IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER MOTORS
Year: 1885

page_text: I SAMUEL SEALY ALLIN of 52 Woodstock Road, Bedford Park in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER MOTORS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The object of this Invention is to obtain from water power, a larger per centage
of force than bas hitherto been obtained.
In order that the Invention may be well understood and explained in detail
I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings, on which letters of reference are
marked on corresponding parts on all the Figs. alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. represents a side view partly in section of the Water Motor in which an
endless series of floats are employed.
Fig. 2. represents a front view of a portion of chains and floats.
-
- x of
Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section of the trunk through the line x
Fig. 1. down which the floats descend when carrying their load of water.
Fig. 4 represents a form of float, which having a back and ends may be called
a bucket, the use of which requires a trunk with three sides only, down which such
floats or buckets descend.
Fig. 5. is a detached view of two links of the chain shewing the manner in
which the pins are locked in their narrow eyes so as to allow motion only in the
long or central eye; and
Fig. 6 represents the shape of tooth on the top wheel which I use for gearing
with the chains.
!!
I construct a series of floats or flat bottomed buckets which are carried by
endless chains b passing over wheels c on a shaft & near to the upper water level
and I place vertically under the upper wheels c the wheels or pullies con a shaft d'
near the lower water level.
These floats or buckets a are suspended between the chains 6 and it is highly
desirable to avoid friction and to enable the chains to run steadily that they
shall be suspended centrally in such a way that they are balanced so that when
Poice 777

page_text: :-
travelling downwards with their load of water, the centre of gravity of each and
of the whole of the chains may be vertically under a line connecting their points
of suspension on the peripheries of the wheels. Local conditions must determine
whether floats as shewn at Fig. 1. or flat bottomed buckets as shewn at Fig. 4.
should be used in any given case. One is but a modification of the other and the
principle involved in the use of both is the same namely that the entering water
should flow in as nearly as possible on a level at the points * Figs. 1 and 4 and
should immediately become a dwelling weight on the float or bucket as I have
found that with a curved-bucket loss of power is caused by the fact that while the
water can only produce its full effect when resting on-its bottom it cannot begin
to enter till the upper edge of the bucket has passed below its level. The bottom-
has therefore a considerable start of the water which does not overtake it till it
has travelled a distance greater or less as the speed of the bucket a is quicker or
slower.
When floats which may be made of any suitable material such as wood or iron
plain or corrugated as seen at Figs. 1, 2, or 3 are used I cause them to travel down
a complete trunk or casing e which they fit within about one sixteenth of an inch
all round see Fig. 3.
This casing has a recess e¹ at each end which serves as a guide for each chain
see Fig. 3. down which the chains travel and which they fit as closely as
practicable.
The trunk e may be made of wood or iron or even partly of brick or stone faced
with cement but the recesses e' in which the chains travel should be of iron.
As the chains b fit their guides e¹ much more closely than the floats do the
trunk e it is clear that the floats à can nowhere touch the trunk and thus friction
and wear are prevented. When I use flat bottomed buckets, such as shewn in
detail at Fig. 4 the arrangement is similar as such a bucket is really a float with a
back, or a back and ends."
Having a back it does not require a complete trunk to travel down, but only so
much as will prevent the escape of the water see Fig. 4 but guides e* for the chains
are required as with floats in a complete trunk. The trunk e is continued from
the point at the top where the water enters down to and below the lower water
level, and is carried between the lower pullies or wheels c¹ round which the
chains pass and which there form its sides see Fig. 1. till it opens into the
tail race.
The floats a are carried by cross-bars a¹ which project from the links of the
chains b see Fig. 2. and are connected to them by hinge pins a which leave them
free to feather and to adapt themselves to the water pressure when passing through
and emerging from the tail water.
The flat bottomed buckets Fig. 4 have a boss f at each end and close to their
bottoms, into which a pin from each link of the chain enters.
The pins carry them and leave them free to feather when passing through the
'tail water and to return to their original position in passing round at top.
The upper edge of each bucket is recessed in a curve see Fig. 4 which bears on
the boss of the bucket next above and so prevents its turning over during its
descent and permits and limits its feathering when passing round the bottom
wheel, such buckets should have a slight preponderance of weight on the outside
to cause them to retain their horizontal position during their descent and in fact
both floats and buckets when enclosed in a trunk with guides for their chains, will
work well even if much out of balance only with more friction and wear.
They are returned to their original positions by their inner edges impinging on two
rings g keyed on the shaft between the upper wheels or attached one to the inner
'side of each wheel see Fig. 4 but with floats it is necessary to substitute recessed
discs d² see Fig. 1. The chains 6 may be of any suitable construction but I prefer
one with double and single links alternating see Fig. 2. the wheels having teeth to
correspond. I prefer this form of chain because it enables me to use on the single
link a long eye and to limit the movement of the pin to this eye by preventing its

page_text: turning in the shorter eyes of the single links by recessing the head of the pin into
one of them or by any equivalent means.
The pitch of the chain must be shorter than that of the wheel to prevent the
chain over-running.
With a link of ten inches I make the length of each link about an eigth of an
inch less than the distance from cog to cog on the pitch line and I give the cogs a
peculiar form to enable such a chain to work smoothly on them see Figs. 1 and 6
where the cog face is shewn superimposed on an ordinary cog.
.
It will be seen that the working face of my chain wheel cog crosses the other at
a point a little outside the usual pitch line from whence outwards it recedes in a
gradually quickening curve whilst inwards it advances and terminates in the form
of the link head.
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
First. The use in a Water Motor of horizontal floats travelling down a close
fitting trunk and carried by chains as herein substantially described and shewn at
Figs. 1. 2. and 4.
Second. The use in a Water Motor of flat bottomed (horizontal) buckets
travelling down a close fitting trunk or partial trunk as berein substantially
described and shewn at Fig. 4.
Third. The balancing of such floats or buckets in the manner and for the
purpose as herein substantially described.
Fourth. The causing such floats or buckets to feather and return in the manner
as herein described.
Fifth. The use of the rings and recessed discs for returning buckets and floats
as herein substantially described and shewn at Figs. 1 and 4.
Sixth. The use on wheels of a chain constructed so that wear and elongation
are reduced to a minimum by locking the pins in the narrow eyes and permitting
motion only in the long as shewn at Fig. 5.
Seventh. The use with a chain of a wheel with teeth shaped as described and
shewn at Figs. 1. and 6.
Eighth. The use in a Water Motor of guides applied to the chains substantially
as described and shewn in Figs. 3. and 4.
Dated this 9th day of October 1885.
THOMAS WRIGLEY,
Agent to the Applicant.