Improvements in Canal-lifts.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd June, 1889-Accepted, 6th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICAȚION.
[Communicated from abroad by ACTIENGESELLSCHAFT GRUSONWERK, of Magdeburg,
Buckau, in the Empire of Germany.
Improvements in Canal-lifts.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means or apparatus for lifting or raising ships.
The chief object of the said invention is to provide an improved apparatus for
lifting or raising ships intended for use in canals so as to compensate for, differences
in levels, too considerable. to be compensated for by ordinary sluices, or which can
be only thus compensated for by the use of a large quantity of water.
Apparatus of this kind or class as hitherto constructed usually comprises two
troughs filled with water designed for the reception of the ship. These troughs are
alternately raised to the upper canal or lowered to the lower canal by two pistons,
working in hydraulic cylinders communicating with each other. In some cases one
trough only is employed which rests upon a float which moves up and down in
a cylinder, according as the trough is filled more or less with water. For fixing the
apparatus upon the circumference of the cylindrical float an india rubber ring is
employed so that, if liquid under pressure is admitted between it and the float the
said ring expands and presses against the wall of the cylinder, thus forming a tight
joint. For regulating the motion a pipe connecting the upper and the lower part of
the cylinder is employed thus affording an exit for the quantity of water displaced.
This arrangement is disadvantageous by reason of the large dimensions which must
be given to this cylinder for lifting or raising ships of even medium size thus
rendering a tight joint almost impossible.
By the present invention the above mentioned defects are obviated.
In carrying the said invention into practice a trough filled with water is provided
which serves for the reception of the ship. The said trough is supported by means
of columns resting upon one or more hollow cylinders floating in a pit filled with
water and of such dimensions that the buoyancy of the water maintains or nearly
maintains equilibrium with the weight of the trough and its contents. The trough
is guided by means of six or other suitable number of stays and is closed by doors
at both extremities, one or the other of which is opened as soon as the connection and
In order to move the said
joint with the upper or lower canal has been established.
trough, the difference between its weight and the buoyancy of the cylinders in one or
the other direction must be overcome. This is effected in any suitable manner, for
example by hydraulic pressure or by admitting water into or discharging water from
the trough. In the latter arrangement the position of the trough relatively to the
upper canal is so regulated that the opening of the sluice gate admits a sufficient
quantity of water into the said trough, and its position relatively to the lower canal
in such a manner that water flows from the same.
An important feature in the invention is the connection of the float with a peculiar
device for regulating the movement.
This device consists of two or more hydraulic cylinders provided with pistons the
piston rods of which are firmly connected with the above described floats. The upper
and lower portions of these cylinders are connected by suitable pipes one of which
communicates with a rising-pipe and a reservoir which receives the liquid displaced
by the piston during the operation. The reservoir can be shut off by two stop cocks
or valves from the said pipes, in this case the pistons cannot inove downwards; when
the said stop cocks or valves are open they cannot move upwards.

page_text: The said stop cocks or valves are so arranged that they can be conveniently
operated from the platform. Suitable stop cocks or valves are moreover provided for
regulating the velocity of the water entering and leaving the cylinders on the right
and left hand side, if by the inclination of the trough or other causes a higher pressure
is produced in one or the other cylinder.
Two force-pumps are moreover provided which in case of an accident may be
connected to suitable pipes provided for that purpose, for example, when the trough
is to be lowered by the weight of the entering water but has been raised so high that
no water can run into the same. These force pumps are also employed if. the
apparatus is to be temporarily or permanently operated by hydraulic pressure.
Dated this 4th day of September 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COBEL LIPID DI CINICATION.
Improvements in Canal Lifts.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent. Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to canal lifts, that is to say, apparatus for raising and lowering
ships or vessels for use in canals or the like to compensate for differences of level
which are too considerable to be compensated for by ordinary sluices or locks or
which if ordinary sluices or locks were employed would entail the use of very large
quantities of water.
Apparatus of this kind or class as hitherto constructed usually comprises two.
troughs or tanks filled with water designed for the reception of the ship or vessel.
These troughs or tanks are alternately raised to the level of the upper portion of the
canal or lowered to the level of the lower portion of the canal by means of two
pistons working in hydraulic cylinders communicating with each other. In some
cases one trough or tank only is employed which rests upon a float arranged to move
up and down in a cylinder as the said trough or tank is filled more or less with
water. For forming a tight joint between the above mentioned cylindrical float and
the cylinder, an India-rubber ring is usually employed which, when liquid under
pressure is admitted between it and the said float, expands and presses against the
wall of the cylinder, so as to form a more or less perfectly watertight joint. A suitable
relief pipe connecting. the upper and lower part of the cylinder is employed for
regulating the motion and affording an exit for the quantity of water displaced when
the said Hoat is moved up or down.
This arrangement is disadvantageous for several reasons amongst others on account
of the large dimensions which must necessarily be given to the cylinder even in
apparatus which is only intended for lifting or raising ships or vessels of medium
size and the impracticability, or great difficulty of forming a water-tight joint in
large sized cylinders.
By my invention I obviate the above mentioned defects.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical section showing one form of my
improved canal lift.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line y, y, Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 2 some of the parts being shown in elevation
and in a different position.
Figures 5 to 7 are diagrams shewing the position of the various pipes hereinafter
described.

page_text: Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A, A indicate the different levels of the canal. B is a trough or tank filled
with water intended for the reception of a ship or vessel to be raised or lowered.
The trough or tank B is supported upon columns C the lower extremities of which
are secured to one or more hollow cylinders or floats D which float in a pit E filled
with water. The dimensions of the said pit E are such that the buoyancy of the
cylinders will maintain or nearly maintain the said trough or tank B and its
contents in a state of equilibrium. FF are guides or stays for guiding or controlling
the said trough B during its vertical movement. G G are doors situated at both
extremities of the said trough or tank one or the other of which is opened as soon as
the connection and joint with the upper portion A or lower portion A' of the canal
has been satisfactorily established. To impart vertical movement to the said trough
or tank B it is only necessary to overcome the resistance due to friction and to the
difference between the weight of the said tank and the buoyancy of the hollow
cylinders or Hoats D in one or the other direction. This may be effected in any
suitable manner for example by hydraulic pressure or by admitting more water into
or discharging water from the trough or tank B. In the latter arrangement the
position of the said trough or tank B relatively to the upper portion A of the canal is
so regulated that the opening of the sluice gate G will admit a sufficient quantity
of water into the trough or tank and its position relatively to the lower portion A¹ of
the canal is arranged in such a manner that. water will flow from the said trough
or tank.
An important feature of my said invention consists in a peculiar device employed in
connection with the hollow cylinders or floats D for regulating the movement.
This device consists essentially of two or more hydraulic cylinders H provided
with pistons I the piston rods I¹ of which are firmly attached to cross bars or pieces C¹
secured to the columns C thus connecting them with the above described hollow cylinders
or floats D. The upper portions of the hydraulic cylinders H are connected by a pipe
J and the lower portions of the said hydraulic cylinders are connected by a pipe K.
The pipes J and K also communicate by means of pipes L with a reservoir M. The said
reservoir is carried upon girders M' attached to two of the guides or stays F which
are extended for that purpose, and receives the liquid displaced by the pistons I
during the operation of raising or elevating the trough or tank B. Stop-cocks or
valves N N are moreover provided by means of which the reservoir M can be shut
off from the pipes J and K. When the pistons I are at the top of their stroke and the
stop cock or valve N¹ is closed and consequently also the communication between the
said pipes and the reservoir M the pistons I cannot move downwards, when however
the stop cock or valve N is closed the pistons 1 being at the bottom of their stroke the
said pistons I cannot move upwards.
The stop cocks or valves N N¹ are moreover provided with elongated stems or
rods N2 and handles N³ by means of which they can be conveniently operated from
the platforms O. P, P are stopcocks or valves provided in the pipe J, and QQ are
stopcocks or valves provided in the pipe K for regulating the velocity of the water
entering and leaving the hydraulic cylinders H on the right and left hand side, if
owing to the uneven distribution of the weight in the tank or trough B there be a
tendency to inclination to one side of the said trough or tank or from other causes a
higher pressure be produced in one or the other of the said hydraulic cylinders H.
R is a pipe provided with a stop cock or valve R' and connected to the pipe J. S
is another pipe also provided with a stop-cock or valve S¹ and connected to the pipe K,
in case of an accident force pumps may be connected to these pipes. As for example
when the trough or tank B is intended to be lowered by the weight of the entering
water, but has been raised so high that no water can run into it from the canal. The
said force-pumps may be permanently connected to the pipes R and S and may be
employed if the apparatus is temporarily or permanently operated by means of
hydraulic pressure.
It is obvious that I can somewhat modify the construction of my apparatus without
departing from the nature of my said invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
I claim -
First In a canal lift, the combination, with a trough or tank, of one or more
hollow cylinders or floats for supporting the same upon water contained in a pit and
thus equilibrating it, and hydraulic apparatus for raising and lowering the said trough
or tank and the float or floats, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second-The combination of parts comprising the trough or tank and the float or
floats connected with the piston-rods of hydraulic cylinders, which communicate with
each other and with a rising pipe and reservoir, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Third The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described, with
reference to the accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes,
above specified.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.