ATKINS ON FISH WATS. 613 



13. — FISH-WAYS WITH OBLIQUE PARTITIONS. 



Foster's improvement (Plate XXI, fig. 3, plan; fig. 4, same, modified as 

 built on Penmaquan Eiver, Maine ; Plate XXIV, fig. 1, location of fish- 

 way at Union Mills, Saint Croix Eiver ; fig. 2, plan of same •, fig. 3, side- 

 elevation of same; fig. 4, cross-section showing shape of passage-ways ; 

 Plate XXX, fish-way closed) consisted in oblique partitions crossing 



ports, b, ¥, ¥, &c.; at its upper eud, the trough or box being placed withiu the stream 

 in a sloping position aud projecting through and extending somewhat above the dam, 

 as shown in the drawing; the slope of the said trough or box being varied with circum- 

 stances, the character of the stream, and the velocitj" to be imparted to the current 

 passing through it. The inlet-ports b, ¥, b-, before named, are placed at different points, 

 up aud down, of the stream, and consequently admit water to the trough at different 

 altitudes : the port h being the highest aud receiving the water at the high stage, and 

 the port b- being the lowest of the series and receiving water when it will not enter 

 the upper one. 



Having thus seen how I control aud regulate the admission of water to the chute B, 

 I will now explain how I guide its course through the same, and in so doing carry out 

 the primary object of my invention — that of retarding artificially the rapidity of the 

 current. To this end I dispose within the chute or box A, and generally throughout 

 its length, a series of abutments, d, d, d, &c., disposed at regular or irregular distance 

 asunder aud extending partially across the width of the chute, the abutment of one 

 side being disposed opposite the recess formed by the two opposite adjacent abutments. 

 The abutments d are not limited in number nor arbitrarily iu position, but are arranged 

 substantially as stated. Each abutment, or deflector, d, is formed with one or more 

 bends or wiugs, e,f, &c., which extend longitudinally or thereabouts of the length of 

 the chute, in order that the current of water intercepted by the abutment shall be com- 

 pelled to take an upward or return movement for a short distance before passing to 

 the uext ensuing abutment to be again intercepted and diverted. In this manner, the 

 current of water entering the head of the chute is courinually interrupted and diverted 

 from a direct course, a series of eddies being the result, following each other iu such 

 rapid succession as to retard the current throughout the entire chute. As the ouly head- 

 way the water can attain is iu passing from one abutment, or deflector, to another, and 

 as these may be so near to each other as to almost entirely reduce the stream to a con- 

 tinuous series of eddies, the water makes its exit from the cliute at about the same 

 velocity with which it courses through the upper part thereof, aud this velocity may, 

 of course, be increased or diminished, according to the number of deflectors. 



In a chute, or fish-way, constructed essentially as above described, the fish encounter 

 very little resi.'5tance to their passage, and the eddies allow them to remain at rest at 

 any time. In fact, in fish-ways now in actual use on this principle, thousands of fish 

 are found in the proper season to be both ascending and descending the chute at the 

 same time. 



Claims. 



1. In a fish-way which is extended through the dam of a water-course and some dis- 

 tance above the same, as described, I claim the ports b, ¥, b-, arranged substantially as 

 shown, whereby the water is admitted through one or more, according to couditions in 

 its height, as set forth. 



2. In a fish-way provided with a series of deflectors, d, for causing the water to take 



a sinuous course through the same, I claim the wiugs e,f, formed on or attached to said 



deflectors, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. 



E. A. BRACKETT. 

 Witnesses : 



W. E. BOARDMAX. 

 E. G. PlNKHAM. 



