IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR DAMS.
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county
of Lancaster Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
OR DAMS. a communication to him from John Du Bois a person resident at.
Du Bois, Clearfield county, state of Pennsylvania, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1883.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR DAMS a communication to me from John'
Du Bois, a person resident at Du Bois, Clearfield County, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America.
This invention relates to improvements in that class of flexible dams composed of
hinged leaves or aprons controlled by the admission of water thereunder, as
represented in specification of letters patent N° 4453 of 1881. granted to.
Mr J. M. Bibbins, as a communication from the said John Dubois..
When these dams are made of great length, it is found that they are somewhat
flexible, and that the inflowing and outflowing water thereunder, varying
momentarily in level at different points, will cause the dam to rise or sink more:
rapidly at one point than at another.
The first part of this invention is designed to avoid this trouble by compelling
the dam to rise and fall uniformly throughout its length, and to this end consists.
in combining with the dam, racks and connecting pinions distributed at suitable.
distances apart, or other equivalent devices.
Another difficulty encountered in the use of a long dam, arises from the fact that
the foundation may under unfavorable conditions settle unequally; and thus throw

page_text: the hinges out of line, in which event the motion of the parts will be impeded. To
overcome this trouble, the hinges are constructed in such manner as to permit a
limited sliding motion in the joint in a direction transverse to the axis, this being
usually accomplished by slotting one of the leaves to slide on the hinge pin.
In its general construction and mode of operation, the dam may be the same
as that described in the specification of said Letters Patent N° 4453, of 1881.
The upper or up-stream leaf is hinged, to the floor or foundation of the dam; the
down-stream leaf is hinged to the upper edge of the up-stream leaf, and connected
by a sliding joint to the foundation. The down-stream edge of the inner leaf is
hinged to the foundation, and its opposite edge arranged to rest freely under the
down-stream leaf or apron, all as in the patent referred to. Suitable inlet and
outlet flumes and controlling gates having no connection with the present
invention, are arranged to control the passage of the water to and from the space
beneath the leaves.
Referring now to the means for rendering the vertical motion of the dam
uniform. To the floor or foundation, in fixed bearings or boxes, is mounted a
horizontal shaft, extending lengthwise of the dam from end to end, or any required
portion of its length. On this shaft, at any suitable distances apart, are secured a
series of pinions, and to the lower sliding edge of the dam are secured a corre-
sponding series of rack bars, which engage with the respective pinions. The
pinions connected by the shaft are compelled to revolve in unison, and consequently
compel the racks to move in like manner, the racks in turn compelling a uniform
motion of the dam throughout its length, and thereby maintaining uniformity in
the height of the dam from end to end.
The racks may be mounted and guided in any suitable manner, but it is preferred
to arrange them with the teeth upon the underside, and to seat their edges in
grooves or guides formed in fixed bed-plates, bolted to the foundation. These bed-
plates are constructed with cavities or recesses to admit the pinions. The shaft
connecting the pinious is preferably extended beneath the floor or surface of the
foundation, but it may be otherwise arranged, if preferred. The rack-bars aro
made of such length as to cover at all times the recess in which the pinion is
located, thus protecting the latter from the entrance of sediment or other
obstructive matters.
While it is preferred to employ the fixed pinions and movable racks as above
described, the reverse arrangement may be adopted. In this example the
longitudinal shaft to which the pinions are keyed, is attached to and moves with
the lower edge of the dam, while the rack-bars with which the pinions engage are
bolted fast to the foundation. The action of this second-arrangement is essentially
the same as that first described. Instead of locating the rack and pinions at the
lower edge of the dam, they may be arranged within the same in such way that
the pinion supporting shaft is fixed to the floor or foundation, and the rack-bars
pivotted at one end to the underside of the dam, their opposite ends being arranged
to move over the pinions as the dain rises and falls.
Still another arrangement for accomplishing the same result as that produced by
a rack and pinion, is that wherein the horizontal shaft is extended lengthwise
within the dam and provided with a series of radial arms, arranged in line, and
each connected by a link, with one of the leaves of the dam. This arrangement
like the preceding one, will compel the dam to rise and fall uniformly throughout
its length, but being more expensive than the rack and pinions will not be
employed in ordinary cases.
The essence of the invention consists in combining with the flexible dam, the
mechanism adapted to compel the uniform rise and full at all points therein, and
many mechanical devices adapted for this purpose will suggest themselves to the
skilled mechanic.
Passing now to the second feature of the invention, namely the hinges to
compensate for the inequalities or irregularities in the foundation. Each hinge

page_text: consists essentially of two leaves or parts, and bolted, the former to the foundation
and the latter to the leaf of the dam, the two being connected by a horizontal shaft
or pivot pin, as in the patent before reforred to. The upper leaf or part, however,
instead of being constructed with a round hole closely fitting the shaft, is con-
structed with a horizontal clongated opening or slot, which permits the dam to
move laterally on the shaft. This feature may be applied to the hinges at both
edges of the dam, or to those at one edge only, as required.
In practice it is found that the hinge thus constructed will permit the hinge to
adjust itself in such manner that the dam will rise and fall with perfect freedom
and will remain tight at the hinges, although the foundation may vary to a limited
extent from a straight line.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Patent Office on the 30th January
1884.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster, Civil Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND DAMS' A communication to me from John
Du Bois, a person resident at Du Bois, Clearfield County, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America.
This invention relates to improvements in that class of flexible dams composed
of hinged leaves or aprons controlled by the admission of water thereunder, as 1
represented in specification of letters patent N° 4453 of 1881, granted to
Mr J. M. Bibbins as a communication from the said John Du Bois.
When these dams are made of great length, it is found that they are somewhat
flexible, and that the inflowing and outflowing water thereunder varying
momentarily in level at difforent points, will cause the dam to rise or sink more
rapidly at one point than at another.
The first part of this invention is designed to avoid this trouble by compelling
the dam to rise and fall uniformly throughout its length, and to this end consists
in combining with the dam, racks and connecting pinions distributed at suitable
distances apart or other equivalent devices.
Another difficulty-encountered-in-the-use-of.a.long dam arises from the fact that
the foundation may under unfavorable conditions settle unequally and thus throw
the hinges out of line, in which event the notion of the parts will be impeded.
To overcome this trouble the hinges are constructed in such manner as to permit a
limited sliding motion in the joint in a direction transverse to the axis, this being
usually accomplished by slotting one of the leaves to slide on the hinge pin.
Referring to the drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a vertical cross-scetion of a dam containing the improvements.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line X X.
Fig. 4 is a view of a modified plan wherein the pinions are attached to the dam
and arranged to move over the stationary racks.
Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the dam in a modified form, a link
connection between the rock shaft and the leaves of the damn being used in place of
the rack and pinions.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the leaves or sections of the hinge by which
the edge of the dam is connected to the foundation.
In its general construction and mode of operation, the dam may be the same as
that described in the specification of said letters patent No 4453 of 1881.
Referring to the drawings A represents the floor or foundation of the dam.
B the upper or up-stream leaf hinged at C to the foundation; D the down-stream
leaf hinged at E to the upper edge of B, and connected at F by a sliding joint to
the foundation, and G the inner leaf having its down-stream edge hinged to the
foundation at H, and its opposite edge arranged to rest freely under the leaf or
apron D, all as in the patent referred to. Suitable inlet and outlet flumes and
controlling. gates having no connection with the present invention are arranged
to control the passage of the water to and from the space beneath the leaves.
Referring now to the means for rendering the vertical notion of the dam uniform,
attention is directed to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 which represent the preferred arrangement.
To the floor or foundation in fixed bearings or boxes I is mounted a horizontal

page_text: shaft K, extending lengthwise of the dam from end to end, or any required portion.
of its length. On this shaft at any suitable distances apart are secured a sories of
pinions L, and to the lower sliding edge of the dam are secured a corresponding
series of rack bars M which engage with the respective pinions. The pinions.
connected by the shaft are compelled to revolve in unison, and consequently compel.
the racks to move in like manner, the racks in turn compelling a uniform motion.
of the dam throughout its length, and thereby maintaining at all times and under
all circumstances a uniformity in the height of the dam from end to end.
The racks may be mounted and guided in any suitable manner, but it is
preferred as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to arrange them with the teeth upon the
underside, and to seat their edges in grooves or guides formed in fixed bed-plates N
bolted to the foundation. These bed-plates as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 are
constructed with cavities or recesses to admit the pinions. The shaft connecting.
the pinions is preferably extended beneath the floor or surface of the foundation as
shown in the drawings, but it may be otherwise arranged if preferred. The rack
bars arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 are made of such length as to cover at.
all times the recess in which the pinion is located, thus protecting the latter from
the entrance of sediment or other obstructive matters.
3
While it is preferred to employ the fixed pinions and movable racks as above.
described, the reverse arrangement may be adopted as shown in Fig. 4. In this
example the longitudinal shaft to which the pinions are keyed, is attached to and
moves with the lower edge of the dam, while the rack bars with which the pinions
engage are bolted fast to the foundation. The action of this second arrangement is
essentially the same as that first described. Instead of locating the rack and
pinions at the lower edge of the dam they may be arranged within the same, as
represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1, in which it will be seen that the pinion
supporting shaft is fixed to the floor or foundation and the rack-bars pivoted at one
end to the underside of the dam, their opposite ends being arranged to move over
the pinions as the dam rises and falls.
Still another arrangement for accomplishing the same result as that produced by
a rack and pinion is represented in Fig. 5. In this example the horizontal shaft
is extended lengthwise within the dam and provided with a series of radial armsɑ,
arranged in line and each connected by a link b with one of the leaves of the dain.
This arrangement like the preceding one will compel the dam to rise and fall
uniformly throughout its length, but being more expensive than the rack and pinions
will not be employed in ordinary cases.
The essence of the invention consists in combining with the flexible dam, the
mechanism adapted to compel the uniform rise and fall at all points therein, and
many mechanical devices adapted for this purpose will suggest themselves to the
skilled mechanic.
Passing now to the second feature of the invention, namely the hinges to com-
pensate for the inequalities or irregularities in the foundation, reference is made to
Figs. 1 and 6. Each hinge consists essentially of two leaves or parts o and n,
bolted the former to the foundation and the latter to the leaf of the dam, the two
being connected by a horizontal shaft or pivot pin p, as in the patent before
referred to. The upper leaf or part n however, instead of being constructed with a
round hole closely fitting the shaft, is constructed with a horizontal elongated
opening or slot c, which permits the dam to move laterally on the shaft. This
feature may be applied to the hinges at both edges of the dam, or to those at one
edge only, as required.
In practice it is found that the hinge thus constructed will permit the hinge
to adjust itself in such manner that the dam will rise and fall with perfect freedom,
and will remain tight at the hinges although the foundation may vary to a limited
extent from a straight line.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me, I wish it to bo
understood that what I desire to protect under the letters patent is :-
1st. In combination with a flexible dam substantially as herein described, means

page_text: substantially as described acting to insure the uniform rise and fall of the dam at
different points in its length.
2nd. In combination with a flexible rising and falling dam substantially as
described, a shaft extended lengthwise thereof, and means substantially as
described connecting said shaft at various points with the dam, said connections
adapted to insure the uniform rising and falling of the dam at the various points
in its length.
3rd. In combination with a rising and falling dam substantially as described, a
longitudinal shaft provided with pinions secured thereto, and a series of rack-bars
operating in connection with said pinions.
"
4th. In combination with a flexible damn substantially as described, a series of
rack-bars attached to and moving therewith, a longitudinal shaft in fixed bearings,
and a series of pinions secured to said shaft and engaging with the rack-bars.
☐ 5th. In combination with the rising and falling dan substantially as described,
the rack-bars attached thereto, the pinion, the connecting shaft, and the rack-
supporting guides M, constructed substantially as described.
6th. In a flexible rising and falling dam substantially as described, the hinge
adapted substantially as described to permit both a swinging and a sliding motion
of the edge of the dam.
In witness whereof I, the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fourth day of January in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty four..
WP THOMPSON (ra)