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US 5,013,184 AGranted
Lock using air chambers
AssigneesToshikatsu Omachi, Foundation of River & Basin Integrated Communications
InventorToshikatsu Omachi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lock using lock chambers and lock gates capable of reducing the water consumption in the operations of raising or lowering the boat passing through the lock from one level to another. The lock includes flexible air chambers capable of being inflated with air, located on bases of the lock chambers which are connected by a pipe equipped with a valve for controlling a flow of air between the air chambers.
Claims17
A lock for connecting an upper stream and a lower stream, comprising:
- an upper lock chamber containing water, located adjacent to the upper stream;
- a first flexible air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the upper lock chamber;
- a lower lock chamber containing water, located between the upper lock chamber and the lower stream, the upper lock chamber and the lower lock chamber being capable of transferring a surcharge water therebetween;
- a second flexible air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the lower lock chamber;
- and
- pipe means for connecting the first air chamber and the second air chamber, equipped with valve means for controlling a flow of air between the first air chamber and the second air chamber, such that the first air chamber is inflated while the second air chamber is deflated, and the first air chamber is deflated while the second air chamber is inflated, where the inflation and deflation of the first air chamber and the second air chamber are activated by weight difference of the waters contained in the upper lock chamber and the lower lock chamber which is produced by a transfer of the surcharge water between the upper lock chamber and the lower lock chamber.
3 more elements
A lock for connecting an upper stream and a lower stream, comprising:
- a lock chamber containing water, located between the upper stream and the lower stream;
- an air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the lock chamber;
- a balance lock chamber containing water, located outside of the lock chamber, the lock chamber and the balance lock chamber being capable of transferring a surcharge water therebetween;
- a balance air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the balance lock chamber;
- and
- pipe means for connecting the air chamber and the balance air chamber, equipped with valve means for controlling a flow of air between the air chamber and the balance air chamber, such that the air chamber is inflated while the balance air chamber is deflated, and the air chamber is deflated while the balance air chamber is inflated, where the inflation and deflation of the air chamber and the balance air chamber are activated by weight difference of the waters contained in the lock chamber and the balance lock chamber which is produced by a transfer of the surcharge water between the lock chamber and the balance lock chamber.
3 more elements
A lock for connecting an upper stream and a lower stream, comprising:
- an upper lock chamber containing water, located adjacent to the upper stream;
- a first flexible air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the upper lock chamber;
- a lower lock chamber containing water, located between the upper lock chamber and the lower stream;
- a second flexible air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the lower lock chamber;
- and
- pipe means for connecting the first air chamber and the second air chamber, equipped with valve means for controlling a flow of air between the first air chamber and the second air chamber,
- wherein each of the upper lock chamber and the lower lock chamber is equipped with vertically lined light sources on one side wall and vertically lined sensors on an opposite side wall, in order to detect an extent of inflation of one of the first air chamber and the second air chamber located inside.
4 more elements
A lock for connecting an upper stream and a lower stream, comprising:
- a lock chamber containing water, located between the upper stream and the lower stream;
- an air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located on a base of the lock chamber;
- a balance air chamber capable of being inflated with air, located outside of the lock chamber;
- and
- pipe means for connecting the air chamber and the balance air chamber, equipped with valve means for controlling a flow of air between the air chamber and the balance air chamber,
- wherein each of the upper lock chamber and the lower lock chamber is equipped with vertically lined light sources on one side wall and vertically lined sensors on an opposite side wall, in order to detect an extent of inflation of one of the first air chamber and the second air chamber located inside.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.