Gate Operator - Lincoln, Rhode Island - Rhode Island Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This historical marker and a gate operator mechanism are in front of the Blackstone River State Park Visitor Center, where there is a large parking lot and wide walkways making for easy access. There is another Historical Marker a few steps to the left - just past the flag poles - explaining a Water Turbine Runner. The sign has the following text and illustrations:

GATE OPERATOR

Welcome to Rhode Island’s Blackstone River State Park and the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. To your right is a sluice gate operator. This device was used to open and close the sluice gates that controlled the flow of water to power the mill and its machinery.


WATER POWER & AMERICA’S
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

This gate operator opened and closed a large wooden sluice gate controlling water flow from the pond above a dam into the headrace that carried the water into the turbines. The turbines then turned the moving water into power for the machinery in the mill.

The gate was attached to a vertical wooden stem, holding a toothed rack gear, that engaged a pinion gear on the operator. Turning the large hand wheel moved a worm-gear that, in turn, rotated another gear attached to the pinion gear.

Throughout the Blackstone Valley, you can find still remnants of machinery that transferred the moving waters of the Blackstone River to the energy that created America’s new economy in the beginning of the 1800s. For example, similar sluice gate controls are visible on the Ashton Dam, located along the Blackstone River Bikeway to the south, or near the Albion Mill located along the Bikeway to the north. To see an example of a working waterwheel, please visit the Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The Ashton Dam, Blackstone River Bikeway and Kelly House Transportation Museum are all within a short 15 minute walk* from here following the Bikeway behind the welcome center.

There are two illustrations arranged vertically along the right hand side of this plaque.

The uppermost is a realistic rendering of a Gate Operator. The caption reads:

Single Gear Gate Hoist Operator

The parts are labeled from left to right:

Gate Stem, Rack Gear, Pinion Gear

The photograph at the bottom right shows a Gate Operator on top of a dam. The caption reads:

Double Gear Gate Hoist Operator



[*ed. Please note that the 15-minute walk along a path to the sites mentioned above leads downhill from the Visitor's Center and has steep and/or long inclines most of the way. Be prepared for a moderately strenuous walk on the way back up if you choose to go!]

Related Website: [Web Link] Organization that Placed the Marker: Not listed Year Marker was Placed: Not listed

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