IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING POWER FROM RIVERS OR STREAMS OF WATER, AND FOR FACILITATING BOATS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING RIVERS OR STREAMS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Victor Vicomte de Cresalles, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1867.-A communication. from abroad by Louis Roman,
residing at Rue de Seine, Paris.
I, VICTOR Vicomte DE CRESALLES, of the Boulevard Malesherbes, Paris, in
the Empire of France, at present residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING POWER FROM RIVERS
OR STREAMS OF WATER, AND FOR FACILITATING BOATS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING
RIVERS OR STREAMS," to be as follows:-
In constructing apparatus for obtaining motive-power from rivers or
streams of water two parallel endless chains are employed extended between
and gearing with chain wheels on two horizontal axes at a distance apart from
one another. The endless chains are connected to one another by numerous
rods or bars which pass transversely across the space between the two chains;
these rods carry paddles or floats which project out at right angles from the
chains. The axes of the chain wheels supporting the chains are carried at such
a distance above the surface of the water that the paddles or floats on the
portion of the chain below the chain wheels dip into or are immersed in the
water, whilst the paddles on the portion of the chain above the chain wheels
are raised out therefrom. The axes of the rollers turn in bearings carried by
vessels held at a distance apart from one another by suitable frames and tie
bars, so that the endless chain of paddles work in the space between the

page_text: vessels, or the axes of the endless chains might be otherwise carried. The
fixed guide rails are employed to keep the endless chains from sagging or swaying
down as they pass from one chain wheel to another; small flanged rollers
carried on the ends of the transverse rods connecting the two chains run upon
these rails, and thus the chains are supported. As the action of the stream
of water upon the paddles, or wings of the endless chains gives to these chains
a continuous rotary motion, the chains by gearing with the chain wheels cause
the axes of these wheels to revolve also. Motion may be transmitted from
these axes to pumps carried by the vessels, and may then be used for irrigating
purposes, or the power obtained may be employed to enable boats to ascend
the stream, or it, may be applied to other purposes.
When it is required to put the apparatus out of action the movement of the
apparatus may when the apparatus is only of small dimensions be arrested by
a clutch or friction break, but for large apparatus a trough is employed which
can. be raised to act with the aid of sluices; the water may be shut off from
acting on the paddles or floats of the chain.
To facilitate boats ascending and descending rivers a ebain passing around
and gearing with a chain wheel is employed, the two ends of the chain being
connected to two boats. Each boat is furnished with wings or flcats which
can be caused to stand out from the boat so as to offer a considerable surface
to the stream of water. When a boat is descending the stream, the wings are
caused to project out from the boat, but the wings of the boat ascending the
stream are folded in close to its side. By this means the stream of water acting.
on the descending, boat will by the chain or cord connecting the boats draw the
ascending boat up the stream. The pair of boats so connected with one
another may be employed for towing vessels; these boats also may be provided
with similar wings or projections which may be caused to stand out when the
boats are descending the stream. The axis of the wheel. around which the
chain or cord passes may also be driven from one of the axes of the apparatus
herein before described for obtaining motive-power..