IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN STEAM ENGINES AND DIFFERENTIAL ACCU- MULATORS FOR WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Oram and William Hartley, both of Salford,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN STEAM ENGINES AND DIFFERENTIAL ACCU-
MULATORS FOR WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES."
Sealed the 17th May 1878, and dated the 8th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Oram and William
Hartley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December
1877.
WILLIAM ORAM and WILLIAM HARTLEY, both of Salford, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN STEAM
ENGINES AND DIFFERENTIAL ACCUMULATORS FOR WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES."
Our improved hydraulic press is particularly applicable for the packing of yarn
and warps, and it is constructed with two movable ends or sides which are carried
by and run upon rollers at or near the top of the press, and they are moved to or
fro by the action of four hydraulic rams and cylinders arranged two on each side,
and by this arrangement the sides or ends are moved in opposite directions, either
to or from each other; these four rams are moved by the water from the hydraulic
differential accumulator, which is put in action by means of valves or taps arranged
for that purpose, or the ends or sides of the press may also be moved by screws or
levers, with bars and catches to hold them in position while the goods are being
pressed.
The differential accumulator is constructed with a series of rams, three or more,
which are attached to the weights of the accumulator table; these rams and the
weights are raised to their proper heights by the water from the hydraulic pumps,

page_text: which by this arrangement will have one nearly uniform pressure per square inch
while being lifted.
The action of the differential accumulator, together with the hydraulic press, is as
follows All the rams of the accumulator at first act together and give a certain
pressure per square inch upon the area of the press ram, but when this pressure
becomes nearly neutralised by the resistance of the goods in the press the water
from the large centre ram is allowed to flow freely away to the cistern; there is
then an increased pressure per square inch acting upon the remainder of the rams of
the accumulator and the area of press ram, and when there are but two small rams of
the differential accumulator in action they give the final or finishing pressure to the
hydraulic press rain of several tons per square inch.
The improvements in the steam engines for hydraulic purposes consist in an
arrangement of the hydraulic pumps in such manner as to shorten considerably the
total length of the engine foundation fraine. These improvements consist in
making the piston rod of a large diameter, and bored out at each end to form the
Dump barrel; the plungers of these pumps are made hollow to allow the water to
pass freely through them into the pump barrel or piston rod; at the other end of
each plunger are the inlet and outlet valves of the pumps; these are firmly and
securely fixed to the engine foundation frame and to the steam engine cylinder;
hence the two pumps act as one double-acting pump, and the engine performis equal
duty each stroke.
When applied to the differential accumulator above described the steam of the
engine can be worked expansively.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Oram and William Hartley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th June 1878.
WILLIAM ORAM and WILLIAM HARTLEY, both of Salford, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN STEAM
ENGINES AND DIFFERENTIAL ACCUMULATORS FOR WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES."
Our Invention consists,-
First. In an improved hydraulic press which is particularly applicable for the
packing of yarn and warps. It is constructed with two movable ends or sides.
Secondly. In a differential accumulator, which is constructed with a series of
rams, which are attached to the weights of the accumulator table.
Thirdly. In certain improved arrangements of valves for the pumps, presses, and
accumulators.
And, Fourthly. In improvements in the steam engines for hydraulic purposes,
and in an arrangement of the hydraulic pumps in such manner as to shorten con-
siderably the total length of the engine foundation frame.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying six Sheets of Drawings.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is an elevation of our improved hydraulic press combined with
the differential accumulator.
On Sheet 2 Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, and Fig. 3 is an end view of the
hydraulic press.
a is the top of the press; b, the bottom; and c, the columns; d is the hydraulic
cylinder; and e, the ram, all of which are made as usual. f is the follower, which is
cast with openings for the two movable sides or ends g, g, at the top of which are
antifriction rollers g' running upon ledges on the top of the press; the sides or ends g
are moved to and fro, according to the width of the bale that is being pressed by
the four hydraulic rams and cylinders h¹, two of which act on each side or end g.
is the foundation plate of the differential accumulator supporting the centre
cylinder j, and the outer cylinders k, ; in each cylinder of the accumulator is a ram
marked respectively ¹ and ¹. These three rams are connected to the table 1 of the
accumulator, and the centre or large ram j', only being acted upon by the pumps; l'is
a cistern above the table to increase the dead weight; 2, is the pipe for conveying
water under pressure from the pumps to the centre or large ram j of the accumu-
lator. As the table l rises it takes with it the two smaller rams, which act as
pumps, and draw their own water from the tank or pump cistern through the
pipes, and when the cistern is placed above the level of the small cylinders the
water flows therein by gravity.
The water from the three rams of the accumulator passes through the pipe m to
the stop valve m³, shewn full size in Figs. 4 and 5 of Sheet 3, and half size in
Fig. 6, and from the stop valve m¹ the water passes through the pipe n to the press
cylinder d. The water passes from the accumulator to the press by opening the
valve m, and when the force of the water is equal to the resistance in the press the
valve m³ is opened, which allows the water from the large rain j¹ to flow through
the pipes o to the pump cistern. The weight of the accumulator now acts on the
two small rams, and the press follower is then raised to the full extent by the
increased pressure.
When the bale is completed the valve m is closed, and the
follower is lowered by opening the valve m', which had before been closed.
The four cylinders are connected to the large ram of the accumulator above
described, or to the ordinary force pumps, to move the sides or ends g to and fro,
according to the size of the bale under operation, or they may be moved by screws
or levers with bars and catches to hold them in position while the goods are being
pressed. The rams are moved to and fro by an ordinary slide stop valve, shewn
in Figs. 1 and 2.
at

page_text: On Sheet 4, Figs. 7, 8, and 9 shew our improved catches for holding the movable
ends or sides g. When the ends or sides g liave been placed at the proper distance
apart, the levers u, which are fixed to the cam shafts u', supported in bearings fixed
to one of the sides g, are turned partly round to take into notches in the side bars u
attached to the other sido g; by this means the ends or sides are kept in position
until the bale is completed.
On Sheet 5, Figs. 10 and 11 represent two views of our improved valves for the
differential accumulator to prevent the table and cistern being raised too high.
The water from the pumps enters the valve box rat r¹, and after lifting the valve
it passes to the cylinder of the centre ram jl. In the valve box is the safety
valve, which is kept down by the lever and a weight which is equal to the
combined pressure of the three rams j¹ and '. The end of the lever rests upon
cam s attached to the lever s¹, to which are connected by chains or cords the
weights 2 and 83; the end of the lever s' forms a catch, which is held by the catch
lever t. To the top of the cistern is fixed the bracket, which when the accu-
mulator table is raised sufficiently high acts upon the end of the catch levert and
releases the lever s¹; the weight s then lifts the lever s¹, and the cam s acting on
the lever removes the pressure on the safety valve 83, the check valve stopping
the water from flowing back from the accumulator. When the table and
cistern descend, the weight s being heavier than the weight 3, is left sus-
pended to the lever s¹, and draws it back until the catch levert secures it.
By this means the water from the pumps is allowed to pass through the valve box
without any pressure.
On Sheet 6 Fig. 12 is an elevation, and Fig. 13 a plan of our improvements in
steam engines and pumps for working hydraulic presses; is the steam cylinder,
and the piston fixed on the piston rod v2, the ends of which form the cylinders
for the pump rams w; these pump rams are fixtures, being connected to the valve
boxes in which are the suction valves and the delivery valves x². As the
piston moves to and fro in its cylinder the pumps are worked alternately
and force the water through the pipes ³ to the accumulator or to the press valves.
By this means the total length of the steain engine foundation frame can be con-
siderably reduced, and when applied to the differential accumulator the steam from
the engine cau be worked expansively.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not intend to limit
ourselves to the details given, as they may be considerably varied or modified, and
that what we claim is,
First. Suspending the movable sides or ends of hydraulic presses on rollers
running on the press top, as shewn and described.
Secondly. The application of hydraulic rams and cylinders, or screws, or levers
for moving the sides or ends of hydraulic presses, as shewn and as described.
Thirdly. The application of bars and catches for securing the movable sides or
ends of hydraulic presses, as shewn and described.
Fourthly. The application of three or other convenient number of cylinders and
rams connected to the weighted table, and forming a differential accumulator, as
shewn and described.
Fifthly. The apparatus described to prevent the table of the accumulator rising
too high to release the water from pressure, and to allow it to flow freely back to
the cistern.
Sixthly. The improved arrangement of valves for admitting the water to and dis-
charging it from the press; also for discharging the water from the centre or large
ram of the accumulator, as shewn and described.
Seventhly. Making the ends of the piston rod of the steam engine into pump
barrels in order to reduce the total length of the engine foundation frame, as shown
and described.
:

page_text: And, lastly. Combining the valve box for the pumps with the pump ram, as
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Oram and William Hartley, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-first day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM ORAM. (L.S.)
WM. HARTLEY.
(L.S.)