Tidal Trap for Scouring Rivers and Channels and for Providing Energy for Lighting the same.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 8th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Jan., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Tidal Trap for Scouring Rivers and Channels and for Providing
Energy for Lighting the same.
JAMES JOHN ARNOLD Lincolns Eastleigh Southampton Surveyor do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for ScOURING RIVERS AND CHANNELS AND FOR
PROVIDING ENERGY FOR LIGHTING THE SAME to be as follows:-
Li consists of a fence of piers constructed on the shallows or banks at the mouth of
a river so as to enclose as large a tidal catchment area as convenient for the purpose.
The spaces between the piers are provided with shutters or louvres allowing the
incoming tide to pass freely through but close or are closed when and where necessary
against the outflow to divert the whole or part of the enclosed tidal waters into the
channel or channels to be deepened, the effluent water in which being thus multiplied
in volume and accelerated in flow will imitate the more perfect scouring action of
storm floods and by their energy sweep away obstructions in their course into deep
water. The egress or retention of the tidal water may be controlled by a series of
levers and clutches one set to each opening or any number, or the whole of the
openings may be controlled by a single lever, draw bar and clutch action, furthermore
the shutters or louvres may be held in a horizontal position when necessary in order to
give the least resistance to the incoming or outgoing waters during stormy weather or
the shutters or louvres may be replaced by water turnstyles allowing ingress egress or
non egress at will the power obtained by the water passing through being utilized by
well known means in lighting the channels channel openings and other requisite points
in the fence or other positions.
Dated this Eleventh day of March 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Tidal Trap for Scouring Rivers and Channels and for Providing
Energy for Lighting the same.
1 JAMES JOHN ARNOLD of Lincoln's Eastleigh in the county of Southampton
Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for SCOURING RIVERS AND
CHANNELS AND FOR PROVIDING ENERGY FOR LIGHTING THE SAME and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in forming an embankment pier groin or fence on and across
the shallows or banks at the mouth of a river enclosing thereby as much of the area
as possible affected by the rise and fall of the tide, such embankment pier groin or
fence having open spaces for those channels it is desired to scour or deepen in
such position that the effluent water in these channels will impinge on the bars
banks or such like obstructions to navigation which may have formed or are forming
at the mouth of the river.
The embankment pier groin or fence is to be so constructed that by horizontal or
vertical shutters, louvres, doors, or valves, free passage is to be allowed to the
incoming tide but which shutters louvres doors or valves close of themselves or are
closed by mechanical means when and where necessary to prevent the outflow of such
tide and so divert the whole or part of the tidal waters confined within the enclosed
area into the channel or channels io be scoured or deepened by the effluent waters
which thus multiplied in volume in such channel or channels and accellerated in flow
will imitate in themselves the perfect scouring power of storm floods and by their
energy sweep away more effectually obstructions in their course into deep water
beyond.
The free egress from or retention in the enclosed area of the tidal waters may be
preferably controlled by levers segments and stops, one sei to each opening in which
the shutters doors louvres or valves are placed or any number or the whole of such
openings may be controlled by a single lever or drawbar so that when necessary, or
from inland storms floods causing too great a pressure on the tidal trap, free egress to
the accumulated water may be given. Or the shutters louvres doors or valves may be
replaced by water turnstiles so arranged as to allow ingress, egress or non egress of
the Tidal waters at will, the power obtained by the water passing through being utilised
by well known means to provide energy for lighting the channel channel openings
and other requisite points in the fence or other desirable positions.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 shows the plan of a river's mouth A being
the Tidal area enclosed having banks or foreshores covered by the Tide at B B B and
a bar C forming an obstruction to the main channel. Dis the Tidal trap with an
opening where it is desired to scour away the bar and form a channel through it. In
this figure the Tidal trap is open the free passage of the tide being delineated by the
arrows TT T. Fig. 2 shows the same plan but with the trap closed the diverted
water being delineated by the arrows T T T.

page_text: E is
Figs. 3 and 4 show a simple form of trap the former closed the latter open.
the platform of the embankment, pier or fence FF. the shutters which on opening
move the segments or arms G which work freely or are controlled by the movement
backwards or forwards of the drawbar H and stops K. Fig. 5 shows the altered
position of the bar I by which the shutters are locked open or shut at will.
Figs. 6. 7. 8 show respectively a plan section and longitudinal view of a portion of
a tidal trap fitted with a water turnstile, closed against the egress of tidal water. In
these Figures E is the platform of the fence and H the drawbar Lis the water turn-
stile having an hexagonally topped spindle M over which drops the retaining arm N
and which is lifted to allow the turnstile to act freely by means of the rising block O
on the bar H. Figures 9. 10. 11 show this retaining arm lifted by the rising block O
being pushed forward.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the sane is to be performed declare that
what I claim is
Firstly. The system by which tidal waters may be collected and retained within the
tidal trap for the purpose of diverting their whole force into one or more channels to
be scoured or deepened or of directing the force that it may impinge on and cloar
away obstructions.
Secondly. The combination of Fence and doors louvres valves or turnstiles for the
above purpose.
Thirdly. The combination of levers segments and stops in connection with the Tidal
trap the better to control the egress or allow free egress during storm floods or when
otherwise necessary.
Fourthly. The adoption of the said tidal trap to assist by replacing the shutters
with turnstiles or water wheels in providing energy for lighting the channels channel
openings or other desirable points.
Dated this 9th day of December 1887.
JAMES JOHN ARNOLD.