New or Improved Machinery for Transferring Boats from one Level to Another on Canals and Rivers.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
STAND DIECIFICATION.
New or Improved Machinery for Transferring Boats from one Level
to Another on Canals and Rivers.
I SAMUEL LLOYD of The Farm Sparkbrook Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Ironmaster do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention consists of machinery constructed as hereinafter described for
transferring boats from one level to another on canals and rivers by the use of whichi
5 machinery the loss of water from the higher level to the lower on effecting the
transference of the boat is reduced to a minimum.
At the end of each of the reaches of the two levels of the canal I employ a
receptacle of such a size and shape that when connected with its reach and filled
with water the boat to be transferred to a different level can be floated into it
the greater part of the water with which it was filled passing to the reach. The said
receptacle is capable of being detached from the reach and raised or lowered with the
boat to be transferred floating in it. For the purpose of effecting the raising and
lowering of the receptacle I suspend it from a cross beam or bar by means of rods
preferably arranged like the rods by which the roadway of a suspension bridge is
suspended from the middle pier. The said cross beam or bar crosses the receptacle
over its middle the centre of gravity of the receptacle and its contents being exactly
underneath the said cross bar. The height of the cross beam or bar from which the
receptacle is suspended is somewhat greater than the height through which the
receptacle is to be raised and lowered.
The ends of the cross beam or bar from which the receptacle is suspended are
respectively fixed to the tops of two pistons working in two vertical hydraulic
cylinders situated on each side of the lower reach. These cylinders are filled with
water and are connected together by a pipe.
The receptacles are arranged in pairs side by side the cylinders of the two receptacles
at one level being connected to the cylinders at the other level by a pipe or pipes
provided with valves stopcocks or equivalent contrivances by which the flow of water
through them can be regulated.

page_text: Or instead of arranging the cylinders in pairs they may be arranged "end on” that
is one in advance of the other at different levels.
The action of the machinery is as follows:-In transferring a boat from the higher
to the lower level and at the same time transferring another boat or receptacle from
the lower to the higher level the boat at the higher level is floated into its receptacle.
In order to give the higher receptacle a preponderance additional water must be
passed into it by pumping or otherwise till the height of the water in the said higher
receptacle is increased say about six inches. This additional weight of water is
sufficient to overcome the inertia of the parts and the friction of working and
the attendant by means of the valves or stop cocks can regulate the descent
of the upper receptacle and the ascent of the lower one. When the two
receptacles have reached the lower and higher levels respectively the transferred boat
or boats can be floated from the said receptacles into the reaches of the canal
opposite which they have been brought.
The arrangement described of the hydraulic pumps may be inverted that is the
pistons may be fixed and the cylinders travel up and down upon them. In this case
the pistons have axial holes through which the water may pass.
Instead of connecting the receptacles to the pistons or cylinders in the manner
described the said receptacles may be connected directly to the pistons or cylinders
guides being employed to secure the proper motion of the receptacles.
Although I have described only one hydraulic cylinder and piston on each side of
each receptacle yet two or more of the said cylinders and pistons may be employed
on each side of each receptacle either near each other or at a distance apart.
I have only described my invention as applied to the transference of a boat from
one level to another but my invention may be applied to any number of levels.
In transferring a boat from a higher to a lower level by means of my invention
there is no loss of water at the higher level beyond that required to give the required
preponderance to the upper receptacle.
Instead of giving the required preponderance to the upper receptacle by the addition
of water thereto the required difference between the weights of the upper and lower
receptacles may be made by the withdrawal of water from the lower receptacle. Or
the working of the machinety may be effected without any difference between the
weights of the upper and lower receptacles. In this case I employ supplementary
pumps by which water or compressed air may be forced into the cylinders of the
principal pumps for increasing as may be required the pressure on the piston of
either of the pumps.
Or the said supplementary pumps may act independently of the principal pumps.
Dated this 27th day of Anril 1888

page_text: to Another on Canals and Rivers.
I SAMUEL LLOYD of The Farm Sparkbrook Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Ironmaster do hereby declare the nature of my 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 consists. of machinery constructed as hereinafter described for
transferring boats from one level to another on canals and rivers by the use of
which machinery the loss of water from the higher level to the lower on effecting the
transference of the boat is reduced to a minimum.
At the end of each of the reaches of the two levels of the canal I employ a
receptacle of such a size and shape that when connected with its reach and filled with
water the boat to be transferred to a different level can be floated into it the greater
part of the water with which it was filled passing back to the reach. The said
receptacle is capable of being detached from the reach and raised or lowered with the
boat to be transferred floating in it. For the purpose of effecting the raising and
lowering of the receptacle I suspend it from a cross beam or bar by means of rods
preferably arranged like the rods by which the roadway of a suspension bridge is
suspended from the middle pier. The said cross beam or bar crosses the receptacle
over its middle the centre of gravity of the receptacle and its contents being exactly
underneath the said cross bar. The height of the cross beam or har from which the
receptacle is suspended is somewhat greater than the height through which the
receptacle is to be raised and lowered.
The ends of the cross beam or bar from which the receptacle is suspended are
respectively fixed to the tops of two pistons working in two vertical hydraulic
cylinders situated on each side of the lower reach. These cylinders are filled with
water and are connected together by a pipe.
The receptacles are arranged in pairs side by side the cylinders of the two
receptacles at one level being connected to the cylinders at the other level by a pipe
or pipes provided with valves stop cocks or equivalent contrivances by which the flow
of water through them can be regulated. Or instead of arranging the cylinders in
pairs they may be arranged "end on "that is one in advance of the other at
different levels.
The action of the machinery is as follows :—In transferring a boat from the higher
to the lower level and at the same time transferring another boat or receptacle from
the lower to the higher level the boat at the higher level is floated into its receptacle.

page_text: In order to give the higher receptacle a preponderance additional water must be
passed into it by pumping or otherwise till the height of the water in the said higher
receptacle is increased say about six inches. This additional weight of water is
sufficient to overcome the inertia of the parts and the friction of working and the
attendant by means of the valves or stop cocks can regulate the descent of the upper
receptacle and the ascent of the lower one. Or a sufficient quantity of water may be
let out of the lower receptacle. When the two receptacles have reached the lower and
higher levels respectively the transferred boat or boats can be floated from the said
receptacles into the reaches of the canal opposite which they have been brought.
For the successful working of the apparatus it is necessary that the receptacles when
at the top and bottom of their strokes should be cramped or tightened against their
respective reaches to make a tight junction. This is effected by the hydraulic ram,
the ends of the receptacle being slightly inclined so that on reaching the highest or
lowest point a slight wedging action is set up by which a water tight junction is
produced.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
inanner in which my invention is to. he performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal-section partly in side elevation and Figure 2 in
end elevation partly in cross section machinery constructed according to my invention
for tranferring boats from one level to another on canals and rivers.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both Figures.
a is the upper level or reach of the canal and is the lower level or reach. At the
end of each of the said reaches a and b a receptacle into which the boat to be
transferred is floated is situated. These receptacles are marked respectively c and d
and are arranged side by side as best seen in Figure 2. In Figure 1 the receptacle c
is represented raised to the level of the upper reach a and in Figure 2 the two
receptacles are represented in the act of being raised and lowered the receptacle c
having ascended nearly to the level of the upper reach a and the other receptacle d
having descended nearly to the level of the lower reach b. The two receptacles c
and d are filled with water and the boats to be transferred to a different level are
floated into them from the upper and lower reaches. In Figure 1 a boat e is represented
floated into the receptacle c. The ends of the receptacles are provided with gates or
sluices for admitting the boats into or removing them from the receptacles and the
ends of the upper and lower reaches are furnished with gates or sluices as is well
understood. The balanced hydraulic lifts of the receptacles c d are of the same kind
and are connected together so that as one receptacle containing the boat to be
transferred is raised the other receptacle descends.
The balanced hydraulic lifts which I use for suspending and raising and lowering
the receptacles are constructed as follows. Each receptacle is suspended from a cross-
beam girder or bar by means of tie bars at each end the said bars g radiating
from the said cross beam or girder. in the manner seen in Figure 1. It will also be
seen by referring to Figure 1 that the beam or girder crosses the receptacle near its
middle the centre of gravity of the receptacle and its contents being exactly
underneath the said beam or girder. h are two hydraulic pistons or rams fixed or
connected to the ends of the cross beam or girder f to which the receptacle c or d is
suspended. The tops of the said rams are by preference jointed to the ends of the
beam or girder so that one ram may have a slight vertical motion independent of
the other. The pair of pistons or rams h h work in the pair of hydraulic cylinders /³ h³
which may be secured in the ground by earth screws but I do not limit myself to
any particular arrangement for fixing the hydraulic cylinders in their places. The
two cylinders of each lift are connected together by the water pipe and the two
pairs of cylinders are connected together by the water pipe between them the said
pipe being provided with a valve or stop cock or its equivalent. The weight of the
two receptacles are balanced by the water in the pipe and cylinders the water
displaced from one pair of cylinders passing to the other pair of cylinders during
the working of the lifts. By means of the valve or stopcock in the pipe / connecting

page_text: the two pairs of cylinders together the attendant may regulate the flow of water
between them and consequently the speed of the ascent or descent of the lifts.
The action of the machinery is as follows:-
In transferring a boat from the higher to the lower level and at the same time
transferring another boat or receptacle from the lower to the higher level the boat at
the higher level is floated into its receptacle (as seen in Figure 1). In order to give
a preponderating weight to the higher receptacle additional water is passed into it
till the height of the water in it is increased by about six inches or water is let out of
the receptacle at the lower level to a similar extent. The result in either case is that
the excess of the weight of water in the higher receptacle suffices to overcome the
inertia of the parts and the friction of working and the attendant by means of the
valve in the pipe between the two lifts can regulate the descent of the upper
receptacle and the ascent of the lower one. When the two receptacles arrive at the
higher and lower levels respectively their ends form a tight joint with the ends of the
two reaches as hereinbefore described.
In transferring a boat from a higher to a lower level or the reverse by means of
my invention there is no loss of water beyond that required to give the necessary
preponderance of weight to set the two lifts in motion.
Where there is a deficient supply of water I construct a catch pit or small reservoir
below the level of the receptacles when at the bottom of their stroke and pump the
water from this catch pit to the higher reach. The steam boiler which supplies steam
to the steam worked cramping apparatus, hereinbefore described may also supply steam
to a pump for pumping the water from the said catch pit to the upper reach. In this
way no water would be lost from the upper reach.
The arrangement described of the hydraulic pumps may be inverted that is the
pistons or rams may be fixed and the cylinders travel up and down upon them. In
this case the pistons or rams have axial holes through which the water may pass.
Instead of connecting the receptacles to the rams or pistons in the manner described
the said receptacles may be connected directly to the rams or cylinders guides being
employed to secure the proper motion of the receptacles.
Although I have only described one hydraulic cylinder and ram or piston on each
side of each receptacle yet two or more of the said cylinders and rams or pistons may
be employed on each side of each receptacle either near each other or at a distance
apart.
I have only described my invention as applied to the transference of a boat from one
level to another but my invention may be applied to any number of levels.
Instead of giving the required preponderance to the upper receptacle by the
addition of water thereto the required difference between the weights of the upper
and lower receptacles may be made by the withdrawal of water from the lower
receptacle.
Or the working of the machinery may be effected without any difference between
he weights of the upper and lower receptacles. In this case I employ supplementary
bumps by which water or compressed air may be forced into the cylinders of the
rincipal pumps for increasing as may be required the pressure on the piston of either
of the pumps. Or the said supplementary pumps may act independently of the
rincipal pumps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
nd the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
s my invention of "New or improved machinery for transferring boats from one
evel to another on canals and rivers :".
-
First. The construction and arrangement of parts for suspending from the lift the
eceptacle into which the boat is floated substantially as hereinbefore described and
lustrated in the accompanying Drawings that is to say connecting the heads of the
air of rams or other number of rams of the hydraulic lift to the receptacle by means
a cross bar beam or girder crossing the receptacle near its middle so that the centre

page_text: of gravity of the suspended receptacle and its contents is exactly under the said cross
bar beam or girder substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The general arrangement or combination of the suspended receptacles
claimed in the first claim with the balanced hydraulic lifts described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.