Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOSEPH REVELL, of Brighton Terrace Dukinfield in the County of Chester
Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of locks for canals or
other waterways, and has for its object to save and economize the water which is
used in such locks for bringing boats, ships, or vessels from a lower to a higher
level or vice versa.
My improvements consist in employing a floating cistern in size nearly as long
as the lock, and as wide, as may be required to effect the desired displacement of
water, to raise or lower the boat or ship in the lock.
This cistern is formed with two or more compartments, which are fed with
water from the high water lever in the canal by means of suitable conduits
or pipes.
One or more of these compartments is made to communicate with both the high
and low level of water in the canal, and supposing that the cistern is at its highest
position in the lock or reservoir in connection therewith, it is caused to sink in the
water by admitting water from the high level of the canal.
To raise or make the cistern buoyant, I cause one or more of the inlet pipes to
be closed, and one or more of the outlet pipes, to be opened, and by allowing a
portion of the water to escape to the low level of the canal, I attain the buoyancy
of the cistern required, which causes the cistern to rise in the lock, or reservoir in
connection therewith, during which time the ship or boat descends in the lock, in
exactly the same ratio, and vice versa.
For small canal locks and when desirable I cause the cistern to be raised or
depressed in the water by means of hydraulic or other motive power, assisted by
water flowing backwards and forwards into the cistern through conduits or pipes
in connection with the top level of water in the canal.
In the construction of these improved locks they can be made either in one wide
lock, in which the cistern is made to float up or down; or the lock can be divided
by a wall or suitable division for its whole length, which is provided with sufficient
sluices and valves near the bottom thereof, to admit the water backwards and

page_text: forwards in and out of the lock, into that lock or reservoir in which the cistern is
placed.
When it is desirable to repair the cistern, valves or conduits or pipes or any
portion thereof, the sluice valves in the wall or division can be closed, in which
case the lock can be worked as an ordinary lock.
The reservoir in which the cistern works then becomes, for the time being, an
ordinary wet or dry dock, as may be required for cleaning or repairs.
Improvements in the Construction of Locks for Canals or other
Water-ways.
I, JOSEPH REVELL, of Brighton Terrace Dukinfield in the County of Chester
Contractor, 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:--
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of locks for canals or
other water ways, and has for its object to save and economize the water which
is used in such locks for bringing boats, ships or vessels from a lower to a higher
level or vice versa.
And in order that my invention may be better understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto two sheets of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Figs. 1 and 5 are longitudinal, Figs. 2 & 4 cross sections, and Figs. 3 & 6 plans
of my improved locks.
My improvements consist in employing a floating cistern a, in size nearly as
long as the lock b and as wide, or longer and wider, as may be required to effect
the desired displacement of water, to raise the boat or vessel in the lock.
The cistern a may be made of a circular or other convenient form, and is made
to float up or down in a well or reservoir a¹ see Sheet II such well or reservoir
being in direct connection by means of a conduit or pipe f with the water in the
lock b, and as the floating cistern is made to rise or fall, so the water is forced
upwards, or drawn downwards in the lock b and so raising or lowering the vessel
to the level required.

page_text: This floating cistern a is formed' with two or more compartments c, c¹, c², which
are fed with water from the high and low water levels in the canal outside the
lock by means of suitable conduits or pipes d, which form inverted syphons, to
convey water to and from the cistern a, to raise or depress the same as may be
required.
Into the upper compartment c of the cistern a, from which the water passes into
a second compartment c¹ acting as a balancing chamber, the use of which is to
receive water through a valve or valves e, from the upper compartment c, and so to
lower the cistern a in the lock b, or well or reservoir a', see Sheet II, in connection
therewith and when the cistern a has to be raised the valve or valves e in
connection with the upper compartment c are closed, and a valve or valves e', in
connection with the low level compartment, c* opened and the water from the
balancing chamber c¹ thus escaping, lightens the cistern a and gives it sufficient
buoyancy to rise in the water, and thus lower the water, and consequently the
vessel in the lock b.
One or more of these compartments is made to communicate with both the high
and low level of water in the canal, and supposing that the cistern a is at its
highest position in the lock b or reservoir a¹, in connection therewith, it is caused
to sink in the water, by admitting water from the high level of the canal & into
the compartment c¹.
To raise or make the cistern a buoyant I cause one or more of the inlet pipes d,
to be closed, and one or more of the outlet valves e¹, to be opened, and by allowing
a portion of the water to escape to the low level of the compartment c³, I then
open the inlet pipe d and attain the buoyancy of the cistern a required, which
causes the cistern a to rise in the lock b, or reservoir a' in connection therewith
during which time the ship or boat descends in the lock b, in exactly the same ratio
and vice versa.
For small canal locks and when desirable I cause the cistern a to be raised or
depressed in the water by means of hydraulic rams g see sheet I, or other motive
power, or suitable means such as screw h or rack and pinion, assisted by water
flowing backwards and forwards into the cistern a, through conduits or pipes d, in
connection with the top and bottom levels of water in the canal.
In the construction of these improved locks, they can be made either in one wide
lock, in which the floating cistern a, is made to float up or down, see Sheet I, or the
locks can be divided by a wall or suitable division i for its whole length, which is
provided with sufficient conduits f, near the bottom thereof, to admit the water
backwards and forwards in and out of the lock or reservoir a¹ in which the floating
cistern a is placed.
When it is desirable to repair the floating cistern a, valves, or conduits or pipes,
or any portion thereof, the sluice valves or conduits f, in the wall or division i
can be closed in which case, the lock can be worked as an ordinary lock, and by
having suitable stop gates k, outside the lock & the feed pipes of the cistern and
having a proper outlet valve, or valves t, the whole of the water can be let off
from the lock, cistern or cisterns, feed pipes, and well or reservoir, in which the
floating cistern or cisterns are placed, so that they may be cleaned out or repaired
as required.
Instead of having only one floating cistern, a number of such cisterns may be
employed and worked in conjunction with each other in one large reservoir, or a
number of such reservoirs in a similar manner as described.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim, is:―
First. The use and employment of a floating cistern or cisterns, either in a wide
lock or a well or reservoir, in connection with the lock, which cistern or cisterns
are formed either with or without suitable air chambers to make them buoyant,
and with water chambers to receive and give back water from the high and low

page_text: levels of the canal, such water passing in and out of the cistern or cisterns by
means of conduits, syphons, or pipes, causing the cistern or cisterns to rise or fall
in the lock, well or reservoir, thus displacing an equal bulk of water which causes
the water in the lock, and the boat or ship to ascend or descend to the level
required, substantially as set forth.
Second. The construction of a displacement cistern or cisterns, having in addition
to air chambers and high and low water chambers, a balancing chamber between
the two, to receive water, from the high level chamber to lower the cistern or
cisterns, & to permit the water to escape from the balancing chamber into the low
level chamber and into the low level of the canal when required to raise the
cistern or cisterns, substantially as set forth.