An Improved Water Power Plant.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Water Power Plant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and G, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been com-
municated to me by Georg Daseking, Manufacturer, of 179, Celler Chausee,
Hannover, in the Empire of Germany) and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement: -
This invention relates to the utilization of running water, such as a river, or a
stream, for obtaining power, and consists in an improved plant which by reason of its
principles of construction can obtain considerable power from slow running waters
of various velocities.
It is usual in utilizing water-power to depend either upon a fall or a dam in
order to obtain a definite velocity and volume, and as these conditions can only
be brought about by artificial structures of a costly nature and that the power
obtained in proportion to the costliness is only in a few instances reasonable and
effective, it is therefore frequently impossible to utilize a running water, and con-
sequently considerable latent power in running water is lost.
This invention is a contrivance or plant which enables power to be derived from
water not having a fall, or not being dammed, and possessing only a very small
velocity, the contrivance or plant being such as to increase the volume and velocity
of the water as it, in its passage, is being utilized. The chief characteristics in the
working of the contrivance are, that there is no working by weight or impact of
water and no loss of required energy therefrom, a gradual and free extraction of
the power from the running water, and an even and steady concentration of the
whole of the power taken from the water from the running stream.
The contrivance or plant consists of a number of single power stations disposed
one behind the other and located in the middle of a river or running stream.
These single power stations are formed independent of each other and have a slight
independent movement, but they are connected to, and follow, each other in such
a way that the succeeding one always catches the water which has passed through
the preceding one. These single power stations are connected together in a line
reaching along the river and float thereon, and each is so constructed as to draw
the water into it and there concentrate it and pass it on from one station to the other
through the system.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings a contrivance or plant is shown which
is constructed according to this invention; Fig. 1 representing a side view of a
portion of the plant, Fig. 2 a top side plan of the portion, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a
modified form of one of the principal component parts of the said plant.
The contrivance or water power plant as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings
is built up of a number of connected together single power stations, formed of pairs
of boats or punts A¹ A², B¹ B³ and C¹ C floating immovable upon and in the centre,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. A water power plant for utilising running water, characterised by a
number of single power stations arranged behind one another in line upon a river
or stream which are built up of boat or punt-like structures forming a power
water-way between them, within which latter power wheels are located and between
which boatlike structures inlets from the body water to the power water-way are
arranged substantially as described.
Second. A water power plant comprising a number of single-power floating
stations loosely connected in line, each station comprehending a pair of boats or
punts and a water wheel with a water-way between the said punts, and each
having their bows and sterns inclined in such a manner that these parts of the
pairs of boats shall come together and form canals leading from the body water to
the power waterway between the pairs of boats, substantially as described.
Third. In a water power plant as claimed in the preceding claims the combina-
tion of pairs of spaced boats or punts A', A2, B1, B2, and C1, C2, having inclined bows
and sterns which come nearly together when the said pairs of boats are connected and
form between them canals R, which lead from the outsides of the pairs of boats to
the insides, the said bows having outwardly extending noses O, and waterwheels S
arranged between the pairs of boats and in the waterway W, substantially as
described.
Fourth. In a water power plant as claimed in the preceding claims making
the waterwheels of hollow drums with paddles upon their peripheries or outer
surfaces substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1.
Dated this 24th day of January 189D.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also of Liverpool, London, and Manchester.
Agents for Applicant.