US40494A - Improvement in water-wheels - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MULLIKIN, 0E LrrTLE'roN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,494, dated November- 3, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MULLIKIN, of Littleton, in the eounryof Grafton and State oi New Hampshire. have invented a new and Improved Water-Wheel; and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull, clear, and

exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specitication, in which- Figure l is a side view of my invention inclosed within its case; Fig. 2, adetached side view ot' the wheel 5 Fig. 3, a horizontal section of Fig. l, taken in the line x fr.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and'eonstruct my invention, I will proceed to desciibc it.

A represents a cylindrical hub, which is placed on a vertical shaft, B, and to which the buckets C ofthe wheel are attached. The hub A is very much higher than the buckets C, the latter being attached to the lower part, a, ofthe hub, which is atriiie greater in diameter than the upper part, b, but is only about one-half its height, the part b, therefore, be ing about onefthird the whole height of the hub. The buckets G have their upper parts,

c, of curved forni, nearly seinicircular, the lower parts, d, being inclined planes, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. At the back or convex side of the upper parts, c, of the buckets there are horizontal plates e, one to each bucket. These plates project from the centers of the parts a of the buckets, and extend over about one-third the space between the buckets.

The precise i'orm of the buckets and their relative position'with each other are shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The buckets C are inclosed within a cylindrical case, D, which rests upon the basefof the framing E, which supports the wheel and the parts connected therewith.

F represents a scroll, which rests upon the upper part of the case D. This scroll is of equal width throughout, but varies in height, it being of spiral. or screw form, and having its top plate, g, in contact with the upper part, b, of the hub A. (See Figs. l and 3.) The outer end of the scroll F is connected to the sluice G, and at the iunction of the scroll and sluice there is a gate, H, which is attached to a vertical shaft, I, or one which passes up through the sluice at right angles. The shaft I is connected to the gate H near its center, and the back edge of the latter is in Contact with a segment-plate, J, the curvature of which corresponds to a circle, of which the shaft I is at the center. (See Fig. 3.) The lower edge of the scroll F rests on a should within the upper part of the case D.

From the above description it will be seen that the water will be admitted down upon the buckets C in a solid unbroken sheet or column all around the wheel and act with equal effect on each and every bucket, the water descending from the sluice G and v through the wheel in a spiral curve, unobstructed, and acting with its maximum eii'ect or force due to its gravity upon the wheel.

The buckets C, in consequence of being of the form shown and described at their upper parts, c, divide the water without breaking or disturbing its column, while the lower inclined parts, d, retain the water as long as possible, thus adding the power of gravity to that of impact, the water being discharged from the wheel almost motionless. The horizontal plates e prevent the water from striking too low down on the buckets, and also prevent the water from reacting against the backs of the buckets, as they compel the water to pass over in close contact with the face or concave sides of the latter.

The gate H, in consequence of being ar ranged as shown, is nearly balanced, and is consequently capable of being operated through the medium ot' a governor with the greatest facility.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination ot the horizontal plates e with the backs of the buckets C, substantially in the manner herein shown and described, wherehy the water is made to act with itst'ull force upon the faces ot' the buckets, and is prevented from reacting against the backs ofthe buckets, all as set forth.

2. The arrangement of the segment-plate J with the pivoted gate H and shaft I, in the. manner herein shown and described.

GEORGE MULLIKIN.

Witnesses:

E. B. CLEMENT. B. R. WALLACE.

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