An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Lining Water Channels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1891-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Lining Water Channels.
I, CHARLES HUGH LYON of Ballanee near Ballan in the Colony of Victoria,
Sheep Farmer, 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 has been devised for the purpose of enabling irrigational and other
water channels to be lined in an inexpensive, durable and water-tight manner so as
to prevent the waste of water by soakage which is at present a source of so much
loss to irrigationists.
It consists in feeding continuous lengths of brown paper, straw-board or other
similar material through molten tar and from thence one above the other into the
water channel to be lined, said sheets being afterwards pressed into place by means
of a roller or rollers whose periphery or peripheries is or are formed to correspond
with the shape of the channel.
The apparatus which I have devised for carrying my invention into practice
consists of a tank for containing the molten tar, means for supporting the different
rolls of lining material in position over such tar, guide rolls for conducting the
continuous lengths of lining material first under the surface of and then out of the
tar and into the channel, a contrivance for delivering sand on to the lining material,
and a roller or rollers for pressing the lining material tightly into the channel, as
will be well understood from the following description, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1, is a plan, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a complete apparatus for lining water channels
according to this invention.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the receptacle containing the molten tar, part
of the end of such receptacle being broken away to show the adjustable roller
inside.
0
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 4-4, Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the sand receptacle, together with the rollers
connected thereto.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts in all the
figures.
A represents the tank for containing molten tar and C a bracket or casting
secured to the top of said tank by bolts c or otherwise and formed with
bearings c¹ c² 3 for supporting the ends of the spindles or mandrels upon which
are wound the three rolls D-D-D2 of straw-board, brown paper or other similar
material with which the channel is to be lined. A fire-place or furnace E is
provided underneath the tank A in order that its contents may be maintained at
the requisite temperature, a flue or chimney e being provided at one side of the
tank and connected to the furnace E to carry off the products of combustion.
Inside the tank A beneath the level of the molten tar is a vertically adjustable
roller F whose spindle is kept in position by a pair of fixed vertical guides fon
each side of the tank. This said spindle works in bearings in the lower ends
of a connecting rod f2 which is curved, as illustrated in Figure 3, and extends
from one end of said spindle to the other and moreover projects up above the level
of the molten tar at its centre where it is connected to the inner end of a long
lever f3 which is fulcrummed upon a bracket f* secured to the top of the tank A
and is provided with a heavy weight f³ whose position on the lever f³ can be
adjusted according to the force with which the roller F is required to be held
beneath the surface of the tar.

page_text: At the rear end of the tank A. is mounted a loose guide roller G supported in
bearings g on the sides of said tank and serving to deliver the lengths of straw-
board, brown paper or other similar material which has been passed from the
rolls D-D-D2 under the surface of the molten tar in the tank A.
This tank together with the various rollers and furnace supported on same is
mounted upon wheels a which may be of any suitable construction and arranged
in any convenient manner, such for instance as that illustrated in my drawings.
A curved rod or bar h is rigidly secured to the side of the tank A and at about
its centre is fitted to receive a lynch pin passed through a bracket on another
curved rod or bar 2 whose ends are correspondingly secured to the sides of a
comparatively large shallow receptacle H containing a supply of sand.
In the forward end of this receptacle a sieve or riddle I is suspended by loose
rods i, and is connected by a rod j with a crank pin j₁ projecting from a crank disc
on a shaft supported in bearings underneath the sand receptacle H. This crank
shaft is driven by chain gearing from an intermediate shaft 3 which latter has
motion imparted to it from a sprocket wheel ja on the shaft or spindle k of a com-
paratively heavy roller K whose periphery is made of a shape to conform with that
required to be given to the water channel. The shaft or spindle k of this roller K
also serves to support the sand receptacle H, said spindle or shaft being passed
through bearings k¹ on the lower ends of brackets 2 whose upper ends are rigidly
secured to said sand receptacle, as shown. In cases where it is required to line a
channel having a flat bottom and inclined sides I prefer to employ a flat roller
(such as K) for pressing the straw-board, brown paper, or other lining material
down on said bottom, and to provide a pair of smaller rollers L-L each connected
by rods with the framing of the receptacle H in such a manner as that it will trail
behind said larger roller K and will serve to press the lining material down into
position against the inclined sides of the channel.
Under some circumstances it may be desirable to use a single roller for pressing
the lining into position in which case its periphery would be shaped to correspond
with the channel. For instance, if the latter is required to be semi-circular, the
periphery of said roller would be made semi-circular, or if said channel is to
be V-shaped, then said periphery would be made V-shaped, as will be well
understood.
A pair of removable shafts M are attached to the rear end of the sand
receptacle H to enable my improved apparatus for lining water channels to be
removed from one place to another. The manner of employing my invention is as
follows:-
The tank A is filled with tar, under whose surface the lengths of straw-board,
brown paper, or other similar material are directed by the roller F, whereby more-
over said lengths of material are compressed into one compact length, which is
then led up over the roller G and from thence down under the rollers K-L
whereby it is pressed on to the surface of the channel to be lined. This operation
continues as the apparatus is drawn over the channel to be lined and at the same
time sand will be delivered from the sieve or riddle I on to the surface of the
lining material, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, motion being imparted to said 4
riddle from the main roller K by the connecting rod j, crank pin j and sprocket
gearing shown.
By this means water channels for irrigational and other purposes can be inex-
pensively and yet efficiently made perfectly water-tight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven- 5
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The herein described method of lining water channels consisting essentially
in conducting continuous lengths of straw-board, brown paper, or other similar
material under the surface of molten tar, and then one above the other into the 5
channel to be lined, afterwards pressing said material on to the surface of said

page_text: channels by means of a roller or rollers, substantially as herein described and
explained.
Second. In apparatus for lining water channels, the combination with a tank
containing tar of a roll or rolls of straw-board, brown paper or other similar
material together with a guide roller (such as F) for leading such continuous length
or lengths of material under the surface of such tar, together with another guide
roller (such as G) arranged to deliver such continuous length or lengths of material
over the rear end of said tank, the whole being constructed and arranged sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In apparatus for lining water channels the combination with a guide
roller (such as F) having the ends of its spindle fitted between fixed vertical
guides (such as f¹) of a lever (such as f³) fitted with an adjustable weight (such
as f) and connected with the spindle of said roller by a rod (such as f2) the
whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein
specified and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In apparatus for lining water channels the combination with a tank (such
as A) fitted with guide rollers (such as F-G) for conducting continuous lengths
of brown paper or straw-board under the surface of a quantity of tar contained
therein, of a roller or rollers (such as K-L) for pressing the material delivered
from the rear end of said tank on to the surface of the channel to be lined, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In apparatus for lining water channels the combination with a roller or
rollers (such as K-L) adapted to press continuous lengths of straw-board, brown
paper, or other similar material on to the surface of such channels, of a screen or
riddle (such as I) having a shaking motion imparted to it preferably by gearing
driven from said roller, said screen being arranged in front of this latter, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. In apparatus for lining water channels according to the method herein
described, the employment of a roller having its periphery formed to correspond
with that of the channel to be lined, or as an alternative, the employment of a set
of rollers, one (such as K) having its periphery shaped to suit the bottom of said
channel and the others (such as L) to correspond with the sides of said channel,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained.
Dated this 22nd day of June One thousand eight hundred and ninety-one.
CHARLES HUGH LYON.
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.