AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING THE LEVEL OF WATER IN RIVERS. CANALS, AND OTHER WATERCOURSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Léopold Chaubart, of Moissac, France, but tempo-
rarily of Great Tower Street, City, London, Gentleman, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING THE LEVEL OF
WATER IN RIVERS. CANALS, AND OTHER WATERCOURSES."
Sealed the 7th August 1862, and dated the 31st May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Léopold Chaubart at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st May 1862.
I, LEOPOLD CHAUBART, of Moissac, France, but temporarily of Great
Tower Street, City, London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
my Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING THE
LEVEL OF WATER IN RIVERS, CANALS, AND OTHER WATERCOURSES," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in the construction of a self-acting and regulating
bar applicable to watercourses in general.
The bar is constructed in three different parts which may be employed
either together or separately according to the requirements of the applications.
In the following description these three different parts are supposed to be
used in combination.

page_text: For
The first part of my self-acting bar serves for taking the water in the bed of
a river and furnishing it to a branch canal or trench in a constant volume
whatever may be the variations in the level of the water in the river.
this purpose I construct a self-regulating gate, which I place in a part of the
passage of the river between vertical and parallel sides. This water gate is
movable, and is formed of a square or rectangular piece of sheet iron or wood
and bears at about one-third of its height against two iron or wood supports
suitably curved to cause a constant volume of water to flow through the
opening left between the lower edge of this water gate and the masonry
bottom during the balance movement of the gate produced by the variation in
the level of the water in the river.
The second part of my self-acting bar consists in an apparatus for keeping
the up current at a nearly constant height as long as the flow of the river
does not exceed a certain predetermined quantity. This regulator is formed
with masonry work built horizontally across the bed of the river at the side
of the water gate or bar first described, having at its two ends shouldering
parallel walls or piles. On the top of this masonry work, which may be about
three feet high above the bottom. of the river, a self-acting regulating bar is
constructed resting on curves, which allow of their gradually inclining in the
direction of the current of the river in proportion as the flow increases.
soon as the water has attained a fixed height the bar sinks and falls flat on
the bottom, and thus allows a free passage to the water. This flow diminishing
and the level having descended to a fixed depth, the bar retakes its position by
itself by means of counterweights which act when the water has descended to
the fixed point.
.
As
The third part of the self-acting bar consists of a navigable pass constructed
in a line with the second apparatus before described and separated from
that apparatus by a pile. The masonry top is raised about two feet above the
bottom. On this masonry top is placed a movable wrought-iron bar (which
may also be constructed of wood) and occupies the whole length of the passage.
The upper edge of this bar is about four inches above that of the second
apparatus. When this edge is covered by a certain quantity of water, the
bar performs a balance movement and extends itself horizontally on the
top of the masonry. As soon as the decreasing water has reached a depth
fixed beforehand the bar rises and retakes its first position by means of
counterweights.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Léopold Chaubart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEOPOLD
CHAUBART, of Moissac, France, but temporarily of Great Tower. Street,
City, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 31st day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Leopold Chaubart, Her special licence, that I, the said Leopold Chaubart, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Leopold
Chaubart, executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND
APPARATUS POR RAISING THE LEVEL OF WATER IN RIVERS, CANALS, AND OTHER
WATERCOURSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Leopold Chaubart, . executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in-
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same 'to be filed.
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Leopold Chaubart, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the Sheets of Drawings hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon:-
The Invention consists in the construction of a self-acting and regulating
bar or sluice applicable to watercourses in general in the following manner:-
The bar or sluice is constructed in three different parts, which may be
employed either together or separately, according to the application. In the
following description these three different parts are supposed to be used in
combination for the purpose of raising the level of a river, and supplying a
branch canal.
.
The first part of my self-acting bar or sluice serves for taking the water.

page_text: from the bed of a river, and furnishing it. to a branch canal or trench in a
constant volume, whatever the variations may be in the level of the water in
the river. For this purpose I construct a self-regulating sluice gate, which
I place in a part of the passage of the river between vertical and parallel
sides. This water gate is moveable, and is formed of a square or rectangular
piece of sheet iron or wood, and bears at about one-third of its height against
two iron or wood supports, and is suitably curved to cause a constant volume
of water to flow through the opening between the lower edge of this water
gate and the masonry bottom during the balance movement of the gate
produced by the variation in the level of the, water in the river.
The second part of my self-acting bar or sluice serves to keep the water up
river at a nearly constant height so long as the flow of the river does not
exceed a certain predetermined quantity. This regulating overfall sluice is
formed with masonry work built horizontally across the bed of the river at the
side of the sluice gate first described, having at each end parallel walls or
piers. On the top of this masonry work, which may be about three feet high
above the bottom of the river, the self-acting and regulating overfall bar or
sluice is constructed, resting upon curves or cams, which allow of their
gradually inclining in the direction of the current of the river in proportion as
the flow increases. As soon as the water has attained a fixed height the bar
or sluice sinks and falls flat on the bottom, and thus allows a free passage to
the water. This flow diminishing, and the level having descended to a fixed
depth, the bar retakes its position of itself by means of counterweights, which
act when the water has descended to a fixed point.
The third part of my self-acting bar or sluice serves for raising the water
for navigable purposes, and is constructed in a line with the overfall sluice before
described, and separated from it by a pier. The top of the masonry is raised
about two fect above the bottom of the river. On this masonry is placed a
moveable wrought-iron sluice, which may also be constructed of wood. The
top of this sluice is about four inches above that of the overfall sluice. When
the top is covered by a certain quantity of water, the bar or sluice performs a
balance movement, and extends itself horizontally on the top of the masonry
bottom. As soon as the decreasing water has reached a depth. fixed before-
hand, the bar or sluice rises, and takes its first position by means of
counterweights.
In order that my Invention may be better understood, I will now proceed
to describe more fully my improved mode of and apparatus for raising the level
of water by aid of the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, in which Fig. 1,
Sheet 1, is a general plan, showing, Ist, an ordinary canal deck, about thirty-

page_text: nine feet wide; 2dly, the self-regulating sluice or sluice proper, composed of
two gates, one hundred and sixty feet long, and separated by a pier about
eight feet wide; 3rdly, a regulating overfall sluice, about sixty-five feet in
length, separated from the sluice gates by a pier about eight feet in width;
4thly, the waterhead or source for feeding an irrigating or navigable canal
by means of a regulating supply sluice gate, Figs. 5 & 6, which three latter
parts combined constitute my improved self-acting and regulating sluice-gate
or bar; and Figure 2 is an elevation of the same, as seen from below sluice.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is an elevation from below sluice of the pier separating the
sluice gate proper from the overfall sluice gate; Figure 4, vertical section of
a portion of the sluice gate proper and elevation of a pier; Figure 5; Sheet
One, vertical section of the overfall sluice gate and an elevation of the left
bank of the river, and of the waterhead, or source, with its self-acting and
regulating supply sluice gate; Figure 6, Sheet 2, vertical section of the supply
sluice gate or valve. Figure 7, detail side view of the winding cam of the
supply sluice gate; Figure 7ª, edge view of the same; Figure 8, detail. side
view of the winding cam of the overfall sluice; and Figure 9, a vertical section
of the same.
Each of the two sluice gates proper, Figs. 1. & 2, herein-before referred to.
as the third part of the said sluice, consists of a series of forty sheets of wrought
iron of about four feet wide, ten feet in height, and one-fifth of an inch in
thickness, united together in a vertical direction by overlapping joints, rivetted
to one sheet and bolted to the other successively, so as to form a gate one-
hundred & sixty feet in length, projecting out towards the upper part of the
river with a curve of about 5th of the height a, b.. This sluice gate is
provided with forty-one brackets or bearings, bolted, at c, through which a
round iron axle d passes one hundred and sixty feet in length, working freely
in the brackets. At the side of each bracket is fixed, by means of a key or
bolt on the axle d, a square.iron swinging lever d, e, f, Figures 4 and 5, formed
with an eye at e, Figs. 3 & 9, and fixed at its end to a horizontal rod f*.
Through each hole or eye e another round iron bar et passes, fixed to the
lever d, e, f, by a key, and the extremities of which enter the chambers g, h,
made on each side in the thickness of the pier. The weight of the rod f*.
nearly forms an equilibrium round the point e with the total weight of the
sluice gate a, b. At the side of each lever is placed a second bracket or
bearing i, bolted on the square iron.bar g, i, k, and through which the axle e
freely passes. Each extremity of the axle e' rests on a support fixed to the
masonry work, and is provided with a fixed iron bar e, l, passing through the
block of oak m, serving as a counterweight. The lower part of this gate-is

page_text: fastened to twenty iron chains b, n, and is provided towards the lower part
of the river with forty-one curved pivots or feet o, which work in the
sockets of the bar g, b, i, k. The gate is constructed so that its centre
of gravity is situated a little underneath the axle d, round which it can
freely play. The lever d, e, f, being free to play in the bracket i,
will draw along in its movement the rod e, l, and the submerged counter-
weight m. The axis of rotation d of the gate is so situated with regard
to the water pressure, that the gate will be caused to move only when
the water from up river has an elevation of ten feet above low-water mark,
indicated by o¹, and when the water from down river has attained about that
of four feet.. At this time the water in excess of that of the two opposite
pressures will pass over the axis of rotation d, and the gate will oscillate from
up to down river, and the chain n, b, will retain it in the position a', 6'. The
whole of the sluice mechanism will be submerged, and the axis d being
heavier than m and f', and receiving besides the action of the water will fall
to d¹, at the same time bringing f' to f, and 1 to 1, whilst the gate will
occupy the position a", 6", by reason of its weight, so long as the mechanism
remains immersed in the water, which is enabled to pass over the bar without
impediment. The rod e, l, will form with the vertical line an angle of one
degree in the direction of up river. The block of oak being of the same
specific weight as water its weight will be in equilibrium. On the lowering of
the water, the block of wood will be be the first to be immersed, and as its
centre of gravity is in front of the vertical line towards down river, the
block m will form an equilibrium with d, when the level of the river has
descended to thirty-eight inches above low-water mark. The rising of the
sluice gate will take place when the level of the water approaches to
thirty-two inches. Then the point 11, having a tendency to return to Z will
draw d¹ towards d, and f¹ towards f', whilst the curved pivot o of the gate
being drawn along in this movement will slide over the iron bar g, b, and take
its primitive position a, b. The same action will take place with the other
gate, which is independent of the first, or they may be connected by uniting
shafts e, e, in the chamber of the pier common to both. The opening of
the chambers g, h, is closed by a sheet of wrought-iron. The small passage or
opening q will allow the water to enter it freely. Slopes s, t, are cut in the
massive part of the concrete bed or masonry to permit of stones, which the
water may carry along with it passing under the transverse axis e, e. During
the falling or rising of the gate an iron plate p will allow the extremities of
the axle d to slide against the sides of of the pier. These gates perform the
oscillating motion suddenly around the axis of rotation d.

page_text: Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 5 show the overfall sluice gate referred to, as the second part
of the self-acting and regulating sluice working against winding cams,
which enable it to open slowly and by degrees, in proportion as the flow of
the river increases, bending as far as a', 6', which is the position in which
the weight d, overcoming that off and m, falls down to d¹, carrying by its
motion f towards f¹, and 1 to 1, while the gate occupies the position a", 6",
after sliding along the guide n, n. The raising of the gate is produced by the
immersion of the block m, which redescends and raises the said gate to its
The details of construction of the winding cam are
primitive position a, b.
shown in Figs. 8 and 9.
The head of the water supply, Fig. 6, berein-before referred to as the first
part of the said sluice, is provided with a sluice valve or gate of wrought
iron a, b, suspended by two chains c attached to the top of the wrought-iron
winding cam d, fixed to an iron transverse girder e, the extremities of which
are fixed to the sides of the channel of the water source. Two pins f prevent
it from falling lower than an angle of forty-six degrees with the vertical line;
its centre of gravity is at ġ. The feed water runs off underneath its lower
-end b, and the pressure forces it to press against the cam d. In the position
represented by Fig. 6, the volume that runs off amounts to about sixteen
cubic feet per second. When the level of the water rises in the direction of
up river, the valve or gate rises gradually, and the volume passed off remains
the same, because the height of the opening b, h, decreases in proportion as
the weight of water on that opening increases, and these two terms are always
in a constant ratio, until such time as the elevation of water has forced the
valve into a vertical position, and the level has attained its highest point.
The sluice valve descends by degrees as soon as the water commences to
lower. The form of the cam, (on which depends the continuation of the
supply under the lower end of the gate or valve in all positions from that of
forming an angle of forty-six degrees to the vertical and reciprocally,) is an
arc of a circle described by the radius c, i. The action of the sluice is as
follows:-From the preceding description it will be understood that when
there is a rise of river water to the ridge of the regulating outfall it forces the
overfull gate (Fig. 5), to open gradually in proportion as the volume of
water increases, and until it has taken the position of a', 6', the water then
runs over the top of the sluice gate proper, Fig. 4, and when the sheet of
water has acquired a thickness of about sixteen inches, the gates fall down
on the ground. During this time the supply sluice gate gives a constant
supply of sixteen cubic feet per second until the rise or accumulation is about
fourteen feet above low-water mark. It continues the saine supply during

page_text: the decrease of the water, and the gates rise up when the level of the river
has fallen to about thirty-two inches above low-water mark. The three
essential parts of the self-moving and regulating sluice can be applied together
or separately for obtaining power to work mills or machinery in factories, and
to increase the depth of watercourses and canals for navigation and irrigation.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
forming the same, I wish to observe that I do not confine myself to the details
of the dimensions and construction herein laid down, as the same may vary
according to circumstances; but what I claim as my Invention, and desire to
secure by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the improved mode of raising the level of water in canals, rivers, and
watercourses in general for rendering them navigable, and for supplying a
branch canal for irrigating, navigable, or other purposes by the employment of a
self-acting and regulating sluice bar, gate or gates constructed and arranged
in the manner herein-before described and represented in the Figures of the
annexed Drawings.
Secondly. the construction and employment of a self-acting and regulating
sluice gate or gates, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
: before described and represented in the Sheets of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leopold Chaubart, have hereto set
my hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.
L. CHAUBART.
(L.S.)