Improvements in and relating to Water-ways or Canais.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Water-ways or Canais.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to water-ways or canals and has for its chief object to
enable them to be constructed in a less expensive and more expeditious manner
than heretofore and to permit them to be used either for pleasure boats or for boats
of merchandise.
According to my invention the water-way or canal is composed of semi-circular
or other suitably shaped metal plates connected together end to end by any suitable
means and supported by strong brackets or supports arranged at proper intervals
apart to ensure the requisite rigidity of the said curved plates.
Situated preferably centrally along the bed of the said waterway is a rail or
guide upon which appropriately constructed carriages or fastenings are adapted
to run, each carriage being so formed that although it is capable of running along
the rail very freely it will be prevented from becoming detached therefrom. The
boats are connected to this carriage by chains rods or other suitable stays so as to
limit the extent to which the boats can move laterally when they are in motion;
in other words the boats are anchored to the carriages on the rail and are guided
thereby.
I prefer to employ chains or other flexible stays for coupling, the boats to the
aforesaid carriages so as to ensure that the boats shall be water-borne and in
nowise supported by the carriages that run on the aforesaid guide rail.
By means of this guide rail and the flexible connection of the boats thereto, a
comparatively narrow. water-way can be employed and the weight and strength
of the structure be consequently greatly reduced. This will enable me to build
the water-way or canal upon elevated structures of light construction.
When employing my invention for. pleasure boats I may, form the water-way of
circular oval or other suitable contour and provide a steam, launch or other
And in order to add to the effect, the
suitable means for propelling boats.
banks of the water-way may be planted with trees and shrubs and electric lamps
may be. situated along and in proximity to the course in any appropriate manner
for use at night-time. There may be arranged within the space surrounded by
the water-way a band-stand where selections of music may be played, and any
other devices may be employed to add effectiveness and liveliness to the scene.
In some cases the bed of the waterway may be formed of concrete instead of
metal plates as above stated.
Any other suitable means may be employed in place of the guide rail and
carriages for directing the boats in their course.

page_text: When the water-way is used for merchandise I may provide double courses at
intervals to permit of the boats passing each other.
Dated this 9th day of January 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in and relating to water-ways or Canals.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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 relates to water-ways or canals either for pleasure boats or for
boats to carry merchandise and has for its chief object to enable such waterways
or canals to be constructed in a less expensive and more expeditious manner than
heretofore.
According to my invention the water-way or canal is preferably composed of
semi-circular or other suitably curved metal plates. Along the bed of the said
waterway is arranged a rail or guide upon which appropriately constructed
carriages trolleys or fastenings are adapted to run freely without becoming detached
therefrom. The boats are connected to these trolleys by chains, rods or other
suitable stays so as to limit the extent to which the boats can move laterally when
they are in motion; in other words the boats are anchored to the carriages on the
rail and are guided thereby.
When employing my improved waterway or canal for pleasure boats I may form
the water-way of circular, oval, or other suillage contour, and provide a steam
launch or other suitable means for propelling the boats.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully by aid of the accompanying
drawings in which
Ligure 1 is a transverse section illustrating one construction of my improved:
water-way or canal.
Figure 2 shows the manner in which the boats are connected to the guiding
trolleys.
Figure 3 is a side view, and
Figure 4 is an end view of one construction of the trolley herein before referred to.
Figures 5 and 6 are similar views of another construction of trolley.
Figure 7 is a plan, and
Figure 8 an elevation partly in section of a portion of a circular canal or water-
way constructed according to this invention.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 4,
a is one of the curved metal plates on which the bed of the waterway or canal is
formed. These plates are connected together end to end by any suitable means
and are supported by strong brackets or frames to ensure the requisite rigidity.
c is one of the rails or guides which are longitudinally arranged along the bed of
the water-way, preferably centrally thereof as shown. These rails or guides are
provided with lower flanges e¹ and upper flanges e³, the former being secured to the 4
plates a by bolts, rivets or otherwise.
dd are the trolleys with which the boats are connected fore and aft by chains e,
or other suitable flexible connections extending from shackles el secured to the
boat or to spars extending therefrom. These trolleys are conveniently formed of

page_text: cast iron galvanised and are provided in the example shown in Figures 3 & 4
with four wheels or rollers adapted to engage with the upper flanges c
of the aforesaid guide rail as long as there is sufficient strain on
the chains e. The diameter of the said wheels is nearly equal to the distance
between the upper and lower flanges, so what they come in contact with the lower
flanges immediately the strain is taken off the chains e and thus prevent the trolley
from inclining so far to one side as to cause it to grip or bind against the rail.
In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6 however the wheels or rollers d'
of the trolley are made smaller than those in the preceding example and a roller or
rollers d² is or are arranged to run upon the upper surface of the rail so
support the trolley when the chain e is slack.
as to
The flexibility of the connection between the trolleys and the boats ensures the
beats being water-borne and in no wise supported by the said trolleys.
The employment of the guide rail and the connection of the boats thereto in the
manner described permit of a comparatively narrow water-way being employed
and of the weight and strength of the structure being consequently reduced. This
enables the water-way or canal to be built upon light elevated structures if desired.
Obviously instead of a rail such as above referred to, other suitable means may
be arranged at the bottom of the canal for directing or guiding the boats in their
course.
At intervals along the length of the canal I may provide either double courses
or widenings to enable boats to pass one another, these double courses or widenings
being more particularly required for water-ways used for the transport of merchan-
dize, suitable switches being provided at such double courses or widenings to
enable the trolleys to pass from the main guide rail to the branches thereof in such
widenings.
When the improved water-way or canal is employed for pleasure boats, I may
construct it as shown at A in Figures 7 and 8, that is to say, in a circular form,
supported by banks B, which banks in order to add to the effect may be planted
with trees and shrubs, while electric lamps may be situated along and in proximity
to the course in any appropriate manner for use at night-time.
Access may be had to the space surrounded by the water-way by suitable
ornamental bridges C and in the said space may be arranged a band stand D
where selections of music may be played, and any other devices such as flower
beds E may be employed to add effectiveness and liveliness to the scene. The
boats may conveniently be drawn by a tug boat F¹.
Obviously in some cases especially where the water-way is banked up in the
manner shown in Figures 7 and 8 the bed of the same may be formed of concrete
or of brick or stone work instead of metal plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
1. A water way or canal having a rail at the bottom thereof for receiving trolleys
to which the boat is connected, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The construction and arrangement of a canal or water-way suitable for
pleasure boats substantially as described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.