A New or Improved Automatic Fish-pass for use at Dykes, Weirs, or Natural Falls on Rivers or Streams.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Dec., 1890-Accepted, 3rd Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Fish-pass for use at Dykes, Weirs,
or Natural Falls on Rivers or Streams.
I, PETER DUNCAN MALLOCH of 209 High Street, in the Town and County of
Perth, North Britain, Fishing Tackle Manufacturer and Naturalist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to a new or improved automatic fish pass for use at
dykes, weirs or natural falls on rivers or streams, has for its object to provide a pass
so as to enable the fish in the lower level of the stream or river to reach the
top level.
In carrying out my said invention I build or otherwise construct a suitable pass
having two walls of wood planking each of which extend from above the dyke or
weir, down it and along the part of the bed of the river or stream, the said walls
being firmly fixed and secured to the dyke or weir and also the bed of the river or
stream. Across the top of these two walls I form a top or cover also of wood which
is firmly secured to the tops of the walls from near their top ends to the lower or
sluice ends, thus forming a pass or bridgeway from the lower level to the upper level
of the river or stream. The whole being suitably bound by iron straps or rods
where necessary.
At the lower end of this pass I form a sluice or door which
may be made of wood, iron, or other metal or material and which is capable of
moving up and down in suitable grooves provided in the end posts or standards
of the two walls, these posts or standards being securely fixed by suitable means in
the bed of the river or stream and provided with a suitable cross beam at their top
ends which carries one or more suitably mounted chain pulleys or wheels, so as to
enable the sluice door to be raised or lowered by means of one or more suitable chains
being securely fastened by any suitable means to the sluice door and which after
passing over the pullies or wheels on cross beam are weighted at their other ends
preferably by an automatic arrangement which consists of a suitable open trough or
box made of wood iron or other metal or material and provided with suitable means
for fastening the chains to it. This trough or box is made of a sufficient weight by
any suitable means as to almost lift the sluice door when there is no water pressing
against it, and provided at its one end with a suitable spigot or water tap which is
capable of regulating the outlet of the water from the trough or box. The supply of
this water to the trough or box being obtained by mounting a suitable iron or other
pipe which extends from the top level water down over the top of the pass and thence
up one of the posts or standards, and is provided with a suitable regulating spigot or
water tap at its top end, the other end of this pipe which lies in the high water being
preferably formed with a rose, grating, or other suitable perforations so as to keep
any substances from entering the pipe and chocking it up. Immediately underneath
the spigot or tap on top end of pipe I mount a suitable iron scoop in such a manner
as that when the trough is in its up position, that is when the sluice door is down, the
water supply is caused to fall inside the trough, and thus increases the weight of the
trough so that it becomes of a sufficient weight to lift the sluice and fall down on
the top of the pass when owing to the incline of the scoop the supply of water falls
into the river or stream, instead of the trough, thus allowing the trough to empty
itself by means of the spigot or tap which is provided in its end. When the trough
becomes empty the sluice owing to its weight again falls down and dams back the
water in the pass, which then gets filled by water from the top level and so allows
any fish that may be inside to escape over the fall to the upper reach of the river or
stroom

page_text: The whole supply and outlet of water to the trough being preferably regulated so as
to give a much longer period while the sluice is open than is given when it is shut.
I
To prevent a too sudden rush of the water in the pass when the sluice is open
preferably form a ridge or small wall of wood, stone, iron or other metal or material
immediately inside the sluice and which extends across the pass. Or in some cases
where this may not be practicable I may excavate the bed of the river or stream inside
the pass so as to forun this ridge.
The whole of the foregoing arrangement may be constructed entirely of wood, iron,
stone, concrete or other metals or materials, or any combinations of these metals or
materials.
In some dykes, weirs or falls where craves exist the pass may be formed flush with
the dyke, weir or fall.
To prevent a too sudden fall of the trough on the top of the pass I provide one or
more spiral or other springs in the top ends of the grooves on the standards or posts.
Dated this 30th day of January 1890.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Fish-pass for use at Dykes, Weirs,
or Natural Falls on Rivers or Streams.
I, PETER DUNCAN MALLOCH of 209 High Street, in the Town and County of
Perth, North Britain, Fishing Tackle Manufacturer and Naturalist, 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 which relates to a new or improved automatic fish pass for use at
dykes, weirs, or natural falls on rivers or streams, has for its object to provide a pass
so as to enable the fish in the lower level of the river or stream to reach the top level.
In carrying out my said invention I form the said pass as a kind of bridgeway
having two side walls and a top, and which may be made of wood, iron, stone,
concrete or any other metals or materials, or any combination of metals or
materials, and carried down and securely fixed into the dyke or weir when
artificial, or into the rock and earth when a natural fall, and prolonged down the
stream for some distance, into the bed of which it is firmly fixed. The said pass
being provided with an automatic sluice door, and means for opening and shutting
the same.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood, and easily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accom-
panying drawings. Figure 1, of which is a sectional elevation of my improved
automatic fish pass built on a artificial dyke.
Referring to the said drawings I build or otherwise construct a pass A, having two
walls B, of wood planking which are fitted into the dyke or weir C, and each of which
extend from above the said dyke or weir C, down it and along the part of the bed D,
of the lower part of the river or stream E, where they are also fitted in; and provided
at their ends with end posts or standards F, which are provided with suitable feet f,
which are firmly embedded in the bed of the river or streain. Across the top of the two
walls B, (which are preferably about six feet apart, though I may make them any desired
distance apart,) I form a top or cover G, also of wood planking and which is firmly
secured to the tops of the walls B, from near their top ends to their lower ends, thus
forming a pass or bridgeway from the lower level to the upper level of the river or
stream E the whole of which is suitably bound and fixed by iron straps or rods H,
and bolts, were necessary.
;
At the lower end of the said pass A, I form a sluice or door J, which is made of
wood, iron, or other metal or material, and which is capable of moving up and down
in grooves, in the standard F, which have a cross beam F¹, suitably mounted near

page_text: their top ends, so as to carry one or more chain pulleys or wheels, K, which work
on spindles or studs carried by the brackets k, over the said chain wheels K, are
passed the chains L, the one ends of which are secured to the binding straps eyes h²,
on door J, and their other ends to eyes 2, provided on the top of an open trough or
box M, which forms an automatic raising and lowering arrangement. The said open
trough or box M, may be made of wood, iron, or other metal and material and
preferably of a sufficient weight, by ballast m, or otherwise, as to almost lift the sluice
door J, when there is no water pressing against it, and provided at its one end with
an outlet spigot or water tap (not shown in the drawings) capable of regulating the
said outlet of water from said trough M, the supply of said water being obtained by
means of mounting a length of iron or other piping N, which is provided with bends
and couplings were necessary, and which extends from the top level of the river or
stream E, down over the top of the pass A, thence up one of the standards F, where
it is provided at its top end with a regulating spigot or water tap P, and underneath
which I mount an iron other scoop P₁ in such a manner that when the trough M, is
in its up-position, (as shown in the drawings) that is when the sluice door is down
and pass shut or closed, the water supply is caused to fall down inside the said
trough M, and thus increase its weight till it overcomes the weight of the sluice
door J, and so raise it up, owing to the said trough M, falling down on top of the
pass A, where it remains until the water in it has been emptied through the outlet
tap, during which the water supply falls into the river or stream instead of the
trough, owing to the incline of the said scoop P'; immediately the said trough
becomes of a less weight than the sluice door J, the said sluice door falls down
again, and the trough rises and dams back the water in the pass A, which then gots
filled by water from the top level, which hitherto had run through the pass, and so
allow any fish that may have found their way into the said pass from the lower level
to escape over the dyke or weir and so reach the top level of the river or stream E,
and so on.
The said supply and outlet of water is preferably regulated by means of the
regulating taps as to give a much longer period with the sluice door open, than is
given with the sluice door shut; and to ensure of the said working going on auto-
matically without any choking I preferably provide a perforated rose or end N', on
the end of the piping N, which lies in the top level, of the river or stream E; and
in order to prevent a too sudden fall of the trough M, on the top of the pass A, I
provide and mount one or more spiral or other springs R in the grooves f₁, of the
standards F, the lower ends of said springs acting on top of the sluice door J. And
further in order to prevent a too sudden rush of the water in the pass when the
sluice door J, is open form a ridge or small wall S, of wood, stone, iron, or other
metal or material, immediately inside and under the sluice door J, and which extends
across the said pass, and so forms a kind of pool within which the fish may lie when
sluice is open.
Or in some cases where this may not be practical I may excavate the bed of the
river or stream inside the pass so as to form the pool and ridge S.
In some dykes, weirs, or falls, where cruves exist, the pass may be formed flush
with the dyke, weir or fall; and in all cases the size of said pass will vary according
to each particular case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
1st. The general arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts
constituting my automatic fish pass for use at dykes, weirs, or natural falls on rivers
or streams, all substantially as hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying
Irawings.
2nd. In fish passes for use at dykes, weirs, and falls on rivers and streams, the
general arrangement of the automatic sluice door J, operated by the suspended

page_text: trough M, having supply piping N, and regulating spigots or taps and scoop P¹, or
any mere modification of said parts, all substantially as, and for the purposes herein-
before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of November 1900.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.