspending the paddles
on pivots and so arranging them that they are automatically held in fixed positions as
they enter on the stream side, but become perfectly free so as to remain in a
vertically suspended position as they leave the water on the tail side. For this pur-
pose the paddles or floats are suspended by pivots from radial arms the pivots being so
placed that the part of the paddle below them is heavier than that above, so that they
tend to hang vertically or nearly so.
To the front face of the upper part of each paddle is fixed a curved projecting arm
which, as the paddle in revolving with the wheel begins to descend on the stream side,
comes in contact with a fixed roller, whereby the paddle is partially turned on its
pivots and brought into a horizontal position; its lower part is then brought in
contact with a second fixed roller situated below the first one which turns it still
farther in the same direction, and in doing this two projecting studs on the sides of
the upper part of the paddle are made to pass down behind forked catches on the
wheel frame. The pivots of the paddle are carried in slots forined in the radial arms
of the frame, and while the paddles are performing the above described movements,
As the arms continue to
their pivots are situated at the inner ends of the said slots.
descend with the paddles the pivots of these slide by gravity outwards and downwards
in the slots, thus shifting the paddles to a corresponding extent farther away from the
centre of the wheel.
In consequence of this, when the lower heavier end of the paddle passes away from
the second above named roller, and it consequently tends to drop down again, the
before mentioned studs on the upper end, in rising again, pass into the forks of the
catches and thus the paddle becomes fixed, in an approximately radially projecting
position, in which it now enters the water on the stream side and takes the pressure of
the water.
As the paddle begins to rise out of the water on the tail side the preponderance of
its lower part causes it to maintain its vertical position turning on its pivots and
moving the studs out of the catches again. When the paddle has been raised by the
arms to such a point that the slots in the arms are inclined downwards at the inner
ends the pivots of the paddle slide back to the inner end of the slots whereupon the
above described operations are repeated..

page_text: Instead of causing a curved arm on the paddle to come in contact with a fixed
roller as described, the roller may be carried by the paddle and be brought in contact
with a fixed cam-shaped surface that effects the turning of the paddle as described.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews a part side view and part longitudinal
section of a water wheel constructed according to my above described invention;
Fig. 2 shows a front view of the same and Fig. 3 shews an enlarged view of a
modified construction.
g
с
The paddles A are mounted with pivots in slots c formed in the radial arms A A
of the water wheel these being fixed to an outer ring B and to a central boss D. The
pivots are so situated that the part of the paddle below them is heavier than the part
above them, so that the paddles when freely suspended tend to assume the vertical
positions shewn on the right hand side of Fig. 1. To the upper part or the paddle is
fixed a curved arm which, as the wheel revolves, is brought in contact with a
roller carried by a fixed beam G, whereby the paddle will be canted over on its
pivots from the position No. 1 into the position No. 2 and on the further descent of
the paddle, while it is still held by the roller g, its lower end comes in contact with a
second roller whereby it is canted over still further as shewn by the dotted position,
and while doing so, the studs on cach side of the paddle are made to pass behind the
forked catch K on the arm A. By the time the paddle has arrived in the dotted
position the slots c in which the pivots are carried, are inclined slightly downwards
at their outer ends, so that the paddle will shift outwards by gravity until its pivots
are at the outer ends of the slots, as shewn. On the further movement of the wheel,
the paddle, becoming released from the roller will swing downwards with its outer
end again, and in doing so the studs will enter the fork of the catch K, and
consequently the paddle will be retained in the more or less radial position - shewn at
No. 3, in which position it will now enter the water and receive the pressure of the
current. As the paddle rises up on the tail side of the stream, it will retain its vertical
position due to the preponderance of the lower part, the studs passing out of the
forks of the catches again.
As the paddle rises, the slots c will assume a position with their inner ends inclined
downwards and consequently the pivots 6 will slide back to that end of the slot again,
and the above described action will then be repeated.
In the arrangement shewn at Fig. 3 the roller g is fixed on the arm of the paddle
and is made to bear against the fixed cam surface h, whereby the paddle is canted over
in the same manner as above described.
Figs. 4 and 5 shews a modification in which the bracket carrying the roller g is fixed
on the lower end of the paddle A', and bears first against the cam h, the lower end of
which is pivotted at ' and is kept up by a weighted lever f so that as the roller g
passes on to this part it is lowered thereby on to the second cam j as shewn by the
dotted positions, and it then rolls over the cam j, while at the same time the pivots b
of the paddle slide down the slots c so as to bring the studs behind the forked
catches K, as shewn in the lowest position, so that when the roller g escapes from the
cam the paddle in dropping will bring the studs & in gear with the catches K, so as
to hold the paddle in the radial position, as before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a water wheel 'the combination of a paddle suspended on pivots situated
somewhat above its centre of gravity, so that it tends to hang vertically, an arm
projecting from its upper end, a stationary roller or rollers or equivalent appliance
with which the said arm comes in contact so as to cant the paddle over from its
vertical position into a radial or nearly radial position and a catch that holds the
paddle in the canted or radial position until the paddle passes out of the water,
substantially, as herein described.
2. In a water wheel the combination of a paddle suspended on pivots situated above
its centre of gravity, said pivots being free to slide in radial slots in the wheel frame,

page_text: an arm projecting from the upper end of the paddle, one or more stationary rollers or
their equivalents with which the said arm comes in contact so as to turn the paddle
from a vertical to a radial or nearly radial position, a forked catch on the wheel frame,
and a stud on the paddle which passes behind the catch while the paddle is being
turned into the radial position, and which enters the catch when the paddle having
shifted outwards in the slots is set free by the roller or other device and tends to
resume its vertical position substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. In a water wheel the combination of a paddle mounted with pivots in radial slots
in the wheel frame, a forked catch on the wheel frame and a stud on the paddle, said
stud being made to pass behind the said catch when the paddle is turned on its pivots
while these are situated at the inner ends of the radial slots, but is made to pass into
the slot of the catch when the paddle is turned on its pivots in a contrary direction
while said pivots are situated in the outer ends of the slots, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
4. In a water wheel the combination of a paddle A¹ mounted on pivots b so as to tend
to hang vertically, a curved arm projecting from the upper end of the paddle, an upper
stationary roller g or equivalent appliance against which said arm bears so as to turn
the paddle on its pivots, a lower stationary roller ; or its equivalent against which the
lower end of the paddle bears so as to be turned still further on its pivots, and a
catch K on the wheel frame into which a stud k on the paddle catches after it has
been released by the lower roller, substantially as herein described with reference to
Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
5. The modified arrangement of the construction referred to in the preceding claim
wherein the paddle A¹ carries a roller g on its projecting arm which roller comes in
contact with a fixed cam surface arranged and operating substantially as herein
described with reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings.
6. The modified arrangement herein described with reference to Fig. 4 of the
drawings wherein the arm carrying the roller is fixed on the lower end of the paddle
and is acted upon first by a fixed cam having its lower part jointed and weighted so
as to deliver the roller on to a second cam j, the studs that engage with the catch K
being fixed to the upper end of the paddle.
Datad this 18th ds of July 1888
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.