Improved Means for Utilising the Fall of Water.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
Improved Means for Utilising the Fall of Water.
I JOHN EVELYN LIARDET of 16 Hyde Park Gate in the County of London,
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 is designed to artificially increase a fall of water, so that, for
instance, a fall of one foot may be converted into a fall of thirty feet.
I effect the above substantially as follows:-
I erect a suitable foundation in a river bed or other water or I
may employ a
floating structure, where there is a fall and I cause the water to be carried across
the said foundation or floating structure by means of a syphon, so that the water
falls a distance equal to the height of the syphon.
The fall of water thus obtained may be used to drive water wheels or other
water motors.
And in order that my said invention may be understood I will refer to the
drawings accompanying this Specification in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my apparatus applied to a river at a part where there
is a fall in the level of the water.
Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 shewing a modified form of apparatus, this
figure is drawn to a larger scale.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the views.
a shews foundation built in the river bed. This foundation may be replaced by
a floating structure, in which case this latter would be guided in its rise and fall by
vertical guides 6 floating structures c care shewn in Fig. 2 and the position of the
alternate permanent foundations are indicated by dotted lines. d shews syphon
the mouth e of which is provided with a grating f to prevent extraneous matters
from entering with the water. The syphon is supported by any suitable standards
or stays. g shews outlet of syphon; hh water motors; any number of these
syphons may be used, or a large one may be sub-divided by means of internal
watertight partitions. i shews hose connection, by means of which the syphon may
be filled with water when closed at each end so that when again opened it will
start. At Figs. 1 and 2 is shewn an arrangement of cocks or valves for
simultaneously opening or closing both ends of the syphon: in this arrangement
kk are bevel wheels mounted on a shaft and being connected with the valves at
each end of the syphon d open or close these valves simultaneously when this
shaft is rotated, that is, when the hand wheel m is turned, as this latter is
connected with the shaft by means of spindle n and bevel wheels o and k.
p_shews adjustable air vents. The bulb q connected to one leg of the syphon d
(Fig. 1) is for the purpose of creating extra suction at the inlet e of the said syphon
or the same effect is produced by making the inlet of the syphon formed as at
Fig. 2. rr Fig. 2 shew fires to prevent water in apparatus from freezing during
cold weather and as flues to same. The power is transmitted from the motors or
water wheels h by means of the shafts t and bevel gearing u (shewn at Fig. 1) to
the horizontal shaft v and the power is communicated to the machinery it is desired
to drive by means of pulleys w. shews a sleeve for the outlet leg of the syphon
to work in when required.

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 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved means for utilising the fall of water substantially as set forth.
2. In apparatus for utilising the fall of water the employment of a syphon or
syphons for the purpose set forth.
3. In apparatus for utilising the fall of water, the use of a syphon or syphons in
combination with a bulb or vessel such as that shewn at Fig. 1 of the accompanying
drawing.
4. In apparatus such as that described and shewn on the accompanying drawin..
the employment of fires for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 21st day of January 1896.
BROWNE & Co.,
9 Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.