US73400A - William snodg-rass - Google Patents

Description

@auch tatrs ateut @Hirn WILLIAM SNDGRASS, COLD SPRING, WISCONSIN. Letters Patent No. 73,400, dated January 14, 1863,

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

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TO'ALL wHoM IT MAY co'NcEnN;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SNODGRASS, of Cold Spring, in the county ot' Jeli'erson, and State of Wiscousin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the followingisja full, clear, and exact description of the same'.

The object ofmy invention is to so construct a water-wheel that I may obtain the full, or nearly the full, percentage of power which is dne from water under a given head; and the invention consists in providing for a free escape of air from the buckets or oats, and in bringing the full pressure ofnthc water to 'act upon a.

given point of the wheel ina manner similar to the action of water on the piston of a watcrengine, that is,

with very little leakage or loss; and to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will -now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this Specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 represents a sectional side view of the wheel through the line a' e: of lig. 2.

Figure 2V represents a top view. j

Figure 3 represents a sectional side view through the line yy of iig. 2.

Figure 4 is anedge view of the float, show ing the valves. i

Figure 5 is a top view of the float, showing the same.

Similarletters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents tbewheel, B the scroll or'segment, against which the oats make a water-tight joint. C represents the head ot' Water, D represents 'the float, E represents the gate, and B' represents the bul'kdiead.

The body ot' the water-wheel A is made similar to that of a common overs'hot-wheel, the principal difference being in the construction ot the ioats or buckets, and this difference embraces the principal feziture ot' my invention when combined with thescroll B. This float is made in two p'ieces hinged together, as seen at gl. The outer portion a is secured to the rim of the water-wheel in the usual' manner, but it has a flexible strip, c, upon its louter edge, which projects from it for the purpose of forming a more perfect joint on the scroll B. The innerportion ofthe float a', being hinged to a, forms a valve, and its opening and closing are governed by the motionv of the wheel, and by the pressure of water upon it.

When the loat leaves the tail-water, as at b, the valve a opens and lets the air enter behind it, and when the float reaches the surface of the head-waterpthe valve opens and allows the water to pass to the top, or to near the top, of thewheel. An entirely rigid float at this point would obstruct the motion of the wheel, und interfere with my designs.

The scroll B is a segment of a circle, whose inside diameter is about the saine as that described by the rim of the whcel.- It may be of any desired length, and is placed and fastened below the wheel, and below the level of the tail-water. The ilegible strip c strikes this scroll when the whccl is revolving, and forms a'watertight joint between the oat and the scroll. The rim oi' thewheel is kept water-tight against the scroll B, and the bulk-head B', or chamber in which the water is lconfined by segments, whose circle shall be about the same as that of the rim ofv the wheel, with flat pieces of a little larger diameter attached, and which pieces shall be pressed outward by a spring, the spring being acted upon by a screw. This arrangement is shown in tig 3. f represent the segments; g, the fiat pieces confined to the segments, but which are allowed to move upon it. h is the spring, and z the screw. l

For the purpose of adapting my wheel to light service, I have shown a partition, P, and in reference to it, I have only to observe that the construction is the same, it only being, in fact, another wheel in all its essential parts.' E represent boards or pieces of plank, which drop into grooves, and which allow the water to be discharged at any point from the bulk-head. J represents a weight upon the valve a oi' the float, to assist it in closing under water. l

Havingv thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire tc secure by Letters Patent- The float D, with its valves a and c, thc scroll B, and the segment f, with the sliding piece y, the spring i, and screw 2', when arranged and combined substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

WILLIAM sNoDGRAsS.

Witnesses:

JOHN McBnarn, PRosPER ORAvArn.

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