It consisted of a plunger pump piped to a large cylinder and a ram. This press found wide use in England because it provided a more effective and economical means of applying large forces in industrial uses. Today, hydraulic power is used to operate many different tools and mechanisms. In a garage, a mechanic raises the end of an auto-mobile with a hydraulic jack. Dentists and barbers use hydraulic power, through a few strokes of a control lever, to lift and position their chairs to a convenient working height.
Hydraulic doorstops keep heavy doors from slamming.
Hydraulic brakes have been standard equipment on auto-mobiles since the 1930s. Most automobiles are equipped with automatic transmissions that are hydraulically operated. Power steering is another application of hydraulic power. Construction workers depend upon hydraulic power for the operation of various components of their equipment. For example, the blade of a bulldozer is normally operated by hydraulic power.