Improvements in and connected with Sluices or Water Gates.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Sluices or Water Gates.
I, FRANCIS GOULD MORONY STONEY, of Waterside Works, Ipswich, in the County
of Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows,
that is to say:-
My said invention relates to sluices or water gates for situations where it is desired
to have the sluices, when opened, raised to a considerable height and stowed so as to
allow some kinds of boat or vessels to pass under them; and my invention comprises
an improved and simple combination of sluice and parts connected therewith which
is advantageously suitable for such situations.
In carrying out my invention I apply my well known arrangement of free rollers
for the vertical back and front end edges of the sluice to bear on; but instead of
having the movements of the rollers controlled by chains each having an end
attached to the top of the sluice, I have the frames carrying the rollers and the
pulleys by means of which the frames are suspended arranged in a recess or space
beyond the edges of the sluice and I have the chains fixed to blocks fitted to slide in
vertical guides. The sluice is provided with trunnions at its ends these trunnions
being as nearly as possible in the horizontal axis passing through its centre of gravity
and these trunnions are fitted to turn in bearings in the blocks hereinbefore referred
to, and to which blocks the gear for counterbalancing and for raising and lowering
the sluice is connected. After the sluice has been raised high enough to be clear of
the rollers it is turned on its trunnions so as to become horizontal, and so as when
turned to present only its thickness vertically. Any convenient device may be applied
for turning the sluice, but according to one very simple arrangement, a guide rail is
fixed in each lateral recess, and on each end of the sluice an arm is fixed with a
forked end engaging on the guide rail. The guide rails are vertical except at and
near the top where they are curved, and they cause the sluice to gradually turn into a
borizontal position as it approaches its highest position, and to return to the vertical
position as it leaves its highest position.
Dated th: C: th of Nomb 1990
.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Sluices or Water Gates.
I, FRANCIS GOULD MORONY STONEY, of Waterside Works, Ipswich, in the County
of Suffolk, Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
:-
My said invention relates to sluices or water gates for situations where it is desired
to have the sluices, when opened, raised to a considerable height, and stowed so as
to allow some kinds of boats or vessels to pass under them; and my invention
comprises an improved and simple combination of sluice and parts connected therewith
which is advantageously suitable for such situations.
In carrying out my invention I apply my well known arrangement of free rollers
for the vertical back and front end edges of the sluice to bear on; but instead of
having the movements of the rollers controlled by chains each having an end attached
to the top of the sluice, I have the frames carrying the rollers and the pulleys by
means of which the frames are suspended arranged in recesses or spaces beyond
the edges of the sluice, and I have the chains fixed to blocks fitted to slide in vertical

page_text: guides. The sluice is provided with trunnions at its ends, these trannions being as
nearly as possible in the horizontal axis passing through its centre of gravity; and
these trunnions are fitted to turn in bearings in the blocks hereinbefore referred to,
and to which blocks the gear for counterbalancing and for raising and lowering the
sluice is connected. After the sluice has been raised high enough to be clear of the
rollers it is turned on its trunnions so as to become horizontal, and so as when
turned to present only its thickness vertically.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood 1 hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to, and representing my improved apparatus as applied to one of
a series of sluices.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, is a front elevation showing one sluice, A, with the two
piers, B, between which it is fitted with their superstructure or bridge, C, one of
the piers being shown as in section. Figure, 2, on sheet, 2, is a vertical section as
at right angles to Figure, 1; and Figure, 3, on sheet, 3, is an enlarged view showing
one end of the sluice in plan, and part of one pier and the guiding and other details
in horizontal section. In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The sluice, A, as represented, is a structure of steel or iron, built up with a
framing of angle bars and comprising horizontal girders, D, strengthened by diagonal
bars, the up-stream side of the sluice being plated and presenting a flat vertical
surface. To each end of the sluice, A, there is fixed a vertical end plate, E, made
with flanges at its sides presenting sufficiently broad flat vertical surfaces to bear on
free rollers, F, and bearing on one set or the other of these rollers accordingly as
the water pressure on the sluice is in one direction or the other. The rollers, F,
themselves bear on stationary vertical bars, G, which, again, bear on the inner edges
of fixed vertical plates, H, forming part of the casing of the recess within which the
end of the sluice works. The bars, G, can rock to a small extent on the edges of
the vertical plates, H, and adjust themselves so that the rollers, F, may bear evenly
on them. The rollers, F, of each set are on spindles fixed in a frame, J, which has
fixed to it a backplate, K, movable freely within guides fixed to the inner side of the
recess casing; and each frame, J, is suspended by a chain passing round a pulley, L,
in the frame and baving one end secured to a fixed point, whilst the other end is
fixed to a block, M, which moves with the sluice, A. With this arrangement, now
well understood, each roller frame, J, moves up or down half as much as the sluice,
in agreement with the proper movements of the rollers, F. At each end of the
sluice, A, there is fixed a trunnion, N, indicated by dotted lines in Figure, 3, which
is fitted to turn in a bearing in the block, M, and wire ropes, P, attached to this
block, M, pass up to and over pulleys, Q, and thence down to a counterweight, R,
moving in an inner chamber provided for it in the pier. The pulleys, Q, are turned,
for lifting or lowering the sluice, by means of bevil wheels actuated by a horizontal
shaft, S, extending to the top of each pier, B, from the middle of the top of the
bridge, C, and there having arranged in connection with it gearing, T, constructed
for being easily worked by means of a crank handle.
In Figure, 2, the sluice, A, is shown in full lines as in its lowest position, and
vertical, and it is shown in dotted lines, U, as in its highest position and horizontal,
and when it is in the latter position there is a considerable clear space below it.
The rollers, F, are in the same figure, shown in full lines in their lowest position
and in dotted lines, V, in their highest position.
Any convenient device may be applied for turning the sluice, from the vertical to
the horizontal position, or vice versa, but simple and convenient apparatus for this
purpose is shown in the drawings. A guide rail, W, is fixed in each lateral or pier
recess, and on each end of the sluice an arm, X, is fixed, this arm being fitted with
a roller, Y, to run between the flanges of the guide rail, W, which is of channel
section. The guide rails, W, have their lower parts vertical but their upper parts
are curved as best seen in Figure, 2, and they cause the sluice to gradually turn into
a horizontal position as it approaches its highest position, and to return to the vertical

page_text: position as it descends from its highest position. This turning movement is facilitated
by fixing the trunnions, N, of the sluice as nearly as conveniently possible in a
horizontal axis passing through the centre of gravity of the sluice.
When the sluice, A, is in its lowest position its bottom rests on the sill, Z, at the
bottom of the passage between the piers, B. Curtain plates, 4, 5, (Figure, 3) close
each lateral or pier recess, excepting a narrow middle part through which the end
of the sluice, A, enters the recess. The sluice end does not however fit at all tightly
in the opening between the curtain plates, 4, 5, but any appreciable quantity of
water is prevented from passing through the recess and round the end of the sluice,
by a round vertical bar, 6, held loosely between the bevilled sides of a groove in a
bar, 7, fixed to the end of the sluice, A. The bar, 6, is by the pressure of the water
made to bear closely between the bar, 7, and a flange at the edge of the curtain plate, 5,
and is horne into contact with one or the other side of the groove in the bar, 7,
accordingly as the pressure is in one direction or the other.
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 combination of parts constituting my improved sluice or water gate with
its accessories the said parts being arranged and operating substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described.
2. The arrangement of the sluice on trunnions combined with means for turning
it thereon, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of July 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.