or Improved Machinery and Appliances for Transferring Boats from One Level to Another on Canals.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 20th Jan., 1888
New or Improved Machinery and Appliances for Transferring Boats
from One Level to Another on Canals.
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:-
The object of my invention is to transfer boats on canals from one level to another
without the use of ordinary canal locks and to reduce to a minimum the amount of
water which in the transfer descends from a higher to a lower level.
At the end of the higher level of the canal I construct two receptacles each
receptacle being of a size and shape suitable for the reception of the boat to be trans-
ferred. These receptacles are so arranged and coupled together that in their normal
positions one of them is situated at the higher level and the other at the lower level of
the canal. The said receptacles are filled with water and are provided at each end
either with gates or sluices. Each of the said receptacles is supported upon one or
more columns which columns are the piston rods of hydraulic pumps situated at a
lower level than that to which the boat is to be transferred. By operating the said
hydraulic pumps the receptacles can be raised and lowered one descending while
the other is ascending. My invention is used as follows:-The receptacle say at the
higher level of the canal being filled with water and its gates or sluices closed the
receptacle is attached by cramps to the end of the said higher level so as to form a
water tight joint in the way commonly practised where hydraulic lifts are used. The
gates or sluices separating the said receptacle from the end of the higher level are
now opened. The boat is then floated into the receptacle when nearly the whole of
the water in the receptacle passes by displacement back to the end of the higher level
as the boat enters. The gates or sluices are now closed and the receptacle containing
the boat is isolated from the end of the higher level. The hydraulic pumps are
operated upon so as to allow the receptacle carrying the boat to descend and to cause
the corresponding receptacle at the lower level into which a boat has entered to ascend
from the lower to the higher level. In this way the transfer of one of the boats from
the higher to the lower level of the canal is accompanied by the transfer of another

page_text: boat from the lower level to the higher level. The boats are then floated out of their
respective receptacles and can proceed on their way along the canal in opposite
directions. Each of the receptacles may have a layer of sand or other soft or yielding
material on which the boat may be allowed partially to rest.
In order to lessen the strain on the piston rods of the hydraulic pumps and also to
economize motive power I counterbalance the receptacles and parts travelling with
them in the following manner.
I arrange on either side of the motive power hydraulic pumps of the receptacles
one or more balancing piston rods connected to the said receptacles the said piston
rods working in fixed cylinders the said cylinders being filled or partly filled either
with air or water. The balancing cylinder of one receptacle communicates with
the balancing cylinder of the other receptacle. The water or air in the two sets of
balancing cylinders is of such a pressure that the two receptacles and appliances carried
by them are practically balanced so that the receptacle at the upper level is supported
without undue strain upon the working or motive power hydraulic pumps and the
raising power required is only that which is sufficient to lift the contents of the boat
to be raised supposing the weight in the two boats to be the same but should the
weight in the boat to be lowered but in excess of that in the boat to be raised no
motive power is required the hydraulic apparatus then being used only to control or
regulate the speed of the moving parts.
Instead of using counterbalance appliances of the kind described cylinders open at
bottom may be attached to the receptacles the open ends of the said cylinders dipping
into and descending in water tanks. In this case the air within the cylinders will
form cushions and the receptacles will be supported by the compressed air within the
cylinders.
I prefer to employ a hydraulic accumulator in connection with the hydraulic pumps
so that there may be a store of hydraulic power always to hand to be drawn upon
as required.
Dated CUL
M
1
1003

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Machinery and Appliances for Transferring Boats
from One Level to Another on Canals.
1. 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 :-
The object of my invention is to transfer boats on canals from one level to another
without the use of ordinary canal locks and to reduce to a minimum the amount of
water which in the transfer descends from a higher to a lower level.
At the end of the higher level of the canal I construct two or more receptacles but
not less than two receptacles, each receptacle being of a size and shape suitable for
the reception of the boat to be transferred. These receptacles when two only are
employed are so arranged and coupled together that in their normal positions they
balance each other one of them being situated at the higher level and the other at
the lower level of the canal or they may have preferably an intermediate level of
canal between them. The said receptacles are filled with water and are provided at
each end either with gates or sluices. Each of the said receptacles is supported
upon one or more columns which columns are the piston rods of hydraulic cylinders
situated at a lower level than that to which the boat is to be transferred.
The said hydraulic cylinders are operated upon either by hydraulic pumps provided
for that purpose or by admitting sufficient water into the receptacle to be lowered to
cause it to descend the receptacles can thus be raised and lowered one descending
while the other is ascending.
My invention is used as follows. The receptacle say at the higher level of the canal
being filled with water and its gates or sluices closed the receptacle is either attached
by cramps to the end of the said higher level so as to form a water tight joint in the
way commonly practised where hydraulic lifts are used, or a water tight joint is made
by a bag filled with water and air which forms a cushion and water tight joint
between the receptacle and the said higher level. The gates or sluices separating the
said receptacle from the end of the bigher level are now opened. The boat is then
floated into the receptacle when nearly the whole of the water in the receptacle
passes by displacement back to the end of the higher level as the loaded boat enters
but should the boat be empty less water passes back by displacement. The gates or
sluices are now closed and the receptacle containing the boat is isolated from the
end of the higher level. The hydraulic pumps are operated upon so as to allow the
receptacle carrying the boat to descend and to cause the corresponding receptacle at
the lower level, into which a boat has entered, to ascend from the lower to the higher
level. In this way the transfer of one of the hoats from the higher to the lower level
of the canal is accompanied by the transfer of another boat from the lower level to
the higher level without any water descending from the higher to the lower level.

page_text: The boats are then floated out of their respective receptacles and can proceed on their
way along the canal in opposite directions. Should the boats or vessels have keels
instead of being flat bottomed each of the receptacles may have a layer of sand
or other soft or yielding material on which the keel of the boat may be allowed
partially to rest to steady it in the ascent or descent.
In order to lessen the strain on the piston rods of the hydraulic pumps and also to
economize motive power I counterbalance the receptacles and parts travelling with
them in the following manner.
I arrange on either side of the motive power hydraulic pumps of the receptacle
one or more balancing piston rods connected to the said receptacles the said piston
rods working in fixed cylinders the said cylinders being filled or partly filled either
with air or water.
The balancing cylinder of one receptacle communicates with the balancing cylinder
of the other receptacle.
The water or air in the two sets of balancing cylinders is of such a pressure that
the two receptacles and appliances carried by them are practically balanced so that
the receptacle at the upper level is supported without undue strain upon the working
or motive power pumps and the raising power required is only that which is sufficient
to lift the contents of the boat to be raised supposing the weights in the two boats
to be the same, but should the water admitted into the receptacle to be lowered
added to the weight in the boat to be lowered he in excess of that in the boat to be
raised no motive power is required the hydraulic apparatus then being used only to
control or regulate the speed of the moving parts. And in cases where there is an
abundant supply of water in the higher level the use of hydraulic apparatus may be
dispensed with and instead valves in the pipes between the two lifts be used for
regulating the speed of the lifts. In this case sufficient water is admitted into the
receptacle to be lowered to cause it to be so much heavier than the receptacle to be
raised as to ensure the lifts working as rapidly as required, the speed being regulated
by the valve between the two lifts. The lift in this arrangement does not descend
into the water of the lower reach of the canal but opposite a gate or sluice at the
end of the said lower reach.
Instead of using counterbalance appliances of the kind described, cylinders open
at bottom may be attached to the receptacle the open ends of the said cylinders
dipping into and descending in water tanks. In this case the air within the cylinders
will form cushions and the receptacles will be supported by the compressed air
within the cylinders which air will pass out of the cylinders descending, into those
ascending through pipes of a size suitable for transmitting the air between the
cylinders.
I prefer to employ a hydraulic accumulator in connection with the hydraulic pumps
so that there may be a store of hydraulic power always to hand to be drawn upon
as required.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in vertical longitudinal section,
partly in elevation, the upper and lower levels or reaches of a canal together with
intermediate levels, to and from which boats are to be transferred, to which levels or
reaches my invention for transferring the boats is applied.
In the said Figure 1 I have represented two intermediate levels but my invention
may be applied to two levels without intermediate levels or to two levels with one
or more intermediate levels; a is the receptacle at the upper level A into which the
boat is floated in the manner herein before described B is the first intermediate
level and the receptacle at the said intermediate level B and d is the boat carried
by the said receptacle c; C is the second intermediate level and e the receptacle at
that level is the boat in the said receptacle e; D is the lower level; g is the
piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder on the top of which piston rod g the receptacle a
is fixed; is the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder k on the top of which rod i
the receptacle is fixed carrying the boat d; is the piston rod of the hydraulic
cylinder m on the top of which piston rod the receptacle e carrying the boat fis
fixed.

page_text: The bottoms of the hydraulic cylinders h, k and m are connected by pipes p and q
which pipes are furnished with valves at r and s. When the receptacle a at the highest
level A is to be lowered to the level B and a receptacle c² from the level C is to be
raised to the level B the two hydraulic cylinders hand k are put in communication
by opening the valve r. The two receptacles a and c and their boats are thereby
approximately balanced and the hydraulic cylinder k is worked with only sufficient
power to overcome friction and put the balanced receptacles in motion, that is, raising
the receptacle at c² to the level B and lowering the receptacle a to the level B.
Similarly when it is wished to cause the receptacle c and its boat d to descend from the
level B to the level C as indicated at c² and by its descent to raise the receptacle e
and its boat from the lower level D to the level C, the hydraulic cylinders k and m
are put into communication by the opening of the valves, the valve r being closed.
The two receptacles c, e, and their boats are thus approximately balanced and the
hydraulic cylinder m is worked with sufficient power to overcome friction and to put
the balanced receptacles into motion, that is, to raise the receptacle e from the level D
to the level C and cause the descent of the receptacle e to the level C. Either of the
hydraulic cylinders h or m may be made to work the hydraulic cylinder k and the
hydraulic cylinder & may be made to work either the hydraulic cylinder h or m.
Instead of supporting each of the receptacles upon a single piston rod two piston
rods and two hydraulic cylinders may be employed for each receptacle. This modifi-
cation is represented in longitudinal section in Figure 2 where only two levels A
and B are shown. In the said Figure 2 a c are the receptacles the former having
two piston rods g, 9 and the latter having two piston rods i, i. These piston rods
work in hydraulic cylinders connected by pipes as represented.
When the receptacles are supported in the way last described there is much less
risk of strain on or derangement of the hydraulic mechanism than when a single piston
rod is employed.
Figure 3 represents in vertical longitudinal section the arrangement of my inven-
tion in which one piston rod is employed and in which the receptacle is balanced by
vessels containing water or air.
:
t is the receptacle and t² the boat therein is the hydraulic piston rod and t the
hydraulic cylinder; uu are the vessels for balancing the receptacle t. When these
vessels are filled with water their lower ends are closed excepting at their middle
where they carry stuffing boxes working water tight on the pipes v, communicating
with the balancing vessels at the lower level. As the said vessels u u descend the
water contained in them passes by the pipes to the balancing vessels at the lower
level.
When the balancing vessels u, u are filled with air the lower ends are open and
they descend in the water tank w the compressed air in the said vessels passing by
the pipes v, v to the balancing vessels at the lower level. In order to charge the said
vessels with compressed air and to maintain the charge of compressed air therein,
an air compressing pump is employed, the said pump being connected with the air
vessels by means of pipes having in them stop cocks.
When the difference in level is inconsiderable I use a receptacle supported on columns
which are the piston rods of hydraulic cylinders as before described and 1 connect
the cylinders by a pipe with another hydraulic cylinder provided with a piston
weighted so as to counterbalance the weight of the said receptacle. In this case the
lift is so balanced that no power is required to operate it beyond that necessary to
overcome the friction.
This modification of a single lift is represented in vertical section in Figure 4 and
plan in Figure 5; a is the receptacle for receiving the boat represented at the lower
level B; g g are the hydraulic cylinders and h, h the piston rods of the same carrying
the receptacle a; k is the counterbalancing apparatus of the single lift the said
counterbalancing apparatus consisting of a hydraulic cylinder and piston rod the latter
carrying at its top the vessel c. The cylinders of the hydraulic lift and that of the
counterbalancing apparatus are connected together by the pipes at 1, m. The
receptacle a being at the lower level B and the vessel c at the higher level A as

page_text: represented, the boat is floated into the receptacle a and water from the upper level A
is run into the said vessel c at the top of the counterbalancing apparatus. The said
vessel c is thereby made to descend causing by its descent the lifting of the receptacle a
and its boat from the lower level B to the bigher level A.
Instead of the cylindrical vessel c a second receptacle similar to the receptacle a
may be placed at the top of the balancing apparatus & parallel with the receptacle
and a like second receptacle may be placed parallel with the receptacle at the lower
level B, the balanced receptacles being used as occasion may require.
The hydraulic pumps by which the balanced receptacles are raised and lowered
may be worked by water from the upper reach or highest level of the canal the said
water working turbines or other motive power engines which turbines or engines
work the hydraulic pumps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "New or improved machinery and appliances for transferring boats from
one level to another on canals."
First. The combination of the pair of balanced lifts or receptacles operated by
hydraulic pressure substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings; also the combination of a single lift with a counterbalancing
weight as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 and the employment of supplementary
balanced lifts to be used as occasion may require.
Secondly. The combination of the pair of lifts or receptacles balanced by com-
pressed air, the said lifts being operated either by the weight of water in the receptacle
to be lowered or by hydraulic pressure or by the weight of the water in the receptacle
to be lowered combined with hydraulic pressure substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination of the pair of lifts or receptacles balanced by water the
said lifts being operated either by the weight of water in the receptacle to be lowered
or by hydraulic pressure substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. The employment of bags of water or of air to form joints between the
receptacle and that reach or level of the canal to which it is temporarily connected
as herein before described.
Fifthly. The arrangement herein before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings whereby the intermediate hydraulic lift may be made to work the
lifts at higher and lower levels.
Sixthly. The arrangement hereinbefore described whereby the water of the higher
level admitted into the receptacle of the lift at the higher level is made to work the
intermediate lift or any number of intermediate lifts and finally is made to work the
intermediate lift next the lowest lift in conjunction with and balanced by the lowest
lift.
Lastly. The employment of the water of the upper reach of the canal as a motive
power by means of a turbine water wheel or other mechanical contrivance to work
the hydraulic pumps of the balanced pairs of lifts as herein described.
Dated this Seventeenth day of December 1887.