IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR DAMS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Milton Bibbins, of Williams Port, in Lycoming
County and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, but at present
of the Office for Patents, 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR DAMS." A communication
from abroad by John Du Bois, of Du Bois, Clearfield County and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Milton Bibbins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1881.
JOHN MILTON BIBBINS, of Williams Port, in Lycoming County and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, but at present of the Office for Patents,
323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
OR DAMS." A communication from abroad by John Du Bois, of Du Bois, Clearfield
County and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of dams and gates which are made in
sections, & raised by admitting water beneath them, and lowered by permitting
said water to escape. In the practical use of the lock it is necessary that the gates
should be depressed beneath the level of the standing water, in order that the
boata, &c., may pass over them. This depression of the gates may be accomplished
by making them boyant and providing means to force them down, or by adapting
them to sink in the water and providing means for forcing them up.
In general terms the apparatus consists of a suitable frame work or structure
which carries the jointed leaves or gates, the axes of the joints lying across the
river or other water to be dammed; one or more side shoots or flumes are provided.
for admitting the water underneath the leaves, or for withdrawing and letting it
off. The leaves consist by preference of three sections, which lie flat or nearly so
upon the bottom when down, but can be raised as stated by admitting the water
underneath; one or both sections must be hinged or jointed to the framework, or
one section may be jointed to the framework and the second section to the first,

page_text: and the third section or apron is jointed to the upstream section and overlaps the
second section, thus protecting it and also preventing a straight descent upon
the second section in case of logs, &c., passing down. Into the edges of these
sections I prefer to insert wooden or other suitable strips, which may be pressed
outward by springs or by letting the water in behind so as to press them outwards;
the object of these strips is to make tight joints between the sections and walls of
the structure, or between different portions of the sections themselves.
The admission of the water underneath the leaves may be controlled by wickets
in connection with the flumes, and these wickets may be controlled or actuated by
manual labour or automatically, as with a float; but in general I prefer to work
them by hand, and provide means of automatically regulating the height of water
to be admitted beneath the leaves.
By this means the wickets may be fixed with the desired amount of opening and
left without attention until an increased or diminished admission of water is
needed. The regulation of the height of the water may be accomplished in various
ways, but a simple and practicable way of doing it is to provide an overflow in
connection with the flume, one or more sides or walls of which are adjustable for
height, so that when the water reaches up to the top of this wall or side it
overflows, and the leaves of course rise no higher.
The adjustable wall may be formed of planks or boards laid horizontally in
suitable grooves in the framing, so that to raise the level of the leaves more boards
are added, or to reduce the level boards are taken away.
Where practicable I generally construct these dams of timber as much as possible,
employing such iron or other materials as may be necessary; nevertheless, I do not
bind myself to these materials only, as it is evident that the structure may be
formed, for instance, almost entirely of iron or masonry, and very little timber be
used.
In some cases I prefer to take the water necessary for elevating the leaves froin
some distance up the stream, and I accomplish this by means of a pipe or conduit
opening into the flume, which must in this case be closed in on top as well as
elsewhere, or opening beneath the leaves; when this pipe is employed it will be
noticed that the leaves cannot be lowered without driving back the volume of
water contained in the said pipe or conduit, which may be of any desired and
suitable length.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Milton Bibbins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th April 1882.
JOHN MILTON BIBBINS, of Williams Port, in Lycoming County and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, but at present of the Office for Patents,
323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
OR DAMS. A communication from abroad by John Du Bois, of Du Bois, Clearfield
County and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
P
This Invention relates to that class of dams and gates which are made in sections
and raised by admitting water beneath them, and lowered by permitting said water
to escape. In the practical use of the lock it is necessary that the gates should be
depressed beneath the level of the standing water in order that the boats, &c., may
pass over them. This depression of the gates may be accomplished by making
them buoyant and providing means to force them down, or by adapting them to
sink into the water and providing means for forcing them up.
In general terms the apparatus consists of a suitable frame work or structure
which carries the jointed leaves or gates, the axes of the joints lying across the
river or other water to be dammed; one or more side shoots or flumes are provided
for admitting the water underneath the leaves, or for withdrawing and letting it
off. The leaves consist by preference of three sections, which lie flat or nearly so
upon the bottom when down, but can be raised as stated by admitting the water
underneath. One or both sections must be hinged or jointed to the framework, or
one section may be jointed to the framework and the second section to the first,
and the third section or apron is jointed to the up-stream section and overlaps the
second section, thus protecting it, and also preventing a straight descent upon the
second section in case of logs, ice, &c., passing down. Into the edges of these
sections I prefer to insert wooden or other suitable strips, which may be pressed
outward by springs or by letting the water in behind so as to press them outwards.
The object of these strips is to make tight joints between the sections and walls of
the structure, or between different portions of the sections themselves.
The admission of the water underneath the leaves may be controlled by wickets
in connection with the flumes, and these wickets may be controlled or actuated by
manual labour or automatically, as with a float, but in general I prefer to work
them by hand and provide means for automatically regulating the height of water
to be admitted beneath the leaves. By this means the wickets may be fixed with
the desired amount of opening and left without attention until an increased or
diminished admission of water is needed. The regulation of the height of the water
may be accomplished in various ways, but a simple and practicable way of doing it
is to provide an overflow in connection with the flume, one or more sides or walls
of which are adjustable for height, so that when the water reaches up to the top
of this wall or side it overflows and the leaves of course rise no higher.
The adjustable wall may be formed of planks or boards laid horizontally in
suitable grooves in the framing, so that to raise the level of the leaves more boards.
are added; or to reduce the level boards are taken away.
Where practicable, I generally construct these dams of timber as much as
possible, employing such iron or other materials as may be necessary; nevertheless,
I do not bind myself to these materials only, as it is evident that the structure
may be formed, for instance, almost entirely of iron or masonry, and very little
timber be used.

page_text: In some cases I prefer to take the water necessary for elevating the leaves from
some distance up the stream, and I accomplish this by means of a pipe or conduit
opening into the flume, which must in this case be closed in on top as well as
elsewhere, or opening beneath the leaves; when this pipe is employed it will be
noticed that the leaves cannot be lowered without driving back the volume of
water contained in the said pipe or conduit which may be of any desired and
suitable length.
Reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which like letters
represent like parts, Fig. 1 is a plan of the dam showing the flume B and shoot E for
the water to escape by; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the dam, the flume being
removed; Fig. 3 is a cross section through the dam, flume, and shoot; Fig. 4 is an
elevation partly in section of the flume, with a float apparatus for adjusting the
level to which the dam is to rise; and Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 4.
A is the dam; B, the flume; C, the leaves or sections of the dam; D, the overflow
from the flume B; E, the shoot through which the water passes after leaving the
flume; F are gates or equivalent for admitting water to the flume; and G are
similar gates for letting off the water from the flume.
The water is supposed to flow in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, and the
dam being down it flows over the top. To raise the dam the gates F are opened
and water admitted into the flume B, whence it flows by the opening H in the
framework into the interior of the dam A, raising the leaves or sections C as it rises
inside.
Various means may be adopted for preventing the leaves C from rising too high,
such as chains secured to the frame work, which will only allow the leaves to lift a
certain distance, or by having pins or projections at the end C of the loose leaf
sliding into suitable grooves in the framework, which will prevent the leaf drawing
back too far and so prevent the whole from rising. A better plan however than
either of these, inasmuch as it saves the severe straining, and is readily adjustable,
is to employ the overflow D, at least one side of which is adjustable for height.
The section, Fig. 3, shows this arrangement very clearly; the side within the flume
is formed of boards I or their equivalent, whose ends slide in grooves D¹ in the
ends of the overflow D (see Figs. 1 and 3). A sufficient number of these boards is
inserted to raise the water, and therefore the damn leaves C to the required height,
and the water having reached that level flows over the side into the overflow D
(which must be of sufficient capacity to carry off all the excess water entering by
the gates F), and away by the shoot E back to the main water below the dam, the
damn leaves C remaining at the height to which they were set. If it is desired to
raise the leaves higher the requisite number of boards must be added to the side
of D; or if the leaves are too high, one or more boards must be removed. When
it is required to lay the dam-leaves down flat upon the bottom the up stream gates
F are closed and the gates G at the down stream end of the flume are opened; the
water then runs out and the leaves sink down by their own weight.
Another way of actuating the leaves is to allow the water permanent access
underneath the leaves, which will keep them up, and to provide means,
such as
chains and winches, by which the leaves can be forced down against the pressure
of the water, but the former plan is generally preferable.
Suitable provision is made in any ordinary manner for fixing any or all of the
gates of the flume open to the required extent. The gates in the Drawing are
turned by means of vertical rods, as shown, but other forms of gates may be
employed, such, for instance, as rise and fall vertically.
In Figs. 4 and 5 an alternative way of regulating the height of the dam leaves
is shown. A float L in the flume B rises with the level of the water in the flume,
and by the central rod L' to which it is attached, and the levers L and N and
crank N¹ on one side, and by the levers L³ and M and crank M¹ on the other side,
opens the gate G and closes gate F, thereby stopping the rise of the dam leaves.
As leakage is apt to take place between the leaves and the framework, or

page_text: between different sections of the leaves when they abut against each other, I
employ strips of wood, or the like, or wood faced with rubber J, which lie in
suitable grooves in the edges of the leaves, and are pressed outwards by. any
suitable form of springs J, or by letting the water in behind the strips by
means of the holes K, as will be readily understood. The joints of the leaves may
be made tight by nailing or otherwise securing over them strips of pliant water-
proof material, such as indiarubber or leather, which should be placed upon the
underside of the leaves for safety; but where the leaves work against the frame-
work, the packing strips previously described are preferable. It will be observed
by referring to Fig. 1 that each leaf of the dam, instead of being made in one
continuous length, is composed of a number of sections arranged side by side, which
can be removed separately if desired. By thus constructing the dam and providing
the packing between the edges a better and more satisfactory action is secured in
the event of the foundations springing or becoming untrue, and also in the case of
very broad rivers, &c., where a great number of sections can be arranged side by
Bide. The sections of each leaf should overlap the joints or "break joints" with
the sections of the other leaf or leaves, as will be seen on reference to Fig. 1. I
have not shown any view of the pipe or conduit for bringing the water from a
distance for operating the dam leaves, as it will be easily understood without. It
may be of any suitable construction, and terminate in the closed flume, or may open
direct underneath the dam leaves, and is particularly applicable where a good head
of water is required under the leaves, as for instance, in harbour work, where
it may be desirable to raise the leaves partly out of the water, which cannot easily
be done without an extra pressure. Where no sufficient head of water can be
obtained within a reasonable distance, the deficiency may be made good by forcing
the water mechanically into the conduit and so obtaining an equivalent pressure.
No description has here been given of the foundations, as these may be of any
well known and suitable construction in concrete, masonry, timber, &c.
Having now described the said Invention as communicated to me by foreign
correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood
that what I claim and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. In combination with a flexible dam or gate, means for conducting and
maintaining water thereunder, and an elevated overflow or discharge to limit the
water pressure beneath the dam, substantially as and for the purposes set forth
and shown.
Second. The combination of a jointed or flexible dam or gate elevated by the
admission of water thereunder with an outlet adjustable for height to limit the
head of water beneath the dam, substantially as set forth and shown.
Third. In combination with the flexible dam, the flume B, gates F and G,
and discharge or overflow chamber D, arranged in connection with the flume,
substantially as set forth and shown.
Fourth. In combination with the dam A, flume B, and means for retaining a
head of water in the flume and beneath the dam, the overflow chamber D provided
with removable boards I or their equivalent, whereby the level of the water under-
neath the dam leaves may be regulated, substantially as set forth and shown.
Fifth. In combination with the flexible dam, the packing strip J or its
equivalent at the edges of the leaves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth
and shown.
Sixth. The flexible dam or gate, having each of its leaves composed of two or
more sections arranged side by side, as and for the purposes set forth and shown.
Seventh. In combination with the dam sections arranged edge to edge, the
packing strip inserted in a groove in one edge and urged outward by springs or
an equivalent device, substantially as set forth and shown.
Eighth. In combination with the flexible dam, the employment of the pipe or
conduit opening into an enclosed flume or under the dam leaves, whereby extra

page_text: pressure may be brought to bear underneath said leaves, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Milton Bibbins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
TNA 35
DIDDING
JNO. M. DIDDING
(1.6)