IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING GATES OR SLUICES AND WEIRS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE OVERFLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS OR WATERCO
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Frank Smith, of Leicester, in the County
of Leicester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING
GATES OR SLUICES AND WEIRS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE OVERFLOW OF
WATER FROM RIVERS OR WATERCO
"""
Sealed the 20th May 1873, and dated the 28th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Frank Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th November 1872.
I, JAMES FRANK SMITH, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, do
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SELF-ACTING GATES OR SLUICES AND WEIRS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE OVER-
FLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS OR WATERCOURSES," to be as follows:
This Invention has for its object the prevention of floods by the over-
flowing of rivers and streams in low lying districts where the water-
course is ordinarily obstructed by permanent weirs for the purpose of
retaining water to supply power to mills, and for other purposes, and
.

page_text: consists in constructing across the stream between the upper and lower
ponds a foundation of brickwork- or masonry, and erecting thereon a
number of upright posts or pillars, supported also by brickwork or
masonry, between which posts or pillars a corresponding number of
gates or sluices are fitted so as to slide up and down between guides
made for that purpose. The gates rest upon sills, the upper faces of
which are placed at the ordinary summer level of the lower pond and
lie upon the foundation before mentioned, the top of the gates being at
the ordinary summer level of the upper pond. Each gate has firmly
attached to it a float or floats of such capacity that when partially sunk
will displace a quantity of water nearly equal to the specific gravity of
the gate, and are fixed to it in such a position that when the gate is
closed the floats shall lie partially beneath the ordinary summer level of
the upper pond or watercourse. The floats are furnished with friction
wheels, which working against suitable guides serve to maintain them in
proper position.
The result of the application of this apparatus is that when the
stream in the upper pond rises above the summer level the floats will
also ascend and raise the gates from the sills, whereupon the excess of
water will escape into the lower pond and continue to flow until the
water in the upper pond has been reduced to the level at which the
floats were adjusted, when the gates will gradually sink upon their sills
and close the communication between the two ponds.
The various parts may be constructed of any suitable materials, and
means are provided for repairing or renewing with but little incon-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Frank Smith in the Great Seal. Patent
Office on the 27th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES 3
FRANK SMITH, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the

page_text: my
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Frank Smith,
Her special licence that I, the said James Frank. Smith,
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Frank Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING GATES OR SLUICES
AND WEIRS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE OVERFLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS OR
WATERCOURSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Frank Smith, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Frank Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
This Invention has for its object the prevention of floods by the over-
flowing of rivers and streams in low lying districts where the water-
course is ordinarily obstructed by permanent weirs for the purpose of
retaining water to supply power to mills, and for other purposes, and
consists in constructing across the stream between the upper and lower
ponds a foundation of brickwork or masonry, and erecting thereon a
number of upright posts or pillars supported also by brickwork or
masonry, between which posts or pillars a corresponding number of
gates or sluices are fitted so as to slide up and down between guides
made for that purpose. The gates rest upon sills, the upper, but by
preference the lower faces of which are placed at the ordinary summer
level of the lower pond, and lie upon the foundation before mentioned,
the top of the gates being at the ordinary summer level of the upper

page_text: pond; in many cases however it is preferable to arrange the gate so that.
its top may be somewhat higher than the ordinary summer level of the
upper pond. Each gate has firmly attached to it a float or floats of
such capacity that when partially sunk will displace a quantity of water
nearly equal to the specific gravity of the gate, and are fixed to it in
such a position that when the gate is closed the floats shall lie partially
beneath the ordinary summer level of the upper pond or watercourse.
The floats are furnished with friction wheels, which working against
suitable guides serve to maintain them in proper position. In lieu of, or
in addition thereto; friction wheels may be attached to the top of the
posts instead of being fastened to the gates.
The result of the application of this apparatus is that when tho
stream in the upper pond rises above the summer level the floats will
also ascend and raise the gates from the sills, whereupon the excess of
water will escape into the lower pond and continue to flow until the
water in the upper pond has been reduced to the level at which the
floats were adjusted, when the gates will gradually sink upon their sills
and close the communication between the two ponds.
The various parts may be constructed of any suitable materials, and
means are provided for repairing or renewing with but little incon-
venience.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings
are attached hereto, of which the following is a description. Fig. 1 is a
plan, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.
In Fig. 1 A represents the guide posts supported by the piers B;
C shows the gates, and D the floats. In Fig. 2 A also represents the
post; C, the gate; D, the float, with the lower part E submerged and
fixed to the gate by the connecting piece F. The sill upon which the
gate rests is marked G, and is supported by the masonry or brickwork H;
I is an iron strap connecting all the guide posts, and J is a hand rail
attached to standards K, fastened to a footboard L, which passes along
one side of the posts for the more convenient access to the gates and
floats; M is a groove to receive a temporary gate whenever the
permanent gates require to be repaired.
I am aware that floats attached to gates for the purpose of raising
them is not a novelty, but the foregoing arrangement of the various
parts is new...

page_text: Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
described or referred to as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention, but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the construction and application of self-acting gates, sluices,
and wiers, arranged substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Frank Smith, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred´and seventy-
three.