IMPROVE- MENTS IN WEIR PENSTOCKS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Waller and Frederick Colyer, both of Holland
Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WEIR PENSTOCKS."
Sealed the 13th June 1879, and dated the 17th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Waller and Frederick
Colyer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December
1878.
GEORGE WALLER and FREDERICK COLYER, both of Holland Street, Southwark, in
the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIR PENSTOOKS."
This Invention has for its object the constraction of weir penstocks in such a
manner that on opening one so formed the door of it will constitute a weir capable
of being adjusted to any desired height.
The Invention consists in constructing the framing of the penstock in a number
of parts, and in facing the whole of that surface of the door that rubs against the
face or seat of the frame that is fixed to the outlet of the sewer or other conduit, or
channel, or reservoir, and by providing a chamber or recess beneath the outlet to
receive the door when opened, the door being in this Invention lowered for the
purpose of opening it, and raised for shutting it. The door is raised and lowered
by means of a winch handle, worm, and worm wheel operating on a vertical spindle
that carries a worn which gears into a rack fixed to the outer face of the door. In
lieu of the arrangement just described for actuating the door any other suitable gear
may be employed. On each side of the frame of the penstock there is provided a
pulley, chain, and counterpoise to assist the mechanical action when adjusting the
position of the door. Through the upper part of the frame there passes on each
side a spindle connected with two wedges. Each spindle has at its upper part a
toothed wheel, into which a pinion geared, and upon turning this pinion by a
suitable handle the spindle is made to revolve and draw up the two wedges until
IDS71

page_text: they meet the inclined surfaces of a rubbing piece placed between the door and the
flange of the frame. By these means the penstock may be made watertight in any
position, for on slacking the wedges the door may be raised or lowered to suit the
circumstances, and on giving one or more turns of the tightening handle the wedges
will be raised and brought to bear against the rubbing piece and the flange, and as
the rubbing piece takes a bearing upon the whole depth of the penstock a water-
tight joint is ensured. The upper part of the door is furnished with a lip to carry
the outflowing water over the well or chamber, and so prevent solid matter that
might be carried with it from falling into the said well. Further protection is
afforded by providing boards or a wooden cover to prevent the ingress of sand or
other objectionable matter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Waller and Frederick Colyer in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th June 1879.
GEORGE WALLER and FREDERICK COLYER, both of Holland Street, Southwark, in
the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIR PENSTOCKS."
This Invention has for its object the construction of weir penstocks in such a
manner that on opening one so formed the door of it will constitute a weir capable
of being adjusted to any desired height.
The Invention consists in constructing the framing of the penstock in a number
of parts, and in facing the whole of that surface of the door that rubs against the
face or seat of the frame that is fixed to the outlet of the sewer or other conduit;
or channel, or reservoir, and by providing a chamber or recess beneath the outlet to
receive the door when opened, the door being in this Invention lowered for the
purpose of opening it, and raised for shutting it. The door is raised and lowered
by means of a winch handle, worm, and worm wheel operating on a vertical spindle
that carries a worm which gears into a rack fixed to the outer face of the door. In
lieu of the arrangement just described for actuating the door any other suitable gear
may be employed. On each side of the frame of the penstock there is provided a
pulley, chain, and counterpoise to assist the mechanical action when adjusting the
position of the door. Through the upper part of the frame there passes on each
side a spindle connected with two wedges. Each spindle has at its upper part a
toothed wheel, into which a pinion is geared, and upon turning this pinion by a
suitable handle the spindle is made to revolve and draw up the two wedges until
they meet the inclined surfaces of a rubbing piece placed between the door and the
flange of the frame. By these means the penstock may be made watertight in any
position, for on slacking the wedges the door may be raised or lowered to suit the
circumstances, and on giving one or more tarns of the tightening handle the wedges
will be raised and brought to bear against the rubbing piece and the flange, and as
the rubbing piece takes a bearing upon the whole depth of the penstock a water-
tight joint is insured. The upper part of the door is furnished with a lip to carry
the outflowing water over the well or chamber, and so prevent solid matter that
might be carried with it from falling into the said well. Further protection is
afforded by providing boards or a wooden cover to prevent the ingress of sand or
other objectionable matter.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings are attached
hereto, of which the following is a description:-Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one
half of the weir penstock, framing, and gear for actuating it; Fig. 2 is a vertical
section through the centre A, B, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of part of the
door, and shows the wedge, wedge holder, and rubbing piece to a larger scale;
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a plan of the same. In Fig. 1 C
is the outlet of the sewer or other watercourse; D is the frame of the weir penstock;
and E, the sliding door faced over the whole surface next the frame, and is raised
or lowered by means of the handle F, which on being turned causes a worm G,
Fig. 2, to revolve and operate on the worm wheel H, which is keyed on to the
rod I. This rod I when turned causes the worm J to revolve, and as the worm
takes into a rack K fixed to the door the latter is made to rise or fall at the will of
the operator. When the door is raised or lowered to its intended position " key is
applied to the square head L in connection with the pinion M, which gears into the
wheel N and so turns the rod O. On turning this rod, which is screwed at P, the
wedges Q, Q, are drawn up and tighten themselves between the wedge holder R
and the door, and in this way produce a water tight joint between the door and
the frame surrounding the sewer. The upper part of the door is formed with a lip S
for the purpose of directing the water and preventing solid matter from entering the
well T which receives the door when the latter is lowered, the counterpoise U

page_text: assisting the operation. V, V, are boards hinged at W, and provided on each side
with a shield X; they have also a float Y attached beneath, and are used to prevent
the ingress of extraneous matter. In Fig. 1 one half only of the Figure is shown,
the other half being an exact counterpart. In each of the Figures similar letters
refer to the same parts.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we
would observe in conclusion that we do not confine or restrict ourselves to the precise
details or arrangements that we have described or referred to, as variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of this
Invention, but what we consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to us by the berein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction of weir penstocks so that they may be kept water tight
when in any position by movable wedges Q for the purpose of tightening the door,
and the arrangement of the special gear for working the same, as herein described
and shown on the Drawings.
Second. The lip or apron attached to the door to prevent sand or other extraneous
matter falling into the well or chamber beneath, as herein described and shown on
the Drawings; and
Third. The floating and hinged timber covering, with side shields, as herein
described and shown on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Colyer, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
F. COLYER (L.S.)