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US 6,171,023 B2Granted
Water control gate
OwnerPeter Douglas Townshendinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerPeter Douglas Townshendinventor
Estimating the term…
A water control gate assembly comprises a self-actuating top-hung gate for controlling the flow of water in a waterway. The gate is pivotably mounted on a pair of piers located above an upstream of the gate for allowing the gate to pivot between a closed position and an open position in which water flows beneath the gate. The gate includes a ballast tank having an upstream inlet for charging the ballast tank and a downstream outlet for discharging the ballast tank. The upstream inlet is arranged to start charging the ballast tank with water in the event of the upstream water level reaching a first lower level. The downstream outlet is arranged to start discharging the ballast tank in the event of the upstream water level reaching a second upper level, with the ingress of water into the ballast tank between the first and second levels progressively increasing the closing moment of the gate and maintaining it closed against the progressively increasing opening moment of upstream water pressure against the gate.
A water control gate assembly comprising a self-opening and self-closing top-hung gate for controlling the flow and level of water in a waterway, and a pivot arrangement located above and upstream of the gate for allowing the gate to pivot between a closed position and an open position in which water flows beneath the gate, the gate including a ballast tank having an upstream inlet operative automatically to charge the ballast tank so as progressively to increase the closing moment of the gate and to maintain it closed against an increase in opening moment arising from an increase in upstream water level and a downstream outlet operative automatically to discharge the ballast tank so as to decrease the closing moment of the gate and to assist in opening of the gate in the event of a further increase in upstream water level beyond a predetermined upper level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.