Untitled record

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United States Patent Office.

JAMES LEFFEL, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

IMPROVED WATER-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,150, dated January 14,1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James Leffel,of Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which—

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the wheel, its casing, and adjustable gates or valves as it appears when in readiness to be placed in the penstock or other suitable position to receive the water. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of Fig. 1 near the center thereof, showing the position and construction of the wheel, its case, and adjustable valves or gates more fully. Fig. 3 represents a side view of the wheel proper when removed from its case. Fig. 4 represents a bottom view of the wheel as seen in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 represents a top view of a section or part of the wheel without the top rim or cover, whereby the form and position of the upper set of buckets are distinctly illustrated.

In the drawings, A represents the wheel proper, and which is composed of a concave top B and a tubular bottom C, united by means of the central curved part D and the upper set of buckets a. The tubular bottom 0 is of less diameter than the cover or top B and central curved part D, and is so made to receive on its outer periphery the lower set of buckets &amp;, whose upper ends are connected with the lower curved side of D and the inner edges with the outer periphery of C. The upper set of buckets occupy a position between the curved central part D and the concave top B, the form and position of both sets of buckets being fully shown in the drawings. From the center of the top of B extends down a hub B', and through which is passed a shaft A', the shaft and hub being firmly connected, so that when the wheel A revolves the shaft will revolve also. The latter is supported on a pivot-screw c, which passes up through a narrow cross-piece C', whose ends are securely fastened to the inner sides of the part E' of the wheel-casing E by screws c', those which fasten one end being shown in Fig. 1.

The wheel-casing E is composed of a convex top F, a central valve-seat G·, and a tubular bottom E', the latter being connected with and really forming a part of G.

The convex top F and central valve-seat G are fastened together by means of the journals d of the valves or adjustable gates II, which have their ends turned down to form shoulders, the shoulders on their lower ends resting on the top of G, while the under side of F rests on the upper shoulders.

The gates or valves II are made with quite an enlargement near their centers, as seen at I, and through which a hole is bored or otherwise formed a little larger than the journals which pass through the same. These journals, as before explained, have their ends which pass through the parts F and G turned down so as to leave shoulders, and which shoulders are far enough apart to allow the valves II free play between the top F and valve or gate seat G.

The ends of the journals which pass through valves H can be headed down on top of F, as seen at g, to hold the top F firmly in place; or screws may be inserted into the ends of the journals, as seen at/, so that their heads will draw down top F firmly against the upper shoulders of the journals which pass through the valves or gates H. Similar inodes of connection may also be used to fasten the valve or gate seat G to the lower ends of said journals. It will thus be seen that the journals of the valves or gates H answer a double or twofold purpose, viz: journals to the valves or gates and firm connections by which the top F and parts G and E' are held securely together. A cylindrical spindle J passes down through the hub K of the top F and is fastened thereto. A plate L is slipped down on or over J after the inner bent ends of gaterods h are hooked into holes therein, as indicated in the drawings. Λ socket-piece J' is then slipped down on or over J, so as to occupy the position indicated in the drawings, where it is held by a set-screw. When the parts are in this position, the plate L is free to turn on J with the ends of rods h. The outer ends of rods 7i are slipped over or onto the ends of pins i, fastened to the outer ends of gates or valves H, and which pass up through slots j in the top of F, as fully seen in section, Fig. 2. To one side of plate L is , rigidly fastened an arm M, having a rack2

34,150 piece M' on its outer end, which takes into gear N on shaft 0, which is stepped in the top of F, and sustained at top by a bent framepiece Ν', fastened to the top of E. This device is for the purpose of letting on and shutting off the water to the buckets a an d b. The top of shaft 0 is square for the reception of a socket-shaft, which is to be extended up and connected in any proper manner with the regulator. It will be observed that the inner ends of rods h do. not point to the center of shaft A, but to one side. Consequently it will be seen that if plate L is turned in the direction of arrow 2 the outer ends of rods h will be forced out, carrying with them the outer ends of the gates or valves H, whereby the inner ends of said gates or valves will be forced or turned in toward the buckets, and thus the water allowed to enter-between said valves or gates H to,act on buckets a and:b, and when plate L is turned in the direction of arrow 1 the valves or gates are turned in an opposite direction and the water shut off. The movements of plate L, as aforesaid, are effected: by means of gear N, rack M', and arm M whenever shaft 0 is turned, as will be readily understood from the above description and reference to the drawings. Theouter ends of gates or valves H are curved out somewhat abruptly, as seen at k, while their inner ends are curved gently in, commencing at the pins i, so that when the: gates or valves are closed their inner surfaces present a true circle, or nearly so. The inner end of one valve or gate reaches back to about the point where the pin i is fastened to the valve or gate in rear of it. When the gates are closed, their inner ends occupy a point at about the center of the gate or valve seat G, while when fully open they approach nearly to the inner edge of G.

The water as it enters between the valves or gates H is divided by the sharp edge of the plate D of the wheel A. The upper portion thereof then impinges against the outer curved ends m of the buckets a and then gradually approaches the inner ends m' of the buckets a, when it is discharged from the wheel and passes down through the tubular bottom part C. The lower portion of the water impinges against the upper curved ends n of the buckets b and then gradually descends until it is discharged at the bottom n' of the buckets b, the motion of the wheel being so regulated that the water leaves the wheel without agitation and as soon as it has expended all of its power thereon. This wheel is designed to be used or set at or near the top of the fall of the water, as is usual in some classes of wheels, the water as it leaves the wheel passing down to the lower level through an air-tight pipe or water-way. The wheel is to be placed low enough in the water, however, so as to be always covered with water to prevent any air passing down into the wheel, the distance being governed to a greater or less extent by the condition of the buildings and the mode of receiving the water into the penstock. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : H

In the drawings the wheel and its case are represented as placed in a tubular penstock P, with its bottom Q cut out just enough to receive the bottom part E' of the casing E to wheel A, whereby the valve-seat G is allowed · to rest on the bottom of Q, and to which it is to be securely fastened.

From the bottom Q of the penstock P an air-tight pipe or water-way is to extend until its lower end terminates below the surface of the water in the lower level. The penstock and the mode of conducting the water off from the bottom of the wheel can be arranged to suit any particular ease, only that all air should be excluded from the wheel, as aforesaid.

This wheel is so constructed and arranged that the capability of the tubular part C is just sufficient to discharge all the water that can pass through the buckets a, while the space between the casing part E' and the outer periphery of 0 is sufficiently large to allow of the free discharge of all the water that can pass through the buckets δ. Consequently by my arrangement of the different parts of the wheel the water is conducted to the buckets, allowed to perform its work, and is then conducted off without any undue waste of power in the reaction of one part or portion of the water upon another or by causing it or any part thereof to travel an unnecessary distance in order to be free from the wheel or out of the way of the incoming water. The wheel, too, is so constructed and arranged that no undue friction is engendered. The upward pressure of the water as it enters the buckets δ against the curved under part of D causes the wheel to run on the step c with great ease, its weight being nearly counterbalanced by the pressure of the water up against the under side of D. Again, the upper partB of wheel A fits into a groove o in the under side of the convex part F,whereby the wheel is guided with great precision, and that, too, with but little friction, since the parts are so situated that the water always acts as a lubricator, while no dirt or other clogging matter can remain in the joint, the tendency of the water being at all times to force it out. Holes p are made in the concave top Β to allow the free discharge of any water that may chance to enter between said top B and the top F of the casing. The shaft A' passes up through the tubular spindle J and is in a measure supported thereby. The top of shaft A' is to be connected to the shafting of the mill or other machinery, to be driven in any proper manner. This wheel has been tested, and from such tests and from the most careful examination, it is believed that the wheel is capable of yielding from ninety-two to ninety-five per cent, of the power of the water and a greater per cent, than any other wheel heretofore constructed. It will be understood that the wheel could be used effectually even

34,150 if with its shaft arranged in a horizontal position. The buckets a and b are not in the same line, but are so arranged that the outer ends m of the buckets a come between the upper ends of the buckets b, as fully shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement conduces to the ease and efficiency of the action of the wheel, obviating jarring and at the same time equalizing the strain on the wheel.