IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINE WHEELS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE SAME
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINE WHEELS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH
THE SAME."A communication from abroad by William Foos and
John Wesley Bookwalter, both of Springfield, Ohio, United States
of America.
Sealed the 4th May 1869, and dated the 9th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th March 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINE WHEELS, AND IN APPARATUS CON-
NECTED WITH THE SAME," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to improvements in water wheels of that
class known as turbines, and in the cases and gates for such wheels, and

page_text: consist, first, in constructing a water wheel with two series of buckets
both receiving the water horizontally, and one series discharging the
water vertically and the other discharging the water towards the centre
of the wheel; second, in enclosing the wheel in a metallic case con-
sisting of a crown plate with a horizontal flange and a cylinder having
at its upper end a horizontal flange, a series of oscillating gates of a
cyma reversa form placed between the said parallel flanges, and a series
of shouldered bolts connecting the flanges. The wheel shaft has its
support on a bridge-tree bolted to the cylinder, and is maintained in a
vertical position by a sleeve or by brackets attached to the crown plate;
third, in constructing gates placed between the said flanges and cyma
reversa in form, and performing the double function of gates to shut off
or regulate the supply of water and guides to control its direction against
the buckets of the wheel, the said gates being pivoted so as to equalize
or nearly equalize the pressure of the water on the two ends of the gate
when closed, and being connected by mechanism by means of which
they may be simultaneously operated in opening and closing.
The wheel is formed with two series of buckets, the upper buckets
receiving the water longitudinally discharge it into a chamber in the
centre of the wheel from which it flows downwards through the cylinder
to the tail water.. These upper buckets are of uniform size and consist
of vertical vanes or floats. The lower buckets receive the water also
horizontally, discharging it vertically through the cylinder. These
buckets are vertical at the top and extend downward and are curved.
The general form of these buckets is that well known as the buckets of
the "Jouval" turbine; their faces being radial, and both sets of buckets
being attached to the diaphragm which separates them. This diaphragm
is curved from the periphery of the wheel gradually downward about
one third of its entire depth and then extends vertically to the lower
edge of the lower buckets.
!
In a modification of my Invention the wheel is made without the
diaphragm, and I form the bucket to give a delivery both towards the
centre and vertically, the buckets then combining the form of both the
upper and lower buckets herein-before described, but their construction
is modified to make both in a single plate. The upper edges of the
buckets are fastened to or in contact with the plate which forms the top
of the wheel. This plate is concave on its upper surface and is con-

page_text: structed with a hub to receive a shaft to which it is attached rigidly so
as to turn the said shaft as the wheel revolves. Holes should be formed
in the said top plate to allow the water to escape downward which may
accumulate above the top plate of the wheel and between it and the
crown plate of the case to be herein-after described. The lower part of
the lower set of buckets is surrounded by a cylinder which is constructed
with a horizontal flange. This flange rests upon the bottom of the
"flume" or "forebay" and supports the wheel and driving shaft. The
wheel is covered by a crown plate convex on its upper face and having
a horizontal flange around its periphery; this crown plate may be
constructed with a hub to form a bearing for the driving shaft, or with
an elevated sleeve surrounding and forming a bearing for the said shaft,
or a bridge may be bolted to the top of the crown plate to support such
a bearing. The two horizontal flanges are placed at a distance apart
equal to the depth of the buckets of the wheel and are maintained in
their parallelism by shouldered bolts passing through them and secured
by nuts. In this intermediate space is placed the series of gates which
should correspond in number with the buckets of the wheel. These
gates are cyma reversa in form. The said gates when closed shut one
against the other so as to shut off the water from the wheel, and when
opened they direct the course of the water upon the buckets of the
wheel so that they perform the functions both of gates and guides. The
gates turn upon pivots passing into the horizontal flanges and placed
midway between the inner end of the gate and the point where the end
of the next gate in the series rests against it when closed so that there
shall be an equilibrium of pressure on the two ends of the gate when
closed; it is preferable however to give a slight lead to the outer end of
the gates so that the pressure of water will close them when they are.
released. The issues of the gates are formed at the inner and outer ends
of the same. The inner issue is at a point where the curve formed in
the outer end of the plate begins to be reversed to form the inner curve
of said plate. The curves of the plates between the inner and outer
issues are determined by the circumference of a circle concentric with
the wheel and having a radius greater than that of the wheel sufficient
to leave a space between the said wheel and the inner ends of the gates
of about the width of the spaces between the buckets of the wheel at the
periphery. When the gates are closed their inner faces will form a
perfect circle around the wheel the point of one plate folding against
the next plate in the series. When the gates are open the water will

page_text: be delivered in a line tangential to the wheel and into an annular
vortex chamber surrounding the wheel, thereby permitting the reunion
of the column of water broken as it passes between the gate or guide
plates, and also preventing that tremor of the gates which would be
incident to their close proximity to the wheel, and also equalizing the
pressure of the water upon the wheel even though the spaces between
the gates should be unequal in arca. Outside of the termination of the
inner curve the plates are curved in the opposite direction so that the
throats of the guides are formed between two converging and curved
surfaces. This outward curvature of the gates causes the water to flow
from the flume" upon the wheel without impinging against the flat
surfaces opposed to the direction of its.current.
The gates thus constructed so as to oscillate upon their pivots are.
operated simultaneously by the following mechanism :-A series of rods
is placed on top of the crown plate, the outer ends of the said rods being
connected to points or studs attached to the upper edges of the gate
plates and passing through curved slots cut in the flange of the crown.
plate. The inner ends of the rods are attached to a ring or collar which.
surrounds the shaft resting upon the top of the crown plate.. This collar
has attached to it an arm or lever with a segmental rack on its outer.
end. A pinion is placed upon a shaft stepped upon the flange of the
crown plate and made to mesh into the segmental rack. The wheel is.
attached to the driving shaft which rests upon a bridge-tree bolted to
the inner surface of the cylinder. The whole may be put into a cast-
iron "flume" which needs only to be connected with the head water by an
induction pipe and with the tail water by an eduction pipe. The wheel
may be placed at any point above the tail water not exceeding the height
at which a column of water will be supported by the pressure of the
atmosphere, the tube below the cylinder being air-tight and being
extended below the surface of the tail water. The gate plates may be
made stationary and the supply of water controlled by a valve placed in
either the induction or eduction pipe, or by a ring sliding over the edge
of the upper flange.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the Stli September 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lanc,. in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign,. did,. for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns; or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
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 TURBINE WHEELS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 forming a part of this. Specification.
The said Invention relates to improvements in water wheels of that
class known as turbines, and in the cases and gates for such wheels.
The said improvements consist, first, in constructing a water wheel with
two series of buckets, both receiving the water horizontally, one series

page_text: one-thru or Its CHUIT aepon, and onion Caton
edge of the buckets b.
In a modification of this Invention the wheel is made. without the
diaphragm, and I form the bucket to give a delivery both towards the
centre and vertically, the buckets then combining the form of both
the buckets a and b, but their construction is modified to make both in
a single plate. The upper edges of the buckets a are fastened to or in
contact with the plate B which forms the top of the wheel. This plate
is concave on its upper surface, and is constructed with a hub to receive
the shaft I, to which it is attached rigidly so as to turn the shaft as the
wheel revolves. Holes p should be formed in the top plate B to allow
the escape downward of the water which may accumulate above the top
plate of the wheel and between it and the crown plate of the case, .to be
berein-after described. The lower part of the lower set of buckets b
are surrounded by a cylinder R which is constructed with a horizontal
flange e. This flange rests upon the bottom of the "flume" or "forebay"
and supports the wheel and driving shaft.. The wheel is covered by a
crown plate A convex on its upper face and having a horizontal flange c
around its periphery. This crown. plate may be constructed with a hub
to form a bearing for the driving shaft. I, or with an elevated sleevć
surrounding and forming a bearing for the shaft I, or a bridge may be.
bolted to the top of the crown plate to support such a bearing. The
two flanges c and e are placed at a distanco apart equal to the depth of.
the buckets of the wheel, and are maintained in their parallelism by.
shouldered bolts passing through them and secured by nuts. In this
intermediate space is placed the series of gates H, which should corre
spond in number with the buckets of the wheel; these gates are cyma
reversa in form: The form which is regarded as being the best is clearly
shown in Figure 6. The said gates when closed fit one against the other
so as to shut off the water from the wheel, and when opened they direct
the course of the water upon the buckets of the wheel, so that they
perform the functions both of gates and guides. The gates turn upon
pivots passing into the flanges e and c, and placed midway between the
inner end of the gate and the point where the end of the next gate in
the series rests.against it when closed, so that there shall be an equi.
librium of pressure on the two ends of the gate when closed. It is
preferable, however, to give a slight lead to the outer end of the gates,
so that the pressure of water will close them. when they are released.

page_text: The issues of the gates are formed at, . The inner end of the gate is
at z, the outer end at . The point z' is on the inner face of the gate
(or face nearest the wheel) at a point where the curve formed in the
outer end of the plate begins to be reversed to form the inner curve of
the said plate. The curves of the plates between ¹ and z are determined
by the circumference of a circle concentric with the wheel and having a
radius greater than that of the wheel sufficient to leave a space between
the wheel and the inner ends of the gates of about the width of the
spaces between the buckets of the wheel at the periphery.. When the
gates are closed their inner faces will form a perfect circle around the
wheel, the point of one plate folding against the next plate in the
series at. When the gates are open the water (measured upon. the
middle line of the entering column) will be delivered in a line tangential
to the wheel and into an annular vortex chamber surrounding the wheel,
thereby permitting the reunion of the column of water broken as it
passes between the gate or guide plates, and thereby preventing that
tremor of the gates which would be incident to their close proximity to
the wheel, and also equalizing the pressure of the water upon the wheel
even though the spaces between the gates should be unequal in area..
Outside of the termination of the inner curve at ¹ the plates are curved.
in the opposite direction, so that the throats of the guides are formed:
between two converging and curved surfaces. This outward curvature
of the gates causes the water to flow from the "flume" upon the wheel
without impinging against the flat surfaces opposed to the direction of its
current, the tendency of which would be to form a vacuum behind the
plates, thereby subtracting from the amount of pressure upon the wheel..
The curved throats conforming to the curve of what hydraulicians
call the "vena contracta" it follows that the maximum of water
will flow between the guides with a minimum of disturbance, and
therefore without wasting any of its force.
The gates thus constructed to oscillate upon their pivots are operated
simultaneously by the following mechanism:-A series of rods P is
placed on top of the crown plate, the outer ends of the said rods being
connected to points or studs attached to the upper edges of the gate
plates and passing through curved slots cut in the flange e of the crown
plate. The inner ends of the rods are attached to a ring or collar L
which surrounds the shaft I resting upon the top of the crown plate.
This collar has attached to it an arm or lever M with a segmental rack O

page_text: on its outer end. A pinion N is placed upon a shaft stepped upon the
flange c and made to mesh into the segmental rack O. The rod to which
the pinion is attached may be extended to any part of the mill from
which it will be most convenient to operate the gates. The wheel is
attached to the shaft I which rests upon a bridge-tree bolted to the inner
surface of the cylinder. The wheel, case, shaft, and bridge-tree are put
together when made, the whole being portable so that they may be
shipped together, the millwright having only to construct a "flume."
and see that the wheel is properly leveled upon its floor. The whole may.
be put into a cast-iron "flume," which needs only to be connected' with
the head water by an induction pipe and with the tail water by an
eduction pipe. The wheel may be placed at any point above the tail
water not exceeding the height at which a column of water will be
supported by the pressure of the atmosphere, the tube below the cylinder
being air-tight and being extended below the surface of the tail water.
The atmospheric pressure upon the head water will thus be made to act
upon the wheel by a pressure precisely equal to the weight of a column
of water below the wheel of an area equal to that of the issues of the
wheel. The plates H may be made stationary, and the supply of water
controlled by a butterfly or other valve placed in either the induction or
eduction pipe, or by a ring sliding over the edge of the upper flange, so
as to entirely or partially shut off the water from entering the issues
between the guides. Neither of these modes is regarded as being equally
advantageous with that set forth of having the guidos to oscillate so as
to act as gates to shut off or regulate the water.
Having now fully described the nature of the said improvements as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and shewn how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practise, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,—
A water wheel the buckets of which are so constructed that the water
received into them horizontally shall be discharged therefrom both
towards the centre and vertically, substantially as set forth.
Also, in combination with such a wheel a series of guides arranged
around the wheel and delivering the water thereto, substantially in the
manner set forth.
Also, a casing for a water wheel, composed substantially of a crown
plate covering the wheel with a horizontal flange, a cylinder surrounding

page_text: the lower part of the wheel with a horizontal flange, and a series of
guide plates placed between the said flanges, the whole being so united
as to form a portable casing for a water wheel.
Also, such a case as is above described in combination with the bridge-
tree, shaft, and water wheel, forming a portable combined case, water
wheel, and shaft, substantially as set forth.
Also, gates H of the form substantially as set forth when centrally
pivoted and combined with mechanism for simultaneously operating
them.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine..
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)