US30739A - Chute foe river or canal navigation - Google Patents

Description

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NITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO LIVERMORE, OF TREMONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHUTE FOR RIVER OR CANAL NAVIGATION.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,739, dated November 27, 1860.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO Livnnironn, of Tremont, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mode of Constructing Chutes, and which I Denominate f Livermores Improved Chute, and I do hereby 'declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, represents a perspective view of a portion of the chute. Fig. 2, represents a longitudinal elevation of one of the sides of the chute. Fig. 3, represents a transverse section through the chute and division walls. Fig. 4, represents a top plan.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the several figures, denote like parts of the structure in all the drawings.

The object of my invention is to decrease the velocity and discharge of the water in a given channel, thereby enabling boats and other objects to be propelled with reasonable power up as well as down said chute,'and to maintain such a depth and width of passage way for boats and other craft, as will insure a continuous navigation even in low stages of rivers and other water courses.

The nature of my invention consists in dividing the natural or artificial fall to be overcome, into several smaller falls, and separating them by intermediate basins, pools, or chambers, said basins, pools or chambers, being enlargements in the cross section of the chute, either in depth or width (or both if circumstances will admit of it) greatly above the size of the boat channel. The length of these basins, pools, or chambers between each of these falls may be increased or diminished to suit the circumstances of the case.

When a light inclination is required in order to lessen the resistance of gravity for ascending craft, the basins, pools or chambers must be increased in length, as will be obvious to the practical engineer. It is also necessary that these basins, pools, or chambers have a suficient length between the several falls, to measurably overcome the momentum of the running water in its acquired velocity at each of the falls. The greater the length of these basins, pools, or chambers, the more perfect will be the retardation or equalization of the current between each fall. Entire perfection, however, has not been found necessary in actual practice.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe the same with referenceV to the drawings.

A, A, are river walls made of stone or timber or parts of each; and B, B, are cross or division walls, with an open space throughV their centers to form the chutethese cross walls may be of the same height, and built of the same material as the river or outside walls, and at such distances from each other as to leave the basins, pools, or chambers C, C, between them.

D, D, are the guard or guide timbers, which margin the sides of the chute--spaces are left between and under these timbers for the water to pass freely through, into the chambers C.

E, represents sheet piling under the walls to secure their foundation.

F, F, are bottom sills at each fall, or cross wall, and between the cross walls B, current breakers H, H, may be used for retarding and equalizing the current, and one or more may be used in each basin or pool.

K, K, are lips or projections around each opening, upon the upper side, in the division walls. These lips are intended for lessening the discharge of the water, and also to retard its passage through the opening.

I, I, represent the bed of the river or water course.

Vhen a canal or island channel should be used for the construction of the chute, a river wall would be unnecessary. The division wall would connect with each shore as is here shown upon one side only.

The construction shown in the drawings represents the improved chute, as passing over, or overcoming an articial fall made by a dam in the water course, a portion of which is shown at G, in Fig. 1. The principle involved is however the same for a natural fall.

The guard or guide timbers are requisite to prevent boats and other craft from heilig thrown out of their course, and striking against the division walls.

The entire fall, it will be understood, is to be overcome by a series of steps or droppings from one basin or pool, to the next succeeding one; and the basins or pools allow the water to flow out of the direct channel, and expend its force in this enlarged water space; and the current breakers aid in retarding the flow of the Water through the chute as well as into the basins \or pools, counteracting the force of the water, by causing it to react upon itself, instead of allowing it to retain its accelerated force. The lips at the upper sides of the series of openings through the cross Walls, aid in preventing the Water from entering said openings, with undue force, and also tend to lessen the discharge of the water from basin or pool immediately above them.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. Dividing the natural or artificial fall to be overcome in a stream, into several smaller pools, or chambers, that are interposed between a series of falls, the lips K, K, for retarding the ingress and egress of the water, to and from said basins, pools, or chambers, substantially as set forth.

ALONZO LIVERMORE.

Witnesses:

I. P. BEGHTEL, THOMAS HOLLAND.

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