IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE UTILIZATION OF TIDES OR OTHER WATER POWER AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Davies of 323 High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE
UTILIZATION OF TIDES OR OTHER WATER POWER AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Davies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1882.
EDWARD DAVIES of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE UTILIZATION OF TIDES OR OTHER
WATER POWER AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
This invention relates chiefly to improvements upon a former invention for
which I obtained Letters Patent No 3012 dated 12th October AD 1872. In the
Specification to the said Letters Patent I described an apparatus or system in
which the tide entered large reservoirs or tanks by passing through a series of
turbines which it operated in passing, and when the tide was low or the head of
water reduced the water contained in the reservoirs could be turned back again
through the turbines which were thus enabled to do double duty. Now by my
present invention I seek to improve the construction of the turbines, to obtain
additional work from the reservoirs by use of floating stages or pontoons placed in
them to rise and fall with the water and to make the sluices or equivalent, con-
necting them with the turbines or with each other, self acting, though they may
be operated by hand or otherwise if preferred.
In the former specification the turbine is described as so constructed that the
water acts or impinges upon a flat surface instead of upon the pointed or other
shaped blades generally adopted, the water afterwards escaping past a curve in the
blade at the top when the turbine is set horizontally with the shaft standing
vertically; the exit of the water was controlled by an adjustable valve plate, Now
in my present invention I employ a similar forin of turbine, but in some cases
make it double, using preferably a central diaphragm and placing the vanes or
blades in each side of it and arranged alternately with each other so as to render
27

page_text: the pressure more continuous, this turbine would deliver at both top and bottom.
I now dispense with the valve plate and prefer to let the single turbine deliver at
the bottom,
裔
The sluice or other valves are arranged with suitable float attachments by which
they are actuated automatically so that they can be regulated to let the water into
any of the tanks or turbines or from one tank to another as may best suit the
requirements of each case. Where floats are not wanted hand or other power may
be employed for working the sluices. By skilful adjustment of the sluices so as
to make the best use of the water the turbines may be kept going almost, if not
quite continuously notwithstanding the rise and fall of the tide
The use of this apparatus is not confined to the sea or tidal rivers, as it can be
arranged to operate almost wherever a sufficient head of water can be obtained and
it is evident that the turbines themselves can be employed independently of the
rest of the apparatus for such purposes as turbines are usually used for.
The power from the pontoons or floating stages may be collected and applied in
any convenient manner either in combination with that from the turbines or
independently of them. The power from the turbines themselves may be taken
direct from their shafts or they may be employed to drive pumps for compressing
air or water which may be conveyed away in pipes as and where required or
dynamo machines may be driven by the turbines and the electric current
conveyed from them as will be readily understood.
'

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd October
1882.
" IMPROVE-
IENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE UTILIZATION OF TIDES OR OTHER WATER POWER
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR"
EDWARD DAVIES of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
This invention relates chiefly to improvements upon a former invention for
which I obtained Letters Patent No 3012 dated 12th of October 1872. In the
specification to the said Letters Patent I described an apparatus or system in
which the tide entered large reservoirs or tanks by passing through a series of
urbines which it operated in passing, and when the tide was low, or the head of
water reduced, the water contained in the reservoirs could be turned back again
through the turbines which were thus enabled to do double duty, Now by my
present invention I seek to improve the construction of the turbines to obtain
additional work from the reservoirs by the use of floating stages or pontoons placed
in them to rise and fall with the water, and to make the sluices or equivalent,
connecting them with the turbines or with each other, selfacting, though they may
be operated by hand or otherwise if preferred.
In the former Specification the turbine is described as so constructed; that the
water acts or impinges upon a flat surface instead of upon the pointed or other
shaped blades generally adopted, the water afterwards escaping past a curve in the
blade at the top when the turbine is set horizontally with the shaft standing
vertically; the exit of the water was controlled by an adjustable valve plate. Now
in my present invention I employ a similar form of turbine; this turbine would
deliver both at top and bottom. I now dispense with the valve plate and prefer
to let the single turbine deliver at the bottom or top as may be suitable.
The sluice or other valves are arranged with suitable float attachments by which
they are actuated automatically so that they can be regulated to let the water into
any of the tanks or turbines or from one tank to another, as may best suit the
Where floats are not wanted, hand or other power may
requirements of each case.
be employed for working the sluices. By skilfull adjustment of the sluices, so as to
make the best use of the water, the turbines may be kept going almost, if not
quite continuously notwithstanding the rise and fall of the tide.
The use of these turbines is not confined to the sea or tidal rivers, as it can be
arranged to operate almost wherever a sufficient head of water can be obtained
and it is evident that the turbines themselves can be employed independently of
the rest of the apparatus for such purposes as turbines are usually used for.
The power from the pontoons or floating stages may be collected and applied in
any convenient manner either in combination with that from the turbines or
independently of them. The power from the turbines themselves may be taken
direct from their shafts or they may be employed to drive pumps for compressing
air or water which may be conveyed in pipes as and where required, or dynamo
machines may be driven by the turbines and the electric current conveyed from
them as will be readily understood.
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like letters of
reference represent like parts,
Figures 1, 2, and 3 show three arrangements of the turbines in elevation
Figure 3 shows a double action turbine in its case,
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the turbine and case and
Figure 5 is an elevation partly in section showing a turbine which discharges

page_text: into a case or chamber from which the water is conveyed away in any required
manner.
Figure 6 is a general plan showing an arrangement of reservoirs, sluices and
turbines, and
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of Figure 6.
Taking the. turbine first, Figure 1 shows in elevation a form constructed to
discharge at the top. A is the shaft to which the body B is secured or of which it
forms part and from which body the vanes C project. Their upper portions C¹ are
curved or bent over in such a manner that the water in leaving them, not only
gives a powerful impetus to each vane, but exerts a tendency to lift the turbine
and shaft upwards and thus to take the weight off the footstep A. I have found
in practice however, that when working at high pressures, this upward tendency is
so strong, that the turbine is lifted bodily upwards so forcibly as to seriously wear
away the collar at A² or other bearing provided for keeping the turbine in its place,
To overcome this difficulty without impairing the efficiency of the turbine I place
a ring or circular plate D which fits against the straight ends of the vanes C; if
this ring be inade of the same breadth as the vanes, it will practically destroy the
upward tendency altogether. I therefore generally make the ring D of a less
breadth than the vanes, by preference leaving an annular space D' between it and
the case as shown clearly in Figure 1. If the ring D be small there will be a
strong upward tendency, but if large the upward tendency will be proportionately
reduced.
Figure 2 shows a turbine which discharges at the bottom; this view also shows
a section of the case in which it works; E is the base plate carrying the bottom
bearing or footstep A¹ and to it is secured by pillars or the like E¹ the case Fa
space E being left by which the water escapes.
In this case the ring D is made the full breadth of the vanes so as to counteract
the downward tendency as much as possible.
Figure 3 shows a combination of the top and bottom discharging turbines. This
form discharges both at the top and bottom. In Figure 3a the top set of vanes C
'are curved or projected in one direction whilst the bottom vanes are projected in
the opposite direction, the diaphragm D dividing the two sets and fitting close in
the case, recessed if necessary, and the ports and admission branch being also
divided. By this means, if the propelling fluid be admitted to the topvanes, the
turbines will revolve in one direction, but if admitted to the bottom set of vanes,
it will revolve in the opposite direction and the turbine is thus capable of being
readily reversed. If necessary the turbine could be made in two portions and put
together upon the shaft.
Figure 4 shows in section the general arrangement of the turbine, the ports G
through which the water passes previous to impinging, upon the vanes and the
case F with branch F¹ through which the water enters.
In Figure 5 the water enters as shown by the arrow at F1, discharges from the
top of the turbine into the outer case H and escapes by the branch H¹.
The arrangement of the tanks or reservoirs with the sluices, turbines and turbine-
race is set forth in Figures 6 and 7.
The operation is as follows and will be best understood by reference to Figure 7
which is a vertical section through the tidal water, turbine race and both tanks
(No 2 being shown behind No 1 for convenience of explanation, in practice they
can be arranged in any way that may be found most convenient). Taking the
rise and fall of the tide at 18 ft, the bottom of No 1 tank is placed at or about
low water level but No 2 will not need to be more than about half that depth,
though it can be the full depth if desired. Commencing at high water the tidal
water is 18 ft above low water, so there is an 18 ft head to work with. The fall
will be about 3 ft pr hour or the 18 ft in six hours and tank No 2 is filled at high

page_text: water and when full its sluice R is closed to retain the water. First the tidal
water M is admitted to the turbines through the sluice valves P1 P2 and they
discharge into the turbine race L and the water passes by the sluice P³ into the
empty tank No 1 for say 21 hours until the tidal water has fallen 71/2 ft to a.
The area of the tank is so proportioned that one hours working of the turbines
will raise the water a predetermined height and in this instance the 2 hours
working will raise the level in No 1 to say b; by this time there is a difference
between the level of the water in No 2 which is still at the full height, and the
tide of 7%, ft so the tidal sluices P1 and P2 may be closed and the turbines worked
by the water in No 2 admitted by the sluice P discharging into No 1 till the
falling tide is at the level of the water in No 1 when the sluice P connecting No 1
with the tidal water may be opened so that it will empty with the falling tide
and the discharge from the turbines may be turned into the tide direct through the
sluice P³. At low water the sluice P is closed to prevent the tide entering No. 1.
By the time the inflowing tide has reached say 71/2 ft, shown at c on the front wall,
tank No 2 may be shut off and the tide turned into the turbines which will now
discharge into the empty tank No. 1. It will have taken six hours for the tide to
fall from and rise again to c and during that time the level of the water in No 2
will have fallen the equivalent of six hours work viz to d and as soon as the
rising tide reaches that level (d) No 2 may be connected with the tide by opening
its sluicevalve R so that it may fill as the tide rises-when full its sluice valve
will be closed. The water which works the turbines will continue to discharge
into No 1 whilst the tide rises to full tide and falls again to a as already described,
this will occupy six hours during which time the level in No 1 will have reached
the equivalent of six hours work viz e. This cycle of operations may be continued
indefinitely the turbines working all the time
It will be noticed that considerable margin has been left to allow for differences
in the flow of the tide,-as spring and neap tides-only a portion of the available
water in No 2 being used and only a portion of the available capacity of No 1.
The precise depths and areas of the tanks and also the rise of the tide will vary
with different cases, and the relative length of time during which one particular set
of sluices remain open and the water is drawn from the tide or from No 2 tank
can of course be adjusted as best suits the circumstances of each case. The arrange-
ment of the sluices and valves may also be varied to suit circumstances.
Having now described my invention and the method of performing the same,
I wish it to be understood that I do not claim as new such portions of the matter
contained in my previously recited former Specification No 3012 of 1872 as may
be repeated in this present specification, unless such matter or portion thereof be
employed in a novel manner or combination, but what I do claim and desire to
protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is:
First: In a turbine the employment of the ring D proportioned to modify the
upward or downward tendency of the turbine substantially as set forth and
shown.
Second: A turbine in which one set of vancs are curved or projected in one
direction whilst the other set of vanes are projected in the opposite direction and
the two sets of vanes are divided by a diaphragm D whereby when the pro-
pelling fluid is admitted to one set of vanes the turbine revolves in one direction
and when admitted to the other set of vanes it revolves in the opposite
direction substantially as set forth and shown in Figure 3a of the accompanying
drawings.
Third: The combination of the tanks or reservoirs 1 and 2, the turbine or
turbines N and the respective sluices all constructed and operating by, or in con-
junction with the tidal water M substantially as set forth and illustrated whereby
a continuous or almost continuous working of the turbines may be obtained
irrespective of the flow of the tide.
.
Fourth The combination with the parts as set forth in the previous claim of

page_text: one or more pontoons or floating stages within the tanks whereby the rise and
fall of the water therein may be utilized, no claim being made for the said pontoons
or stages except in such combination.
In witness whereof I the said Edward Davies have hereunto set my band
and seal this second day of October in the year of Our. Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two
EDWARD DAVIES (L.S.)