IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING HYDRAULIC RAMS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Blake, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING HYDRAULIC
RAMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Blake at the Offi e
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th January 1880.
JOHN BLAKE, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SELF-ACTING HYDRAULIC RAMS."
My Invention is particularly applicable to those hydraulic rams known as
Montgolfier's. In performing the first part of my Invention I apply to the injection
pipe or to the water chamber between the air vessel and water supply a cylinder
containing a piston acted upon by a spring, and connected by an opening with the
injection pipe or water chamber. When the water flows into the water chamber
and through the waste valve, and having acquired sufficient velocity closes the
waste valve, it forces up the delivery valve in the air vessel, at the same time
forcing the piston up into the cylinder; some of the water enters the air vessel,
and compresses the air, the elastic force of which forces down the delivery valve
and causes the water under the delivery valve to recoil; this recoil is assisted by
the piston being pressed downwards by the spring, thus making the recoil more
certain and the action of the ram more continuous and less liable to stop.
The second part of my Invention consists of apparatus whereby a self acting
ram may be made to force up either a part of the same water that works it or other
water. I apply to the water chamber of the ram a double cylinder containing. á
large and small piston, each fixed on the same rod, the said pistons being forced
downwards by a spring or otherwise; the large end of the cylinder is connected to
the water chamber of the ram by an opening, and the small end of the cylinder is
connected to a second chamber, on which is the air vessel' and delivery valve. At
one part of this second chamber is a suction valve with a pipe leading from it to
the water to be pumped up. When the water in the chainber of the ram forces up
the pistons the spring is compressed, and on the recoil of the water the spring
forces the pistons down, and the downward action of the small piston draws water

page_text: through the suction valve into the second chamber, and the upward action of the
small piston forces the water through the delivery valve into the air vessel, whence
it is carried away to a higher level by the delivery pipe. The downward action
of the large piston caused by the spring and the air vessel makes the water in the
chamber of the ram recoil, and allows the waste valve to open. In some cases I
reverse the position of the double cylinder and pistons. The third part of my
Invention consists in using in place of the ordinary air vessel a cylinder open at
each end containing a piston, which may be either solid or hollow, and open at one
end. The piston is pressed downwards by one or more springs; if the piston is
hollow, with the open end downwards, its action in the cylinder forms a telescopic
air vessel, but if solid the piston rests on the water, which is admitted at the lower
end of the cylinder, no air being needed to cause the water to ascend the delivery
pipe, as this is effected by the elastic force of the springs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Blake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th July
1880.
JOHN BLAKE, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SELF-ACTING HYDRAULIC RAMS."
My Invention consists in certain improvements in self acting hydraulic rams,.
and is particularly applicable to those hydraulic rams known as Montgolfier's, and
in order that it may be fully understood and readily carried into effect I will
describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being had to the figures
and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an elevation in section of a hydraulic ram, to which the first part of
my Invention is applied. a is the injection pipe; b, the water chamber; g, the
delivery valve; h, the air vessel; j, the delivery pipe; and f is the waste valve,
all of which are or may be of the usual construction.
To the chamber b I attach a cylinder c containing a piston d, acted upon by a
spring e, and connected by an opening with the injection pipe a or water chamber b.
When the water flows into the water chamber and through the waste valve f, and
having acquired sufficient velocity closes the waste valve, it forces up the delivery
valve in the air vessel h, at the same time forcing the piston d up into the
cylinder c; some of the water enters the air vessel and compresses the air, the
elastic force of which forces down the delivery valve g and causes the water under
the delivery valve to recoil; this recoil is assisted by the piston being pressed
downwards by the spring e, thus making the recoil more certain and the action of
the ram more continuous and less liable to stop.
The second part of my Invention consists of apparatus whereby a self acting ram
may be made to force up either a part of the same water that works it, or other
water, and Fig. 2 is an elevation in section to which my improvements are
applied. I apply to the water chamber 6 of the ram a double cylinder c¹ containing
a large piston d' and a small piston d, each fixed on the same rod, the said pistons-
being forced downwards by a spring e¹, or otherwise; the large end of the
cylinder is connected to the water chamber b of the ram by an opening, and the
small end of the cylinder is connected to a second chamber 6', on which is the air
vessel h and delivery valve g¹; at one part of this second chamber is a suction
valve with a pipe il leading from it to the water to be pumped up.
When the
water in the chamber b of the ram forces up the pistons the spring e¹ is compressed,
and on the recoil of the water the spring forces the pistons down, and the down-
ward action of the small piston draws water through the suction valve into the
second chamber b', and the upward action of the small piston d³ forces the water
through the delivery valve g¹ into the air vessel h, whence it is carried to a higher
level by the delivery pipe j. The downward action, of the large piston caused by
the spring, and the elastic force of the air in the air vessel, makes the water in the
chamber of the ram recoil, and allows the waste valve f to open; the waste valvo
acts in a similar manner to that described in Fig. 1. In some cases I reverse the
position of the double cylinder and pistons. The middle portion of the double
cylinder is made with open sides, as shewn. I form on or fix to the underside of
the valve g' a screw, on which I place a collar of lead or other metal for regulating
the weight of the said valve to make it fall in due time, which collar is held in its
place by a nut.
The third part of my Invention is shewn on Fig. 3, and it consists in using in
place of the ordinary air vessel a cylinder h¹ open at each end containing a piston h²,
which may be either solid or hollow, and open at one end, as shewn. The piston is
pressed downwards by one or more springs e²; if the piston is hollow, with the
open end downwards, it action in the cylinder forms a telescopic air vessel, but if

page_text: solid the piston rests on the water which is admitted at the lower end of the
cylinder, no air being needed to cause the water to ascend the delivery pipe, as this
is effected by the elastic force of the springs c²; 92 is the delivery valve with a
movable collar fixed to its under side by a screw and nut similar to that shewn on.
Fig. 2; j is the delivery pipe, in which is fixed a retaining valve l. This valve is
also usually applied in a similar manner to the rams shewn on Figs. 1 and 2.
Having thus stated the nature of iny Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
details given, but what I claim.is,-
First. The application of the piston d to assist the recoil of the water in the
water chamber and injection pipe, substantially as shewn and described in reference
to Fig. 1.
Secondly. The application of the large and small pistons d' and d³, either with
the large piston d¹ being acted upon by the water in the water chamber b, as shewn,
or with the large piston d' acting upon the water in the chamber b', and the water
in the chamber b acting upon the small piston d².
Thirdly. The application of the piston 2, in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as shewn and described in reference to Fig. 3.
Fourthly, Attaching a movable collar or weight to the delivery valves g' and g²,
as shewn and described in reference to Figs. 2 and 3..
In witness whereof, I, the said John Blake, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirteenth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.