Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1889
Specification Accepted, 25th May, 1889
Communicated to me from abroad by ALBERT PAULDING BRAYTON, Junior, of
No. 120, First Street, in the City and County of San Francisco and State of
California, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11 Wellington Street, Strand, London, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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 :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in water-wheels of that class which
are driven by the momentum of a stream of water delivered into buckets on the
periphery of the wheel, through a suitable discharge-nozzle and under a high
pressure.
My invention consists, essentially, in a novel construction of the buckets into
which the water is discharged, so that the stream of water is divided into two
parts by a central ridge or apex which directs the current of water into the curved
bottoms of the two halves of the bucket, from which it passes out over the flaring or
divergent sides of the bucket, so as to escape smoothly and utilize the full reactionary
force of the escaping stream in addition to the direct force of the impinging jet. It
also provides an improved means for adjusting and securing the buckets to the
wheel-rim.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my
invention,
Figure 1 is a view of my improved wheel, showing the buckets, distributing-box,
and discharge-nozzles.
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the buckets.
Figure 3 is a side view of a portion of a wheel with buckets and the bracing-
lugs F.
Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section of a bucket taken through a, a, Fig. 5.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a bucket chambered back upon each side of the
wheel rim.

page_text: The object of my improvement is to provide a series of buckets to be attached to
the periphery of a water-wheel, these buckets being of such construction as to utilize
to its highest degree, first, the direct impact of the column of water which is dis-
charged into them with great velocity from the nozzle, and, secondly, to utilize, in a
similar manner, the full reactionary force caused by the change of direction of the
column of water, and its perfect discharge and clearance from the wheel, so that no
portion of it acts to impede the wheel by contact with the following buckets or any
other portion of the wheel.
The wheel A may be of any suitable construction and size, its diameter depending
upon the speed at which it is desired to run it, and the quantity and head of water
available, and as these requirements vary in almost every case, it will be manifest that
the diameter of the wheels may be from eighteen inches to six feet, and that the size
of the buckets B, may be proportionally varied.
In some cases it may be found practicable, where the height or pressure of the
column of water is very great, to make the buckets and the discharging nozzle of
considerably smaller proportions relative to the wheel-diameter, than would be the
case if the pressure of the water was less, and the quantity discharged from the nozzle
was greater.
The buckets B may be formed, if desired, as a part of the wheel, but I have found
it preferable to make them separate, each bucket being bolted or otherwise secured
upon the wheel-rim, so as to be immovable, and having lugs by which they are
adjusted and kept in place upon the rim, as will be hereafter described. The side of
the bucket which rests against the wheel-rim is made flat or slightly concave, so as to
correspond, approximately, with the convexity of the wheel-rim against which it lies.
This portion I would term the rear side of the bucket.
The front side of the bucket is inclined so that the bottom of the bucket is narrower
than the top, and is curved outwardly, as shown more distinctly in Figure 2, so that
the central portion of the front is at the greatest distance from the rear side.
This central portion is also beveled off or made rounded and thinner than the
remainder of the edge of the bucket, so that while the stream from the nozzle
momentarily impinges upon it while the bucket is passing into position for the stream
to strike its interior, this edge will not break the stream or scatter it.
The outward curvature or convexity of the front of the bucket greatly increases its
capacity and enables me to use a greater amount of water upon any given size of
wheel than can be utilized with flat front buckets.
The efficiency is also increased by concentrating a portion of the discharge, so as to
add to the reactionary power.
The upper rear edge of each bucket is carried backward upon each side of the rim,
as shown at b, which gives this portion of the bucket a greater inclination from the
bottom toward the top, thus increasing its capacity in this direction, and it also
provides by its inclination, for the escape of any portion of the stream which is
diverted toward it, and prevents this escaping water from striking the bucket which
follows.
Each bucket has its bottom formed into two distinct curves C, C, which meet in the
central apex at D, so that when the stream of water strikes this apex, after the bucket
arrives fully in line with the nozzle, the stream will be divided into two parts, one-
half being directed upon one side of the apex, and the other half upon the other side
of the apex into the curved bottoms of the buckets.
The sides E are continuations of the curved bottoms extending upwardly and
diverging outwardly, and in such relation with the curved bottoms that the water
passes smoothly from the apex D, down over the curved bottoms C, of the buckets,
and thence up the inclined sides E, so as to be discharged clear of the wheel upon
each side, and in such a manner as not to in any way touch or impede the succeeding
bucket, which follows closely as the wheel revolves.
The water is thus delivered from the nozzle into the bucket, so that the full power
or momentum is utilized to rotate the wheel, and as it passes into the bottom of
the curves and has its direction reversed, so that it passes up the inclined sides E, it

page_text: will be manifest that the whole reactionary force caused by this change of direction,
will be added to the direct power exerted by the stream as it first strikes the
bucket.
The construction of the bucket is such that the entire force of the water is utilized,
so that it drops upon each side as it leaves the buckets, perfectly inert and dead.
The curved front of the bucket extends lower than the rear portion, so that the
bottoms C, C, which are curved in a transverse plane, are inclined from the rear
toward the front.
The ridge or dividing apex D, is also inclined in a like manner from the rear
toward the front of the bucket, where it is lower than at its point of contact with the
rear edge of the bucket.
This construction insures the stream striking the apex and bottoms of the buckets
at the proper angle, so that it is directed to right and left and up the inclined sides
of the bucket, while a portion of the stream is directed toward the front, and will
pass out over the curved front of the bucket, and in a solid body near the center, thus
adding to the reactionary force and efficiency.
As the bucket is passing out of the line of the stream, the latter again, momentarily,
strikes the inclined front of the bucket, and is diverted toward the rear so as to
discharge over the inclines at each side of the wheel-rim and escape without striking
the following bucket.
Lugs F project from the rear lower edge of the central portion of the bucket, and
they fit in corresponding slots or cavaties made in the rim of the wheel.
By means of these lugs and slots, the buckets are properly adjusted, so that when
the bucket is bolted upon the rim it will be accurately fixed in place and prevented
from moving by any force which may be applied to it.
At the same time, these buckets are easily removed if it is necessary to replace
them or to make any repairs, by simply taking out the bolts which hold them to the
rim, and the lugs and channels insure their standing in the proper position for the
best work.
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 buckets of a water-wheel having the curved bottoms meeting at an apex or
sharp ridge in the center with the outer sides continued upwardly to form inclined
discharge sides, the bucket-fronts curved in the arc of a circle and inclined so as to
narrow the buckets from the top toward the bottom, the bottom and dividing ridge
also declining from the rear toward the front, as shown and described.
2. The buckets of a water-wheel with the curved bottoms meeting in a central
apex or ridge and continuous with the discharge sides, the convex front, and the rear
walls inclining backward upon each side of the wheel-rim, substantially as herein
described.
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