US1797661A - Closing apparatus for hydraulic constructions, ships' elevators, and the like - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1931. A. HUGUENIN CLOSING APPARATUS FOR HYDRAULIC CONSTRUCTIONS, SHIPS' ELEVTORS, AND THE LIKE Filed DGO. 9, 1926 I, Ag l Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES ALBERT HUGUENIN, oP PARIS, FRANCE f CLOSING APPARATUS PP. HYDRAULIC coNs'rRUoTIoNs, SHIPS7 ELEvA'IoRs,

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Application filed December 9, 1926, Serial No. 153,682, and inilfrance December 1 8, 1.925. l

The present invention relates to sluice gates for hydraulic works, ships elevators and the like, whose operation depends upon the difference in the buoyancy of the gate itself 5 which is constructed in the form of a fluidtight caisson.

The invention is characterized in that the gate consists of a watertight caisson whose opening and closing movements are aiected by a difference in its buoyancy, this difference being obtained by supplying air to the interior of the caisson in order to expel the water contained therein, or by producing a vacuum in the said caisson and thus increasing the volume of water therein.

Horizontally pivoted sluice gates have been proposed in which the gate is raised or lowered by controlling the level of water in ballast chambers formed within the gate, in

2o order to permit intermediate positions, the

pivot being at the lower edge of the gate.

According to this invention the main motion of the gate is obtained by a difference of buoyancy of the caisson forming theA said gate, and being always either partially or fully immerged and in any way to the same range on both its sides. This gate has only two positions either fully opened or fully closed and is not at all designed for any intei-mediate position. The caisson is formed by using only the outer part ofthe sector and the radial faces extend but a small fraction from the circumference to the pivot. Thus the caisson may be called segmental.

Gates have also been proposed with a constant buoyancy and two diierent positions, one with stable equilibrium and the other with unstable equilibrium. To keep the gates oi this kind in unstable equilibrium an outside force must be applied all the time.

Floating caissons have furthermore been proposed with very small difference of buoyancy, whereby the removing of the .caisson from the entrance of the dock is not obtained by this dierence of buoyancy, but by other means, the very small difference of buoyancy being just used for tightening the caissons against the sill.

-Shutters have also been proposed being on the one hand emptied from the water by compressed air YorA completely illedwith water whenthev air is permitted to escape. The shutters of this kind are never'imniergedbut one side is alwaysinthe air. 1 y

Thel appended, drawingsl show Vby -way loi example an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. l is a lengthwise section of the gate. Fig. 2 is the corresponding plan View. The horizontally pivoted sluice gate is closed by a sliding movement of the gate in a direction perpendicular (or nearly so) to the closing surface by means of the eccentrics a which are mounted upon shafts or journals b, actuated for instance through the medium of the worm gear c by the motors d. The main body e of the gate consists of a watertight caisson of a segmental shape which is provided with suction and discharge apertures f and whose interior is connected by a pipe g with a compressor h. By means of the air compressor k, it is easy either to reduce the volume of the water in the caisson, by increas- Y ing the air pressure, or by withdrawing air from the caisson to increase the volume of water therein; the buoyancy of the caisson is thus easily regulated by the air pressure in the same. The lirst operation will increase the said buoyancy of the caisson and thus raise the gate from the position shown in the dot and dash lines to the upper one shown in full lines. The second operation, by reducing the buoyancy of the caisson will bring the gate downwards into the original position again. The abutments 7c and Z serve respectively to stop the opening and the closing movement.

The cross-section of the caisson torming the gate is intentionally dissymmetrical with reference to its center line through the rotating axis. The direction of the torque acting on the gate is therefore always the same for the raising. On the drawing thus the buoyancy will in any condition raise the gate from its lower position to the upper one clockwise, never counter-clockwise. This safety device v is of course of paramount importance.

The pipe g is connected by a flexible member of suitable construction, for instance as shown at g with the main body of the air compressor so that the gate may be opened and closed without prejudice to the said compressor.

Having thus described my apparatus, what claim as new therein, and my own invention, 1s:

5 In asluicegatefor hydraulic works, ships elevators `ior the like, the ycombination of a watertight caisson with water inlet and outlet openings and adapted to rotate around lo an axis of rotation, said'eaissonhaving in cross-section a dissymmetrical form with reference *to *the `'middle 'plane passing through the said axis of rotation, thus the resultant uplift force ofthe buoyanyrgiving always in combinationwth the'ixi-d axis of rotation a l-r@ne .way-only storquerand .theshutting oli of the gate openingbeingmade automatically in therightway. Y

In testimony whereof il have `hereunto af- ,30 xedmy signature. t

:ALBERT fHUGUENIN.

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