Means for Controlling the Motion of Pistons or Plungers subject to Fluid Pressure, and Apparatus for Applying such Means to various purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Means for Controlling the Motion of Pistons or Plungers subject to
Fluid Pressure, and Apparatus for Applying such Means to
various purposes.
I, CARL HUBER, of I Graben No. 28, Vienna, Austria, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to effect the perfect control of the motion of
plungers or pistons that are subject to fluid pressure, such as hydraulic cylinders,
independently of the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder, or of the resistance
to be overcome by the piston or plunger, so that by a slight mechanical movement
of a controlling device or by stopping such movement the action of the piston or
plunger can be started or arrested or reduced at any moment, and thus the exact
desired effect be produced and no more.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the use in combination with the
said piston or plunger a device consisting of screw or worm or inclined plane the
angle of which is slightly less than the slipping angle of the particular metal or
metals of which the parts are made, so that so long as such screw or inclined plane
is stationary, the piston or plunger cannot be moved forward by the fluid pressure,
while on a slight force being applied to the screw or inclined plane, this, in moving,
will allow the piston or plunger to advance and overcome a resistance, and when
such resistance has been overcome to the required extent, the action of the piston
or plunger is immediately stopped by discontinuing the motion of the screw, worm
or inclined plane.
It will be evident that the above described means of controlling the motion of
the piston or plunger can be applied to a great variety of hydraulic or fluid
pressure apparatus for carrying out different operations.
Thus according to one arrangement applied to presses for producing siphon
shaped lead pipes, a slide provided at the annular orifice of the lead press is
connected to a hydraulic piston-double acting whereby it is moved to the one or
the other side of the orifice so as to restrict the same on one side and thus to cause
the lead pipe to form a siphon bend as it issues from the press.
The rear end of the hydraulic piston is formed with a screw thread of greater
pitch than the slipping angle, and upon it is mounted the correspondingly internal
threaded boss of a toothed quadrant that is free to rotate but cannot move
longitudinally and that gears with a worm having a slightly less pitch than the
slipping angle, the spindle of which worm is turned by a crank handle. Thus with
this arrangement, so long as the worm is stationary, the hydraulic piston cannot
move, and the slide is held stationary in the press orifice. When the worm is
turned by a slight application of power the toothed quadrant is correspondingly
turned on the screw of the piston, thus allowing the latter to move in the direction
in which it is forced by the water pressure, and consequently moving the slide to a
corresponding extent, until the rotation of the worm is stopped, when the advance
will cease.
The slide may either consist of a plate with a circular hole, or of two rods
having opposite inclines so that it is moved in one direction or the other by the
piston the one or other incline restricts the annular passage of the lead press on the
one side or the other.
In applying the invention to a series of hydraulic cylinders that are required to
act simultaneously, to exactly the same extent in overcoming a resistance, I form

page_text: on the piston rod of each cylinder a screw thread of slightly less pitch than the
slipping angle, and I fit thereon the threaded boss of a worm wheel gearing with a
worm, the spindle of which is connected by suitable gearing with the worm spindles
and all the other hydraulic cylinders so that on turning the one worm spindle by a
crank handle, all the others will be simultaneously turned to a corresponding
extent, and thus the simultaneous movement of all the pistons to the same extent
is ensured. In applying this arrangement to a series of hydraulic cylinders
arranged in a circle for compressing a circular object such as a wheel tyre of
leather or other material, the worm and worm wheel need only be applied to one
of the hydraulic cylinders the threaded boss of the worm wheel having fixed or
formed on it a toothed pinion gearing with toothed pinions on the threaded bosses
of the other hydraulic cylinders which are all geared together. The hydraulic
cylinders are all fixed on or formed in one with a circular frame, in which may be
formed channels by which each end of a hydraulic cylinder is made to communicate
with the corresponding end of the contiguous ones for the passage of the fluid
pressure, and the two ends of one of the cylinders communicates with a slide
chamber that is connected to the fluid pressure supply pipe, and to discharge pipes,
so that according to the position of the slide, the fluid pressure is supplied to the
one or the other side of the hydraulic piston.
According to another modification of the above construction instead of con-
trolling the hydraulic pistons by means of screws and worms as described,
I provide in the circular frame carrying the hydraulic cylinders a ring shaped plate
capable of being turned round by a toothed ring fixed or formed thereon and gearing
with a rinion turned by a crank handle. In this plate are formed a number of
inclined slots corresponding to the number of the hydraulic cylinders and the piston
rods of these carry studs that enter the said slots.
Thus so long as the annular plate is stationary, the pistons are prevented from
being forced forward by the fluid pressure, and their motion is entirely limited to
the extent to which it is permitted by the inclined slots on the partial rotation of
the annular plate.
According to another application of the invention a number of hydraulic cylinders
have their pistons connected to a circular platen of a hydraulic press, which may
consist of two such platens and sets of cylinders arranged opposite each other,
adapted for example to act upon and press inwards the sides of a trough-shaped
wheel rim, into which a leather or other tyre has been previously compressed as
above described so that by such pressing inwards of the rim, the tyre is securely
fixed therein. The hydraulic presses of the platens are all provided with controlling
screws and gear such as hereinbefore described, and they are all so connected that
by the turning of a winch handle of the gear of one hydraulic cylinder, the pistons
of both platens are all simultaneously actuated to precisely the same extent.
Dated this 16th day of December 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Means for Controlling the Motion of Pistons or Plungers subject to
Fluid Pressure, and Apparatus for Applying such Means to
various purposes.
I, CARL HUBER, of I Graben 28, Vienna, Austria, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to effect the perfect control of the motion of

page_text: plungers or pistons that are subject to fluid pressure, such as hydraulic cylinders,
independently of the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder, or of the resistance to
be overcome by the piston or plunger, so that by a slight mechanical movement
of a controlling device or by stopping such movement the action of the piston
or plunger can be started or arrested or reduced at any moment, and thus the
exact desired effect be produced, and no more.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the use in combination with the
said piston or plunger of, a device consisting of screw or worm or inclined plane,
the angle of which is slightly less than the slipping angle of the particular metal
or metals of which the parts are made, so that so long as such screw or inclined
plane is stationary, the piston or plunger cannot be moved forward by the fluid
pressure, while on a slight force being applied to the screw or inclined plane, this,
in moving, will allow the piston or plunger to advance and overcome a resistance,
and when such resistance has been overcome to the required extent, the action of
the piston or plunger is immediately stopped by discontinuing the motion of the
screw, worm, or inclined plane.
It will be evident that the above described means of controlling the motion of
the piston or plunger can be applied to a great variety of hydraulic or fluid
pressure apparatus for carrying out different operations.
Some of these applications are shewn by way of example on the accompanying
drawings.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 shew respectively a vertical section, an end view, a plan,
and a section at X X Figure 1 of an arrangement in which the said mechanism is
applied to the controlling of a regulating slide for a hydraulic press for producing
lead siphon pipes, Figures 5 and 6 shew a vertical section and sectional plan of a
modified construction of the controlling slide.
The mechanism consists of a hydraulic cylinder D fixed to the cover A of a
press for producing lead siphon pipes, and having a piston E whose rod a is
connected to a looped bar G which carries the regulating slide 9 of the press,
while on the rear side the piston has a rod a' the end of which projecting beyond
the cylinder D is formed with a screw thread the pitch of which is steeper than
the slipping angle. On this threaded part is fitted a screw nut H that can turn
but cannot shift longitudinally, and that carries a toothed segment with which
gears a worm K, the pitch of the worm and that of the toothed segment being
made with a slightly smaller angle than the slipping angle, so that when the
piston E is subject to hydraulic pressure the worm will only require a very
slight rotary force applied to it through the crank handles N in order to turn
the toothed quadrant so as to allow the piston to he moved forward by the
pressure while when its force ceases to be applied to the worn, the motion of
the piston will be stopped. By such forward motion of the piston E, the slide g
will be moved to the right hand, a pointer z fixed on the framing being made
to indicate on a scale on the toothed segment H the direction and extent of
motion of the slide. The motion of the slide is caused to restrict the annular
orifice of the press head C on the one side or the other, in the known manner,
for causing the issuing lead tube to be bent into a corresponding siphon form.
For effecting the motion of the piston E in the one direction or the other
for the above purpose, there is fixed on the cylinder D a controlling slide P
which is arranged as shewn in the sectional plan at Figure 11, so that by means
of a bridge piece Q and hand lever R, Figures 1, 3 and 4, it is moved in the one
direction or the other. In the middle position of the lever R which corresponds
to the position of the slide shewn at Figure 11, the piston E is subject to equal
pressure on both sides and consequently remains in its position, as the inlet pipe e
communicates with the supply passages and, while the discharge passages à d'
are closed by the slide. If the slide P is moved over to the one side or the other,
the communication between the supply passage or with the inlet pipe e is
closed, and it is put in communication with the discharge pipe d or d', so that the
piston E will then be supplied with water pressure on the one side only, the other
side being in communication with the discharge.

page_text: No motion of the piston will however ensue until, as before described, a slight
rotative force is applied to the worm K. This rotative force does not in itself
effect the motion of the slide g, but only serves as the controlling action for the
piston, enabling it to move the slide the exact required distance, as indicated by
the pointer on the scale, and then arresting such motion, by discontinuing the
rotation of the worm.
Thus the regulation of the hydraulic piston and slide 7 is effected by the exertion
of an exceedingly small force."
The diameter of the piston E is so proportioned that with the normal pressure
in the hydraulic cylinder D the resistance offered by the slide g can be overcome
with certainty.
It is of course to be understood that before controlling the piston in the above
described manner, the direction of its intended motion must first be determined by
the above described movement of the lever R and slide P.
In place of the form of slide 9 shewn at Figures 1 and 2 the construction shewn
at g g Figures 5 and 6 may be employed, which offers the advantage that the
formed lead pipe is made to curve over in a plane at right angles to the motion of
the slide, and not, as in the usual arrangement, in the same plane as the direction
of such motion, which latter causes difficulties of construction. Also it has the
farther advantage that the extent of motion of the alide is increased, which motion
when very small as in the first case, is liable to cause inaccuracy of action.
The slide consists in this case of two parallel cylindrical bars g g (Figs. 5 and 6)
which are connected to and move with the rod a of the hydraulic piston, and which
slide in channels formed transversely through the press head C intersecting the
annular orifice of the latter. These rods have hollows 2" facing the said orifice
and in such relative positions that the one is shifted relatively to the other to the
extent of one half the stroke of the slide. Thus according as the slide is moved
so as to bring the one hollow or the other in the centre line of the annular orifice,
the issuing lead pipe will be curved over to the one side or the other, while when
the slide is in the central position, the pipe will issue in a straight form.
Figures 7 to 10 shew the application of the before described controlling
mechanism to the raising of objects of large dimensions such as a girder bridge, as
shewn, in a very uniform manner by a number of hydraulic cylinders D. D. D.
The pistons E of these cylinders have piston rods 6 formed with acrew,threads and
support the load by means of heads L; upon the threads of the piston rod is
mounted the threaded boss of a worm wheel H which is free to rotate but cannot
move longitudinally, and with which gears the worm K. The worms K of all the
cylinders in one row are coupled together by means of shafts k, which are geared
by bevel gearing with a shaft N rotated by a hand wheel, and the spaces under
the pistons E are all put in communication by pipes m with a hydraulic pressure
pump M by means of which the requisite hydraulic pressure can be exercised for
forcing the pistons E, together with the load, upward. Such motion of the pistons is
however controlled by the action of the worm and worm wheel gear, the angle of
the screw thread of the rod b being as above described slightly less than the
slipping angle, so that by a very alight application of rotary force to the worms K
by the hand wheel N the pistons E will all be allowed to rise to a corresponding
extent, such rising being arrested as soon as the rotation of the wheel N is stopped.
If the hydraulic pressure of the pump be decreased below that corresponding to
the load on the pistons, and the hand wheel N and worms K be rotated in the
contrary direction, the load can be lowered to any extent determined by the
continuance of the rotation of N, the water below the pistons being forced out
through a suitable discharge valve at the pump.
In a similar manner any number of coupled pistons of hydraulic cylinders can be
made to move simultaneously either to exactly the same extent, or by varying the
ratio of transmission of motion to the worms K, to a predetermined different extent,
so as to produce a corresponding movement of the load, and to arrest such motion
at the exact moment required independently of whether the hydraulic pressure is
continued or not.

page_text: Figure 11 shews a plan partly in section, of the application of the said controlling
mechanism to peripheral presses, that is, in which a number of hydraulic cylin lers
are arranged in a circle so as to compress a cylindrical or annular object such as
the tyre of a wheel.
The hydraulic cylinders are in this case supposed to be formed in an annular
casting, and the piston rods a of the pistons E are made to bear with heads O all
round the periphery of a wheel tyre T, which may for example be a leather tyre
built up of a number of flat leather plates cemented together and which on being
compressed by the hydraulic pistons is compressed into the trough shaped rim or
felloe of a wheel.
The cylinders are for this purpose all made to communicate with each other at
each end by means of channels ii, which are connected by pipes ff', with the
chamber of the regulating valve P, the action of which, for putting the one or
the other side of the pistons in communication respectively with the pressure
supply pipe and with the discharge pipes dd', is precisely the same as described
with reference to Figure 1. The outer rod a' of each piston E bas screw threads b
on which are mounted the threaded bosses of toothed wheels n, which are of such a
diameter as to gear with each other all round the circle as shewn. On the boss of
the one wheel n is fixed a worm wheel H with which gears a worm K that can be
rotated by a crank handle. The wheels n being prevented from longitudinal
motion, it will be seen that on the rotation of the worm K in one direction, all the
wheels n will be rotated to precisely the same extent, thereby allowing all the
pistons E to perform exactly the same inward motion for compressing the tyre T
in a uniform manner.
As the rotation of the alternate wheels n takes place in reversed directions, the
screw thread 6 of the rods a¹ of the alternate pistons must also be to the contrary
hand, the pitch of these threads are again formed at a slightly smaller angle than
the slipping angle, so that when the worm is not rotated the pistons cannot be
advanced by the water pressure, but a slight rotary force applied to the worm will
allow of such advance.
Figures 12, 124, and 13 shew respectively a side elevation, an enlarged part
section, and a cross section of a modified construction of the last described machine
for compressing wheel tyres and the like. In this construction two strong annular
side cheeks A A, fixed together by transverse bolts B have secured between them
a ring of bydraulic cylinders C, the plungers E of which have heads that are
made to press against the tyre T so as to compress it into the trough shaped rim U
of a wheel U, as in the previous construction, the simultaneous supply of water
pressure to the outer ends of all the cylinders being effected through a circular
channel V. The inner ends of the plungers E projecting through the cylinders are
formed with inclined shoulders at ee which bear against corresponding inclines w w
formed on a ring shaped slide W that can be made to turn in the inner circumference
of the cheeks A by means of a toothed pinion X carried by the checks A and
gearing with teeth formed partly round the periphery of the slide ring W at that
point. The angle of the inclines w and shoulders e of the plungers is made
somewhat smaller than the slipping angle of the metal, so that when water pressure
is admitted behind the plungers these cannot move inward for compressing the tyre
unless the ring W with the inclines w is turned somewhat by the rotation of the
pinion X by means of the crank handles N, the force required to effect such
rotation being very slight, while the forward motion can be checked at any moment
by discontinuing the rotation of the pinion X, as in the previously described
arrangements.
Figure 14 shews a part sectional front view of a press for pressing inwards the
sides of the trough shaped wheel rim or felloe, after the tyre T has been compressed
therein by the press described with reference to Figures 12 and 13.
For this purpose, after the tyre has been compressed into the rim by the
machine, as there described, this is placed upon the platform R of the press which
is carried by a hydraulic cylinder R₁ by means of which the machine is raised or

page_text: lowered so that the axial line of the wheel coincides exactly with the axial line of
the press. This consists of two strong frames 1, 1, tied together by transverse
bolts 2, 2, 2, one of which carries centrally a tubular sliding shaft 3 on which is
fixed a strong disc 4. The one frame 1 has four hydraulic cylinders 5, 5, formed
or fixed thereon, the pistons or plungers 6 of which bear against the disc 4, to
which the plunger heads may be attached. On the face of the disc is fixed a ring
shaped plate 7, with bevelled edge 8, which is of such a diameter, that when the
disc 4 is forced forward by the hydraulic cylinders the edge 8 will exert pressure
on one side of the trough-shaped rim or felloe U, the other side being supported
by a ring shaped abutment as shewn, so that by this means the sides of the rim
will be bent inwards so as to grip the compressed tyre T and thus hold it securely
on the wheel U.
The hydraulic cylinders 5 are all connected to one and the same set of water
pressure supply and discharge pipes, which pipes are connected to a similar
construction of controlling valve to that described with reference to Figures 1
and 11, so that all the pistons are advanced simultaneously to exactly the same
extent, such motion being controlled as before, by threaded rods 9 on the outer
ends of the pistons, which carry spur wheels 10 with threaded bosses, that are
geared together by a central wheel 11.
The one wheel 10 carries a worn wheel 12, with which gears a worm 13, rotated
by a crank handle 14, so that on the rotation of the one wheel 10 by the worm 13
all the other wheels are rotated to precisely the same extent, so that all the pistons
have their motion controlled by the worm 13 in the same manner as described with
reference to the construction at Figure 11.
The compression of the rim having been completed, the disc 4 is drawn back-
wards by admitting hydraulic pressure to cylinders in which the enlarged ends of
the shafts 3 work as pistons, and which are consequently forced backwards by such
pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,,I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Controlling the motion of pistons or plungers subject to fluid pressure by
means of a screw, worm, or inclined plane, the pitch angle of which is slightly less
than the slipping angle of the materials employed, such screw, worm, or inclined
plane being so arranged that when moved by a slight exertion of force they will
allow the pistons or plungers to be set in motion by the fluid pressure, while such
motion is at once stopped by discontinuing the movement of the said screw, worm,
or inclined plane, substantially as described.
2. The application of the method of controlling the motion of pistons or
plungers referred to in the first claim to hydraulic presses for the manufacture of
lead siphon pipes, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of
the drawings.
3. The application of the method of controlling the motion of pistons or
plungers referred to in the first claim to hydraulic cylinders for raising loads or
overcoming resistances, substantially as described with reference to Figures 7 to 10
of the drawings.
4. The application of the method of controlling the motion of pistons or
plungers referred to in the first claim to peripheral presses for compressing circular
objects, consisting of a number of hydraulic cylinders arranged in a circle, the
pistons of which press with heads against the object to be compressed and have
screw threaded rods ou which are screwed the bosses of toothed wheels that gear
with each other all round, while one of them carries a worm wheel actuated by a
worm, by the rotation of which the toothed wheels of all the pistons are rotated
simultaneously and thus allows of the pistons being moved forward by the
hydraulic pressure, the supply of which is regulated by a valve apparatus
substantially as described with reference to Figures 11 and 14 of the drawings.

page_text: 5. The modification of the peripheral presses, referred to in the fourth claim,
wherein the forward motion of the hydraulic pistons or plungers is controlled by a
circular slide having inclines against which bear shoulders on the pistons or
plungers, which slide is rotated by a toothed pinion and crank handle for allowing
the advance of the pistons, substantially as described with reference to Figures 12
and 13 of the drawings.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.